tag:www.naturalawakeningsnj.com,2005:/categories/green-living?page=4Green Living Green Living | Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey Page 4Healthy Living Healthy Planet2022-01-01T17:56:15-08:00urn:uuid:61af6476-9293-4d1c-8783-40c6241195c52021-05-17T11:15:57-07:002022-01-01T17:56:15-08:00Traveling for the Planet: Sustainable Ways to Explore the World2021-05-28 06:30:00 -0700Sandra Yeyati<p>After more than a year in social isolation, many of us are ready to hit the road, meet new people, fly to exotic locations and enjoy the sights and flavors of anywhere-but-here. Although the travel industry is raring to serve pent-up demand, this unprecedented respite can be an opportunity to reset priorities. When choosing hotels, modes of transportation, places to shop and dine, and other activities, consider their sustainability. Tourism need not harm the planet. With proper planning, it can enrich it while benefiting the people living in the places we visit. </p><h3>Fly Direct and Economy</h3><p>“Flying is the most carbon-intensive thing we can do in our lives,” says <a href="https://www.hollytuppen.com/" target="_blank">Holly Tuppen</a><span>, author of <i>Sustainable Travel: The Essential Guide to Positive Impact Adventures. </i>To reduce emissions, she recommends flying direct in space-saving economy seats; taking longer, less frequent vacations; and using trains or other overland transportation whenever possible.</span></p><h3>Take it Slow</h3><p>In 2010, Tuppen travelled around the world without flying for 20 months. “We walked, biked, sailed across the Atlantic, got on a container ship across the Pacific, took trains, hitchhiked—a whole heap of transport cobbled together,” she recalls. “It’s not that bucket-list idea of flying into a place, doing everything quickly and ticking off experiences. With slow travel, you’re letting the journey be part of the experience and inevitably, you meet more people along the way.”</p><h3>Don’t Overdo It</h3><p>In another eco-friendly aspect of that excursion, Tuppen visited places that weren’t tourism hotspots. “From Venice to Bali to Mexico, there are examples of places that before the pandemic had too many visitors—more than the infrastructure could handle,” she says. “That’s a massive problem, because it harms the life of local people. When the cruise industry started to stop in Dubrovnik, Croatia, for example, local amenities like hairdressers and grocery stores became souvenir shops.” </p><h3>Keep it Local<br></h3><p>According to Tuppen, the needs of locals should take precedence over those of tourists. A related problem is tourism economic leakage. “If you spend $2,000 on a trip to Thailand, my hope would be that I’d be contributing $2,000 to the economy in Thailand, but in reality, the way that the tourism supply chain is set up, a huge proportion of that money will end up in the hands of international companies,” she explains. “Ideally, we should be looking for accommodations, experiences, stores, restaurants that are all locally owned rather than being part of an international chain. If you’re booking a hotel, 70 percent or more of the workforce should be local.”</p><h3>Pack for a Purpose </h3><p>To help travelers express their gratitude to a community for their hospitality, Rebecca Rothney founded <a href="http://packforapurpose.org/" target="_blank">Pack for a Purpose</a><span><i>, </i>which lists items locals need and the accommodations and tour companies that deliver them to more than 450 community projects worldwide. Travelers dedicate a portion of their luggage space to carry in-kind donations and drop them off when they arrive at their hotel or meet their tour guide. Common items are medical and school supplies, as well as crafting materials for women to make and sell items like jewelry and trinkets, providing money to pay for their children’s education. “A stethoscope weighs less than a kilo, but it can touch 10,000 hearts,” she says. </span></p><h3>Book Kind Hotels<br></h3><p>Finding sustainable accommodations can be challenging and time-consuming, but <a href="https://kindtraveler.com/" target="_blank">Kind Traveler</a><span><i> </i>is helping to change that. Recognized by <i>Travel + Leisure</i> as a 2020 Global Vision Award recipient, the hotel booking platform offers exclusive rates and perks from vetted, Earth-friendly accommodations when travelers make a nightly donation to a local charity that positively impacts the community visited.</span></p><p>“A $10 donation will provide care for a rescue kitten for one month in Belize, clean 250 pounds of trash out of a waterway in Sonoma, California, or provide 40 nutritious meals to individuals in need in New York City,” says co-founder Jessica Blotter. There are hundreds of participating hotels in 22 countries benefitting 70 global charities with an emphasis on fighting poverty, advancing environmental sustainability and reducing inequalities in communities.</p><p>“It’s a way to connect, feel good and have meaningful experiences, knowing that your travel dollars are leaving the destination better than before you arrived,” Blotter says.</p><p><br></p><p><i>Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.</i></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:ee448ba9-d35b-42f3-aa95-e2c8524201ba2021-04-21T09:59:39-07:002021-06-01T21:21:44-07:00Sustainably Stylish: Eco-Fashion that’s Kind to the Planet2021-04-30 06:30:00 -0700Kajsa Nickels<p>The trendy “fast fashion” industry standard that originated in the early 1990s has had far-reaching effects that continue today. With a production turnaround time as short as four months, designer knock-offs made with inexpensive materials line the shelves of shopping centers throughout the world. But cheap textiles come with a hidden price tag.</p><p>According to the documentary<i> </i><a href="https://truecostmovie.com/learn-more/environmental-impact/" target="_blank"><i>The True Cost</i></a><i>,</i> consumers worldwide buy around 80 billion new items of clothing per year, a 400 percent increase from 20 years ago. A <a href="https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/A-New-Textiles-Economy_Full-Report_Updated_1-12-17.pdf" target="_blank">report by the UK-based Ellen MacArthur Foundation</a>, which advocates a regenerative, circular economy, found that more than $500 billion in value is lost globally every year from rarely worn manufactured clothing and the lack of recycling. The greenhouse gas emissions from the production of these textiles total more than 1 billion metric tons per year, more than produced by international flights and maritime shipping combined.</p><p><a href="/2011/08/31/272683/green-chic-earth-friendly-feel-good-fabrics" target="_blank">Sustainable clothing</a> is important for both the planet and those wearing the clothing, says Jeff Garner, a fashion designer in Franklin, Tennessee, who founded the eco-label <a href="https://www.prophetik.com/" target="_blank">Prophetik</a>. “The worst effect is the washing of clothes. The synthetic fabrics and dyes come off in the laundry process and go into our groundwater and oceans, including the microplastics from polyester clothing.”</p><p>Jay Charlton, founder of the UK’s <a href="https://viva-la-vegan.com/" target="_blank">Viva la Vegan</a> fashion brand, believes eco-friendly fashion does not have to be poorly produced or poorly designed. Nor does it mean choosing between a million different options, says Charlton, who found her passion for vegan-statement apparel after adopting a vegan diet. “One easy choice here is organic cotton over conventional cotton. While not perfect, it is better for the environment. Most organic cotton is produced under better working conditions for the farmers, too,” she says.</p><p>She also stresses the importance of reading labels to determine where clothes originate. “The next time you go shopping, seek out sustainable vegan fabrics and fair wear policies to do what’s right for the planet, people and our animal friends.”</p><h3>Sustainable Yet Stylish</h3><p>Just because something is safe for people and the planet doesn’t mean it can’t also be <a href="/2017/06/30/225201/healthy-eye-catching-eco-wear-it-s-in-style-and-easy-care" target="_blank">fashionable</a>. <a href="https://www.fairindigo.com/" target="_blank">Fair Indigo</a>, located in Madison, Wisconsin, is a sustainable clothing company that specializes in garments made from organic Peruvian pima cotton. According to president and co-founder Robert Behnke, Peruvian pima cotton is prized for its longevity and durability. “We want to show the world that organic and sustainable does not have to be either too ‘crunchy’ or too trendy. The clothes that people wear every day—the clothes that make them feel comfortable—these are the brands that will have the greatest impact in truly changing the world.”</p><div class="image-with-caption image-main"><img alt="Model wearing eco-friendly plant-based workout clothes from sustainable fashion clothing maker Viva la Vegan" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/816203/fill/700x0/viva-la-vegan-workout-clothes.jpg?timestamp=1619026797" title="Image: //cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/816203/fill/700x0/viva-la-vegan-workout-clothes.jpg?timestamp=1619026797"><div class="small"><p></p><p>Embrace plant-based workout clothes from companies like Viva la Vegan. (image courtesy ofVivaLaVegan.com)<br></p><p></p></div></div><div class="image-main"> <br></div><p>Fashion doesn’t have to be brand-new in order to be in style. Although secondhand clothing has been regarded negatively in the past by some, it has become more popular in recent years, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. Market researchers predict that resale clothing sales will increase 185 percent in the next decade compared to 20 percent for fast fashion. Creative ways we can help reduce clothing waste while staying in style include the following:</p><p><b>Clothing exchange parties.</b> Friends and family members can swap clothes and non-sized items such as purses, hats and scarves in fun, socially distanced events.</p><p><b>Creative mending.</b> People that have extra time on their hands may like to learn a new skill. Also known as visible <a href="/2020/12/30/337830/slow-fashion-mending-to-extend-the-life-of-clothing" target="_blank">mending</a>, creative mending includes <a href="https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/mend-and-repair-clothes-using-embroidery-4147820" target="_blank" title="Link: https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/mend-and-repair-clothes-using-embroidery-4147820">freestyle stitching</a><span> around holes and tears, and both beaded and Japanese <i>shashiko </i>embroidery.</span></p><p><b>Repurpose into something new. </b>If an item of <a href="https://www.lifehack.org/453113/27-creative-ways-to-reuse-old-clothing" target="_blank" title="Link: https://www.lifehack.org/453113/27-creative-ways-to-reuse-old-clothing">clothing is beyond repair</a>, it doesn’t have to be thrown away. Old T-shirts can be turned into blankets, pillowcases and even coin purses. Men’s dress shirts can be transformed into dresses for young girls or onesies for babies.</p><p><br></p><p><i>Kajsa Nickels is a freelance writer in Salisbury, Massachusetts. Contact her at Kajsa.BlueMountain@gmail.com.</i></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:568e3703-a2bd-44d8-8296-503e68e2927b2021-03-11T08:49:54-08:002021-06-01T21:22:53-07:00Climate Change and Our Health: The Human Costs of a Warming Planet2021-03-31 06:30:00 -0700Sandra Yeyati<p>Global warming is not just threatening polar bears far away in the Arctic, and its effects are not somewhere in the distant future. With every new wildfire, hurricane and flash flood, people are understanding that the warming of the planet poses dire consequences for human health right here, right now. It’s personal, and while some sectors of the population are unfairly and disproportionately impacted, we are all in harm’s way.</p><p>This is no time to panic, say climate and public health advocates, but rather a moment for preparation, adaptation and mobilization. Prospects are hopeful as we tackle new realities together and evolve our conversations about <a href="/article_tags/climate-change" target="_blank">climate change</a> so we can build resilient, thriving communities. The good news is that many of the individual and policy changes we need to make are exciting opportunities for positive transformation and justice. </p><h3>Health Threats in Our Midst</h3><p>The warming of the planet is becoming more noticeable. “That historic two weeks anywhere in the United States where it’s the heat wave of high summer is now six weeks to two months,” says <a href="https://www.coloradowm.org/blog/teachers/jay-lemery/" target="_blank">Jay Lemery, M.D.