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July 03, 2009

Dog Food

QUESTION:

Okay, need a little help. My bassets have been fed Flint River Ranch dry dog food all their lives. Like everything else it has gone up in price significantly over the past year...around $68.00/40#. I have been laid off of work and I need to re-examine expenses in all areas of my life to sustain. I am thinking about seeking out another brand of dog food that is less expensive but provides a comparable nutritional diet. Can you make a recommendation?

Unemployed Chris

POSTED BY CHRIS :: OKLAHOMA USA :: 3:07 PM


DEBRA'S ANSWER:

Readers? (I don't have a dog).

Debra :-)


0 COMMENTS :: POST YOUR COMMENT


offgas regular paint HEATER ?

QUESTION:

Hi,

I am trying to offgass a room that had been painted with regular paint three months ago, the smell is still very strong and cannot go into those rooms. I read someones comment here a while back that the heat needs to get just over 100* to work.

( I cannot find the post)

I have tried to find a way to do this but am not having any luck. All the space heaters have thermostat regulators that only go to 80* or they use propane (thats not going to happen:)I desperately need to get this done so I can live a relatively normal exisistance (and that is putting it gently:) if you have knowledge of what heaters will work and where I can get them I would appreciate the help.

My friend said he worked in an autobody shop and they used infrared heaters, but would not know how or where I could get on to use.

Thanks.

Catherine

POSTED BY CATHERINE :: WASHINGTON USA :: 3:04 PM


DEBRA'S ANSWER:

I just use a space heater or the central heat. And it doesn't need to get to 100 degrees.

But it shouldn't take three months. Exactly what kind of paint did you use?

Debra :-)


CATEGORY — AIR :: 0 COMMENTS :: POST YOUR COMMENT


Packets of Damp Rid

QUESTION:

I saw packets of a product I think was called Damp Rid at a home where I was green cleaning. It smells a lot like moth balls. Is this stuff safe? Toxic?

POSTED BY REENIE :: FLORIDA USA :: 2:46 PM


DEBRA'S ANSWER:

According to the Damp Rid MSDS, the freshener pack is mostly natural bentonite clay, plus a little silica gel (glass is silica), and a few polyethylene fibers ( which are not toxic).

MSDS generally don't list any fragrance that may be in the product, as it is not considered hazardous by the MSDS regulations.

Aside from any fragrance, there's nothing else in this product that is a toxic chemical. These ingredients are listed as a dust hazard.

Debra :-)


CATEGORY — AIR :: 0 COMMENTS :: POST YOUR COMMENT


Mythic Paint Safety

QUESTION:

Hello, I recently bought an old house and needed to touch up windowsills that had cracking paint. I know that the paint is lead based and wanted to prime and paint the areas that were worn. I chose Mythic paint which is a no VOC natural paint. I first primed with a no VOC and then a few days later painted some windowsills. In a rush I painted my kitchen window without removing items on the counter and some paint splattered on my wood cutting board. I cleaned the board, but wanted to know if I should be concernd with using it for food.

POSTED BY CATHERINE :: WISCONSIN USA :: 9:40 AM


DEBRA'S ANSWER:

Please contact the manufacturer to ask them this question.

Debra :-)


CATEGORY — INTERIOR DECORATING :: 0 COMMENTS :: POST YOUR COMMENT


June 29, 2009

Corian

QUESTION:

Corian is a synthetic material developed by DuPont, used as substitute for granite or marble countertops. I've found it impossible to find any information about its "greenness"--in other words, is it toxic?, does it out-gass?, does it belong in a kitchen or bathroom that must avoid all toxicity?

POSTED BY FRED :: GLOBAL PEACE CENTRAL :: WWW.GLOBALPEACECENTRAL.ORG :: CALIFORNIA USA :: 8:23 AM


DEBRA'S ANSWER:

Corian is made from acrylic plastic with natural minerals added. Acrylic plastic itself is fairly toxic, but Corian is only part plastic and part natural minerals, so it is less toxic than if it were 100% plastic.

Also, it is a hard plastic, which outgasses less than soft plastics. The MSDS for Corian states "Material is not known to contain Toxic Chemicals under Section 313 of Title III of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act
of 1986 and 40 CFR part 372..."Corian" Solid Surface Material is not hazardous as shipped. However, operations such as sawing, routing, drilling and sanding can generate dust. High concentrations of dust can irritate eyes, nose and respiratory passages and cause coughing and sneezing."

The MSDS also states, "Exposure limits may be applicable for the following:
Methyl Methacrylate and Butyl Acrylate" but these are very small, less than one percent of the material.

I would say that Corian isn't particularly toxic to the end user, but it also isn't natural or made from renewable resources. It's likely some hazardous waste would be generated in it's manufacture, and I have no data on how that waste is handled.

Since there are many natural stone and tile options available for countertops, I would go with a natural material. Some salvage yards are great sources for reclaimed old stone. In the first house I remodeled, I installed marble countertops that had been removed from an old building in San Francisco, where the walls were lined with marble. Five dollars a square foot. My handyman cut the piece to fit with a skill saw. Don't have such materials here in Florida. Look around where you live and see what kind of salvage materials you have available. There is LOTS of salvage tile...even here.

