tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40782964281571524842024-03-12T20:37:23.393-04:00The Verde ButterflyKikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-57357114677968171352022-03-22T11:23:00.001-04:002023-02-28T21:49:56.736-05:00It's World Water Day!!Water is one of the aspects of our planet that I am most passionate about and since it's World Water Day, I just had to write something. We all know that the Earth is composed of about 70% water, but did you know that only about 1% of it is available as freshwater for our use? Unfortunately, nearly 1 billion people lack access to healthy water, yet we still waste water and damage our freshwater sources with pollutants. Demand for water is increasing significantly with continued population growth, so now is the time to take action to protect our water sources. Visit <a href="http://www.nature.org/initiatives/freshwater/features/art30977.html?src=sp1">The Nature Conservancy</a> and <a href="http://www.worldwaterday.org/">World Water Day.org</a> to find out more about World Water Day and what you can do to help. <br />
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Here are some basic things you can do (in case you don't make it to the websites): Install low-flow shower heads and aerators; always turn off the water while brushing teeth (make sure the kiddies do too); and take showers instead of baths (quick ones!) We have done all of the above, but DH's shower times are still an issue - I'm working on it though! We have also filled large juice bottles (like Ocean Spray jugs) with water and put them in the toilet tanks to reduce how much water we use to flush. I'm also hoping that this summer we will be able to get a rain barrel to water our lawn instead of using public water. If you are planning to landscape your yard, please choose plants that are native to your region and that consume less water to stay healthy. Also, please be mindful of what you use on your lawn. Those chemical fertilizers and herbicides that make suburban lawns so lush and green can be very toxic. The residues can run off into streams and rivers or seep into soil and pollute the underlying groundwater. These contaminants also reduce oxygen levels which can kill fish and other wildlife, accumulate in the tissue of the fish we catch and eat from the lakes and reduce the beauty of the water. <br />
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So, lets make some small changes so that <strong>EVERYONE</strong> can have access to safe, clean water. Happy World Water Day!Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-81728915675488736532012-07-25T20:25:00.000-04:002024-02-10T10:33:37.288-05:00Can There Be a Holistic Approach to Jobs, Education, Healthcare AND the Environment?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm89oCtqCgc0d9ZWiygHNIndJFYmdbNHGPwYDMW-TBfKFP-iXChO8KnqPNHf1_HPr-ADR09uHJzmJ1_1OuP6KrvXA7A-LLYA6izxAtJRKRNlB37UU3GC7_OluZtSfKSptRZIDyF4ylTQdl/s1600/white+house+program.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm89oCtqCgc0d9ZWiygHNIndJFYmdbNHGPwYDMW-TBfKFP-iXChO8KnqPNHf1_HPr-ADR09uHJzmJ1_1OuP6KrvXA7A-LLYA6izxAtJRKRNlB37UU3GC7_OluZtSfKSptRZIDyF4ylTQdl/s640/white+house+program.jpeg" width="476" /></a></div><br /><br />Monday, I attended the White House African American Women's Forum geared toward black women in positions of leadership. While many attendees were in formal leadership positions, many of us were also leaders in our families, community organizations or churches. We were there to hear about and discuss topics that are important to our community, such as economic security, healthcare and education. <span style="background-color: white;">The distinguished speakers and panelists included: Dr. Regina Benjamin, U.S. Surgeon General; Gene Sperling, Assistant to the President and Director of the National Economic Council and Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to President Obama. There were several other notable panelists that you can view on the program I posted above.</span><br /><br />The icing on the cake was the surprise visit from our very lovely First Lady, Mrs. Michelle Obama! Valerie Jarrett introduced her after sharing with us how very caring and compassionate she and President Obama are and how much they both truly care about the American people. Let me just say that Mrs. Obama is even more beautiful in person and not just outwardly. She has a beautiful spirit and actually thanked us for all that we do in our communities. Obama 2012!