Lawn Care situation that ends with a fired landscaper March 19, 2009

Just had an incredibly frustrating landscaper situation, bringing back very bad memories of my pest control situation ( see post # 47).  As we are renting our home in CA we are using the same landscapers that the owners have used for years prior. Wen we first moved in I met with the head guy to go over what he uses on the lawns and the watering schedule. He told me they do not put anything on the lawn, definitely no chemicals. I should have known better but I trusted what he said. it was California after all–the most organic state in the nation.

 

Today as I brought our new puppy (sooo cute)outside to play, the boss landscaper stopped me to stay that I shouldn’t let my pets or people on lawn for 2 hours b/c they had just put weed killer down. My mouth dropped open. You did what? I told you no chemicals, blah, blah, blah i ranted on and on…..he told me he was so sorry, there were so many weeds, he must have forgotten. he told me he would tell his guys right now to stop and no more ever again.  OK, maybe this was a needed reminder. A few minuted later I peeked outside. Boss was no where in site and his guys were sprinkling something on the lawn. i ran out side to see what it was. A miracle grow weed killer and fertilizer.  i can’t write what came out of my mouth next.

i grabbed the bag he was getting his product out of (with his gloved hands and masked mouth mind you) and read the back. Here is what it said: “toxic to marine life. Hazardous to humans and domestic animals. If ingested call poison control, flush with water immediately if contact with skin….etc……the warnings went on and on.

I had the guy call his boss to come back, he never did. I called him myself and asked how could this happen after we had just had this conversation. He said its just fertilizer, its fine. And that’s when he lost his job. 

on to my organic landscaper hunt…..in the meantime, never trust people who tell you it is natural. Your health and the health of your pets and children depends on it. I just don’t think that word holds much meaning to people yet.

You’ve Gotta See This–Tapped March 10, 2009

So, I may be biased as this is our film, but it is getting rave reviews out there in the big wide world. Tapped is a life changing film about the negative effects of bottled water on our environment and our health. Watch the trailer and PLEASE let me know your thoughts, reactions, concerns, questions and just how badly you want to see the whole film. 

Tapped

Drinking Water Woes…… January 28, 2009

I’ve always been obsessed with clean drinking water. It is all I drink during the day and mostly what I give the kids. From cooking to bathing, it is a critical part of all of our lives. I believe bottled water –especially drank in large amounts is terrible for your health (plastic, BPA–) and the planet. The poland spring water dispensers are also terrible. Water sits in those jugs for years before being delivered to you, the containers are made with #7 plastic (BPA–crazy hormone disruptor, banned in europe and canada) and again, it is lousy for the earth to transport water all over the world and to use that much plastic

So when we moved into a new house several years ago I found myseld in a tap water predicament. It tasted and smelled like chlorine and I was starting to get really bad headaches. I had no way to know if he headaches were because of the water I was drinking but I knew when I drank it, I didn’t like the smell or the taste. We had a filtration company come test the water and it turned out we had really high chlorine levels and very hard water ( which means there is a lot of sediment in the water, either from the pipes in my house or from the water source).

After demonstrating with a few of their tests, we believed that their filtration system could alleviate our smell and taste issues, and hopefully our health ones as well.  We bought a whole house carbon filtration system and water softener. Chlorine is so easily absorbed through your skin that showers and baths account for most of your chlorine intake in life which is why the whole house system made sense.  It was expensive but the results were immediate. My headaches disappeared, as did the smell and bad taste.  Some tests by the filtration company a few months later revealed the system had completely removed the hardness and we had negligible amounts of chlorine in our water. My headaches were gone. I was a convert. Filtration water could provide us with high quality water for drinking, bathing and cooking.

 

When we moved out to California recently, I knew a filtration system would be a top priority. I made calls right away and found out that although we had some of the cleanest water in the country (our water source is from a very pure lake), we also had super high chlorine levels–the city’s way of ensuring that no microorganisms came through into our house. Great idea, but I didn’t want to taste and smell chlorine every time  I made coffee, cooked my spaghetti, or drank a glass of ice water. And this time I wanted to be a little more diligent in my research. Here’s what we did to get the most unbiased tests of our water supply.

