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| Headline |
Author |
Published |
Section |
I Believe the Children Are Our Lab Rats
Pesticides could make kids dumb, diesel emissions make them sick |
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07 May 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| I Believe the Children Are Our Lab Rats Pesticides could make kids dumb, diesel emissions make them sick You know how we say we shouldn't wreck the planet for "future generations"? Turns out we're wrecking them too! A study from Indiana University says children conceived in the summer score lower on tests in school, and suggests that in-womb pesticide exposure may be to blame. "To recognize that what w ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, news, parenting (all these topics) |
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Pollan continues to fail to ever write anything less than awesome
The new NYT piece does not disappoint |
David Roberts |
27 Apr 2007 |
Gristmill |
| I can't believe no Gristian has yet commented on the latest Michael Pollan piece in the NYT. What, is saying 'Pollan has a new piece and it's awesome' getting tedious? This one focuses on the farm bill and how it makes us fat: A public-health researcher from Mars might legitimately wonder why a nation faced with what its surgeon general has called 'an epidemic' of obesity would at the same time be in the business of subsidizing the production of high-fructose corn ... |
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| Topics: food, green living, health, shameless self-promotion (all these topics) |
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How Much Wood Could a Wood Check Chuck?
California restricts formaldehyde in wood products |
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27 Apr 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| How Much Wood Could a Wood Check Chuck? California restricts formaldehyde in wood products It may be a land of earthquakes, smog, and drought, but California's doing something right. In the latest in a string of forward-thinking green policies, state air regulators passed restrictions on formaldehyde in wood products that are the restrictiest in the world. "There is no safe threshold for this carcinoge ... |
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| Topics: California, green living, health, news, toxics (all these topics) |
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Message on a Bottle
On aluminum bottles |
Umbra Fisk |
04 Apr 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Umbra, Are aluminum bottles safer than Nalgene bottles? I'm looking at getting Sigg bottles for my self, wife, and son. Vendor agnostic, are the materials used by aluminum-only vendors safer than those that incorporate Lexan? Chris Webber Seattle, Wash. Dearest Chris, I swear, I pick questions and only then do I notice that yet again I have chosen one from Seattle. It is not a conspiracy. I just wanted a question to go with our r ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products, health, toxics (all these topics) |
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Then There's the Short Term
Long-term radiation risks lower than some daily hazards, study finds |
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03 Apr 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| Then There's the Short Term Long-term radiation risks lower than some daily hazards, study finds Living in fear of a nuclear meltdown? Now you can relax! A new study says the long-term risks faced by survivors of two of the world's most notorious nuclear episodes -- the 1986 Chernobyl disaster and the 1945 bombings of Japan -- are lower than the risks caused by urban air pollution, obesity, and smoking. ... |
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| Topics: energy, green living, health, news, nuclear power (all these topics) |
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Green consumerism: Getting the rat poison out of the baby food
So to speak |
Gar Lipow |
02 Apr 2007 |
Gristmill |
| No, as far as I know, no baby-food maker ever used rat poison as an ingredient. The point is that we don't have to worry about it; if you have an infant switching off milk, you can shop the baby food counter confident that none of the choices will contain rat poison. However, as a consumer, buying 'green' is not quite so easy. Hastening the end of our civilization is a routine ingredient in most of the things we buy. By spending a little extra time and money, we can some ... |
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| Topics: food, green living, green products, health (all these topics) |
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More beef = fewer babies?
Growth promoters in beef may damage sperm |
Julia Olmstead |
29 Mar 2007 |
Gristmill |
| As reported by the BBC, a University of Rochester study found recently that men whose mothers ate lots of beef during their pregnancies had lower sperm counts than the sons of women who ate little or no beef while pregnant: Among sons of mothers who ate a lot of beef, 17.7 percent had a sperm concentration below the World Health Organization sub-fertility threshold of 20 million sperm per millilitre of seminal fluid. The figure for the sons of lower beef consumers ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, food, green living, health (all these topics) |
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Punishment for gluttons?
