• Last updated 6/18/08 by stins

Your outfit says “Dry Clean Only”?    Sometimes you can handwash these items- cool water, very gently (hand powered) agitation, and line drying is safe for many garments that masquerade as "dry clean only."  But for your most treasured (or expensive) items, there are more environmentally friendly options.    The most common method of dry cleaning uses the toxic solvent and probable carcinogen perchloroethylene, commonly referred to as “perc.”  The state of California has enacted a ban on perc, starting in 2023.  The first step, banning dry cleaners from buying machines... read more

• Last updated 6/6/08 by nitedreamer

Many personal products contain harmful chemicals that can be absorbed through the skin and into the body.  The FDA does not require companies to test their products for safety, so you need to do your own research.  There are safer products out there, and a great source for information about the safety of your personal products is the Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.   www.cosmeticsdatabase.com   The database reviews more than 25,000 products against 50 definitive toxicity and regulatory databases.  The database reviews makeup, skin care,... read more

• Last updated 7/21/08 by stins

The Goldman Environmental Prize is the world's largest prize honoring grassroots environmentalists.  Founded in 1990 by Richard and Rhoda Goldman, the Goldman Environmental Prize annually awards US$150,000 to grass roots environmental heroes from each of the world's six inhabited continental regions.  [For more about the prize, see the Goldman Environmental Prize]     Video Clips from the Ceremony  [Forgive the less than perfect videography.]   Prize winner for Europe, Ignace Schops, won for establishing Belgium's first and only national park. (Speech in... read more

• Last updated 4/9/08 by alanwells

Waste Reduction "The first practice to adopt in waste management is to reduce the amount of material to be disposed of. Employing the practices of dematerialisation and designing for disassembly to facilitate reuse and recycling is a means of achieving this.   Reducing the waste generated also minimises the pollutants released into the environment from landfill sites, incineration and dumping at sea.   Another aspect of achieving good waste management is to specify materials that are inert or biodegradable. For example, paints and varnishes that are water-based or... read more

• Last updated 2/1/11 by teej

Why Products Containing Formaldehyde Should be Avoided Pressed wood products (hardwood plywood wall paneling, particleboard, fiberboard) commonly contain formaldehyde resins. "Formaldehyde, a colorless, pungent-smelling gas, can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million). High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. There is evidence that some people can develop a sensitivity to formaldehyde. It has also been shown to cause... read more

• Last updated 5/17/11 by teej

The Legacy of the Digital Age   Ask yourself these questions: How many cell phones have you owned in your life? Televisions? MP3 players? Anything with a battery or an electrical plug? What happened to all of those things?    Most of you will find you have had at least one electronic toy break or get upgraded. Some of you will find that you’ve simply kept that old piece of equipment (it’s probably somewhere under a bed or at the back of a drawer or closet). Others might have donated unwanted items. And others yet will have no idea what really happened to that... read more

• Last updated 1/28/08 by stins

Problems with today's fisheries Overfishing      According to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, globally, human populations derive 16% of its animal protien from marine sources.  As populations increase their wealth, their preference for meat and fish also increases.  In addition to this, more than half a billion people make their livelihoods fishing.  But the world's fisheries have frequently been used as an example as a Tragedy of the Commons - an individual fisher reaps in all the benefits of catching extra fish; however all the harm of... read more