Healthier Sunscreens

Summer's practically here again already, so many of us will be spending more time outdoors. Be safe about it though, and wear sunscreen.

But wear a healthy sunscreen! For help in choosing one, check out the Environmental Working Group's sunscreen database. There you can find a list of the healthiest sunscreens, protective lip balms, and moisturizers with SPF.

You can also search the database for a specific product to see how it's scored. In this database, lower scores (0-2) are the best, while higher scores (7-10) should be avoided. Some things that raises the score of a product are dangerous ingredients (like oxybenzone, which disrupts hormones) and spray form (which makes it easier to inhale dangerous particles).

Unfortunately, one of the products we're using at home this season scored a terrible six. Better luck with your products, and buy healthier next time!

Easy on the AC

One way to keep your home running more efficiently is to avoid going overboard on the A/C when it's warm. But how can you keep your house cool without it? Try some of these tips!

From abc.com's "Save Money On Home Cooling":

• Pull down the shades and draw the curtains to keep out the summer sun.
• When the sun's not hitting your windows, keep them open, and use fans to draw hot air up and out of the house.
• Don't use exhaust fans in your kitchen and bathroom for too long if your house is air-conditioned. 'In one hour, it can empty the whole house of all your conditioned air'...
  
• Make sure your filters are cleaned or replaced once a month and that your vents don't have any obstructions in front of them.

Treehugger's "10 Overlooked Low-Tech Ways of Keeping Your Home Cool" has a host of ideas, including the ever important "use a ceiling fan instead." Most families just use a few rooms each night -- their bedrooms. No need to air condition the rest of the home! Just ensure that all bedrooms have working ceiling fans, then run them all night to keep the cool -- and the energy -- focused on only the rooms in use.

Green is Sexy recommends something a little less conventional for the "darker greens" among us: "Save energy (and money!) by turning off the A/C at night ... and curling up with an ice pack. Yep. An ice pack. If you put an ice pack under your neck or in your hands at lights-out, you’ll cool your body down enough to fall asleep and stay asleep."

BPA ... again

So, BPA is everywhere. Of course, we know about BPA in plastic water and soda bottles and food storage containers. But it's also hiding in places you might not have considered.

Some hidden sources of BPA:
-Receipts
-Dental work, including sealants and white fillings
-Soda and beer cans
-Food cans (like for canned vegetables, fruits, sauces, etc.)
-Blenders
-And more!

To see a depressing list of 17 unexpected sources of BPA, check out EcoSalon's article.

Seafood Guides

Many people learning to reduce their environmental impacts are switching from eating beef and other large animals to eating smaller animals, such as poultry and fish. But, when considering sustainability issues, it is important to carefully consider your seafood choices, too.

Luckily, Monterey Bay Aquarium's famous pocket guide is branching out! Now you can print different guides depending on your geographical location within the US. There's even a specialty guide for sushi!

Even better for those of you with smart phones: you can also get a mobile guide app!

Enjoy eating responsibly!

Mothballs

It's getting to be time to put away your winter clothes for the year -- thank goodness! But don't pack them away with mothballs. Those things are literally poison, which is helpful in keeping moths at bay but not so good for your health.

An alternative? Cedar chips or blocks. You can find them at hardware stores (like Lowes), big box retailers (like Wal-Mart), and bed/bath specialty stores (like Bed, Bath & Beyond). They're inexpensive and much better for you than moth balls!

An added bonus: you can refresh cedar blocks and chips with cedar oil and/or sanding. This will keep your cedar investment working for years to come!

Fish Tank Water

Have a (fresh water) fish? Next time you are refreshing its water, consider pouring the old stuff over some of your plants. It's full of nitrogen and other nutrients your plants thrive on, which makes it a great fertilizer without the extra chemicals or environmental impact.

To learn more, see Aquarium Water as Houseplant Fertilizer or other similar online articles.

Environmentalism 2.0

Just some happy, motivating thoughts to start your day. :)

From No Impact Man:

Thoughts I come back to when thinking about environmentalism 2.0

1. Happier planet = happier people.

2. You make a difference.

3. Our culture is broken.

4. The personal is political.

5. Economic growth ≠ Life satisfaction growth.

6. Jobs are paramount but we should work to make our planetary home better not worse.

7. The concept of zero sum game is for people with zero sum brains.

8. There is a better, happier system out there.

9. If thine eyes (or thine economic system) offends thee, pluck them (or it) out.

10. It’s not about having less. It’s about having more. The question is: more of what?

11. There is dis-ease in our culture. People yearn for something better.

12. People are trustworthy and altruistic and good and will do the right thing if you let them.

13. This does not deny the fact that normal people act abnormally in abnormal situations.

14. Love and good company, the chance to be of service and to matter, connection to something bigger, the use of our most prized talents—these things make most people happier than stuff.

15. Being responsible for the world is not a burden. It is freedom from victimhood!

16. My happiness cannot be complete unless you are happy, too.