Happy New Year
2011
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Artwork by Lorraine Blasor |
According to the website MindBodyGreen,
it is estimated that there are more than
50,000 chemicals used in consumer goods,
of which only 300 have been tested.
it is estimated that there are more than
50,000 chemicals used in consumer goods,
of which only 300 have been tested.
NAVIGATING OUR CHEMICAL WORLD
In the school of life, continuing education is a must. No need to go back to school, though. The right book will suffice.
Such as "What's In This Stuff The Hidden Toxins in Everyday Products and What You Can Do About Them" by Patricia Thomas, a journalist and author in alternative and environmental health. The book deals with "the chemical onslaught to which our bodies are subjected through the products we buy" and suggests nontoxic alternatives to conventional but potentially harmful products. It is a clarion call to action and one that consumers who care for the health of their families and that of Planet Earth might want to heed. (Penguin publisher; $17.95)
Never before have consumers needed to be as informed or knowledgeable as is necessary nowadays to navigate successfully the increasingly complex world we live in, a world that grows increasingly foreign at our own peril. Neglecting to learn more about the vast array of things we consume on a daily basis, ranging from health and beauty aids to food and household products, is to miss the opportunity to change the world for the better through the power of choice and the pocketbook.
"What's In This Stuff" shows you just how foreign the world has become as a result of manufacturing processes that rely on a mind boggling array of chemicals, some of which were initially developed as part of wartime research during World War II. Some of the information in the book is not necessarily new. After all, the media has increasingly been reporting on the dangers of chemicals and additives. Take aluminum, for example, whose protracted use has been associated with an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease, or formaldehyde which has been tied to cancer and respiratory ailments.
The merit of this book is to bring together all the available data about the substances used to make everyday consumer goods into one eminently readable and comprehensive package.
It is compelling reading and at times even disturbing. Its 10-chapters take a sweeping look at all aspects of a person's life: food and drink, baby products, toiletries and cosmetics, household products, home and garden pesticides, pet supplies. The book also examines how substances interact with the body leading to chronic health conditions or disease; packaging; labeling; and includes an extensive glossary of chemicals, with information on how each one is incorporated into consumer products. Take arsenic, for example, a pesticide and a favorite of mystery writers eager to dispatch inconvenient characters in their fiction. As noted by Thomas, "it is used for picnic tables, decks, and playground equipment. Because wood is porous, the arsenic can easily be transferred onto hands and from there into mouths, especially with children."
While this material is sure to disconcert, the book makes a persuasive argument why consumers should pay more attention to what they consume. In fact, it challenges the reader to question everything that most consumers take for granted. This is no time for careless consumerism, the stakes are too high in terms of personal welfare. Not everything in the marketplace is dangerous to one's health, of course, but a great many products are and it behooves consumers to consider what goes into making them and then decide whether or not to continue their use.
Ultimately, deciding not to buy unhealthy products may be the only way for the public to steer companies into changing their manufacturing processes in favor of better alternatives.
Ultimately, deciding not to buy unhealthy products may be the only way for the public to steer companies into changing their manufacturing processes in favor of better alternatives.
A GLASS ACT
There was a time when plastics seemed like a gift from the gods: useful, convenient, ubiquitous. These days, it is common to read about the hidden dangers of using plastic for cooking or storing food. According to the FDA, substances used to make plastics can leach into the food but not to worry, says the federal agency: plastic is safe. For those who don't feel reassured, the answer is to use a less troublesome alternative. For storing food, glass is ideal. You can find glass storage containers in specialty stores such as Bed Bath & Beyond or your nearest supermarket. Supermax has a section devoted to Pyrex products, and these include glass containers in different sizes and shapes (round and rectangular) with seal-tight, bright red plastic lids. They are priced at under $10.
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PHOTOGRAPH BY DENISE BLASOR |
LIVE AS IF IT WERE THE LAST DAY OF YOUR LIFE
LEARN AS IF YOU WERE TO LIVE FOREVER
MAHATMA GANDHI
A SIMPLE TIP
The children's section of many retailing chains can sometimes yield good choices for small-sized women who have a hard time finding items to fit their small frame, especially pants. The bonus: count on paying less.
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Photograph by Denise Blasor |
Have nothing in your house that
you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.
William Morris
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