Bioneers 2011 Conference – Video

Bioneers 2011 – a yearly leading edge forum and environmental conference with social and scientific innovators.

PLEASE HELP CLEAN OUR BEACHES!!!!!

PLEASE HELP CLEAN OUR BEACHES!!!!!

When you’re walking along the beach and you notice trash, please pick it up and throw it away, or better yet, recycle it!!

Plastic cannot biodegrade!!!

“The National Academy of Sciences estimates that 6.4 million tons of litter enter the world’s oceans each year. Globally, plastic accounts for 60 to 95 percent of that waste, according to a 2002 report in the “Marin Pollution Bulletin,” by J.G.B. Derriak. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, 5.5 percent of the plastic consumed int he US in 2001 was recycled.

Hannah Nevins, beachcomber coordinator with Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, has found many dead seabirds’ stomachs stuffed with plastic. Scientists don’t know whether the plastic is poisoning the birds or if they’re simply starving to death because the material is blocking their access to pray. Moore said laysan albatross chicks are also frequent victims of plastic-bounty starvation. “They die from false feelings of satiation, which result from being fed bottle caps, cigarette lighters, and toys, which they cannot regurgitate so they stop begging their parents for food.” There are a whole bunch of chemicals in plastics that mimic estrogen,” Ebbesmeyer said. “If a male mammal ingests them, you’re altering the balance between testosterone and estrogen and you wind up with populations worldwide where the males are becoming less male.” Marine debris has adversely affected at least 267 species worldwide including 86 percent of sea turtle species, 44 percent of sea bird species and 43 percent of marine mammal species, primarily through ingestion, starvation, suffocation and entanglement, according to D.W. Laist in the book “Marine Debris-Sources, Impacts and Solutions.”

In the ocean, where the plastic rises to the surface, there are gyres – where high pressure zones swirl currents together “like a toilet that never flushes”, according to Moore. Scientists have given gyres nicknames, like “Eastern Garbage Patch.” One such gyre is reported to span 10 million square miles, which makes it as large as Africa.

Excerpts taken directly from the Richmond Review Press, September issue 2005 – http://www.sfrichmondreview.com

Interview with Eric Corey Freed – Organic (Green) Architect

What Does the Word “Natural” Mean on our Food Labels?

Find out what it means when foods are labeled “natural” as opposed to “certified organic”….

Build It Green Interview with Brian Gitt

Interview with Brian Gitt of Build It Green (formerly the Green Resource Center) – educating the public on ways to green their homes!! http://www.builditgreen.org

Pacific Coast Builders Conference/West Coast Green 2011

See some of the latest exciting new green home products for builders, homeowners and contractors.

Buy Local

Buying your food from local sources not only helps your native economy by supporting agriculture and local farmers but it also saves on gas and resources.

Triclosan – dangerous additive to many cosmetic and household items!!

Posted by Kimberly Anne Hoffman

I originally posted this article on Tribe on November 26, 2005 – and triclosan is still being used today almost 6 years later 😦

AGENT ORANGE (triclosan is chemically similar to agent orange) IS in your sponges, toothpaste, deodorant and anti-bacterial soaps!!!

The following is an edited for conciseness version of a 5/8/99 email that was posted to the Nature Sunshine Products forum concerning the antibacterial chemicals in soaps, especially dish soaps. These chemicals all leave residues. And because of this residue, people with animals or fish aquariums are told not to use them even if they rinse the cages thoroughly. The main agent in these types of soaps is a derivative of the chemical known as Agent Orange.

Those yellow sponges with the green plastic fibers on the back for scrubbing pots – “Pot Scrubbers” – should be kept far away from our birds, fish, reptiles cats and dogs, hamsters and whatever. Proctor & Gamble, in its continuing search to make America look clean and smell great, has a new “improved” version of the sponge on the market that kills the odor causing fungi that get in the sponge after a few uses. They make a big deal out of this innovation on the outside packaging.

A friend of mine used one of these sponges to clean the glass on a 200-gallon aquarium. The abrasive backs are good for removing algae and grim that collect on the inside of the tank. He refilled the tank and after the water had time to condition and rid itself of chlorine, he reintroduced his tropical fish collection of some 30 fish. Within five hours of putting the fish back in the tank, they were all dead! Some began to die after only 30 minutes. He removed the survivors to another tank but they all died. Retracing his steps to clean the tank, the only thing that was different was using that new kind of sponge. He’d used the regular old Pot Scrubbers for years.

