Dear Friends, As I write this, we're having one of those wonderful spring storms where the wind and rain are scouring the last of last year's leaves from the trees before the new green leaves burst forth, then the sun comes out and everything dries out, and the whole cycle starts over again. Nature is doing it's spring cleaning, and it's time for us to do ours. I've added more links to the Toxics page of Debra's List to help you find out how toxic certain products and ingredients are, and at the other end of the spectrum, I was excited to find a website that tells us what's good about food (are we getting tired of always reading about what's wrong with everything we eat?) Do you carry around water in those clear plastic bottles, or buy water bottled in plastic? Then you'll want to read about what's leaching into your water and what you can do to eliminate that toxic exposure. And there's more... Debra :-) HOME HEALTH & HABITAT ~ 5 April 2005
In this issue:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Spring Cleaning Spring cleaning is a time-honored ritual that goes beyond our ordinary day-to-day cleaning and gives us the opportunity to make the house fresh and ready for the activity of the coming year. For more on spring cleaning, see my article Spring Cleaning, The Natural Way. Want to see how I clean my own house? I'll tell you all my secrets for safe and simple cleaning in How I Clean My House, part of the new At Home With Debra section. Find all kinds of nontoxic, natural, and even organic cleaning products on the Cleaning page of Debra's List.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hazardous Indoor Air In Schools The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities Resource List contains over 250 links to references on hazardous indoor air exposures to children in schools and the specific health effects they have on children, and how you can help your child's school improve their indoor air quality. If you have a child in school or know someone who does, please take a look at this. Learn how to improve indoor air quality in schools...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
New Links on Debra's List Toxics Page
- State of California Office
of
Environmental Health Hazard Assessment
(OEHHA)
- Environmental Working Group
Skin
Deep
- Children's Health Environmental
Coalition
- Our Stolen
Future
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
The World's Healthiest Foods At first I couldn't believe my eyes...What?!?! A website that celebrates what is right about food instead of telling us what is wrong with it? Yes. This website is completely devoted to healthy food. A page for each food gives nutritional content, health benefits, description of the food in its natural state, history, how to select and store, how to enjoy, serving ideas, and a whole list of scientific references to support their information. A lot of good research went into this website. Whatever your dietary choices, you can learn something interesting and useful about the foods you eat. Find out more about the world's healthiest foods...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
A Simple Way To Offset the Environmental Effects of Driving Your Car If you drive a standard American automobile, your car emits about 12,000 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) every year. That's three times the weight of the car! If you drive an SUV, your car emits around 20,000 pounds of CO2 each year. CO2 is a major "greenhouse gas" that contributes to global warming. Twenty percent of the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere every year comes from driving cars. That is a significant percentage. This won't be changed by international protocols or government regulations. But each one of us can make a difference by reducing our own CO2 emissions. Like the renewable energy certificates I've written about in previous issues, which you can purchase to offset the energy you use in your home, you can also purchase a TerraPass to offset the CO2 produced when you drive your car.
More about how driving your car affects the
environment...
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Q&A - Toxic Plastic Water Bottles I have bottled water delivered that is filtered in many ways to produce pure H2O -- I am concerned about this pure water absorbing higher levels of plastic and the type of plastic. links remain. I would like to know your position on bisphenol-a and these polycarbonate bottles for water [Note: polycarbonate bottles are used for single-serving sales of bottled water too. --D] Also, is there a level that may be acceptable?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Q&A - Alternatives to Soy Milk and Protein Powders I saw your reference to soy in your March 22 newsletter What alternative does one have to soy and cow's milk? What are your thoughts on goat's milk? Do you know of a good protein powder source one can use in their diet?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Q&A - Unscented Talcum Powder I have MCS, and have been unable to find unscented, fragrance-free talcum powder (Note the apparent redundancy, since many products that are labeled "unscented" actually contain fragrance, sometimes appearing in the Ingredients list only as a chemical name.) I would like to find a source for a safe (no mica) talcum that has no added fragrance. Can you help?
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
By popular demand, I will continue answer your questions in this newsletter. If you have a question you would like to submit, please send me an email with your question. It may take two to four weeks or longer for your question to appear in the newsletter. Usually I send an immediate short answer to email questions, but then give a more detailed answer in the newsletter. Want a quick, personal answer to your question? Call me for a paid telephone consultation during normal business hours, Eastern Time. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Subscribe to my free Words of Wisdom quote-a-day email newsletter
"Flowers are the beautiful words and hieroglyphs of
nature, with which she shows how much she loves
us." Every morning I send out Words of Wisdom, an inspirational quotation like this one. more. .. It's FREE. Subscribe today. Subscribe to my free Natural Sweetener Recipes weekly email newsletter Delicious recipes using natural sweeteners such as evaporated cane juice, honey, maple syrup, rice syrup, barley malt syrup, and xylitol. recipe index... It's FREE. Subscribe today.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Quick Links... * Back Issues of This Newsletter * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * If you enjoy receiving this newsletter, please forward it to friends and colleagues who you think would be interested. If you do not wish to receive more newsletters from me, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom of the page. |
