Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Listopia

Hello everyone! Sorry I've been too busy to blog for a while. I have an easy subject to write about today, though, thanks to Green America: Greenlists. Green America is a non-profit whose mission is "to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society." All of the following information came to me in a mailing from Green America.

10 Products to Buy Fair Trade*
  1. Tea
  2. Chocolate
  3. Bananas
  4. Sugar
  5. Rice
  6. Vanilla
  7. Apparel
  8. Wine
  9. Olive Oil
  10. Coffee
*Fair trade means that workers who harvest and/or produce these items are paid a fair, living wage so that they may become economically self-sufficient while promoting sustainable farming and production practices.


5 Things You Should Always Buy Green
  1. Paint (low or no VOCs)
  2. Paper (look for a high post-consumer recycled content)
  3. Light bulbs (compact fluorescents)
  4. Appliances (Energy Star compliant)
  5. Fruits and vegetables

10 of the Worst Corporate Criminals to Avoid
  1. Wal-Mart
  2. ExxonMobil
  3. Coca-Cola
  4. Nestle
  5. Monsanto
  6. General Motors
  7. Dominion
  8. Citigroup
  9. Shell Petroleum
  10. McDonalds
To learn why these companies are considered criminals, please visit this website and click on Responsible Shopper.


10 Things You Should Never Buy Again
  1. Styrofoam cups
  2. Paper towels
  3. Bleached coffee filters
  4. Teak and mahogany
  5. Chemical pesticides and herbicides
  6. Conventional household cleaners
  7. Toys made with PVC plastic
  8. Plastic forks and spoons
  9. Farm raised salmon
  10. Rayon
(Wow, that's a lot of stuff you may be accustomed to buying. To find out why Green America recommends against these products, visit their website and click on unshopping.)


8 Body Care Toxins to Avoid
  1. Mercury (including the preservative Thimerosal)
  2. Lead and lead acetate
  3. Nanoparticles
  4. Placenta
  5. Hydroquinone skin lightener
  6. Phthalates
  7. Petroleum by-products (like 1,4 Dioxane)
  8. Fragrance

3 Steps to Reduce Dangerous Toxins in Your Home Today
  1. Get rid of conventional cleaners. Instead, use nontoxic, biodegradable cleaners free of synthetic fragrances. Or use baking soda and vinegar.
  2. Filter your water. Contaminants found by the EPA in some of America's largest cities include rocket fuel, arsenic, lead, fecal matter, and chemical by-products.
  3. Use care with paints and stains.

That ought to keep you busy for a while, but I hope to be in touch again soon.

Thanks for reading,
Jenny

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Odenton, Maryland, United States