Mixed Greens

Mixed Greens 014: Not the answer

amanda@enviroblog.org — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:18:00 GMT

What do drilling for gas on public lands and antibacterial chemicals in consumer products have in common? Neither of them are the answer to our problems. We've got the rundown on two new EWG reports in this edition of Mixed Greens.

Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!

Links for this edition:
EWG Report: Coming Up Dry
EWG Report: Pesticide in Soap, Toothpaste and Breast Milk - Is It Kid-Safe?
Cheatsheet: Triclosan

Mixed Greens 013: Don't get burned

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 1 Jul 2008 15:14:00 GMT

Does your sunscreen work? Probably says so on the bottle, but don't be so sure. In this edition of Mixed Greens, we break down how to choose a safe, effective sunscreen, based on EWG's updated 2008 sunscreen report. Plus, we reveal the brand-leading company without a single recommended product.

Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!

Links for Mixed Greens 013

Mixed Greens 012: Kid-Safe

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 15:34:00 GMT

How do we know when chemicals are safe enough? When they're safe for kids. This edition of Mixed Greens takes a look at the Kid-Safe Chemicals Act. Plus, the latest from EWG's research team.

Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!

Links for this edition:

Mixed Greens 011: Unpretty

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 3 Jun 2008 15:59:00 GMT

When the US Centers for Disease Control found unusually high levels of phthalates in women, no one had any idea how ugly the beauty industry really was. In this edition of Mixed Greens, we speak with Stacy Malkan, whose book Not Just a Pretty Face recounts the formative years of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics -- and the unpretty truths they uncovered.

Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!

Links for this edition:

Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
Not Just a Pretty Face
Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database

Mixed Greens 010: PFOA problems

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 20 May 2008 15:28:00 GMT

A new study highlights the health risks of a persistent, bioaccumulative chemical that industry plans to keep making for another 7 years. Plus, the low-down on this low down farm bill.

Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!

PFOA Problems:

Farm Bill Boondoggle:

The latest from Mulch
Mother Jones: The Big Farm Scam (An interview with Ken Cook)

Mixed Greens 009: Plastic, plastic everywhere

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 6 May 2008 15:13:00 GMT

Plastics are in the news, and you want answers! This week we field some of your questions relating to bisphenol A and other plasticky problems.

Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!

Miss something? Check out the transcript below.

Hello, and welcome to Mixed Greens, your Environmental Health Update from EWG. I'm your host Amanda, and today is Tuesday, May 6th, 2008.

As I'm sure you're all aware, bisphenol A has been in the news a lot this past week -- and that means we've gotten tons of questions about plastic. You want to know which kinds of plastic to look out for and which are safe, and exactly how much you're supposed to panic. We're going to do things a little differently today by tackling some of those questions. You'll be able to find a transcript of today's show, with some relevant links, at enviroblog.org/mixedgreens.

Danielle wants to know whether BPA is known to leach into dry goods, such as flour and sugar. It's possible that BPA could leach into dry-food storage containers, especially if those containers reach high temperatures. But focus on higher-level exposures first, by eliminating canned food and polycarbonate containers for wet food. After that, you may want to consider switching to BPA-free storage containers.

Crystal writes, "I have seen plastic sippy cups that say they are BPA Free, they are hard plastic and have a 7 on the bottom. Are they safe or not?" They may be BPA-free. Recycling number 7 is a catch-all -- it's the label that gets put on any plastic that doesn't fit into the other categories. Although the number 7, paired with hard, clear plastic, often means a product is polycarbonate, companies are now releasing products that fit all those criteria -- and are BPA-free. A great resource in the wilderness of BPA-free baby products is the Z Recommends text messaging service. Just text zrecs and a company name (Born Free, for example) to 69866, and you'll get a message with info about that company's products.

Many of you asked about bioplastic -- that's the biodegradable plastic that's made of plants like corn and potato. It also falls into that "other" category and is marked with a number 7. I haven't read any reports about what bio-based plastics DO contain (other than, y'know, plants), but I can tell you they don't contain bisphenol A.

Neither do melamine cups, bowls and plates, which were another common subject in your comments. They may be BPA-free, but it's still a good idea to be careful with them; don't microwave them, and only put them in the top rack of the dishwasher. In fact, that's good advice for all plastics.

Annie was worried about the effect of bisphenol a from her recent dental work, especially because she's breastfeeding. Pregnant and breastfeeding women should definitely avoid having fillings put in if possible. BPA will leach primarily while the dental sealant is being applied, though, and BPA passes quickly through the body. Exposure to BPA over time is a much greater risk than this one-time exposure, and Annie's already ahead of the game by breastfeeding.

Finally, Keri wanted the low-down on her #2 food storage containers. Keri, the usual rules still apply -- don't heat them up and always get rid of damaged plastic -- but #2 HDPE plastic is considered food-safe, and there's no BPA risk.

We just started up a new Cheatsheet series at Enviroblog -- so far we've covered BPA, PFCs and Phthalates. I could go on picking out toxic chemicals to write about forever, but I'd like to cover the stuff that's most useful to you. Are you preoccupied by perchlorate? Puzzled by PBDEs? Weigh in on what's weighing on your mind by emailing me at amanda@enviroblog.org.

And, for you pet-loving listeners, this is National Pet Week! Eddie is commemorating the event with a series of posts and a Blog Carnival of Green Pets, so check out his blog at petsfortheenvironment.org for great ways to celebrate.

