Filed under: ABC, CBS, CNN, Child Safety, Environment, Fox, In the News, McCain, NBC, Obama, Speak Out, Stop Global Warming | Tags: credit crisis, drought, Green Business, green jobs, industrial revolution, job loss, McCain, Obama, stock market, tornados, unemployment, Vote
- Coalbrookdale 1801 Artist: Loutherbourg d. J., Philipp Jakob
Change is coming so we hear in this election. The world is changing at an accelerated pace over the last 200 years. It’s amazing really – civilization has been on a colision course toward destroying the world since the first industrial revolution
For sure – things will change but will it be good change? I say it absolutely HAS to be the change that will save our earth from total destruction. I know I sound like an alarmist… it’s because I’m alarmed. How greedy are you? I mean really… If you were told your child has 20 years to live unless you change everything you’re doing right now – would you?
Are you concerned for your job? How about blue collar jobs, small businesses, the credit crisis, the stock market fall, hurricanes, tornados, wildfires, and drought? Global warming… is man made and we must think about the future of our children and grandchildren.
Make the right choice on November 4th – vote for the candidate that will truly bring change to America and bring us out of this economic disaster.
Vote Obama
Filed under: Environment, In the News, Stop Global Warming, recession | Tags: change is coming, credit card debt, debt, get a loan, great depression, recession, Shaklee
The Great Depression
My parents were children during the Great Depression.
If I learned anything during my life, it has been don’t live on credit and keep your money in safe vehicles like municipal bonds.
During the Great Depression, the stock market lost 90% of stock values over several years. That’s why I’m in the stock market I guess! But I must tell you that the first good rebound I can catch, I’m bailing…
My mother told the story of her Dad working for $1 a day as a farm hand. He had found work miraculously with 10 hungry mouths to feed and no money, no food, and no jobs in the country. She recalled having to sweep the kitchen floor free of snow before they started the woodstove to boil water.
Every day that winter, the children were sent out to the snow covered, windswept cornfield a short distance from the house. She would tell how they would plunge their bare hands into the ice capped snow in search of corn cobs left behind during harvest. They collected stripped corn cobs into their shirt coats and then as the oldest child, my mother would lead them all back to the sanctuary of that woodstove warmed kitchen and hand the frozen cobs off to my grandmother. She would deposit the cobs into the boiling water and they would all wait as the mixture boiled down into a kind of corn cob mush.
Her parents kept them alive that winter with that mush, a little sugar and milk from a cow they were fortunate enough to have for milk.
That’s tough… People were kinder then in our agricultural society…
Today our country is being drained of billions of money for a war to secure foreign oil for big oil, hurricanes brought on by global warming continue to devastate our coastlines and contribute to the surge in unemployement and foreclosures further pressuring our strained American economy.
It’s time for pulling in and protecting your family and the best thing you can do right now is get out of debt and save in a FDIC insured bank. Are you working right now? Then do what you can while you can…
Find a second source of income and recession proof your life. We have to quit living beyond our means as Americans. Each of us must do our part to stop pouring carbon emissions into our atmosphere. It’s time to help humanity and pull together during the coming days, months, and years. And please do something new every chance you can to live green… for the future of our children.
I can help you build a second revenue stream with our green business. People are contacting me faster than I can get back to them since this crisis. It’s a perfect time to join our team and let’s build a better future together with your own carbon neutral health and wellness business. We can all do this together. There is hope for a better future and one thing I know to be true – change is coming.
