Lighter Living: Fragrances are evil

By Matt Weafer

VENT Magazine
 

Sure they smell nice sometimes. But they are one of the most common carcinogens exposed to humans on a daily basis.

"Fragrances" refers to the ingredient listed in thousands of non-perishable cleaning and hygienic products on the market.

Manufacturers use fragrances in laundry detergents, window cleaners, oven cleaners, furniture polishes, lotions, shampoos, conditioners, body soaps, and deodorants and, of course, in its most concentrated forms, perfumes, colognes, body sprays, scented candles and air fresheners.

Ingredients commonly found in manufactured fragrances have been linked to cancer and asthma and pose serious risks to young children and unborn babies.

In 2007, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) tested household air fresheners and found phthalates in more than a dozen brands out of 14, including some marked "unscented" or "all-natural." Phthalates damage the reproductive system and interrupt normal development by mimicking the body's hormones.

The two products that contained no phthalates were Febreeze Air Effects and Renuzit Subtle Effects.

In 2005, Greenpeace funded a study of 36 random perfumes and colognes, which concluded that all of the fragrances contained significant amounts of known hazardous chemicals, including synthetic musks and phthalates.

The California Air Resources Board released a 2006 study of household cleaners and air fresheners; the report found chemicals classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as hazardous air pollutants in the products.

The University of Washington in Seattle determined that six popular brands of air fresheners contained nearly 100 Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) that were not listed on the ingredients lists; ten of the VOCs are regulated as toxic or hazardous under federal laws.

Fragrances are difficult to regulate because of the variety of products on the market and because ingredients in fragrances are protected as trade secrets, so manufacturers do not have to list ingredients.

The EPA reports, "No single federal agency has jurisdiction over all products that have a fragrance or the different types of fragrances (chemical mixtures) that may be used in particular products."

The Greenpeace study reported that "regular use of perfumes could substantially contribute to individuals' daily exposure to these chemicals, some of which have already been recorded as contaminants in blood and breast milk."

The EPA's current stance on fragrances is that the issue is controversial; some consumers complain that fragrances irritate skin, complicate breathing and cause other discomfort while other consumers report pleasant experiences and attribute health benefits such as reducing stress to the fragrances (aromatherapy).

In spite of the controversy, the EPA continues to monitor research on the subject.

As most fragrances cover up existing odors, the best way to avoid toxic fragrances is to not use air fresheners or products with fragrances at all, but to eliminate the odor by cleaning or increasing air circulation.

Many natural and home-made cleaning products are easy to mix or are inexpensive.    

Baking soda absorbs acidic odors and vinegar defuses alkalinic odors. The Internet offers a profuse supply of recipes for home-made cleaning products.

Fresh fruit, flowers and herbs emit powerful aromas. Slice open an orange or place some freshly clipped mint or spearmint in a vase.

Use laundry detergents and fabric softeners without scents and avoid air fresheners altogether, including oil diffusers, plug-ins, sprays and gels.

Research perfumes, colognes and deodorants to find safe alternatives.

In a world plagued by cancer and consumed by artificial ingredients and man-made chemicals, why increase your exposure to harmful toxins by squirting more of these pollutants around your home?

 

Lighter Living: Tap Water Saves the Environment and the Pocket Book

By Matt Weafer
VENT Magazine

Millions of Americans crack the tops to bottles of water at least once a day (if not more often) while they exercise, during a commute to work, a lunch break, a business meeting or at the movies as a healthy alternative to sugary sodas, sports drinks and tap water.

But there’s another element to the story — the environment.

Producing and packaging bottled water requires three to five times more water than will fit in the bottle, according to Calif.-based Pacific Institute.

And while recycling water bottles helps reduce the impact, only 12 percent of bottles were recycled in 2003, according to a 2007 MSNBC article. That number has likely risen in the past six years, but recycling plastic also requires a significant amount of energy and non-renewable resources.