 

1.) Buy 2 water sampling kits from home depot: lead and general quality (chlorine, pH balance, etc…)

2.) the general quality test uses those pH strips we used in science class and immediately tell you a lot of information.

3.) mail the lead test in to address given on box. They will send results in about 3 weeks. 

4.) have 2 or 3 filtration companies (found in the yellow pages) come to test your water. Their results should match up with your tests and each other. 

5.) Have them explain their product, why they got into this business, all costs (including installation–i’m wary of companies who charge an hourly installation ), ask ?’s about backwashing (how system cleans itself) warranty, maintenance, if you relocate can the system come with you, and any future costs to you. If you are investing in a whole system there should be minimal work on your part (perhaps changing a filter once a year or letting the workers in to add salt–this is used if you have hard water)

6.) Ask for a discount! there is usually some flexibility in their pricing.

7.) Enjoy delicious, healthy waterQ

1 in 3 children’s toys deemed toxic December 4, 2008

A recent study released by a non-profit group called The Ecology Center found that 1 in 3 children’s toys had higher than acceptable levels of toxins. The group tested 1500 toys, made throughout the world, and found that 500 of them contained significan levels of lead, arsenic, and other chemicals. The owrst offenders: children’s cheap jewelry and plastic toys for infants (books and bath toys).  There was no correlation between where a toy was made and how high the levels were.

Most toys your child can do with out. I cringe at the thought of the amount of plastic books and bath toys our kids chewed on….get rid of as many plastic toys as possible. If you are thinking that the government would have doen something if the toys were truly dangerous, think again.  Our government does not regulate chemicals (chemical companies are in charge of doing that themselves??….) and even knowing that certain toys are dangerous, toys with harmful plasticizers are not required to be off shelves until february?!

 

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=97723259&sc=emaf

 

A reminder of some great shopping sites:

hearthsong.com–great children’s toys

rosiehippo.com-infant and child toys, blankets, and more

gaiam.com–fair trade gifts, bedding, gifts for the home, yoga, jewelry, garden

vivaterra.com-favorite shopping ever! creative, unique decorations, clothing, home goods, jewelry, food

magiccabin.com–great children’s gifts, all natural wooden toys

patagonia.com–organic cotton clothing, outdoor clothing, shoes, hiking gear, AMAZING stuff!

josiemaran.com– amazing resource for skin care and make-up–you have to try it!

weleda.com–site for holistic medicines, skin care, baby gifts–can’t say enough good about the chemical free skin care line they sell

 

All of my holiday shopping this year was done using these sites–it is possible to make it happen!

We Made It! December 4, 2008

Exactly a year ago, I posted my first blog….it’s been a challenging, exciting, rewarding, insightful, year….I’ve included my first post below, a reminder as we go full steam ahead into this holiday season. There is a time and a place for plastics to exist (i.e hospitals) but in our homes we need to be really wary of the toxic effects and in our world we need to be very worried about the detrimental effects on our earth and our health.

My very first blog, its been a long time coming. it dawned on me today, though, after spending an entire weekend cleaning out the bedroom closets in our home, that it was time to make it a priority to put words on paper (well, computer screen). As a family of five, we have a lot of stuff. my issues with this “stuff”…..i have a few. Most of it is made in China, most of it will never biodegrade, most of it is made of plastic and most of it is just extra crap in our life. So, with this blog i present myself and my fellow readers with a challenge. Can we, as a group, stop accumulating so much plastic stuff? I believe there will be a new found sense of freedom that comes with a pared down closet, playroom, car, office, etc…..And that’s just on a personal note. The state of affairs in the world may just be improved as well.

“Except for the small amount that’s been incinerated–and it’s a very small amount–every bit of plastic ever made still exists.” (Charles Moore)
That is a mind-altering quote. how can this be? Even recyclable plastic, which is a relatively expensive process so therefore not used very often, will never biodegrade (turn back into its Carbon and Hydrogen elements.) Every year 60 Billion tons of plastic are produced. Where is it going to wind up? Best case scenario, recycled. Likely scenario, in our landfills and even more likely scenario, in our oceans. In fact, in the pacific ocean there is vast swath of ocean (twice the size of texas to be exact) that has become known as the “plastic stew.” Here, in a deep, clockwise-turning vortex of air and water, lies a terrible mess of plastic junk, landfill remnants, old tires, nets and ropes, old bath toys….. any type of garbage you can think of collects in this spot. The stuff has no place to go. Really. it has no place to go. Plastic is here forever.

