Energy Use Down Due to Recession
A recent study was done by the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory that asserts Americans are using less energy in 2009 than in 2008. The main attributing factor: The Recession.
Energy use tends to follow the level of economic activity, and that level declined last year. At the same time, higher efficiency appliances and vehicles reduced energy use even further. As a result, people and businesses are using less energy in general.
Reducing energy use is such an easy way to reduce our monthly bills. It’s a shame that people only use less energy when forced to cut back their spending. Just because we aren’t forced to cut back our costs doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be concern with our energy consumption.
Another point that was mentioned in this study is the reduction of coal as a fuel source. Luckily it was renewable energy sources and natural gas that filled the void. There’s no real surprise wind and solar were on the rise with the various energy credits being provided by the government.
We can only hope that as the economy recovers, people will continue to conserve energy and there will be a continued support to move to renewable sources of energy.
Canadian? Watch your BPA Intake
In a recent study by Statistics Canada, 91% of all Canadians had BPA in their bodies. Now this is not a growing issue specific to Canada though, so consider your own Country’s products and your personal rate of BPA exposure and intake.
So just how bad is this and what can we do about it in our own locations across the globe? First, the study provides an important baseline for understanding BPA exposure. But is BPA really bad for you? And since it is so prevalent in consumer products, is this number of concern? Let’s take a quick look.
What and Where is BPA?
BPA, or Bisphenol A, is most commonly used in plastics and to coat things like shopping receipts and food cans. For the scientifically minded out there, it is most commonly used in polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. It is a synthetically-made chemical that does not naturally occur in nature, but due to its persistent use in consumer products, can be found in water, aquatic animals, and humans mainly. The 2002 BPA market saw 2.8 million tons produced globally, and the numbers have only increased until recently. Some of the most common products can be found in our food plastics including baby bottles.
Should I Be Concerned?
According to the American Chemistry Council and industry trade groups, No.
According to health officials worldwide including the FDA and health scientists, Yes.
Take a minute to reflect on the different sources of information.
So, Why the Controversy?
Mainly, different mindsets. The chemical industry and chemical trade groups are taking the approach that until it has not been proven to cause immediate harm to human health. Resulting with the approach that there is little need to address the situation, so business continues as usual. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) originally deemed low rates of BPA exposure as safe. The chemical industry is first to tell you that BPA is highly regulated and tested and has been studied for over 40 years.
Unfortunately, there is a growing body of evidence that is proving that BPA exposure is not safe. Its effects on the brain, diabetes, prostate gland, and in particular the reproductive system and children is of great concern. In February of this year, the FDA made a public announcement encouraging households to limit their exposure to BPA. Now the FDA has not made a formal announcement that BPA should be publicly banned, but countries like Canada have decided to review whether this should be done until we learn can be certain there is absolutely no health risk.
The real health concerns arise when BPA levels increase, and since manufacturers have no control over what their consumers eat and are exposed to in conjunction with their product, the responsibility lays with each of us to decide which approach we will take.
CBS News Video on the 2010 FDA Announcement to Limit BPA Exposure
CBS News Reviews FDA Warning on BPA
Tips for BPA-Free Living
The Mayo Clinic offers these tips for reducing your potential exposure to BPA:
- Choose glass or BPA-free plastic baby bottles.
- Use glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers for hot foods and liquids.
- Avoid plastic containers with the No. 7 and No. 3 recycling label — they’re made with BPA.
- Don’t microwave polycarbonate plastic food containers. Instead, use glass containers designed for microwaving.
- Reduce your use of canned foods — many cans are lined with a BPA-containing resins
Please note that BPA is not required to be listed on food products or consumer goods, so it may be hard to find and eliminate all together. BPA can be flushed out of the body within 6 hours according to current research, so cleansing your body of BPA quickly is an option.
So it is up to you to decide which approach is best for your lifestyle. Either the wait and see method or the precautionary principle. Best of luck with your decision.
