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Necessarian Section

My beautiful children have been in my life for three and a half years and 16 months now respectively. I brought them into this world naturally. How else could they have come? Unnaturally? A good friend of mine told me that she had a real problem with the terms “natural” and “unnatural” childbirth. My children were born out of my “zipper”, a 6 inch long incision in my abdomen just above my bikini line; a.k.a a cesarean section. Otherwise, I would have died. Modern science has given me choices that women would not have had a hundred years ago. In a perfect world, I would have had a drug-free, incense enhanced, birth that was a celebration of womanhood. Instead, I had a drug-enhanced, high tech, high intervention, celebration of modern medicine.

Labour with Chloe began at 4 am on Friday morning. I was so excited. After my husband and I carefully timed and recorded my contractions in our little notebook to make sure that they were regular, I called my doulas and my parents. Life’s miracle had started!

My carefully orchestrated birth plans began to go awry when I was sent home from the hospital the second time because I had not dilated enough; a mere 2 centimetres after 24 hours. All the books and articles written about labour don’t tell you about wanting to punch out the poor soul who delivered this news. Hard labour began soon I arrived home. My contractions were virtually on top of each other for the whole day. I thought that Chloe was playing my spine like a xylophone. My husband, mom, dad and doulas took turns jamming their hands into my lower back and walking a well-worn path into my carpet. At about 4pm, we decided, once again to journey to the hospital, only this time, I couldn’t bear the thought of sitting down, so I groaned on all fours in the back of an SUV (God help the cop who tried to pull us over for unsafe driving).

Three tries lucky. I demanded to be seen. After my millionth pelvic exam, they put me into a birthing room. I gave the nurses my gift of chocolate and a copy of my birth plan as an incentive to follow my carefully thought-out instructions. The patient and helpful nurses crawled around on all fours with a heart rate monitor up my nightgown to check Chloe’s heart rate because I refused to get into bed. Two more hours went by. Another pelvic, this time by an Ob.Gyn. I was still only 2 centimetres dilated, and Chloe had not descended. I was told that she was going to have to be delivered by c-section. All that work! I cried, and then reluctantly agreed.

It was time for the epidural. There was no break in my contractions, and the hospital bed was as inviting as a concrete slab covered in scorpions and lit on fire. My instructions were to get into bed and lie perfectly still so that this long, gleaming, needle filled with morphine didn’t go into the wrong spot. Sucking back nitrous oxide didn’t remove the pain, but it removed my concern about the pain. After some jabs, the anesthesiologist ran from my birthing room to get the head of the department; apparently, he had missed his mark 3 times! Panic stricken doctors fleeing from my hospital room did little to put my war weary parents at ease. The head anesthesiologist had no problems. I hadn’t realized that when you bought an epidural, a catheter came free. Bonus! An epidural renders you completely numb from just under your ribcage to your toes, and the hospital doesn’t want any stray urine making a mess.

The operating room was cold. I could almost see my breath. I wanted Chloe to be put skin to skin against my chest after emerging, but she would have been frozen. In reality, a curtain is put up at chin level to mercifully separate you and your hapless husband from the grizzly reality of surgery. As far as Fraser was concerned, Chloe materialized by osmosis, pre wrapped in blankets, aided by beautiful butterflies, and strong, but dainty fairies. My arms were strapped to boards on either side of my body and attached to machines to carefully measure my every function. I couldn’t lift them even if I tried. I was quivering with fear. While I was pregnant, the c-section was an amorphous concept to me; not major abdominal surgery. After feeling a lot of tugging, I heard a cry. She was here! Chloe was immediately whisked away, out of my sight, to be cleaned up, weighed, and apgar’ed. Fraser watched the whole scene because I couldn’t move. The first time I met Chloe, I couldn’t touch her, because my hands were strapped down. Fraser brought her close to me so I could nuzzle, kiss and smell her. Wonderous!

In recovery, I was so exhausted, I couldn’t lift my arms. Nurses were bustling about me, cleaning and changing my dressings while I slept. Chloe spent most of her first couple of hours nestled against Fraser’s chest. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have a strong birth partner; especially when having a c-section. Fraser gave Chloe that special bonding time that she so desperately needed because I was physically unable to so. Daddy met and snuggled his baby daughter without having to share her just yet.

