Terri tackles labels that cannot be trusted and offers solutions you can trust to ensure you are really buying products that are better for you and the planet.
GreenDish: Chemical Linked To ADHD In Kids Is All Around Us
There is a wealth of evidence linking Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in children to a family of pesticides called organophosphates. And it’s not just in the food we eat. Terri dishes on all the places these pesticides are used and how you can choose safer alternatives.
GreenDish: Even Highschoolers Can Eat Healthy!
Hello and welcome back to GreenDish, I’m Terri Bennett. I hope you’ve been enjoying the fresh foods of the summer. And now, there’s yet another reason to make sure you not only look for in-season fruits and veggies but also ones that are organic!
A new medical study found that kids who eat poorly with high amounts of processed foods, fast foods, and a lot of meat are actually more likely to develop ADHD. On the other hand, teens who ate better with a diet of organic produce, whole grains, and low meat diets had no increased risk for ADHD. You can read the full story in the eco-news section on dyp.com
And look how one high school is reaping the benefits of organic foods – and not just the nutritional benefits! This school in Brooklyn, NY turned its unused front lawn into a full-fledged organic garden which produces 500 pounds of veggies a week. Then, students hold a weekly farmer’s market which generates $400 for the school’s PTA each week!
Seafood is also a component of a healthy diet and my column this week is all about buying and eating safe and sustainable seafood. So, if you are one of the millions worried about the state of seafood especially from the Gulf, check out the homepage to access my column.
Until next time, I’ll see you right back here for more GreenDish.
Links:
Another Reason To Go Organic
Brooklyn High School Reaps 500 lbs. of Organic Produce a Week
Better Seafood Choices
GreenDish: The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Hello and welcome back to GreenDish, I’m Terri Bennett. When it comes to our oceans – everyone’s attention has been focused on the Gulf of Mexico lately. But now, there’s new concern about what’s going on in the Pacific Ocean – specifically about 500 miles off the California coast. That’s where a huge amount of garbage is collecting and contaminating our waters. It even has a name: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Underwater currents are keeping the garbage patch together and get this–scientists estimate there’s a 100 million tons of trash there and 90% of it is made up of plastic!
And there’s at least one famous name who is on a mission to keep one of the most common plastic items out of our oceans. Adrian Grenier of Entourage fame worked with Radiohead on a short video about plastic bags called, “Nothing we use for 5 minutes should pollute our oceans for 500 years.”
If you want to check out that video for yourself, simply head over to our new eco-news section to watch it in full.
And, our bento box giveaway is nearing its end! Sign up to win this must-have for a waste-free lunch for work or school. Enter by leaving a comment on our green giveaway section.
Until next time, we’ll see you right back here for more GreenDish.
Links:
A Trash Vortex Is Brewing In the Pacific Ocean
Adrian Grenier’s Video Supporting Plastic Bag Ban
GreenDish: Our Dirty Beaches: Oil Isn’t the Only Problem
Welcome back to GreenDish, I’m Terri Bennett and I’m so glad you’re joining us. Now that the Gulf Oil Spill appears to be capped, new estimates about just how much oil leaked are being released. Federal scientists now say that the BP-managed well released 205.8 million gallons of oil which is about 4.9 million barrels. This is far more than initial estimates and makes the BP spill the worlds largest unintentional spill. The only other larger spill occurred in 1991 when oil was intentionally spilled during the Persian Gulf War.
Now, the talk about the Gulf of Mexico is shifting to what’s called the Dead Zone. It’s an area of water that is basically void of all marine life but in this case, it’s not the oil spill that’s to blame. Every year fertilizers, pesticides, vehicle fluids, animal waste and other pollutants are washed into the Mississippi River by stormwater runoff and carried downstream. They are dumped into the Gulf of Mexico creating a polluted zone of water where marine life cannot exist. This year the Dead Zone already covers nearly 8000 square miles, about the size of NJ! So it’s not just BP doing harm to the Gulf, we are all playing a role in polluting our coastal waters. To learn how you can prevent sending pollutants into our coastal waters, check out our video on Filthy Beaches or The annual beach pollution report in our eco-news section.