According to a report on the Pacific Institute’s Web site, “More energy is needed to fill the bottles with water at the factory, move it by truck, train, ship, or air freight to the user, cool it in grocery stores or home refrigerators, and recover, recycle, or throw away the empty bottles. The Pacific Institute estimates that the total amount of energy embedded in our use of bottled water can be as high as the equivalent of filling a plastic bottle one quarter full with oil.”

Americans purchased 31.2 billion liters of bottled water in 2006. The Pacific Institute estimated that the energy required to produce those bottles equals approximately 17 million barrels of oil.

On top of the energy required to create, fill, package, ship and recycle the bottles, and the tons of non-recycled plastic bottles sitting in landfills, waiting 1,000 years before they start to decompose, the chemicals in the plastic bottles are potentially harmful to consumers as well.

Though the Food and Drug Administration regulates water before it enters bottles and once a year as it sits in the bottle, certain harmful contaminants such as phthalates or Bisphenol A can leach into the water as the bottles age, especially if the bottle is reused by the consumer.

Debating the health benefits of bottled water compared to tap water is difficult considering the number of water sources, state regulations, types of bottles and the amount of time a bottle of water sits on a shelf.

Bottled water is monitored by the Food and Drug Administration and tap water is monitored by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Both organizations apply stringent standards to water quality prior to marketing.

However, municipalities, such as Owensboro Municipal Utilities, monitor water quality daily, typically the same day a resident consumes the water.

And while bottled water companies use buzzwords like pure and natural, accompanied by images of free-flowing streams and picturesque mountains, many bottles of water are filled from the municipal water providers in the manufacturer’s city. The water is then, though not always, filtered.

Owensboro’s water source is an underground aquifer. The water filters naturally through the earth and is then pumped out, monitored and sent to homes in the city.

With some high-end bottled waters costing close to $10 per gallon, a mark-up of nearly 10,000 times, tap water is a more environmentally- and economically-friendly option.

According to OMU’s Water Quality Report for 2007, there was only one violation of water quality during the year. The presence of coliform bacteria, a natural contaminant, rose to 5.88 percent. The standard is no more than 5 percent. And once, noticed, the system was flushed, refilled and retested, showing no signs of the contaminant.

The International Bottled Water Association touts bottled water as “one of the safest and most regulated food products on Earth.”

This statement does not mean that bottled water is of better quality or safer than tap water. With the emergence of inexpensive home water purifiers hitting the market, tap water is a better environmental and economical option than bottled water. And with a sturdy thermos, it’s just as convenient.

Did you know?

The FDA reported that bottled water sitting in the sunlight does not leach chemicals linked to breast cancer into the water, unlike recent articles and viral emails have reported.

Lighter Living: Slouching economy hurts recycling opportunities

By Matt Weafer
VENT Magazine

The green movement permeates our society so thickly that the average consumer has bent their focus from buying the newest trendy item to curbing their carbon footprint.

Reduce, reuse, recycle has been the moniker of environmentalists for years. And regardless of the newest environmentally-friendly car or energy-saving appliance, recycling remains one the most beneficial activities for an eco-conscious lifestyle.

But Owensboro residents are limited.

The recycling center now located at the Public Works Building on W. 5th St. only accepts newspaper, cardboard, aluminum cans, steel cans, clear plastic and opaque, colorless plastic.

What about the other five types of plastic? Or glass? Or even computer products, fluorescent lights and hazardous wastes?

Unfortunately, Downy Ward, manager of the Owensboro Sanitation Department, said, currently, there is not a market in the area for glass and other recyclables. And hauling the material would not only put out a significant amount of particulate matter from the trucks but would also be fiscally irresponsible as the city’s trucks cost $4 to $5 per mile.

The recycling industry as a whole has taken a hit along with the rest of the economy.

“Everybody wants to do the right thing,” Ward said. “People’s hearts are in the right place . . . (but) the bottom has dropped out of the market.”