About those dressings….

A word of advice for all women giving birth soon; c-section or not: bring your own underwear and pads. Did you ever wonder what happened to all the sanitary napkin and belt systems? Vancouver hospitals bought them. They look especially appealing when accompanied by paper underwear. Enough said.

As the epidural began to wear off, what struck me the most was not the pain, it was manageable, but the itch was unbearable. Apparently, many people get uncontrollably itchy as a side effect of the morphine in the epidural. Bring moisturizer to the hospital if you are having an epidural; it helps a great deal. The hospital gave me an antihistamine to control the itch. If it is offered to you, make sure that you find out if it is non-drowsy unless you are looking for a “Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds” experience. The room was spinning for about 2 hours afterwards.

Breastfeeding was new and exciting. I have never had so many strangers manhandle my boobs. Everyone had an opinion on the correct technique. Nurses would come by and squish my breast like a hamburger in an attempt to get Chloe to latch properly. One poor friend of mine told me that the janitor came over and “manipulated” her breast into a proper latch. People just love to help J

I was ravenously hungry the next morning. It had been about a day and half since my last food. I started salivating when my morning tray arrived. Bacon! Eggs! Toast with peanut butter! Hash browns! Mmmm. I wheeled my bedside table over in eager anticipation. I lifted the lid and was greeted by jello and chicken broth. I began to size up the nurse to see if she would be tough and stringy or tender and meaty. Another little c-section detail that was left out of my education was no food until you “pass gas”. You must drink some terrible medicine prior to surgery to halt digestion. The indicator that everything has started moving again is the noble, yet humble fart. My digestive track took 12 hours to start moving again, prompting many whispered inquiries as to the state of my flatulence.

I planned for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean) with Logan. I chose a midwife this time for a more soulful experience. Contractions started on Sunday, and Logan was born on Thursday afternoon naturally by cesarean. I didn’t labour hard, but I laboured long – 5 days. I walked and walked and walked. Ikea and Metrotown Mall were like old familiar friends. I got all my Christmas shopping done. My water finally broke on Thursday morning prompting an immediate c-section to avoid cord prolapse as Logan had not descended. My beautiful boy had arrived.
Logan’s birth was soulful because I knew what was going to happen, and I had a great team. This time around, I was more relaxed and more prepared. I loved being pregnant. I loved the miracle of growing a person inside my skin. I love that I was able to have 2 beautiful kids without dying in the process. Your birth experience can be soulful, spirited and filled with humour. It is what you make of it.

Posted in Katrina's Musings |

What is the Difference Between Blood Plasma and Blood Serum?

Blood plasma and blood serum are both devoid of blood cells and platelets.  The difference is in the clotting factors. Blood plasma still contains the proteins that allow it to clot: fibrinogen and other clotting factors, whereas blood serum has had the clotting factors removed.

What’s left you might wonder. Blood serum is about 90% water with dissolved proteins, minerals, hormones and carbon dioxide and is an important source of electrolytes. Blood from a single donation is separated into its component parts: proteins (albumin and others), red blood cells (carry oxygen), white blood cells (fight disease) and clotting factors, enabling a hospital to custom treat people for different disorders. For example,  blood plasma (with the clotting factors) is given to counteract the negative effects of a coumadin overdose, liver failure, or to treat disorders in which blood clotting is a problem.

Posted in Anatomy, What is the Difference |

What is Mercury Poisoning?

Firstly, where is the mercury coming from? Everywhere apparently! The most common poisonings come from ingesting fish such as swordfish, shark, king mackerel, and tuna. The mercury comes from the environmental build up of industrial wastes and other sources and is concentrated up the food chain: fish “a” is contaminated by its environment. Fish “b” eats fish “a”, fish “c” eats fish “b” and so on, each time, the mercury is concentrated in the flesh of the fish further up the food chain. Subsequently, the EPA advises women of child bearing age, nursing, or pregnant women, and young children to avoid eating the above mentioned fish.

