Posted By: emmaspirit on

Sunday, April 15th, 2007, 11:12 am

As a first step in going Green, I eliminated the toxic stuff in my home...or at least as much as possible. I started one weekend by calling The Salvation Army and booking a pick up for 4 boxes for the following weekend. This looming deadline forced me to collect my toxic stuff so I could recycle it. I considered just throwing all the stuff out but then realized that what I want to get rid of because it was toxic may be useful for another person and it would be their choice as to whether they chose to bring it into their life. As I saw it, going Green was all about providing me and others with more and healthier choices.

With the help of Dr. Blue Eyes, we quickly filled those 4 boxes with:
• Chemical based cleaning supplies (Downy, Tide, Snuggle, Top Job, Clorox, Comet)
• Aluminum pans (linked to Alzheimer's disease)
• Scented candles (emit toxic fumes)
• 10 year old vacuum (which likely spewed more dust than it picked up)
• Brita water filter pitcher (not thorough enough for yucky NYC water)
• Regular light bulbs (not energy efficient)
• Sheets, comforters and towels (polyester and dyed with toxic dyes)

And I threw out:
• Wall to wall carpeting (carpets can be extremely toxic. Some low-toxic synthetic carpets are available and the adhesives bonding the carpeting to the floor are also important so use nontoxic glue)
• Old mattresses (full of plastic and chemicals, these mattresses are made of polyurethane foam that has been treated with fire retardants and formaldehyde )

Over the coming weeks, I then added some Green products to my home:
• House plants that oxygenate the air
• Good multistage air filters (including a prefilter, another filter that takes out microparticles of dust and other debris, and a final filter that eliminates gases and fumes)
• New Hepa filter vacuum
• Reverse Osmosis Water filter (now we make 10 glass jug gallons of filtered water on the weekends to use throughout the week)
• Organic sheets and towels (soft and pretty too)
• Compact fluorescent energy star light bulbs (see energy saving facts at http://ge.ecomagination.com/site/index.html#cfle/details)
• Painted every room with low EOC paint (Benjamin Moore's EcoSpec line)
• Non-toxic carpeting ( for carpet and paint I turned to expert Paul Novak at Green Depot at http://greendepot.com )
• Organic cotton mattresses and non-toxic cleaning supplies (Seventh Generation at http://www.seventhgen.com/household_hazards/toxins_home/non-toxic_bedding.html 

Some things I decided I wasn't ready to part with...my Colgate toothpaste and Dry Idea deodorant...I was happy to go Green in many areas of my life but I had relied on these hygiene products for years and I sure didn't want to smell. Especially as I was adding more naturally curing garlic to my meals!

Some of these changes were simple and some took more time and were a little expensive but I think it is worth it. What do you think? What are you willing to do to go Green?

Tags: carpets, bedding, healthy, green, nontoxic

Posted By: emmaspirit on

Sunday, April 1st, 2007, 10:24 am

So my first trip to the grocery store as a Greenie was a bit taunting. So many decisions to make...organic or conventional? what about local? And what should I do if the produce I wanted wasn't available in organic form?

I realized that I needed to be better informed before I went to the store so I could feel better about the choices I needed to make. After a few weeks/months of research and long grocery trips where I read all the food labels, it got easier. By asking a lot of questions and reading various research and opinions, I found the answers that worked for my new lifestyle. I hope that by sharing this info I can save you some time!

I found that for people seeking high nutritional value and less risk of exposure to the toxins associated with nasty factory farming practices, organic Green produce offers peace of mind.

Seems that organic and conventional produce differ in how the food is farmed because the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides is restricted in organic production. I learned that the pesticides used in conventional farming can accumulate in our bodies and may be harmful to our health. Also, the research I read increasingly shows that the nutritional content of organic produce is significantly higher than conventional produce. So since I'm not a huge veggie fan to begin with, I might as well get the most bang for my buck and eat organic!

And duh...I learned that food that hasn't been treated with pesticides and other chemicals is preferable to food that has been treated. Even if you really do wash all your fruits and veggies before you cook or eat them raw, it is impossible to wash off all the chemicals. I had thought that pesticides were sprayed on the surface of fruits and veggies as they ripen but I learned that farmers can now apply sophisticated new bug killers into the soil that then make their way into the plant and into our food. Such systemic pesticides cannot be washed off. Scary stuff!

Now...finding all my favorite produce in organic form at a reasonable price and within a reasonable distance has become increasingly easy. I shop at my local Whole Foods and Food Emporium but do my main grocery shopping via Fresh Direct (www.freshdirect.com) where they have a good range of Green products. We also belong to a local organic farmers buying club and frequent NYC farmer's markets. Makes for a kinda fun weekend adventure in the city.

If this all seems like too much work or you are just starting to think organic or you find the local supplies limited, know that not all conventional produce is heavily treated and some have more protective coverings to lessen chemical penetration. Here is a list of the produce that you should always buy organic: strawberries, apples, grapes, apricots, bell peppers, peaches, spinach, tomatoes, cantaloupe, celery, cherries, cucumbers and green beans. The other stuff you can "cheat" and buy conventional if need be.

Of course, the truest Green food is Local Organic produce, grown on farms in the nearby countryside. These fruits and veggies are by definition seasonal. In spring in California, that means meaty artichokes; summer in Michigan means plump blueberries and autumn in Washington means crisp apples. Local means produce that has traveled less than a day (7 or fewer hours) from the farm. What a green idea. Less travel time means less energy to get these fresh organic foods to your table. In many cities, farmers markets have become a fun and nutritious adventure, providing locally grown produce, while at the same time helping to support farmers and their land. If you are interested in supporting local farming check out this link: http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml.

For more true, deep scientific information on the benefits of organic vs. conventional food: http://www.kursus.kvl.dk/shares/ea/03Projects/32gamle/_2002/FoodQualityFinal.pdf

So what do you think? Is it worth it to you to seek out organic produce?

Tags: food, organic, healthy, whole, green