Owensboro sells its recyclables to local recycling distributor Resource Recycling.

“They dictate the amounts and quantities of what we recycle based on the industry that will accept it,” Ward said.

Glass and the other types of plastic are “tremendously hard to recycle,” Ward said. And there are no industries nearby to which Owensboro can sell its post-consumer product; therefore Resource Recycling does not accept those items.

And the industry is struggling so much that Resource Recycling has suspended payment on newspaper and cardboard, so the Sanitation Department collects those at a loss.

The largest buyer of recyclable paper product is China, Ward said. And along with the rest of the global economy, China’s production of recycled paper products has either slowed or stopped, which means Resource Recycling cannot sell the recyclable newspaper and cardboard.

In the meantime, Resource Recycling is stock-piling paper waste until it can find a buyer, Ward said.

“We’ve tried to talk to local paper companies like Scott Paper Co. about purchasing recycled paper,” Ward said. But the city can’t produce enough product at the purity level the companies request in order to create a viable relationship.

With the economic slump, businesses and industries trim excess costs and in many cases, industries can purchase virgin resources significantly cheaper than recycled.

Regardless of the troubled market, the Sanitation Department is still accepting the same six items, including agricultural waste such as leaves and grass clippings at the Sports Center.

Home Depot offers recycling drop-off for compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). GreenWorks Recycling, located at 101 E. 9th St. recycles e-scrap such as old computers, cell phones, game consoles and other technological hardware.

Ward said that he’s waiting to hear from the Western Kentucky Correctional Complex about purchasing recycled, glass cullet to use in refilling culverts and other applications. The Sanitation Department would then begin accepting glass.

For the other recyclable products, the solution, Ward said, is to increase demand for recycled material.

“If people say, I want to do what’s right and pay that extra cost, then there’s a market and a factory that can sustain itself,” Ward said.

While the motto is reduce, reuse, recycle, there’s another unspoken step, buy recycled products to maintain the demand.

As the recycling industry continues to grow, more options will become available to Owensboro, but in the meantime, Ward said, “The best thing you can do is try to reduce the amount of virgin product you consume,” and when you can, buy recycled products.

Replace hazardous household cleaners with safe alternatives

By Matt Weafer
Messenger-Inquirer Special Publications
Real Estate Inside Out: Lighter Living
Dec. 22, 2007

Holidays mean food, family and parties, which means a messy house after the fact. Dirt and snow were ground into the carpet, candy and sweets congealed to the table, pathogens abound in the guest bathroom and havoc left a mess in the kitchen.

Needless to say, you cleaned the house before Christmas and now you have to clean it again just a few days later.

So why use cleaning supplies harmful to you and your loved ones?

More carcinogens and deadly chemicals sit under your kitchen sink in name brand cleansers than most families realize. Or if they do realize the danger, they consider it a worthwhile sacrifice (risk) to obtain a cleaner home.

But here’s the dirty little secret: You can clean your home just as well with a few common, mild and most importantly safe items.

More frequently, chain stores carry "eco-friendly" cleaning products. Most of which come with high price tags. So a consumer should be educated before wasting money on a product. Many of the expensive cleansers touted as "non-toxic" aren’t any safer than other products.

When shopping for cleansers avoid any products with warnings such as "Danger," "Poison," "Caution" or "Warning." These indicate anything from combustible contents to potential skin and eye irritants to serious injuries such as acid burns.

Use caution when purchasing cleansers with vague claims such as "eco-friendly" or "non-toxic." Seek out products with specific claims, such as "no sodium lauryl or laureth sulfate," "solvent-free," "TEA-free" or with specific explanations, such as "biodegrades 90 percent in seven days." The term "biodegradable" is irrelevant unless backed with specific data. Over time most matter biodegrades.

