Very few of us are farmers , and as a matter of fact, most farmers don’t even grow food, but rather “commodity” crops like corn and soybeans which get processed into oils, ethanol fuel , sweeteners and livestock feed, among other things.    Most of us forage through the grocery store deciphering what foods to buy which have the least amount of chemicals.  These Chemicals pretty much fall into three group:

·         Chemicals that kill things ( pesticides, herbicides, fungicides)

·         Chemicals that make things grow fast and big ( fertilizers, growth hormones, antibiotics)

·         Chemicals that make things look better than they  normally would and last longer than they should (artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, and other additives)

Today’s report,  talks  about the first two groups, and next time we’ll address the artificial colors, additives, and preservatives.

Many think that the word “pesticide” means a bug killer.  There are in fact, 3 classes of pesticides with big, hard to pronounce names, but the one most  of us are familiar with is DDT.  DDT does not break down. Not in the food, or in our bodies, and so it cycles through our food chain.  It was banned in 1973, and it is still being found in human DNA.  Imagine, after all those years. It is still lingering in our bodies. 

Here are a couple things you should know;

·         First. Lots of veggies and fruits on your grocer’s shelves can exceed our Governments  set limits they set on the chemicals used on the food we eat, because……

·         Second, we are a global economy, thus we can purchase strawberry’s any time of the year because it’s always summer somewhere.   The strawberries are HUGE because they are food pumped up on fertilizers and pesticides.  Taste the difference between the natural organic and the chemically pumped up and I guarantee you’ll taste the difference.    The Huge one is Pilthy and has little taste, the organic one is loaded with flavor and juice.  Don’t be deceived by how perfect and beautiful the fruit or veggie looks? It’ about the nutrition value not it’s beauty.

·         Third, look at the conventionally grown produce in your grocery store.  Now compare it with the organic produce they keep off to one side.  The conventional stuff is Bigger, Prettier,  &  it looks healthier right?  Looks can be deceiving.   It looks perfect because it was pumped up on inorganic fertilizers  and chemicals.  Just imagine this:  I spray an apple for pesticides, it rains, the chemical washes off, the ground absorbs the chemicals, the next year grows new fruit, and the cycle continues year after year after year.  It becomes systemic in nature.  Let me ask you this.   “Would you like a bite of my apple….. deary??”

·         They can grow them faster, and more bug resistant but at what cost to the consumer? They can make them last longer on the store shelves,  by using preservatives, thus helping the bottom line, but  are we  consuming things that harm our bodies, affect our hormones, lower our resistance and set us up for all sorts of “dis- ease”?  If you are wondering why all the cancers, inflammatory, hormonal disorders,  and de- generative diseases are on the rise, we might want to take a look at the source.  What are we feeding our bodies?

Chemicals that make things grow fast and big are known as non-organic chemical fertilizer which produce higher yield and those phosphates are the biggest source of water pollution.  So we eat big things, and our rivers and streams become more and more polluted.    Next month we’ll look more into how the food chain is effecting our environment.   We’ll take a look at the artificial colors, additives and preservatives, and what we can do to make our environment safe.

Are YOU part of the Solution or Part of the Pollution?  Deb Villarese   www.eco-logicalnews.com  email me deb@eco-logicalnews.com  

How Safe is YOUR Clean?  ( Become part of the Solution…. NOT the Pollution)

Cleaning your home or office shouldn’t be a “risky job”, yet unfortunately, the majority of cleaning products available in retail stores are unsafe, harmful, toxic and even deadly.   The American Association of Poison control Centers reported that exposure to many popular household cleaning substances can be serious enough to require treatment in a medical health facility.

Un safe cleaning products can be more dangerous than a loaded gun.  The National Safety Council reported that,“ more children under  four die of accidental poisonings at home than are accidentally killed with a gun at home.”  You wouldn’t keep a loaded gun under your sink or in your bathroom yet millions of households keep extremely dangerous household products where children or pets might accidentally get into them.