Filed under: Child Safety, Environment, Health and Wellness, In the News, Resources, Speak Out, Stop Global Warming, asthma | Tags: ABC, Alzheimer's, and hormonal problem, arthritis, ban bleach, breast cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, circulatory disorders, cosmetics, Depression, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, lupus, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, toxic chemicals
KNOW YOUR A.B.C’s.
by Dr. Joyce M. Woods
Begin by thinking of your home as a toxic waste dump. The average home today contains 62 toxic chemicals – more than a chemistry lab at the turn of the century. More than 72,000 synthetic chemicals have been produced since WW II. Less than 2% of synthetic chemicals have been tested for toxicity, mutagenic and carcinogenic effects, or birth defects. The majority of chemicals have never been tested for long-term effects.
a. An EPA survey concluded that indoor air was 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air.
b. Another EPA study stated that the toxic chemicals in household cleaners are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air.
c. CMHC reports that houses today are so energy efficient that “out-gassing” of chemicals has no where to go, so it builds up inside the home.
d. We spend 90% of our time indoors, and 65% of that time at home. Moms, infants and the elderly spend 90% of their time in the home.
e. National Cancer Association released results of a 15-year study concluding that women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of developing cancer than women who work outside the home.
f. Cancer rates have almost doubled since 1960.
g. Cancer is the Number ONE cause of death for children.
h. There has been a 26% increase in breast cancer since 1982. Breast cancer is the Number ONE killer of women between the ages of 35 and 54. Primary suspects are laundry detergents, household cleaners and pesticides.
i. There has been a call from the U.S./Canadian Commission to ban bleach in North America. Bleach is being linked to the rising rates of breast cancer in women, reproductive problems in men and learning and behavioral problems in children.
j. Chemicals get into our body through inhalation, ingestion and absorption. We breathe 10 to 20 thousand liters of air per day.
k. There are more than 3 million poisonings every year. Household cleaners are the Number ONE cause of poisoning of children.
l. Since 1980, asthma has increased by 600%. The Canadian Lung Association and the Asthma Society of Canada identify common household cleaners and cosmetics as triggers.
m. ADD/ADHD are epidemic in schools today. Behavioral problems have long been linked to exposure to toxic chemicals and molds.
n. Chemical and environmental sensitivities are known to cause all types of headaches.
o. Labeling laws do not protect the consumer – they protect big business. The New York Poison Control Center reports that 85% of product warning labels were either inadequate or incorrect for identifying a poison, and for first aid instructions.
p. Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, toluene, xylene are found in common household cleaners, cosmetics, beverages, fabrics and cigarette smoke. These chemicals are cancer causing and toxic to the immune system.
q. Chemicals are attracted to, and stored in fatty tissue. The brain is a prime target for these destructive organics because of its high fat content and very rich blood supply.
r. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found more than 2500 chemicals in cosmetics that are toxic, cause tumors, reproductive complications, biological mutations and skin and eye irritations.
s. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and hormonal problems are diseases commonly related to chemical exposure.
t. Pesticides only have to include active ingredients on the labels, even though the inert (inactive) ingredients may account for 99%, many of which are toxic and poisons.
u. The New York Poison Control Center reports that 85% of product warning labels are either inadequate or incorrect for identifying a poison and for first aid instructions.
v. Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, toluene and xylene are all found in common household cleaners, cosmetics, beverages, fabrics and cigarette smoke. These chemicals are known to be cancer causing and toxic to the immune and nervous systems.
w. Chemicals are attracted to, and stored in fatty tissue. The brain is a prime target for these destructive organics because of its high fat content and very rich blood supply.
x. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found more than 2,500 chemicals in cosmetics that are toxic, cause tumors, reproductive complications, biological mutations and skin and eye irritations.
y. Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, and hormonal problem are diseases commonly related to chemical exposure.
z. Pesticides only have to include active ingredient on the labels, even though the inert (inactive) ingredients may account for 99%, many of which are toxic and poisons.
There are solutions, alternatives and ways that we can make a difference. Get more info today and we can share with you our mission, our belief and help you make a difference in your life.
Protect Your Family While Making a Decision to Support a Carbon Neutral Certified Company at http://www.shaklee.net/upnorthFiled under: Environment, In the News, Resources, Speak Out, Stop Global Warming | Tags: A Million Trees, Earth Day, green community outreach, green school fundraiser, plant a tree, seeds of hope, seeds of peace, teach children to live green
When We Plant Trees, We Plant the
SEEDS OF PEACE
AND THE SEEDS OF HOPE.
