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.
13 April 2010
06 April 2010
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!
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!
24 March 2010
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!
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!
17 March 2010
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.
To learn more, see Aquarium Water as Houseplant Fertilizer or other similar online articles.
10 March 2010
Environmentalism 2.0
Just some happy, motivating thoughts to start your day. :)
From No Impact Man:
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.
26 January 2010
Ripening Green Tomatoes
This post might come way out of season for some of my readers. Just remember that this info is available here, though, and come check it out again during the appropriate season!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes the end of the road for our tomato plants comes before all the fruit currently growing can finish ripening. Whether your plant is shutting down because of an impending frost or simply reaching the end of its lifespan, you can salvage all those green tomatoes!
1. Remove all viable tomatoes from your plant. Cut them off with just a centimeter or so of vine attached. If they are too small or too hard, compost them or enjoy a serving of fried green tomatoes. If they are whitish, however, you can make a go of them.
2. Sort your tomatoes by color. Divide them roughly into "slightly pink/orange," "light green/whitish," and "solid green."
3 a. Put the "slightly pink/orange" tomatoes in a brown paper bag and place it somewhere warm. These tomatoes will ripen on their own nicely, probably in just a few days.
3 b. Wrap each of the "light green/whitish" and "solid green" tomatoes in newspaper and place them in a shallow cardboard box. (Alternatively, you can fill the box with shredded paper or straw and place the tomatoes directly into the box, leaving room between each tomato.) Put the whiter tomatoes together and the solid green ones together. (The whitish ones will reach an orange tone faster, so you'll want to be able to easily locate them without looking at every tomato.) Put the box someplace cool and dark.
4. Check your tomatoes every 2-3 days. Remove any that show signs of rotting or other problems. Move any tomatoes that turn orange from your box to your bag. Take any that turn [optimal color for the type of tomato you're dealing with] from your bag to your kitchen counter, and enjoy!
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Sometimes the end of the road for our tomato plants comes before all the fruit currently growing can finish ripening. Whether your plant is shutting down because of an impending frost or simply reaching the end of its lifespan, you can salvage all those green tomatoes!
1. Remove all viable tomatoes from your plant. Cut them off with just a centimeter or so of vine attached. If they are too small or too hard, compost them or enjoy a serving of fried green tomatoes. If they are whitish, however, you can make a go of them.
2. Sort your tomatoes by color. Divide them roughly into "slightly pink/orange," "light green/whitish," and "solid green."
3 a. Put the "slightly pink/orange" tomatoes in a brown paper bag and place it somewhere warm. These tomatoes will ripen on their own nicely, probably in just a few days.
3 b. Wrap each of the "light green/whitish" and "solid green" tomatoes in newspaper and place them in a shallow cardboard box. (Alternatively, you can fill the box with shredded paper or straw and place the tomatoes directly into the box, leaving room between each tomato.) Put the whiter tomatoes together and the solid green ones together. (The whitish ones will reach an orange tone faster, so you'll want to be able to easily locate them without looking at every tomato.) Put the box someplace cool and dark.
4. Check your tomatoes every 2-3 days. Remove any that show signs of rotting or other problems. Move any tomatoes that turn orange from your box to your bag. Take any that turn [optimal color for the type of tomato you're dealing with] from your bag to your kitchen counter, and enjoy!
19 January 2010
Sustainability in the Classroom
If there are any other educators out there reading this blog, you may be excited to learn that there are lots of ways you can help teach the next generation how to take better care of the Earth than their forebears.
Here are some places to begin:
-For the science classroom: Students Learn Environmental Stewardship, Improve Science Scores: Middle-Schoolers' Test Scores Boosted by Integrating Horticulture Lessons
-For the science, social science, or English/language arts classroom: The No Impact Project has designed lesson plans on the themes of consumption, energy, food, transportation, and water. Each lesson is designed for one 50-minute class period and may be used singley or together.
-For the art, math, science, social studies, or English/language arts classroom: Cool It Schools motivates students worldwide through sustainability-based and environment-centered projects, showcases, and even competitions in a wide variety of categories.
You can easily find many other great options and lots of supportive research out there. If there are any specific programs that you know of and like, please feel free to leave their websites in the comments! Working as a community of educators, we can help shape the future faces of sustainability.
Here are some places to begin:
-For the science classroom: Students Learn Environmental Stewardship, Improve Science Scores: Middle-Schoolers' Test Scores Boosted by Integrating Horticulture Lessons
-For the science, social science, or English/language arts classroom: The No Impact Project has designed lesson plans on the themes of consumption, energy, food, transportation, and water. Each lesson is designed for one 50-minute class period and may be used singley or together.
-For the art, math, science, social studies, or English/language arts classroom: Cool It Schools motivates students worldwide through sustainability-based and environment-centered projects, showcases, and even competitions in a wide variety of categories.
You can easily find many other great options and lots of supportive research out there. If there are any specific programs that you know of and like, please feel free to leave their websites in the comments! Working as a community of educators, we can help shape the future faces of sustainability.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
