Eco-Mamas

Why the FDA Isn't Doing Its Job

Build Green Schools NOW!

An amazing Web site, buildgreenschools.org, has launched!

A few things to check out:

Spotlight on Green Schools Advocates: As the name suggests, this will be our opportunity to highlight your successes. Please keep us posted on your advocacy efforts: speaking engagements, green school victories and other noteworthy milestones.

Resource Library: This is only a preliminary list. We intend to expand this section considerably. If you know of a Web site that belongs on this page, please email me with the site address and a 2-3 sentence description.

Contact: Those interested in joining your Green Schools Advocacy Teams will be able to link directly to you. Please go to this page and click the Green Schools Advocate link that corresponds to your region. Get ready to start plugging interested individuals into your Green Schools Advocacy Teams!

Sleep Better with IKEA

Last year, Sweden-based IKEA launched an initiative called “Bag the Plastic  Bag.” 

The  goal was to reduce the more than 100 billion plastic  bags used annually in the United States. Beginning March 15, 2007,  they began charging customers 5 cents for every plastic bag; they  also reduced the price of their durable, reusable IKEA blue bag from  99 cents to 59 cents. 

And, to make it a win-win for everyone, all proceeds from the plastic bag sales are donated to American Forests, the  nation’s oldest non-profit citizens’ conservation organization.   IKEA North America has partnered with American Forests through the  Global ReLeaf Tree Planting program and over ten years, has planted 
more than 500,000 Global ReLeaf trees in environmental restoration  projects.

So how much  money has been raised by selling the plastic bags, by what percentage were they able to reduce the number of plastic bags used, and what are their plans for the next phase of the “Bag the Plastic Bag” program?  (The  goal was a 50% reduction in bag usage, but it’s projected that that they surpassed expectations.) Stay tuned or read on for reasons why banning plastic bags is vital.

Green Weddings on the Rise

From organic caterers to gowns purchased from consignment shops and email to replace wasteful rsvp cards, brides to be are choosing to make their magical day one that has conscious, meaning and a message.

Event planner Kia Martinson-Wenzel, owner of Connecticut-based ESTOccasions 
got her first request for a green wedding last summer. "The couple wanted to get married in a state park and when we started planning, one thing led to another. The bride asked if her flowers could be gathered from the park, if the invitations could be printed on recycled paper, and she asked for recommendations of consignment shops that had a nice selection of previously owned gowns," Martinson-Wenzel says. 

In fact, a good majority of gowns on the racks of consignment shops have never been worn. Wildflower seeds embedded in recycled paper, donations to environmental organizations and brides maids dresses that can be worn after the special day promise to be lasting trends as consumers become more conscious of the impact their purchase choices have on the planet.

With spring around the corner, you'll enjoy expert tips, advise and resources for greening your events and parties from Kia Martinson-Wenzel. Check our "Parties and Special Events" category for more useful information on greening your special occasion.

 

Moving the Needle--An Act Prohibiting the Idling of Motor Vehicles

Over a three-month period, three different mothers from three different towns reached out to CTGreenScene because they thought they were alone in their belief that idling outside of their children's schools was not only unnecessary, but also a risk to our respiratory health and the health of the planet.

Each of them said that they felt awkward coming forward, and each took a different approach dealing with the issue. One made up fliers and put them on cars in the parking lot, and one spoke directly to the school office. All raised awareness and primed their schools for what is sure to be a ban similar in scope to banning smoking cigarettes in public.

Our hats are off to all of you!

RAISED BILL No. 123  AN ACT PROHIBITING THE IDLING OF MOTOR VEHICLES.

Chairs Senator Ed Meyer, Representative Richard Roy, and Members of the Environment Committee:

My name is Nancy Alderman. I am President of Environment and Human Health, Inc. a non-profit organization comprised of nine members who are physicians and public health professionals dedicated to protecting human health from environmental harms.