Cleaning products are not required to list ingredients, but here is a small of list of some hazardous ingredients to avoid:

o Butyl cellosolve (also known as ethylene glycol monobutyl ether): a nerve-damaging chemical easily absorbed by the skin;

o Chlorine or Ammonia: produce highly irritating fumes and when mixed with other chemicals can cause severe and permanent damage to skin, lungs, nose, throat and eyes;

o DEA and TEA: a sudsing agent that can produce carcinogens easily absorbed by the skin and irritate nose, throat and skin;

o Fragrances: can contain a number of hormone disrupting compounds, irritants, carcinogens and chemicals that can become dangerous when mixed with other chemicals;

o Petroleum-based ingredients: an eco-damaging material that further depletes a non-renewable resource;

o Triclosan: the most common ingredient in antibacterial and antimicrobial cleaners, increases risk of dangerous bacteria and pathogens by weakening the bodies natural defense and strengthening bacteria, according to the World Health Organization in 2000.

Even "organic" cleaners are potentially harmful. The USDA’s definition of "organic" grocery items differs from the chemical definition. "Organic" in reference to chemicals simply means carbon-based, which includes a number of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

When using any cleaning product, specifically any containing harmful materials, use caution. Work in a well ventilated area. Keep cleaners out of reach of children and pets.

Follow directions closely and adhere to warning labels. Leave all products in original packaging and NEVER mix cleaning products.

Wear gloves, goggles and mouth and nose protection when using harmful chemicals. And to help reduce packaging waste, purchase cleaners in bulk, recycle and rinse out containers before disposing to prevent further contaminating soil and ground water.

Seek out legitimately safe cleaners or try making your own with some of these recipes from www.thegreenguide.com.

ALL-PURPOSE CLEANER

1/2 cup borax
1 gallon hot water

Mix in pail (or use smaller amounts in a spray bottle: 1/8 cup borax to 1 quart of hot water) dissolving the borax completely; wipe clean with rag.

ANY ROOM

Wood
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 gallon warm water

Linoleum
1 cup white vinegar
2 gallons warm water

Mix in mop bucket. Rinse afterward.

Furniture Polish
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil

Mix and apply with a clean rag to dust and polish. Reduce the olive oil if wood looks too oily.

BATHROOM

Toilet Bowl
Baking soda
White vinegar

To clean and deodorize, sprinkle toilet bowl with baking soda. Add white vinegar and scrub with a toilet brush.

Tub and Tile
1/2 lemon
Borax

Dip the face of the lemon half in borax to create a hand held scrubber for dirty areas. Rinse and dry the surface afterward.

KITCHEN

Countertops
Marble: Mix one Tbsp. castile soap with a quart of warm water, rinse well and then dry with a warm cloth.

Other surfaces: Halved lemon dipped in baking soda to scrub off residues; follow up by spraying with glass cleaner mix (below).

Dishwashing
Castile soap
White vinegar

Wash dishes in one dishpan filled with a mix of water and castile soap, then rinse in a separate pan containing a mix of water and vinegar (3-to-1 water-to-vingegar ratio works well).

Drains
1 cup baking soda
1 cup vinegar

Add baking soda and vinegar to a pot of boiled water and pour down the drain, then flush with tap water. For more stubborn clogs, use a "snake" plumbing tool to manually removed blockage, or try suction removal with a plunger.

To prevent clogs, install a mesh screen, available at home improvement and hardware stores.

Glass
1/4 cup vinegar or 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2+ cups water

Fill a clean spray bottle with water and either white vinegar or lemon juice; wipe with a rag or old newspaper.

Oven
Baking soda
Water

Sprinkle baking soda on surfaces, spray water, then let soak several hours or overnight. Rinse with water.

Stovetop and Oven Grease Remover
1/2 tsp. washing soda
1/4 tsp. liquid soap
2 cups hot water

Add washing soda and soap to hot water in spray bottle. Since washing soda is caustic, wear gloves.

