We hear a lot about the environment in the news. Global warming. Carbon footprint. Sustainability. (Click on the link to see their definitions.) These are terms that we hear frequently and frankly, if you are like me, you may feel overwhelmed by it all. The degradation of the environment is such a huge issue, you may ask yourself, "how does it affect my health and can I really make a positive impact on the environment?" So, let's make this concept of environmental health more accessible and "do-able". Let's ask ourselves two simple questions: How safe is MY community? And what can I do to improve the environment around ME?
How safe is your community? If you are wondering about the quality of the air and water in your community this is a great site to check out. Go to the website
Scorecard and put in your zip code. You will get a pollution report for your county. If you are concerned about your water quality consider a
reverse osmosis filtration system.
One of the big ways that we all contribute to global warming is through our carbon footprint. When we drive our cars or heat our homes the fuel that we burn emits carbon dioxide. In previous issues of the newsletter I have talked about keeping the thermostat in your house low in the winter (68 degrees) and higher in the summer (72 degrees) because it is a significant way to reduce energy use. As you know, driving a car is another big way we leave our carbon footprint and it also affects the quality of the air we breathe. (For an example, see the air pollution report for Marin County on the Scorecard site.) Driving our cars less is important. Using public transportation is always a good idea. And if you are in the market for a new car learn about
environmentally friendly cars.
How healthy is your home environment? First, let's talk about the food we eat. One of the most important things we do for our health is to eat well. As you probably know, farming has been taken over by large corporations. If you want evidence of this consider the
contamination of spinach with salmonella in 2007. The contaminated spinach that was recalled and caused deaths had been distributed throughout the US and Canada. The use of pesticides, fertilizers, hormones and diesel (to transport the produce) pose a danger to us and our environment. In addition, the quality of the food that is transported is questionable. When you eat a tomato in December what does it taste like? Think about where it was grown and picked (before it was ripe) so that it could be transported from across the US (or the planet) so that you could eat it where you live (when it's out of season).
What can you do? The solution is to buy food from your local farmer's market and community supported agricultural cooperatives. Here is a link to
resources for the Bay Area. Let me share with you the Environmental Working Group's downloadable
dirty dozen again. (There is now an iPhone app!) They list which fruits and veggies are the most contaminated so that you can prioritize what you buy organic. Want to turn all that great kitchen food waste into compost for your garden instead of putting it into landfill? It's easy to put together a
worm bin (we have three). The compost that you get is gorgeous!
In previous newsletters I've discussed the importance of using
home cleaning products that are less harmful to you and the environment. Here is the link to the US Department of Health & Human Services
household products database so you can look up the products that you use to see if the ingredients are harmful. If you or other members of your family have asthma learn about the chemicals you are spraying into the air in your home.
Here is a
link to information about how to choose healthier
body care products for you and your children. Again, they have a downloadable guide to put in your wallet for when you go shopping. They also have a searchable database so you can see if the products you currently use are safe. To start, look for and avoid the following preservatives in the ingredients list: words ending in "paraben", DMDM hydantoin, Imidsazolidinyl urea, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Triclosan, Triclocarban, Triethanolamine (or "TEA")
What about the health of your pets?
You should know that I am very fond of dogs. Maggie and Zachary are considered full fledged members of our family. Recently the EWG tested dog food. Many of the dog foods they tested were contaminated with fluoride. Here is the
report. If you are a little over the top like me, you might consider making your own dog food. Here is a website with
recipes developed by veterinary nutritionists.
I hope you found this information helpful and healthful! If you are interested in this topic and want to learn more including the politics of environmental health I strongly recommend this video:
The Story of Stuff. Be prepared, it may overwhelm you!