What about amalgam fillings? The US National Institute of Health have ruled amalgam fillings to be safe, but there remains controversy over these findings. Some countries in Northern Europe: Norway, Sweden and Denmark have banned amalgam fillings. Amalgam poses an environmental risk as well. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 50% of environmental mercury levels come dentistry; manufacture of fillings, etc.

Symptoms of mercury poisoning include poor coordination, and impaired vision, speech and hearing. According to these symptoms, I have mercury poisoning every morning before my daily caffeine fix, but I digress. Additional signs include desquamation;a mass shedding of skin. Pink disease, a condition characterized by pain and pink discoloration of the hands and feet affected children in the first half of the 20th century. This was likely caused by a teething powder containing Calomel that contained mercury. Childhood occurrences of Pink Disease decreased dramatically after Calomel was removed in the early 1950’s. Mercury mainly attacks the central nervous system – your brain and spinal cord, the endocrine system – anything to do with hormones/neurotransmitters, and your kidneys.

Thiomersal, containing mercury, is a preservative used in vaccines. There is much controversy around thiomersal being the cause of autism in children. I don’t weigh in on either side, but since this controversy began, there are fewer vaccines containing thiomersal. It should be noted however, the FDA, WHO and the Institute of Medicine has reject the hypothesis that thiomersal plays any role in developing autism.

Some skin whitening products, popular in Asian culture have been found to contain 9,000 to 60,000 times the recommended exposure to mercury. These cosmetics are banned in the US, but some still manage to make it onto the market, so be wary and read, read, read ingredient labels. Please note that these skin whitening products are not the same toxic products the Geisha women were using. Their white face make up used to contain lead, not mercury.

Florescent light bulbs release mercury when broken in the form of liquid and vapour. There are safe methods to dispose of broken bulbs and many municipalities or counties have rules and regulations governing the safe clean up and disposal of florescent bulbs. Unlike you may currently practice, florescent bulbs are NOT to be thrown out with regular garbage or recycling.

Posted in Health |

10 Interesting Facts about the US Flag

Another name for the American Flag; Old Glory actually refers to a specific flag owned by Captain William Driver. Old Glory was made with 24 stars and 13 red and white stripes representing the original 13 colonies: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina and Rhode Island. Old Glory traveled with Driver on his ship and circled the globe twice before retiring with Driver in Nashville. The flag was hidden away inside Driver’s bedspread in Nashville, when Tennessee seceded from the Union. When the war was over, Driver joyously ripped open his bedding to an astonished group of patriots to be proudly displayed for all to see. Sadly, due its fragile state and incredible historical and sentimental value, Old Glory’s last show was at the Tennessee State Museum in 2006. It now lives in the Smithsonian.

The red, white and blue stripes are strictly defined as Dark Red (Pantone 193 C), White (Pantone safe), and Navy Blue (281 C).

The current version of the US flag was designed by an 18 year old high school student, who only received a “B-“ for his efforts. Robert Heft, took exception to this grade, and issued his teacher a challenge: if Heft’s design proposal was accepted by Congress, he would deserve and receive an “A”. Heft earned his “A”, and by presidential proclamation in 1958, his design was officially adopted as the nation’s flag.

The US flag is never to be “dipped” to any person or thing, except in the case of a naval ship signaling to a foreign country’s ship.

If harm should come to the flag, it must be disposed of in a dignified manner; namely by burning; which is the proper way of destroying a flag that is long in the tooth. The flag must not be allowed to touch the ground, but need not be disposed of if dropped by accident. If the flag is displayed at night, it must be illuminated.

The US flag must not be used on any item designed to be disposable. Darn; there goes my flag coffee cup.

6 US flags are currently stationed on the moon. Must be tough to have them illuminated there. They were put there by Apollo 11, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Other countries who have/had flags on the moon include, the Soviet Union, EU and India. India’s flag is the most recent, and to be fair, their flag was not so much planted, as it was mashed as it hurtled towards the moon in a fiery collision.

When folded properly, the US flag is shaped like a triangle with only the stars showing. If you have exacting standards, it usually takes 13 folds: the same number of original colonies.

