Wondering how to live greener? You've come to the right place. Each week we challenge ourselves to try a new task ... or "amp up" something we're already doing. We raise our awareness, learn from each other and develop Eco-friendly skills which will improve our lives and protect our planet. Doing so together gives us power ... the power to Change The World!
If this is your first visit, please click HERE for information and a complete list of all the challenges we've taken on so far.
This post contains great information and I encourage you to read through it at your leisure ... however, if you are short on time, you might find the following quick links helpful:
Last week we focused on food safety; specifically, eliminating BPA from our lives. This harmful chemical is used to line food and beverage cans, shows up in almost any plastic which holds foods or beverages, and has even been found in baby bottles. It has been linked to cancer (especially breast and prostate cancers), heart disease, diabetes, thyroid problems, brain tumors, and issues concerning fetal/infant brain development. While the "experts" say that there is "minimal concern" with the use of BPA, I would rather not take any chances. So, in my house, we avoid canned foods and anything which comes in clear plastic. We use reusable water bottles, opt for frozen vegetables over canned (when fresh isn't an option or when we've run out of our own preserved vegetables), and generally avoid processed foods.
The Honor Society are those people who help us spread the "green" word by writing an article about our challenges and/or leaving pertinent comments.
Lois wrote Change the World Wednesday, Chemicals and shares some interesting (disturbing) information. Buying food in glass jars does not completely eliminate BPA because it's used in the lids. She also talks about receipts ... did you know that they contain BPA?
Argentum Vulgaris (AV) shares a lot of information in Change the World Wednesday – 23 Oct. For example, did you know that some companies are removing BPA from their products, replacing it with BPS? It turns out that BPS is worse than BPA. AV also talks about cookware and offers a warning about the use of aluminum pans.
The Nurtured Beauty Daily gave CTWW a nice mention. That edition includes other interesting topics like how to make a cozy pair of slippers or socks from an old sweater, and how to use lemon to brighten laundry.
Aimee accepted the challenge and says, "Done! Eden (organic) cans have BPA-free lining so I support them when I buy black beans :) And props to Whole Foods who now ask their customers if they even want a receipt - I just hope more folks continue to move to "Square" type services where you can have receipts emailed to you if desired on those purchases where you do want proof of purchase!"
Katie did an audit of her pantry and came up with a strategy to eliminate BPA. Her post, Reduce BPA Exposure from Food Packages [#CTWW], includes a table of items, which typically come in cans, along with safer alternatives. Be sure to read her "side story" ... I LOVE it!
Our Twitter friends joined the conversation and shared the following:
From @SoulfulLab
- I try to use my juicer pulp in my sauces for less waste and no pre made bpa canned food!
From @GiveTreeGifts
- Study ties chemical to possible miscarriage risk ow.ly/q627u
- Canned foods, plastic containers & receipts all increase risk of miscarriage... ow.ly/q62e2
- BPA Leads to Miscarriages: Tips to Avoid #BPA Exposure : ow.ly/q62oa
From @RobPolka
- BPA isn't even my main concern. There's also the energy used to make/distribute/recycle cans that makes no sense.
The #CTWW Gang are those folks who tweet our challenges using the hashtag #CTWW. If you're a Twitter member, I recommend following them ... they share great things. Let's meet them:
My Final Thoughts:
One wonders how these "bad" things enter our life ... how a potentially harmful chemical can be approved by the Food & Drug Administration or deemed a minimal risk by experts. The sad truth is that our health and safety aren't always high priorities. Any number of hidden agendas can take precedence. It is up to us, therefore, to search for the truth ... to stay informed so that we can make good decisions. We owe it to ourselves ... and the environment.
Thanks, everyone! If you wrote an article, I Stumbled, Tweeted, Facebooked and posted it on Google +. You can help spread the "green" word by using the share features located below this post.
This Week's Challenge:
I was searching the Internet for something fun and interesting to challenge you with and came across a very old post about random acts of green. I like the idea of allowing our generous spirits to soar. Here's the challenge:
This week, perform a random act of green. Similar to a random act of kindness, the idea is to help the planet by looking for Eco-friendly opportunities which may present themselves as you go through your day. This could be picking up trash while you walk or helping an elderly neighbor bring their recycling bin to the curb for pickup. Maybe you turn off a light which was left on, offer to carpool to save gas, or share local produce with a friend. Perhaps buy a reusable bag or bottle for someone or invite a neighbor to share a vegan meal. The possibilities are endless!
Are you up for this challenge? I know that you are!
Until next time ...
WE'RE CHANGING THE WORLD ... ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME!