Pesticide exposure kills elderly woman

EPA files complaint three years later; federal pesticide law limits the penalty EPA can seek to a maximum of $4,550.

(Beyond Pesticides) The U.S. EPA has filed an administrative complaint, seeking a maximum penalty of only $4,550, against a pest control company that sprayed pesticides in a couple’s home, causing the wife to die shortly thereafter. It has been more than three years since the incident took place in Florence, Oregon.

Swanson’s Pest Management of Eugene, Oregon sent an employee to a home on June 29, 2005 to apply Conquer Residential Insecticide Concentrate, active ingredient esfenvalerate, and ULD BP-100 Contact Insecticide, active ingredient pyrethrin. The couple returned to their home two and a half hours later and immediately fell to the ground due to the fumes. Paramedics were called in and they too experienced respiratory distress or became ill when they entered the treated home. According to The Oregonian, Florence Kolbeck was 76 years old and died of cardiac arrest as a result of the exposure. Her husband, Fred, was hospitalized for respiratory distress.

The complaint was filed following a review of Swanson’s use of the two pesticides, finding that the company failed to properly ventilate the home prior to the occupants re-entering, and improperly applied Conquer as a “space spray” at nearly three times the allowable rate. All of which are violations of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). The U.S. EPA complaint also contains alleged violations pertaining to an application at another residence that took place prior to the application that led to the women’s death. In this case, the applicator allegedly used the same tank mix of pesticides, though no adverse health affects were reported.

A 2006 article in the Seattle Times reported that Swanson’s general manager, Steve Fisher, “said his review of the case showed that the technician sprayed the home as he normally would… ‘Unfortunate things happen in just about every walk of life.’”

This past March, Fred Kolbeck settled a $2.5 million lawsuit against Swanson’s for an undisclosed amount, according to The Oregonian.

Swanson’s has 30 days from the day they received the U.S. EPA complaint to either arrange a settlement conference, file an answer to the Complaint, or pay the proposed penalty. Swanson’s operation manager, Joan Jensen told The Oregonian, “that the EPA’s allegations are not accurate” and that the “negotiations with the agency are ongoing.”

According to EPA, “The consequences of Swanson’s alleged violations were extremely serious,” yet the federal pesticide law limits the penalty EPA can seek to a maximum of $4,550.

With the phase-out of most residential uses of the common organophosphate insecticides, chlorpyrifos and diazinon, home use of pyrethrins and pyrethroids, such as the ones applied at the Kolbeck home, has increased. According to a 2008 report, pyrethrins and pyrethroids were responsible for more than 26 percent of all major and moderate human incidents involving pesticides in the United States in 2007, up from just 15 percent in 1998 - a 67 percent increase. This is based on an analysis of adverse reaction reports filed with the Environmental Protection Agency by pesticide manufacturers.

While pyrethroids have been characterized as less toxic than organophosphates, the number of reported human health problems, including severe reactions and even deaths attributed to pesticides containing pyrethrins and pyrethroids, increased from 261 in 1998 to 1,030 in 2007, nearly a 300 percent increase. Pyrethrins and pyrethroids account for more incidents than any other class of pesticide over the last five years. EPA data shows at least 50 deaths attributed to this supposedly safer class of pesticides since 1992.

Pesticide products containing synthetic pyrethroids are often described by pest control operators as “safe as chrysanthemum flowers.” While pyrethroids are a synthetic version of an extract from the chyrsanthemum plant, they are chemically engineered to be more toxic, take longer to breakdown, and are often formulated with synergists, increasing potency and compromising the human body’s ability to detoxify the pesticide. Pyrethroids may affect neurological development, disrupt hormones, induce cancer, and suppress the immune system. Researchers at Emory University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) find that residential pesticide use represents the most important risk factor for children’s exposure to pyrethroid insecticides.

There are clear established methods for managing homes that prevent infestation of unwanted insects without the use of synthetic chemicals, including exclusion techniques, sanitation and maintenance practices, as well as mechanical and least toxic controls (which include boric acid and diatomaceous earth). Based on the host of health effects linked to pesticides, their use in the home is hazardous and unnecessary. Most pest problems can be solved without toxic pesticides, through sanitation, proper storage of food and trash, exclusion (sealing entryways), traps and non-volatile baits. For detailed information on preventing specific pests, see Beyond Pesticides’ Alternatives Factsheets.

For more information on the details of the Kolbeck/Swanson incident and the issues surrounding ventilation after a pesticide application, click here.