We aso secure the FUTURE
OF OUR CHILDREN.
Dr. Wangari Maathai,
2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
At Shaklee, we’re a part of a movement to make people and the planet healthier. Inspired by the visionary works of 2004 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Dr. Wangari Maathai and her Green Belt Movement, Shaklee began a tree-planting campaign across the United States and Canada in April 2006, encouraging the company’s 750,000 Members and Distributors to organize tree-planting events at the grass roots level in their respective communities.
With Dr. Maathai acting as the Global Ambassador for our A Million Trees. A Million Dreams™ campaign, Shaklee has set a goal to plant over one million trees throughout North America.
“Trees clean the earth. They clean the air. I am really happy that Shaklee is involved in this fantastic planting campaign. We will join them. We will be together.”
– Dr. Wangari Maathai
Watch the highlights of Earth Day 2006 with Shaklee and Dr. Maathai at:
http://www.shaklee.com/pws/library/flash/earthdaywangari.html
Please join us this April 22, 2008 in observance of Earth Day 2008. We urge you to do your part to make a difference across communities and the planet. Together we can all do something to turn a deeper shade of green.
Are you a school, church or organization that is interested in educating children and your community while raising funds with a ”Green Fundraiser”? Contact us and we’ll send a packet out to you.
Individuals can join us and become part of the solution by switching to our ‘Carbon Neutral’ company and products. It’s time for action – before it’s too late.
For more information, contact us at http://www.shaklee.net/upnorth/contactMe
Filed under: Child Safety, Environment, Home Business, Mulit-vitamins, Stop Global Warming, asthma, cancer, supplements, vitamins | Tags: asthma, baby boomers, be your own boss, cancer, carbon neutral, Child Safety, Earth Day, health, Home Business, Living Green, MLM business, nutrition, part time income, Shaklee, Stop Global Warming, supplements, vitamins, women entrepreneurs, work at home
Will you make a decision to turn a deeper shade of green on April 22nd?
I’ve been scrambling to help my green business owners get ready for Earth Day 2008. In a Shaklee home business, April is a month of celebration as people focus on becoming a deeper shade of green. Coincidentally, Shaklee has also kicked off a campaign to support women entrepreneurs build wealth with Shaklee. April is winding up to be a GREAT month and the best yet for our business in 2008!
I own a consulting practice that has been on coast since I found the greenest company I know and hung up my Shaklee shingle. I talked with a former business associate today. She has some project management work in Mexico City they need help with. “Would you fly every week?” she asked. And then I thought about all that carbon footprint from jet fuel. “No, I would come back perhaps every three weeks.”
The IT and Financial corporate clients that I have spent my career assisting have lost the appeal that once drew me to the business. I found myself thinking “But what about my new Gold Ambassador needing my help to get her business off the ground?” She’s a stay at home Mom of four young children and preparing for the financial storm of change coming to her and her children.
Our Chiropractor has introduced Shaklee supplementation and non-toxic products into his practice. We’re planning an Open House to the public on April 22nd. We will educate about the dangers of 83,000 untested chemicals on store shelves and the health consequences when we choose to bring them into our homes. I thought, “I won’t be able to help with the event and ensure it’s success. ”
Then that small inner voice said to me, “But I’ve never been to Mexico City… Hey… Shaklee is in Mexico and people can earn income and switch to safe Shaklee products there.” My mind continued with the “Pros” and “Cons” checklist of “Should I go or should I stay.”
Meanwhile, my husband voiced his concerns that I could be kidnapped by one of the taxi-cab drivers that are famous for taking tourists to ATM’s and emptying their bank account. He is always concerned for me when I travel and of course we spent 12 long years living separately. It’s been the best part of our life together since we started our Shaklee business. I thought, “Do I really want to worry him that way?”
And then I thought about my grandsons. One of the biggest reasons that I am so concerned about our planet’s future. I would miss out on their most precious growth – right now they are 10 months and 3 years. Ethan runs to have Mamaw hug him and Edison grins with that one bottom tooth and giggles when he catches my attention. “How can I live without my family again? What would life be like without them?”.
