TRADITIONAL TURKEY
Thanksgiving is just around the corner and it means a big turkey season in the industry. And for most people celebrating Thanksgiving is all about the turkey and is inconceivable to have dinner without the bird. So, you go to the store, choose the size of the turkey appropriate for your needs, and then proceed with the all-so-important preparation. However, have you ever stop to think what it takes to put that bird on your table?
According to Solvie Karlstrom from the National Geographic, commercially farmed turkeys are fed in order to grow quickly (up to 25 pounds) and gain the bulk of the weight in just four months. This type of farming leads to all kinds of health problems in the birds including, but not limited to, skeletal and muscular problems, leg disorders and various other health issues preventing turkeys from reproducing naturally.
Heritage turkeys, on the other hand, are allowed to roam and fly freely, as well as breed naturally, which makes up for a healthy bird. And they are given 28 weeks to reach full growth and the appropriate weight. Furthermore, purchasing heritage turkeys supports small farms that are committed to preserving these incredible birds.
Even though the heritage turkeys cost more than the traditional industrially raised ones, buying them will not only benefit the small family farmers, it will also benefit you since the meant from such birds is healthier and tastier. For more information on where to find heritage turkeys in your area go to localharvest.org.
So, happy Thanksgiving everyone.
A FEW GOOD REASONS FOR BUYING FOOD LOCALLY
Organic food is quickly becoming more popular and it is nice to have more option available when you do your shopping, however your best bet may be food grown and produced locally. Here are a few reasons why:
- It tastes better—food grown in your local farms is most likely picked a day or two before it’s sold, therefore it’s still fresh and crisp when you buy it, as opposed to produce that is flown or driven form other places, such as Florida, Canada, Mexico or Europe. Studies show that on average food travels up to 1,500 miles and thus by the time it ends up in your supermarket, it has lost a substantial amount of sparkle.
- It’s simply more nutritious—locally grown food, because it’s sold not long after picking, retains most of its nutrients.
- It sustains genetic diversity—modern agriculture has high demands as far as produce is concerned and only a fracture of hybrid fruit and vegetables meet these demands, therefore limiting the genetic variety. Locally grown produce, however, provides many varieties for a longer harvesting season. Moreover, most of these have been past down for generations thus containing genetic material form a hundred of years of development.
- It isn’t genetically modified—more likely than not, local produce is grown in the old-fashioned way, since most farmers do not have access to genetically modified seeds and they prefer the traditional methods.
- Buying locally support local farmers—farming seems a dying profession therefore it’s is quite important to shop locally is you can since the money you spend goes directly to the farmers and their families, eliminating the middle man.
- It preserves the agricultural landscape—if more people buy locally, the value of produce sold directly increases, thus decreasing a chance of farmlands being sold for development.
- It is environmentally friendly and supports wildlife—farms value the natural resources, such as clean water and fertile soil so they farm to preserve these by, e.g. growing cover crops that prevent soil erosion and replace nutrients used by other crops. Moreover, studies show that cover crops can help with global warming by capturing 12-14% of carbon dioxide emissions. Additionally, the diversity of a farmland is a perfect environment, in which wildlife can thrive.
- Buying local food is our future—it ensures that the farms, with all their benefits, will be preserved for future generations.
So, if you haven’t done that already, find a farmer’s market in your area and buy your produce there. The best part about it is that they seem to be popping at nearly every corner and they offer not only fresh fruit and vegetables but various preserves and other products straight from the farm. It cannot get any fresher than that!
TIPS FOR BUYING VACUUM CLEANERS
photo credit: markhillary
Most American (and some European) houses have wall-to-wall carpets, which are comfortable for your feet but may cause many health problems, e.g. asthma, dizziness, respiratory problems, sore throat and even fainting spells. The reason for it is that years’ worth of dirt, soot, pet dander, flea eggs, dust mites, fungi as well as fumes evaporating form paints, finishes, glues, pesticides and cleaning products are caught in carpets.
Therefore, buying a good vacuum cleaner seems to be vitally important. However, what should you look for if you want a vacuum that is both efficient and easy on the environment?
- First of all, if you’re satisfied with the one you currently own, keep it as along as it has HEPA filters. If it breaks, have it fixed rather than purchasing a new one. Many perfectly fixable vacuum cleaners end up in landfills because people prefer to replace them with a newer model.
- Make sure you purchase the right vacuum for your needs. Upright vacuums are better for deep cleaning of large medium- to deep carpeted areas while canister work well with carpets, hard floors, upholstery and stairs and are easier to navigate in hard to reach places.
- Look for HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air), which reduce the amount of allergens getting back out into the air. They trap 99.97% of particles, including hormone-disrupting phthalates, brain-damaging flame retardants and toxic pesticides that attach to dust.
- Try to purchase bagless vacuum cleaner since they reduce the amount of paper bags in landfills. However, if you or any of your family members are highly allergic or suffer from asthma, you may want to stick with the bag vacuums.
In addition to getting an efficient vacuum cleaner, there are a few things you can do to maintain your home’s indoor air free of allergens:
- Wipe surfaces with a damp cloth regularly.