Many common cleaning Products that are purchased at grocery stores contain warning labels that the products are dangerous, poisonous, or flammable.  When exposed to heat, aerosols can explode and cause accidents, serious injury or death.  Chlorine, found in bleach is highly corrosive and extremely reactive.  It can cause damage to the skin, eyes, and other permeable membranes.  It was listed as a hazardous pollutant in the 1990 Clean Air Act.  Chlorine bleach can also cause cancer causing chemicals to form in waste water systems.  Knowing this, a vast majority of homes rely on bleach as their primary cleaning agent.

Many disinfectants  contain labels stating that the product “kills germs”.  These products usually contain an ingredient known as triclosan, a suspected immune-toxicant and skin toxicant.  This ingredient is more hazardous than many other chemicals in government ranking systems.  Products with harmful substances may kill germs, but they leave behind chemicals such a hydrocarbons,  chlorine, and volatile organic chemicals.  Chemicals that effect our respiratory systems as well as our brain’s neurotransmitters.

Now that summer is upon us, it is time to get the kids to join in some of the family chores, things like clean windows and mirrors, clean their bathroom,  and doing  the dishes.   If you haven’t allowed them to clean because you don’t want to expose them to the “toxic soup mixture”, then maybe it’s time to change your thinking and most importantly , change your products.   A most recent comment by an 11 year old that was allowed to clean the mirrors with A SAFE, EFFECTIVE NON-TOXIC CLEANER was, ”Mom, this stuff ROCKS ! the mirrors are perfect and my throat isn’t scratchy” Remember, CLEAN DOESN’T HAVE A SMELL.  (Want to know what she was using? email me:  I have a  FREE SAMPLE:  Deb@bellawelllifestyles.com   ) or Deb@eco-logicalnews.com   

Happy “Earth-Day” to You, Happy “Earth-Day to You,  Happy Earth-Day…  Mother Earth, Happy Earth-day to you!     And many more…………….

Yep, April 22^nd is the day!  Sadly we have only been celebrating “Earth Day” for  40 years, because it was 40 years ago that we discovered we could be destroying this place we call “home”.

So what do you get a Planet who has EVERYTHING?   ( or at least used to have everything)?

If “Mother Earth” is like the rest of  US, she wouldn’t be interested in “stuff” but certainly would love thoughtful , kind, and generous ACTIONS, sort of like a coupon book of services. Here are some suggestions:

·         Be fussy about recycling!  Go that extra mile and ask yourself  “ Could this be recycled?

·         Don’t throw your trash out the car window for the rest of us to look at, & someone else to pick up.  “This is a self -cleaning EARTH, Clean it  your-self”

·         Plan your trips .  Figure out the route that will save the most mileage and perhaps prevent you from going out another day.

·         Make your own Household cleaners using sustainable ingredients.  ( I use products that have saved me lots of money each year, and work far better than the chemical cleaners or the baking soda, vinegar alternatives) 15% Discount to all if you contact me in the month of April.

·         Put your own drinking  water in stainless containers to drink as you are out and about.   It will save you money and there will be that many less plastic bottles in the land fills

·         Bring your lunch in re-useable containers.  Why throw away all that trash every day?

·         Use fabric Napkins at the table (use a special fold or a napkin holder to identify the user for several usages)

·         Use Microfiber cloths instead of paper towels for cleaning.

·         Make sure when you are washing clothes that you have gathered a full load.

·         Monitor the length of your showers.  There is NOT an endless supply of clean water, as a matter of fact the water that comes through your faucets have been used by 25+ other people.

·         Most of all, “worship the ground we walk on”.  This place we call home is just “borrowed “ from future generations to come.  What kind of a world do you want your great grand children to in? Air respirators and full body protection suits?

 What we do today will leave a direct impact on what we will do tomorrow.  Be Part of the Solution, NOT part of the Pollution.

Submitted by:

Deb Villarese

www.bellawelllifestyles.com     email: deb@bellawelllifestyles.com    630-420-2119

Times are tougher than ever. Money is tighter than it has been. These are all the more reasons to go green.  True, it’s good for the planet, but did you know it can also save you a huge amount of money down the road?  Last month I wrote about what you “could” and I had no specifics.   I thought I would include some ideas that will save you money, time, and most importantly a little wear and tear on Mother Earth, after all, she isn’t getting any younger.

• Visit your local library. Take the kids on a Saturday, have them pick out 2 of their favorite books, and return them next week! It’s free and it’s green.