My daughter needs me right now too. She is so relieved to have me watch the boys when she must be away. Daycare is something the kids have not experienced and we are so grateful that we can help with their care when she needs us. “What would she do if I’m not here to watch the boys and listen to her when she needs support and love from another mother – her mother?” I thought.
Can you guess what my decision is? Yip… I’m hook, line, and sinker commited to continuing on the path of my new career. You may be asking, “Are you crazy?” What about all that money you can make with a consulting business?” I will tell you what MY goals for a better life include…
1. Help people become financially independent and money wise with a Shaklee business. I know when I help others get everything they need in life, I’ll have everything I could ever want in mine.
2. Bring health to people through public education about the consumer dangers that lurk in the market today and help them switch to Shaklee pure and safe products . Shaklee has never had a product recall.
3. Remain “Carbon Neutral” through offset projects and working from home with Shaklee which has been “Carbon Neutral Certified” since 2002.
4. Educate parents about child safety. Through education and product choices, my goal is to interrupt the startling statistic of childhood asthma which has increased by 166% in recent years and women that work in the home are dying at a rate 54% higher than average from terminal cancer. The Toronto Clean Air Institute sites typical household cleaners and chemicals as the cause.
5. Replace my consulting practice income within 5 years with my Shaklee business. In 2006, Master Coordinators AVERAGE PUBLISHED 1099 earnings were $286,000. The Gold Ambassador program is averaging $30,000 in additional income to Masters. We are using methods that will move the needle forward to that and beyond for us personally and our team.
6. Stay in the race for the long haul. I am commited to building our business now so we can enjoy residual income in a few short years. The plate is set – Baby Boomers Want Shaklee Health and Nutrition, the Green Wave is Here, and Shaklee is expanding to 43 more countries in the next 7 years.
I am so blessed to have found such a wonderful and rewarding new life. It is true what Roger Barnett, our CEO says, I can “Do Well by Doing Good”.
Ninety percent of people want a home business. How about you? Do you want to join me and build a future that will fulfill your dreams for a better life? Would you like to align your financial future with your convictions? Are you anxious to hedge against the financial pressures of a faltering economy? Do you have a loved one that is chronically sick and in need of better health? Are you concerned about your children’s future and the possibility that global warming may affect them in a dramatic way?
You can be part of the solution this Earth Day 2008. No one person can do everything but everyone can do something. Join us as a business owner or member and be part of the Shaklee family. Happy Earth Day 2008!
Filed under: Child Safety, Environment, Health and Wellness, In the News, Resources, Speak Out, Stop Global Warming, cancer | Tags: Child Safety, Coloring Eggs, Easter, Easter Egg Hunt, Easter Eggs, Natural Dyes, Natural Egg Colors
Natural Egg Dyes
The custom of decorating eggs as a rite of spring dates back to the ancient Egyptian and Persian cultures. Eggs hold the promise of life and symbolize the return of spring for many cultures around the world.
If you’re buying all natural and organic eggs, it would be a shame to cover them in chemical dyes! Follow these instructions for using all-natural vegetable dyes. These recipes will dye several dozen eggs.
Red-Pink
2 raw beets, grated
2 cups water
2 to 3 teaspoons white vinegar
Blue
1 cup purple grape juice
3 cups water
2 to 3 teaspoons white vinegar
Yellow
2 tablespoons turmeric
2 cups water
2 to 3 teaspoons white vinegar
First, boil your eggs and store them in the refrigerator if you plan to eat them later.
To make the dye, bring the water and fruit or vegetable (in the recipes above) to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Cool and strain through a cheesecloth-lined colander. Stir in vinegar. Then dunk the egg in the dye and soak for a minimum of 5 minutes.
Or try these creative ideas…
-Wrap rubber bands around your eggs before dipping them in the vegetable dye for fun resist dyeing. The rubberbands will need to be tightly wrapped to prevent dye seeping underneat. But don’t wrap them too tightly: They are still fragile!