The original flag had 13 red and white stripes with a Union Jack in the upper left corner. There was, for a brief time, a US flag with 15 stars and 15 stripes, made to welcome Kentucky and Vermont. The US government reverted to the 13 stripe model as the new version of the flag looked too cluttered. This 15 stars and stripes version, however, inspired Francis Scott Key to write “The Star Spangled Banner” in 1814.

The US flag bears a close likeness to the flag of Liberia; who is connected to the US through involvement in the slave trade; many slaves were taken from Liberia. For this reason, I would think Liberia would want to be as different as it could possibly be. The Liberian flag also has 13 stripes.

Posted in Government |

Ice Cream Should Be Called Iced Modified Milk Ingredients…yum

Did you know that it is almost impossible to find true ice cream in your supermarket aisles? I first learned of this problem when I was shopping with a friend who was pregnant and suffering from gestational diabetes. Her doctor told her that she could have ice cream as long as the first ingredient listed on the container was cream. You’d think a product with “cream” in its title would be made mostly of cream; and you’d be right, but what you may not realize is most of these products don’t have “cream” anywhere in the title. In addition, most aren’t even called ice cream when you look at the fine print on the container; they are called a “frozen dessert”. When I see this, I am immediately suspicious, forcing my skeptical eyes towards the ingredient label. Most of the time, the first ingredient is Modified Milk Ingredients (MMI’s).

So what are MMI’s? They are derived from milk and consist of products such as butteroil, whey, casein, and if you are lucky, powdered milk. Miss Tuffet would be rolling over in her grave if she knew how her precious whey was being used. Whey is a byproduct of cheese manufacturing; the liquid that remains after the milk has been curdled and strained. I’ll leave that for the spider thanks! Butteroil is 50% sugar. Casein is isolated milk protein. Most MMI’s are imported from Australia or New Zealand for a cheap cost as they are not considered “fresh milk” and are therefore not subject to the same import tax. In Canada, a food can be labeled as “Made in Canada” if 50% or more of the cost of product manufacturing takes place in Canada. What does this mean? Well, if you get your modified milk ingredients from New Zealand, your chocolate chips from the United States and your mint flavoring from China, but mix the ingredients into a frozen dessert in Canada and pour them into a Canadian made container, you can label it as a “Product of Canada”. For more information on “Made in Canada” products, check out the CBC Marketplace special.

How do they make frozen dessert taste creamy? They add various guar gums and carrageenan and other stuff to give the dessert its trademark creamy texture which, rather than being creamy, is more gummy.

Posted in Food, Health |

What is a Dual Flush Toilet?

Our home seems to be cursed. We always have one toilet out of order due to leaks or improper closing of flaps, or any number of weird and wonderful problems. It has been such since we moved here over 4 years ago. I recently had the sublime experience of sitting upon a truly royal throne at my friend’s place. Not only was the seat comfortable – gently hugs my ample butt without leaving any line indentations, but it didn’t have those little annoying screws at the bottom that are pee and rust magnets. Its base goes right to the floor. No fuss and/or muss. These features, however wonderful, pale in comparison to the round, segmented button on top of the tank; a dual flush toilet. I need only press the left button if yellow and the right button if brown. More water and greater suction are supplied if more.. er.. matter finds itself needing to be disposed of.

The dual flush toilet came about as a result of consumers demanding water conserving toilets, but not at the expense of having to flush more than once for everything to go down the tube. The initial low flow toilets used a mere 6 liters of water (about one and a half gallons) per flush. Rudimentary designs by manufacturers simply swapped the standard 13 liter tank for a 6 liter tank, while leaving everything else the same. The problem with this design is that the pushing power of 13 liters is far greater than the pushing power of 6 liters, necessitating multiple flushes to do away with waste. Many municipalities enacted codes that made installation of these toilets mandatory in all new building projects. Most early model low flow toilets ended up using more water than their 13 liter brethren because it took 2-3 flushes to remove all traces of a bowel movement from the toilet.

