While eating lunch at a fine American eating establishment (no names please), I noticed the Heinz Ketchup bottle was advertising on it's label that it was a new green bottle made up of UP TO 30% RECYCLED MATERIAL...what does that mean? Technically, UP TO 30% COULD mean 0.1234 % right? Why not state what the exact content is?! Why not be 100% recycled material?!!! I think that companies like Heinz, and Coca Cola with their Dasani "Green" water bottles, have the resources to go 100% recycled and help the eco-friendly effort along!
Just my 2 cents
Jeff
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Garbage in our car!
Today we decided to go on a short trip out of town. Having left the house quickly, we forgot our personal water bottles so we made a quick stop at the local mini mart to pick up a drink. We walked out with two drinks and a snack for the road. On the way out we had to stop at the pharmacy for our prescriptions and finally at our destination we did some boutique shopping.
Once home we looked around the car and were amazed at the amount of trash we had accumulated in just one day! Normally we are very efficient in bringing our own drinking bottles and bags to carry our goods in but as I previously mentioned we ran out in a hurry today.
We felt guilty realizing that our empty bottles, empty prescription bags, empty shopping bags and receipts for all of our purchases had a life span of about 4 hours in our car and were going straight to the landfills! It's even harder to imagine that this happens with millions of people every day. Honestly, I'm not even sure why plastic bags are even allowed anymore or why we have to get receipts for trivial purchases such as 2 drinks.
Needless to say, we were quick to put our totes in the car for future use and will be more diligent in refusing bags, receipts and anything else we know won't last past the car ride home!
Once home we looked around the car and were amazed at the amount of trash we had accumulated in just one day! Normally we are very efficient in bringing our own drinking bottles and bags to carry our goods in but as I previously mentioned we ran out in a hurry today.
We felt guilty realizing that our empty bottles, empty prescription bags, empty shopping bags and receipts for all of our purchases had a life span of about 4 hours in our car and were going straight to the landfills! It's even harder to imagine that this happens with millions of people every day. Honestly, I'm not even sure why plastic bags are even allowed anymore or why we have to get receipts for trivial purchases such as 2 drinks.
Needless to say, we were quick to put our totes in the car for future use and will be more diligent in refusing bags, receipts and anything else we know won't last past the car ride home!
Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Diapers: Americans throw away 570 diapers per second. That's 49 million diapers per day!
Diapers: Americans throw away 570 diapers per second. That's 49 million diapers per day!
An average child will use between 8,000 -10,000 disposable diapers ($2,000 worth) before being potty trained. Each year, parents and babysitters dispose of about 18 billion of these items.
In the United States alone these single-use items consume nearly 100,000 tons of plastic and 800,000 tons of tree pulp.
We will pay an average of $350 million annually to deal with their disposal and, to top it off, these diapers will still be in the landfill 300 years from now.
There is a very clean biodegradable solution.
Check out gDiapers at HarborGreenStore.com
An average child will use between 8,000 -10,000 disposable diapers ($2,000 worth) before being potty trained. Each year, parents and babysitters dispose of about 18 billion of these items.
In the United States alone these single-use items consume nearly 100,000 tons of plastic and 800,000 tons of tree pulp.
We will pay an average of $350 million annually to deal with their disposal and, to top it off, these diapers will still be in the landfill 300 years from now.
There is a very clean biodegradable solution.
Check out gDiapers at HarborGreenStore.com
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
How Toxic Is Your Home?
How Toxic Is Your Home?
We like to think of our homes as being a safe place to be--a refuge from a dangerous world. Yet some of the exposures that you have day-to-day that are most hazardous to your health and the health of your family happen right at home.
The good news is that for every toxic product you'll find in your home, there is a safer alternative. You just need to know where to look for those toxic exposures and what safe solutions are available.
Here are common toxic exposures most Americans have in their homes, and some simple, inexpensive things everyone can do to reduce household toxics.
Thousands of All-natural, safe products, GREEN products are available at HARBOR GREEN STORE
1. Save yourself from exposure to toxic ammonia by washing your windows with non-ammonia cleaners. Ammonia can cause irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, and burn your skin.
2. Free yourself from toxic formaldehyde exposure by sleeping on untreated cotton sheets. Formaldehyde exposure can cause insomnia,yes, insomnia, and respiratory problems, among other symptoms. Bypass formaldehyde-coated polyester/cotton sheets and no-iron cotton sheets and choose cozy cotton flannel sheets or untreated organic cotton percale sheets.