</a>, professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado and co-author of <a href="https://www.enviromedics.org/" target="_blank"><i>Enviromedics: The Impact of Climate Change on Human Health</i></a>. “There are parts of the Middle East now where you can’t be outside and meaningfully cool your body during certain parts of the day.”</p><p>“With warming, we’re seeing drought, <a href="/2020/05/29/315898/down-under-drought-australian-wildfires-linked-to-climate-change" target="_blank">wildfires</a>, <a href="/2021/01/29/342973/climate-change-makes-hurricane-destruction-worse" target="_blank">hurricanes</a>, extreme precipitation, flooding and sea level rise, all of which have health consequences,” says Surili Patel, director of the <a href="https://www.apha.org/topics-and-issues/climate-change/center" target="_blank">Center for Climate, Health and Equity at the American Public Health Association</a>. “With rising temperature and heat waves, we’re seeing heat stroke, dehydration, diarrheal disease, cardiovascular distress and respiratory illnesses. Extreme weather like wildfires, hurricanes and flooding cause direct injuries, as well as vector-borne illnesses (Lyme disease carried by ticks or dengue fever and malaria by mosquitoes), mold and harmful algal blooms that happen when it’s really hot, but also show up in places that otherwise wouldn’t have because of the combination of heat and flooding.”</p><p>Lemery notes that incidences of mosquito- and tick-borne diseases are moving higher in altitude and latitude, affecting historically naive populations that have not had levels of disease immunity, the infrastructure or cultural habits to protect them. “These are huge killers worldwide, and we’re seeing more and more of that,” he says.</p><div class="image-main"><div class="image-with-caption image-main"><img alt="Planet Earth" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/808661/fill/700x0/planet-earth-climate.jpg?timestamp=1615482381"><div class="small"><p>cottonbro/Pexels.com</p></div></div><p> </p></div><p>“When you have a warmer winter, spring starts earlier, trees bloom early and pollen season starts early too, and longer exposure to pollen increases your risk of having an asthma attack,” says <a href="https://sph.umd.edu/people/amir-sapkota" target="_blank">Professor Amir Sapkota</a> at the University of Maryland School of Public Health, adding that the Northeast is heavily impacted by this phenomenon.</p><p>“Here in Colorado, in the summer heat, we have these huge swaths of wildfire smoke hanging over Denver, and people come in to the emergency department. Their inhalers aren’t working anymore, and they’re having chest pain and shortness of breath when they’re on oxygen at baseline,” says Lemery. “These are people normally able to walk across a parking lot with their walker and their oxygen, but now they can’t. We see this all summer long, and we admit them for asthma exacerbation, shortness of breath and COPD (i.e., emphysema), but what we don’t write down is that the air quality is the worst it’s been all year, or that it’s the hottest day of the year.”</p><p>“<a href="/2019/08/30/271515/breathing-risk-pollution-rises-across-the-u-s-" target="_blank">Air pollution</a> contributes to climate change, but it also gets into your lungs and irritates them, exacerbating chronic respiratory illnesses, and can even lead to a heart attack,” says Jennifer Roberts, director of the <a href="https://ecoamerica.org/communities/" target="_blank">Path of Positive Communities program at EcoAmerica</a>, noting that the biggest culprits are carbon emissions from coal-burning power plants, diesel fuels and ground-level ozone, which is created when pollution reacts to heat and sunlight.</p><p>“With sea level rise, things are flooding more often and we get septic tanks overflowing, sending fecal matter into our drinking water supplies and exposing us to diarrheal diseases. We also see offices and industrial sites getting flooded and, whether it’s paint, fertilizers or other toxins, those get into our water and it’s very unhealthy,” Roberts says.</p><h3>The Most Vulnerable Among Us</h3><p>Certain segments of the population are more at risk. “Lower socioeconomic groups are suffering more from extreme heat events. The urban heat island effect, which unfortunately correlates very well with poorer neighborhoods, means that they’ll have heat waves seven to 10 degrees hotter in their neighborhoods than surrounding places with more green space,” Lemery says. “You see the public health infrastructure less robust to be able to attend to communities of color—like you saw with COVID. There are also physiologic vulnerabilities. Climate change affects the very young, the very old and the very sick much more because of their preexisting vulnerabilities, and then we have geographic vulnerabilities—people who live on the coast without sea walls or in flood plains. As sea level rise proliferates, and that data is really straightforward, they’re going to be going under increased storm surge stress and flat-out flooding.”</p><h3>Achievable Public Health Solutions</h3><p>The experts agree that it’s important to frame climate change as a public health issue because it brings a sense of urgency to act. “If it isn’t a crisis, if it isn’t something we’re seeing every day on the front page, then you forget about it. And when you forget about it, the funding doesn’t come,” says Patel, whose work focuses on underprivileged communities that need special attention and funding.</p><div class="image-main"><div class="image-with-caption image-main"><img alt="Group of climate change activists holding signs and planet Earth" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/808662/fill/700x0/climate-change-action.jpg?timestamp=1615482605"><div class="small"><p></p><p>OSORIOartist/AdobeStock.com<br></p><p></p></div></div><p> </p></div><p>Sapkota advocates for the development of early warning systems so that local health departments can anticipate and adapt to impending extreme weather events, directing resources to the most impacted and vulnerable communities. In some cases, moving people out of flood plains and vulnerable coastal areas through eminent domain might be needed.</p><p>Lemery believes that doctors are in a prime position to counsel their patients on preventive measures against climate hazards with “credible messaging repeated over and over again with clarity and no hedging: Wear a mask. Stay indoors during high-heat events. Don’t let children play outdoors when the air quality index is at a dangerous level.”</p><p>There are many ways to mitigate threats. As experts point out, we know what to do, and it’s just a matter of putting our attention and resources on their implementation. “One of the biggest ways is let’s remove the sources of harmful spewing pollution—move away from coal, oil and gas—and invest in clean sources of energy, which will also create jobs in these new industries,” says Patel.</p><p>Another big step would be to promote mass transit and active transportation—walking and <a href="/article_tags/biking" target="_blank">biking</a>—over individual, gas-guzzling vehicles. Patel advocates for local investments in bike lanes and sidewalks that encourage the switch. Both Lemery and Roberts express excitement about clean-running <a href="/2018/11/30/224615/green-cars-update-plug-into-the-latest-trends" target="_blank">electric cars</a> as potential game-changers in transportation.</p><p><a href="/2021/03/31/350323/the-benefits-of-planting-trees-more-foliage-means-lower-temperatures" target="_blank">Planting trees</a> and vegetable gardens are easy, community-building solutions. “Trees are very beneficial to everything from shade to water filtration to producing oxygen and taking up carbon,” says Roberts, who adds that much can be done to restore and protect streams, ponds and lakes from the ill effects of pollution and development. “You get volunteers to clean up the gunk and increase regulations for developers to keep stuff out of the waterways.”</p><h3>Eco-Anxiety and Making Positive Change</h3><p>Jessica Schiff, a second-year master of science student at the Harvard University T.H. Chan School of Public Health, struggles with <a href="/2020/12/30/339329/climate-anxiety-navigating-our-emotions-as-the-planet-changes" target="_blank">eco-anxiety</a>—the depression, anxiety or dread associated with climate change. She says, “It impacts the decisions I make for my life and the future, just trying to think about overall impacts. Where is my food coming from? Do I want to have kids or adopt? Should I live in the suburbs or the city because of transportation and fossil fuel consumption? This all adds a layer of unease or uncertainty about the future. Sometimes I look at Greta [Thunberg] and how far she’s taken things, and feel guilty about not taking things to such an extreme. Is it hypocritical for me to care about climate change but still eat meat occasionally or take a plane to explore the world?”</p><div class="image-main"><div class="image-with-caption image-main"><img alt="Rising sea level of ocean at beach" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/808663/fill/700x0/ocean-sea-level-warming-planet.jpg?timestamp=1615482990"><div class="small"><p></p><p>tomas anunziata/Pexels.com<br></p><p></p></div></div><p> </p></div><p>Schiff deals with eco-anxiety by taking action. “We’re not going to reverse climate change at this point, but that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t take steps to slow it down or reduce emissions. There are many small things we can each do, like biking or walking instead of taking a car or bus and reducing our use of plastic. It’s a process. You can’t do it overnight, but if you make a lot of small changes, and if everybody makes small changes, that has a bigger effect.”</p><p>Roberts acknowledges the power of small, individual actions, but stresses that we should not let the big polluters off the hook. “We need to continue to press for policy changes, holding polluters accountable, passing regulations based on protecting human health and climate, requiring cleaner cars and buildings, and more. That’s the only way we will get to the scale of change needed to truly bring global warming to a halt.”</p><p><br></p><p><i>Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.</i></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:56fe7f6c-d2d2-4955-b8c8-0b82b741904d2021-03-11T11:58:41-08:002021-06-01T21:22:51-07:00Healthy Home: How to Detoxify a Living Space2021-03-31 06:30:00 -0700Yvette Hammett<p>As the world moves into its second year of a viral pandemic, many of us are still spending most of our time at home—working, exercising, hanging out with family and as with any other year, cooking and cleaning. There’s no better time to take stock of these surroundings and purge them of any toxins—gases, inhalants or fumes—that may be contributing to a harmful environment.</p><p><b>Start with the air.</b><b> </b><a href="https://www.epa.gov/report-environment/indoor-air-quality" target="_blank">Research</a> shows that indoor air is two to five times more toxic than the air outside, due to inadequate ventilation. This condition, coupled with fumes from synthetic fibers, makeup, paints, cleansers or even a baby’s plastic toys, can contribute to health issues and a less environmentally beneficial abode. A straightforward solution—in addition to getting rid of the pollution-causing objects—is to open the windows and use fans to recirculate the air. A high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter can safely remove many contaminants, but don’t spritz a commercial air freshener: A University of Washington <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195925508000899" target="_blank">study</a> found that eight widely used air fresheners released an average of 18 chemicals into the air, some of them hazardous, including the likely human carcinogen acetaldehyde.</p><p><span><b>Purge plastics.</b> </span>Perfluorinated compounds PFAS and PFOS, known as “forever chemicals”, are found in nonstick cookware, water-repellent clothing, stain-resistant fabrics and carpets, some cosmetics, and products that resist grease, water and oil. They have been found to cause a wide range of health problems from kidney and testicular cancers to endocrine disruptions. Consider doing a clean sweep of the house to determine which of these can be replaced, paying special attention to <a href="/2013/07/31/272132/go-plastic-free-ways-to-shrink-our-footprint" target="_blank">plastics</a>. “If you really limit plastics to a few things, you are fine,” says Heather Patisaul, Ph.D., a neuroscience and toxicology expert at North Carolina State University.