In addition to these plastics, on their own being harmful to the ocean ecology, they also absorb toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A and PCB’s, which get concentrated as they are consumed up the food chain. One example of their insidious danger is the zoo plankton. Fish and other marine animals eat the zooplankton (including krill) by filtering sea water. Plastic debris is mixed in , so any given mouthful of zooplankton will have a percentage of plastic pieces. Sea creatures are turning up dead, with accumulations of plastic in the stomachs, dying from malnutrition or poisoning. Mammals like whales who eat tonnes of krill daily, could be in real danger.

How Was Trash Island Formed?

Trash Island formed in the North Pacific Gyre. A gyre is a vortex of air or water. The North Pacific Gyre results from the Earth’s rotation causing a Coriolis Effect; a phenomenon whereby the Earth must, due to the laws of physics, rotate faster at the Equator, where the Earth’s circumference is the greatest, and not at all at the poles. An object, then moving north from the Equator will be deflected east, as the Earth turns slower moving away from the equator. Water and air move around the planet and are acted on by the Coriolis Effect, resulting in water vortexes, or places of debris accumulation; like how a tornado sucks in debris as it spins. Trash Island is then formed by garbage coming from the east coast of Asia; leaving the shore, it takes about 1 year or less to reach the North Pacific Gyre; and the west coast of North America; leaving the shore, trash takes about 6 years to reach the North Pacific Gyre.

How Can Trash Island Be Cleaned Up?

Boats, dragging large, fine gauge, nets filter out some of the garbage, but predictably, end up taking sea life with them. Project Kaisei: Capturing the Plastic Vortex is an initiative to study, clean up and create awareness about Trash Island and others like it around the Earth’s oceans. For more information, you can contact Project Kaisei.

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.

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.

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.

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

Natracare provides a whole line of hygeine products from pads, tampons and panty liners to incontinence pads. Their tampons are made from 100% organic cotton with the option of biodegradable applicators or no applicators. Their pads are made from 95% biodegradable products and are compostable under the right conditions. The moisture barrier in their pads is made from plant cellulose. I haven’t tried this brand, but it is a reasonable price and widely available. They also have a line of nipple shields and post birth pads designed for extra comfort in an understandably sore region. For more information, check out Natracare.com.

Flushaway, an exciting new product line of pads and panty liners that are completely flushable. They have created a cousin to plastic called B-9b film that acts like plastic. They say this film was developed using nanotechnology. When they come in contact with water, they begin to break down and easily flush down the toilet. Once in the sewer system, they breakdown in 71 days. They are supposed to be available at Wal*Mart and KMart, but were not on the Wal*Mart Canada or KMart website. Upon further digging, I discovered that Consolodated Ecoprogress Technology is a Vancouver (my hometown), BC based company, but they have been recently acquired by a Hong Kong company called PayChest Inc. The Flushaway website is currently under construction.

Mooncup is manufactured by the same company that makes The Keeper. It is exactly the same save for what it is made from; a soft, flexible, silicone cup you insert into your vagina to collect menstral blood. The Keeper is made from natural rubber. It needs to be emptied once every 4 to 8 hours dependant upon your flow and comes in two sizes. Fit is determined by the condition of your pelvic floor muscles. One for women who have had a vaginal birth and one for women who have not. The Moon Cup and Keeper can be ordered online at Keeper.com

The Diva Cup is similar to the Mooncup. It was developed in Canada (a plus for me) and is made of silicone; a good alternative to women with latex allergies. The Diva Cup is available at Lunapads.com

Lunapads are 100% organic cotton, reusable cloth pads that come in a variety of funky patterns. Lunapanties are available especially for your period time and designed to be used with the Lunapads. They have extended their product line to some baby products, creams and essential oil blends. These pads were developed in Vancouver (a plus for me!), BC and are available individually or in kits online at Lunapads.com.

Gladrags are a product out of Portland, Oregon similar in concept to Lunapads. They carry a product that I had never seen or heard about before: sea sponge tampons. Exactly as you are probably envisioning, they are a tampon made entirely out of sea sponge and only sea sponge. It comes in one size and you can trim it to the size you need it. They are washable and reusable by following the instructions on the Gladrags website.

Seventh Generation makes environmentally friendly pantyliners, maxipads and tampons (and a whole host of other environmentally friendly products for the home). The pantiliners are not flushable, and go into the garbage, so they are not as good as a reusable pantyliner. The tampons are made from 100% unbleached, organic cotton.

With a wide variety of alternative feminine hygeine products available at a reasonable price, don’t you think we can get rid of the plastic pad in the plastic bag to be unearthed in a million years, with a record of both our DNA and wastefulness?

If you are interested in reading similar articles about how we can consume more responsibly, check out the All Things Eco Blog Carnival.

Check out articles like this one at the All Things Eco Carnival.

The press release can be found on the CSIRA website.

Acetone – toxic by inhalation, ingestion or absorption through skin.

Limonene – used to impart a citrus odour is a known skin irritant and sensitizer. It is used in cosmetics, which begs the question; why use a known skin irritant in a product for the skin?

Acetaldehyde – is toxic when applied externally, is an irritant and a possible carcinogen.

Chloromethane – causes central nervous system effects (altered state), difficulty breathing, paralysis, seizures and coma. It also causes birth defects. This chemical used to be used as a refrigerant, but is no longer used due to its toxicity, so what is it doing in our laundry and freshener products?

1,4 Dioxane – listed by the CDC as causing eye, ear, nose and throat irritation, drowsiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, liver damage, kidney failure and possibly a carcinogen. Wow, this product is both hazardous in the air and in our laundry!

Unfortunately, the study did not reveal the brand names of these 6 products, but the idea is to stay away from scented laundry products and air fresheners whose ingredients are totally transparent.

The full press release can be found at Eureka Alert.

Click here to find the University of Washington website.

John Hollingsworth, the leader of a Duke University study of the effects of ozone on lung tissue, found that high levels of pollution generated ozone killed bacteria killing cells in the lungs, making them susceptible to pathogens. In a similar vein, Dr. Andre Nel of UCLA found that high air pollution makes allergies and asthma worse. People who experience severe allergy symptoms may want to watch the pollen and air pollution ratings every day when planning activities outside.

So, what we knew intuitively as parents has been backed up by research.