3. Replace toxic mothballs with sweet sachets. Mothballs are made from 100 percent paradichlorobenzene, a volatile toxic chemical that can cause headaches and severe irritation to nose, throat and lungs. Over time it can cause liver and kidney damage. Because the balls look like candy, they are a very attractive poison to children. Protect your woolens from moths by making sachets from dried lavender.
4. Use natural soap-based cleaning products instead of poisonous detergent. While detergents seem safe, they are a petrochemical-based product that is responsible for more household poisonings than any other substance. Soap, on the other hand, is made from natural oils and minerals and has been safely used for centuries.
Thousands of All-natural, safe products, GREEN products are available at HARBOR GREEN STORE
5. Refill your own non-plastic water bottle instead of using toxic plastic water bottles. While it's good for your health to carry your own water and drink it throughout the day, if it's in a clear polycarbonate plastic bottle, it is leaching a toxic substance into your water--even if the bottle is sitting on table at room temperature. Bisphenol-A. BPA is a potent hormone disruptor that can impair the reproductive organs and have adverse effects on breast tissue and prostate development. Drink from a glass bottle or carry an aluminum or steel bottle.
6. Wash away petrochemical perfumes and take a botanical bath. Many commercial bath products contain detergents and artificial fragrances that can be irritating to sensitive areas. You can have a luxurious relaxing bath by adding natural substances to warm bathwater, such as fragrant dried or fresh herbs (try lavender, rosemary, or peppermint), natural salts. For bubbles, use a natural or organic soap.
7. Get some color in your life without toxic solvents by choosing colorful water-based pens and markers and paints. Check through your pens and markers and throw away any with "permanent" ink. They contain very toxic volatile solvents such as toluene and xylene.
by: Debra Lynn Dadd and Harbor Green Store staff
Thousands of All-natural, safe products, GREEN products are available at HARBOR GREEN STORE
We like to think of our homes as being a safe place to be--a refuge from a dangerous world. Yet some of the exposures that you have day-to-day that are most hazardous to your health and the health of your family happen right at home.
The good news is that for every toxic product you'll find in your home, there is a safer alternative. You just need to know where to look for those toxic exposures and what safe solutions are available.
Here are common toxic exposures most Americans have in their homes, and some simple, inexpensive things everyone can do to reduce household toxics.
Thousands of All-natural, safe products, GREEN products are available at HARBOR GREEN STORE
1. Save yourself from exposure to toxic ammonia by washing your windows with non-ammonia cleaners. Ammonia can cause irritation of the eyes and respiratory tract, and burn your skin.
2. Free yourself from toxic formaldehyde exposure by sleeping on untreated cotton sheets. Formaldehyde exposure can cause insomnia,yes, insomnia, and respiratory problems, among other symptoms. Bypass formaldehyde-coated polyester/cotton sheets and no-iron cotton sheets and choose cozy cotton flannel sheets or untreated organic cotton percale sheets.
3. Replace toxic mothballs with sweet sachets. Mothballs are made from 100 percent paradichlorobenzene, a volatile toxic chemical that can cause headaches and severe irritation to nose, throat and lungs. Over time it can cause liver and kidney damage. Because the balls look like candy, they are a very attractive poison to children. Protect your woolens from moths by making sachets from dried lavender.
4. Use natural soap-based cleaning products instead of poisonous detergent. While detergents seem safe, they are a petrochemical-based product that is responsible for more household poisonings than any other substance. Soap, on the other hand, is made from natural oils and minerals and has been safely used for centuries.
Thousands of All-natural, safe products, GREEN products are available at HARBOR GREEN STORE
5. Refill your own non-plastic water bottle instead of using toxic plastic water bottles. While it's good for your health to carry your own water and drink it throughout the day, if it's in a clear polycarbonate plastic bottle, it is leaching a toxic substance into your water--even if the bottle is sitting on table at room temperature. Bisphenol-A. BPA is a potent hormone disruptor that can impair the reproductive organs and have adverse effects on breast tissue and prostate development. Drink from a glass bottle or carry an aluminum or steel bottle.
6. Wash away petrochemical perfumes and take a botanical bath. Many commercial bath products contain detergents and artificial fragrances that can be irritating to sensitive areas. You can have a luxurious relaxing bath by adding natural substances to warm bathwater, such as fragrant dried or fresh herbs (try lavender, rosemary, or peppermint), natural salts. For bubbles, use a natural or organic soap.