<br /><br />So, on to my point. We talked about all these issues that are affecting our communities in very significant ways. There are so many great ideas and established programs that are addressing these issues, but we have a long way to go. One thing I would like for us to visit is the capacity for the environment to be integrated into the discussion. I think we often feel that the environmental movement does not include us because of what the average environmental activist looks like. This is so far from the truth. Minorities, urban populations and low-income people are those most likely to be impacted from environmental degradation so isn't it up to us to fight for our rights to clean air, clean water and a more sustainable future? <br /><br />My thinking is that there has to be a way to integrate jobs, education, healthcare AND the environment in a way that addresses each issue.<br /><br />SO, here are the facts:<br /><br /><ul><li><span style="background-color: white;">President Obama wants to double exports over the next five years, according to Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council.</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;">The American education system needs to be revamped to encourage innovative thinking that will take us into the future.</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;">Environmental health is a real issue that needs to be addressed, particularly when it comes to air quality and its impact on asthma rates among African American children.</span></li><li><span style="background-color: white;">There is a global need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions so that we can work toward a healthier and more sustainable future.</span></li></ul><div>Renewable energy technology is one area in which we can begin to address these issues. For instance, there are several areas in developing nations that grapple with unreliable electricity. Most of these areas, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa see over 300 days of sunlight per year. This is ideal where solar power is concerned. I know that renewable energy technology is cost prohibitive in the majority of these areas. However, I wonder if we can examine the possibility of using carbon credits to fund the projects. This has happened in India as well as many countries in the developing world. Many of these projects are entrepreneurial in nature, but are generally not US based. Now, I'm not even going to try and explain carbon credits here: I found a number of links that can offer much more information. Take a gander if you'd like :-)</div><div><ul><li><a href="http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2008/09/carbon-credits-are-financing-renewable-energy-projects-in-india-53484" target="_blank">Article about carbon credits in India</a></li><li><a href="http://pammvi.wordpress.com/2010/03/11/carbon-credits-for-dummies/" target="_blank">Carbon credits for dummies</a></li><li><a href="http://www.carbon-investments.co.uk/carbon-credits-key-to-developing-a-new-type-of-entrepreneurial-investments.php" target="_blank">Carbon credits and entrepreneurship</a></li><li><a href="http://www.carbonafrica.co.ke/about-us.html" target="_blank">Carbon Africa, LTD</a></li></ul><div>So, in a nutshell I think we need to view things a bit differently than we have in the past. Do we not have the expertise to build and export renewable energy technologies to the places that need them? Can't we expose the next generation of entrepreneurs to the possibilities available in such an industry? America has traditionally been a country of innovators. I think we should get back to that.</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-75674069379660614532012-05-24T18:58:00.000-04:002022-09-22T22:49:08.720-04:00My Day at EPA...Baby in Tow<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img height="320" src="http://gallery.usgs.gov/images/03_17_2010/mIYLc55bb7_03_17_2010/medium/coalplant.jpg" width="236" /></div><br /><div style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222;">Today I spoke at EPA's Public Hearing in support of their proposed </span><a href="http://epa.gov/carbonpollutionstandard/" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Carbon Pollution Standard</a><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222;">. This rule under the Clean Air Act would set limits on how much carbon pollution future power plants can emit (there is still the issue of existing power plants, but the fight isn't over). I hadn't planned on speaking and didn't sign up in advance, but when the opportunity arose, I jumped on it and gave my way more than two cents. I'm so glad that I did. Here are two reasons why: Camille and Ava. My children mean the entire world to me as I'm sure is the case with most parents. I was prompted by the fact that their generation and generations to come are going to reap the benefits of what we do today, or conversely, suffer the consequences of our inaction. This standard, like the </span><a href="http://the6ixthday.blogspot.com/2011/12/epa-announces-new-mercury-and-air.html" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Mercury