From now until 24 February, you can read an article I wrote on "Vernacular Architecture" on the homepage of the GreenHomeGuide website.

The word vernacular comes from the Latin vernaculus, which means "native"--to do anything in a way that is vernacular is to use that which is native and common to a region or country rather something that is foreign. Though we may not be aware of it, we all recognize vernacular styles, such as "alpine" houses with steeply pitched roofs that allow snow to slip off. Things vernacular are unique to a place, based in regional influences, and have developed because they usually are the best way to do something in that place.

Even if you aren't building a house, you can use the concept of vernacular in every aspect of living, to bring your life closer to nature.

These are just a few of the new links I've added to Debra's List since the last newsletter.

- Westin A. Price Foundation A great resource for learning about the wisdom inherent in traditional diets, and how we can incorporate those healthy foods in our diets today...

- Upton Tea Imports Organic and natural loose teas of all kinds from around the world. My friend Cathy told me about this website after I drank some wonderful iced tea made from their tea with bits of real fruit...

- Vegan Essentials Though this website is intended for vegans, they have many natural and organic products appropriate for everyone...

- Green Seal Sets environmental standards for products and certifies products that meet those standards. Though they address only a limited number of products, the standards and background information are excellent. I've put links to their reports on the corresponding pages of Debra's List, so look for them in the right hand column...

The idea of cutting the faces off greeting cards to reuse for gift tags has stuck in my mind since I wrote about it for Christmas. Ever since, I keep seeing opportunities to salvage art for reuse in other places as well. I often cut out pictures I like from magazines and mail order catalogs and paste them on future journal pages, so when I get to that page, I have a nice surprise.

Just now I was recycling last year's Maxfield Parrish calendar with all those beautiful paintings. I looked at them closely and found many details I could cut out and use for gift tags. Lovely images of all kinds are all around us in daily life and many of them end up in the trash. By keeping an eye out for them, we can save them and reuse them in many ways to bring a bit of beauty to items we use everyday.

There are many claims in the media and the marketplace that various foods are "healthy." What is considered to be healthy is determined by a wide variety of criteria, and is leading to such odd conclusions as completely manufactured foods devoid of nutrients being "healthy" because they do not contain whatever offending ingredient is fashionable at the moment.

When I look around and see my local natural food stores selling low-carb processed foods containing artificial sweeteners as "healthy," I think we need to have some rational way to determine what really is a healthy food.

I am looking for material(s) that works well as a non-stick baking and stir-frying surface and that will not harm my family. What do you think about silicone bakeware for environmental and health issues? I know Teflon is dangerous but what about silicone?

L. G.
Alameda CA

Silcone bakeware and other kitchen utensils are safe to use. Silicones are made chemically by creating a "backbone" of silicon (from common sand) and oxygen molecules, a combination that does not occur in nature. Then various other synthetic molecules are added branching off of the main silicon-oxygen line to create hundreds of different silicones that range from liquids to rubbery solids. Though this is a completely manmade product, it is completely inert and will not transfer to foods.

I have extreme mulitple chemical sensitivities (MCS). My foot doctor urged me to get "gel socks" for my foot atrophy. Are you aware of any "gel socks" which are safe?

J.W.

For those of you who are not familiar with gel socks (I wasn't), they are socks lined with a moisturizing gel for people who have extremely dry skin on their feet (such as diabetics). Typically gel socks are made from a blend of about 50% cotton, plus nylon and about 4% spandex for stretchability. The moisturizing gel is made from Mineral Oil and various plastics, including styrene, the plastic used to make styrofoam.

Mineral oil and plastics are made from petrochemicals. I don't recommend mineral oil lotions for this reason, and also because mineral oil tends to dry the skin, rather than moisturize it.

Just at the last minute, as I was working on this newsletter, I stumbled over some cotton H2O Plus Gel Therapy Socks with a lining of "antioxidant green tea, healing vitamin E and natural oils of jojoba, avocado and olive to improve skin texture and suppleness," but that was all the info that was given and I don't know if that's the complete ingredient list.

You can also make your own natural gel sock treatment by applying oils or lotions you know you tolerate, then slipping on Cotton Moisture Socks. This homemade treatment has been around for a long time. You can also do the same thing for your hands by applying lotion and wearing a pair of cotton gloves.

Find organic and natural lotions at Debra's List/Bodycare and more cotton socks at Debra's List/Textiles.

Can you tell me if there is research or info in regards to the safety or harm in using propane lighting? We have all gas appliances and I wonder if we are slowly poisoning ourselves. I do keep windows open even in the winter... Thank you!!

A.S.
Topsham, VT

All propane lights--and other appliances that burn natural or propane gas, kerosene, or wood--produce toxic combustion by-products to a greater or lesser degree depending on how complete the combustion is. You can find out the level of combustion by-products in your home with a carbon monoxide monitor. Carbon monoxide is only one of the combustion by-products, but measuring the level of this one by-product will tell you if you have low or high levels of all of them as a group. Anyone who burns gas, kerosene, or wood for cooking, warmth, or any other purpose should have a carbon monoxide monitor.