7. Get some color in your life without toxic solvents by choosing colorful water-based pens and markers and paints. Check through your pens and markers and throw away any with "permanent" ink. They contain very toxic volatile solvents such as toluene and xylene.
by: Debra Lynn Dadd and Harbor Green Store staff
Thousands of All-natural, safe products, GREEN products are available at HARBOR GREEN STORE
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Going 'Green' Can Be Easy
Most people think that being 'green' means you have to replace everything in your home or make dramatic changes in your lifestyle. This just is not the case! Every little step you make to contribute to a more eco-friendly and healthy lifestyle helps. Even if you have no concern for our planet Earth, at least make better choices for yourself and your family.
For instance, we here at Harbor Green Store are very concerned about BPA (Bisphenol A). Scientists at the University of Cincinnati found that when the same new and used polycarbonate drinking bottles were exposed to boiling hot water, BPA, an environmental estrogen, was released 55 times more rapidly than before exposure to hot water. (Science Daily, 2008). The chemical--which is widely used in products such as reusable water bottles, food can linings, water pipes and dental sealants--has been shown to affect reproduction and brain development in animal studies.
So what does all this mean? Every time you heat up your food in a plastic container containing BPA, you are releasing these toxins into your food.
So, what should you do about it? Replace your plasticware with glass or BPA free materials. We highly recommend replacing your water bottles with a reusable canteen. This saves the environment of millions of empty water bottles a year and is better for your health. Plus you can fill them with whatever drink you want and not worry about scarey health consequences.
Skeptical or unconcerned about BPA? How about just being concerned with your money? Little changes in your living habits can help save you money and the environment. For starters, turn down the thermostat! Put on a blanket in the winter and open the windows in the summer. This saves you and the environement in energy charges. Watch your faucets for leaking water. Or walk or ride your bike for short trips. It's healthy for you and releases no toxins into the air from gas. Also, what many folks don't think about is buying sustainable products. This means buying products that will last you a long time or are made from sustainable materials that are easily replaced, such as bamboo. You can find a great selection of Bamboo clothes, furniture, bedding and bath accessories at Harbor Green Store.
The best way to start a 'green' lifestyle is to make little changes when they are convenient for you. If you are looking to replace your household cleaners, think about chemical-free and toxin free plant based cleaners. If you are looking for new bedding, think about one made from organic cotton, bamboo or merino wool. Or if you are looking to spruce up your yard, buy natural fertilizers rich in micronutrients. All of these changes have less environmental effect and are healthier for you, your family, and your pets.
Check out Harbor Green Store for great eco-friendly, healthy alternatives for your everyday needs.
For instance, we here at Harbor Green Store are very concerned about BPA (Bisphenol A). Scientists at the University of Cincinnati found that when the same new and used polycarbonate drinking bottles were exposed to boiling hot water, BPA, an environmental estrogen, was released 55 times more rapidly than before exposure to hot water. (Science Daily, 2008). The chemical--which is widely used in products such as reusable water bottles, food can linings, water pipes and dental sealants--has been shown to affect reproduction and brain development in animal studies.
So what does all this mean? Every time you heat up your food in a plastic container containing BPA, you are releasing these toxins into your food.
So, what should you do about it? Replace your plasticware with glass or BPA free materials. We highly recommend replacing your water bottles with a reusable canteen. This saves the environment of millions of empty water bottles a year and is better for your health. Plus you can fill them with whatever drink you want and not worry about scarey health consequences.
Skeptical or unconcerned about BPA? How about just being concerned with your money? Little changes in your living habits can help save you money and the environment. For starters, turn down the thermostat! Put on a blanket in the winter and open the windows in the summer. This saves you and the environement in energy charges. Watch your faucets for leaking water. Or walk or ride your bike for short trips. It's healthy for you and releases no toxins into the air from gas. Also, what many folks don't think about is buying sustainable products. This means buying products that will last you a long time or are made from sustainable materials that are easily replaced, such as bamboo. You can find a great selection of Bamboo clothes, furniture, bedding and bath accessories at Harbor Green Store.
The best way to start a 'green' lifestyle is to make little changes when they are convenient for you. If you are looking to replace your household cleaners, think about chemical-free and toxin free plant based cleaners. If you are looking for new bedding, think about one made from organic cotton, bamboo or merino wool. Or if you are looking to spruce up your yard, buy natural fertilizers rich in micronutrients. All of these changes have less environmental effect and are healthier for you, your family, and your pets.
Check out Harbor Green Store for great eco-friendly, healthy alternatives for your everyday needs.
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