Read more about plastic in our oceans in this article.

We have a choice. It’s clear. When possible use other options. Be frugal in your plastic purchases. Re-use within your home, within your life whenever possible. Plastic toys for kids–dangerous for many reasons. Plastic water bottles, plastic in a microwave, dangerous for all of us. (yes, it does melt into your food) Whether you believe in the green movement or not, just consider the consequences of plastic being here FOREVER.
In future posts i will have websites connecting us to sites that offer non-plastic options for purchase as well as sites that offer creative approaches to getting around this problem. I would LOVE to hear back from readers about sites you have used, ideas you suggest and any other ideas you have related to this issue. I believe with my whole heart in the power of people to make positive changes in this world.

So with that in mind, here goes my idea. I will post a new idea, every week for a year, on how you can SIMPLY choose an alternative item other than plastic or how you can reuse the plastic you have or how you can eliminate a particular plastic item for good. It is SO, SO, SO possible to make a significant change within one year. mark your calendars, your blackberries, set a weekly reminder–check in once a week. do what it takes. join the plastic not being here forever revolution.

At the end of one year, dec. 2008 we will have made 52 significant changes in the battle against plastic.

#52–My gift to you December 4, 2008

When we first moved to California I called my local recycling facility to find out what types of plastic were recycled. I found out all plastics (good news!) were recycled and picked up by trash service except for take-out containers (bad news!). Take out conatiners are made with such a weak compilation of plastics that nothing can be done with them.  That’s scary, especially considering the hot, steaming food that is served in them.  This can’t be good.

We don’t order much take-out but that first week in CA we ate it almost every night. My stash of unrecyclable containers from that week is horrible….I can’t even reuse them b/c I am so worried about what they leach into our food…

 

In order to prevent the need to rely on take-out I’ve come up with a 6 week rotating menu. I’ve used a form of this menu for years because when the kids were really young I found it overwhelming to food shop and cook 3 healthy,varied meals a day for them.  Between tthis menu, an ample stash of trader joe’s frozen foods, and dinner out on saturday nights at our favorite french place in town (with kids!!)

#51–Glass Water Bottles? Yes! November 21, 2008

A very saavy researcher / friend of ours let us know about this idea….portable, reusable glass water bottles. Sounds like an oxy moron, but it is is true. they are 750 ml(the sport bottle size from poland spring, twist off cap, very classy looking!) i have not tried them yet, but I am ordering now. 

 

The price is really reasonable ($24/ 6 and free shipping) and there is an aquakoozy (get it? like one of those beer kozies) that protects the bottle and makes it really easy to carry.

Our friend’s concern is that most stainless steel water bottles are made in China, which doesn’t have a great track record for high safety standards. I have done as much online research as possible and can not find any study that indicates there is an issue with stainless steel but it is worth noting. Also Sigg bottles are lines with aluminum which has been linked to alzheimers. 

 I will continue to use my stainless steel (as will the kids), but the glass bottles will be a great alternative when we are on a long car trip or someplace where I don’t have to worry at all about breakage.

I’m thinking great holiday gifts….you have to check out this site (if only for the novelty of the idea!)

aquasanastore.com

Just in case you haven’t heard the quote in a while, there are between 70-80,000 single- use, plastic water bottles being consumed every day in America alone…….plastic is known to leech, it is not a stable compound, especially when heated(back seat of car), and equally as horrifying plastic never goes away! Those plastic water bottles, besides compromising your health, will never completely disintegrate, but instead break down into “nurdles” that wind up in our air and our ocean and our bodies. Yuck.

#50–Gifts Galore! November 20, 2008

Some of the feedback i am getting recently is that the gift guides are really helpful. It is so encouraging that so many of us are going plastic-free this holiday season….