Link

Growing trends in healthy house construction

Paula Baker-LaPorte at Healthy House Institute writes about Building Biology and the Healthy House.

“Building related illness, 20th (21st) century disease, multiple chemical sensitivities, sick building syndrome, environmental illness: these terms are recent additions to our vocabulary,” she writes. “Until about 25 years ago, indoor air pollution was a very limited phenomenon.”

But, she says, three basic things have changed in the evolution of building technology resulting in the current widespread concern about the environmental quality inside our homes: the very fabric of our homes, products that have a negative and costly impact on our health, and performance demands on our buildings such as dealing with trapped moisture from sealed bathrooms.

In response to these problems, she sees two different models emerging for a healthy home. One– the most common– is to seal the home very tightly on the inside, so nothing toxic from the building materials can leak into the living space. (This is akin to what people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity try to achieve with foil barriers.) And the other, more in line with what chemically sensitive people would like to see, is to build with nontoxic materials in the first place.

But the natural building materials solution is difficult to implement, most notably because of current building codes backed by corporate interests. Still, Baker-LaPorte sees building trends moving in the right direction.

…building systems that use natural materials as their base, once the norm for us and still the norm for the majority of humankind, are viewed with great suspicion and skepticism in the current mainstream building culture. If one chooses to build with natural materials one quickly learns that natural building systems have become the orphans of the modern building industry. Whereas huge corporate resources back industrialized building products, funding for code required testing of natural non-proprietary materials has, to date, been a grass roots pass-the-hat affair. Even though people have surrounded themselves with natural permeable materials throughout human history, and even though enduring models of these buildings are found throughout the world, mainstream building practices and codes are dominated by manufactured building commodities that are laboratory tested, standardized, stamped, packaged and shipped. When one applies for a building permit for a home to be made with natural building materials, the applicant may be rejected, or if permitted, the building may bear a dubious “experimental” status.

The natural building movement championed by the theories of Building Biology and a small but growing sector of environmentally concerned builders, designers and homeowners is however gaining momentum. And I believe there is a synthesis at hand between the two seemingly opposite approaches to healthy building. A natural home equipped with all the amenities of modern life faces many of the same indoor environmental qualities as does a sealed construction, and ventilation systems are becoming more common in natural buildings. On the other hand manufactured, code pre-approved permeable wall systems such as aerated autoclaved concrete are being introduced in to the mainstream market place. Straw bale construction has now been tested and codified in many locations. More and more construction products now advertise being “environmentally friendly” and “non-toxic”. Green building rating systems that reward healthier building practices are springing up all over the country. Regardless of the starting point we are moving towards healthier homes that are freer of toxic chemicals, more energy efficient and kinder on the environment.

Link to full article

Photo of straw bale house in Taos by mari-posa. The straw bales are covered over by adobe, and it’s solar powered, with a cistern to recycle rainwater.

Canary’s Cry for Saturday, Dec. 27

A new Cal State Long Beach study finds high levels of DDT and PCB in seals and sea lions that died between 1994 and 2006, suggesting possible danger for humans.

The Los Angeles Times reports Old Chemicals Found Years Later in Marine Mammals. The new study found DDT, a once widely used agricultural pesticide now banned in the United States, in slightly lower concentrations in sea lions than was found in studies of marine mammals conducted in the early 1970s, according to the report published in the Marine Pollution Bulletin. Adult male sea lions and seals had the highest concentrations because they had the highest fat content. But the chemicals were also present in pups, who absorbed them from their mothers’ milk.

The Philadelphis Inquirer reports that fumes from a chemical used to deice planes got into the passenger cabin of an Alaska Airlines jet yesterday at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, irritating the eyes of people on board, officials said. Paramedics treated 26 people, and seven, including all five crew members, decided to go to a hospital, an airline spokeswoman said.

Chicago News reports that a South Side meat-packing plant containing hazardous chemicals burned for approximately three hours on Christmas Day before more than 160 firefighters extinguished the blaze.

The Ithaca Journal reports on more protest against the decision by the Consumer Product Safety Commission to allow retailers to sell toys in inventory that may contain a potentially harmful chemical. Continued sale of toys with phthalates - a class of chemical compound used as a softener for plastics that seeps out of toys when chewed - is possible because of a safety commission ruling that Congress’ Consumer Product Safety Act pertains only to newly manufactured or imported toys containing phthalates. In a press release, [Assemblywoman Barbara] Lifton said animal toxicity data shows that phthalates could be harmful to infants or children. Toys that are already in stock can still be sold because of pressure applied from toy and chemical companies such as ExxonMobil, she said. The Consumer Product Safety Act became law in August.

