Heard about GMOs? That’s the acronym for “genetically modified organisms.” You may have heard about fish genes in tomatoes? Well it’s worse than that. Many foods that you eat on a daily basis have been forcibly altered with genetic material from other species including pesticides, bacteria, proteins, hormones, etc. What’s worse, we are the guinea pigs in this vast untested experiment.

Folks, this is pretty scary stuff. To learn how and why you and everyone should stop eating GMOs, check out this website: www.ResponsibleTechnology.org.

Unless it is Organic or says NO GMOs, any food containing corn, soy, cotton seed or canola oil, is probably made with GMOs. Many other foods are waiting in the wings to be released. We should have The Right to Know! but for now the FDA and Monsanto refuse to label GMO foods.

It’s time  for a consumer revolt!

Rate Before You Buy!

If you have a computer and, better yet, a “smart”-style phone with internet access, we have the ultimate green tip for you. This site is remarkable: www.goodguide.com. It will give you ratings on over 100,000 items from personal care to food to household, apparel, cars….you name it! It has a mobile application which, once you set it up, all you have to do is scan the bar code of the item you’re looking at and you will get an instant rating. It rates different categories for any product: health, environment, and social justice. You can “filter” the categories according to your own preferences. For example, if your main concern is animal rights, you will always receive the rating on that particular category first. The website has a “how it works”

If you have a computer and, better yet, a “smart”-style phone with internet access, we have the ultimate green tip for you. This site is remarkable:  www.goodguide.com. It will give you ratings on over 100,000 items from personal care to food to household, apparel, cars….you name it!  It has a mobile application which, once you set it up, all you have to do is scan the bar code of the item you’re looking at and you will get an instant rating. It rates different categories for any product:  health, environment, and social justice.  You can “filter” the categories according to your own preferences.  For example, if your main concern is animal rights, you will always receive the rating on that particular category first.  The website has a “how it works”

Recycled Card Program

Don’t despair over all those greeting cards accumulating in your desk.  St. Jude’s Ranch has a great Recycled Card Program.  Operated by Kid’s Corp., a program for the children at St. Jude’s Ranch to learn entrepreneurship skills, the children participate in making the new cards by removing the front and attaching a new back. The result is a beautiful new card made by the children and volunteers. The benefits are two-fold: customers receive “green” holiday cards for use and the children receive payment for their work and learn the benefits and importance of “going green.”  You can purchase “new” cards as well as donate your old ones. The cards are sold in packets of 10 for $10. There are different addresses for donations and purchases, so go to the website for all the details:  http://www.stjudesranch.org/shop/recycled-card-program/

Singing the BPA Blues

Bisphenol A (BPA,) an industrial chemical used in making many plastics, has become so prevalent in our world that we must do certain things to protect ourselves.  Why?  BPA is an “estrogen mimicker.”  Scientists are learning more all the time, but suffice to say it can predispose us to certain kinds of cancer, as well as other health problems.   What can you do?  Do your best to reduce plastic use, particularly as relates to food and drink.  Always opt for glass containers when possible and use a stainless steel water bottle.  Most important, never microwave food or drink in plastic containers, even if it says “microwave safe.” Plastic containers labeled #7 contain BPA.  Even the linings of metal food containers and drink cans contain it!  When you use plastic of any kind don’t put it in the dishwasher.  For more ideas check out www.lifewithoutplastic.com.

Here’s a tip from the “Healthy Child Healthy World” website: “My non-toxic trick is treating stains with hydrogen peroxide or white vinegar before they have time to set in. I let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes and then scrub with an old toothbrush if it’s stubborn. When it’s time to send through the washer, I only run in cold water since hot water sets stains.” And, of course, by using cold water this wise person is also saving energy.

We have talked about common items that don’t belong in the recycling bin.  One of these is plastic bottle caps.  You are supposed to remove the caps, rinse the bottle, trash the cap, and recycle the bottle.  Why, you may ask?  Because those little caps fall through the cracks and jam up the machinery at the recycling plant.  So what happens to those thousands of bottles that are carelessly tossed into the recycling bin with the caps still attached?  Well, the plant engineers have developed a method of  popping off the caps — the bottle is still recycled, but the caps are trashed. There is one company that has decided to address this problem:  Aveda.  They make beauty products.  (If you go to Aveda.com and read “about Aveda,” you will see that they are a leader in the beauty industry for environmental initiatives — wind power, certified organic ingredients, responsible packaging to name a few.)  In partnership with community schools Aveda has built a recycling program for plastic bottle caps. They currently incorporate caps into their hair-care line and will continue to incorporate recycled caps into future Aveda products.  The schools program has reached capacity, but you can leave caps at the Aveda store at West Farms mall. More details at http://aveda.com/aboutaveda/caps.asp where you can also find a “Cap Collection Guide.”

Enjoy summer’s bounty!

Eat local veggies.

Eat local fruits.

Eat less animal protein.

Eat more vegetable protein.

Summertime! Picnics! Cookouts! Don’t forget to be “green.” It’s shocking how those paper goods mount up in the landfills, but it doesn’t have to be that way. By taking your washable plates and utensils you will save money and reduce trash. Now, if you don’t have any “suitable” dishes for this purpose (i.e. old, mismatched or unwanted plates and flatware) then take a look at a discount store such as Ocean State Joblot where you will find inexpensive, unbreakable plates as well as utensils. You might also check out the Goodwill Store or other thrift shop for even better bargains.

And don’t forget: our annual church picnic on July 17 will be green too – BYOD (bring your own dishes.)

When flying is the only reasonable option for visiting dear ones living thousands of miles from here, it’s only natural to feel a bit guilty about all that car­bon being spewed into the atmosphere.  (Nothing can spike your carbon footprint like air travel!) So, why not buy a “TerraPass?”  This is a “carbon offset,” which doesn’t do anything to remove the carbon diox­ide released from the plane, but it does two things:

(1) It makes you feel better and (2) The money goes to clean-energy funding and conservation projects. It does have its critics, mostly stating that it’s just a means to assuage your guilt, but the reviews are gen­erally good, and I for one am all in favor of investing in more clean energy.  TerraPass has partnered with Expedia, so if you book a flight with them you will be given the option to buy a certificate.  The co-marketed Flight TerraPass comes at three purchase levels: 1,000 lbs of CO2 for $5.99; 2,500 lbs of CO2 for $16.99; and 5,000 lbs of CO2 for $29.99, enough to balance about 2,200 miles; 6,500 miles; and 13,000 miles of flying, respectively. You can also buy certificates di­rectly at www.terrapass.com and there is lots more information on the website as well.

Even though those wonderful little LED (light­emitting diode) bulbs are still quite expensive, the prices are coming down.  (I heard Lowe’s has them for $9.98!)  Outfitting your entire house might be cost prohibitive, but get this: Researchers at the Union of Concerned Scientists say, “if a million households each replaced one 40-watt incandescent bulb with a six-watt LED, and used it six hours per day, more than 53,000 metric tons of heat-trapping carbon dioxide would be kept out of the atmos­phere per year.”  And here is the amazing part:  If that one bulb is used six hours per day it will last for 23 years! And it will cost less in electricity.  Based on 10 cents-per­kilowatt hour,  the LED costs $30 to operate over its life­time, vs. $55 for the lifetime of the CFL (compact fluores­cent) bulb. They are safer too, generating less heat and containing no mercury.  I hope that by the time my CFLs are finished (please recycle your dead CFLs at Home De­pot; they contain small amounts of mercury,) the price of the LED bulbs will have come down even more.  Mean­while I better buy just one – I may not live for another 23 years!