More on safe water bottles!

Want to know more about ways you can protect your child from the dangers of BPA in bottles?

Read this rad weekly tip section from Heidi's Blog - http://OutdoorBaby.net. This week the tip is a Water Bottle Review, check it out!

Do Something Good - Help out EWG

Wanna do something really good for your karma that takes less than 30 minutes? Read the letter below from EWG (The Environmental Working Group)...

"Ever look at a bottle of water and wonder, 'Where does the water come from? Is it purified? Did the FDA make sure it's safe and clean?'

Join EWG's Bottled Water Label Scavenger Hunt and get your questions answered.

Here's how to get involved (and win EWG prizes!):

1) The next time you buy a bottle of water (even we EWG'ers sometimes forget our reusable bottle) choose a non-sparkling, unflavored water bottled in glass or clear plastic.

2) Carefully remove the entire label from the bottle. We need all the information from the label, so if necessary, cut the plastic around the label to get it all off.

3) Write down:

* the name and location of the store where you purchased the water
* the date you purchased the water
* your name, email and mailing address

4) Mail your labels and other information to:

Environmental Working Group
Attn: Nneka Leiba
1436 U St. NW, Suite 100
Washington, DC 20009

Whoever sends the most labels (duplicates not counting) by June 15, 2009 will win a stainless steel water bottle with the EWG logo and a jumbo-sized, reusable grocery tote printed with EWG's pollution solutions tips. Plus, everyone who participates will get a Shopper's Guide to Pesticides magnet!

Thank you in advance for helping us with our research to make sure bottled water companies are honest with you about the water you buy.

Sincerely,

EWG Bottled Water Research Team"

Live Today on LA Talk Radio - Let's Hear from You!

Today, we're going to be live, on the air with LA Talk Radio: Green 'n' Easy Living at 11:00 A.M. PST.

Listen live @ http://bit.ly/4lH7

Or, Call in with Questions-(323) 203-0815-we'd love to hear from you!

Finally... SAFE Baby Products

We’re all aware of the dangers for infants that lurk in common baby care products—even those that claim to be all natural, and green. Unfortunately, until regulations are put into place the situation will remain the same and parents, grandparents, and others who care for babies will have to remain ultra-cautious. However, GreenCupboards has taken the matter to heart, and is dedicated solely to finding truly safe products, which are tested based upon five criteria including toxicity, ingredients, efficacy, manufacturing processes, and packaging (to read more about the criteria see http://www.greencupboards.com/about-us). We scour the cosmetics database, manufacturer MSDS sheets (stands for Material Safety Data Sheet), and even employ our very own Dr. Verde, an impartial green chemist, to independently evaluate the products that we certify as safe.

Here are our Baby Bundles, which include all the neat, non toxic necessities you’d hoped you’d find for that darling little one…

Baby Bundle

Nursery Cleaner, Lotion, Non Toxic Shampoo, Bum Wipes, Baby Bum Bar, and Go Away Monster Spray

Ultimate Baby Bundle

Nursery Cleaner, Laundry Wash, Non Toxic Shampoo & Bubble Bath, and Sunscreen

Want to know what you can do?

• 30 seconds or less - Send a message to Johnson & Johnson
• 30 seconds or less - Send a message to Congress
• 5 minutes or less - Visit the Cosmetics Database to find out safety rankings
• 5 minutes or less - Read the Safety Guide to Children's Personal Care Products

Earth911.com

Looking for somewhere to recycle motor oil in Omaha, Nebraska? Or how about packing peanuts in Orange County, California? Look no further than Earth911.com, a directory site dedicated to centralizing information and resources on recycling and product stewardship that empowers consumers to act locally and contribute to sustainability.

Their recycling database contains over 100,000 recycling locations across the country. With information provided by local governments, industry insiders, organizations and everyday consumers, you can recycle hundreds of household and specialty products at the drop of a hat.

Both the company's website directory and 1-800-CLEANUP toll-free hotline are provided at no cost to the user or taxpayer. The site also offers green tips in its daily news, feature stories, and blog.

What do YOU do to live Green?

