Eco- friendly Sunscreen

Did you know that each year over 100,000 tons of manmade chemicals are used in so called "natural" cosmetics? Another frightening statistic - you can absorb up to 60% of any substance applied to your skin. Most women absorb up to 2 kg. of chemicals through their skin each year. In the case of sunscreen not only can it be dangerous to your health - it can be dangerous to the ocean's health. An unexpected danger from sunscreen use is that it may be harming coral reefs and fish. Sunscreen from beachgoers and snorkelers washes off into the ocean and causes UV ray interference to the corals, leading to viral infections and coral bleaching. Scientists have found fish off the coast of California that have had ovarian tissue growing in their testes. They believe that oxybenzone (a main ingredient in many conventional sunscreens) is responsible. Other dangerous chemicals to look out for include octinoxate, diethanolamine (DEA), and parabens The best choice is a sunscreen containing naturally occurring zinc oxide. Some great choices are Caribbean Sol www.caribbean-sol.com Soleo Organics www.soleoorganics.com and California Baby www.californiababy.com

Easy Green Tips

Going green can seem overwhelming to some, but there are some simple steps you can take to go green and save some green.

1.Buy less stuff - by buying less you reduce the materials and resources used to manufacture, package, and ship items and reduce the amount of items that end up in the landfill

2. Save water - fix leaks in your home, take shorter showers, turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth, water your lawn in the morning to reduce evaporation.

3. Conserve electricity - turn off the lights when you leave a room, switch to compact fluorescent bulbs, shut down computers and printers at night, replace your air conditioner filter monthly, hang clothes on a clothesline to dry.

4. Save oil - drive less, switch to non-petroleum based cleaners and paints, choose products with less packaging, give up bottled water.

5. Recycle your belongings - use Freecycle or Craig's List to get rid unwanted items, donate to thrift stores, host a clothes swap with friends, donate books to the library or local nursing home.

5 tips for a greener school year...

It's that time again - time for the kids to head back to school or in our case start homeschooling again after a month's break. This year be sure to make green choices while back to school shopping.

1. Buy recycled paper, notebooks, and binders. Target has a great line that is produced with post consumer waste paper called greenroom eco and Staples has a line of paper products that are made from sugarcane instead of trees.

2. Buy a PVC-free backpack. Look for one without the recycle symbol #3 or the letter V both mean it contains PVC which has been linked to cancer.

3. When packing lunches check out some of the great options for earth friendly lunches like Wrap-N-Mat reusable sandwich wraps www.wrapnmat.com or Laptop Lunch - a lunch system which features great containers that all fit together to help you pack a healthy lunch. www.laptoplunches.com

4. Recycle old crayons. Make your own fun shaped crayons with candy molds or send your crayons to Crazy Crayons to be recycled. www.crazycrayons.com

5. Make greener choices with office supplies - buy paper clips made from recycled metal, use refillable pens & pencils, and buy a staple free stapler - it cuts a small flap and a notch in the paper, then it folds the flap back into the notch which keeps the paper stuck together.

Radioactive Countertops?

A report released recently found that granite countertops often contain uranium and are emitting serious amounts of radon into many homes. Sound crazy? Well here's a quick geology lesson - the earth's crust contains minerals which emit small amounts of radiation. Uranium deposits, are often found at the boundaries between igneous rocks, such as granite and other layers of rock. As uranium decays, it emits radon gas. Rice University physics professor Dr. W.J. Llope found that some granite countertops contain high levels of uranium, which releases radiation and radon gas that can cause cancer. Llope tested 55 stones of 25 varieties of granite purchased from local dealers and found some homeowners would be exposed to 100 millirems of radiation in just a few months, exceeding the annual exposure limit set by the Department of Energy for visitors to nuclear labs. In a document published on his website, Llope said there is no safe threshold for radiation and the general guideline is that each rem of radiation would cause cancer in 4 people in a population of 10,000. Some granite countertops he tested released one rem of radiation in just 250 hours or 10 days. Do you need to rip out your granite countertops? Not necessarily, you are exposed to radiation from many sources - TVs, x-rays, flying in a commercial jet, etc. That being said, no radiation is good radiation, especially when you have young kids around. Llope recommends that homeowners who have granite countertops in their homes keep their windows open at least for half a day every few weeks to dilute the indoor radon concentration. If you are planning a remodel or choosing new counters for your home, consider the many eco-friendly, safe countertop options that are now available. Check out www.icestone.biz, www.enviroglasproducts.com, www.paperstoneproducts.com, and other great choices like bamboo and recycled aluminum.