Rising costs affect consumers |
Clark Williams-Derry |
28 Mar 2007 |
Gristmill |
| One of the side effects of the rapid increase in ethanol consumption in the U.S. is that corn -- the main feedstock for ethanol -- has gotten much more expensive. Just take a look at the futures markets: the July 2007 corn contract started climbing last fall, which was about the time people started to realize just how quickly demand for corn-based ethanol was growing. Obviously, rising costs trickle down to consumers in all sorts of ways. If corn prices st ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, Big Ag, energy, ethanol, food, green living, health (all these topics) |
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Pangea's labyrinth
Great finds in the search for green cosmetics |
Yolanda Crous |
26 Mar 2007 |
Gristmill |
| I smell yummy. Very very yummy. So yummy, in fact, that my roommate's dog just tried to lick all the yumminess off my face. Still, even that salivary interlude couldn't kill my French Rosemary With Sweet Orange buzz. I'm on a mission to replace all my pharmacy-bought personal care products with non-toxic, petrochemical-free alternatives. Alas, it's been slow going, especially in the skin care department. It took me years, after all, to find cleansers and moisturize ... |
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| Topics: fashion, green living, green products, health (all these topics) |
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Playing with food
Er, food data that is |
Clark Williams-Derry |
23 Mar 2007 |
Gristmill |
| I'm not much of a gourmand, but I do love to play with food. Well, food data, anyway. So when I happened upon the Food System Factoids blog, I totally pigged out. The menu may not be for everyone, but if you have a craving for analyses of food pricing trends, or evaluations of carbon emissions from U.S. agriculture, you'll find plenty to satisfy. Take, for instance, this post on the relative change in prices of soft drinks and processed fats vs. fruits an ... |
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| Topics: food, green living, health (all these topics) |
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Rethinking the bottom line
Bill McKibben questions thinking as usual when it comes to climate. |
Anna Fahey |
21 Mar 2007 |
Gristmill |
| The old thinking, as author and thinker Bill McKibben explains in today's LA Times, goes like this: bigger is always better, growth is good no matter what, and a booming stock market is the ultimate measure of our success. McKibben illustrates the kind of lopsided priorities that naturally flow when we're ruled by the bottom line, pointing to a scarcely-reported White House report that said the U.S. would be pumping out almost 20 percent more greenhous ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, Bill McKibben, farmers markets, food, green living, health, local food (all these topics) |
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On the Ball: Freeze right there!
Skating arenas can be bad for your health |
Sarah K. Burkhalter |
21 Mar 2007 |
Gristmill |
| I avoid ice skating at all costs, because I value my tailbone. And now I have all the more reason to stay home, as a CBC News investigation finds that ice-resurfacing machines in hockey and skating arenas can spew particulate matter to a health-endangering extent. At 14 percent of arenas studied across Canada, skaters were breathing in pollution just as dirty as the air next to Canada's busiest highway. Says researcher Kenneth Rundell: We found the ice-rink at ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, sports (all these topics) |
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'Drop-dead gorgeous guts'
Metamucil's bold new marketing, uh, move |
Tom Philpott |
20 Mar 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Most people know intuitively that when they eat plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, they feel better and probably even look better. It's a virtuous circle, and you can try it at home. Eat fresh produce. Feel better. Look better. Crave fresh produce. But the food-pharmaceutical industry (yes, they're related) doesn't make much money when you eat a lot of fresh produce. It makes much more sense to them if you eat a lot of 'value-added' (i.e., highly processed) ... |
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| Topics: agriculture, food, green living, health (all these topics) |
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Healthy cars
Also known as bikes |
Sarah van Schagen |
20 Mar 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Is your car safe?I'm not talking seat belts and air bags. Nope, I'm asking about that new-car smell. Take a big whiff, and ask yourself again: Is your car safe? What you smell may be part of a toxic soup of chemicals off-gassing from parts like the steering wheel, dashboard, armrests, and seat. These chemicals can include bromine, chlorine, lead, and other toxins that contribute to a litany of health problems ranging from decreased fertility to liver, kidney, th ... |
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| Topics: cars, green living, health, toxics (all these topics) |
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Femme Natal
Anika Rahman, women's- and reproductive-rights advocate, answers readers' questions |
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16 Mar 2007 |
InterActivist |
| What are the implications of the Bush administration's denial of funds to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA)? -- Name not provided Anika Rahman, Americans for UNFPA. In 1969, the U.S. was integral in the formation of UNFPA, recognizing the importance of providing women's health care. Since 2002, the U.S. has withheld $161 million from UNFPA. The denial of funds strips the moral, ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, InterActivist, interview, United Nations, United States (all these topics) |
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The Weight of the World
Exposure to chemicals could contribute to obesity, studies find |
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13 Mar 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| The Weight of the World Exposure to chemicals could contribute to obesity, studies find Obesity is largely blamed on calories (too many) and exercise (too little), but recent studies suggest that chemical exposure may also pack on pounds. And it's tough to diet from so-called "obesogens," which show up in everything from pesticides to food containers. Chemicals found to produce more and larger fat cells in mice include ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, news (all these topics) |
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Intent of a Woman