At GreenCupboards we wholeheartedly believe in standing behind sustainable, earth friendly practices that work together to create a better world. Here are a few examples of what we do, in our office, to work green…

We recycle (paper, glass, newspaper, cardboard, aluminum, and plastic)
We compost organic matter and use it in our own personal gardens
We use less energy by operating in a modest-sized office
We power all of our computers using solar energy
We provide jobs to local students
We offer case options so customers can reduce their carbon footprint
We support local businesses and small businesses as well
We perform the majority of our operations online--thereby reducing energy intensive operations
We banned water bottles—using glasses and a water pitcher instead :)
We provide eco friendly, sustainable products at reasonable prices
We ask our team members to works on their own laptops, reducing the need for multiple home/work computers
We donate 1% of pre-tax profits to non-profit organizations that promote a cleaner, self-sustaining, environment

We believe the best ideas are recycled—tell us what YOU do to live Green!

FREE SHIPPING AND 10% DISCOUNT

Happy Earth Day everyone! In celebration, we're offering free shipping and 10% off all orders for the next two days. Checkout code: "launchpromo"

Watch This: Eco Trip

On Tuesday, the Sundance Channel will be releasing several series of informative and inspirational programs about the natural world and sustainability. Each night of "THE GREEN" features a documentary and original series, including Eco Trip, an eight part series hosted by eco-adventurer David de Rothschild exploring the orgins and environmental impact of everyday products.

As fans of de Rothschild's work at Adventure Ecology, we will definitely be tuning in. Check out THE GREEN's website for more information on Eco Trip, additional programming, and schedules.

3 Green Facebook Apps

Facebook isn't just for getting in touch with old friends or sharing photos anymore. With 90 million users from around the world, the site has the potential to connect and mobilize movements for social, political, and environmental causes, including the "green" movement. Here's 3 of the most popular green apps on Facebook:

(Lil) Green Patch: This popular apps helps fight global warming and spread awareness.

I Am Green: Show how green you are on Facebook using this app, which also lets you meet other environmentally conscious users and learn tips and tricks for reducing your carbon footprint.

Green My Ride: One of Facebook's most popular applications, Green My Ride allows users to check off all of the green things they do and compete with other "green-heads" to see who is uber-green.

A Tale of Two Roommates: Antibacterial Hand Sanitizers

I live with two roommates: Mary, a germaphobe who uses antibacterial hand sanitizers several times a day, and Alex, who completely avoids these products and often eats directly off the floor. Logically, it seems that Mary does a better job protecting herself from illness. However, she contracts a cold almost once a month and has had the flu twice in the past two years. Alex, on the other hand, has not been sick once. Observing this phenomenan has made me wonder: Are antibacterial products really as healthy as they seem? Are we, as a society, better off because of them?

Research suggests no – they may actually be making us sicker. The main area of concern is the development of bacterial resistance and the creation of ‘superbugs’ such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus (MRSA). One popular cleaning product advertises that it kills 99.9% of illness-causing bacteria. But what happens to the other 0.1%? Bacteria are, of course, living organisms. Expose this one percent to repeated doses of antibiotics and they will genetically mutate into more robust and resistant strains. If this process continues to repeat, eventually you will produce a bacterium that no drug can kill

Researchers have also expressed concern about antibacterials in accordance with the hygiene hypothesis -- which claims that the environment we live in is too clean for children to fully develop their immune systems. Germs are everywhere, and once they breech the barriers of our skin or mucous membranes, it is our immune system that is responsible for fighting off the invaders. However, without regular exposure to microbes, especially in early childhood, the hypothesis asserts that our immune systems do not develop properly, giving a reduced resistance to illness and a susceptibility to “allergic diseases” such as asthma and eczema.

The verdict? Antibacterial cleaners are definitely needed in some situations: in medical operations or in the preparation of raw meat, for example. However, in every day situations, it’s best to aim for cleanliness, not complete sanitation.

Un-Road Trip

Un-Road Trip: The Trailer (with Matt Lauer) from Boaz Frankel on Vimeo.

This month, Boaz Frankel is setting out on an Un-Road Trip, criss-crossing the United States using every mode of transportation except for car and documenting his journey through blogs, pictures, and videos. Take a look at this video to learn more about Boaz, and follow his journey on the Un-Road Trip Blog.

