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…
TANKLESS WATER HEATER?
There is a new and quite revolutionary utility device on the market and it is a tankless water heater, or as it is also known “demand” or “instantaneous” water heater. This type of heater is extremely effective (up to 34% more), mainly because it heats water as needed. The conventional heaters, on the other hand, keep water in and heat it repeatedly as it cools down. This contributes to around 9% of a household cost of water heating.
Moreover, the tankless heaters are water efficient as well, which is most likely the bets part about it since this precious natural resource is quickly drying up. They can distribute hot water into your faucet in as little as 5 seconds, as opposed to tank heaters that require at least 30 seconds. This leads to over 6 gallons of water wasted per household just waiting for the water to heat up.
As if that was not enough, these heaters last about ten years longer than the conventional ones and even though they do cost relatively more upfront, they pay for themselves in the long run.
What to look for while shopping for a new tankless water heater:
- Look for the highest Energy Factor (EF) available.
- Choose gas or propane powered heaters—these are more efficient and inexpensive in use than the electrical ones. However, purchase one with a electric ignition since the constant use of gas to keep the pilot lights going can add up to your bill.
- Learn the two crucial things when shopping for a tankless water heater, namely what the ground temperature in your area is and what kind of water flow is best for your household needs, so the heater you choose can accommodate the necessary needs.
PAPER STORY- part II
photo credit: Manchester Library
Since now you know the problems and concerns surrounding both paper production and consumption, you probably wonder what you can do to minimize the damage done not only to our health but the environment as well.
Here are some tips for shopping and usage:
- Look for acid-free paper, especially if you want your work to last a long time. Most processes leave the paper slightly acidic, which affects its lasting capabilities.
- Purchase light weight paper, since it requires fewest materials to create it and most of it should meet your printing and copying needs.
- Recycle used paper. Not only does recycling save trees, it has many other benefits, such as keeping the heavy metals out of the waterways, producing new jobs, saving water and energy, and reducing the amount of landfill space used. Moreover, the production of recycled paper releases far less greenhouse gasses than virgin paper production.
- Purchase recycled paper. Here is a list of labels you should pay attention to and their explanation:
% Post-Consumer Waste (PCW)—defines what percentage is derived from consumer-generated paper (recycled from the solid waste stream). It is the most ecologically aware method of paper reuse. Look for the highest percentage number and stay clear (if you can) of ‘pre-consumer’ paper since it is the cause of mill waste.
% Recycled—means that a specific kind of paper contains a said amount of recycled material, including post- and pre- consumer paper. - Look for paper made from alternative fiber such as flax and linen, tobacco leaf, agricultural stalks and straws, bamboo, coffee-bean residue, esparto grass, seaweed, bagasse (leftover sugarcane stalks), old money, old clothing and ground junk-mail. The main substances (other than trees) for paper production available on the market are: kenaf (annual plant that produces twice the amount of fiber than pine, requires few pesticides and herbicides and is naturally whiter than wood pulp so it doesn’t need bleaching), cotton (rags, old clothes, old jeans and waste cotton from cotton mills) and hemp (produces excellent fiber for paper, is naturally lighter than wood and requires very few chemicals to grow).
- Look for paper that has some of the following CFPA certifications governing the bleaching process and the use of chlorine: TCF (Totally Chlorine Free)—applied to virgin paper pressed without chlorine or chlorine derivatives; PCF (Processed Chlorine Free)—applied to recycled paper, which is not further treated with chlorine or chlorine derivatives; ECF (Elemental Chlorine Free)—applied to paper treated with a chlorine derivative, e.g. chlorine dioxide.
BUYING A NEW PLASTIC CONTAINER?-part II
photo credit: wrestlingentropy
Now you know the meaning of the mysterious numbers at the bottom of most plastic containers and you’re anxious to go shopping and replace the ones you already have but are not quite sure about.