Photo by Tom Clifton

How to sew organic cotton camisole and shorties

So here’s the third in Leslie’s series on sewing your own organic cotton lingerie. Over at Leslie’s blog The Oko Box Blog, I commented on this video, about how fearless and gutsy she is, so true to her nontoxic fabric creed. She commented back:

“I would like to think I am making a few statements at once…
1. Buy only organic
2. learn creative skills
3. use what you have laying around
4. don’t buy into the marketing hype from big companies
5. don’t be a prude ….”

In Hawaii, we call people like Leslie “rascal.” Even though she has Multiple Chemical Sensitivity from severe chemical injury, along with a few other chronic health conditions, her spirit is strong and bright and she inspires all of us to push through our disability and PRODUCE. She does it all with warmth, smarts and a good dose of rascal.

About this most recent video, she says:

Here is part 3 of my organic lingerie series - learning to sew using locally sourced organic cotton scrap fabric that is dirt cheap, and turning it into something cool! This project is an easy camisole and shorty set with side ties, ribbons, and scrunch on the sides of the top.

Link

The Oko Box, Leslie’s hip, fun and practical nontoxic clothing boutique

The Oko Box Blog, an eco-friendly interactive commentary on organic clothing, environment, pollution, health, organic food, fair trade and organic farming. On today’s post, she’s put a fox on her undies (I told you she was a rascal).

Chemical-free, skin-friendly clothing

A new apparel company claims its “allergy-free, skin-friendly clothing” is perfect for people with sensitive skin. Cottonique offers a range of products made from 100% natural cotton “suitable for use by even the most sensitive of skin and allergy sufferers.”

I asked Leslie from The Oko Box to review the line. Leslie is one of The Canary Report’s regulars and pretty much an expert on natural, green fabrics. “Looks pretty awesome,” she says, “except I would like to ask why they don’t start their process with organic cotton, since a world without pesticides would be less allergic.”

I also asked Linda, another of our regular commenters, what she thought of the line. “I’m willing to try these because of the lack of other processes on top of the original cotton,” she says. “None of my older safe things were organic, so I don’t think the cotton itself was the problem, just processing factors.”

So in our search for safe fabrics, this company might be a possible win.

From a Cottonique press release:

People suffering with a skin allergy or chemical sensitivity have very limited clothing options. They are always on the hunt for hypoallergenic products that do not aggravate symptoms, which for some could even be life-threatening.

Cottonique set out to find a solution. Combining new technologies with scientific research, the manufacturers of Cottonique’s unique line of cotton garments have mastered production techniques which now enable them to produce quality, chemical-free apparel, without the use of irritants that are commonly found in most clothing brands. Cottonique now boasts a fine collection of finished products which are perfect for men, women, children and toddlers with sensitive skin.

“Comfortable allergy-free clothing is an essential design component for our products”, says Vice President of Marketing, Vinesh Genomal. “Ensuring the health and safety of our customers is our number one goal and driving force.”

Cottonique has taken the trouble to ensure that their products are in line with dermatology requirements and dermatologist recommended, thus giving any mother peace of mind when she is buying apparel for her toddler’s soft and sensitive skin. Their minimalist designs do not use any dyes in any products; their product line is dermatologist recommended for all people and is specifically targeted to be a clothing solution for people with mild to severe skin allergies. Included in the Cottonique line is apparel that is latex-free, spandex-free, lycra-free, and nylon-free.

Cottonique uses a unique fabric-knitting and finishing process that allows the cloth to retain the stretch and fit of commonly found apparel, without the danger of latex allergy, spandex allergy, or chemical sensitivity. All fabrics undergo a hydro-pressure purification process to produce pure cotton that is resin-free, formaldehyde-free, hypoallergenic, and chemical-free. Cottonique does not use any dye stuff in the manufacturing of their clothing and underwear. In the end, all products remain pH balanced, highly breathable, comfortable, functional, and safe for people with skin allergy and sensitive skin.

Link to Cottonique website.

Volvo going chemical-free with interiors

Interesting report in the Calgary Herald on Volvo making cars with chemical-free interiors. I am not sure this would pass the “canary test,” but it’s interesting to see the company using this point as a market niche. Leave it Volvo, often way ahead of the curve on safety issues.