A great man, an engineer, who suffered at the hands of these streaky 6 liter toilets knew there had to be a better way. He began a company called Veritec Consulting, whose soul purpose is to evaluate water loss in municipalities and work with government to find ways to conserve water. His company has rated over 700 different toilets using Maximum Performance testing (MaP). The potty mind in me finds the testing media interesting. Obviously, for safety and hygeine reasons, using real human feces for testing purposes was a no go, but Veritec came up with a suitable alternative after testing the average male and average female fecal output eating a regular diet: textured, extruded soy fake poo. Is there anythingt the soy bean can’t do? These tests resulted in the design of the dual flush toilets; many of which use suction rather than mere gravity to push the waste down.

Who makes these toilets and how much do they cost?

American Standard makes the FloWise ™ toilet that retails for $300 and up.

Toto makes several different models of dual flush toilets between $300 and $600 dollars.

Caroma, the pioneers of this technology carry an extensive line of dual flush toilets that vary wildly in cost.

Posted in Eco, Technology |

What Do You Do With Leftover Paint?

When we moved into our current home, there were paint cans corresponding to every room in our home; some more full than others. There were both alkyd (oil) and latex paints. The previous owners were “kind” enough to leave their problem with us to deal with. In my previous life, I worked at a paint store. At that time, although it was the right thing to do, our store didn’t accept back old paint for recycling. If your company produces a toxic product, then it should be your responsibility to assist in the safe disposal of that product, but sadly, this isn’t the case for most paint companies.

The National Paint and Coatings Association (NPCA) recommends the following procedures to deal with proper latex paint disposal after the reduce, reuse, recycle options have been exhausted:

If there is about 1/2 an inch of paint left in the bottom of the container, remove the lid and let stand to dry in an area away from kids and pets. Once the paint in the can is totally dry, recycle the metal or plastic container, or if that isn’t possible, throw the can out in the garbage with the lid off. In our region of British Columbia, it is illegal to throw away any paint either down the drain or into landfills. It must be taken to a regional hazardous waste disposal organization. If there is more than 1/2 an inch in your can, the NPCA recommends finding a shallow container, filling it with shredded newspaper or kitty litter, and pouring the paint into this abosorbant container. Once it is dry, it can be thrown out (unless you live in my area – be sure to check the laws governing paint disposal in your area). Your brushes and roller should be washed in the sink totally away from any storm drains. I am a little confused about this rule; because it isn’t O.K. to dispose of wet paint down the drain or toilet, and yet brushes and rollers are filled with wet paint, and that waste water goes down the drain. I guess if it is in small enough amounts diluted with lots of water, it ok.

Alkyd or Oil based paints are much more difficult to deal with. Look online, or phone your local municipality to find out the specific rules in your area, but generally, oil based paints must be dealt with by experienced paint disposal people in centrally located stations in your particular region. For example, in BC, we have a Paint and Product Care program that has used paint drop off depots in 100 different locations across the province. In fact, it is becoming increasingly difficult to purchase oil paints for any purpose because latex technology is getting better and better; resulting in comparable products.

Many companies are making a low VOC/no VOC product alternatives. General Paint (Canadian company) has a product called Z-Coat; an interior latex paint that releases no VOC’s (Volitile Organic Compounds). Cloverdale Paints has an extensive line of low VOC paints. Sherwin Williams has their Harmony line of paints that have zero VOC’s. Pratt and Lambert have their Red Seal line that they advertise as a “green” product.

It is clear from the research about what you CANNOT do with leftover paint:

Do not pour it down the drain or toilet – it will end up polluting groundwater and/or ocean water.

Do not throw out the can with wet paint sealed inside. Firstly, alkyd/oil paints are flammable and who knows what delightful mixture your paint will be mixed with in the neighborhood garbage truck. Garbage men have enough to deal with without your paint cans causing fires in the back of the truck. Secondly, due to outgassing of wet paint, pressure builds up in the can; this can also lead to an explosion.

Do not throw out wet rollers and brushes for they can contaminate soil and ground water.

Be sure to check with your local laws as to proper disposal techniques, and remember, paint and related products are not the only ones with disposal restrictions. Have a look at some of your cleaning products: bleach, disinfectants, drain opener, spot and stain remover and toilet bowl cleanser all may require special waste precautions.

