Did you know that there is a patch of floating trash in a garbage “vortex” in the Pacific ocean that is the size of TEXAS? According to an article by Greenpeace:

“The North Pacific sub-tropical gyre covers a large area of the Pacific in which the water circulates clockwise in a slow spiral. Winds are light. The currents tend to force any floating material into the low energy central area of the gyre. There are few islands on which the floating material can beach. So it stays there in the gyre, in astounding quantities estimated at six kilos of plastic for every kilo of naturally occurring plankton.  The equivalent of an area the size of Texas swirling slowly around like a clock. This gyre has also been dubbed “the Asian Trash Trail” the “Trash Vortex” or the “Eastern Garbage Patch”.”

And sadly, this isn’t just a hyped up thing to get people’s attention. It’s for real. Apparently each year, worldwide, 100 million tons of plastic is produced (!) and about 10 percent (!!!) ends up in the oceans either as a result of shipping issues or from just regular pollution from land. Isn’t that crazy?

And now, they have just announced that this disgusting, man-made phenomenon is not just a Pacific ocean issue, but they have discovered a smaller, but similar, vortex in the Atlantic ocean. Yesterday an AP article was released that stated:

“Researchers are warning of a new blight on the ocean: a swirl of confetti-like plastic debris stretching over thousands of square miles (kilometers) in a remote expanse of the Atlantic Ocean.

The floating garbage — hard to spot from the surface and spun together by a vortex of currents — was documented by two groups of scientists who trawled the sea between scenic Bermuda and Portugal’s mid-Atlantic Azores islands.”

So aside from just being generally disgusting and a display of the impact of the plastic-crazed, consumptive world we live in, what’s the big deal? Well, this stuff is here to stay. Forever. Really. The process for them to break down is slow and destructive. Here’s another quote from the Greenpeace article:

“A single one litre drinks bottle could break down into enough small fragments to put one on every mile of beach in the entire world. These smaller particles are joined by the small pellets of plastic which are the form in which many new plastics are marketed and which can be lost at sea by the drumload or even a whole container load.  These modern day “marine tumbleweeds” have been thrown into sharp focus, not only by the huge quantities removed from beaches by dedicated volunteers, but by the fact that they have been found to accumulate in sea areas where winds and currents are weak.”

Did you catch that? A SINGLE one liter bottle can break down to into enough small fragments to put one on every mile of beach in the ENTIRE world! Really makes you think, doesn’t it? But not only is it just producing more gunk to clog up our oceans and beaches, it’s really hurting our marine life.

If you’d like to see just how awful the effects of this pollution is, check out Greenwala blog’s  The Ocean’s Top 25 Deadliest Pollution Predators. The visuals on the site (including the one I have here with the turtle) are incredible  – and so sad. They say that “Scientists believe that 100 million sea creatures — including a combination of one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles — die annually from this foreign and highly toxic diet.” Sigh. Balloons, batteries, cans, dental floss (who knew?), six pack holders – there all there, plus plenty more.

Here’s hoping that someday we can figure out a way to get this whole mess cleaned up. Otherwise, who knows what the consequences will be.

Well, you knew it would happen eventually. Everything else is going “organic” so why wouldn’t dry cleaners jump in too? Apparently, however, this recent trend is again something you should check into. So here’s the scoop. As you may already know, perchloroethylene or PERC is what is used by most dry cleaners. It is a highly toxic chemical (a “probable carcinogen” according to the EPA) that is used to clean clothes. BTW – “dry” cleaning is actually a misnomer – the solvent is a liquid and the clothes do get wet but just not from water. PERC can not only be harmful for those who work at dry cleaners, but also for people who wear clothes that are dry cleaned if they haven’t had enough time to have the chemical smell dissipate. Some states have actually begun to phase out its use.

Anyway – it’s clear that PERC is a no-no. So when environmentally friendly cleaners started popping up, I quickly joined up. We have been using one that I LOVE (or should I now say, loved, sadly…). They are one of the ones that uses an organic process. On their website they say “Customers can rest assured that we clean all garments with high quality, natural, organic solutions and soaps. These solutions break down naturally in the environment and are gentle on clothes. We use the industry’s best lines of detergents and soaps that have been tested to ensure great results, free of chemical odors.” Sounds perfect, right? When I called the company they confirmed that they use a natural, hydrocarbon solvent that is better for the environment. Still sounds good! But then they confirmed that it is something called DF-2000.