-Lay a leaf (celery or parsley leaf work well) on the egg surface and then wrap in soaked red onion skins and cheesecloth before hardboiling for a redish marbled egg with a leaf imprint.
-Soak eggs in vegetable dye overnight for more vibrant colors.
-Use onion skins to create patterns, color and hardboil your eggs at once. Follow the link for instructions
-Lay a leaf (celery or parsley leaf work well) on the egg surface and then wrap in soaked onion skins and cheesecloth before hardboiling. See link above for details on wrapping with onion skins.
-Add a few teaspoons of vegetable oil to a shallow dish of dye before dipping a hardboiled egg. Drizzle dye over the top for a marbled look. Allow egg to dry and then gently rub in oil for a shine. Follow the link for instructions
-Cut some pantyhose off at the ankle and put your hardboiled egg into the “foot”. Reach inside and place a leaf (celery, parsley, or any clean flat leaf) flat against the egg surface. Then tightly tie the pantyhose at the top of the egg. Dip or soak in vegetable dye until desired color is achieved. Carefully remove egg from pantyhose and peel off leaf. There should be a white leaf pattern remaining.
-Combine any of these techniques for a layered effect!
Sources:
Sound Consumer, April 2007
Filed under: ABC, CBS, CNN, Child Safety, Environment, Fox, Health and Wellness, In the News, NBC, Resources, Speak Out, Stop Global Warming, autism, cancer, mercury | Tags: CFL, childrens do not touch fluorescent bulbs, fluorescent dangers, mercury, parents protect children from fluorescent bulbs
CFLs On Sale! And A Mercury Update
February 27, 2008 |
The Ace Hardware store on Broad Street in Cranston (just south of the Norwood Ave intersection) has 60 watt compact flourscent bulbs on sale for 49 cents! If you’ve been wanting to switch but daunted by the price, here’s your chance.
A caveat, though, especially if you have young children in the house, you need to be aware of CFL hazards — the bulbs do contain small amounts of mercury. And remember the bulbs need to properly disposed of — don’t just toss them in the trash.
Here’s a recent update from Clean Water Action. Click on “Read more” for the full text and links for more info.
Parents Advised to Use Common Sense with Compact Fluorescent Bulbs to Avoid Mercury Risk
Boston—In a report released today, Shedding Light on Mercury Risks from CFL Breakage, advocates urged the public to use energy efficient light bulbs in their homes, but to take extra precautions to reduce the risks associated with breaking mercury-containing compact fluorescent bulbs.
“Compact fluorescent bulbs are growing in popularity because they reduce global warming pollution and cut electricity costs,” said Sheila Dormody, Rhode Island Director of Clean Water Action. “By taking some common sense precautions, parents can protect their children from mercury risks and still get the benefits of energy efficient bulbs.”
Recent tests conducted by the State of Maine confirmed results of earlier state studies which suggest that, under certain conditions, breaking a compact fluorescent bulb (CFL) can pose a health risk, especially to infants, pregnant women or young children. The results from the Maine tests are expected to be released soon.
Experts caution parents to avoid using CFLs in fixtures like table lamps that can easily be knocked over, especially in homes with energetic children and pets. When a CFL does break, the most important risk-reducing steps are to use the following safe clean up procedures:
1) Ventilate the breakage area by opening a window.
2) Pregnant women and children should leave the room while the breakage is cleaned up.
3) Do not use a vacuum cleaner or a broom.
4) Parents should also consider removing carpeting or upholstered furniture if a CFL has broken on them, especially from an infant’s room.
“Currently, using CFLs is still the brightest idea out there,” said Michael Bender, director of the Mercury Policy Project. “Yet both government agencies and the manufacturers have a responsibility to inform consumers about what to do—and what not to do—when a CFL breaks. Our message is not ‘Be afraid,’ it is ‘Be informed, and be prepared.’”