• Carpool! If your drive to work is 25 miles each way and at least half is stop-and-go traffic, you’ll save

almost 10 percent of your monthly carbon emissions by carpooling. Not to mention the gas dollars you’ll

save.

• Bulk shopping is good for the environment because it reduces packaging and waste plus it means less

trips to the market and less gas used so you save money.

CONSERVE ENERGY

• Run your dishwasher. It can actually help the environment while saving you time and preserving your manicure, and be sure all the germs are washed away. Many studies show that dishwashers actually use less water than dishes by hand and you can save a ton of water, energy and money by only running the dishwasher when it’s full—especially if it’s Energy Star-approved.

• Throw in a concentrated, phosphate-free detergent such as Automatic Dish Wash Concentrate that is so powerful a pre-rinse isn’t required, and you earn extra eco-warrior points!

• Use Rechargeable Batteries. Investing in rechargeable batteries can save you some money over time.  In general, the less you rely on single-use, disposable items, the less money you’ll burn through.

• Check Out the New CFLs. CFL bulbs use 80% less energy than standard incandescent light bulbs, and last up six to 10 times longer. You might not be aware of the newest designs from cutting-edge

manufacturers, including a new range of pleasant color temperatures, dimmable CFLs, bug lights, 3-way

models, candelabra and flicker tip styles and more.

• Turn Off Your Computer - Save energy, wear on your hardware and an average of $90 each year on

electricity costs by shutting down your computer at night. The Department of Energy recommends shutting off your monitor if you aren’t going to use it for more than 20 minutes, and the whole system if you’re not going to use it for more than two hours. 

·         Un plug your phone/iPod chargers when they aren’t charging phones, they uses Phantom energy

·         Check into Green$witch, (one switch that shuts all that controls unnecessary lights left on from one switch.  Learn more at:  www.greenswitchgroup.com   

RECYCLE & REUSE

• Rather than going through rolls of paper towels, cut up old t-shirts and towels for cleaning rags. If DIY isn’t your cup of tea, try  Microfiber Cleaning and Window Cloths. They are ridiculously absorbent and can be washed and reused hundreds of times.

• Ditch bottled water! The cost adds up and the bottles pile up in landfills to pollute our planet. Save big

bucks and keep waste out of the landfills by switching to filtered water.

The BestWater® PerfectPitcher® is NSF-certified and serves up delicious, clean water that can be poured into a glass to be enjoyed at home, or a portable, reusable water bottle if you’re on the go.

Come join me, and be part of the Solution, NOT part of the Pollution

Deb Villarese

www.bellawelllifestyles.com   

When it comes to the environment- and many others things for that matter- I think most people make choices base on three criteria: Health, Convenience, and Budget.  Then, if their choice happens  to be good for the planet too, that would just be a “ Bonus.”

What if you could make greener choices without sacrificing convenience and budget?  More importantly, what if those choices made a positive impact on your family’s health?  There is just a natural momentum that comes with doing the right thing for yourself and your family and your planet.  You buy one non-toxic cleaning product, you start using one baby bottle made for materials that are safe for your infant, and the next thing you know, you’re recycling and riding a bike to work and using organic bamboo towels.  I think helping the environment is a lot like working out.  It’s sort of like putting on work- out clothes (a step to be proud of in itself) and then stepping out and “starting”

The Plain Truth is this:

·         The pollution inside out homes is worse than outside and we spend nearly 90 % of our time indoors.

·          We as a nation need to rethink what our idea of clean is; in other words, our “idea” of clean could actually be hurting us.

·         The health of “your” family and “our” planet are connected.  If each of us started with our own home we could make an impact on the planet.

·         Knowledge is power.   Not knowing is one thing, Knowing and continuing to use or do the things we know is harmful is another.

It is just the simple act of cleaning the kitchen sink that can become the large act of changing the world.

It just takes the first step to make the difference.

What are a few of the adjustments YOU or your FAMILY can make in this New Year?  Cleaning supplies, cosmetics, deodorants and other personal care products, dry-cleaned clothes, laundry, plastic food containers, paints , varnishes, home and garden supplies. Many of these contain VOC’s (Volatile Organic Chemicals) which escape into the environment, the home and ultimately, into YOU.  