This is where the “uh oh” comes in. Turns out, DF-2000 is a petrochemical. Yes it’s natural – meaning it is from the earth, but in the same way as gasoline. It’s derived from crude oil. Not to mention the fact that it’s actually made by Exxon-Mobil – enough said, right? OK so it’s marginally better for the environment and health, but it is still not great. I applaud companies looking for better methods, but it looks like this isn’t the be-all/end-all that it seemed to be.

So be sure to check with your dry cleaner to find out how they are cleaning your clothes “naturally”. If they are using DF-2000, as them if they have considered other options like either a carbon-dioxide cleaning method or an actual wet-cleaning method using water (who knew??). Those are the best not only for the environment and for health. Meantime, I’ll be on the hunt for one near my house. I’ll let you know when I find one!

File this under gross AND interesting (is there such a category?). As we have heard before, our poor bovine friends and other grass-eating farm animals are unknowingly and uncontrollably responsible for a third (yipes!) of all of the world’s methane emissions. We know that methane is bad – but these fuzzy guys can’t help it! It is generated during the process of their stomach’s digesting the tough hay and grass fibers. And then they emit the gasses – yes, by basically burping. There’s the gross part.

Well – apparently it is far more difficult than you think. One Chicago Tribune journalist made an attempt and her story is interesting and fun to read.

Check it out:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/chi-plastic-free-satdec27,0,5147886.story?page=3

Think about it – cereal comes in plastic bags inside the boxes, deli meat wrapped in plastic, oatmeal cannisters have a plastic lid. It goes on and on. And this writer has young children – sippy cups, diapers, disposing of diapers. It’s a big challenge! It made me think – could you possibly live a life without using any plastic? Probably not – I’m typing on plastic keys, I answer my plastic phone, I brush my teeth with a plastic toothbrush. Yipes. I never had thought about how much we use. And when we’re dead and gone? It will ALL still be here. Oh boy.

I’m posting this early or late – depending on how you look at it. I missed last Monday’s posting – I was coming off of a week’s vacation at fantastic beach house on Cape Cod (thanks again Karen!!). It was amazing – unbelievable weather and the most amazing house on the water. We all had a blast. Now back to the real world!

But I do have great news. Inspired to always find better ways to reduce/reuse/recycle – I have figured out a new way that is a huge win for everyone – including our planet! Garden Girl will now be offering “refill” packages for some key products – Nature Nurture, No Worries, Cookies + Cream and Starting Over.

The deal is that you order the Refill package (right under the regular jar on the website) – and we’ll send you a small, heavy-duty zip-top bag with 2 oz. of that product. You save a whopping $10 on the product (!!) and you help to reduce excess packaging. Not bad, eh?

So to entice you to try this fantastic deal, I will offer $5 off your order if you order any one of those products. That means you actually end up saving a whopping total of $15 when you add in the $10 you save by ordering the refill. This offer is good through JULY 25th!

The catch, is that you have to have ordered the jar version first – so you can reuse the jar. This is not meant for use in whatever jar you might have lying around – as the risk of additional bacteria is too great. Also – you will need to wash and sterilize your original jar and lid (easiest way is using your dishwasher – or you can boil them for a couple of minutes).

To take advantage of this great deal – simply go online to
www.gardengirlskincare.com/facecare
and add which ever refills you would like to order to your cart. And of course, keep shopping and stock up on other items while you’re at it

Then when you check out, use coupon code:
JULY18

Happy shopping – especially knowing that you are doing something good for this planet!
Have a great weekend!

You know, my life is pretty hectic these days – so many of the “hot topics” in the news have been lukewarm for me, since I haven’t had time to focus on them (unfortunately). But one thing that I just read about stopped me smack in the middle of a crazy day. I just read that Congress will be voting to approve the use of liquid coal as the newest form of fuel for use in our cars, trucks etc.

At first glance, it didn’t seem bad at all. Actually, it seemed pretty impressive. Coal is abundant, and there is now the technology to process coal to a liquid fuel. It would be a “cleaner” burning fuel, because many of the harmful pollutants can be removed in the process and therefore would pass even the new restrictions for diesel fuel.

