Archive for July, 2007

July 31, 2007 | Health, Pregnancy

There’s been a recent study in California from the Public Health Department that links organochlorine pesticides with a higher occurrence of autism.

Specifically, it tracks the children of women who lived near fields (within 500 meters) that were sprayed with the organochlorine class of pesticides when the women were in their first trimester of pregnancy.

Based on the data given, the evidence is far from conclusive. But this is something we’ll be following. There’s sure to be some follow-up testing that’s a little more broad in scope. But in the meantime, if you or a loved one is pregnant, keep in mind that the little one in the oven gets everything mom gets - whether she breathes, eats, or absorbs it into her skin.

For more information about autism and its more ‘orthodox’ or accepted triggers, see the Autism Research Center.

July 30, 2007 | Kitchen, Cleaning tips

Cornmeal. It’s one of my favorite things in the kitchen. Being married to a Moldovan, we eat mamaliga (polenta-esque) pretty frequently (though I have to admit - I just can’t get it right!). And I use it on my pizza pan to keep the crust from sticking as it bakes.

But it has a great cleaning use too! It absorbs grease. If you’ve got a grease stain on upholstered furniture, carpet, or a seat cushion, put a teaspoon or so of cornmeal on it (more for a bigger stain), let it sit for 15-20 minutes, and vacuum up. The cornmeal will absorb the grease and leave your upholstery grease-free.

For clothes I wouldn’t recommend cornmeal though. It’s easier to launder correctly. Apply some liquid laundry detergent (or your favorite multi-purpose stain remover), let it sit for a few minutes, then wash it in the hottest water the fabric will tolerate. Knowing that a few years ago would have saved me oodles of shirts.  But, 20/20 hindsight, right? At least I can rescue your laundry!

July 29, 2007 | Health, Pregnancy

Triclosan (not to be confused with Tryptophan - an amino acid in turkey that makes you sleepy) is one of the active ingredients of most anti-bacterials - 75% in fact. But a March study said that the triclosan in those products breaks down rapidly in chlorinated water and produces toxic chemicals including chloroform! (more…)

July 28, 2007 | Health, Shopping

Walk down the hand-soap aisle of your supermarket and see how many you can spot that are not anti-bacterial. I went to my grocery store trying to buy soap that wasn’t anti-bacterial, and of the probably 40+ varieties on the shelf, I was only able to find one that wasn’t anti-bacterial. A marketplace study in 2000 found that over 75% of liquid soaps and nearly 30% of bar soaps are anti-bacterial.

But there’s been a lot of talk about anti-bacterial soaps not being as effective as once thought. They’re great in places like hospitals where germs run wild, but in homes they can be counter-productive. According to the CDC, anti-bacterial soaps can be to blame for childhood allergies and asthma. As it turns out, the brain needs a work-out as much as your muscles do, and exposure to different bacteria is actually good for the body. When anti-bacterial soaps remove all the bacteria, the brain loses its ability to differentiate between good and bad bacteria.

Also according to the CDC, the prevalent use of anti-bacterials is a major cause of drug-resistant strains of diseases, like E-coli. It seems that there is such a thing as too clean. What does the CDC recommend to keep hands clean? Regular washing with soap and warm water (unless you’re in a hospital - then anti-bacterials are worthwhile).

A study of over 200 households found that those who used anti-bacterials had no reduced risk of symptoms for viral infections. They’re just not effective. Other countries have issued statements warning consumers about anti-bacterials. In fact, the Danish EPA issued a joint statement with the National Board of Health stating that anti-bacterial soaps are not only unnecessary, but also toxic to marine life. Six Finnish public authorities also issued similar statements urging consumers not to purchase anti-bacterials because they are unnecessary and their growing use increases the risk of spreading antibiotic resistance in microbial populations.

What can you do? Purchase regular soap that isn’t anti-bacterial. Encourage your grocery store to stock more soaps that aren’t anti-bacterial. And tune in for part 2 on anti-bacterials - if you think this is bad, just wait…

July 27, 2007 | Food & drink

Congratulations to… (drumroll, please)

The child SIGG will go to Kristin at This Classical Life

And the adult SIGG will go to Lucy at Macy Fron

And thanks to the Random number generator for making the choice so easy!

