TAG | Harmful Chemicals
September 17th, 2009 by Richard N Williams
Being eco friendly or living in an environmentally friendly way is often preached to us from the media, government, friends and colleagues. But eco friendly living can often be confusing with mixed messages coming from different quarters.
For instance some people claim bio-diesel is a green fuel as it produces les CO2 than conventional fuels. Others argue it takes up valuable arable land and that the fuel is essentially foodstuffs that could go to feeding people. So it becomes difficult to know who to believe.
And as being green is all about thinking about how individually we effect the environment – often what works for one person doesn’t necessarily work, or can be practical, to another.
However, there are a few things that many people agree can go a long way to helping the environment and most people can fit into their lives:=
Recycling. Recycling is perhaps the most important thing that we can do that directly help the environment. When you consider how much rubbish each of us throw away each year it soon becomes clear that reducing that amount will make an individual difference. Recycling bins go a long way to make things easier too.
Buy organic products where no harmful chemicals/pesticides have been used. Whilst they may be more expensive but anything we can do to help prevent pollution of our countryside and seas will benefit generations to come. Its not just about organic food either, organic clothing and other organic products are available.
Try and use natural alternatives. What was good for grandma is probably good for the planet too. Old fashioned methods such as drying clothes on an clothes airer will not only cut down on your carbon footprint but also reduce your energy bills.
Try different energy methods. Hybrid cars are one way of using new technology but replace some of the battery powered stuff with say solar powered gadgets. Even consider using solar powered chargers to recharge your laptop or ipod. Every little bit helps.
Richard N Williams is interested in green innovations and writes about them. Please visit our website if you are interested in recycling products or other eco-friendly ideas.
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One of the biggest problems the growing green movement faces can be found hidden in every baby’s diaper. Eco friendly diapers are in short supply unlike that which they were intended to collect. There currently aren’t enough landfills to deal with all the diapers out there.
Babies go through about 5,000 diapers during potty training and the EPA says that diapers account for 3.4 million tons of waste (roughly 2% for the US total) in landfills (1998 figures). To qualify as eco friendly diapers it will be necessary to bypass the landfills as well as the harmful chemicals.
It may at first seem an easy, green choice to go with cloth diapers rather than disposable, but the diaper solution is not so cut and dried. To make cloth your eco friendly diaper of choice you will need a few basic items.
First and foremost you will need a washer and dryer at your beck and call and the time to constantly wash the tainted offerings that your baby produces at a near prolific rate. You will need to chose an eco friendly laundry soap and the style of cloth diaper that best suits your child.
This is by far the most preferable way to deal with the diaper issue, but not the solution for everyone. City dwellers may look to a diaper service, but eco friendly diapers do not come from most pay services. Due to excessive hot water use and necessity of chlorine bleach (to kill Staff and other infections common to babies), these services produce less than eco friendly results.
This takes us back to disposable diapers. Conventional disposables (Pampers, Huggies) are also not eco friendly diapers. Their manufacture involves chlorine (a volital organic compound VOC) and all use chemical gel cores that “lock in” a baby’s pee. These chemical gels contain sodium polyacrylate known for respiratory and skin irritation problems (mind you in much higher doses than found in diapers).
These manufacturers would argue that the chemicals used are all within safe limits, but do you really want to swaddle your child in such potential problems? Disposable, eco friendly diapers do exist, sort of and are are making strides towards even higher standards of green on a daily basis.
A well know manufacturer of many green products, Seventh Generation, makes a disposable eco friendly diaper or so they say. The truth is a truly biodegradable diaper doesn’t really exist due to the quantity versus the available landfills.
But Seventh Generation is a very transparent company as far as their ingredients go and produces some of the best eco friendly products available. They also claim that their eco friendly diapers use a “chemically inert” gel and claim independent scientific research has shown it is “nontoxic, not carcinogenic, and nonirritating to the skin.”
Another company, Gdiapers, makes a similar product with the added advantage of making their diapers flushable. The flushable feature does eliminate the landfill problem (some statistics put a diapers landfill life around 500 years), but both of these so called eco friendly diapers use similar gel cores on which there is still not enough definitive research.
The winner, in this reviewers eyes, in the disposable eco friendly diaper contest is made by Tushies. Assembled in the US, these are made of a cotton blend, chlorine free wood pulp and best of all, no chemical gels. Not as widely available as the Seventh Generation product, this brand can be found in some health food stores and also online.
The final word on diapers is that “eco friendly diapers” is an still an oxymoron at this point. Diaper services show facts that gel absorbents in disposables are harmful and disposables claim the chlorine used in diaper services is harmful. There is no definitive proof of either side being right. The eco friendly diapers of the future will combine all the best features, flushability, no gel absorbents above all comfort and safety for your baby.