Lo and behold I discovered on the back of the packaging in about the finest print you could put on plastic a description of the fungicide (Triclosan) in the sponge and the warning in tiny bold-face letters, “Not for use in aquariums. Keep away from other pets.” Thanks for the warning Proctor & Gamble. It seems the fungicide is a derivative of the systemic pesticide-herbicide, 2-4-D, more popularly known as Agent Orange, the chemical we sprayed all over Southeast Asian during the Vietnam War that many veterans and war refugees say did permanent damage to their lungs and nervous systems.

The package warning goes on to say the fungicide cannot be washed from the sponge even if it is placed in the dishwasher (in which case, Agent Orange is now all over your dishes and drinking glasses). And, if you think it’s there to kill disease-causing bacteria like Salmonella from contaminated chicken meat, think again! Triclosan is not an effective enough bactericide to kill those kind of bugs. By the way, Triclosan is used now in many of those popular anti-bacterial, anti-viral disinfectant liquid soaps (such as Ultra-dawn Antibacterial dishwashing soap) and hand cleaners that are flooding the market.

Triclosan is a broad-spectrum antibacterial/anti-microbial agent. It is manufactured in the U.S. by Ciba-Geigy, under their trade name Irgasan DP300, and by several other manufacturers outside of the U.S. As a result of its bacteriostatic activity against a wide range of both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria it has found increasing and recent popular use in personal care products, i.e.- toothpaste, deodorant soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants and body washes, detergents, dish washing liquids, cosmetics and anti-microbial creams, lotions and hand soaps, children’s toys….. colgate toothpaste!!!!!

Unfortunately the full story is no longer available in the Herb Cottage archives but a recent story was published about tricolsan on yahoo – http://green.yahoo.com/blog/care2/387/the-dangers-of-triclosan-and-how-to-avoid-it.html

Here is another good article about the health risks of triclosan by Rose Marie Williams – http://www.townsendletter.com/May2006/healthrisk0506.htm

Recycling From the Fridge

Earlier tonight I realized I hadn’t done a thorough fridge cleaning in a very very long time. So, I took everything out and discovered…. something I had been looking for and bought more of because I thought there was none left but more importantly – I discovered bottles of “stuff” that I had not used for years. Mustard, Worchester sauce that was so old it was expired, tahini from 4 years ago, relish, old salad dressings and so on. At first I was so overwhelmed that I took out all of the old stuff and tossed it all into my kitchen trashcan which was full in no time. Then I got a bit annoyed with myself and took out another kitchen trash bag and dumped half of the contents into that. I stood staring at it saying to myself “I know I should empty out all these jars and recycle them but I just can’t deal with it right now”. And then it hit me – how could I, an annoying “why don’t you recycle” person, a “what are YOU doing to help the planet” person be such a hypocrite. How am I helping if I throw these items away? I thought of all of the toxins and off-gassing. I thought about everything sitting in a dump for years to come and I’ll be honest, I even thought about the trash men judging me tomorrow for my laziness and contempt.

I found myself silently arguing with myself in my kitchen. It was almost as though I had the classic angel on one shoulder and the devil on the other. It went on for a little while before I just downright made myself do it. I emptied all the jars out of the trash bags, put them on the sink and went to work. The entire process, including wiping out the fridge took close to an hour and the entire time I kept thinking – is my time any more important than the time it takes for our earth to give back to us, to support and nurture us? What’s an hour of my time that’s going to a good and important cause? And whose fault is it anyway that I bought all these sauces and dressings and stuff I didn’t finish? Wasteful! I heard my parents voices “there are children starving…” and thought about how their generation pushed our generation to overeat and stuff ourselves and get sick on food so that we wouldn’t waste. Instead, isn’t the answer not to buy so much or make so much lunch or dinner in the first place?

I’m far from perfect but I’m trying to clean up my side of the street and take personal responsibility for my waste. Thinking about a fact that David de Rothschild published in his new book “Plastiki” – “In Sweden, 80 percent of PET plastic bottles are recycled. In the US, only 15 percent are reused.” How can I get mad at that if I’m part of the problem? How can I expect other people to care if I don’t? My friend Nicole lives in Austria where she informed me that she (when she was a 2 person household and ate all meals at home) had a teeny tiny bag full of actual trash every 2 weeks. Everything else was recycled or composted by the Austrian Government.

As a nation we are far behind so as one person, I can at least do my part.

*Written and photo by Kimberly Anne Hoffman

The Dangers of Cosmetics

By Kimberly Anne Hoffman

Do you know what toxins are lurking in your cosmetics? In referring to cosmetics I’m not just talking about make-up. I am speaking of the essentials – lotion, body soap, toothpaste, etc.