 

here is a link from a very comprehensive green website:

http://www.coopamerica.org/pubs/greengifts/

(all different merchants selling responsibly made goods: t-shirts, fair trade, kids toys, body care products, chocolates, coffee, kitchen goods, flowers and seeds, jewelry, sweaters, yarns for knitting, hats and scarves, organic towels….. the list is endless…something for everybody! )

And for the person who is writing from 4plastics411@gmail who wants to know why we all can’t get along: plastics are harming our environment and our children at alarming rates. You suggest I am intending to wipe out technological advancement. I am not.  But I am hoping to eliminate unnecessary and harmful plastic from our lives. For more on that you can check out the earlier posts on this blog. BTW, beware your shower curtain.

#49- Obnoxious? November 15, 2008

So I’m obsessed with the amount of plastic accumulating around our house right now due to the month of birthdays (mine too!)

When i sent out Patrick’s birthday invites to the local bowling alley I almost wrote on the invites, “please no plastic gifts.” But I stopped myself. I’m the new mom around here and the last thing I need is an obnoxious reputation for myself in the new neighborhood. (left my NY reputation behind me) And besides, I assumed, I am in California, I’m sure no one even gives plastic gifts in this state.

Wrong assumption! Much to Patricks delight we have tons of new, shiny plastic birthday toys around! I truly am glad he is so excited (and I am grateful that people even celebrated the new kids’ birthday with him) but I have a hard time stomaching the fact that my offspring are so responsible for so much junk….

Unfortunately for his big brother I am willing to cross the obnoxious line for his upcoming birthday. The email invite I sent out to his 10 friends in kindergarten mentioned that our family is trying to go the green route and “gifts are not expected but if you do choose to please let it be plastic-free and simple.” Hmmm….still not sure if that is obnoxious as I haven’t heard any responses to that yet but I will keep you posted.

Some thoughts I’ve had (we’ve been going to parties too and the holidays are coming up):

• small parties with 5 of kids closest friends
• Group gifts–why not chip in with one or two other families and give a plastic-free gift or that way if it is plastic the damage is less pervasive
• gently used toys (does that sound red neck?)
•  start a great chapter book collection 
• Adopt an animal (world wildlife fund and many other organizations have this now)
• jewelry 
• art supplies (functional plastic?), coloring books, craft materials 
• puzzles, blocks, stuffed animals
• ice cream gift certificates
• cool t-shirt
• construction tools (target has great selection of tools– adult supervision required but super fun)
• board games (without plastic pieces)
• very own stainless steel water bottle
• baking supplies
• gardening set, with the real tools
• automoblox (wooden cars with interchanging pieces)

I think it helps to stock up on a bunch of “good” gifts….

Magiccabin.com

hearthsong.com (really cool toy called bilbo, made of recycled plastic), connectagons, qwirkle,dado cubes,

rosiehippo.com

tjmaxx (lots of good choices)

#48-Are Legos Legal in My World? November 14, 2008

November brings wild happenings around our house as both our boys have their birthdays this month. Torture for the mom trying to go plastic free. The only thing on their list this year is legos. What to do? Since I don’t think I will be able to convince lego- land to go plastic-free (or at least use recycled plastic–that’s brilliant) I am in quite a bind.

I would like to give them wood blocks, a book collection, lots of puzzles, a tool kit, a never-ending hug, a letter that tells them how much I love them. But, my innate mommy-ness (aka common-sense) does not allow me to be the cause of such disappointment on their birthday mornings…..

So they will get legos but I will make myself feel better about it in the meantime….

• No other plastic (including party goods) 
• no wrapping paper, unless homemade or recycled
• tried ebay for a used collection (this didn’t work out but the idea has potential….)
• homemade food and cake (take out food is a major crime in plastic-free land! as are the huge cake containers!)
• a huge hug,a letter telling them how much I love them, and 3 million kisses so they never forget 

I do so love the lego collection….it is SO much fun to build with them and the creations are really cool (indiana jones temple of the lost skull is amazing!!) I am on a mission to convert LEGO to using recycled plastic–what better place to make use of recycled plastic? I’ll keep you informed as to how that goes.

In the meantime, happy building (and no other plastic allowed)