…interior materials have improved in recent years, although some brands are still using more noxious chemicals in their car interiors than our bodies need to ingest. Volvo Car Corporation is planning to add environmentally friendly interior design to its long list of socially conscious attributes, with the inclusion of a standard seating fabric that poses zero risk to your health.

[...]

Volvo says that it tests all textiles in the passenger compartment, from the floor mats to the roof lining. The Swedish company even goes a step further by using certified materials in the trunks and cargo areas of its cars, while safety equipment like seatbelts are also certified.

“There is a list of more than 100 substances or emissions that are not to exceed a given level,” commented Andreas Andersson, responsible for passenger compartment development at Volvo Cars. “For instance, the materials used may not leak heavy metals. There are many people with various allergies today and over-sensitivity has increased drastically in recent years. Having a clean in-car environment is important. Personal health is important both to our customers and to us as a company.”

Another brilliant marketing move by Volvo, and more importantly a big win for those with allergies, or for that matter anyone who just wants the opportunity to drive their family around in a more chemical-free environment.

Link

Thanks, Linda!

Buy Nothing Day 2008

I’m feeling very happy to be working from home, and not buying anything from anywhere today.

Buy Nothing Day is an informal day of protest against consumerism observed by social activists. Typically celebrated the Friday after Thanksgiving in North America and the next day internationally, in 2008 the dates will be November 28 and 29 respectively. It was founded by Vancouver artist Ted Dave and subsequently promoted by the Canadian Adbusters magazine.

The first Buy Nothing Day was organized in Vancouver in September of 1992 “as a day for society to examine the issue of over-consumption.” In 1997, it was moved to the Friday after American Thanksgiving, which is one of the top 10 busiest shopping days in the United States. Outside of North America, Buy Nothing Day is celebrated on the following Saturday.

Despite controversies, Adbusters managed to advertise Buy Nothing Day on CNN, but many other major television networks declined to air their ads. Soon, campaigns started appearing in United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, Germany, New Zealand, Japan, the Netherlands, and Norway. Participation now includes more than 65 nations.

While critics of the day charge that Buy Nothing Day simply causes participants to buy the next day, Adbusters states that it “isn’t just about changing your habits for one day” but “about starting a lasting lifestyle commitment to consuming less and producing less waste.”

Source: Wikipedia

Theres only one way to avoid the collapse of this human experiment of ours on Planet Earth: we have to consume less.

It will take a massive mindshift. You can start the ball rolling by buying nothing on November 28th. Then celebrate Christmas differently this year, and make a New Years resolution to change your lifestyle in 2009.

Its now or never!

Source: http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd

For more information on Buy Nothing Day, visit the AdBusters site at: http://www.adbusters.org/campaigns/bnd

Link

The Story of Stuff

The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard is a brilliant short film about how modern corporate greed got us into this mess of rampant consumerism, overwhelming pollution and toxic chemicals.

Yes! magazine says in its review of the film:

Our consumerism uses up resources, pollutes the planet, poisons humans, destroys species, keeps people in poverty, and contributes to global warming—all without making anyone happier.

An anti-consumerism diatribe is not something people want to hear, though, so you need something short and sweet that grabs and holds peoples’ attention.

That’s what we have in The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard. In just 20 minutes, her little film lays out the problems in our consumption of “stuff” and shows how everything is linked: environmental problems with social justice issues with declining happiness. Plus she shows how corporations have undermined the government in its role of protecting the common good.

Introduction:

Extraction:

Production:

Distribution:

Consumption:

Disposal:

Another way:

Snitched from Yes!, a FABULOUS publication, a favorite of mine for years.

Thanks, Linda!

Homemade, nontoxic bathroom cleaners

Okay, here’s the antidote for the last post. I was just messin’ with you.

Link

No comment

Link

A good HEPA air filter is a bare essential

I replaced the charcoal wrap in the bedroom air filter the other day and I’m not going to tell you how long it’s been since I replaced it (pic below of the dirty filter, ugh). I don’t think I’ll go that long between changes again! The charcoal wrap is supposed to be replaced at least every three months and the High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) unit every three years.

This is a very basic HEPA air filter that helps control particulate matter, i.e. dust, which works very well for me because I have trouble if there is too much dust in the air. The main HEPA filter is at the center of the unit, and then the charcoal wrap goes around the HEPA unit (see pics below).