Sources include: Reuters, Chemical Market Associates, Inc (CMAI), Mayo Clinic, American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Division Business Group
Dispelling the Myths About Organic Food
As we all hustle and bustle through life, we watch as the world around us slowly deteriorates. Glaciers are melting, species are struggling to survive, and people around the world cannot even afford to feed themselves or their families. Consequently, helplessly witnessing this global devastation has prompted people worldwide to join in the fight to go green. Not only can this movement save our planet, it will inevitably save ourselves. The coupled concerns for the well being of the world and the well being of our health have sparked the demand for and scrutiny over the true effectiveness of organic food. Two of the most common myths swirling around this growing food source are typically whether or not its better or more nutritional than non-organic food, and whether or not switching to wholly organic means of food production can really have an influence on the global environment.
To begin dispelling these myths, we must first delve into the most common knowledge about what organic food actually is. This type of food source is defined by its production process, in that when produced, less synthetic materials (i.e., additives or processed chemical preservatives) are used. Most know that in the growing and harvesting processes of organic produce, chemicals or pesticides are also not used.
A lot of the myths surrounding the pros and cons of organic food revolve around its actual health benefits. Initially, skeptics charged that there was little to no difference in the nutritional value between consumption of organic food and the usual, conventionally processed foods. But with the collection of additional information over the years, reports released currently indicate quite the opposite; in fact, because organic foods are produced using processes that entail the limited use of artificial and chemical components, the amount of nutrients found in organic food is proportionally higher than what is found in the nutritious components of non-organic foods.
The fertilizers used in the conventional production of non-organic produce swell the fruits and veggies with water, diluting the concentration of nutrients found in the produce. Because organic produce is not fertilized with the artificial fertilizers used in the production of non-organic foods, they are filled with a much higher proportion of nutrient value, containing higher levels of trace minerals, Vitamin C, and antioxidants.
Most people naively assume that the chemicals and pesticides used to keep non-organic foods clear of insects are harmless. However, those chemicals build up in our body eventually prove more harmless than harmful. And the chemicals take their toll on the produce as well. Because organic plants depend upon their own immune systems to protect themselves from diseases from insects, they have built up and higher levels of phytonutrients and antioxidants. Nonetheless, since non-organic produce doesn’t have that opportunity because of the heavy handed use of pesticides, their immune systems are weakened and can’t produce as much phytonutrients to protect themselves. Upon consumption, organic produce provides our bodies with more antioxidants than the non-organic produce, which then helps builds up the level of antioxidants in our bodies and helps us ward off free radicals.
Dana Livingston is a writer for a culinary school website where you can browse schools and the latest trends in the culinary arena.
Is Wind Energy Not Worth The Investment?
Robert Bryce from the Wall Street Journal thinks that wind energy could actually be causing more carbon emissions than often advertised. Bryce found research that suggests because wind is not a consistent source of energy, coal plants have to pick up the slack. The research found that it requires more energy to start coal fire generators than if left running. Hist entire piece called Wind Power Won’t Cool Down the Planet can be found on the Wall Street Journal.
Not Thinking Ahead
The major flaw with Bryce’s argument would have to be the fact that he is only thinking about now, without looking ahead into the future. Wind may be the most popular now, but there are so many other sources of energy that we can invest in that could help us eliminate our need for coal and oil. I may be a little naive, but I would hope that America would one day rely on only renewable and clean energy sources.
That could be 50, 75 or even more than 100 years down the road. The fact is that we cannot continue to rely on the current sources of energy that we are without causing further damage to our planet as well as shortage of those sources. The only way we are going to see long term reduction in carbon emissions is if we keep investing and continue to incorporate wind, solar, geothermal and other renewable sources available to us.
The cost of investing in renewable energy is high at the moment, but it could help reduce future energy costs. Research can also be done now to help reduce that cost and help make it more efficient in the future. The cost will be drastically reduced and electricity can be generated a higher percentage of the time.
Another point that he brings up is that natural gas is a solution we should consider. There is enough natural gas to meet our needs, but what happens when that runs out? It’s only a matter of time before we have to go back and start considering renewable energy sources again.
