Who would have thought Microwave Popcorn would be bad for you?!?!?!

Nena Baker, author of "The Body Toxic"(North Point Press, 2008), offers tips for reducing your exposure to everyday toxins. One of her tips that really took me by surprise was this one:

• Don’t Eat Microwave Popcorn. The inside of a microwave popcorn bag is usually coated with a perfluorinated chemical (PFC) called a fluorotelomer that can break down to form perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). Designed to prevent oil from seeping through the bag, PFOA can migrate into the food when heated. It has been linked to cancer and birth defects in animals and preliminary epidemiological studies suggest that a pregnant woman's exposure to PFOA may reduce her baby's birth weight. Moreover, the EPA's scientific advisory board has recommended that the chemical be listed as a likely human carcinogen. The good news is that the EPA has asked manufacturers to work toward eliminating PFOA from their products by 2015. While it's unknown what level of exposure from popcorn bags is harmful, Baker says that consumers should be aware that any exposure could result in very long lasting presence of the chemical in your body. Some perfluorinated compounds are extremely persistent and never break down in the environment, she explains.

Tip of the Week

By Solvie Karlstrom |

Reserve a Table for Two—at Home

On average, Americans eat out about five times a week.

All those commercially prepared meals add up to big bucks. The damage for a reasonably priced dinner for two can be $40 or more, while the same meal prepared at home can cost less than half that. This month, try switching just one restaurant dinner a week for a home-cooked meal, and you'll likely have an extra $100 to go towards other expenses, like credit-card bills or those winter boots you've been eyeing.

from The Green Guide, 2008

Home Made Laundry Detergent Recipe

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 1 Bowl to Mix
• 2 cups Mule Team 20 Borax
• 2 cups Super Washing Soda
• 1 bar of Natural Soap (Dr.Bronners, Kirks Castille, & Ivory work great)
• 10 drops each of Orange, Eucalyptus, Lavendar, and Tea Tree Essential Oil
• Cheese Grater
  
• Processor (Magic Bullet or any brand)
• 1 Container (for the finished powder)

Step1

Grate 1 bar of Natural Soap. My cheese grater works great and it is safe since this is non-toxic.

Step2

This what they look like. Combine 2 cups Borax, 2 cups Super Washing Soda, and the grated bar of soap. All of these can be found in the laundry aisle at the grocery store.

Step3

Essential Oils Add 10-15 drops of each Essential Oil (EO). Orange EO is a degreasing agent. Eucalyptus EO is a disinfectant and a cleanser. TeaTree Oil is a disinfectant. Lavender EO is a great added scent.

Step4

Mix in to a fine powder using a food processor.

Step5

The finished product! Use 1 tablespoon a load!

Are you voting green?

This pollster tip is from one of my favorite web sites, IdealBite!

You are if you car pool to the polls. Assuming it's too far to walk, organize a carpool for Tuesday with coworkers or friends, so nobody, er, forgets to vote, and to combat congestion. That way, no matter who you pick, you'll score a mini victory for the Earth.

The Benefits

• Fewer absentees. If you're cruising to the polls in a group, there's less chance of someone missing out (behold the power of peer pressure).
• Stuffing your wallet, not the ballot box. Splitting transportation costs is another plus.
• Not being late to the political party. Most of us don't have to get on the highway to get to our polling place, but car pooling gives you a license to use the car-pool lane.
• Our exit polls say 'pooling to the polls reduces traffic (and angst over certain politicians' stances on global warming).
  

What ideas do YOU have? We’d love to hear them!