I run it about a half hour a day, and I also run it while changing the sheets and when vacuuming the house. I don’t close up the windows while I run it and it still cleans the air very well. I love the air after running the filter!

I don’t have any problems with VOCs in the house, so I don’t need a VOC air filter. If you are trying to figure out what type of air filter to use, you need to evaluate what type of contaminants you need to filter out (biological? chemical?). At the very least, you should be using a HEPA filter, and that goes for your vacuum, too because there can be a lot of contaminants in dust. Be sure that you are buying a true HEPA filter and not a “HEPA-type” filter, which does not do as good a job. A good HEPA filter is not cheap, but the results will amaze you.

I don’t have any product brand recommendations but would love to hear from those of you who do because I’d like to buy a unit for my livingroom.

Who’s chirping about Multiple Chemical Sensitivity today?

On the election front:

Lou Cheese, over at Living w/ Mulitple Chemical Sensitivity, braved the Cleveland air to document the Obama rally today. As his photo at left shows: “I packed my bag with extra batteries for the camera, two respirators, and a note from the doctor explaining the requirement for respirator use in public areas,” he says. “Just what every guy needs.” He posted three updates, at 11:00 a.m.,  3:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m. I’ve really enjoyed his perspectives on the presidential race, including his fears of being arrested by the Secret Service at various rallies for being a terrorist because of wearing a respirator!

GreenMuze put together a simple guide to a green voting experience, what they call “Your Eco-Voting Etiquette Guide.” The guide talks about how it’s not enough to just be voting green, you should act like a greenie at the polling place, too. I was delighted to see they recommend a fragrance-free experience. Along with recommending carpooling, eco-friendly water containers, and organic cotton t-shirts, they also say this:

Go scent free.

For many people voting is a social occasion, you see your neighbours, chat with friends, and even perhaps flirt with someone new in the line-ups, but do everyone a favour and go scent free. Increasingly, people are having more chemical sensitivities to perfumes, hairsprays, scented creams and even strong smelling laundry detergents and fabric softeners can be a serious health trigger for many individuals.

The Body Burden reports that everyone alive today carries within her or his body at least 700 contaminants, most of which have not been well studied. Why add more? Going chemical free will reduce the planetary toxic load, is better for your health and much better for the health of those around you. It is time we consider chemical perfumes, hairsprays, shampoos, etc. as equally as noxious as cigarette smoke.

GreenMuze also says “Obama is certainly not the eco-saviour that Al Gore would have been, but he is much better than the McCain/Palin ticket and smart enough to stock his cabinet with good green people.” Exactly!

Tainted candy alert

White Rabbit Creamy Candy, Koala’s March Crème filled Cookies, and Sherwood Brands Pirate’s Gold Milk Chocolate Coins may contain melamine.

I used to eat White Rabbit Creamy Candy as a kid, it’s a local favorite, so this melamine scare is a little creepy to me. Here’s some info from an email I received from momsrising.org:

We want to give you a heads up about some Halloween candy that could be bad for kids: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is warning consumers not to consume White Rabbit Creamy Candy or Koala’s March Crème filled Cookies because they may contain melamine. (1)  And, the Canadian government is warning the public not to consume Sherwood Brands Pirate’s Gold Milk Chocolate Coins, which may also have reached the U.S. (2)

What’s wrong with these candies? You’ve likely heard about the dangerous chemical, melamine, which was recently found in the Chinese milk supply and sickened thousands of children in China.  We’ve now seen reports that melamine tainted milk has been used in some Chinese candy products that have been shipped to the United States. (3)

The good news is that Chinese candy makes up only 0.7% of the candy sold in the U.S. (4) and the risk of serious harm from minor exposure to melamine is considered low by the World Health Organization (5). That said, we wanted to send this out to you because we don’t want our kids eating candy with any toxic ingredients.

*Please forward this email to friends, family, and your school email list so all can be on the lookout for this tainted candy on Halloween.  (And, if you’re not already a member of MomsRising, please sign on now so we can keep you informed: http://www.momsrising.org/fighttoxins)

MomsRising has created a page where you can easily share this information with friends, as well as see pictures of the tainted candies, get more information, and download a flyer that you can post on your school or other community bulletin boards.

