June 24th, 2010 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
 Admittedly, going up to the bar and ordering an organic brewski isn’t as cool as a dry martini or a Jack and Coke, but that hasn’t stopped the organic beer industry from growing, especially in Portland, Oregon.
Tomorrow Portland hosts the 6th annual North American Organic Brewers Festival, a three-day celebration of certified organic beer.
And the festival has seen its attendance grow every year; over 15,000 people showed up for last year’s hoedown.
The interest in organic beer has sky-rocketed since the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) put into practice organic standards in 2002, growing into a $19 million market.
Organic beer is booming overseas too. In New Zealand, Mike’s Organic Brewery has seen a major up tick in sales as many young beer drinkers are looking to try more sophisticated brews. It would be tacky to funnel organic beer, right?
Oregon is leading the charge in organic beer because many local breweries started concocting organic versions of their popular craft beers. Craft beers are great. They’re microbrews and can come in all sorts of weird flavors. I’ve had some colored with beet juice or flavored with chocolate. Awesome!
For a beer to be organic, the USDA requires that 95% of its ingredients must be organically grown, so no chemicals, pesticides, or genetically engineered ingredients. It’s hard to make beer 100% organic because organic hops are hard to come by.
Organizers of the North American Organic Brewers Festival will showcase more than 50 fully certified beers and are predicting over 20,000 attendees this year.
I may be moving to Portland in the fall, so if you find me passed out in the street, surrounded by empty organic beer bottles, don’t be surprised.
Image credit: Stuff Educated Latinos Like
Read More: Organic Beer is Exploding in Oregon
Tags: chemicals, North American Organic Brewers Festival, Oregon, organic beer, pesticides, USDA
Posted in Organic, Organic Food | 6 Comments »
June 4th, 2010 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
 Bad news if you’re a smoker – actually, more bad news. On top of smoking heightening risk cancer and other health problems, like heart disease, U.S. cigarettes have been found to contain higher levels of dangerous chemicals compared to foreign smokes.
When Americans puff, we inhale more bad stuff than cigarettes made in places like Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom.
But don’t run out and buy non-native cigarettes, experts warn ALL cigarettes contain junk you don’t want in your body, not just the smoke.
Writing in the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, researchers analyzed the urine and saliva of cigarette smokers – eek, I don’t want that job – and discovered higher concentrations of tobacco-specific nitrosamines in cigs manufactured in the United States.
But, oddly enough, the “American blend” of tobacco contains less nicotine than cigarettes from Australia and Canada. Wow, less buzz, more death. Yeehaw!
Some of the cigarette brands tested were U.S. made Marlboro and Camel, Australia’s Winfield, and Players from Canada.
I don’t smoke, you shouldn’t either – if you do, shame-shame on you – but a dimly lit, smoke filled bar is still one of the coolest cinematic landscapes ever. Sigh.
Image credit: Today’s Seniors Network
Read More: U.S. Cigarettes among the Highest in Harmful Chemicals
Tags: chemicals, cigarettes, tobacco-specific nitrosamines
Posted in Health | 1 Comment »
April 30th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Buy tickets for Disney’s Oceans, and you’ll see sobering footage of a shopping cart on the ocean floor—a sure sign of consumerism run amok.
This simple image conveys an incredibly important message: We’re destroying our environment. Climate change may garner more headlines, but ocean pollution remains a considerable concern.
What can you do to reduce your impact?
- Don’t Litter. Litter is a huge contributor to ocean pollution because it ends up in storm drains that eventually empty into rivers and streams. Even if you live miles away from the ocean, your litter will likely contribute to water pollution.
- Follow the Three R’s. How committed are you to the environmental mantra reduce, reuse, recycle? Your answer has a direct effect on the health of our oceans. Failure to embrace the three R’s leads to ocean pollution and mile-high landfills.
- Increase Your Sewage Awareness. Anything that goes down your dishwasher, washing machine, toilet and sink drains will eventually make its way into the ocean. This often leads to oxygen depletion that harms marine life, as well as nutrient loading, which occurs when excessive nitrogen and phosphorous are deposited into the ocean’s ecosystem. Sewage also increases ocean bacteria and parasites, creating a ripple effect that endangers the fishing and tourism industries.
- Understand the Dangers of Toxic Pollutants. Arguably, nothing is more detrimental to the world’s oceans than toxic pollutants, which have been linked to birth defects in wildlife and may contribute to cancer in humans. Lead and mercury collect in marine animals’ tissues, causing reproductive problems and nerve damage. World Wildlife Federation researchers have found that other wildlife, including polar bears and frogs, have experienced decreased fertility, thyroid dysfunction and demasculinization (in males)—a result of exposure to pesticides and industrial chemicals. Other toxic ocean pollutants include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which are typically used to manufacture electrical equipment and have been known to cause reproduction problems in marine life. Genetic abnormalities have also been seen in marine animals exposed to polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which are caused by burning wood and coal, as well as oil pollution.
- Participate in Community Cleanup Programs. Many seaside communities offer volunteer beach clean-up programs to keep their beaches clean and safe. By volunteering for such programs, you’re not only doing your part, but you’re also giving yourself an excuse to spend a day at the beach.