This Bill seeks to copy what already exists in the CT Department of Environmental Protections' (CT DEP) "NO IDLING" regulations of  22a-174-18, only this Bill has additional exemptions as it moves the CT DEP regulation into the motor vehicle statutes.  This is exactly what the CT Legislature did in 2002 when it moved the School bus "No Idling"  CT DEP regulations into Motor Vehicles. It has  had a tremendous impact on stopping school buses from unnecessary idling and we are hopeful this Bill will do the same thing for cars and trucks. It has enough exemptions to protect all those cases where idling is necessary.

The CT DEP has thought this issue important enough to created regulations that deal with the unnecessary idling of all cars and trucks in its own regulations.  However, the CT DEP would be the first to say, that although the regulations are  very good one, it is very hard, if not impossible, to enforce as a DEP regulation and needs to be moved over to motor vehicles

This is because, as a CT DEP regulation, the DEP has to first receive a complaint about a particular idling vehicle - then the DEP has to arrange an inspection, which is usually the following day and by that time the idling vehicle has long gone. To be effective, this regulation needs to be moved into the motor vehicle regulations so that it can be enforced by the police, just like the legislature did in 2002 for the "no idling" school bus DEP regulation that the legislature copied into the CT motor vehicle laws.

Because this Bill basically copies the CT DEP regulation - with additional exemptions, this Bill is well thought-out and well written.  It has all the exemptions it needs to allow for necessary idling, such as using a drive-in windows, needing to use auxiliary equipment, when the temperature is below 20 degrees, exemptions for overnight truckers, and many more.

The public is quite unaware of their idling habits. They leave their motors running when they go into the cleaners, the drug stores, Dunkin Doughnuts, grocery stores and so on. The public is also unaware of the harmful effects of both diesel and car exhaust - both of which have serious health effects. Both have components that are carcinogenic, both contribute to ozone levels which effects lung function, diesel exhaust exacerbates asthma, which in this state affects almost 10% of our children.

EPA estimates that about 40% of air toxic emissions in the U.S. come from mobile sources. People need to better understand the health effects of vehicle exhaust so that they can better protect their health and the health of their families.

"Continue Reading" for the Bill that YOU CAN USE WHERE YOU LIVE....

Chemically Scented Candles--Does your Nose Know?

EARTH TALK
From the Editors of E/The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: I just read an article that said air fresheners contain chemicals that can cause health problems when inhaled. Are scented candles any better?

        -- Leanne Chacksfield, Cincinnati, OH

Like most air fresheners, many scented candles contain and release phthalates, potentially harmful chemicals that have been linked to the disruption of hormonal systems and other health problems in people exposed to them. Burning candles can also emit small amounts of acetaldehyde, formaldehyde and naphthalene, organic chemicals that are also potentially harmful and that can leave nasty black soot deposits on floors and other surfaces.

According to Pamela Lundquist of the nonprofit Children’s Health Environmental Coalition (CHEC), this black soot deposit “is primarily made up of elemental carbon, but may also contain phthalates and volatile organic compounds like benzene and toluene, which can cause cancer and neurological damage.”

Children can easily ingest these chemicals if their hands have been wandering and end up in their mouths. The chemicals can lodge deep in the lungs, disrupting the lower respiratory tract, exacerbating existing problems like asthma, and potentially causing other longer term breathing problems.

Hi Mom!

My mother was an activist back in her day. She burned her bra, was a delegate for Jesse Jackson, and fought to have hostages freed from Lebanon in the 80s. Now in her 60s, she loves her job as a school social worker and spending time with her grandchildren. The last thing she wanted was to hear was me spouting off about the urgency facing the planet.

When she seemed unwilling to join up in arms with me to make change, I was sad.

After all, hadn't I become exactly what she'd raised me to be? Sure she was proud, but she was too comfortable to fight the system, and too tired to implement new programs into her school to teach kids about living green like I asked--begged--her.

Eventually, I got over my disappointment and figured she'd earned the right of complacency. Then today, I got a phone call.

"Can you meet with the Principal to talk about how we can work this into the curriculum?"

So off we go!

Thanks for inspiring me--yet one more time-- Momma!

Electric Cars? Cooler than You Think!

Imagine turning the key in the ignition and not hearing a sound? Or zipping around town on errands and not emitting ANY carbon! That's what it's like when driving an electric vehicle (EV). GEM (Global Electric Motorcars) are available for sale here in Connecticut for around $8,000 and they plug right into an outlet. If you're signed up for Clean and Renewable Energy Options at home, you'll feel great about using this to run around doing errands.

The feel of the interior is similar to a VW beetle, with large windows, a sun roof and lots of light. The gas and break pedals are the same as any other car, but the noise--or lack of--is what I found most amazing.

The GEM I drove tops out at 25 mph, but is a perfect alternative to my other cars when doing errands or traveling short distances. They also come in a four seater model, which was spacious enough for me to put groceries and other goodies in the back.

The one I drove was owned by EV proponent, John Papa. "It's great as a second vehicle to use instead of a SUV. Why not have different cars for different functions? The guys at the gas station love it when I drive by," Papa says.

Let's hope the guys who own the automobile industry feel the same way and it doesn't turn into another Who Killed the Electric Car!

Little Me Fighting our Disposable Culture

A few weeks ago I took my laptop to a major electronics chain for repair. The woman at the service desk suggested that I purchase a new AC adapter, see if it solved the problem and return it for a full refund if it didn't. Sounded easy enough.

It turned out not to be the AC adapter and I went back to the store to get my refund. With the adapter on the counter, my newly-found green conscious prompted me to ask the cashier what would happen to the perfectly good piece of electronics sitting before us.

"Just tell me it won't just end up in the trash, that it will be repackaged (it came in one of those plastic containers that you have to cut to get open) and re-sold--it's perfectly good," I studdered.

"It'll go back to the vender, and they'll throw it away," she spat.

So now what? Write a letter to the chain? Boycott the store? Suck it up and accept it? Anyone....?

A few weeks ago I took my laptop to a major electronics chain for repair. The woman at the service desk suggested that I purchase a new AC adapter, see if it solved the problem and return it for a full refund if it didn't. Sounded easy enough.

It turned out not to be the AC adapter and I went back to the store to get my refund. With the adapter on the counter, my newly-found green conscious prompted me to ask the cashier what would happen to the perfectly good piece of electronics sitting before us.

"Just tell me it won't just end up in the trash, that it will be repackaged (it came in one of those plastic containers that you have to cut to get open) and re-sold--it's perfectly good," I studdered.

"It'll go back to the vender, and they'll throw it away," she spat.

So now what? Write a letter to the chain? Boycott the store? Suck it up and accept it? Anyone....?

Today’s Green Building: A New Spin on Good Old Common Sense

Long ago, we used our intellect to create shelters out of our surroundings. We were connected to the land that we lived on, took only what we needed and moved on to “greener pastures” when weather or a lack of resources dictated. Back then, we taught our children skills of self-sufficiency and survival.

Once we settled down and became skilled at building permanent structures, the timber for framing came from the trees on the lot, we built close to the road and we oriented to the south for natural day lighting and ventilation. We built houses that lasted a century or more, and every room was used every day.

Today, the average size of our homes—often built using virgin materials that are shipped thousands of miles—has more than doubled since 1950, while our family size has decreased by one-fourth. We use building materials that contain toxins and carcinogens (as identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) that are emitted into the air inside our homes for years after their installation.

Enter green building. The concept grew from the geodesic and solar days of the 70s and 80s when engineers, builders and architects sought out environmentally friendly solutions to an energy shortage (sound familiar?). As they built south-facing structures to take advantage of natural day lighting and improve the performance of solar systems, they broadened their focus as they realized there were a lot of ways to improve the way we build.

Today, LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficient Design)—the rating system established by the US Green Building Council—provides education, guidance and accreditation. Clean energy technology is more affordable and practical than ever before, builders are becoming skilled in the green building arts and there are a host of great looking and eco-friendly products to choose from.

But before we go out and gut our kitchen or tear down our house to build a green one, we must consider the steps we can take to get back to the basics of smaller, smarter and sounder. By understanding that reusing, re-purposing and recycling are all important considerations before buying new, we can be sure to lessen our impact on the planet, and not just replace old problems with new ones.

Given that according to the USGBC, buildings account for 38 percent of our country’s CO2 emissions—more than the transportation or industry sectors—a turn-on-a-dime adoption of green building practices is essential.