</p><p><span><b>Reconsider kitchenware.</b> </span>Eliminate all <a href="/2015/12/29/225657/scientists-urge-ban-on-non-stick-pan-coatings-cookware-chemicals-extremely-dangerous-to-health" target="_blank">nonstick cookware</a>, Patisaul advises. “Use ceramic and other materials that do not have perfluorinated chemicals.”</p><p>Debbie Steinbock, a nutrition counselor at Mindful Family Medical, in Boulder, Colorado, suggests <a href="/2012/01/10/273326/eat-plastic-free-healthy-practical-tips-for-people-and-the-planet" target="_blank">replacing plastic</a> storage containers, which can leach chemicals when heated. “Use a cast iron skillet and use glass jars and mason jars for food storage.”</p><p><span><b>Chuck out toxic cleaners.</b> </span> Many commercial kitchen, bathroom and other cleaning products are loaded with chemicals linked to asthma, cancer, reproductive disorders, hormone disruption and neurotoxicity. They can be particularly toxic for children: A recent Canadian <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/09/180917082435.htm" target="_blank">study</a> found that repeated use of a disinfectant reduced beneficial gut bacteria in toddlers, probably contributing to obesity. A good place to start in cleaning out the <a href="/2019/08/30/271522/sustainable-scrubbing-tips-for-toxin-free-house-cleaning" target="_blank">cleaners</a> is at the <a href="https://www.ewg.org/" target="_blank">Environmental Working Group (EWG) website</a>; its <a href="https://www.ewg.org/healthyhomeguide/" target="_blank"><i>Healthy Living Home Guide</i></a> evaluates the health risks of 2,500 <a href="https://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners/" target="_blank">cleaning products</a>. It also advises a simple strategy of using vinegar and water or baking soda.</p><p><span><b>Get the lead out.</b> </span>Andrew Rooney, deputy director at the <a href="https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/" target="_blank">National Toxicology Program of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences</a>, sees lead, which causes brain damage and other serious defects, as a major risk present in water supplies and the paint of older homes. “The thing I want to emphasize is there is no safe level of lead exposure, so eliminating exposure sources is the best protection for your health,” he says.</p><p>Drinking water contamination comes from the distribution lines and plumbing fixtures, with lead leaching out from repairs or adjustments. “Having your household water tested by a certified lab is the best option to determine if you have water issues,” he says. Consult state and local health agencies for guidance on lead paint or lead in the water lines and how to remove it. Also consider a water filter: <a href="https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/water-filters.htm" target="_blank">Consumer Reports</a> has a comprehensive rating of models from pitchers to under-sink setups.</p><p><span><b>Take it a step further.</b> </span>The new EWG downloadable <a href="https://www.ewg.org/apps/" target="_blank">Healthy Living app</a> makes it easy to use a smartphone to check out 120,000 products for toxic ingredients, including cosmetics and foods. “It has a barcode scanner to scan your favorite lipstick or shampoo, and it will pop up an ingredient list and give it a score,” says Patisaul. The database includes ingredients not found on packaging and scores products on a zero to 10 scale. “It pretty much has to be water to get a zero,” she says.</p><p><br></p><p><i>Yvette Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, Florida. She can be contacted at YvetteHammettHull49@gmail.com.</i></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:3fd25975-17cd-435c-9e6b-9351eb501c842021-02-16T12:36:54-08:002021-06-01T21:23:33-07:00Down to Earth: The Promise of Regenerative Organic Farming2021-02-26 06:30:00 -0800Sandra Yeyati<p>With its dependence on chemical pesticides and fertilizers, heavy tilling techniques, concentrated animal feeding practices and mono-crops—all designed to maximize yields—conventional farming has come at a great cost. “Conventional intensive farming practices have significant negative consequences for the land and surrounding ecosystems,” says <a href="https://essm.tamu.edu/people/faculty/teague-richard/" target="_blank">Richard Teague</a>, Texas A&M professor of Ecosystem Science and Management. “By disrupting the natural function of these habitats, the valuable ecosystem services they provide are compromised.”</p><p>The way we’re growing food now is not sustainable. “According to the United Nations, we only have <a href="https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/only-60-years-of-farming-left-if-soil-degradation-continues/" target="_blank">60 harvests left</a> before our soil is completely depleted. Years of conventional industrial agriculture have drained the soil dry of all of the organic matter, all the microbes, that microbiome that brings nutrients to our plants and to our planet as a whole,” says Margaret Wilson, content creation and media relations specialist at the <a href="https://rodaleinstitute.org/" target="_blank">Rodale Institute</a>.</p><p>The UN also reported last year that agriculture and forestry were responsible for nearly a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. “Agriculture is a climate-intensive process and conventional practices make that even worse because they’re fossil fuel-intensive,” Wilson says. “They require a lot of machinery to plow fields and distribute pesticides. Fertilizers are fossil fuel-based. Tillage is a huge part of conventional agriculture, where you’re turning the soil over, and that releases carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.”</p><p>One third of the world’s land surface is considered desert, and according to <a href="https://www.judithdschwartz.com/" target="_blank">Judith D. Schwartz</a><span>, the Vermont author of <i>The Reindeer Chronicles </i>and <i>Cows Save the Planet</i>, most deserts are manmade. “If we look historically, we learn that most deserts were once thriving grasslands or some other kind of ecosystem and became deserts after hundreds of years of poor grazing management or farming that was no longer putting nutrients back into the soil.” </span></p><p>The good news is that deserts can be brought back to life. In the state of Chihuahua, Mexico, where much of the land is degraded, ingenious ranchers have figured out a way to support healthy animals and plant biodiversity. “The ranchers were earning money by managing the livestock holistically in a way that was reviving the ecological function of these lands, so there were thick grasses, birds and butterflies flourishing right next to land that looked horrible—absolute deserts with a lot of erosion, the soil so depleted that it couldn’t hold water,” recalls Schwartz, who visited the area. </p><p>Regenerative <a href="/2018/06/29/224788/organic-farmers-growing-america-s-health-restoring-the-nutritional-value-of-crops" target="_blank">organic farming</a> holds great promise to rebuild soil, draw carbon from the atmosphere and ultimately grow healthier food. “When you take out the pesticides, fertilizers and intensive tilling, our farming systems trial concluded that regenerative organic agriculture uses 45 percent fewer fossil fuels and releases 40 percent fewer carbon emissions than conventional practices,” Wilson says, adding that a recent Rodale Institute <a href="https://rodaleinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/rodale-white-paper.pdf" target="_blank">white paper</a> postulated that by transitioning all global crop and pastureland to regenerative management, we could sequester 100 percent of annual carbon dioxide emissions.</p><div class="image-with-caption image-main"><img alt="Gardener growing organic food through regenerative farming" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/802500/fill/700x0/regenerative-organic-gardening.jpg?timestamp=1613507918"><div class="small"><p>sanjeri/GettyImages.com</p></div></div><p> </p><p>As the founder of the Rodale Institute, J.I. Rodale, said, “Healthy soil equals healthy food equals <a href="/2021/02/26/347690/jeff-tkach-on-regenerative-healthcare" target="_blank">healthy people.</a>” Soil restoration is job one, and we know how to do this. “The goal of regenerative farming is to farm and ranch in nature’s image,” says <a href="http://brownsranch.us/" target="_blank">Gabe Brown</a><span>, a North Dakota farmer and author of <i>Dirt to Soil. </i>He offers the following six principles to create a thriving, regenerating agricultural ecosystem:</span></p><p><b>1. </b><b>Context:</b> “There’s a reason bananas do not grow in North Dakota. They don’t fit the context, whereas more spring wheat is grown in North Dakota than anywhere else. You have to farm and ranch in your context.”</p><p><b>2. </b><b>The least amount of mechanical and chemical disturbance possible: </b>“Nature tills with earthworms and burrowing rodents, but it certainly doesn’t till the soil like we do in farming or even in gardening. Tilling is the worst thing you can do if you want to raise nutrient-dense food. Nature aerates the soil with the use of living plants and soil aggregates. Those soil aggregates will only last about four weeks, then new ones need to be formed, and the only way to form them is by not tilling and allowing biology and fungi to secrete substances that help bind sand, silt and clay to form soil aggregates.”</p><p><b>3. A</b><b>rmor on the soil:</b> “Nature always tries to cover the soil, whether it be leaves in a forest or decaying plants in a pasture or field. Nature does not like bare soil.” </p><p><b>4. </b><b>Diversity:</b> “Where in nature do you see a monoculture? Usually only where man put it or man’s actions have driven it to be a monoculture. Nature is very diverse, so hundreds of different grasses, legumes all growing in harmony. We’ve gotten away from that. Now we plant monocultures. That’s not the way nature functions.” </p><p><b>5. </b><b>A</b> <b>living root being in the soil as long as possible throughout the year:</b> “I go out in the spring here in North Dakota, and you’ve got crocuses coming up through the snow. That’s nature’s way of trying to take the solar energy and all of these compounds out of the atmosphere, and through photosynthesis convert it into carbon to feed soil biology.” </p><p><b>6. </b><b>Livestock and insect integration: </b>“Nature does not function properly without animals. Too many people think we have to remove the animals from the landscape. That’s the worst thing you can do. What’s going to pollinate the plants? The way our rich soils were formed was with large herds of ruminants, grazing the plants. That plant, once grazed, starts sloughing off root exudates to attract biology, to regrow, and then that plant is able to cycle more carbon out of the atmosphere.”</p><p>Brown waxes poetic when he talks about the amazing results of regenerative farming. “Healthy soil looks like dark chocolate cake. It’s full of pore spaces. Healthy soil is dark because of the amount of carbon in it. It smells good, whereas unhealthy soil is very compacted. There’s no pore spaces. Water cannot infiltrate into it. It’s a dull, pale color. You can see it, you can smell it, you can feel it.”</p><p>According to Wilson, the Rodale Institute is poised to help farmers adopt these principles and make them profitable. “People say regenerative organic isn’t scalable, but through our farming systems trial, we’re proving that you can do this on a large scale. It might require customization, but that’s why we’re investing so much in providing support and research to farmers to help them navigate that, and we’re seeing that scalability is not a barrier to implementation because so many big companies like Dr. Bronner’s and Patagonia are starting to implement these practices because people are demanding it. The market finds a way to make it doable and as long as we keep up our consumer education and show people that this is a benefit to everybody, I think large-scale farmers and corporations that buy their products will respond.”</p><p> </p><div class="image-with-caption image-main"><img alt="Organic food grown through regenerative farming" src="//cdn0.