To answer the original question of this post: Yes. Some of the points that Bryce brings up in his article are valid. People may be pocketing incentives from the government and wind energy is currently expensive. The major problem is that all solutions we currently have are only short term. We need to continue investing in renewable energy and get over these initial speed bumps to one day be using a source that will not leave us in a bind in the future.
What are your thoughts?
Chemerical Film
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to get rid of all of those chemicals in your home and switch to natural and homemade alternatives? Andrew Nisker does just that in his new documentary Chemerical.
Andrew Nisker, environmental activist and filmmaker, is the head of Take Action Films in Toronto which produced this film. If you are not familiar with Take Action, you may have heard of his previous film Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home. This film originally premiered on the Sundance Channel in 2009 and garnered attention from several major news outlets and famous celebrities. Chemerical is his latest film that looks to have similar success.
In Chemerical, Nisker follows a family for three months as they make the dramatic shift of removing all chemicals from their home. This meant the family would now solely being using all natural and homemade cleaning, personal hygiene and cosmetic products. As the movie progresses, the family goes from being dependent on their products and skeptic of natural alternatives to believers. The best part of the movie is that the family also find out that they can also save money along the way 
Let’s take a look at a trailer of the movie to get a closer look of what the movie is about.
The goal of this movie is to bring to public attention the dangers of toxic chemicals and each ways to clean up our homes. Since it’s short release, over 7,000 toxic products have been removed from households worldwide, with that number grows daily. The hope is that the message of this film can spread to make not just our homes but the planet a greener place.
This film can be purchased directly through Take Action’s store either through download or by DVD. Andrew was nice enough to provide all of my readers with the opportunity to get this film at 50% off by ordering by entering the code 50TA10 when purchasing an individual DVD.
Nationwide Salmonella Outbreak For Eggs
Major egg producer Hillandale Farms is associated with an outbreak of salmonella in millions of eggs covering 14 states. This is the third recall that has occurred in just under two weeks and really shows the sad state of the egg industry in our country. Almost a half billion eggs and thousands of cases of salmonella can be associated with the eggs coming from these recalls.
Farms like Hillandale follow the same practices, having way too many chickens stuff in small cages with little movement and unsanitary conditions. Is anybody really surprise that this happened and with so many eggs? What’s even worse is that the FDA set new rules to prevent many salmonella cases every year due to eggs. We see how effective that particular regulation was.
What to do?
Salmonella can be prevented by making sure to fully cook your eggs. It’s pretty simple, but the bacteria shouldn’t even be in the eggs in the first place.
An even better solution is to fight against these horrible big egg producers and start buying local and free-range. Only good eggs are going to be produced when you see the chickens running around the farm, fed and treated well. On top of that, you will be getting eggs that taste better and are fresher than any of those sold in any traditional grocery store. The key is if you can actually go to the farm and see the conditions, then you know how the chickens are treated. It’s difficult to do that unless you live nearby the actual farm.
The reason I mention local is that even eggs that claim “Organic”, “Free Range” or “Cruelty Free” are still not even close. They allow the hens to be bunched up inside with very little space. They often can be just as inhumane. Read this interesting article from The Vegetarian Site that goes into further detail.
Consider making a change as it could be putting our families at risk just to save a a few bucks on cheaper eggs.
Don’t Let Green Go To Your Head
Supernews makes funny videos commenting on politics, news and pop culture. I have seen some funny videos from them in the past and just stumbled upon this video about “going green”. Check it out.
This video makes a great point about not letting green go to our heads. Towards the end of the video, Fred does a great job in summing up this point:
Being green isn’t just empty words and it’s not something you wear on your sleeves to rub in other peoples faces. It’s about making real changes in your life because you genuinely care about the future of the earth.
We need to be sure that we don’t fall into “green” marketing hype. Living a green lifestyle doesn’t mean that we have to go out and buy tons of “green” products to prove we are trying to help the environment. That means making changes in our lifestyle that will help us conserve our resources and lessen our impact on the environment. It doesn’t require us to spend more money, you can actually save money. Let’s not end up like Terry in the video. Try to stay modest about helping the environment and other will hopefully follow because of the positive changes that come from it.
What are your thoughts people like Terry in the video?
