This week I received a press release about how our food choices affect global warming and what we can do (see below for the story). It includes a low-carbon diet calculator, so you can see if your diet is warming or cooling the planet. The Green Living Q&A blog is, as always, full of your questions and great advice. And tomorrow afternoon (Wednesday), you can listen to an hour-long interiew with me on Mike Adams, The Health Ranger, radio show. Go to http://www.gcnlive.com/Listen_Live.html and click on Network 1 or Network 3. It's airing at 5:00 Central time. Debra :-) HEALTH, HOME & HABITAT #132 ~ 29 April 2008 * LOW-CARBON DIET If the links don't work on this newsletter, you can view it online at http://www.dld123.com/newsletter/newsletterupdateback.html Health, Home & Habitat Back Issues (tables of contents)
Read more about Really Green and order... Order both books and save $4.00 on shipping * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * LOW-CARBON DIET Obvious energy use like home electricity and driving cars has gotten a lot of publicity pertaining to global warming, but there's another huge contributor, and that's the food we eat. There are two issues with food--the energy embodied in its production and transportation, and its production of methane--a highly potent greenhouse gas. [see graphic on food's link to global warming] Here are the basic guidelines for a Low-Carbon Diet: * Eat seasonal and regional Seasonal foods grown in your region are low-carbon because they use less energy in shipping. Shop at nearby farmer's markets for best choice and price. Out of season produce is either grown in hothouses that produce carbon from the energy used to heat them, or are shipped across the globe from warmer climates.* Minimize food waste Eat all the food you buy, so you don't waste the embodied energy used in production and transportation. If you have leftovers, store and eat them within a couple of days. And if you don't eat it, compost it--food waste sent to landfills generate methane gas.* Minimize your intake of ruminants--beef, goats, sheep--and their by-products This includes all milk and cheese and other foods made from them, such as ice cream. Chicken and eggs produce less carbon. Livestock products causes 18% of the world's greenhouse gasses.* Eliminate air-freighted food Anything from a far away place, such as exotic seafood, out of season strawberries, chocolates, coffee, and other imported foods embody huge amounts of energy and have a high carbon footprint. Air-freighted food uses 10 times more energy than transporting by ship.* Eliminate processed and packaged foods These foods produce more carbon than fresh foods because of the energy used in factory processing and to make the packaging. Buy whole apples and cut them yourself, for example, rather than precut produce. While it is less convenient, a few minutes of your human-powered labor can really add up in carbon savings.What this basically boils down to is proof that the diet that's best for your body--fresh, whole seasonal/local fruits and vegetables, nuts and beans, minimal meat and dairy--is also best for the planet. Low Carbon Diet Calculator provides some tips for getting started on a low-carbon diet. Also gives a food carbon calculator that will show you the carbon impact of the diet you are currently eating plus let you play around with food choices to adjust the carbon output of your diet. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * GREEN LIVING Q&A BLOG Here are the questions and new comments posted through yesterday. Remember, you are welcome to share your own comments and experience in response to any of these questions, and post questions of your own. To read and comment on more questions posted previously go to Green Living Q&A blog.
* Glass Baby Bottles has lots of resources * Dove soap not fragrance free has new post that this soap contains heavy metals * Magnetically-attractive stainless steel cookware has info on different kinds of stainless steel * How To Repel Ants So They Don't Come Back Water quality issues w/ bathing pets I have been doing a lot of research on water lately (filtration systems, ionizers, etc.). Although there is a wealth of information on the Internet, it has been difficult to find an unbiased, trustworthy source that is not ultimately trying to sell a product. Eyeglass lens material Hi Debra, Freshaire paint I was at Home Depot today and saw an ad for Freshaire Choice paint. It says it does not have any VOCs in the paint or the colorant. I went to the web site, thefreshairechoice.com, and they had a phone number to call so you can have them send you 3 samples of any of their colors free...no shipping costs, either. NEEDS READER COMMENTS Safe Mattress for Hospital bed I still haven't figured out how to handle this one and thought maybe someone might now see an answer. safe water kettle? I recently bought a new GE stainless steel kettle and the chemical taste in the water it boils is foul. I have tried and tried to boil and reboil the water, using vinegar, cleaning it over and over to no avail. Is there a 'safe' non leaching kettle available? NEEDS READER COMMENTS will slipcovered sofa be safer? Hi Debra, Is four year old mattress safe ? Hi Debra, Xylitol and dogs Hi Debra Lint on clothing after washing I have a big problem with lint on my clothes after washing them. I have been line drying my clothes and have tried several things I have read on the internet to solve the problem including vinegar in the wash cycle, putting the clothes in the dryer 15 min before hanging (this gets some lint off), 15 min in the dryer when the clothes are almost dry, and baking soda in the wash cycle. I don't want to use the dryer for full drying, I am desperate, HELP!!!! NEEDS READER COMMENTS Cast Iron Skillets made in China Hi Debra, Organic food colors? When I bake desserts with organic ingredients, I often wish that I can decorate them with whipped cream mixed with organic food coloring or apply dusted color to marzipan mini-fruits. As yet I have had no success in locating a US or Canadian company that manufactures such a product. Can you direct me to any green business that makes organic food colors? Thanks. Mycotoxins- how long do they last? Hi Debra- NEEDS READER COMMENTS House Cleaning and Bacteria As I am chemically sensitive, my friends come to me looking for healthy cleaning ideas. One has a vacation rental property and is concerned about "killing bacteria" and uses Lysol to do so. I told her that good old soap and water would get rid of a lot of it and white vinegar would kill off some more. Are there any commerically made products you'd suggest or mix of essential oils? Sure appreciate your help. Ikea particle board furniture Dear Debra
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|  The new, revised, edition of Home Safe Home is now available in bookstores nationwide. Home Safe Home tells what toxic chemicals are generally found in specific household products of all types, and safe solutions you can buy or make at home. It's different from other books on toxic chemicals because the focus really is what you can do to protect yourself and your family and create a healthy home. I bring over twenty years of research and personal real-life experience to this book. * 10 Simple, Inexpensive Things You Can Do To Reduce Household Toxics * How Toxic is Your Home? Quiz (excerpt from the book) * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Debra's List ~ 100s of links to 1000s of nontoxic, natural & earthwise products
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