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/802503/fill/700x0/organic-farming-gardening.jpg?timestamp=1613508069"><div class="small"><p>adolfo felix/Unsplash.com</p></div></div><p> </p><p>Last year, <a href="https://www.gcresolve.com/" target="_blank">Graham Christensen</a>’s father gave him and his brother full control of a 750-acre farm in Oakland, Nebraska, that has been in the family since 1867. Over the decades, the farm has seen many changes, but the biggest transformation is still to come, as the brothers eagerly transition their once conventional operation into a regenerative organic one. </p><p>The family began to incorporate a few innovations 12 years ago when they stopped tilling the land and adopted solar energy, but this year they’ll take bolder steps to eliminate their dependence on GMO seeds and chemical fertilizers and pesticides which over the years have reduced organic matter levels in the soil and led to increased and unhealthy nutrient levels in their waterways. </p><p>“For the first time, we’ll be cover-cropping 612 acres and expanding habitats for wildlife, especially in some riparian areas, so we can get more roots in the soil and have better filtration and cleaner water,” Christensen explains. “We’re going to produce nutrients by building a biodiverse ecosystem and we’re incorporating animal grazing systems to help us fertilize naturally rather than having to add synthetics like nitrogen and phosphorus.” </p><p>They have planted a 100-tree hazelnut orchard that they hope to expand as a tree crop. “That’s going to help us stop soil erosion, store more carbon in the ground, produce another form of income and also be able to fit right into our cropping system, virtually taking out no extra land; just creating a higher layer, so now we’re farming higher in the air.” </p><p>The transition is not without its risks, Christensen adds. “Farms like ours have been heavily subsidized by the federal government to ship our grain to other countries. What we’re trying to do now is produce more small grains and hazelnuts for a regional market and reintroduce livestock to the land—not in confinement—so we can focus more on feeding people in our local community and in Omaha or Lincoln or Kansas City or Des Moines.”</p><p><i><br></i></p><p><i>Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.</i></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:aa92cdcf-80b4-4f67-8ec5-13e9c77814bb2021-02-17T10:10:27-08:002021-04-30T08:17:59-07:00Hemp-Derived Cannabidiol: A Primer on the Latest Research2021-02-26 06:30:00 -0800Sandra Yeyati<p>Ever since the Farm Bill of 2018 legalized the commercial production of hemp, U.S. sales of cannabidiol (CBD) have exploded onto the scene with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of vendors popping up around the country. CBD, a cannabinoid, is abundant in the <a href="/2020/02/28/297220/hemp-gets-hot-meet-the-hardest-working-plant-on-the-planet" target="_blank">hemp</a> flower. “By law, hemp is defined as a variety of cannabis plant that has less than 0.3 percent THC, the psychoactive cannabinoid that induces a high,” says Shannon Livingston, a cannabis consultant for Florida Gulf Coast University, in Fort Myers. </p><p><b>Proven Benefits of CBD:</b><span><b><br></b>“The enthusiasm for CBD is soaring above the actual scientific evidence,” says </span><a href="https://www.petergrinspoon.com/" target="_blank">Peter Grinspoon, M.D.</a>, a leading medical cannabis expert and primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital. “What’s known is that it helps with childhood epilepsy, and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a CBD drug for that. It is believed, and there’s good animal data and some human data to suggest, that CBD helps with chronic pain, insomnia and anxiety.” </p><p><b>Anxiety Under Study:</b><br>A clinical trial examining a high-CBD, low-THC (the psychoactive component) sublingual custom formulation for patients with moderate to severe <a href="/2020/02/28/297231/cbd-s-new-frontier-help-for-mental-health" target="_blank">anxiety</a> is being conducted by <a href="https://www.drstacigruber.com/" target="_blank">Staci Gruber, Ph.D.</a>, director of Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery at McLean Hospital, in Belmont, Massachusetts, and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. “In the open label phase of this study, we’ve seen a rather dramatic and precipitous drop in symptoms of anxiety and depression after four weeks of treatment. We’ll see if this holds in the double-blind phase, which is underway now,” she explains.</p><p><b>Entourage Effect:</b><span><br>Gruber notes that this customized formulation is a full-spectrum, whole-plant formula, saying, “You often seem to get a bigger bang for the buck using a full-spectrum or broad-spectrum (whole plant minus THC) product, rather than just a single extracted compound.” The process she’s describing is called the entourage effect—an assumption that all elements of the cannabis plant, working together, are most effective. “I believe there’s a significant role for terpenoids, flavonoids and other cannabinoid constituents of the plant, in addition to the big two (THC and CBD), and I have a grant to look at that very question,” she says. </span></p><p><b>How to Start CBD:</b><span><b><br></b>Experts agree that the best approach is to start low and go slow. “With experimentation, the patient will know what works for them,” Grinspoon says. “When CBD doesn’t work with my patients, the next step is to add a little bit of medical cannabis; it often takes a very little dose to help them with their sleep or their chronic pain.” Medical marijuana has been legalized in 36 states and the District of Columbia. </span></p><p><b>Route of Administration:</b><span><b><br></b>“When you smoke or vape, it’s an almost immediate onset, which is helpful for breakthrough pain, nausea and anything you want to treat immediately, but the effect is very short-lived,” Livingston explains. “For chronic pain, you might take a capsule or the patch that will last six to eight hours. If you want to fall asleep, a sublingual will work. For a skin condition, you might rub an oil on your skin. It’s really about the time of onset, how long you need it to last and what you’re treating.” </span></p><p><b>Ensuring Quality Control:</b><br>“Choose CBD providers that are certified for good manufacturing practices; conduct batch-specific, third-party testing on all of their products; and provide certificates of analysis directly from those labs. These tests can detect the presence of heavy metals, bacterial or microbial life, mycotoxins and pesticides, and also provide cannabinoid potency and terpene profiles,” says Grace Kaucic, senior communications and content manager at <a href="https://bluebirdbotanicals.com/" target="_blank">Bluebird Botanicals</a>, a CBD company in Louisville, Colorado. </p><p><b>Our Built-In Cannabinoids:</b><span><b><br></b>In the mid-1990s, researchers discovered the endocannabinoid system of receptors and neurotransmitters throughout the body, which uses cannabinoids that our own bodies produce. “This system is believed to control homeostasis, the body’s ability to regulate itself and maintain normal functioning,” Grinspoon says, adding that he believes this system will become central to medicine over the next few years as more research is conducted. </span></p><p><b>Research is Ongoing:</b><span><b><br></b>“It’s an incredibly exciting time for cannabis science,” Gruber says. “There’s every reason to be optimistic about the potential of harnessing and exploiting the benefits of cannabis and cannabinoids in ways that may still surprise us, but to be cautiously optimistic. It is not a panacea. It will never be one-size-fits-all.” </span></p><p><br></p><p><i>Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.</i></p><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:883ec93f-119f-45bf-a750-9e5fa5db96d32021-01-18T12:51:46-08:002021-03-31T12:37:27-07:00Saying ‘I Do’ to the Planet: Green Weddings Embrace Sustainability2021-01-29 06:30:00 -0800Sandra Yeyati<div>From advising couples about Earth-friendly menus to reducing and reusing plastic in her business operations, wedding planner Erica Jill Razze, of <a href="https://www.capicheplanning.com/" target="_blank">Capiche Custom Events</a>, in Wilmington, Delaware, is dedicated to environmentalism. When designing her own wedding last year, she wanted it to serve as a portfolio example of sustainability. “Our parents are a little more traditional, so there were certain aspects that we tried to respect and uphold for them, while still finding our happy place from an environmental standpoint,” she says.<br><br></div><div>Although no wedding can be totally zero waste, there are always greener options, starting with the invitations. The most eco-friendly choice is email, which Razze’s parents declined to use, so she opted for the next best thing: biodegradable, non-toxic paper directly benefitting women in India. In lieu of a response card, which would have required more paper and another mailing, she created a website for RSVPs. Bridal shower invitations were printed on botanical paper embedded with seeds. Invitees that followed the planting instructions were delighted to welcome blooming flowers in their yards.<br><br></div><div>“Find a venue that already fits your theme, so that you’re not trying to transform a space or shipping in plastic decorations that add to the carbon footprint and end up in landfills,” says Razze, who prefers horticultural centers or outdoors spaces. “The beauty and simplicity of what’s around you is what makes it so wonderful,” she says. “Don’t try to turn a ballroom into a forest and vice versa.” <br><br></div><div>Flown-in, farmed flowers are a big no-no. “The transportation is a huge carbon footprint. If they’re growing one particular flower, they’re treated with pesticides,” Razze says. Sustainable alternatives are locally harvested, organic wildflowers; dried flowers that haven’t been sprayed or painted with toxic chemicals; silk blooms; and rented potted plants. Some local florists collect flowers after the event for composting. Heart-shaped confetti made of dried leaves is a clever swap that begins composting once it hits the ground.<br><br></div><div>Razze’s vegan meal offered another planet-saving opportunity. While real stoneware and silverware gets expensive because it requires hiring staff, single-use plastics that are gold-decorated to simulate real china betray the Earth and believability. “You’re not fooling anybody with that stuff,” she says, recommending less costly alternatives like biodegradable bamboo and palm-leaf disposables. “Instead of fake-impress, show people something new. Thankfully, taking care of the environment has become trendy, so it’s an easier sell.” <br><br></div><div>Instead of wedding favors, most of which come from China and are wrapped in plastic, donate meals to people that don’t have access to food, advises Emily Raezer, director of weddings at <a href="https://www.ggcatering.com/" target="_blank">Global Gourmet Catering</a> (GGC), in San Francisco. “A lot of times, guests don’t even take those favors home. Why not make a donation that’s going to have a social impact?” GGC also donates all event leftovers to food banks in local communities.<br><br></div><div>As the first green-certified caterer in Northern California, GGC educates wedding clients about sustainability, helping them choose menu items that are in season, organic, locally sourced, sustainably farmed and drought-friendly. Raezer explains the reasoning behind these principles: “We don’t want things traveling very far and having CO2 emissions. Growing things out of season costs the environment water and other resources, and some products are more drought-friendly—which explains choosing avocados over cucumbers. Sustainable fishing really impacts our oceans, so we won’t source any fish that’s on the <a href="https://www.seafoodwatch.org/" target="_blank">Monterey Bay watchlist</a>, and a lot of couples are cutting out red meat from their weddings because of the methane emissions.”<br><br></div><div>GGC goes to extraordinary lengths to minimize impacts caused by their events, including reclaiming and repurposing used vegetable oil for San Francisco’s alternatively fueled vehicles; serving filtered tap water to avoid using plastic water bottles; opting for biodegradable and reusable utensils and decorations; recycling whenever possible; partnering with local farms to compost efficiently; and using non-toxic dishwasher detergents. For every event, they donate a portion of the proceeds to <a href="https://www.terrapass.com/" target="_blank">Terrapass</a> for carbon offsets. <br><br></div><div>Despite all preparations, couples must be ready for the unexpected. When the COVID-19 shutdown hit last March, just two months before Razze’s May wedding, she decided to legally marry in a small gathering of fewer than 10 people and postponed her larger green reception for a year. “We want to celebrate with everybody,” she says. “In a year, it could be a vow renewal. How cool is that?”</div><div><br><br></div><div><i>Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.</i></div><div><br><br><div class="media clearfix">