July 26, 2007 | Broom Hugged, Being Green, Lifestyle

I’m a Google fan. In fact, I’ve incorporated Google into my vocabulary as a verb. (”I’ll google it”) But Blackle has found a way to harness the power of Google while saving energy.

Here’s how it works. A white screen (like the one Google uses) uses about 74 watts of power, and a predominately black screen uses only 59 watts. A saving of 15 watts may not sound like much, but think of how many people use Google. Multiply 15 watts to the number of users and frequency of use, and it adds up to roughly 3,000 megawatt hours per year.

So check out Blackle. Try using it for your searches. And if you’re into website design, take the idea of dark-colored screens and run with it. Save a little energy - it’s good for you and for your website readers!

July 25, 2007 | Health, Cleaning products

Sanitation workers are injured more frequently than you’d imagine by chemical burns and other chemical-related hazards. So it’s usually not good to chunk your cleaning chemicals in the trash when you decide to come over to the greener side. (’Cause, you know, the grass really is greener on this side…)

But a lot of what you have under your sink can be flushed. For other things you’ll need to call your county’s solid waste department for instructions. So here’s a list:

Flush these

• Ammonia-based cleaner
• Bleach-based cleaner
• Disinfectants
• Glass and window cleaner
• Toilet bowl cleaner

Call county for instructions

• Drain cleaner
• Floor wax stripper
• Furniture polish
• Metal cleaner
• Oven cleaner
• Spot cleaner

So there you have it. (As a side note: If it’s not flushable, there’s a reason. Think about what it does to your home and family…)

July 23, 2007 | Reviews, Broom Hugged, Being Green, Shopping

I’ve checked out every book my library system has on ‘green cleaning’ and ‘green living.’ Each had its pros and cons - useful for some things, not so useful for others. But I just came across Green Clean by Linda Mason Hunter and Mikki Halpin. It’s your go-to book for most situations, filled with a wealth of information about the importance of green cleaning and innovative ways to green your life.

Some things I learned - dishwashing liquid is the most frequent cause of childhood poisoning. (Wow!) Or a great idea, start a neighborhood curbside compost and sell it to local farmers - everyone wins! I love this stuff. And what else? The book is water and stain resistant! (well, maybe that’s just a marketing ploy) But how cool is it that I can use it on my cherry-juice covered countertops and not worry about the book! Or take it out with me while I’m working on that compost… I have to say, it’s a nice marketing ploy.

We like it (and no, I’m not getting paid to say that - it’s all me, honest and true). But we like it more for newbie greens or people who are ever so gradually making green changes. If you’re already there, you’ll want to look elsewhere for great ideas to keep you going.

Water, Food & drink, Lifestyle

Over here at Broom Huggers we’re pretty excited this week. We’ve got a lot going on, not the least of which is our Dog Days of Summer Giveaway, hosted by Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer.

And we’re giving away - not one, but - two SIGG reusable aluminum water bottles! These were featured on Oprah’s Green Show, they’ve been featured in tons of magazines, like Backpacker, Time (as one of the most amazing inventions of 2005), Women’s Health, the USA Today, the list goes on and on.

We’ve chosen this specifically as our giveaway because we’re firm believers that bottled water is a waste of money for you, and a terrible thing for the environment. So in an effort to encourage you all to ditch your bottled water, we’re giving away 2 reusable bottles (that are much more functional and hip and pretty than your typical plastic bottle). Did you know that a large percentage of bottled water (we’re talking about the big brands here) are just tap water? It’s true. Check out Fast Company’s recent article - it’s one of the best we’ve seen on the matter. The Green Guide (published by National Geographic) also has a good article on the true cost of bottled water - to your pocket and the environment. (more…)

Food & drink, Organics

Well, at least the consequences of the experiment. See, I have 2 toddlers. Toddlers and cherries do not mix.

Cherry juice doesn’t come out of clothes as easily as it slides off my laminate countertops. And a very nice Janie & Jack striped polo has become a casualty of the cherries.

As an afternote, I realized after buying (and feeding my kids) over a pound of (regular) cherries that cherries are, in fact, on the list of the worst offenders for pesticide-laden produce. Maybe I should redo the experiment with organic cherries… and leave the kids topless but fully bibbed.