Check out Carnival of the Green for this article and others on clean living.

Posted in Eco |

Bisphenol A Can Lead To Metabolic Syndrome

A University of Cincinnati research paper published in the August 14 Journal of Environmental Health Perspectives reveals that humans exposed to regular environmental levels of Bisphenol A were found with a build up of this chemical in their fatty tissues. Bisphenol A blocks the hormone adiponectin, responsible in the body’s regulation of insulin levels. Decreased levels of adiponectin can lead to metabolic syndrome; which is a decreased sensitivity to insulin and increased blood sugar and lipid levels. Metabolic syndrome can lead to Type II diabetes, coronary artery disease and strokes.

This study is unique for two reasons: firstly, the tests were done on normal human tissue samples, not on mice or rats, and secondly, these people were exposed to regular environmental levels of Bisphenol A, not artificially inflated levels. The tissue samples were taken from patients undergoing breast or abdominal surgery and exposed saturated with a Bisphenol A concentration that was realistic to everyday life; between 0.1 and 10 nanomolar.

As if we didn’t already have a reason to spurn this notorious chemical. Its estrogen mimicing effects have been linked to obesity and carcinogenic effects on developing fetuses. If you have plastic with a 3 or a 7 in the little triangle symbol, it has Bisphenol A. Luckily, it will become harder and harder to find because most manufacturers are voluntarily removing this chemical from their products.

Read the full press release on Eureka Alert.

Want to know more about Potentially Harmful Food Additives and Food Packaging Products?

Posted in Uncategorized |

Burning Candles Can Cause Indoor Air Pollution

I was interested to read the research out there. Long ago, I decided to stop burning paraffin wax candles in my home, knowing that they are petroleum derived and that burning petroleum products releases a whole host of carcinogens. Aside from my assumption, I knew very little about the actual danger associated with burning candles. The research out there is even scarier than I had originally thought.

Lead

In order to make the wicks more durable, candle makers have been using a lead or zinc core surrounded by cotton or other materials. When burned, this lead ends up in the air as particulate matter and settles on surrounding furniture. Lead is toxic to humans and there is a lawsuit pending against a retailer who sold a woman candles containing lead that subsequently produced lead poisoning in her family members. The lead concentration in her home, caused by burning candles with lead wicks was 27 times the safe allowable amount in her area. To avoid candles with lead wicks, gently scrape away a little bit of the top layer of wax at the base of the wick to look for metallic fibers. Unless the candle specifically states that it contains no lead, don’t buy or burn the candle. Zinc is used as a wick stablizer as well, but I was unable to find any specific health claims related to zinc; that is not to say that there aren’t any. Another way to check for a lead wick is to gently fan the fibers at the top of the wick and look for shiny metal mixed in. This also indicates and lead or zinc core. Another problem with burning candles containing lead, aside from the airborne particulate matter is the soot produced by the burning. If you are dusting your house and notice the cloth contains darker “dust” than normal, you may have soot build up. Whether you candles have lead or not, burning creates soot. When children put their hands in this dirty dust, then into their mouths, they are getting an even higher dose of lead and other burning byproducts.

Smoke Anyone?

The National Candle Association states that candles and other home products such as cooking oils  are “everyday household sources of soot are not considered a health concern.” According to the EPA, however, paraffin wax candles, when burned are known to release benzene and tolulene – cigarrette anyone? When I was a child, my parents used to burn dollar store candles in the house to “burn the smoke out of the air”. Although it made no appreciable difference to the amount of cigarrette smoke, it probably made the situation worse! The soot from burning candles causes financial hardships as well. Heating and air conditioning manufacturers are successfully fighting law suits over apparently “deffective” units because the build up of soot from candles caused the equipment failure. So who to believe? Well, obviously both parties have agendas, but I am going to side with the EPA on this one. But, keep in mind, it was the soot from all burning candles; not just paraffin candles.

Making Sense of Scents

Another addititive to watch out for, in paraffin, soy and other candles is artificial scent. People with allergies have known for years that articial scents found in insense, perfume, air fresheners and candles causes their asthma to spike, their nose and eyes to water and their sinuses to become irritated. Many of the scents used make therapeutic aromatherapy claims. There are some companies that use genuinely good quality essential oils when making their candles, but many (probably most) don’t, and furthermore, need not disclose the ingredients used to generate the “tranquility” or “sensual” aromas they give out. The smell generated to “improve” the odour in your home serves only to mask other smells with a more powerful chemical smell. In addition, many artificially scented candles have been shown to release volatile organic compounds (VOC’s), another significant health hazard. A happy alternative would be to purchase good quality essential oils and place a few drops into boiling water to infuse your house with a natural smell. The American Lung Association suggests avoiding scented and long burning candles.

Soy, Palm and Beeswax Candles: Are They Safer Alternatives?

Both soy and beeswax candles burn at a cooler, slower rate and, according to the sources that I could find, produce much less soot than paraffin wax candles. Soy candle drippings are easily cleaned up with soap and water. My understanding is that anything that can burn, can produce unused carbon particulate matter. Soy candles are no exception. My internet research turned up the same conclusion. Any websites that made the “soy” is less toxic claim have been websites that sell candles. Hardly unbiased. Most sources that I read that attempt an unbiased opinion based on science say there is no real difference between the soot produced from soy candles and the soot produced from paraffin candles. All candles will produce soot, and all will produce soot in greater quantities when the wick is too long, or the flame is disturbed away from its normal teardrop shape. A tangible benefit to beeswax and soy candles is they both come from a renewable resource; whereas paraffin comes from crude oil which is non renewable. Some sites I visited claimed soot from parafin candles is equivalent to burning diesel fuel in your home; while others say there is no difference. The great debate continues. Beeswax candles produce a natural “honey” scent without the addition of chemicals. These are what I opt for in my home.

Here is my conclusion, based on the research: all three kinds of candles produce soot which can clog air filters and deposit particulate matter into the indoor environment. Minimize the soot produced by trimming the wick to 1/4 inch, taking care to disturb the flame as little as possible. One of the biggest contributing ingredients to indoor air pollution in candles are their added fragrances. Most companies don’t divulge the exact ingredients that make up their special aromas. As I said above, I like beeswax candles because they naturally produce a honey scent when burned. I still feel uncomfortable burning paraffin candles in my house, simply because it is a non renewable, petroleum product (and the above claim that burning paraffin candles could be the same as burning diesel fuel). My research revealed no conclusive evidence on either side of the equation, but I will continue to burn only beeswax in my home… just in case.

Maybe you want to create a delightful fragrance without burning anything? Check out this site for ideas.

Check out more tips for examining our impact on our planet at Cirque du Vert.

Posted in Eco, Health, Technology |

What is a Carbon Credit?

Carbon credits have recently been available for purchase. Until now, I have only had a loose understanding of what it meant to buy carbon credits. When booking a flight for myself and my daughter, Expedia.ca offered the option of offsetting our carbon emmissions of the plane ride by purchasing carbon credits. Because I am trying to have the smallest carbon footprint that is conveniently possible (as are most people), I opted in.

What is a Carbon Credit?

Quite simply, you pay money to account for each tonne of carbon dioxide; or one of the other 5 common environmental pollutants that you create. “You” can refer to individuals, corporations or political entities. So say, for example, that I generate 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, and each carbon credit costs $20 per tonne. I would have to pay $200 to be carbon neutral; meaning, that I am paying a fee for each tonne of greenhouse gases I produce and this fee contributes to products that either sequester carbon, or invest in green, renewable energy projects. To summarize, I produce 10 tonnes of carbon and I pay to have ten tonnes removed from our atmosphere.