Eco-Seals: Who Can We Trust?

With consumers becoming increasingly interested in reducing their environmental impact, it seems as if every new product is heralded as being “green.” However, with no governmental regulation on eco-labeling, the question remains: what constitutes a “green” product?

While on Grist yesterday, I came across this article from The Wall Street Journal which examines the proliferation of eco-seals in today's market.

Many are pushing for the federal government to take a stronger role in regulating "green" labels. Last year Sen. Dianne Feinstein (Calif.) introduced an eco-label program that would recognize some products as environmentally favorable. "A growing number of consumers are interested in making informed choices about the environmental impacts of their purchases -- and I believe the federal government can help," Sen. Feinstein said, "So, I am working with consumer advocates, manufacturers, distributors, and existing labeling and certification project leaders ... to create an accredited national eco-label program."

Despite these efforts, the article points to the FDA's organic food certification process as an example of the difficulty in government intervention: "With food, it took decades of competing efforts in the private marketplace and at the state level before the federal government came up with standards and regulations acceptable to the myriad interested parties."

Until significant strides in regulation occur in Washington, independent certification processes remain the best bet in sorting through the "greenwashing."

Take a look at GreenCupboards' certification process as well as ecolabelling.org for more information on reliable eco-labels and what exactly makes products environmentally friendly.

Bottled Water vs. Tap Water

There's no question bottled water is one of the biggest scams around. Companies have spent billions on convincing consumers that their water, which often just public water in fancy packaging, is somehow healthier or better tasting than our own tap water. This clip from ABC's 20/20 debunks some of the myths.

Delicious Living Magazine: Green Cleaning Guide

One of our friends recently sent us this article from Delicious Living Magazine on green cleaning. Several of the products offered on GreenCupboards.com are featured. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Five Items to Ban from Your Home

1. Non-Stick Cookware
Love the ease of cooking your Sunday morning omlet in a non-stick pan? It comes at a steep price: the non-stick coating on Teflon pans, polytetrafluoroethylene, or PTFE for short, has been linked to cancer, organ failure, reproductive damage, and other serious health effects. Try anodized aluminum, stainless steel, or cast iron pans with a little cooking oil to avoid sticking. If you must use Teflon, try cooking with lower heat to reduce your exposure to harmful toxins.

2. Plastic Bottles
Unless you live under a rock you’ve heard the recent media attention to the dangers of BPA in plastic water bottles. BPA acts as an “endocrine disruptor,” mimicking the effects of hormones that harm the reproductive and growth functions of the body. While manufacturers of multiple use water bottles have switched to BPA- free plastics, most single-use plastic water bottles haven’t and are even worse for releasing chemicals, particularly in the sun or microwave. The bottles themselves are spawning grounds for bacteria and are a source of needless waste. Each year, more than one million barrels of oil are used to manufacture the more than 25 billion single-use plastic water bottles sold in the U.S.

3. Conventional Cleaning Supplies
Conventional cleaning supplies routinely make top ten lists of most toxic household products and contain certain chemicals that negatively affect every system in your body. All-purpose cleaners often contain ammonia, a strong irritant that can cause liver and kidney damage. Bleach is a powerful oxidizer, which can burn the skin and eyes. The American Association of Poison Control Centers reports that more than 120,000 children under the age of five were involved in incidents involving household cleaners in 2006, the most recent year for which data is available.To protect you and your family from the hazards conventional cleaners pose, choose non-toxic or natural cleaners like these.

4. Chemical Insecticides and Herbicides
This is fairly intuitive: because the purpose of these products is essentially to kill living things, you can imagine they would be harmful to humans. For example, cypermethrin, one of the active ingredients in Raid, is a known eye, skin and respiratory irritant and has negative effects on the central nervous system.

5. Air fresheners
In addition to making your house smell like a vat of chemicals, these contain chemicals that can aggravate respiratory problems like asthma, cause hormonal abnormalities, reproductive problems and birth defects. Try simmering cinnamon and cloves, leave a few windows open to let in fresh air, boil a pot of water on the stove with a few drops of your favorite essential oil, or use an essential oil burner instead.