LAUNDRY ROOM

Laundry Detergent
1 oz. liquid castile soap
1/2 cup washing soda
1/2 cup borax
1/4 cup baking soda or 1/4 cup white vinegar

Using the liquid soap as a base, combine with washing soda, borax (for stains and bleaching) and either baking soda (reduces static and softens fabrics) or white vinegar (softens fabrics, reduces static and bleaches clothes). If you feel like your clothes aren’t clean enough, play around with the amount of liquid castile soap, using from 1 oz. to 1 cup.

Bleach Alternative
1/2 cup hydrogen peroxide

For more information visit www.thegreenguide.com.

Reprinted with permission, Messenger-Inquirer.

Homegrown power

By Matt Weafer
Messenger-Inquirer Special Publications
Real Estate Inside Out: Lighter Living
Nov. 24, 2007

Jack Frost’s frigid fingers tighten their grip on Owensboro as winter draws near. Gas prices loom near $3 and many individuals have resorted to public transit, bicycling and carpooling. Global Warming has become a household term that strikes an ominous chord, conjuring mental images of civilization degrading the landscape into desert.

For some the damage civilization has caused to the Earth is heart-wrenching. And those people will take whatever steps feasibly possible to do their part to right them.

A recent growing trend is alternative energy for the home including wind and solar energy. But there lies a series of problems: What if the power is unreliable? Can I remove my home from the local power grid? Are there state regulations? Isn’t a photovoltaic system really expensive?

The solution many states have adopted to supplying alternative, reliable energy is net metering. At the customer’s expense the home-owner installs solar panels and a meter that measures both the input and the output of energy to and from the home.

With solar power, energy is abundant at peak hours, but during a stormy winter week when the sun barely pokes its transcendent rays through the atmosphere, the energy is intermittent.

With net metering, during the low times, the home would draw from the local power grid. During peak times, the energy would go to the home and then flow back to storage on the energy grid and essentially sell energy back to the energy company.

In successful areas at the end of a month, when a customer would normally receive a bill, he or she may pay only base fees and at the end of the year receive a check for roll-over credits. But that’s an extremity — an ideal location with a profuse supply of energy and minimal consumption.

Requirements for net metering vary in each state.

Kentucky state legislature, as of April 22, 2004, "require(s) all investor-owned utilities and rural electric cooperatives to offer net metering to customers with photovoltaic systems of 15 kW or less."

However other states such as Iowa allow systems as large as 500 kW, though the majority of states allow only systems lower than 100 kW.

According to Joshua Bills, installer of solar systems and owner of Sunbelievable, "15 kW is a pretty big system." On average 15 kW can produce 1,800 kW hours per month. "And that’s quite more than most people have," he added. "Most people have maybe 800 kW."

John Robbins, energy consultant and solar home designer for Northern Kentucky, said a 15kW hour system in four hours of direct sun light could generate 60kW hours, which is more than an average home uses at one time. So the excess would overflow back to the grid.

For Owensboro, Kenergy Director of Member Services David Hamilton said, net metering is available for Kenergy customers. But no one has taken advantage of the opportunity yet. "It’s the kind of thing someone really must want to do," Hamilton said due to the cost of the photovoltaic cells and installation. "The cost return may not be there because of the low cost of electricity in Kentucky," he said. "(But) we’d be willing to work with anyone that’s interested in trying this."

Owensboro Municipal Utilities does not have a formal policy regarding net metering, OMU Public Relations and Communications Specialist Sonya Dixon said. "But we do plan to have one by 2008," she said. Dixon said, OMU is still researching PURPA requirements, recommendations and the Kentucky net metering tariff.

PURPA or Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act — enacted in 1978 — requires utilities to purchase whatever amount of energy is available from qualifying facilities. Developed by President Jimmy Carter, PURPA sought to decrease the Nation’s dependence on foreign oil by promoting local alternative sources. PURPA may be overturned.
But in the meantime, Dixon said, she is not aware of any requests by customers for net metering.


Reprinted with permission, Messenger-Inquirer.