Anika Rahman, women's- and reproductive-rights advocate, answers Grist's questions |
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12 Mar 2007 |
InterActivist |
| Anika Rahman. What work do you do? What's your job title? I'm the president of Americans for UNFPA. UNFPA, or the United Nations Population Fund, is essentially the United Nations' women's health agency. It provides women's health care and promotes the rights of women all over the world. Working in 140 countries, it is the largest international source of such assistance. Americans for ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, InterActivist, interview, United Nations, United States (all these topics) |
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Meany in a Bottle
Baby bottles found to leak chemicals, California may ban them |
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01 Mar 2007 |
Daily Grist |
| Meany in a Bottle Baby bottles found to leak chemicals, California may ban them Most parents discourage their kiddos from ingesting known toxics, so a new study from green group Environment California is a bit of a bummer: when run through a simulated dishwasher 50 to 75 times, name-brand baby bottles leach the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA, in levels that have caused reproductive abno ... |
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| Topics: California, green living, health, news, parenting, politics, toxics (all these topics) |
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Bad dietary habits
There's nothing healthy about the American Dietary Association's addiction to corporate cash. |
Tom Philpott |
31 Jan 2007 |
Gristmill |
| Hey, the American Dietetic Association is having a big convention in Philly next fall. The ADA, which represents 65,000 dietitians, claims to ... ... serve the public by promoting optimal nutrition, health and well-being. ADA members are the nation's food and nutrition experts, translating the science of nutrition into practical solutions for healthy living. Ah, the experts are getting together! Maybe they'll take a critical look at soaring diabetes and obesity rates, ... |
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| Topics: business, food, green living, health (all these topics) |
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From Pad to Worse
On that time of the month, again |
Umbra Fisk |
10 Jan 2007 |
Ask Umbra |
| Dear Umbra, You mentioned in "Kid Commando" that the "disposable vs. reusable diaper fight is in a stalemate for the foreseeable future." Is the same true for sanitary napkins? Clara Yuan Ithaca, N.Y. Dearest Clara, I haven't heard tell of the debate, frankly. I certainly get several "which is better" diaper questions a month, but yours is the first on sanitary napkins in quite a while. Pe ... |
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| Topics: advice, Ask Umbra, green living, green products, health (all these topics) |
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What not to buy for Christmas
Watch out for scary chemicals in plastic toys for tots |
Lisa Hymas |
13 Dec 2006 |
Gristmill |
| Umbra offered up a number of clever gift ideas for kids in her latest column, focusing particularly on experiences rather than things. But if you still want to do some thing-giving for those wee ones, you might first want to check out 'What's Toxic In Toyland,' an article by Margot Roosevelt in Time. San Francisco has just banned some plastic toys aimed at kids under three. The prime targets -- bisphenol A and phthalates -- have been found in everything from rubber duckie ... |
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| Topics: San Francisco, parenting, health, toxics, green living (all these topics) |
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Rubber duckie, you're the one ...
Polluting my bathroom |
Gregory Dicum |
11 Oct 2006 |
Gristmill |
| You know that little rubber duckie in your bathroom? I always thought the little fella was sorta cute, nestled there between the shampoo and the loofa. Well, it turns out the little ducky's not so rubber after all -- it's plastic, namely the dreaded PVC. And it further turns out the bathroom is full of the stuff. Today, the Center for Health, Environment, and Justice is launching a campaign to get Target to remove PVC from their stores. The background is, Target (ap ... |
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| Topics: green living, health, toxics (all these topics) |
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The Gospel of J. Matthew
An interview with J. Matthew Sleeth, evangelical environmentalist and author |
David Roberts |
05 Oct 2006 |
Main Dish |
| In 2000, a wealthy hospital chief of staff and evangelical Christian named J. Matthew Sleeth looked around at the life he'd built -- suburban neighborhood, huge house, two cars, lots and lots of stuff -- and decided it failed to properly honor God. J. Matthew Sleeth: listen to the heart. In what he describes as a religious awakening, he, his wife, and their two teena ... |
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| Topics: consumerism, energy efficiency, God and the Environment, green living, health, interview, religion and spirituality (all these topics) |
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Sense and Sensitivities
Multiple Chemical Sensitivities can drive sufferers into poverty as well as ill health |
Todd Hymas |
17 Mar 2006 |
Main Dish |
| Consider the trappings of modern life: Calvin Klein Eternity, gasoline, Gore-Tex, Aveda hairspray, paint, particle board, polyurethane iPod cases. Is this the face of the future? Photo: iStockphoto. Now imagine that you're allergic to virtually all of them. Environmentalists usually think about chemical toxicity as either a dramatic local crisis (Bhopal, Lo ... |
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| Topics: air pollution, environmental justice, green living, health, Poverty and the Environment (all these topics) |
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Wallet and Grimace
Stats on how much Americans pay for essentials |
Todd Hymas |
03 Mar 2006 |
Counter Culture |
| $1.99 -- price of a gallon of 1% milk at Fred Meyer, a big-box chain store, in Seattle $5.69 -- price of a gallon of organic 1% milk at Whole Foods in Seattle $4.29 -- price of a Big Mac Extra Value Meal at a Seattle McDonald's (Big Mac, medium fries, medium soft drink) Drink up! Photo: iStockphoto. $3.65 -- price of a venti (large) latte with organic milk at a Seattle Starbucks 38.7 -- average percentage ... |
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| Topics: consumerism, green living, health, lists, Poverty and the Environment (all these topics) |
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