<span class="pull-left"><a href="/2021/01/29/343226/earth-friendly-engagement-rings" target="_blank"><img alt="lena shekhovtsovaPexelscom" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/792718/fit/80x80/eco-friendly-engagement-rings.jpg?timestamp=1611003851" class="media-object"></a></span>
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<h4 class="media-heading"><a href="/2021/01/29/343226/earth-friendly-engagement-rings" target="_blank">Earth-Friendly Engagement Rings</a></h4>
<p>From conflict-free or ethical diamonds to inherited pieces or alternative gems, here are green, sustainable and meaningful jewelry for engagement rings. <span class="pull-right"><a href="/2021/01/29/343226/earth-friendly-engagement-rings">Read More »</a></span> </p>
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<p> </p></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:35e15229-51a2-48df-a804-c77cdb639b5f2020-12-16T08:31:37-08:002021-04-14T10:00:00-07:00Climate Anxiety: Navigating Our Emotions as the Planet Changes2020-12-30 06:30:00 -0800Sandra Yeyati<div>Following a record-breaking hurricane season, out-of-control wildfires and a deadly prolonged pandemic, many of us are anxious and fearful, prompted by the growing realization of being in a state of environmental insecurity. These inklings of impending doom are nothing new for members of the youth climate movement—kids in their teens or younger—succumbing to hopelessness, anger and rage as they learn the science and watch leaders do nothing to address it. <br><br></div><div> Hardest hit are “marginalized communities, including indigenous people, climate refugees, farmers struggling with drought and communities of color, who disproportionately suffer from the health effects of polluting industries,” says <a href="https://www.drjenniferatkinson.com/" target="_blank">Jennifer Atkinson</a>, associate professor of environmental studies at the University of Washington-Bothell.<br><br></div><div> Some of us are affected in more subtle ways. Perhaps we’re noticing slow-moving changes around us, like the gradual loss of bees or a disappearance of trees, and we develop a sense of loss the philosopher Glenn Albrecht coined “solastalgia”, which plays on the concept of nostalgia—a longing for a time or place we can’t go back to. <br><br></div><div> Or, we’re standing in front of a package of blueberries at the grocery store feeling confusion and ambivalence. A desire to be healthy and adopt a sustainable, vegetarian lifestyle is playing tug-of-war with the fact that these blueberries were flown in from South America, are wrapped in plastic and were grown in a monoculture that depletes the soil. It’s hard to know whether to eat or boycott them. “The greater this dissonance grows, the more likely we’ll tell ourselves that the problems are too big. We decide that we can’t make a difference, so why try? We check out,” says <a href="https://lesliedavenport.com/" target="_blank">integrative psychotherapist Leslie Davenport</a>, author of <i>Emotional Resiliency in the Era of Climate Change</i>.<br><br></div><div> The first step to alleviate this anguish is to validate and normalize the dark feelings. “It’s important to remember that there’s nothing wrong with you. What’s happening is actually painful and difficult; there’s a lot of loss involved. Eco-anxiety is a natural response to having your heart and mind open, being an attentive and caring person, if you tune in to what’s happening in the world,” says Davenport, adding that good self-care, including mindfulness practices, will expand our tolerance for dealing with tough times. <br><br></div><div> Another powerful antidote can be found in community, according to <a href="https://envcomm.humboldt.edu/people/sarah-ray" target="_blank">Sarah Jaquette Ray</a>, associate professor of environmental studies at Humboldt State University, in Arcata, California, and author of <i>A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet</i>. “People feel like they can’t impact the world because they’re only one person. But when they start to shift the lens toward the collective, it allows them to realize that the positive things that are happening in the world are actually happening at scale, and it allows them to feel like they’re part of some larger purpose,” says Ray.<br><br></div><div> As we accept climate-related anxiety and seek the company of like-minded people to affect change, surprisingly positive emotions will arise, including joy, laughter, dancing and camaraderie at street protests. “Those positive feelings help us process grief and anger, engage us in the work long term and help us maintain the stamina we need for sustained work,” Ray says.<br><br></div><div> “Think of climate anxiety as a kind of superpower, a signal that goes off to tell us something’s wrong and needs to be addressed,” says Atkinson, the creator and host of the <a href="https://www.drjenniferatkinson.com/facing-it" target="_blank">climate-anxiety podcast <i>Facing It</i></a>. She points to grief as a compelling motivator. “You can’t feel grief without love,” she explains. “Grief is an expression of compassion and connection to others and to the pain we feel when those lives are destroyed. Love is far more powerful in motivating us to fight than any other affect. There’s no limit to the lengths we’ll go to protect what we love.” <br><br></div><div> We are only limited by a lack of ecological imagination, Davenport proposes. “Our contemporary Western culture emphasizes the rational, cognitive way of thinking, which is linear and analytical. But another part of the brain—the imaginative, creative and intuitive part—views the world synergistically and holistically. If we open up to this ecological imagination, we can have a visceral knowing of interconnectedness, making it simpler to act in a way that’s beneficial to all of us.” </div><div><br><br></div><div><i>Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.</i></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:84963107-17e8-4668-81bb-2a6a854ef2f42020-11-11T09:22:37-08:002021-03-31T06:49:38-07:00Pay Where We Play: Boosting the Hometown Economy2020-11-27 06:30:00 -0800Sandra Yeyati<div>A message we hear throughout the year, but especially during the holidays, is, “Buy local.” The idea is to purchase from locally owned and operated businesses. Facing competition from big chains like Walmart or internet companies like Amazon, they need our support. But it’s not just a nice thing to do; consumers that buy local help build robust hometown economies with a long list of impressive benefits.<br><br></div><div>“About three dozen studies have found that two to four times more money stays in the economy for every dollar spent in a locally owned business rather than a nonlocal one,” says <a href="https://michaelhshuman.com/" target="_blank">economist Michael Shuman</a>, author of <i>The Small-Mart Revolution</i>, <i>Put Your Money Where Your Life Is</i> and <i>The Local Economy Solution</i>. “What’s more, the community enjoys a multiplier effect, generating two to four times more job opportunities, two to four times more income and two to four times greater tax collections. If your interest is in reducing poverty and raising social equality, locally owned businesses are your ticket to doing so.”<br><br></div><div>According to Shuman, cities that rely on just one or two large companies to drive their economies are far less self-reliant and less resilient than towns that support a diversified base of smaller, locally owned businesses. “The more you have control over your economy, the less likely you’re going to be hurt if one big company splits for Mexico,” he explains.<br><br></div><div>Cities that have many thriving local businesses enjoy other benefits, too. “We know from political science studies that they have higher rates of voting participation and volunteering,” Shuman says. “Sociology studies show lower crime and greater degrees of social organization and civil society. Health studies reveal that local business communities replace a lot of unhealthy, imported food with healthier, fresher, less-packaged food that lowers rates of diabetes and obesity. Unique local businesses attract tourists. And because they shorten the lines of distribution and supply, we know they bring down carbon footprint.” <br><br></div><div>Phoenix business leader <a href="https://www.localfirstaz.com/about/kimber-lanning" target="_blank">Kimber Lanning</a>, who opened a record store in 1987 and an art gallery in 1999, has witnessed firsthand the transformative power of local commerce. “Doing business with people we know heightens our connection to place, and when we care about place, we’re more likely to vote, volunteer and give charitably.” <br><br></div><div>In 2003, Lanning founded the nonprofit <a href="https://www.localfirstaz.com/" target="_blank">Local First Arizona</a> (LFA) to help local businesses thrive and eventually eliminate city, state and federal subsidies that multinational companies were receiving. “Big chains move in, claiming they’re going to drive so much sales tax revenue that the city should pay them to be there,” she explains. “Cabela’s [the outfitter chain] got a $68 million subsidy from Glendale to open one retail location. These sweetheart deals extract money out of the community that could have been spent on parks, libraries and fire departments, but instead goes to shareholders living elsewhere.” Responding to political pressure by LFA and others, Arizona passed a law banning these subsidies five years ago—a major victory—leveling the playing field for smaller businesses, according to Lanning.<br><br><div class="image-with-caption image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/776105/fill/700x0/local-businesses-support.jpg?timestamp=1605124408"><div class="small"><p>jonathan weiss/Unsplash.com</p></div></div><p> </p></div><div>As the author of 13 destination guidebooks, Florida-based <a href="https://www.karentbartlett.com/" target="_blank">travel journalist Karen T. Bartlett</a> helps people discover the often-hidden flavors and experiences unique to their own region, meeting neighbors and supporting the local economy along the way. “From kayak adventures and foodie tours to community theater productions and galleries featuring local artists, fun and meaningful ways to enjoy the distinctive offerings of home abound,” she says. <br><br></div><div>“Think local first,” Lanning says. “Spend your money with people you know in your community—from haircuts to oil changes. Use a local pharmacy. Go to the farmers’ market and move your money to community banks and credit unions.”<br><br></div><div>“For people to get excited about the purchase of a five-dollar hammer and not pay attention to where they have their mortgage is utterly irrational. Rank [in] order your business expenditures, which starts with your home, then probably goes to your car and then health care, and think about ways of localizing those things, rather than every grocery item,” Shuman advises. <br><br></div><div>“Usually, you find cheaper, better-quality goods and services, or at the very least, comparable options,” he says, adding that even if a purchase is slightly more expensive or a bit less convenient, favoring the neighborhood vendor is always going to benefit the local economy. </div><div><br><br></div><div><i>Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.