and Air Toxics Standard</a><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222;"> is a necessary tool in the fight not only against big polluters, but also in the quest for environmental justice. For so long power plants have been allowed to pollute without limits. Studies show that minorities and underserved urban populations suffer disproportionately from the effects of toxic air in the form of increased incidences of asthma and other respiratory illnesses. In my comments, I discussed this as well as mentioned my husband and brother, urban dwellers who both suffered from severe asthma as children. Ava was right there with me at the mic, and with her big brown expressive eyes gnawing at their souls, they have no choice but to implement this standard (I know a little dramatic, but that's how I do).</span></div><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.918); color: #222222;"><br /></span><br /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;">The EPA will continue to accept public comments until June 25, 2012. I hope you'll take a quick moment to<a href="http://epa.gov/carbonpollutionstandard/pdfs/howtocomment.pdf" target="_blank"> submit your comment</a> in support of this standard.</span><br /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;"><br /></span><br /><span face="arial, sans-serif" style="color: #222222;">Thanks to Mocha Moms and Moms Clean Air Force for spreading the word!</span>Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-90260589437178427552011-07-11T23:26:00.000-04:002011-07-11T23:26:37.049-04:00Cloth Diapering!!I'm finally going to take the plunge and get rid of these disposables. Although I use Seventh Generation diapers on Ava, which is chlorine-free, they are not biodegradable. So, as much as I preach about being "green", I have to admit that I am a disposable diaper user. I have been meaning to make the switch, but I just haven't. Well, Sunday, I attended a cloth diapering workshop held by Lee-Ann Pinkard, owner of <a href="http://www.ecobabiesonline.com/">EcoBabies</a>. Let me tell you, it was fantastic! She broke it down and I was thoroughly sold. I was probably sitting there with my mouth wide open in awe of how simple cloth diapering is. I am placing my order on her website THIS WEEK.<br />
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I'm going to start with prefolds (basic cloth diapers) and covers and try various options from there. I'm so excited and so is Ava! Well maybe not, but in my mind she will love it. So, here we go. Check back to see how it is going!Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-3286591716482556542010-03-16T16:26:00.002-04:002010-03-22T12:09:31.593-04:00Reduced, Reused, Recycled into....a Dollhouse!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILM_OOZyMN-DiFsSZIPMT41S_9L1RYt1F4_gUEPAIdKjBUVCr_YvG37MCDV7KDrA9ymWSFH2x0XjHXBShln7zzfYfjjXxvb172M-V4mp_6u6uxla-7wB7T4Zin4IZrkIxwL0wserw4uk/s1600-h/jewelry3-2010+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjILM_OOZyMN-DiFsSZIPMT41S_9L1RYt1F4_gUEPAIdKjBUVCr_YvG37MCDV7KDrA9ymWSFH2x0XjHXBShln7zzfYfjjXxvb172M-V4mp_6u6uxla-7wB7T4Zin4IZrkIxwL0wserw4uk/s200/jewelry3-2010+011.jpg" vt="true" width="200" /></a></div>Some months back, I made some bendy dolls for my daughter out of chenille sticks (above) and wooden beads, but they didn't have a place to live. So, for Christmas, dh and I bought her a really cute modular dollhouse. She loved it! Well, she also started playing with and receiving Barbies, which made me remember how much I loved them when I was a kid (way before I got all irked about their unrealistic size). All that aside, Barbies can be cool, in my opinion. So, before I knew it, she had 5 dolls - 3 that were gifts (including Grace), and 2 that I got from the thrift store and gave makeovers to. I then decided that I wanted a few "collectables" for myself, so I have 2, for a total of 7 dolls who needed a home. Since we had just bought the modular dollhouse and weren't planning on spending anymore money, I decided to use some empty boxes to make a dollhouse. Well, I must say, IT IS SO COOL! Check out the pictures:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHq08ElopGpxZB9XbvHQzlTCUwwuuApa4O5CudXIOcXCjGg1JbaC54_jMVbC_TdCBZQFbbuhQQdtPKFeDKkMFH_YBdYUys03HhUdNPhyphenhyphenw5LgVZi4GW_7W-g8F6-JUczq-7r4-D42IChY/s1600-h/dollhouse1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHq08ElopGpxZB9XbvHQzlTCUwwuuApa4O5CudXIOcXCjGg1JbaC54_jMVbC_TdCBZQFbbuhQQdtPKFeDKkMFH_YBdYUys03HhUdNPhyphenhyphenw5LgVZi4GW_7W-g8F6-JUczq-7r4-D42IChY/s400/dollhouse1.jpg" vt="true" width="300" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTWyV0_88hl9ipNyxLS8itJ7V0NDYqEfjj2q6b0bU2ySChjAWoh3g_i0XvS2wcOBHAIbilawB_pw-vEWVaQu-hibtNNmiHDPgj4fmpb3Ayq3P4HYnTYb8Bd0pLqVEEDJVzEmzpHuB7-4/s1600-h/dhliving.