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Charmin, Kleenex Cottonelle, Quilted Northern and
Scott are among the toilet papers and tissues that do
the most harm to forests and the
environment, according to a new report by
Greenpeace.
The non-profit research group evaluated dozens of brands of toilet paper, facial tissue, paper, towels and napkins according to three criteria: 1) How much recycled content they contained - using 100% recycled content helps protect forests because it significantly reduces the demand for trees, especially trees coming from native forests. 2) How much of that was post-consumer waste - to get the top ranking, at least 50% post-consumer waste needed to be used in manufacturing the product. 3) How the paper was bleached - the top- ranked products are not bleached using chlorine, which can create the toxic byproduct dioxin. According to Greenpeace, Americans could save more than 400,000 trees if each family bought a roll of recycled toilet paper-just once. The group has produced a pocket guide you can use when you shop to buy the most eco- friendly option. Brands that ranked high on the Greenpeace list include: * Green Forest (NOTE: this was also the favored brand of the eco-options an informal group of seven women tested) * 365 Whole Planet (available at Whole Foods) * CVS Earth Essentials (NOTE: This is among the cheapest options) * Seventh Generation * Trader Joe's * Cascades Of course, when it comes to napkins and towels, use cloth, and avoid the paper debate altogether. |
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Orange chocolate. Vanilla sugar.
If your mouth isn't watering yet, it should be. These foods, produced by Alter Eco, the Fair Trade food company, are not your run-of-the-mill staples. Their exotic flavors and textures transform mundane meals into delicious dining experiences you'll want to repeat over and over again. What makes them so special? Taste, for one. The full natural grains are flavorful and robust. The molasses-infused sugar crystals bring an unexpected richness to cookies and other baked goods. And the chocolate? Each of the bars tickles a different set of taste buds (Just when I decided Dark Velvet was my favorite, I took a bite of Dark Mint. The tie was broken - by the crystalline orange flecks infusing Dark Twist). Texture, for another. This is food you experience when you chew. No melt-in-your-mouth M&M softies here. It actually feels like you're eating, not just getting through your supper. And, of course, the color. If you're tired of looking at bland white rice, you'll delight in Alter Eco's purple variety, as well as their coral red jasmine rice and black quinoa, too. The fact that the ingredients are grown on sustainably run co-operatives where workers are paid a decent wage - the foundation for fair trade agriculture - is icing on the cake (made with the company's own sugar, of course). |
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Since we're on the topic of food, you might be
interested in these reviews of two of my
favorite cookbooks. The recipes are simple, tasty
and almost meatless.
Talk to you again soon,
 Diane MacEachern
Big Green Purse
email:
diane@biggreenpurse.com
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