Still looking for at least semi environmentally friendly diapers?
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26
Biowashball – Eco-Friendly Product That Washes Your Clothes Without Detergent
No comments · Posted by admin in Go Green
Biowashball is a unique product designed to get clothes clean without use of laundry powder or detergents. Instead of your usual laundry soap or liquid detergent, you place a non-toxic plastic ball in with your wash.
This flexible green sphere is filled with small round microballs made of natural ceramics. The small ceramic spheres change the pH of the water the same way your detergent does, but without harmful chemicals.
Because it is hypoallergenic (no detergent or fragrances) you can safely use Biowashball in any washing machine. It treats grease, organic and chemical stains effectively, getting your wash bright and clean without leaving residues or dumping harmful chemicals into the water. it helps reduce allergies and protects the environment.
I first heard about Biowashball from a friend who prefers eco- friendly products. She began using it because it has no phosphates to pollute groundwater and harm the environment.
She recommended Biowashball because I’d been concerned about the residue my laundry detergent was leaving in my clothes. This was irritating my skin and my allergies were getting worse. But I was skeptical. How could you get clothes clean without soap or detergent?
The first load of wash convinced me. Biowashball left the clothes and sheets smelling clean and fresh, with no left-in residue that could cause irritation and allergy symptoms. Not only that, I was saving money. Instead of dumping more powder or liquid in with each wash, you just re-use the same bio wash ball.
Maybe you feel like I did, constantly using up your supplies and then having to go out and buy more laundry powder or detergent, bleach and fabric softeners. But you can forget all that with Biowashball, you just add the ball to each wash and let it go to work. It’s good for up to three years of laundry, and you can save up to $500 a year.
After I found out how great this product was, I went to http://www.products.naturalcleaneronline.com and picked up another Biowashball for my son. He’s transferring from community college to an out-of-state school and won’t be able to come home weekends to do his laundry.
I have my own washer and dryer. But for students, travelers, and people who use laundromats or apartment complex machines, Biowashball is really a dream come true. They can trade heavy, bulky detergent, bleach and fabric softeners for one little ball that keeps their wash clean, saves them lots of money, and is good for the environment too.
They know about it in Europe and Asia, but it’s new in the United States.
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Taking care of the environment is important to many of us. We try to incorporate green and healthy living into as many areas of our lives as we can. We especially want to focus on things that impact our children’s health: the food they eat, the toys they play with, and other items they use. This often starts with an eco friendly nursery.
Here are some ways to make this happen, in four simple steps.
Step One: Think about the materials used in your furnishings. Steer clear of items that are made or painted with materials containing lead, formaldehyde, or other dangerous materials. You will instead want to look for all natural wood and cloth products.
Thankfully manufacturers are getting wise to what parents want, and there are many options for non-toxic paint and furniture. You can obtain furniture without dangerous chemicals such as flame retardants that outgas into the air and linens made from organic cotton. Your child can have an attractive and healthy room.
In addition, find simple old fashioned toys for your tot. Some of the best toys are the classics. Wooden blocks, wooden train sets and cloth dolls inspire imagination much more than electronic toys that break easily and get thrown into the landfill. What’s more, plastic toys often contain harmful chemicals such as BPA and phtalates. A good rule of thumb: If a plastic toy has a strong chemical odor when you take it out of its packaging, it’s outgassing toxins. Steer clear of these, especially for babies who put everything in their mouths.
Step Two: Look for organic. You will be surprised at the availability and options that are out there for using organic items in your nursery today. From bedding to mattresses to your baby’s diapers and layette, there are a variety of organic options to choose from on the market today. Many of the best quality items are made by work at home moms or in cottage industries.
If finances are tight, focus on buying items that touch baby’s skin for the longest period of time. Bedding – if your baby sleeps in a crib – and cloth diapers should be organic or at least untreated, unbleached cotton.
Step Three: Say “yes” to the old. Maybe you have some items from a previous baby that are still useful. Or perhaps a friend or family member wants to gift you with a family rocker, cloth diapers or clothing. Go ahead and accept as long as the item in question is still safe – you can check online for recalls. Recycling old items and buying used is a great way to go green in the nursery and save a lot of money too.
Step Four: Be green when you clean. Once you have set up an eco friendly nursery don’t ruin by using harsh chemical cleansers and air fresheners in it. Make sure you buy eco friendly cleaning items too.