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGTWyV0_88hl9ipNyxLS8itJ7V0NDYqEfjj2q6b0bU2ySChjAWoh3g_i0XvS2wcOBHAIbilawB_pw-vEWVaQu-hibtNNmiHDPgj4fmpb3Ayq3P4HYnTYb8Bd0pLqVEEDJVzEmzpHuB7-4/s320/dhliving.jpg" vt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSjjCMya22ARjiCn9cfh5F5OOyPp13DespwFIFBS-rOqvnIMcmRqOCRkfU163-9Fz6ZskoFsFBjC_evrOD3fvGJL_ZOj1BAzgq9VQXLPO7i5HCsvADcj1sHG2v4XqbPoaAFhJUKx02fk/s1600-h/dhkitchen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBSjjCMya22ARjiCn9cfh5F5OOyPp13DespwFIFBS-rOqvnIMcmRqOCRkfU163-9Fz6ZskoFsFBjC_evrOD3fvGJL_ZOj1BAzgq9VQXLPO7i5HCsvADcj1sHG2v4XqbPoaAFhJUKx02fk/s320/dhkitchen.jpg" vt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzISgX6nQWn2Ld7FWLmJwvMNbW1IRoHFvj-Yforhc9-6Kfxi3rzpfs7QFJFy4eCH-XHkCTZuOlppZGYF2XTiYWKuxLiKNuumPNQVyDnPn19bte6KQiQyWPY85iihtB-e0wUd_H32r2A_Q/s1600-h/dhbath2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzISgX6nQWn2Ld7FWLmJwvMNbW1IRoHFvj-Yforhc9-6Kfxi3rzpfs7QFJFy4eCH-XHkCTZuOlppZGYF2XTiYWKuxLiKNuumPNQVyDnPn19bte6KQiQyWPY85iihtB-e0wUd_H32r2A_Q/s320/dhbath2.jpg" vt="true" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XkJ8u7r3PAiXlUzEJTijyO6F4ZoaKqr4LUIFp5wrjoYQC2F0yvE16TADRe7rFob7avg2YUgSyfzIc3dh__k2dJb03-xntfOtnbxPAqxwyvFanvCOBP9_I1cabd_UIQmiAj3EoA7p3ko/s1600-h/dhbedrm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7XkJ8u7r3PAiXlUzEJTijyO6F4ZoaKqr4LUIFp5wrjoYQC2F0yvE16TADRe7rFob7avg2YUgSyfzIc3dh__k2dJb03-xntfOtnbxPAqxwyvFanvCOBP9_I1cabd_UIQmiAj3EoA7p3ko/s320/dhbedrm.jpg" vt="true" /></a></div><br />
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Just about everything in this dollhouse is made from things I found around my house outside of the kitchen "wallpaper", which is scrapbooking paper bought at .59 a sheet and the rocking chairs, which I found for .25 a piece (there is one in the picture - the other is being painted), and the mirrors which my girl SB (who helped me with my hair) bought from the dollar store.Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-84302107691596631292009-11-23T15:36:00.001-05:002010-01-21T16:53:24.594-05:00Organic: To buy or not to buy?Most people that know me well, know that I like to buy organic food, especially produce. Unfortunately, organic food is often more expensive and with the economy being the way it is, most of us (myself included), can't buy everything organic. So, when should one splurge on organics, and when is it okay to eat conventionally grown produce? I found out that certain fruits and vegetables, considered the "Dirty Dozen", carry a lot of pesticides and these are the ones that are best to buy organic. They are: peaches, apples, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, imported grapes, pears, sweet bell peppers, celery, lettuce, spinach and potatoes. The Environmental Working Group (I just love them) compiled a list of foods found <a href="http://www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php">here</a> and also gives tips on how to reduce your exposure to pesticides. Now, the national economy might be bad, but my personal economics absolutely suck!! I try to stick to fruits and veggies that are relatively inexpensive, but also have a protective skin, like bananas. Organic bananas are probably a waste of money because you don't eat the outside of the banana! <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_36/b3898129_mz070.htm">This article</a> also contains some very good information about buying organic. Ultimately, we all have the ability to educate ourselves and make the best decisions possible.Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-48887284281425175592009-10-28T22:41:00.017-04:002009-11-23T14:34:26.382-05:00<span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">In my post on October 15th, I posed the question of why it is important that there are significantly more toxic and industrial waste sites located near poor and </span></span></span><span style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">predominately minority communities than near more affluent communites.</span></span></span><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> The answer: endocrine disruptors. In a nutshell, endocrine disruptors, such as PCBs and Dioxins (which are probable carcinogens), among others, are synthetic chemicals that when absorbed into the body, affect the behavior of hormones, either mimicking or blocking them, and disrupting normal body functions. Helloooo, this isn't supposed to happen! </span></span></span><br />
