Author: Ernest Jarquio

“There is no question that bamboo is a renewable resource- it is a grass and grows very quickly. Where oak takes 120 years to grow to maturity, bamboo can be harvested in three.” Treehugger.com

Bamboo flooring is very quickly gaining popularity with many businesses as well as homeowners. There are many benefits to be gained from the installation of bamboo flooring in your home compared to other kinds of wood flooring. The main one of these is that it is much stronger as well as being denser than hardwood floors. This quality also makes it very resistant to moisture.

In addition, this type of flooring as produced by such companies as Morning Star Bamboo Flooring is very easy to install as a do-it-yourself project, so that makes it cost effective. Plus it is also extremely easy to maintain.

Bamboo flooring is made from the canes of the bamboo plant which can grow up to 100 ft high and can be between 45 and 60 cm in width. These canes are split and then flattened before they can be glued (laminated) together under extreme pressure and then made either into planks, tiles or strips of laminated bamboo flooring.

This method makes them really strong and durable as well as looking very elegant once the flooring has been laid. The process of bamboo flooring installation is a very simple one that anyone can carry out for themselves. Many of the companies selling this product offer you a glueless bamboo flooring system known as click lock where you just click the joints into place so there is no need for toxic adhesive products to be used during this process.

When looking to buy bamboo flooring there are hundreds of sites on the internet where it can be purchased from. But there are also many flooring companies around the US now selling this sustainable and environmentally friendly flooring. If you were to do a search of the internet for bamboo flooring in Oregon or say Los Angeles or Seattle you will be amazed at the results that you would come up with.

“Contrary to the concerns of some, the harvesting in these forests is not a threat to Pandas, as they live at much higher elevations and eat a different species of bamboo.” Buildinggreen.com

As well as bamboo flooring being very strong and durable and also easy to install, the other great advantage it has over other types of hardwood and laminate flooring is that it is resistant to both moisture and insects. In addition, when you compare the prices of bamboo flooring to other kinds of flooring you will be surprised at just how inexpensive this type of flooring is.

Most of the bamboo flooring available today is provided through China and it is fast becoming one of the most popular kinds of flooring the world over because it is a highly renewable material and so is truly environmentally friendly.

About the author:
Learn about bamboo flooring installation and Morningstar bamboo flooring and glueless bamboo flooring in my site.

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I never really understood why I avoided certain products but I just felt that they had no place in a clean, classy life. I have had fairly heated disagreements with my significant others who proclaimed me a prima donna or worse. Now that I know these products are toxic, I have to believe that my instincts were protecting me. Incidentally, I also detest carpeting and canned foods but that is a topic for another day.

Plastics
I have always disliked Tupperware and other such plastics designed for food storage. I swore up and down that the food and water tasted different when stored or cooked in the plastic. I even used the argument with my ex-husband that nobody on the Food Channel (or restaurants) uses plastic bowls. Plastic in the kitchen seems so tacky and unnatural to me that I always made a point of using glass or ceramic. I even went so far to feed my cats out of glass bowls.

As it turns out plastic is very toxic particularly when microwaved. It releases dioxins into your food or water which are known carcinogens. Soft plastics are worse than the hard plastics and contain endocrine disruptors which can disrupt fertility, harm a fetus and more. Other molded plastics like the ones used for computer monitors release a dust which are now known to cause a number of health problems.

This is an excerpt taken from “Get Plastic Out of Your Diet“by Paul Goettlich at www.mindfully.org:

If one were to listen only to nonprofits and the industry, it would be natural to think that only the additives are toxic and migrate. But everything about plastics is toxic — both the additives and the base plastics. And both migrate in quantities that are problematic at extremely low concentrations. Some chemicals are obviously more so than others. But it is undeniable that they all migrate all the time into everything that they touch.

Even if it wasn’t toxic, there is something very unappealing about a scratched stained warped bowl vs. a beautiful clear glass, wood or ceramic container. If you are worried about breaking it then don’t drop it.

Particleboard
When I was in college I bought myself my first desk. It was roughly $100 and made entirely of particleboard covered in some sort of wood looking laminate It came in a box and I had to put the whole thing together myself. I was pretty proud of myself for purchasing my first piece of furniture and assembling the whole thing unassisted.

There is no question however, that I would have preferred a solid wood desk. I felt I could only afford a build it yourself model but that it was still cheap and tacky. Since that time I have made a point of furnishing my home with solid wood furnishings if at all possible. They just give me a better feeling which is a basic premise of feng shui.

As it turns out my instincts were right on target again. It turns out that both particleboard and plywood are made with formaldehyde of all things. This formaldehyde “offgasses” from porous surfaces and you breathe the result. Particleboard is made from a particularly toxic form called urea formaldehyde and it contains a large percentage of formaldehyde-containing glue.

Apparently you can buy sealants to prevent offgassing from dangerous surfaces but doesn’t it make more sense not to fill your home with this junk in the first place? Go a step further and purchase someone else’s used furniture made from quality non-toxic materials and reduce waste in the world.

Microwave
Other than making microwave popcorn, I have long despised microwaved food and beverages. I think they taste like crap. Even water that has been boiled by stove top or kettle vs. heated in a microwave tastes totally different to me. (I don’t know why the popcorn never bothered me).

About a year ago I found a study somewhere on the internet that showed a rise in white blood cell counts in people after eating microwaved foods. The interpretation? That your body sees microwaved foods and beverages as invaders rather than food. I took my microwave to the curb immediately and I refuse to eat or drink from a microwave since.

I have since read of people who do a simple “science experiment” with two plants. They water one plant with tap water or stove heated & cooled water and one plant with water that has been boiled in the microwave and then cooled. The result? The microwaved water plant dies. Check out this link to see photos of the alleged science experiment. In all fairness, check out this link which refutes the microwave water theory. Google “microwave water plants” and check out other people’s experiments for yourself.

Interestingly, most people I mention this to seem to think I am some kind of wacko conspiracy theorist and they are willing to risk raising their white blood cell counts for a bit of convenience. Even if I am wrong what did I lose? I am erring on the side of caution. Please dont forget that microwaved food still tastes like crap whether it is safe or not.

What is the moral of this story? If you are serious about taking an active and conscious role in your health and vitality then pay attention to your gut instincts. They could be right on.

www.whatstoxic.com
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You care about the earth, you recycle, you buy organic produce from your local co-op.

But do you know you will pollute and poison the earth when you die if you choose a “normal” burial?

This is a great video, absolutely enlightening and a must-see.

Now we can go back outside (if we believe the sun is dangerous to begin with) or at least avoid a sunburn, with the help of Skin Deep’s new sunscreen report. Skin Deep cuts through the mystery ingredients and thousands of brands to bring us a simple and easy to understand rating system for beauty and personal care products.

Zero is the safest product rating they offer, 1 the second safest and so on, with 10 being the most hazardous. Stick with zeros and ones and you will have no problem. The ten safest sunscreens they report are:

1. (0)Keys Soap Solar Rx Therapeutic Sunblock, SPF 30
2. (0)Trukid Sunny Days Facestick Mineral Sunscreen UVA/UVB Broad Spectrum, SPF 30+
3. (0)California Baby Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+
4. (0) Badger Sunscreen, SPF 30
5. (1) Marie Veronique Skin Therapy Sun Serum
6. (1) Lavera Sunscreen Neutral, SPF 40
7. (1) Vanicream Sunscreen, SPF 35
8. (1) UV Natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+
9. (1) Sun Science Sport Formula, SPF 30
10. (1) Soleo Organics Sunscreen all natural Sunscreen, SPF 30+

Check out the Sunscreen Report for 2008 at Skin Deep to learn more about specific products and the top 10 recommended brands.

Most people are concerned about the environment and are willing to do what they can to reduce their global footprint, but many people are totally unaware of exactly how UN-environmentally friendly computers are.

Author: Caitlina Fuller

Protecting the environment in the information age is really important. Environmental protection should be our main concern because we only have one environment and it is not in the best condition right now so every effort should be made to reduce the negative impact of our actions on the environment. This includes actions like computer recycling and even turning your computer off at night to reduce energy usage. The following examples are just a couple of ways we can all protect our environment during the information age.

First of all, consider proper PC disposal. Tossing your old laptop of desktop into a landfill is doing nothing for the environment other than filling it up with non biodegradable waste. So, what other option do you have? Consider recycling your computer and do everything you can to minimize waste when it is time to throw it out. If everyone worldwide were to do this it would reduce billions of pounds of waste in the world’s landfills and that is very green.

Tips from Greenercomputing.com:

• “Enable power management. Look for power management features on your desktop or notebook to minimize energy use. These features enable the computer to go into low-power mode when not in use, which can save a significant amount of energy.
• Skip the screen saver. Active, moving screen savers don’t save any energy. Screen savers were initially designed to save the phosphorescent coating inside monochrome monitors — but this type of monitor is rarely used today.
• Be a smart printer. You can also reduce the environmental effects of printing with your computer. Consider editing documents on your computer and using the clean side of used paper for printing drafts. You can also purchase environmentally friendly printers, toner cartridges and paper.”

“Skip the screen saver. Active, moving screen savers don’t save any energy. Screen savers were initially designed to save the phosphorescent coating inside monochrome monitors — but this type of monitor is rarely used today.”

Another way to be environmentally friendly when it comes to computing is to reduce your energy use. Too many of leave our computers on 24 hours per day and 7 days per week in hopes of increasing the life of our computer. However, what ends up happening is the life of the computer is not affected very much by turning it on and off and you save lots of money on power usage. So, turn your computer off every night or when you are not using it. At the very least put it in sleep mode so energy won’t be wasted and your power bill will go down! The settings that are recommended for your computer is for monitor sleep to be every 20 minutes and system sleep to be 30 minutes. If you want your computer to go to sleep on its own and save you time and hassle then make sure your computer is set to shut itself down. Also, make sure you shut your computer and computer equipment down over the weekend and at night if you don’t use it during these times.

These are just a couple suggestions to help you become more green in this information age and not only will you be doing what is good for the environment but you will also be doing something good for your wallet!

Lastly, if you are not unable or unwilling to purchase a refurbished computer, then consider a Dell. Dell has taken very proactive steps toward greening their line. According to Green-pc, “The new Dell green PC is a bamboo-coated computer filled with recycled materials (ex. recycled plastics such as: milk jugs, laundry detergent bottles). The Bamboo-computer uses 70% less energy than the average computer and is 81 percent smaller than the standard desktop. The size makes it easier, less costly and more eco-friendly to ship.” You can’t get much greener than that!

Additional Resources:
Greener Computing
Greenpc.blogspot.com
Ten Tips for Donating A Computer

About the author: Caitlina Fuller is a freelance writer.

Image Source: http://flickr.com/photos/10007579@N00/356299634/

There is another, perhaps unexpected benefit to the high gasoline prices however. Just as smoking related deaths drop in almost predictable numbers when cigarette prices increase, auto related deaths are on a swift and remarkable decline due to the rising price of gasoline. Some researchers believe that automobile related fatalities will drop by as much as one third because of gas prices.

Some of the reasons suggested for the remarkable decrease in fatalities is that the riskiest drivers (teenagers) cannot afford gasoline, the most dangerous vehicles (SUVs) are too expensive to drive and that people are simply driving more slowly to save money. Most importantly however, is that people are simply driving less. 1.4 billion fewer miles less in April alone to be precise. That may not be good news for your summer vacation but it is excellent news for the environment and approximately 12,000 lives saved every year.

Learn more at abcnews.com

This is a must see video if you have dangerous mercury amalgams in your teeth, particularly if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or trying to conceive.

By: Afterglow Cosmetics

Over 90% of all ingredients in commercially available cosmetics are of synthetic origin and directly linked to serious health risks like cancer, infertility, kidney and liver disease and severe skin issues.

Skin Deep’s Report which recommends Natural Cosmetics has identified over 900 chemicals commonly available for use in cosmetics that have toxic substances and are dangerous to your health.

Environmental Working Group report called, “Skin Deep” found that almost 90 percent of the more than 10,000 ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated by government regulators. At the same time of the 20,000 different off-the-shelf cosmetic products that are for sales in the US, over 80% of the products surveyed contained one or more ingredients that have caused documented adverse reactions in humans and animals in the past.

Most of the large cosmetic and personal-care companies will tell you not to worry. They agree that there are many chemicals in their products, but say that the quantities are small and will not affect you. At first glance this seems reasonable. Unfortunately, this is a sugar coated public relations response and does not identify the true issue at hand. Medical science has proven that humans exposed over time to very small quantities of harmful chemicals do indeed suffer the consequences.

“Due to gaping loopholes in federal law, companies can put virtually any ingredient into personal care products. Even worse, the government does not require pre-market safety tests for any of them.” Cosmeticsdatabase.com

Medical science has proven that even the thin patches we stick to our arms or stomach with very small amounts of pharmaceutical chemicals can very effectively deliver chemicals into the bloodstream, totally changing the body’s chemistry. Trans-dermal patches containing small traces of nicotine can effectively deliver chemicals directly into the bloodstream to alter tobacco cravings. The new contraceptive alternative to the “Pill” is a patch which contains very low levels of hormones and still has the ability to stop a woman from getting pregnant.

Little is known about the long term effects of the petroleum chemicals and synthetic products that we rub into our skin on a daily basis in the form of cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, etc. At this point scientists and researchers know that these chemicals pose a threat to human health and fertility and have been found in our bodies and breast milk.

Chemicals found in cosmetics and personal-care products are linked to birth defects, hormone disruption and reduced fertility not to mention more pervasive cosmetic damage such as rashes, mild to severe acne and eczema. Many people use cosmetics and lotions to cure skin issues. Ironically, the products they are using and hoping for a cure are the very same products that are causing the problem.

Your skin absorbs nutrients and chemicals as much if not more than taking food internally. Play it safest by only putting products on your skin that you feel comfortable eating. There are plenty of recipes for homemade cosmetics and personal care products using ingredients found in your kitchen. If that doesn’t appeal to you then seek out organic.

Additional Resources:
Skin Deep
Shop for Organic Cosmetics
Afterglow Cosmetics

Source: www.PRWeb.com
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