An accumulative ACT of ONE can and will make a huge”WORLD” of difference.

Are you part of the solution? Or part of the Pollution

Submitted by Deb Villarese, Lifestyle expert and coach.

www.eco-logicalnews.com       www.bellawelllifestyles.com  

1. Start by replacing a bunch of your cleaners (your general spray cleaner, glass cleaner, counter top cleaner, floor and bathroom cleaners) with a natural, nontoxic all-purpose cleaner. You will only need one to do that. Really!  Personally, I recommend Shaklee Basic H.  One pint will make 728 window cleaner quarts , 60 all purpose cleaners, 30 floor cleaners and one fine washables bottle.  Yes, all that with just ONE pint

2. Replace your laundry detergent with a natural nontoxic one so the clothes you wear and the sheets you sleep on have no fumes for you to breathe.  Again, Look at the book GREEN GOES WITH EVERYTHING.  A third party study shows the many benefits of using Shaklee Fresh Laundry over any other Laundry product.

3. Go to your bathroom and read the shampoo, makeup and moisturizer labels. Ask yourself, “Do I really need scent in these products?” Take stock of all of your other products and try to replace one a week with a safer, greener choice.

4. Pay attention (without freaking out) to the toys you buy for your kids. Avoid lead paint and soft plastics that contain phthalates.

5. Shop the perimeter of the grocery store and avoid processed food. Even better, choose organic and locally grown meats, dairy, fruits, and vegetables.

6. Try to get the plastic containers out of your kitchen and replace them with glass containers.

7. Avoid using the micro-wave and if you must, use hard surface plates and bowls to put the food on.

8. Make a vow to stop buying bottled water—NOW. Instead, buy a water filter pitcher and keep two in your fridge at all times. Or install a R/O system right at your kitchen sink.  ( We love ours!)

9. For cleaner and healthier air, open your windows once a day when the outside temperature is comfortable.  (Especially if you happen to use the standard, everyday cleaners. Our indoor pollution is far worse than what we are breathing in the out-of-doors)

10. When buying new stuff for your home, focus on green products especially mattresses and carpets

The words, Fabric Softener sounds so soothing, as a matter of fact, it sounds like something that each and every one of us would want next to their skin.  Certainly, we want  nothing scratchy on our babies.  Only soft will do for our precious little ones.  Yet have you noticed the increased of ADD, ADHD, asthma,  and even autism in our wee ones?

 Recently, I was made aware that there are some pediatricians, allergists, and general physicians who are finding it necessary to put signs in their office which read as follows:

ATTENTION: “please refrain from using fragrances, FABRIC SOFTENERS, or smoking before coming to our office, we are finding that chemically sensitive individuals are having difficulty breathing in such an ENVIRONMENT” 

 Let’s just focus on Fabric softeners for the time being as they are certainly the most used and according to the Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health  and perhaps the most offensive.  Here is what is in everyday fabric softeners:  toluene, trimehtylbenzene, styrene ( which are neurotoxins  - that means toxic to the brain)) as well as phenols and xylene.  Still sound soothing? Still wondering why so many more Americans are developing diseases which we think are out of “no where”…  ie:no family history

If you use conventional fabric softeners in your wash, this alphabet soup of toxicity is all over your body.  There is a party going on in your pants, and your shirt, and your nightgown, and your baby’s pajamas.

Here is a quick list of other chemicals found in fabric softeners: a-terpineol ( irritates muccous membranes and causes central nervous system damage) benzyl acetate(eye and respiratory irritant);benzyl alcohol ( can cause headache, nausea, dizziness, drowsiness, respiratory irritation, and a drop in blood pressure): camphor ( is on the EPA’s hazardous waste list; ethyl acetate ( eye and lung irritant and a narcotic); limonene ( irritant, sensitizer); linalool ( central nervous system effects); and pentane ( eye and skin irritant and may cause headache, vomiting, dizziness, or loss of consciousness)1

There is another problem with Fabric Softeners.  They are designed to stay in the fabrics… Which means that they are being released into the air you  ( and your child/children) breathe and onto your skin as you wear your own clothes.  The liquid softeners toxicity is one part of the problem, the dryer sheets have their own set  of issues.  They are made from synthetic fabric and/or polyurethane foam, which means they’re biodegradable, so they fill up land fills and they contain the same harmful  ingredients that the liquid softeners contain.  These pollutants are yet one more reason why our indoor environment is far worse than the outdoor air.