This was sounding great! So I figured I’d do some more investigating. That’s when I saw the things that are most disturbing. First, the process of liquifying produces an inordinate amout of by-products that then must be disposed of. The most significant of which is Carbon Dioxide. In HUGE amounts. Not only will the production of it produce more, but so will burning it in our cars. Not good at all.

Second, coal mining is just terrible for our land, plain and simple. It destroys our gorgeous mountains – basically the only way to get the coal is to cut the mountain up, take the coal, and then do something with the slag that is left (which is usually just filling up valleys). The process is called Mountain Top Removal Mining. And that is what the industry calls it! Sounds terrible, doesn’t it?

So how can this be a GOOD thing? Well, it certainly would be good for the coal industry that has apparently been lobbying for it. But for us? Not so great. Especially since there are so many alternatives that aren’t getting enough attention.

Lee Iaccoca, in an interview on NPR, says his biggest regret was not paying more attention to hybrid technology. Can’t we stop destroying our surroundings to fuel this world? Can’t our government focus on renewable energies, rather than things that will ultimately ruin our surroundings? Regardless of your view on global warming, this is serious stuff. This is something that will literally tear up the natural beauty of this country. Sad, isn’t it?

Well – I’ve been known to do many things on my own that friends remind me can easily be bought at a relatively inexpensive price. Like for instance my annual peach jam making fiasco. I absolutely LOVE peach jam. And homemade is just the best. But by the time I have purchased the peaches, destroyed the stovetop and kept the boys out of the kitchen for the day, I do often wonder if I’m sane. My friend has been known to say “you know, Kristin, they do have peach jam at the store already made and you can buy it for about $2″ Meantime, I have spent probably $8 or $10 per jar to make it, not to mention the time I spend. But then I taste it – and to me (and only me in this house, I might add – with some disappointment…) it is worth the effort.

My other example is laundry detergent. I have been making (yes – really) my own laundry detergent for a couple of years. It all started when I was trying to figure out why I was having some tingling and numbness in my hands and feet (a story that I will spare you of). I did some research online – which is always a bad idea if you have any medical issue. And of the millions of scary things that I learned about – thankfully none of which has been applicable in my case – I found that ingredients in laundry detergent are not only potentially harmful to the environment, but also to your body – particularly your nervous system. So I searched for alternatives and found a recipe to make it. And you know what? As crazy as it sounds – I actually am pleased with it. Happy with the results. I enjoy the process of making it (it’s like some weird elementary school science project). And I feel good that I’m doing one tiny thing to help this earth and my family’s potential (underscore that since much of what I read is likely unproven) health.

So for any of you brave enough to try it – it takes only about 10 minutes and one batch lasts my family 1 month or so – I have included the recipe. I would LOVE to hear from anyone who tries it. It takes awhile to get used to since it becomes a thick gel and you throw a glob of it into the laundry. But it has worked very well. Oh – and by the way – it costs about 75 cents to make a batch to last a month. Not bad!!!

One more thing – I now also use white vinegar instead of fabric softener (put it into the dispenser in my washing machine) and those funky bumpy blue laundry balls in the dryer. It all works great!

Homemade Laundry Detergent

3 Pints Water (48 oz – doesn’t have to be exact)
1/3 Bar Fels Naptha Soap, Grated (again – doesn’t have to be exact, and any bar soap works)
1/2 Cup Washing Soda (Arm & Hammer – NOT baking soda, it’s in the detergent aisle)
1/2 Cup Borax (also in the detergent aisle)
2 Gallon Bucket
1 Quart Hot WaterHot Water

Mix Fels Naptha soap in a saucepan with 3 pints of water, and heat on low until dissolved. Stir in Washing Soda and Borax. Stir until thickened, and remove from heat. Add 1 Quart Hot Water to 2 Gallon Bucket. Add soap mixture, and mix well. Fill bucket with hot water, and mix well. Set aside for 24 hours, or until mixture thickens. Use 1/2 cup of mixture per load.

It does get thick – I use a plastic cup to scoop it out. There’s always some liquid left in the bucket as well. Have fun! As for me, I’m off to make some more detergent and eat a piece of toast with plenty of peach jam!