See the Tainted Candy Pictures, Get the Flyer & Tell Friends Here:

http://www.momsrising.org/melamine

Enjoy a safe and happy Halloween,

Joan, Kristin, Katie and the MomsRising.org Team

1. http://www.fda.gov/oc/opacom/hottopics/melamine.html

2. Here’s the Canadian government’s warning:

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/recarapp/2008/20081008e.shtml

The Vancouver Globe and Mail:

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20081028.wlhalloween28/BNStory/lifeFamily/home

And an article in the Chicago Tribune:

http://featuresblogs.chicagotribune.com/features_julieshealthclub/2008/10/chocolate-coins.html

3. From Consumer Reports:

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2008/10/chinese_formula07.html,

Candy problem verified on Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/coins.asp

4. http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-09-24-melamine-china_N.htm

5. “Consumers exposed to tiny amounts of melamine shouldn’t worry, says Angelika Tritscher of the World Health Organization. ‘Melamine at low doses is actually not considered to be very toxic.’” Quote from: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-09-24-melamine-china_N.htm

And some recent press coverage:

http://www.nationalpost.com/news/canada/story.html?id=868904

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_10626959

Greenpeace says new Macs less toxic but not perfect

Bravo to Apple for reducing toxic components in their new Macs; now let’s get them totally nontoxic so I can buy one!

I was just about to buy a new Mac but am going to wait now until the end of this year when they’ve totally phased out PVC and flame retardants.

SAN FRANCISCO, United States - Greenpeace welcomed Steve Jobs’ announcement today that Apple’s latest set of notebook computers - the MacBook Pro, MacBook and MacBook Air - as well as the LED Cinema Display will now be free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) internal cables and will no longer contain internal components containing brominated flame retardants (BFRs).

While not completely PVC and BFR-free, these new Mac models mark a significant improvement in toxic chemical phase-out for Apple, progress that is in line with the company’s pledge to phase-out all PVC and BFRs in its entire product line by the end of 2008. This commitment is in large part due to Greenpeace’s “Green My Apple Campaign.”

“Apple has raised the bar for other desktop and notebook companies, specifically on the phase-out of toxic Brominated Flame Retardants in internal components, whichsets a new industry standard for PCs,” said Casey Harrell, Greenpeace International Toxics Campaigner. “Now Apple competitors such as Dell, HP,Lenovo, Toshiba and Acer need to show that they can meet or exceed Apple’stoxic chemical phase-out.”

Electronic devices are a complex mixture of several hundred materials. Many of thesematerials contain certain toxic heavy metals, such as lead, mercury, cadmium and beryllium, and hazardous chemicals such as BFRs and polluting PVC plastic. These dangerous substances cause significant pollution and put workers andrecyclers at risk of exposure when the products are produced or discarded. Ofparticular concern is the exposure of women and children to lead and mercury, metals that are highly toxic and can harm children and developing fetuses even at low levels of exposure.

Link

Link to MacBook Environmental Report and photo credit

Link to related story at InformationWeek

Waterless car wash is clean, green and nontoxic

Lisa Peri, mother to a kid with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, invents a waterless car wash that’s clean, green and nontoxic.

Jennifer Hadley, while at the AltCar Expo in Santa Monica, skeptically watched a demonstration on Lucky Earth Waterless Car Wash and then tried it on her own dirty car. The results will surprise you (in a good way).

I’d like to note that Ms. Hadley calls MCS a “disorder” and an “allergic reaction”– nope, wrong. MCS is not an allergy, it’s a reaction to low level poisoning by toxic chemicals. Although people with MCS can also suffer allergies, the physical symptoms of MCS are not consistent with allergy symptoms. Just sayin’.

While I doubted that Lucky Earth would be any match for the dirt mobile I was driving, I figured it certainly couldn’t make it look any worse. I bought a 32-ounce bottle on the spot for $16.99.

Before I tested Lucky Earth for myself, I gave CEO Lisa Peri a jingle. After she explained how she came up with the idea for the waterless carwash, (her daughter was diagnosed with multi-chemical sensitivity disorder, causing her to have allergic reactions to chemicals), then sheepishly admitted that she used to consider the whole green movement “a big marketing ploy,” I deemed Lisa a woman after my own doubtful heart. I admit that it didn’t hurt that she praised Pasadenans as “very forward thinking” when I asked how sales were going at Whole Foods in Pasadena. Apparently, Lucky Earth has sold quite well at the two stores since its debut in February.

After 20 minutes of talking with Lisa, I was feeling even better about buying Lucky Earth. It’s hypo-allergenic, environmentally safe, prevents toxic run-off and eliminates water waste (a typical car wash uses between 20 and 45 gallons, while those who wash at home waste up to 140 gallons).