That's all for now. You can get more environmental health news and tips at enviroblog.org, or send an email with your questions or comments to amanda@enviroblog.org. Thanks for listening to Mixed Greens.

Mixed Greens 008: Big news for BPA

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 15:38:00 GMT

The National Toxicology Program has changed their tune on BPA, and it looks like big changes are in the works. Plus, meet a mutt on a mission.
Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!

Want more? Follow these links
Big news for BPA:
EWG: Federal Health Agency Reverses Course
Houston Chronicle: Nalgene to nix BPA bottles due to consumer concern
Washington Post: Wal-Mart to Pull Bottles made with Chemical BPA

A Mutt on a Mission:
Sign up for pet health updates
Visit Eddie's wall of cute
Get healthy pet tips
Read about the research

Mixed Greens 007: Congress investigates industry, plus PFOA

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 8 Apr 2008 15:13:00 GMT

It seems Congress has caught on to industry's dirty tricks -- find out what they're doing about it in this episode of Mixed Greens. Plus, EPA cozies up to the chemical industry, and PFOA persists in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!

Want to know more? Follow these links:

Committee on Energy and Commerce investigates chemical industry
EPA proposal would strip cancer protections, benefit industry
Mid-Ohio Valley residents record high levels of PFOA in blood
More about PFOA

Mixed Greens 006: Water, water everywhere

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 15:31:00 GMT

Between pharmaceuticals and fluorocilicic acid, this edition of Mixed Greens is all wet.

Mixed Greens is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Check out previous episodes for more Mixed Greens goodness!

Drugs in the water
AP Probe Finds Drugs in Drinking Water
EWG: Pharmaceuticals Pollute U.S. Tapwater

Fluorocilicic acid spill
Enviroblog: It's a dangerous industrial chemical. No, it's a drinking water additive.
The Times-Picayune: Leak could have been 'catastrophic'

More on water
Enviroblog: Choosing a water bottle
EWG: National Tap Water Quality Database
Enviroblog: Pepsi to label Aquafina tap water

Mixed Greens 005: Industry goes to Washington

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 16:32:00 GMT

Take the U.S. government, add a dash of industry consultants and front groups, and the results may be hazardous to your health. Mixed Green's is EWG's environmental health podcast. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser.
Links for this episode
More on rBGH:

Center for Food Safety
The Ethicurean: An open letter to Monsanto
The New York Times: Fighting on a Battlefield the Size of a Milk Label

EPA & conflict of interest:

EWG: EPA Axes Panel Chair at Request of Chemical Industry Lobbyists
Los Angeles Times: EPA Listens to Lobbyists, Boots Expert

Connect with EWG

Mixed Greens 004

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 17:14:00 GMT

This edition of EWG's podcast Mixed Greens is all about food -- and it's dedicated to celebrity chef Tyler Florence. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser.

Mixed Greens 003

amanda@enviroblog.org — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 23:40:00 GMT

In this episode of EWG's podcast Mixed Greens, we discuss fluoridated water marketed for use by infants, the impact of agriculture on the Dead Zone, and a new study documenting babies' exposure to phthalates -- plus, we give you a tip on improving indoor air quality. You can subscribe in iTunes or in a reader, or listen right here in your browser. Want more? Check out these links:

Fluoride in infant water?

Babies exposed to phthalates

-Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Elements in lotions may enter babies' skin
-EWG Parents' Buying Guide
-Enviroblog: Reduce household phthalate exposure

Subsidizing pollution

-EWG: 75% of Dead Zone attributed to farming in 9 states
-Enviroblog: The science has spoken -- Will policy makers listen?

Mixed Greens 002

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 13:06:00 GMT

In this second edition of EWG's podcast Mixed Greens, we discuss the possible connections between plastics and obesity, the rocket fuel in our drinking water, and more! Give 'er a listen below, or subscribe in a reader or in iTunes. Want more? Here are some related links:

Is plastic making us fat?
-Story: The Boston Globe
-EWG Chemical Index: Endocrine System
Congress to investigate BPA in baby formula
-Story: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel
-EWG statement: Congressional demands follow on heels of EWG study
-EWG report: Guide to Instant Formula
FDA testing shows widespread exposure to perchlorate
-EWG analysis: Children consuming contaminated tap water and food at risk; EPA tap water safety standards are critically needed
Tip: Avoid products with Triclosan
-Skin Deep ingredient listing: Triclosan
-EWG report: Down the Drain

Mixed Greens: How to wash your produce, plus CFL recycling

amanda@enviroblog.org — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:57:00 GMT

Okay people, get excited: EWG has a brand new podcast. Mixed Greens is your environmental health news update, featuring inside info from our staff of scientists and researchers and hosted by yours truly. You can download it, subscribe to it, or listen to it right here, and you can find links mentioned in the stories on Enviroblog.

The first episode features stories about:

-The proper way to wash your fruits and veggies
-http://www.foodnews.org
A federal review of BPA with industry's fingerprints all over it
-Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
-More on BPA
A new way to recycle compact fluorescent lightbulbs
-Order Recyclepaks from Veolia Environmental Services (Look for Supply123D)
-More on CFL recycling

Plus, you won't believe how long the government has been dragging their feet on this study!
-Nurses' Health survey