Debra :-)


CATEGORY — AIR :: 2 COMMENTS :: POST YOUR COMMENT


Safe Freezer Storage

QUESTION:

people wonder WHAT they can freeze safely in - HERE's THE answer

VACUUM SEALED Wide Mouth KERR JARS
**********************************
&

VACUUMM SEALED-Brown paper wraped BIG food -put into big zip locks that are rinsed 5 X to get off surface residues & smell
***********************************

BUY. . . .

<1> Vacuum Pump $10 manual pumps sold at some grocery stores in ziplock section OR a Vacuum food sealer machine

<2> WIDE MOUTH lid Vacuum Attachment.
this fits on-TOP of wide mouth lids & allow pump to suck air out. food vacuum sealer companies sell attachments on the web or just call the company. the manual hand vacuum pumps will work if you can insert the plastic TUBE coming from the Attachment into the pump end -

<3> WIDE MOUTH LIDS & JARS

******************************************

IF your food's so BIG - that it wont fit into jars - WRAP IT in the healthist brown paper food safe wrap you can find, & put it INTO BIG ZIP-LOCKS & VACUUM SEAL THEM with the hose attachment or the vacuum sealer machine = don't forget to DATE packages

old food deteriorates & develops small amounts of toxins that R unhelthy too
multiple chemical socierty -

SEAL AWAY - then RELAX confidently - sending out good / fun chemicals from your brain to the rest of YOU @

POSTED BY ELISABETH THE NEXT GREAT PERFORMER :: CALIFORNIA USA :: 8:21 AM
0 COMMENTS :: POST YOUR COMMENT


June 26, 2009

Parking Lot Resurfacing/Painting

QUESTION:

Hi Debra,

My HOA decided to repaint the parking lots in my townhouse community with some foul-smelling, tar-like substance that is sprayed out of hoses. It smells HORRENDOUS, especially since it is 90 degrees here in Maryland with VERY high humidity. It nearly knocks me over when I open the door. I am wondering if you know how long it normally takes for this stench/toxin to dissipate?

I have a toddler who loves playing outside, so I have been confining him to the deck...but now it smells back there, too.

My kitchen faces the parking lot, and I feel nauseous when I sit at the table (like right now).

Any thoughts on how toxic this stuff is?

Thanks for your thoughts and suggestions - I appreciate your time!

~Melissa

POSTED BY MELISSA D :: MARYLAND USA :: 5:36 AM


DEBRA'S ANSWER:

I would say very toxic, but it is likely to cure fairly fast in the hot summer sun.

Any possibility you could stay someplace else temporarily, with family or a friend, or, best..how about a little seaside vacation where there is clean air?

Debra :-)


0 COMMENTS :: POST YOUR COMMENT


Has anyone tried Eco-terric.com?

QUESTION:

Hi Debra and other readers,

Looking for a non-toxic daybed, settee, or sofa, and found one at www.eco-terric.com/linden-daybed.html.

Does anyone out there have experience with this product or others from that company, or, if not, a suggestion for high-quality but not designer-priced wool and/or latex-based living room furniture?

TIA for your reply, and, thanks to Debra for the site.

Liz in Virginia

POSTED BY LIZ :: VIRGINIA USA :: 5:34 AM


DEBRA'S ANSWER:

I have personally seen this furniture on display and found it beautiful and well-made as well as nontoxic. I would buy this furniture myself if I were in the market for furniture. I don't have any long-term experience with owning it. Readers?

Debra :-)


CATEGORY — INTERIOR DECORATING :: 0 COMMENTS :: POST YOUR COMMENT


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Welcome!

This Q&A blog is open for all to participate. Feel free to ask your own questions and answer questions posted by others. I know you all have a wealth of information and experience on healthy and eco-friendly living and you are welcome to share it here.


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About This Blog

The purpose of this blog is to share information on "green living," which includes living in a healthy and nontoxic manner, as well as living in a way that is better for the environment.

Appropriate posts include questions about specific products or ingredients, where to find particular products, how to do or make something yourself, and any other aspect of living. You may also post anything on the subject you think would be of interest to readers, including data about health or environmental effects of products, products and websites you like and want to recommend, where to get good deals on purchasing green products, and the like. Please share your experience.

I personally will answer all the questions or invite other knowledgeable people to answer and I will review all the posts as they come in. I have created this blog so everyone can post and we can all learn from each other.


Recent Questions

Dog Food

offgas regular paint HEATER ?

Packets of Damp Rid

Mythic Paint Safety

Corian

Safe Freezer Storage

Parking Lot Resurfacing/Painting

Has anyone tried Eco-terric.com?

Those baby carrots we all buy

Buying a Tolerated Sewing Machine


Recent Comments

Least Toxic Mattress

nontoxic baby cribs

spider veins

Rainbow vacuum cleaners

Durisol - MCS friendly building material?

Tempur-Pedic

Pesticides in Vinegar for Cleaning?

Tagless clothing

removing chemicals from sheetrock

City sprays mosquitoes


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