The report also recommends the adoption of more comprehensive environmental and human health guidelines by decision makers that, in addition to energy-efficiency, address other concerns, including:
· Reduced toxicity while maintaining performance;
· Improved breakage resistance and longer lamp life (which can reduce manufacturing, transportation and disposal impacts);
· Sustainable manufacturing processes (such as the use of encapsulated mercury-dosing technologies);
· Responsible end-of-life management (particularly through producer responsibility in funding lamp collection and retailer collection programs)
· Innovative technologies such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs) that use less- or non-toxic materials, that have significantly longer life, are much more efficient for certain applications, and/or that offer other measurable environmental benefits.
CFLs significantly reduce mercury, greenhouse gases and other toxic emissions coming from coal-fired power plants and are three times more efficient than standard incandescent light bulbs.
Yet today, only about 2% of the mercury-containing lamps discarded by consumers and less than 30% of those discarded by government and industry are recycled. Broken mercury-containing lights release an estimated 2 to 4 tons of mercury vapor into the environment each year and that number is projected to grow as more lamps are used.
“Fluorescent lamps are unnecessarily breaking and releasing mercury in homes across the United States when consumers toss these fragile items into their waste baskets, trash compacters and recycling bins,” explained Alicia Culver, executive director of the Green Purchasing Institute, who contributed to the report. “Lamp manufacturers could prevent a significant amount of mercury releases in homes by better labeling their products, offering more mercury-free options, and funding a nationwide lamp recycling program as they have already done in Europe,” she added.
Filed under: ABC, Angina, CBS, CNN, Child Safety, Coronary Disease, Diabetes, Emphysema, Environment, Fitness, Fox, HDL, Health and Wellness, Heart Attack, Heart Disease, Home Business, In the News, Landmark Study, Mulit-vitamins, NBC, National Geographic, Resources, Speak Out, Sponsor a Child, Stop Global Warming, Stroke, Vaccinations, asthma, autism, biomarkers, cancer, mercury, supplements | Tags: air, alternative energy, carbon emissions, drought, dwindling resources, National Geographic, rainforest, six degrees could change the world, Stop Global Warming, war, water
Get the word out by forwarding this to absolutely everyone you know – Watch the National Geographic special “Six Degrees Could Change the World” on February 11 airs 12AM and 14th at 8pm. Check your local viewing schedule to confirm times. http://www.nationalgeographic.com/index.html
Please don’t miss this special. We should all be very afraid, and then please please change one thing you’re doing and then another and another. Together, we can change the world, one person and one choice at a time.
Filed under: Child Safety, Environment, Health and Wellness, In the News, Resources, Speak Out, Stop Global Warming, Vaccinations, autism, mercury | Tags: autism, body burden, Child Safety, EcoLEDs, energy savings, flourescent lights, LED lighting, mercury, Stop Global Warming, Vaccinations
Our family has really had our eyes opened to the effects of mercury because
a growing body of evidence links mercury to the epidemic of autism.
Autistic affects 1 in 150 children and is devastating. Mercury is in
vaccinations in the form of thimerasol and in dental amalgam (silver)
fillings. It’s also in compact flourescent lighting.
EcoLEDs launched an energy efficient replacement bulb for 40 watt light
bulbs; uses only 5 watts of electricity and lasts 50,000 hours. Here’s a
quote from the website about them: “This small, simple light can help
consumers greatly reduce their environmental footprint while helping prevent
global warming,” said EcoLEDs founder Mike Adams, an outspoken advocate of
natural health and environmental protection. “They represent a new era in
environmentally friendly lighting, and they make incandescent lights and
fluorescent lights virtually obsolete.”
The $500 Light Bulb
But what if the price of the light bulb at the store included the entire
cost of the electricity needed to actually power the light bulb? If that
incandescent light bulb actually lasted 50,000 hours like LED lights do,
the cost of buying the bulb together with all the electricity needed to
power it would be a whopping $500!. Would you pay $500 for a light bulb?