<div><span style="white-space: pre;"><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></span></span><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">Industrial activities are just one culprit for the release of endocrine disruptors into the environment. For example, over a period of 30 years, GE released over 1 million pounds of PCBs into the Hudson River, which has been contaminating the sediment for years. Clean up just recently began, but is going to be a long and costly process. In the meanwhile, people are continuing to eat fish from this river, even though it is strongly recommended that this practiced be avoided. We don't know yet how this is affecting people and we may not know for years. The point is this: more minorities and poor people live near toxic waste sites, toxic and industrial waste sites can be ground zero for chemicals that are known to cause illness. Generally speaking, if one is poor in this country, one doesn't have the access to healthcare that more affluent people have. There is already a double whammy here, my theory is that spending the majority of your time near a toxic waste dump doesn't help much. I'm no expert, but it seems problematic to me.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">C<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman';"><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">lick </span></span></span><a href="http://www.nrdc.org/health/effects/qendoc.asp#humans"><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">here</span></span></span></a><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> and </span></span></span><a href="http://www.sph.emory.edu/PEHSU/html/exposures/endocrine.htm#Q3"><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;">here</span></span></span></a><span style="color: #330000;"><span style="font-family: georgia;"><span style="font-size: small;"> for more information about endocrine disruptors.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
</div>Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-64035171317378746402009-10-16T00:14:00.002-04:002011-08-12T21:21:34.774-04:00Sulfur in Drywall?? Are you serious??My husband (conscious brotha that he is), just informed me of the fact that people have been getting sick from the presence of sulfur in drywall imported from China. Apparently, at the height of the real estate market and after hurricanes Katrina and Rita, there was a shortage of drywall so builders decided to import it from China because it was abundant and cheap. This drywall emits sulfur and the gas has corroded pipes and copper wires, turned sterling silver jewelry black and destroyed air conditioners and television sets. Check out <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/housing/2009-03-16-chinese-drywall-sulfur_N.htm">this article</a> at USAToday for more information about the problem. What's worse is that insurance companies are not only denying the claims filed by homeowners, but dropping them altogether after they disclose the presence of chinese drywall. Apparently, this situation qualifies as a "pre-existing" condition and isn't covered by the policies! So, then these homeowners have no way of fixing the problem, their insurance gets cancelled, and since insurance is a requirement for a mortgage, they are at risk of foreclosure! This is madness. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Chinese_drywall_controversy">Here</a> are all the gory details.Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-20316266489594629892009-10-15T15:13:00.001-04:002009-10-15T15:13:39.791-04:00NRDC: Endocrine Disruptors<a href=http://shar.es/1AtYE>NRDC: Endocrine Disruptors</a><br /><br />Posted using <a href="http://sharethis.com">ShareThis</a>Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-29335774157667929212009-10-15T13:39:00.001-04:002009-10-28T23:49:29.137-04:00Where is the diversity in the environmental movement?Recently, my husband and I have been to some events focused on green living/green technologies, including the Solar Decathlon on The Mall in DC and The Metro DC Solar Homes Tour. At each of these events, there was a glaring lack of minority presence.<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> I know that there is a perception of what an "environmentalist" looks like - white, well-educated, upper class. There is also the perception that caring about the environment means that one is a "tree hugger" or that the environment does not include places where we live and work, but coral reefs or wildlife preserves. I believe these perceptions keep more minorities from getting involved and are also what keep the mainstream movement from including these groups. The reality is that environmental issues affect minorities more than any other group of people. Studies have shown that there are significantly more toxic and industrial waste sites located near poor and predominately minority communities than near more affluent and majority white communities. Why is this a huge deal???? Look for the answer in my next post.Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-78595446613906521942009-01-06T20:14:00.001-05:002010-03-02T11:52:03.798-05:00Eco Friendly Jewelry Materials for CraftersI have been making jewelry for a few years, but it has really only been a hobby. Now, I feel ready to try and take it a step further and make some really high quality and unique pieces to sell. Since, I have become more conscious of how my actions impact the earth, I have decided to use eco friendly and fair trade materials. Surprisingly, they are not hard to find. I am planning to start with Tagua Nut beads, which are also called vegetable ivory. This is an eco friendly alternative to ivory, harvested from seeds of palm trees in South American rainforests. Harvesting involves no killing or injury to animals. In fact, the seeds when ripe, fall to the ground and are gathered and dried from 1 to 2 months. How cool is that?? No heavy machinery, no slaughtering of animals and from what I've read, the harvesters are paid fairly for their labor. I do realize that it has to be shipped to America, but unfortunately no Tagua Nuts are found in the USA.<br />
I am also planning to use recycled sterling silver and gold in my pieces. I have found a few suppliers, but am continuing to look. I will update my progress.Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-7278604020441691812008-09-10T13:47:00.000-04:002008-09-10T14:08:51.052-04:00I wanna build green - who's with me?I have been doing research on building an eco-friendly home for a couple of years now. My husband and I are so ready to do something like this, except we are missing two things - money and land!!! We have picked out building materials, finishes, flooring, bathroom fixtures, countertops, deck material.... You name it, we have probably already picked it out!! I found this website called mygreencottage.com (Ed Begley Jr. is the spokesperson) and it sounds really great. They will help you build a green home for the same or lower cost as a traditional home. I don't know the structural system that they have used, but it seems really great too. I was looking into ICF, which seems awesome, but I keep getting differences of opinions about the cost versus traditional stick building. I would think that mygreencottage it would be more popular, especially since you can help the environment and possibly save some money on building costs (not to mention the savings on utility bills). But I haven't found a ton of information about them outside of their website and a few others. I'm all for it - I think I'm gonna contact them and get some more information.<br /><br />I was amazed at how much waste is created by traditional stick building. Then, not to mention the finishes that have VOCs and are created with toxic materials. For instance, I had no idea that many kitchen cabinets have high levels of formaldehyde!! Who would think kitchen cabinets would be toxic, seriously!! I have found some alternatives, like Breathe Easy Cabinetry on the following websites: <a href="http://www.greenhomeguide.com/index.php/product/C126">http://www.greenhomeguide.com/index.php/product/C126</a> and <a href="http://www.greenhomeguide.org/">http://www.greenhomeguide.org</a> These websites are great resources if you're interested in the green building movement. The second website is by the US Green Building Council - really great website, lots of information.Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4078296428157152484.post-44379734599301323122008-08-30T14:29:00.000-04:002008-08-30T15:02:47.463-04:00Living My Life Like It's GreenHey Guys!!<br />I may be kind of late to the game, but I'm trying really hard to green my life. I have a great appreciation for God's creation and I feel it's my responsibility as a human to protect and preserve it, at least do my personal best to. Mostly, it hasn't been unreasonably difficult or inconvenient, but that's probably because I'm not yet at the level I should be. So, some things that I have done are: always carrying canvas bags to the grocery store, changing out my lightbulbs to compact fluorescents, turning off lights, unplugging tvs and stereo to avoid "phantom charges" and making sure not to leave cell phones charging overnight. I've never been one to buy paper plates (although it is easier), but I recently saw some disposable plates that are biodegradable. I don't really know yet how I feel about those, because they still create more waste. Plus I have so many dishes from my wedding, I would feel bad if I didn't use them.<br />I joined this yahoogroup called "electric cars for sale", and it has been really enlightening. How cool would it be to build my own electric car!! I think I'll go for a hybrid, though (when hubby and I get the money). Our goal is that our next house will be green too. I'm really excited about that one, but that will be for a later blog because I have tons of information to share!Kikihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13268011259104551646noreply@blogger.com0