Archive for the ‘Eco’ Category

What is a Dual Flush Toilet?

Tuesday, September 30th, 2008

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 ...

What Do You Do With Leftover Paint?

Tuesday, September 9th, 2008

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, ...

Burning Candles Can Cause Indoor Air Pollution

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008

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 ...

What is a Carbon Credit?

Sunday, August 31st, 2008

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 ...

Biodegradable Feminine Hygeine Products.

Wednesday, July 30th, 2008

I have been really uncomfortable as of late about wrapping and throwing away used sanitary napkins. They are filled with plastic, and put into my plastic garbage bag to preserved for time immemorial. I have been taking a look at the products available and will provide a little bit of ...

Biofumigation Helps To Keep Toxic Chemicals Off Our Plants.

Friday, July 25th, 2008

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Association (CSIRA) out of Australia is a world leader in the science of biofumigation; using plants that are naturally toxic to bugs, as green manure. This technique avoids or limits the use of pesticides that can make people sick. The Third International Biofumigation Symposium, ...

Did You Know That Some Scented Laundry Products Have VOC’s

Wednesday, July 23rd, 2008

Volatile organic compounds, or VOC's were found in 6 top selling laundry and air freshener products that were not listed on the ingredient label. Even the usually reliable Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for the products in question only listed "a mixture of scented oils" in their ingredient description. Anne ...

Does Living Near A Busy Road Cause Allergies in Children?

Wednesday, July 16th, 2008

A recent study carried out in Munich examined over 3000 6 year olds from birth; a longitudinal study to answer the question, does growing up near a busy road result in a higher incidence of allergies. Scientists specifically examined fine dust, diesel soot and nitrogen dioxide and found that children ...