</i></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:3a33742a-532a-4e0b-b371-774cc5fbf9b92020-10-15T12:20:27-07:002021-03-31T06:49:40-07:00The Green Burial Revolution: Sustainable End-of-Life Options2020-10-30 06:30:00 -0700Sandra Yeyati<div>There’s an emerging movement in the funeral industry, fueled by environmentalism and a yearning to accept mortality and reclaim a connection to Earth and to each other. Although it seems revolutionary, a green burial is as old as humanity, while the conventional burial commonly practiced in the United States is only a bit over 150 years old. <br><br></div><div>Continuing a practice that began in the Civil War, the conventional funeral typically involves embalming with toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde to preserve the body for viewing. Elaborate metal and varnished hardwood caskets are lowered into cement or steel burial vaults and entombed in memorial parks, where lawns are maintained with heavy machinery and liberal applications of herbicides and pesticides.<br><br></div><div>These materials are not just polluting the Earth, but depleting resources only to bury them forever. “You can build a replication of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco annually with all the metal placed in the ground. Why would we bury these materials that people could actually be using?” says <a href="https://www.thegreenreaper.org/" target="_blank">Elizabeth Fournier</a>, a licensed mortician in Portland, Oregon, and author of <i>The Green Burial Guidebook</i>. <br><br></div><div>In a true green burial, the body is put in repose in its natural state; refrigeration or dry ice replaces embalming fluids. Families may choose to bathe and dress their loved one’s body, wrap the body with a natural cotton shroud or place it in a casket made of sustainably grown and biodegradable materials including pine, bamboo, wicker or even cardboard. <br><br></div><div>The burial site has a more natural feel, with indigenous plants, meadows and soil untouched by chemicals. The grave is dug and refilled by hand, while family and friends use ropes to lower their loved one directly into the earth. “You’re going back to nature. Your body will decompose and in turn it can nourish the environment. New life will come from your death,” says Ed Bixby, owner of <a href="https://www.steelmantowncemetery.com/" target="_blank">Steelmantown Cemetery Companies</a> and president of the <a href="https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/" target="_blank">Green Burial Council</a>, which certifies eco-friendly cemeteries and funeral services.<br><br></div><div>Natural burial sites are public recreational havens where people can hike, birdwatch, cross-country ski or camp. These beautiful cemeteries are full of life and regeneration. “The neat part is that they’re using their income stream for open-space preservation—buying property, using it for burial purposes and dedicating that land so that it will always be open and green,” says <a href="https://proutfuneralhome.com/" target="_blank">Robert Prout</a>, a third-generation funeral director in Verona, New Jersey. Every state has at least one natural burial site. There are hundreds nationwide, and 11 of them are legal preservation grounds, owned and managed by conservation or state agencies. <br><br></div><div>As people learn more about green burials and request them, traditional cemeteries are setting aside areas for these alternatives. Bixby is encouraged by the hybrid models. “It’s helping change the direction of the funeral industry. We’re empowering and educating families. That’s how we’re going to grow this movement,” he says.<br><br></div><div>A green burial will usually cost less than the conventional one. “The environment is suffering, and people’s wallets are suffering,” says Fournier. “People are realizing that you don’t have to spend a lot of money after someone has passed away to show your love.” In some towns, backyard burials are an option, too.<br><br></div><div>From an emotional and spiritual perspective, there’s a lot to be said for a green burial. “It’s been so clinical for so long, where you wear your black suit. You sit on the sideline. The gravedigger and undertaker do everything. You’re sort of a spectator,” says Fournier. <br><br></div><div>“By being a part of the process, there’s a greater sense of acceptance. You can see a lot of the pain and grief wash away,” says Bixby. “It allows us to not only care for our dead, but also not be so afraid of our common denominator. We’re all going to die. It shouldn’t be a scary, disconnected experience.”<br><br></div><div>Overseen by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, a burial at sea is yet another green option in which the body decomposes naturally on the ocean floor. To find a state-by-state list of natural burial sites, visit the <a href="https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/" target="_blank">Green Burial Council</a>.</div><div><br><br></div><div><i>Sandra Yeyati, J.D., is a professional writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.</i></div><div><br><br><h3><b>A Greener Cremation</b><br><br></h3><br><br>Although cremation is greener than a conventional funeral, it is still not as ecological as a natural burial. The process requires a fair amount of natural gas or oil, and releases toxins into the air, especially if the person is embalmed, has mercury tooth fillings or was treated with chemotherapy. The carbon footprint of cremation can be offset when scattering cremains by mixing them into soil and planting a tree in memory of the person or encasing the ashes in a reef ball to give back to the ocean.<br><br><div>A controversial new type of cremation that is legal in only a handful of states—alkaline hydrolysis—offers an even more eco-friendly option. A low-heat water and lye bath slowly dissolves the flesh and neutralizes toxins, leaving only the bones, which are then processed to create ash-like remains. Time will tell if this method is widely adopted. </div></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:1c93f539-a7cd-497d-9d64-16481f57b3132020-09-14T12:51:56-07:002022-02-28T06:40:36-08:00Wishful Recycling: What Not to Put in the Bin2020-09-30 06:30:00 -0700Yvette C. Hammett<div>For those that have been putting recyclables in a plastic bag and placing it in a curbside bin, it’s likely going straight into a landfill. That bowling ball, those yard clippings and dirty pizza boxes are contaminating the recycling stream and increasing the cost of recycling programs nationwide at a particularly challenging time amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. The continuing rise in contaminated items is known in the biz as “wishful recycling”. The current crisis is only making it worse. In some places, recycling itself is becoming wishful.<br><br></div><div>As stores and restaurants struggle to survive, local tax revenues have dropped sharply, forcing municipalities to slash budgets. Many small towns and a few big cities have stopped recycling programs altogether. Others have cut back on what they will accept or substituted drop-off bins for curbside pickup. States are pulling back from encouraging bottle-deposit returns. The plastic masks, gloves and wipes mistakenly tossed into recycle bins are endangering waste workers that must remove them. With the coronavirus shown to cling to plastic for three days, many workers around the country have become ill from such exposure. <br><br></div><div>Meanwhile, waste is mounting. Consumers are now having groceries delivered, picking them up or ordering them online, adding hundreds of millions more plastic bags and cardboard boxes to the waste stream. The <a href="https://swana.org/docs/default-source/advocacy-documents/senate-epw---final-swana-testimony---june-17-2020.pdf?sfvrsn=c3af10a2_2" target="_blank">Solid Waste Association of North America estimates</a> that U.S. cities saw a 20 percent average increase in municipal solid waste and recycling collection in March and part of April. And because China stopped accepting 99 percent of the world’s recyclables two years ago, recycling operations are struggling for disposal locations. <br><br></div><div>“There is the potential for households to generate more waste than they did before, but there is also an opportunity to focus on waste prevention, increase your reuse and recycling efforts, and use food more efficiently,” the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/coronavirus/recycling-and-sustainable-management-food-during-coronavirus-covid-19-public-health" target="_blank">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises</a>. “Now is a great time to focus on waste prevention where possible, and when recycling, keep the materials as clean and dry as possible.”<br><br></div><div>To be more conscious about recycling habits, “Instead of, ‘When in doubt, throw it in,’ it should be, ‘When in doubt, throw it out,’” says David Keeling, president of the <a href="https://nrcrecycles.org/" target="_blank">National Recycling Coalition</a>.<br><br></div><div>The Washington State nonprofit <a href="https://sustainableconnections.org/wishful-recycling/" target="_blank">Sustainable Connections estimates</a> that 25 percent of what goes into recycling containers is not recyclable. “Contamination significantly increases the cost to process recyclables and makes it harder for processors to market their products, creating a huge economic challenge,” according to <a href="https://sustainableconnections.org/" target="_blank">Sustainable Connections</a>. “We rely on the private sector to take away our waste, and they need to be able to turn a profit in order to run a viable business.”</div><div>Unfortunately, “Across the country and within Florida, we are seeing a growing trend on contamination in recycling,” says Travis Barnes, recycling coordinator of Florida’s Hillsborough County, which includes Tampa. The worst offenders, he says, are people that don’t sufficiently clean out mayonnaise or ketchup containers, as well as put plastic bags in the recycling bin that can become entangled in multimillion-dollar equipment, bringing the entire sorting process to a halt.<br><br></div><div><a href="https://www.bethrecycles.com/" target="_blank">Beth Porter</a>, climate campaigns director for the nonprofit <a href="https://www.greenamerica.org/" target="_blank">Green America</a> and author of <i>Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine: Sorting Out the Recycling System</i>, says there’s a lot of confusion on what to put in the bin. She points to Michigan, which aims for 30 percent recycling by 2025 and created videos featuring “<a href="https://recyclingraccoons.org/" target="_blank">Recycling Raccoons</a>” that offer instructions on proper sorting. In Washington, D.C., says Porter, “Workers peek in recycling bins and can tag the bin with some specific info telling you not to throw in plastic bags and contaminated stuff,” lowering contamination rates by 30 percent.<br><br></div><div>“The public demands curbside recycling,” Barnes says. “It is highly ranked as something the public wants,” but people also need to be more aware to make the system more efficient.<br><br></div><div>Even with the current challenges, environmentalists see recycling as a key strategy for a planet sinking under plastic waste. “As we navigate this new reality together, consumers whose circumstances allow for it should begin to reshape how they think about plastic pollution,” advises the <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/05/plastic-pollution-waste-pandemic-covid19-coronavirus-recycling-sustainability/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>. “It’s a real and present crisis we can stop in its tracks right now—if we make choices that lead to a cleaner and more sustainable future.”</div><div><br><br></div><div><i>Yvette C. Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, Florida. Connect at YvetteHammettHull49@gmail.com.</i></div><div><br><br><h3><b>Rules for Recycling</b></h3><div><div class="image-with-caption image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/759403/fill/700x0/what-to-recycle.jpg?timestamp=1600277611"><div class="small"><p>aleksandrasuzi/AdobeStock.com</p></div></div><p> </p></div><div>Here is a list of broadly accepted common rules for recyclables from <a href="https://smea.uw.edu/currents/revisiting-wishful-recycling-more-harm-than-good/" target="_blank"><i>Currents: Navigating Society & Sea</i></a>, a blog of the University of Washington School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, </div><div>in Seattle: <br><br></div><div><b>Pizza boxes?</b> No. Almost all takeout containers are contaminated with greasy food residue.<br><br></div><div><b>Single-use coffee cups and lids?</b> Many coffee shops use compostable cups that go in the compost bin or garbage. Recycle the lid.<br><br></div><div><b>Plastic grocery bags?</b> No, not in residential recycling, but they can be returned to the store in most cases.<br><br></div><div><b>Soup cans and other steel cans?