Here are some shopping and usage tips to make the process easier:
- Avoid storing food with high content of fat, such as cheese or meat, in plastic containers or wraps.
- Wash reusable plastic containers by hand with a non abrasive soap; microwaving and using a dishwasher and harsh detergents can scratch the plastic making it more attractive for bacteria.
- After buying food wrapped in plastic, remove it from the wrap and store it in a glass or ceramic container.
- When using a microwave it’s recommended to remove the food from its plastic wrap or container and heat it up in a glass or ceramic dish.
- Labels such as ‘microwavable’ or ‘microwave-safe’ mean that the plastic containers should not melt, crack or fall apart in the microwave. It doesn’t mean, however, that they don’t leek chemicals into the food. Therefore, FDA recommends placing microwave-safe plastic wrap loosely so it doesn’t touch your food and the steam can escape easily. And USDA urges not to microwave food in single-use plastic containers, such as take-out boxes.
To minimize the amount of plastic used in your daily life, take these few easy steps:
- Avoid single-use, non-recyclable or Styrofoam containers, such as coffee cups, meat trays, take-out boxes etc.
- Choose plastic containers that are recyclable.
- If possible, buy food in glass or ceramic containers.
- Use wooden or stainless steel utensils instead of the plastic ones.
- Replace plastic cutting boards with wooden ones. To keep them bacteria free, you can spray them with vinegar, followed by a mixture of hydrogen peroxide.
- Take you own container to a restaurant if you expect to have leftovers.
- Ordering take-out that you’ll consume at home, skip the plastic cutlery and the condiments packages.
- For shopping, bring your own reusable bag and recycle the plastic ones if you happen to forget your bags.
BUYING A NEW PLASTIC CONTAINER?
Learning that many types of plastic containers are really not healthy for use with food and liquids, I found it quite confusing to determine on my own which ones I should keep and which ones I should get rid of immediately… Especially since some of the plastic types may leach the chemicals they contain into the food and liquids stored inside. Something I definitely would prefer to avoid. However, it’s quite difficult to deem any container good or bad if you don’t know what all these numbers (each number represents a different kind of resin) on the bottoms really stand for.
So I did some research and here is what I found out:
Safer Plastic:
- #2HDPE (high density polyethylene), #4LDPE (low density polyethylene) and #5PP (polypropylene)—these three do not contaminate food or liquids with chemicals and are generally recyclable. Examples of these types of plastic include: milk jugs, toys, liquid detergent bottles, shampoo bottles (#2); cling wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags (#4) and syrup bottles, yogurt cups/tubs (#5).
- #1 PET (polyethylene terephthalate)—e.g. disposable soft drink and water bottles, cough-syrup bottles. These containers are fine for one-time use and are widely accepted by recyclers. However, it’s not advisable to reuse these bottles because the plastic they are made of is porous and absorbs flavors and bacteria.
- PLA (polylactide)—made from renewable resources, e. g. corn, sugar cane, potatoes or anything with high starch content. While these plant-based plastic containers are not recyclable, they can be used in composts. The best part—they decompose in about 12 days as opposed to conventional plastic, which takes up to 100 years!
Plastic to Steer Clear of:
- #3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride)—e.g. meat wraps, cooking oil bottles, plumbing pipes. This type of plastic contains phthalates, which disrupt hormonal development and the production of it releases dioxin, a powerful carcinogen. Moreover, the main ingredient in PVC is vinyl chloride, which is also a chemical known for causing cancer in humans.
- #6 PS (polystyrene)—commonly knows as Styrofoam and used in disposable coffee cups, take-out containers and disposable plastic cutlery. It may leek styrene, a known carcinogen and hormone disruptor, into food.
- #7 PC (usually polycarbonate, or PC, but also polylactide, or PLA, plastics made from renewable resources)—e. g. baby bottles, some reusable water bottles, stain-resistant food-storage containers, medical storage containers. This type of plastic is made of bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical, which has been linked to a number of health problems including cancer and obesity.