Of course, incandescent lights don’t last 50,000 hours. They last only
about 1,000. Which means you have to buy fifty bulbs, replace them fifty
times and throw fifty burned out bulbs in the garbage, all while still
paying nearly $500 in electricity anyway. In other words, paying for 5
0,000 worth of light from an incandescent light bulb actually costs MORE
than $500!
That’s no bargain. Not by a long shot. Especially when a $100 ten-watt LED
light bulb can operate for 50,000 hours using only about $54 in electricity.
(We’re assuming 10 cents per kilowatt-hour for these calculations. Folks in
California are paying a lot more than that, but in some states, it’s less…
Would you rather pay $500 for light, or $154? If you love overpaying for
stuff, and destroying the environment, and piling more garbage onto landfill,
then keep buying incandescent light bulbs.They will raise your electricity
bills, fill your trash with shards of glass, use up natural resources and
accelerate global warming faster than any other light source on the planet
today.
Are Compact Flourescent Light Bulbs the Answer?
But what about CFLs? Everybody’s crazy about CFLs all of a sudden, it seems.
People know that CFLs use only about 1/3rd the electricity of incandescent
lights. Of course, they flicker and hum, and they take a long time to warm
up, but they do save on electricity compared to the extremely inefficient
incandescent light bulb. So what’s not to like about CFLs?
Mercury, for one thing, fluorescent lights contain mercury, period. It’s the
dirty little secret of the CFL industry. This is brought into your home, and
if you break a fluorescent light in your home, you are releasing a powerful
neurotoxic heavy metal in your home. Birth defects, neurodegenerative diseases,
developmental disorders, dementia… these have all been linked to mercury
exposure. It’s not even debated in the scientific literature.
Even doctors readily admit that mercury is extremely toxic to the human body.
(Dentists, of course, remain in bewildering denial and continue to place
mercury fillings into the mouths of children, seemingly oblivious to the
neurotoxicity of this extremely dangerous heavy metal… There’s enough mercury
in a single fluorescent light bulb to contaminate 7,000 gallons of fresh water.
I cringe to think about how much water could be contaminated by the recent
fluorescent light giveaway programs hosted by big box retailers like The Home
Depot, which gave away an astonishing 1 million fluorescent lights containing
approximately 3 million mg of mercury (that’s a whopping 3 kilograms of mercury!).
And on what day did they choose to distribute these toxic light bulbs all across
the country? Earth Day, of course! (It would all be rolling-on-the-floor
hilarious if not for all the deformed babies that will probably result from
widespread mercury contamination of our environment.
So why are people rushing out to buy mercury light bulbs and place them in their
homes? Because no one told them about the mercury, that’s why! Of the hundreds
of consumers I’ve talked to about this issue, very few (less than 4%) were aware
of the mercury in fluorescent light bulbs. Sure, it’s printed in microscopic text
on the packaging of CFLs, but nobody reads that. So most consumers keep on buying
mercury light bulbs and bringing them right into their homes and communities,
oblivious to the extremely hazardous materials found inside each light.
I launched EcoLED because I wanted to provide an eco-friendly alternative to toxic
CFLs and wasteful incandescent lights. My aim is to educate consumers about the
advantages of LED lights and make them so popular that even Wal-Mart starts selling
them, putting my own company out of business. I will only consider EcoLEDs.com a
meaningful success when LED lights are sold at mass merchandisers and incandescent
lights become a thing of the past. I hope The Home Depot stops giving away toxic
fluorescent lights and starts selling LED lights instead.
Isn’t it interesting how the U.S. government requires Energy Saver statistics to be
printed on washing machines, dryers and other household appliances, but NOT on
incandescent light bulbs (which are, by any measure, the least efficient household
appliances of all)? I think we should start with mandated labeling that shows the
lifetime cost of each bulb sold at retail so that consumers can start to see the
different in the total cost of ownership right there at the point of purchase.
Can People Do Math Anymore?
That would, for the first time, make consumers acutely aware of what it costs them
to operate a light bulb, not to even mention the cost to the planet.