</b> Definitely, but remove the lid first and rinse the cans.<br><br></div><div><b>Milk and juice cartons?</b> Yes. Leave the spouts, but toss the caps. Rinse the containers. Do not flatten them to avoid confusion during sorting.<br><br></div><div><b>Styrofoam?</b> No. Styrofoam is not accepted for residential recycling.<br><br></div><div><i>For local waste management rules, contact municipal or county offices.</i></div></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:8e890f5d-2c8f-41fa-bada-4cef25206d8a2020-08-24T15:37:34-07:002022-03-31T07:55:22-07:00Cars Go Vegan: Leather Interiors are on the Way Out2020-08-31 06:30:00 -0700Yvette C. Hammett<div>Consumers are becoming more conscious about their purchases in light of the ongoing climate crisis exacerbated by animal-based agriculture. As they begin to make better choices in what they consume, wear and drive, vegan car interiors are becoming more popular. The environmental impact of producing leather, foam and other materials is being replaced in some instances by alternatives that are becoming more readily available to environmentally conscious consumers.</div><div>The Toyota Prius line uses Sof-Tex synthetic leather or other synthetic cloth upholstery which bolsters its reputation as a sustainable automaker. Mercedes Benz and BMW are offering customers plant-based alternatives and Tesla has been dropping leather from its upholstery choices for a while now, with the Model 3 and Model Y already sporting vegan-only interiors. The Volvo Polestar 2 also comes standard with vegan upholstery, along with recycled wood. And the 2020 Range Rover Evoque, Velar and Jaguar I-Pace SUVs all offer consumers vegan interiors.</div><div>Research and development is ongoing in this realm to create faux leather that not only looks good, but is actually more durable and easier to maintain than leather. Vegan “leather” is being produced from cork, glazed cotton and even bark cloth, so it’s not just a matter of replacing animal-based products with unsustainable plastic.<br><br></div><div>With funding from Honda and Ford, Bharat Bhushan, Ph.D., director of the <a href="https://nlbb.engineering.osu.edu/" target="_blank">Nanoprobe Laboratory for Bio- & Nanotechnology and Biomimetics</a> in the John Glenn College of Public Affairs of Ohio State University, Columbus, developed a faux leather that has the potential to be used on both seats and dashboards.<br><br></div><div>“I work in technology to repel water and oil from a variety of surfaces,” Bhushan says. “Leather gets very sticky when it is hot, so we thought it would be great to repel water or any other contaminant to avoid that stickiness and help it remain clean.” The side benefit, he further notes, is that it’s an alternative to animal hide.<br><br></div><div>Audi Head of Design Marc Lichte, whose twin daughters are both vegan, says vegan leather is a huge selling point for customers and that both the Audi e-tron GT and Q4 will be animal-free. Faux leather will replace the traditional leather, and all cushions, window trim, armrests, headliners and center consoles will be manufactured with recycled materials.<br><br></div><div><a href="https://www.peta.org/" target="_blank">People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)</a> made a major push in the past few years to increase production of vegan-based car interiors. In 2016, PETA conducted an investigation into JBS, the world’s largest leather supplier, which sells to car companies from GM to VW and more. “What it found was that the supplier severely mistreats the cattle being raised for the leather with hot irons on the face, electrocution, beatings and cutting their throats while they are still conscious,” says Jennifer Behr, corporate responsibility officer for PETA. “When consumers are shopping, they should take that into consideration. Those interiors came from a cow that lived a miserable life and died a painful one.”<br><br></div><div>Beyond that, cattle represent a climate risk. <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6518108/" target="_blank"><i>The International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health</i> published a study</a> showing that knowledge of the environmental ramifications from cattle is not well known by the average consumer. “The livestock industry is the source of a broad spectrum of environmental impacts,” the study states. “The first and most important is climate change.” It’s estimated that 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions are caused by the livestock industry. Enlightened consumers are using that information to determine what they purchase, from food to cars.<br><br></div><div>BMW spokesperson Oleg Satanovsky says vegan options are not new for his company; they’ve been around for decades, but options have been updated. BMW uses a material called SensaTec, a new brand name for its non-animal-sourced upholstery “to reflect the more upscale design and feel of the materials,” he contends.<br><br></div><div>“We look to nature for clues” to develop alternatives, Bhushan says. His research was based on the lotus leaf and its resiliency—it’s both water and oil repellant. “A single species like that can be used for many things,” with little or no environmental impact.</div><div><br><br></div><div><i>Yvette C. Hammett is an environmental writer based in Valrico, FL. Connect with her at YvetteHammettHull49@gmail.com.</i></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:ce0970dc-6eb3-4f12-91a3-8880940143072020-07-15T13:52:44-07:002023-02-28T15:05:30-08:00The Upside of Lockdowns: Air Gets Cleaner Around the Globe2020-07-31 06:30:00 -0700Kimberly B. Whittle<div>Around the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way millions of people live their day-to-day lives, but despite their dire consequences, government-mandated lockdowns have had an unintended positive consequence: cleaner air.<br><br></div><div> In China, as major cities shuttered factories and reduced transportation earlier this year, <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/analysis-coronavirus-has-temporarily-reduced-chinas-co2-emissions-by-a-quarter" target="_blank">experts found</a> that carbon emissions dropped by about 100 million tons over a two-week period. Scientists at the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy, in Brussels, are using satellite measurements of air quality to estimate the changes in nitrogen dioxide (NO2)—a pollutant emitted into the air when fossil fuels are burned—over the major epicenters of the outbreak. Their <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2020GL087978" target="_blank">research</a> shows that NO2 pollution over Chinese cities decreased by an average of 40 percent during the lockdown compared to the same period in 2019.<br><br><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn2.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/743072/fill/700x0/nasa-observatory-airborne-nitrogen-dioxide-china.jpg?timestamp=1594923038"></div><p> </p> Across the United Kingdom, the reduction in traffic and industry similarly <a href="https://www.ncas.ac.uk/en/18-news/3069-pollution-down-by-40-in-cities-during-covid-19-lockdown" target="_blank">impacted the climate</a>. Within the first six weeks of lockdowns, in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, NO2 and fine particulate pollutant levels dropped by a third to half, with large declines recorded in other cities. These are the two air pollutants that have the biggest health impacts on people, says James Lee, professor of atmospheric chemistry at the University of York and research fellow at the <a href="https://www.ncas.ac.uk/en/" target="_blank">National Centre for Atmospheric Science</a>.<br><br></div><div> The U.S. has been part of these trends, as well. In Los Angeles, known for its smog, the air quality index improved by about 20 percent during March. According to Yifang Zhu, a professor at the University of California (UC) Los Angeles Fielding School of Public Health, during March, the region recorded the longest stretch of “good” air quality that it has experienced for 25 years.</div><div> NASA has observed significant air quality improvements in other parts of the U.S., as well. Satellite data for March showed that the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions had the lowest monthly atmospheric levels of NO2 that month since 2005. Data on NO2 from the Aura Ozone Monitoring Instrument over the Northeast in March indicated that levels of the pollutant in March of this year were about <a href="https://phys.org/news/2020-04-percent-air-pollution-northeast.html" target="_blank">30 percent lower on average</a> across the region of the I-95 corridor from Washington, D.C., to Boston than the mean of the previous five years.<br><br><div class="image-main"><img alt="" src="//cdn1.locable.com/uploads/resource/file/743075/fill/700x0/nasa-scientific-visualization-air-quality-northeast-us.jpg?timestamp=1594922627"></div><p> </p></div><div> Another immediate benefit of the reduction in pollutants is their effect on the pandemic itself. Public health experts agree people that have higher long-term exposure to fine particulate pollution have a <a href="https://projects.iq.harvard.edu/covid-pm/home" target="_blank">15 percent greater likelihood of dying from COVID-19</a>. They attribute this to the lung damage caused over time by air pollution, combined with the fact that the virus targets the lungs and increases the risk of pneumonia.<br><br></div><div> Experts warn, however, that the cleaner air is likely to be temporary if we return to pre-COVID-19 levels of travel and industry. Although we have seen a dramatic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide (CO2) levels—another important contributor to global warming—have continued to rise. “The crisis has slowed emissions, but not enough to show up perceptibly [in CO2 levels everywhere]. What will matter much more is the trajectory we take coming out of this situation,” geochemist Ralph Keeling, who directs the Scripps Institution of Oceanography’s CO2 monitoring program at UC San Diego, told <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2020/04/09/air-quality-improving-coronavirus/" target="_blank"><i>The Washington Post</i></a>. But it’s possible that if people start expecting and demanding the cleaner air we have been enjoying during the pandemic, the coronavirus shutdowns could lead us to embrace new ways of living and working.<br><br></div><div> Scientists worldwide have emphasized that most of the air quality improvement is due to a reduction in traffic. Ed Avol, a professor of clinical preventive medicine at the University of Southern California, told <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/tamarathiessen/2020/04/10/how-clean-air-cities-could-outlast-covid-19-lockdowns/#2f3bd4a66bb5" target="_blank"><i>Forbes</i></a> that telecommuting is here to stay. “Telecommuting from home for those who can, even just for a couple of days a week, can have a marked reduction in terms of emissions.”</div><div><br></div><div><br><i>Kimberly B. Whittle is the founder and CEO of </i><a href="https://knowewell.com/" target="_blank"><i>KnoWEwell</i></a><i>, a community and marketplace platform committed to rigorous, evidenced-based research that empowers healthier living. </i></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:459b6b13-917a-482a-8a11-ec5e407aae482020-06-08T11:54:42-07:002022-03-31T07:56:51-07:00Greener Green Grass: Why Organic Lawns Make Eco-Sense2020-06-30 06:30:00 -0700Julie Peterson<div>With its dependence on synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, <a href="https://www.isprs.org/proceedings/XXXVI/8-W27/milesi.pdf" target="_blank">America’s 63,000 square miles of lawns</a> rely on fossil fuels, put pressure on water supplies and devastate soil, watersheds, animals and people. </div><div><br></div><div> Fortunately, green turf can be attained organically, with important benefits. “In addition to protecting public health, eliminating our use of pesticides and fertilizers will allow us to build healthy soil and sequester more carbon as we face climate chaos,” says Mackenzie Feldman, executive director of <a href="https://www.herbicidefreecampus.org/" target="_blank">Herbicide-Free Campus</a>, a San Francisco organization working to transition colleges nationwide to organic lawns. </div><div><br></div><h3>The Harm Done<br><br></h3><div>Homeowner desire for lush swaths of monoculture grass has been fueled by lawn chemical ads equating model families with flawless lawns. Unfortunately, the “green grass of home” isn’t an ideal dream, it’s a nightmare. Research shows that it exposes people to cancer-causing, reproductive-harming and endocrine-disrupting chemicals, many of which are deemed safe by government agencies. The <a href="https://www.beyondpesticides.org/resources/pesticide-induced-diseases-database/overview" target="_blank">Pesticide-Induced Diseases database</a> holds myriad studies linking chemicals to asthma, diabetes, autism, <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3593584/" target="_blank">lupus, arthritis</a>, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease and cancer. <a href="https://www.beyondpesticides.org/assets/media/documents/lawn/factsheets/Pesticide.children.dontmix.pdf" target="_blank">Children</a> are particularly vulnerable to the effects of toxins due to their developing organs.