It’s not only what you put in your body that’s important, it’s what you put on your body that’s just as important – since your skin absorbs 64% of what is put on it directly into your blood stream!!!

Here you can look up particular brands or ingredients that you’ve always wondered about and find out how toxic they really are: http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/index.php

This is a MUST!!! I cannot stress the value of this website enough….

I have done extensive research on which brands of cosmetics contain little to zero toxins. Some of the brands I have found and use are as follows:

Juice Beauty (organic) – http://www.juicebeauty.com/

Aubrey Organics – http://www.aubrey-organics.com/

Pangea Organics- http://www.pangeaorganics.com/

Avalon Organics – http://www.avalonorganics.com/

The Natural Dentist – http://www.thenaturaldentist.com/

Badger Sunscreen – http://www.badgerbalm.com/pc-372-6-spf-30-for-face-body.aspx

Must haves are sunscreen, moisturizer (face and body), toothpaste and soap.

Sunscreen choices: Healthy sunscreens are difficult because most sunscreens contain very toxic ingredients.

Before choosing one you may want to check online at cosmetic databases 2009 sunscreen guide: http://www.ewg.org/cosmetics/report/sunscreen09/findyoursunscreen?ptype=sunscreen

It is also recommended by my esthetician that you do not use a sunscreen with an SPF of over 30 because some claim that the molecules become unstable and break down to form free radicals over 30spf, therefore it may be doing your skin more harm than good. It’s also noted that most people do not apply enough sunscreen, they apply one very thin layer whereas some dermatologists suggest 2 layers or 1 very thick layer. Also, if you’re out in the sun, do not forget to re-apply every 2-3 hours. This is very important!

Juice Beauty has a really good sunscreen that is lightly tinted but it does not look like you are wearing any foundation. http://www.juicebeauty.com/store/sun-protection/spf-20-mineral-medium-moisturizer.html Titanium dioxide is what they use to protect your skin from UVA and UVB rays. The rest of the product contains natural ingredients and it smells good. Badger also has a fantastic sunscreen made with zinc oxide. According to cosmeticsdatabase.com this sunscreen contains the least amount of toxic substances. If you use a sunscreen that is white like Badger, I find it works best to apply it first and then to apply a moisturizer on top in order to rub in the white parts. However, this leaves me wondering if it is as effective as a tinted moisturizer where you are not trying to “get rid of” the sunscreen look.

With Juice Beauty – they have a great anti-aging line called Green Apple. They use natural fruit products, which include malic acid and pectin that naturally slough off dead skin. Their other fruit and vegetable ingredients add the vitamins your skin needs to regenerate and stay looking healthy. Here is a list of the ingredients their products include and what they provide: http://www.juicebeauty.com/about-organics/ingredients

I have started using Juice Beauty almost exclusively. In the evenings after washing my face I apply the Green Apple Antioxidant Serum – http://www.juicebeauty.com/store/green-apple-antioxidant-serum.html

Then I apply the Green Apple Antioxidant Moisturizer – which I have to say is my #1 favorite product of theirs. — http://www.juicebeauty.com/store/green-apple-antioxidant-moisturizer.html

In the mornings I first use Aubrey’s Sea Buckhorn & Cucumber with Ester-C moisturizing cream ($16.28 for 4oz). The reason I use this first is that my dermatologist told me that Ester-C is a must in order to protect your skin from the sun, in addition to sunscreen. I did a lot of research and found this to be the only non-toxic product that actually contains Ester-C. After a thin layer of the Aubrey I then apply either the Juice sunscreen or the Badger sunscreen, followed by a thin layer of the Juice moisturizer. Juice Beauty recommends using only the sunscreen without the addition of the moisturizer over it but my skin is too dry for that and sometimes the sunscreen pills. I do not use the Juice Serum during the day since it peels away dead cell layers which, during the day leaves your skin more susceptible to sun damage.

Juice also makes some recommended facial cleansers – http://www.juicebeauty.com/store/cleansers-and-toners.html

I have not tried any of these yet because I still have some old facial cleansers I am trying to use up. One of those is by Aubrey and it’s fantastic, and not too pricey ($7.98 for 4oz) – http://www.aubrey-organics.com/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=766

Pangea Organics has an amazing facial cleanser that I have used and love but I found it too pricey for my current budget ($28 for 4oz). — http://www.pangeaorganics.com/product/cleanser-featured-home_page-egyptian_calendula-blood_orange/egyptian_calendula_and_blood_orange

Once a week it’s a good idea to use a facial mask and I found the Juice Beauty masks to be suburb. If your skin is dry or combination – the Green Apple Hydration Mask is very good – http://www.juicebeauty.com/store/mature-wrinkles-skin/green-apple-hydration-mask.html

If you want a natural peel the Green Apple Repair Mask is marvelous – http://www.juicebeauty.com/store/mature-wrinkles-skin/green-apple-repair-mask.html

The Green Apple Repair Mask will leave your skin bright red for 15 minutes after use but then it will return to its natural color. Both of these products run about $35 each for 2oz but since you only use them once a week they last for awhile.

