A dictionary for chemicals and their dangers

Health, Home, Reference/Green 101Breathe in bleach for a few minutes, or even a few seconds, and something in your brain should communicate to your body (and vice versa) that that is dangerous for you. But why? That’s my four-year old niece’s favorite question and whether you’re anything like her it may be your question as well.There’s a little thing called the Material Safety input Sheet that outlines the reactions a specific chemical will have with anothermaterial and under what conditions th…

Green students fundraising

Green on CampusRemember the days when you wandered door to door, armed with a case of chocolate bars or a catalogue, donning your best smile to raise money for your school? Once in high school, did you donate to bake sales, participate in the auctions and attend the coffee houses?Four university graduates remember, and have collaborated to create Green Students Fundraising. Available all through Canada, students, campuses, groups and clubs across the country are selling green products such as C…

Portland dental office scores a platinum rating

Local, NewsIt’s not easy to obtain a the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design platinum rating but that’s just what Dr. Jason McMillan achieved with the construction of Mint Dental Works in Portland. His is the first dental office in the United States to earn such a distinction.
It goes without saying that a dental office uses a lot of water. Mint Dental has found a way to reduce consumption as much as 90 gallons a day by using a waterless evacuation system. The office is plus equipped …

Shoo fly: Rid your house of flies naturally

Aaah the housefly. They seem to be more prevalent that instance of year for me. It could be considering we keep the doors open a little too expanded when playing in the yard. Or perhaps it’s that we are more prone to going away for a couple of days at a instance, leaving the flies to infest as they please. Having the cat box right next to the door does not help. Whatever the reason, I consulted the Web for ways to repel these nasty creatures.

The best ways to keep flies from infesting you…

Organic Peanut Butter: Is it safe?

Peanut butter is one of those foods that one would think would be better to eat organic. In terms of general health, we’ve probably all heard by now that is better to avoid peanut butter varietys that contain hydrogenated oils, and to stick with those butters that are made of nothing but peanuts, and possibly a bit of salt.

But where does organic peanut butter fall? According to Tara Parker-Pope of the NYTimes, more than 99 percent of peanuts are grown conventionally, including the use of…

PBDEs: Wash small kids’ hands frequently to lower ingestion

Environmental Working Group recently tested twenty mothers and their toddlers for the presence of toxic fire retardants, such as PBDEs, in their blood. They found that the young children had three times as much of these hormone-disrupting chemicals in their blood as their mothers. The children were plus found to have much higher levels than the newborns tested.

PBDEs are a class of fire retardants added to household furniture and electronic items. That means they could be lurking in your …

Free range farmer only ten years old

Elsa Amiss lives on the Higher Hingle Farm with her parents and siblings. After watching her parents sell by 100 organic ducks a week, Elsa decided to start her own business. She sells organic duck eggs to local markets and oversees the care of 300 ducks. She is England’s youngest supermarket supplier.

Underneath a giant tent, Elsa’s brothers gather the eggs. Each egg is hand washed by Elsa before she enlists the help of her two brothers and sister to label and box them for shipment. She …

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