- Use a dehumidifier if your have mold or damp air is a problem.
- Wash your bedding, curtains and draperies in hot water to get rid of dust mites.
- Check the air filter of your AC unit every four week and clean or replace it if necessary.
- If you or you family members suffer from serious asthma or allergies consider replacing wall-to-wall carpeting with hard floors and decorating them with washable area rugs.
LCDs OR PLASMA?
photo credit: magerleagues
The change is inevitable—come February 2009 TV signals will be changed from analog to digital. And accordingly many people are considering purchasing a new TV set to accommodate for the change. However, if you’re environmentally conscious this may prove more difficult a choice than simply choosing the kind and size.
Both LCDs and plasma TV sets use more energy than the old-fashion CRTs (cathode ray tubes) and both contain nitrogen trifluoride. According to some scientists, this chemical is a more serious threat and a larger contributor than the world’s biggest coal plant. Moreover, it remains in the air for up to 550 years!
So which new technology in TV experience is your best choice? Here’s a closer look to help you decide:
LCDs
- Create images by electricity passing through liquid crystals, which process reduces waste heat and wards off screen burns as well as allows for use in smaller sets that use less energy.
- Contain a fluorescent bulb so a blown bulb equals to the end of the set’s life.
- Their plastic cases are treated with brominated flame retardants, which affix to dust and can be inhaled or ingested and may lead to learning problems in children as well as some hormonal disruption.
- The wiring in the sets contains a number of heavy metals, e.g. chromium, cadmium, antimony and beryllium.
- Sets have a lifespan of 60,000 hours and come in screen sizes ranging from 12 inches and up and use about 106 watts for 27 inch TV in operation mode and .32 to 75.11 in standby.
PLASMA
- The high resolution images and greater picture quality are created by electrically charged phosphorus however the process produces more heat, which makes the sets prone to screen burns.
- Similarly to LCDs, they include brominated retardants and heavy metals posing the same health concern.
- Plasma’s lifespan ranges from 30,000 to 60,000 hours and they come in size 37 inch screens and up and use about 234 watts for a typical 42-inch and up to over 600 for larger screens in operation mode and .3 to 25.12 watts in standby.
Disposal issues are similar for both types. Unfortunately, most of the recycled electronics end up in the developing countries where they are taken apart exposing people (including children) to the heavy metals contained in the TV sets.
Therefore, the best eco-friendly choice is to hold on to your good old CRT set for as long as it functions and purchase the digital-to-analog converter instead.
HOW TO CHOOSE SAFE COSMETICS
photo credit: Claire L. Evans
Trying to stay green and healthy should not end with recycling but also involve the cosmetics we use, be it make up or lotion and moisturizers. However, the long ingredient lists including names that are hardly pronounceable make choosing a safe cosmetic quite difficult. To make things easier for consumers, “The Green Guide” has developed a “Dirty Dozen” list, which contains ingredients you should avoid when purchasing a new personal care product.
The list is as follows:
- Antibacterials
- Coal tar colors: FD&C Blue 1, Green 3
- Diethanolamine (DEA)
- 1,4-Dioxane
- Formaldehyde (diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea and quaterniumcompounds)
- Fragrance (containing phthalates)
- Lead and mercury
- Nanoparticles
- Parabens (methyl-, propyl-, butyl-, ethyl-, isobutyl-)
- Petroleum distillates
- p-Phenylenediamine (PPD)
- Hydroquinone
Moreover, look for products with a third-party certification, such as Australian Certified Organic (at least 95% of ingredients must be organic), Ecocert (requires the ingredients to be plant-based, natural and without mineral oils, silicone, parabens or animal products), BDIH (require the use of plant-based ingredients, ban animal testing and synthetic dyes and fragrances, petroleum-based ingredients, parabens and other preservatives), USDA Certified Organic (at least 95% of ingredients are organic) and Leaping Bunny (no animal testing).
Another way of ensuring the cosmetics are safe for consumers is Compact for Safe Cosmetics, which requires companies that signed it to consent to six criteria established by The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a consumer advocacy group. One of said criteria is removal of any and all ingredients listed in the European Union’s Cosmetics Directive, which is a mandatory regulation for all European cosmetic makers and bans over 1,000 ingredients, some of which include diethylhexyl phthalate (commonly used in fragrances in the US), petroleum and coal based paraffin and wax and lead. Some of the components listed in the directive are considered ‘safe for use’ by the American-based cosmetic trade groups while the EU regards them to be carcinogenic, mutagenic and reproductive toxins.
Additionally, the Compact demands that all ingredients be verified as safe and that manufacturers find healthy replacements for risk-posing components, register all the ingredients with the Environmental Working Group’s ‘Skin Deep’ database and make the complete list of product ingredients accessible to the public.
As a consumer, my only wish remains that more cosmetic and personal care product manufacturers were willing to follow these guidelines and sign Compact for Safe Cosmetics, which would ensure safety of each (or at least most) cosmetics you pick off the shelf in your local store. Perhaps one day…