Kyoto Protocol and Raising Awareness About Carbon Emissions

The Kyoto Protocol was initiated by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and ratified (agreed to in principle) by 181 countries and the European Union as a whole, individual entity in 1997, and was put into effect in 2005. This protocol was proposed by the international community to address and reduce greenhouse gas emmissions that have led to global climate change. Member countries are placed into different categories; Annex I countries make up the industrialized nations. Annex II countries are developed countries that provide financial support to the developing countries. The Annex II grouping consists of countries that are members of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The third and final category makes up the developing nations, who have no limitations on greenhouse gas emissions as emissions are an essential byproduct to building a stable economy and raising their citizens out of poverty. Once these countries become “developed” they are then subject to the greenhouse caps that Annex I and II countries currently have. Many countries are both Annex I and II countries. The allowable emissions for member countries are between 6 and 8% less than their 1990 emission levels; meaning the limit is different for every member country; keeping in mind that developing nations are exempt from emission caps and are inelligible to sell carbon credits. It is up to each individual country to regulate their industrial outputs to meet the 1990 levels of emissions. Although the Kyoto meeting was one of many meetings that took place in the COP’s (Conference of Parties), it is the most well known because it is the conference that made countries legally liable for exceeding allowable greenhouse emissions. The Kyoto Accord is the teeth in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, and is therefore synonymous with raising global awareness about climate change.

Who Produces Carbon Credits and How Are They Regulated?

Typically, companies who explore, produce and promote alternate energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal energy sell carbon credits. Other organizations with available carbon credits include companies that destroy carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases directly. Carbon dioxide sequestration is the process of converting CO2 gas into a solid form by chemical or physical means. For example, carbon dioxide combined with quick lime (calcium oxide) forms limestone that can be used in construction projects.

The Clean Development Mechanism is a governing set of rules set by the Kyoto Protocol to determine which companies and projects can generate carbon credits. This is necessary because anyone who sets up a company could promise that they were developing/using/investing in alternative energy sources, start selling carbon credits and make out like bandits while doing nothing to stop climate change. The CDM is not the only regulatory body to certify carbon credits, but they are the most well known. If you are purchasing a CDM certfied carbon credit, you know that you are investing in a company that has been thoroughly investigated and approved by the UN. The other carbon credit certification bodies include the Chicago Climate Exchange, the Western Climate Initiative, and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative in the northeastern U.S. In addition, there are various standards bodies who set the carbon emission bar such as the Chicago Climate Exchange, the Voluntary Carbon Standard and the CDM Gold Standard (based on the Kyoto Protocol).

Key to the establishment of carbon credit generation is the concept of additionality. This principle is that a carbon credit isn’t truly environmentally beneficial unless the carbon credit producer would not have been able to reduce emissions or invest in researching renewable energy sources without the money given to them from carbon credits. This avoids giving money to organizations that would be doing the exact same business regardless of income from carbon credits. To summarize, the money your company earns from carbon credits must be put to additional greenhouse gas reducing initiatives. Who makes the decision about additionality? The CDM board has established a set of guidelnes by which they certify a company for selling carbon credits.

Who Buys Carbon Credits?

Countries for one; in order to comply with allowable emissions should they exceed their amount. For example, pretend that I am only allowed to produce 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide, but I produce 15 tonnes; I can buy 5 tonnes worth of carbon credits to bring my effective emission level back down to 10 tonnes.

Individuals and companies can also buy carbon credits, such as in my flight example. Certain eco friendly products also contribute part of the sale of their goods towards carbon credits, such as a $6 chocolate bar that I recently purchased; every x amount of dollars = x tonnes of carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas. Typically, carbon credits sell between $1 and $30 per tonne.

Carbon Planet.com buys and sells carbon credits in three different incarnations. First, you can buy a subscription that charges your credit card a monthly rate for a certain amount of carbon credit. This rate can be established by them by looking at the average emissions made by a single person in your country and calculating an amount based on your age (how much carbon you have produced up until now and in the future). You can buy a one time package to offset a specific carbon expenditure such as a flight, or cross country drive, or you can pay for your entire life; all the carbon you have and will produce based on the average emissions per person in your country of residence. I would like to point out, that this isn’t an endorsement of their products, nor am I affiliated with them in any way, but they do provide a good description about the carbon credit currency.

A copy of this article as long as blogs in a similar vein, visit Forest, Ecosystem and Our Environment.

If you want to know more about Green Travel, check out Traveling the Green Way.

This article is also posted at the All Things Green Carnival,  The News Coverage,  Carnival of Improving Life,  All Things Eco Blog

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