Children and babies are especially vulnerable to toxins in the air in our homes. Not only do they breathe faster and therefore take in more chemicals into their lungs, but their brains are still developing meaning the impact is greater on their health. Grocery store shelves now have a nice variety of reasonably priced non-toxic cleaning supplies for you to try.
Taking these steps will have you on your way to an eco friendly nursery that is healthy and safe for your new addition.
You can find more tips, recommended resources and product reviews to help you raise your baby naturally at Natural Baby Be sure to sign up for your free Organic Baby report!
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9
Discover One of The Best Eco Friendly Products You Could Ever Use
No comments · Posted by admin in Go Green
Let’s face it, these days we are surrounded by eco friendly products, some of which are good while others are not very eco friendly at all! Personally I have one favorite that I think is among the very best of them.
My vote for the best and most accessible eco friendly product goes to eco friendly water bottles. Now bear with me and let me explain why they are just so important.
In America each day, over sixty million plastic bottles are thrown away can you believe, with bottled water accounting for much of this. This contributes to filling up our already full landfills with more unnecessary toxic waste.
Most plastic bottles contain many harmful chemicals that will leach into the contents over time. Just think how long these products sit on the shelves before you buy them.
Quality eco friendly water bottles are made from glass which is 100% recyclable and lasts forever or stainless steel certified to be BPA free so no chemicals can leach into the water. The best also have no chemical lining and no plastic lids either.
Bottled water is one of the most un-eco friendly products around! In most cases it is no better for you than the tap variety, many times coming from exactly the same polluted source and containing the same amount of toxic chemicals.
Pure clean healthy water is the most important substance on earth and the quality of it greatly affects our health and well-being, making the ideal situation to have some kind of home filtration and bottling your own water when you go out!
So I rest my case and hope that you can see why of all the eco friendly products out there, I believe that these water bottles can have the greatest impact and are accessible to everyone, improving not only the health of our planet, but ours as well.
Visit my website today if you would like to learn more about the type of eco friendly water bottles that I personally recommend and use.
Discover the best home water purifier today.
Ray Hamilton is a dedicated advocate and researcher of the incredible benefits of safe, clean healthy filtered water. Discover which products Ray recommends after extensive research.
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Eco friendly products are goods and services that were manufactured with the idea that the process of producing and distributing them will not have a negative impact to the environment. Increasing awareness and concern for the environment has been affecting a lot of industries, with the “green” movement and ideals seeping into the collective consciousness of the buying public. There are many people who want to make a contribution, no matter how small, to protect the environment, which is actually a very good thing.
As a result of the public’s efforts to be more environmentally friendly, Eco friendly products can now be found everywhere from online stores to actual stores at the mall. To be called eco friendly, a product, such as clothes and accessories, must be made up of materials that were created and manufactured from organic materials. For example, cotton is the most predominantly used material for clothing. When growing cotton, the farmers sometimes used pesticides to protect the quality of the cotton. For eco friendly purposes, this has to be done away with. Pesticides should not be used in the production of cotton. The large-scale production and use of materials such as rayon has been a leading cause of environmental problems like deforestation. In keeping with the efforts of trying to maintain the ecological balance, several alternatives are being pursued to protect the environment. Chemicals, such as dye used for coloring the fabric, should also be scrapped. These chemicals are harmful to the environment and can also be detrimental to people’s health. If the fabrics and textiles made for manufacturing clothes can be produced without dyeing, thus eliminating the use of harmful chemicals, then it will be much better for the environment and the public. Moreover, the fabric should also be made to be more long lasting. If the clothes easily become old and worn out, disposing them can be an environmentally problematic option because these materials do not decompose easily. They will keep filling up garbage dumps and contribute to pollution and waste. Therefore, Eco friendly products must be made of strong and renewable materials. Recycling is also a considerable option. Clothes can either be made from recyclable plastic bottles and reusable fabrics. The above-mentioned processes may be small things compared to the wide-scale environmental issues but the tiniest things can have a huge impact if this is to be taken seriously. Fortunately, although the eco friendly production of cloth products and other accessories is still relatively new, it already has gained much popularity that even the most famous designers and fashion world’s who’s who are increasingly being swayed into promoting and supporting the go green movement.
However, protecting the environment is not the only objective of eco friendly campaigns. They also protect the rights of individuals for fair trade. Eco friendly products, besides being in most part organic, must also come from manufacturers that provide their workers with genuinely fair and decent working environment. They must be working in comfortable conditions and are being paid fair wages according to their hard work.
For an assortment of eco friendly products , please visit the at home shopping mall MerchantLand.com. We provide safe and secure shopping, insightful consumer product reviews and daily discount on your favorite brands.
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