Since the Juice Beauty products contain mainly natural ingredients they don’t last unused on your shelf for more than about 9 months. They will go bad so no need to stock up for a rainy day on these. Buy them as you use them.

Now onto teeth:

Most toothpastes contain Sodium Laurel Sulfate (SLS). SLS is an anionic surfactant (“Surfactants are wetting agents that lower the surface tension of a liquid, allowing easier spreading, and lower the interfacial tension between two liquids” – per Wikipedia). There have been some health concerns regarding the use of SLS. Some people are allergic to it and others are intolerant, having adverse reactions and even hormonal imbalances. SLS are used in soaps, detergents, shampoos and toothpastes. Information about some of the possible health risks regarding SLS can be found here – http://www.natural-health-information-centre.com/sls-health-implications.html

The only toothpaste that I found on the shelves of my local health food store that is SLS free is The Natural Dentist. – http://www.thenaturaldentist.com/

I personally use the one with fluoride, which I know is another controversial subject. The reason I use fluoride in my toothpaste follows. I grew up in Los Angeles where we had fluoridated water, which I do not agree with. Excess fluoride is not a good thing – http://www.mbschachter.com/dangers_of_fluoride_and_fluorida.htm

I actually made it to age 40 without ever having a single cavity and then I stopped using toothpaste with fluoride in it and within one year I had 5 cavities. Nothing else in my life changed. I ate the same and brushed and flossed twice a day as I always have. The only difference was my toothpaste choice. Therefore, I choose to use toothpaste with fluoride but I’m not here to tell other people what to do or not to do. I can only offer my personal experiences and opinions; the choice is yours.

Parabens:

A lot of products contain parabens. Parabens are under a lot of debate. And they are found in quite a lot of products: shampoo, moisturizers, toothpaste, make-up, etc. I read the labels of everything before I buy it. If it contains any parabens I do not buy it. If it contains a long chemical name I haven’t heard of I don’t buy it. Sometimes I will write the name down and look it up on the cosmetics database later but I have found that 99% of the time it is toxic.

The most pressing concern is that “Parabens can mimic the hormone estrogen, which is known to play a role in the development of breast cancer” – http://www.thegoodhuman.com/2007/06/21/what-are-parabens-and-why-should-you-avoid-them/

Body Moisturizers:

Avalon Organics has a nice line of inexpensive body moisturizers. However they do rate a 3 on cosmetics database for containing some ingredients that may be toxic. http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product/248653/Avalon_Organics_HAND_%26_BODY_LOTION__-_GRAPEFRUIT_%26_GERANIUM/

I use Bonny Doon Rose Geranium body lotion – http://www.bonnydoonfarm.com/catalog/page2.html

I purchase it in bulk at my local health food store – Rainbow Market in San Francisco. It contains all natural ingredients. They also have one in lavender.

Body and hand Soap:

Pure Glycerin soap is a great and inexpensive alternative and can be found almost anywhere. It’s natural but is difficult to find in liquid without toxic additives.

For liquid soap I use EO lavender hand soap but it also rates a 3 at cosmetics database and does contain some toxins – http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/product/257442/EO_Hand_Soap,_French_Lavender/

I realize I could go on and on and on regarding products and have not covered make-up, shampoo, conditioner, etc. but I’m running out of steam.

The bottom line is to read the labels of everything you purchase prior to purchasing it. Know the companies that do not use toxins and purchase your products from them. Look everything up at http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com to find out what is in your product. If you can’t recognize or pronounce an ingredient, it’s probably not good for you. This is not always the case but usually when it is derived from something natural it will say so.

If you want to try any products before you purchase them, Sephora is a great place to shop. They will give you samples, they have knowledgeable sales people and they sell Juice Beauty products….

Shop smart. Research thoroughly. Ask questions. Take your health into your own hands.

Note: I am not affiliated with any of the companies I have recommended. I do not get any monetary or any other compensation for recommending them. I am speaking only from personal experience and have purchased all of the products myself.