Changing light bulbs to LED lights is one of many ways to start making a difference
right now, but accomplishing it requires that the population can grasp concepts such
as total cost of ownership.
Condensed from original content at Natural News.
Filed under: Child Safety, Environment, Health and Wellness, In the News, Resources, Stop Global Warming | Tags: body burden, body burden testing, chemicals, Child Safety, Environmental Working Group, food safety, organic food, pesticides, toxic chemicals
This article is courtesy of the Environmental Working Group. Check them out at the link for Cosmetic Safety on my blog. Angie
Why Should You Care About Pesticides?
There is growing consensus in the scientific community that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can adversely affect people, especially during vulnerable periods of fetal development and childhood when exposures can have long lasting effects. Because the toxic effects of pesticides are worrisome, not well understood, or in some cases completely unstudied, shoppers are wise to minimize exposure to pesticides whenever possible.
Will Washing and Peeling Help?
Nearly all of the data used to create these lists already considers how people typically wash and prepare produce (for example, apples are washed before testing, bananas are peeled). While washing and rinsing fresh produce may reduce levels of some pesticides, it does not eliminate them. Peeling also reduces exposures, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the peel. The best option is to eat a varied diet, wash all produce, and choose organic when possible to reduce exposure to potentially harmful chemicals.
How This Guide Was Developed
The produce ranking was developed by analysts at the not-for-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) based on the results of nearly 43,000 tests for pesticides on produce collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 2000 and 2005. A detailed description of the criteria used in developing the rankings is available as well as a full list of fresh fruits and vegetables that have been tested (see below).
EWG is a not-for-profit environmental research organization dedicated to improving public health and protecting the environment by reducing pollution in air, water and food. For more information please visit www.ewg.org.
The Full List: 43 Fruits & Veggies
|
RANK |
FRUIT OR VEGGIE |
SCORE |
|
1 (worst) |
Peaches |
100 (highest pesticide load) |
|
2 |
Apples |
96 |
|
3 |
Sweet Bell Peppers |
86 |
|
4 |
Celery |
85 |
|
5 |
Nectarines |
84 |
|
6 |
Strawberries |
83 |
|
7 |
Cherries |
75 |
|
8 |
Lettuce |
69 |
|
9 |
Grapes – Imported |
68 |
|
10 |
Pears |
65 |
|
11 |
Spinach |
60 |
|
12 |
Potatoes |
58 |
|
13 |
Carrots |
57 |
|
14 |
Green Beans |
55 |
|
15 |
Hot Peppers |
53 |
|
16 |
Cucumbers |
52 |
|
17 |
Raspberries |
47 |
|
18 |
Plums |
46 |
|
19 |
Oranges |
46 |
|
20 |
Grapes-Domestic |
46 |
|
21 |
Cauliflower |
39 |
|
22 |
Tangerine |
38 |
|
23 |
Mushrooms |
37 |
|
24 |
Cantaloupe |
34 |
|
25 |
Lemon |
31 |
|
26 |
Honeydew Melon |
31 |
|
27 |
Grapefruit |
31 |
|
28 |
Winter Squash |
31 |
|
29 |
Tomatoes |
30 |
|
30 |
Sweet Potatoes |
30 |
|
31 |
Watermelon |
25 |
|
32 |
Blueberries |
24 |
|
33 |
Papaya |
21 |
|
34 |
Eggplant |
19 |
|
35 |
Broccoli |
18 |
|
36 |
Cabbage |
17 |
|
37 |
Bananas |
16 |
|
38 |
Kiwi |
14 |
|
39 |
Asparagus |
11 |
|
40 |
Sweet Peas-Frozen |
11 |
|
41 |
Mango |
9 |
|
42 |
Pineapples |
7 |
|
43 |
Sweet Corn-Frozen |
2 |
|
44 |
Avocado |
1 |
|
45 (best) |
Onions |
1 (lowest pesticide load) |
Note: We ranked a total of 44 different fruits and vegetables but grapes are listed twice because we looked at both domestic and imported samples.
Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce by Environmental Working Group is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