For Your Organic Bookshelf: The Culture of Flushing: A Social and Legal History of Sewage
Read More: 5 Ways to Help Save Our Oceans
Tags: activism, chemicals, environment, lead, litter, mercury, oceans, PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, pollution, recycling
Posted in The Environment | Comments Off
April 12th, 2010 - Scott Shaffer
 Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) called for the Food and Drug Administration to investigate the safety of Triclosan, a chemical found in everything from socks to soap to toothpaste. The European Union has banned the chemical, and according the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Safety Database, Triclosan has been linked to cancer, developmental toxicity, skin irritation, and endocrine disruption. Markey said in a statement, “Despite the fact that this chemical is found in everything from soaps to socks, there are many troubling questions about triclosan’s effectiveness and potentially harmful effects, especially for children.”
Markey went further: “I call upon the federal government to ban the use of triclosan in consumer soaps and hand-washes, products intended for use by children, and products intended to come into contact with food. In addition, I will soon introduce legislation to speed up the government’s efforts to evaluate and regulate other substances that may pose similar public health concerns.” Rep. Markey has shown a lot of courage in standing up to big chemical companies.
If you want to get ahead of the pack and ditch this dangerous chemical before the government bans it, check out our 5 Easy Green Cleaning Tips that Use Vinegar. If you want to learn about other household chemicals that you might want to avoid, read our article on the connection between Cosmetics and Breast Cancer.
Read More: Rep. Ed Markey Urges FDA to Investigate Triclosan
Tags: chemicals, politics, triclosan
Posted in Organic, Political Action, green beauty | 7 Comments »
March 24th, 2010 - Scott Shaffer
[caption id="attachment_6650" align="alignright" width="160" caption="Photo courtesy of jinglejammer"]  [/caption]
Are you serious about getting healthy? You better ditch that hand sanitizer.
New research suggests that germophobia is bad for the heart. A study by scientists from Northwestern University shows that infants who were exposed to more dirt, germs, and even animal feces grew up to have healthier hearts than those raised in more sterile environments. The study, which took place in the Philippines over the past two decades, tracked the health of 1700 Filipinos from birth to 21 years of age. In particular, the study focused on the C-reactive protein (CRP), which is a sign of heart inflammation and disease.
These findings contradict government advice and common sense. Just last spring, the Centers for Disease Control was strongly urging Americans to wash and sanitize their hands to protect against the H1N1 flu virus. Ever since scientists first developed the germ theory of disease in the 19th Century, people saw dirty hands as hazardous to good health. Now, with asthma and allergies more common than the plague and polio, it seems like it’s time for us to shift our focus to helping children develop healthy immune systems by letting them play in the sandbox every once in a while.
Read More: Health Tip of the Day: Play in the Dirt
Tags: chemicals, Green Living, Health
Posted in Health, Organic, Parenting, green cleaning | 3 Comments »
January 27th, 2010 - Barbara Feiner
Skin irritations caused by chemicals found in toilet-seat cleaners appear to be making a comeback in pediatricians’ offices, according to a prominent Baltimore researcher.
“Toilet-seat dermatitis is one of those legendary conditions described in medical textbooks and seen in underdeveloped countries, but one that younger pediatricians have not come across in their daily practice,” says Bernard A. Cohen, MD, director of pediatric dermatology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center.
“If our small analysis is any indication of what’s happening, we need to make sure the condition is on every pediatrician’s radar,” he says.
The causative culprits are harsh chemicals like phenol and formaldehyde, as well as exotic wooden toilet seats. Phenol has been associated with dermatitis and both second- and third-degree burns, while formaldehyde is a known health hazard and carcinogen.
Wooden seats—especially those covered with varnishes and paints—are a returning trend in bathroom décor, note Dr. Cohen and his colleagues in the February issue of Pediatrics.
Children can develop irritation after repeated use of a wooden seat or ongoing exposure to chemical residues. Dr. Cohen urges pediatricians to ask parents about home and school toilet seats and cleaners when treating a toddler or young child with irritated buttocks or upper thighs.
While dermatitis is relatively benign, many pediatricians may treat it incorrectly if they fail to pinpoint the source. This, in turn, can lead to persistent or worsening inflammation, with painful, itchy skin eruptions. Chronic skin irritation is also vulnerable to bacteria and may lead to more serious infections that require oral antibiotics.
“Some of the children in our study suffered for years before the correct diagnosis was made,” says lead investigator Ivan V. Litvinov, PhD, of McGill University in Montreal.
To prevent toilet-seat dermatitis, Dr. Cohen and his colleagues recommend:
- Use of paper toilet-seat covers in public restrooms, including hospital and school restrooms
- Replacing wooden toilet seats with plastic ones
- Cleaning toilet seats and bowls daily
- Avoiding harsh store-brand cleaners, which often contain skin irritants
Read More: Chemicals in Toilet-Seat Cleaners Linked to Skin Problems
Tags: chemicals, children, formaldehyde, green cleaning, Health, Parenting, phenol, skin care
Posted in Health, Parenting | 12 Comments »
November 9th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner
Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) has introduced The Household Product Labeling Act (S. 1697), which would require household cleaning products to carry labels that list all of their ingredients.