You can add ¼ c baking soda to the wash cycle  or ¼ cup of vinegar will soften clothes as well. Dry synthetic and natural fiber clothes separately or go to my eco-logicalnews.com and click on the link to learn what I use

1Allergy and Environmental Health Assoc. ( Canada).  “Health Risks of Fabric Softeners”  aeha.ca/help-with.htm.

Are you part of the Pollution?  Or Part of the Solution?

Can KIDS make a difference?

Conserving, Renewing, Protecting, Re-using isn’t about your next door neighbor, and for that matter it isn’t just for Mom &  Dad.   It is a family mindset that will save you money, create a family project and at the same time help the environment.  It starts with our kids and if they develop the good habits now, the habits will stay with them for their lifetime.  This planet is on loan to us from our future generations.

What are some EVERYDAY, SIMPLE things kids can do to make this earth a better place ?

Here are some ideas to start:

• Turning off lights, when you  leave the room
• Un –plug adapters that power our MP3, Cell phones and the like. 
• Don’t throw batteries in the trash,( they go to the hazardous waste facility).
• Take a shorter shower, or don’t fill the tub up quite so high. 
• The water doesn’t need to run while brushing your teeth,
• Avoid drinking water from plastic water bottles, each one adds to the land fills.
• Donated old athletic shoes.  (Well used ones  could end up being a play-yard in the future)
• Don’t stand in front of the “frig” with the door open, deciding what you want to eat.

Now it’s your turn Kids!  Send me other ideas that kids can do to Re-use, Re-cycle and Conserve Energy

And I will give gift cards to the top 3 entries.  A panel from www.partnersforcleanchoice.org   will be the judges and you can send those ideas to:  deb@eco-logicalnews.com     Winner’s names  will be features in the October issue of Stillwater Sound.

ALSO:

Mark your calendar  for: Oct 10, 2009  Naper  Settlement from  10-4

Bring your parents to an Environmental Fair, helping families make

Clean Choices in the cars they drive, and the products they use.

Your Choice Does Makes a difference …. Make a Clean Choice.

(Our Cool Ride Clean Choiceevent will be held at Naper Settlement. For more information on the event, go to www.partnersforcleanchoice.org)

It was a good idea in the beginning.  It used to be that if you wanted a drink of something while you were out, it was sweet syrup drinks that were carbonated.  If you wanted a drink of water, then you needed to go to a water fountain.  That wasn’t so bad back in the day, however, we have become more “bacteria” conscious from a health perspective  and we all know that the water we drink directly out of the tap has been used by at least 20 other people in many different ways and may not be the best beverage in the world.

Yep, that is what I said, our water is full of “lord knows what”.  AND when you think about it, there really is only “so much” water available.  It moves around with the clouds, but the process is the same.  Rain, evaporation, clouds and more rain.

Back to the topic at hand.  We started using water bottles because we became more aware of the toxins in our water supply.  Here is the sad and scary thing.  That bottled water industry has never really been very regulated.  If you buy water that says Spring water, you can be drinking water out of someone else’s tap.  ( They pay a penny a gallon, re-bottle it, send it across the country at these steep gas prices and then charge 75 cents to $3 for a 12 oz bottle)  pretty big profit margins  eh?

Now, you have a plastic bottle that leaches plasticizers into the water you are drinking which have been proven to be carcenogens, and then we must dispose of the container ( usually into our land fills).

Here is my opinion, for what it’s worth.  The convenience of bottled water is wonderful.  It certainly ranks high over drinking soda.  If we just used it as a convenience item rather than a daily use item, we could make a powerful impact on our landfills.  Sort of like Diapers…..  I always thought of the disposable as a waste of money and harmful to the environment, but they were a great solution for travel.

If we all would just make these kinds of small changes, our world would be a much better place for our future generation.

Be part of the solution, not the pollution

Contact me at deb@eco-logicalnews.com   Deb Villarese