Remember we are all part of the problem and we are all part of the solution. So Do Your Part and we’ll see you right back here next time for more GreenDish
GreenDish: Eco-Friendly Cleaners: What’s the Best Bang for Your Buck?
Hello and welcome back to GreenDish, I’m Terri Bennett. Lots of us are trying to make small eco-friendly changes in our daily routines and one of the easiest ways is to make the switch to safer cleaners and detergents. The problem? Not all eco-friendly choices work as well as chemical ones. But now – consumer reports is taking the guesswork out of eco-friendly dishwashing detergents. They tested low-phosphate cleaners to see which performed best. Their top pick for performance and price? The Finish Powerball Tabs – which will cost you about 22 cents per load.
And speaking of eco-friendly cleaners – there is plenty of buzz about Seventh Generation deciding to sell their products at Walmart. Even the company’s co-founder took to his blog to defend his decision saying that Walmart has made huge sustainability strides in the past few years and because they have an extraordinary number of customers, more people will be exposed to the eco-friendly brand.
You can read more on both these stories – in our new eco-news section on DoYourPart.com.
And, while you are on our homepage, check out our latest Green Giveaway! It’s a bento box by laptop lunches which are the perfect way to create waste-free lunches for work or school. Just click on our Green Giveaway section and leave us a comment on why you should be selected as our winner.
Until next time, why not try making one small eco-friendly switch today and we’ll see you right back here next time for more GreenDish.
GreenDish: Clean Beaches & Dirty Receipts
Hello and welcome back to GreenDish, I’m Terri Bennett. Are you still trying to squeeze in a beach getaway this summer? I’m heading to Florida with my family in a couple weeks and I know there’s plenty of concern about what beaches the Gulf oil spill is affecting. A report just released by the National Resources Defense Council not only contains a special section about which beaches were hardest hit by the spill but also, which American beaches are rated best for water quality and which are rated worst.And here’s something that shocked me when I read about it. We’ve all heard about the concern surrounding BPA. The toxic compound has been found on things like baby bottles and canned foods. But now, there’s new information that show bisphenol-a is now found in high amounts on heat activated paper receipts, things like airplane tickets, gas station and atm receipts. And In some cases, the total mass of BPA was up to a thousand times greater than what was found in foods. So don’t let your children handle those receipts and be sure to wash your hands after you do.
You can read more about both of these items in our new eco-news section on DoYourPart.com.
And before we go, let me tell you about our new green giveaway.. It’s a bento box perfect for bringing a waste-free lunch to work and school. It’s worth $35 and with everything you need including an insulated carrying case. Just go to our green giveaway section to enter.
Until next time, we’ll see you right back here for more GreenDish!
Links
Just Released: Beach Pollution Report
BPA Stunner: High Levels Found on Paper Receipt Slips
GreenDish: Saving Big When Buying Small
Hello and welcome back to GreenDish, I’m Terri Bennett.
I want to start off today with a video about toxic cosmetics that is taking the internet by storm! More and more these days we are hearing about dangerous ingredients in our personal care proudcts – things like shampoos, soaps, and make-up. And, there is reason to worry! Some popular ingredients are actually known to cause cancer or made with oil by-products. Check out the 7-minute video titled “The Story of Cosmetics” and then decide if you want to support a new congressional bill submitted just this week about making ingredients less secretive so consumers actually know what they are buying!
And speaking of knowing what you’re buying – it’s important to make green choices in big and small ways. You can Do Your Part even when buying things as small as a Post-It Note these days! 3M now has greener options–some are made with more recycled content and others have plant-based adhesives.
Also this weekend, make sure you’re entered to win a $10,000 eco-friendly bathroom makeover. We’ve partnered with CSNstores.com to redesign one outdated, atrocious, and wasteful bathroom. Go to our green giveaway section on DoYourPart.com for more info!
Until next time, we’ll see you right back here for more GreenDish!
Links:
Hidden Chemicals In Your Favorite Cosmetics
Some Post-It Notes are Going Green
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