<br><br></div><div> Exposure to lawn chemicals also comes through the air, on indoor surfaces and in water. A <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1225/pdf/pest.pdf" target="_blank">U.S. Geological Survey report</a> found pesticides in 99 percent of urban streams. In mixed land use areas, 100 percent of major rivers and 33 percent of major aquifers were tainted.<br><br></div><div> While the culture around the aesthetics of landscapes is strong, the tipping point has arrived. </div><div> “People are becoming more aware that their children are at elevated risk and that there are deficiencies in the laws that govern toxic chemical use,” says Jay Feldman, executive director of <a href="https://www.beyondpesticides.org/" target="_blank">Beyond Pesticides</a>, in Washington, D.C.<br><br></div><div> Lawn chemicals are also feeding climate change. “Not only are they fossil-fuel intensive to produce, they harm the biology in the soil and destroy its ability to sequester carbon,” says Diana Carpinone, president of <a href="http://www.nontoxiccommunities.com/" target="_blank">Non Toxic Communities</a>, a pesticide reform nonprofit, and founder of <a href="https://nontoxicdovernh.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Non Toxic Dover</a>, in New Hampshire.</div><div><br></div><h3>Front Yard Activists<br><br></h3><div>Recent lawsuits and climate change have given activists more power to effect sweeping changes in policy. “This isn’t just a niche idea. We have a mandate, given looming environmental crises, to transform our current chemical intensive systems to organic,” says Jay Feldman.<br><br></div><div> Organic turf experts have devised methods to grow monoculture grass. According to Ryan Anderson, a community outreach specialist at the <a href="https://ipminstitute.org/" target="_blank">Integrated Pest Management Institute of North America</a> and leader of <a href="https://midwestgrowsgreen.org/" target="_blank">Midwest Grows Green</a>, “Homeowners can keep their lawns organic by increasing cultural controls.” These include aerating, over seeding and mowing high to build the soil, turf and plant system.<br><br></div><div> While pristine lawns are possible, reconsidering aesthetics is another option. “We could let native plants grow and embrace plant diversity as fundamental to ecosystem resilience,” says Mackenzie Feldman.<br><br></div><div> Indeed, “weeds” are beneficial. Clover feeds nitrogen to grass, benefits soil organisms and stays green long after turf. <a href="/2019/08/16/224640/wild-and-wonderful-foraging-for-foodies" target="_blank">Dandelions</a> were once considered a source of food and medicine, and all parts of it are edible, including flowers, roots and leaves.<br><br></div><div> Instead of living with weeds, some homeowners are choosing to tear out lawns and put in indigenous plants to attract pollinators and other wildlife. But it takes time for society to adopt new views and front yards can be polarizing.<br><br></div><div> “You can’t go from zero to hippie in a day. People need realistic goals,” says Carpinone.<br><br></div><div> Whether someone rents, owns or only has access to shared green spaces, Shaina Rico, founder of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/thegenerationground" target="_blank">The Generation Ground</a>, an Austin-based organization helping farmers launch regenerative businesses, feels everyone must “take ownership of our green spaces. If you are not the one managing the land, ask questions of those that are. What are we doing to support the soil biology? Can we achieve the goal without using chemicals? How can we increase soil organic matter?”</div><div><br></div><h3>Greener Communities<br><br></h3><div>Concerned citizens are asking local governments and school districts to eliminate chemical turf management protocols at parks and schools. Nonprofit campaigns such as <a href="https://www.beyondpesticides.org/" target="_blank">Beyond Pesticides</a>, <a href="http://www.nontoxiccommunities.com/" target="_blank">Non Toxic Communities</a> and <a href="https://www.herbicidefreecampus.org/" target="_blank">Herbicide-Free Campus</a> can sometimes send a spokesperson and provide ample data to overcome common objections. “We can show that organic is viable and economical. <a href="https://www.grassrootsinfo.org/pdf/turfcomparisonreport.pdf" target="_blank">Organic systems end up reducing costs</a> over time,” says Jay Feldman, who helps install community pilot sites. <br><br></div><div> Transitioning to organic practices requires a focus on soil health, building up microbial life and organic matter, understanding the ecosystem and creating a balanced ecology. Once in place, it’s a functioning system that doesn’t need much management. <br><br></div><div> “You can have a beautiful, organic, green lawn that’s safe for all living things,” says Carpinone.</div><div><br></div><div><br><i>Julie Peterson writes about wellness and environmental issues from rural Wisconsin. Reach her at JuliePeterson2222@gmail.com.</i><br><br><br><h3><b>Make a Difference</b><br><br></h3><div>Offset climate change and improve health for people and the planet by reaching out to the community or finding helpful experts to assist with local efforts.</div><div><br></div><div><a href="http://www.nontoxiccommunities.com/" target="_blank"><b>Non Toxic Communities</b></a> offers resources to create healthier schools, lawns and landscapes throughout the country.<br><br></div><div><a href="https://www.beyondpesticides.org/" target="_blank"><b>Beyond Pesticides</b></a> has a database of pest management and lawn service companies that don’t use dangerous pesticides, lawn signs for the organic yard and a sign-up for The Action of the Week to contact elected officials about current issues.<br><br></div><div><a href="https://ipminstitute.org/" target="_blank"><b>The Integrated Pest Management Institute of North America</b></a> provides low-risk pest management solutions for farms, greenhouses, facilities and homes.<br><br></div><div><a href="https://www.herbicidefreecampus.org/" target="_blank"><b>Herbicide-Free Campus</b></a> is working to transition every campus in the country to organic.<br><br></div><div><a href="http://tghyp.com/" target="_blank"><b>The Great Healthy Yard Project</b></a> has <a href="http://tghyp.com/downloads/" target="_blank">downloads</a> on how to grow without gunk and encouraging others to do the same.</div></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>urn:uuid:dc3c8198-4f1f-412a-ade4-6bf96066c9c02020-05-22T09:49:45-07:002023-02-28T15:10:25-08:00Everyday Adventures: Taking to Vans and RVs for Life on the Road2020-05-29 06:30:00 -0700Sandra Yeyati<div>Many Americans choose to travel in recreational vehicles (RVs) or well-equipped vans with all the comforts of home—no hotels, just the open road and a tank full of gas. Cindy Jane is a Florida naturalist, vegan advocate, accomplished artist and wife to land surveyor Kevin Georgeson. Now 50 years old, she’s had a dream since she was 18 to travel the country in a van, visiting state and national parks, hiking trails and spending quality time in nature. She envisions setting up an easel and painting in inspiring settings. “It’s about getting out of that social norm of always knowing what the next day is going to be like, doing the same thing every day. I like a little bit of the unknown, the unexpected. I want to see things. I want adventure. I want the freedom that comes with going,” she says.</div><div> <br>The couple purchased a 2018 Ford Transit van with low mileage and a little warranty left on it. Together, they are customizing it to create a comfortable home away from home to satisfy Jane’s wanderlust. Crafty and resourceful, they voraciously watch YouTube videos to learn the ins and outs of solar panels, electrical hookups, kitchen countertops, insulation and 1,000 other details that go into a successful buildout. They’re taking their time to do it right after investing thousands of dollars already. To document their progress and hopefully inspire others, they record videos on Jane’s smartphone and post them to her website, <a href="http://artfulvegannomad.com/" target="_blank">Artful Vegan Nomad</a>. <br><br></div><div><a href="https://wanderingwheatleys.com/" target="_blank">Val and Nick Wheatley</a> are veteran nomads, having traveled the world for almost four years in all kinds of rides, including the 1994 Ford Bronco they drove across the U.S. for six months. Camping outdoors was challenging, and they vowed never again to travel in a vehicle without a bed. They purchased a Ford Econovan to explore New Zealand and sold it three months later when they left. In Germany, where beautiful campgrounds and free public lots with inexpensive electric and water hookups are plentiful, a rented RV was the way to go. With experience, the couple has come to prefer converted vans or smaller RVs, thanks to their fuel savings and easier maneuverability in cities and on narrow country roads.</div><div> <br>According to the Wheatleys, traveling and living in close quarters has its drawbacks. Cleaning out portable toilets and taking showers at truck stops can be challenging, but for the avid explorers, these inconveniences were always eclipsed by jaw-dropping scenery and cultural immersion in new countries. “Because we had wheels and time, we got to see some cool stuff off the beaten track that most people that were visiting for a weekend or week never see,” says Val. </div><div> <br>Offering tips, tricks, candid descriptions and inspiring photography of their many world-trotting experiences, the couple’s <a href="https://wanderingwheatleys.com/" target="_blank">travel blog</a> tallied more than 600,000 visitors last year. Through online advertising and affiliate programs, they earned enough money for living and travel expenses. “The world actually isn’t a scary place at all. People all over the world in every culture are friendly and welcoming,” Nick says. </div><div> <br>For those looking to connect with fellow travelers, there are numerous recreational clubs that offer base camps, programming and social opportunities. One such club is <a href="https://www.sistersonthefly.com/" target="_blank">Sisters on the Fly</a>, an all-women outdoor adventure club founded in 1999 by Maurrie Sussman and her sister Rebecca Clarke with a penchant for small, vintage trailers that are restored and embellished by their owners.</div><div> <br>With 9,000 active members and an organizer in each state, these resourceful and festive ladies hold more than 1,000 events nationwide every year, including fly fishing, guided tours, kayaking, mountain climbing, biking and more. “It’s about being outdoors and meeting amazing women. We love going into the national parks, taking back roads and visiting all the small towns,” Sussman says.</div><div> <br>Living in an RV or van full-time has become an attractive option for many people, including college kids looking for inexpensive housing or retirees on limited incomes. “I think more and more we’re seeing people who value their time more than a bunch of possessions,” says Jane. “Maybe that means working less and living more frugally, so you see a rise in minimalism and van life.” For a wealth of information on vans and RVs as full-time options, as well as in-depth interviews with van lifers, visit <a href="https://www.cheaprvliving.com/" target="_blank">Bob Wells</a>’ <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAj7O3LCDbkIR54hAn6Zz7A" target="_blank">YouTube channel CheapRVLiving</a>. </div><div><br><br></div><div><i>Sandra Yeyati is a freelance writer. Reach her at SandraYeyati@gmail.com.</i></div><hr /><p><small>Original article published at <a href="www.naturalawakeningsnj.com">Natural Awakenings North Central New Jersey</a></small></p>