But I still doubted it could clean my hot mess of a car.

To my complete surprise, in 31 minutes flat, the X-Terra was cleaner than it’d been in months, windows and all.

Link to full story at Pasadena Weekly

Botanie organic soap recommended for canaries

Catherine, one of our canary flock, who blogs over at Breathez, posted some timely info about an organic soap she recommends for peeps with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. I was just thinking that I need to find some soap, so I’m going to put in an order and try some (unscented). I’ll let you know how it goes. Here’s what Catherine has to say about it:

I just have to pass on a little tidbit of information about the “greatest soap on earth.” Well, I think it’s the greatest anyway, and I’ve converted a good friend here too, who splits a wholesale order with me every six months or so. Botanie Soap is made by a small company in Missoula, Montana, and is available in several natural fragrances as well as no-fragrance-added. It has an olive oil base and just feels yummy on your skin. And it actually cleans, even my four-year-old grandson’s grimy fingers after he’s been digging in the dirt. Best of all, even Randl likes it, so we don’t have to have two separate bars of soap in the shower.

Here’s some info from Botanie:

I have sensitive skin and can’t use soap. Can I use Botanie’s organic herbal soap?

Although we cannot guarantee it, chances are, yes. Most skin sensitivities are aggravated by the synthetic ingredients in lotions, creams, make-up, and soaps. Without these ingredients, however, there is nothing left to irritate your skin. Many people who have had trouble with dermatologist recommended soap or “sensitive skin” soap have found success with Botanie’s Herbal Soap. This is because even doctor recommended sensitive skin soaps contain many unnecessary chemicals that can, and do, irritate your skin. Again, always read the list of ingredients in your soap. Although many people with sensitive skin enjoy using our scented herbal soap varities, we recommend our Unscented Soap for people with extreme sensitivities.

What does Botanie mean by “all natural soap”?

To us, natural soap means a soap whose ingredients are plant based, and we further define our product as an herbal soap. We oppose the body care industry’s use of the word “natural” to include synthetic fragrances, colorants, and preservatives. We add no artificial substances to our soaps, such as synthetic fragrances, dyes, and preservatives, and where possible, we use organically grown products. Our purely herbal soap is scented with essential oils only and colored with organic herbs and plant extracts only. The soap base recipe is made from 100% certified organic oils. Our products contain no parabens. Read through our ingredient list to see what we mean by “natural soap.” Then, to really see what we mean, take a copy of our ingredients with you next time you go to the store and compare them to the ingredients of soaps on the shelves. Your skin will know the difference.

How organic is your soap?

We make every bar with a minimum of 85% organic ingredients. Due to the chemistry of soap, it is almost impossible to go much higher than that. Within the natural products industry, there is a conversation taking place about whether soap can be technically defined as “organic” (since soap is the result of a chemical reaction and most of the original organic materials have been transformed). For our part, we commit to making soap using ONLY organic base oils and keeping our soap’s ingredients above 85% organic. A soap’s raw ingredients are either organic or they’re not, regardless of the definitions, and Botanie commits to using certified organic oils.

Link to Botanie home page

Link to more about Botanie natural soap

Link to Botanie organic soap page

Eco-healthy lunch box kit for kids

The Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) offers an Eco-Healthy Lunch Box Kit to help reduce exposure to toxins and impact on the environment, and increase the amount of healthy, local, and tasty foods kids eat.

What’s in the kit?

• Stainless steel lunch box
• Klean Kanteen® beverage container
• Spudware® biodegradeable, compostable, reusable utensils
• Reusable sandwich wrap
• Environmentally friendly stickers
• Healthy lunch recipe guide
• Environmental health tip magnets
• Green cleaning wallet guide

What we packed…

Stainless steel lunch box + Klean Kanteen®

Many lunch boxes today are made with vinyl. Vinyl is a plastic that releases harmful chemicals throughout its life cycle. During production of vinyl, carcinogenic dioxins are released. Vinyl also incorporates plasticizers called phthalates.

Phthalates mimic hormones once they get into your body and are linked to a number of undesired health outcomes ranging from early onset of puberty to decreased sperm counts and breast cancer. Vinyl lunch boxes have also been found to contain heavy metals such as lead. Lead is a strong neurotoxin and when ingested or inhaled can reduce IQ and interfere with brain development. This stainless steel lunch box is a safe, toxic-free container for your child’s food.