“Moms and dads have a right to know whether harmful chemicals are present in their kitchen cupboards,” Franken says. “When my wife, Franni, and I were raising our own kids, we were constantly concerned with what we used to wash their cribs, their pacifiers, the floors and surfaces they played on. This is just a commonsense measure to help parents keep their kids safe and healthy.”
Current law requires product labels to list immediately hazardous ingredients, but there is no labeling requirement for ingredients that may cause harm over time.
Toxic chemicals in household products produce harmful health effects—the main reason we recommend natural and organic options.
The bill would make information readily available to consumers. HR 3057, the House companion bill, was introduced by Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY).
From the Mind of Al Franken
Read More: Franken Introduces Household Product Labeling Act
Tags: chemicals, green cleaning, Green Living, legislation
Posted in Green Living, Political Action, green cleaning | 2 Comments »
October 5th, 2009 - Laura Klein
In one of the greatest ironies about eating ‘lite,’ artificial sweeteners – like aspartame – actually contribute to weight gain according to Dr. Paula Baillie-Hamilton. Other researchers like Dr. Janet Starr Hull, creator of the Aspartame Detoxification Program counts 92 different health side effects associated with aspartame.
I believe with my heart and soul that chemicals sabotage our natural weight loss system, zap our energy and prevent what could be permanent weight loss efforts.
 Avoiding chemicals in your diet and eating only whole, organic foods, is a core foundation of Laura Klein’s Green Club. Inside the Green Club, I cite studies that show FDA-approved chemicals in our food are seriously dangerous and help members take baby steps towards a healthier, non-toxic way of eating and living.
The chemical I consider Public Enemy Number One? Aspartame.
Aspartame is made of: phenylalanine and aspartic acid (amino acids) as well as methanol alcohol or wood alcohol. Methanol is known to be poisonous even when consumed in relatively modest amounts. Disorders caused by toxic levels of methanol include blindness, brain swelling and inflammation of the pancreas and heart muscle.
Is it any surprise that aspartame complaints represent 80-85% of food complaints registered with the FDA?
That’s why the documentary, Sweet Misery: A Poisoned World , struck a chord with me. In the film, aspartame ‘victims’ speak honestly about their personal battles with myriad sicknesses from MS to neurological disorders to brain cancer. The film also reveals the parallel between a spike in brain cancer rates and the introduction of aspartame to the marketplace in 1983.
Check out a sneak peak of the film on youtube.com, and let us know what you think.
Read More: Sweet Misery and the Untamed World of Aspartame
Tags: aspartame, chemicals, toxins
Posted in Organic | 5 Comments »
September 30th, 2009 - Gerald "Gerry" Pugliese
 Bisphenol A, or BPA, has gained a nasty reputation for running rampant in food packaging, especially plastic bottles. BPA may interfere with hormones.
So now that BPA has been widely vilified in people’s minds, the EPA plans to overhaul the way chemicals are evaluated in the United States.
The EPA proposed sweeping changes to the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act, referring to it as an “inadequate tool” to help protect the public.
Environmental Protection Agency chief Lisa Jackson acknowledges the problem, saying, “Many are turning to the government for assurance that these chemicals have been assessed using the best available science. Current law doesn’t allow us to give those assurances.”
You don’t want to hear that from people who are supposed to protect us from companies trying to sneak hazardous chemicals by us.
EPA officials want to shift the burden to companies, forcing them to prove chemicals, like BPA, are safe, and to urge producers to develop more “green” chemistry.
Biodegrable plastic has already been invented, called “Bioplastic,” made from corn starch, pea starch, and vegetable oil.
Via Food Production Daily.
Image credit: septuagesima
Read More: BPA Part of New U.S. Review of Dangerous Chemicals
Tags: Bioplastic, BPA, chemicals, EPA
Posted in Organic | Comments Off
September 15th, 2009 - Barbara Feiner
We want our laundry to feel soft and smell fresh, but traditional dryer sheets are not the answer. As noted in A Partner in Grime:
Dryer sheets contain artificial fragrances and carcinogenic chemicals ranging from ethanol to formaldehyde, so avoid using them. In addition to posing health hazards, they can leave a film on your dryer’s filter that reduces air flow. Over time, this can impair the motor’s performance.
You may have seen laundry balls and discs at your local natural and organic food store, which are promoted as long-lasting, eco-friendly solutions. But there’s a catch, according to Jill Potvin Schoff, author of Green Up Your Cleanup.
“Dryer balls used as fabric softeners do work,” she writes, “but they are made out of PVC, a plastic you want to avoid.”
Click here for more information on the perils of polyvinyl chloride (PVC).
Suggested Reading
Read More: Laundry Balls
Tags: chemicals, clothes dryers, environment, fabric softener, green cleaning, Green Living, laundry, PVC
Posted in green cleaning | 4 Comments »
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