Many common beverage containers contain bisphenol-A (BPA). Examples include see-through, hard plastic sports bottles (those labeled #7) and stainless steel containers that have a BPA lining. BPA mimics estrogen in human bodies after being ingested. BPA has been linked to reduced fertility, breast cancer, prostate cancer and obesity. Klean Kanteens® are BPA-free and reusable. This helps reduce waste created from single-use beverage containers and reduces your family’s exposure to harmful chemicals.

Spudware® utensils

Unlike regular plastic utensils, these potatobased utensils break down in the environment over time, rather than existing for centuries after they are disposed of, or finding their way into our oceans and waterways where plastic can contaminate and injure ocean creatures. These utensils are also reusable!

Reusable sandwich wrap

Designed with a safer plastic (low-density polyethylene or LDPE) and kid-friendly cloth, these reusable sandwich wraps are far better than single-use disposal plastic bags. Plastic bags are petroleum-based products that release potentially harmful chemicals during their production and clog up our waste disposal systems and oceans. The ocean-themed sandwich wraps help remind us that plastic packaging and products increasingly contaminate our oceans as well as kill sea turtles, ocean birds and other sea life. By reducing use of plastic bags, we reduce pollutants in our environment and protect Oregon’s ocean.

Environmentally friendly stickers

Oregon-themed stickers teach children about our natural resources. They can be cut out and organized to create a uniquely personalized Eco-Healthy Lunch Box. The reference sheet provides identification of wonderful places and species that need to be protected in our state. The stickers are made of a vinyl-free material, have a recycled paper backing, and are coated with natural food starch.

Healthy lunch recipe guide

In partnership with New Seasons Market^TM, we’ve provided eight healthy, delicious and easy-to-make lunch box recipes. Each recipe will help you keep the food in your child’s lunch box nutritious and fun! For more nutrition tips, recipes
and seasonal shopping advice, please visit www.newseasonsmarket.com.

Green cleaning guide

Once you get your lunch box home, someone is going to have to clean it. This guide helps you see common kitchen products, such as baking soda, vinegar, and lemon juice, as dirt- and germ-fighting cleaning machines. Using this green cleaning
guide, you can reduce harmful chemicals your family breathes and reduce the chemicals that go down our drains and get into our waterways and harm wildlife.

Environmental health tip magnets (3)

We’ve included three magnets to help you make informed consumer decisions.

1. Seasonal buying guide

Thanks to the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market, this magnet helps you know what produce is in season. By buying produce that’s in season, you help reduce pollutants related to the transport and storage of food, as well as supporting local
farmers. See www.oregonfarmersmarkets.org.

2. Organics purchasing guide

The Environmental Working Group’s organics purchasing guide shows you the types of produce that tend to have higher pesticide residue even after washing. By choosing to buy organic for produce that has higher levels of pesticide residue, you can reduce your family’s exposure in a cost-effective way.
Buying organic also helps to reduce pesticides that end up in Oregon’s wildlife and water. To learn more, please visit www.foodnews.org.

3. Safer plastics guide

This guide helps you choose “safer” plastics. Specifically, we recommend avoiding plastics labeled #3 (Polyvinyl Chloride or vinyl: contains phthalates that mimic hormones in the body), #6 (Polystyrene or Styrofoam: releases carcinogens during production and disposal) and #7 (Bisphenol-A: mimics hormones in the body). In general, avoid plastics.

Click here to order the Eco-Healthy Lunch Box Kit

Link

Fashionable MCS terrorist goes for a bike ride

Lou Cheese, at Living w/ Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, catches his reflection in a bus window while taking a bike ride in Cleveland.

Too bad you couldn’t see the bike. I’ve started wrapping the respirator ensemble in a color-matching silk scarf for bike rides. I can only imagine what the people inside the bus were thinking, probably something like “Well, it’s nice to see the terrorists are making an effort to be a little more fashionable now.”

Link

Article in Salon: Now smell this

There’s a frightening story in Salon on Scent Marketing. The article will make you go nutz, but read through to the comments, they are fascinating.

Note that one of the “experts” quoted is Avery Gilbert, a synthetic fragrance industry hack who recently published a book in which he says Multiple Chemical Sensitivity is a psychosomatic problem. I wrote about it here (comments are pretty interesting on that post).

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Thanks, Eloise!

Link to photo by betsymartian at flickr