Make a Difference on 350

Greener One is helping Colin Beavan, also known as No Impact Man, get the word out on his efforts to meet with Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York’s Eight Congressional District and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on an an effective global warming mitigation policy. Cross-posting from his fabulous blog:

We can really make a difference. TODAY. But I need your help. Plus I have some free Reverend Billy DVDs to give away.

I really, really need support from all of you today (and I’m unashamedly bribing you with the offer of free Reverend Billy DVDs). But first I have to give you some background. Just read the bits in bold if you’re in hurry.

Next Friday, May 30, Representative Jerrold Nadler of New York’s Eight Congressional District has kindly agreed to meet with me in his New York office. As one of his constituents, I intend to ask Representative Nadler to support an effective global warming mitigation policy that is based not on what is politically possible but on what is scientifically necessary.

More specifically, I intend to ask him to:

• Introduce, as soon as possible, a non-binding resolution to the House of Representatives asserting that we need a climate change mitigation policy with a goal of no more than 350 ppm of atmospheric carbon dioxide (read why here). Furthermore, the resolution should say that the United States must collaborate with the international community to achieve an effective successor to the Kyoto Protocol that will achieve the 350 goal or better (depending on how the science progresses).
• Pledge to support the 1sky.org policy platform that also includes creating five million green jobs (through, for example, weatherizing our buildings and manufacturing solar panels and windmills), and placing a moratorium on the building of new coal power plants.
• Pass on to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi a letter addressed jointly to her and Representative Nadler, in his position as Assistant Whip, asking them both to push for the introduction of new and the strengthening of currently pending climate change legislation to reflect the crucial 350 goal. This means, at the very least, aiming for an 80% reduction in climate emissions below 1990 levels by 2050 and a 25% reduction by 2020.

Now then, here’s how I was hoping you could help. My dream is to present Representative Nadler and Speaker Pelosi with between 350 and 3,500 (10 x 350) emails of support for these policy objectives.

Can you help? All it requires is a cut and paste job (see below).

Fellow bloggers: would you be willing to pass this request onto your readers?

Everyone: would you email this around and get your friends to pitch in?

Two bits of good news:

1. Representative Nadler has been an ardent supporter of environmental issues ranging from the thorough cleanup of the World Trade Center site to securing federal funding for state conservation and wildlife grants. He received a score of 95% for his voting record in the 1st session of the 110th Congress from the League of Conservation Voters.
2. Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping have provided me with five copies of their new DVD, What Would Jesus Buy (watch the trailer here). I’m going to give the DVDs to people who send in their emails of support (the 1st, the 35th, 100th, the 350th and the 1000th).

Here’s how to send in your email of support:

Simply cut and paste the below, making sure to substitute in your name, mailing address and email address, and send it to noimpactman+nadler+pelosi@gmail.com (it looks like a weird email address but, don’t worry, it will work).

Dear Representative Nadler and Speaker Pelosi–

Thank you for your hard work on behalf of the people of the United States. It is indisputable that the health, happiness and security of the American people depends upon the well-being of our planetary habitat. It is also indisputable that the anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases is causing changes in our habitat that will adversely effect Americans on every level–from our health to our economy.

On May 30, Colin Beavan aka No Impact Man will visit Representative Nadler to express to him support for a number of climate change mitigation policies that are much stronger than those currently passing through Congress. Please consider this a letter of support for the measures Colin Beavan will be advocating.

Specifically, I support Colin Beavan in requesting that Representative Nadler and Speaker Pelosi both, together or separately:

* Introduce, as soon as possible, a non-binding resolution to the House of Representatives asserting that we need a climate change mitigation policy that accords not with what is politically possible but what is scientifically necessary–a goal of no more than 350 ppm of atmospheric carbon dioxide (read why here). Furthermore, this resolution should assert that the United States must collaborate with the international community to achieve an effective successor to the Kyoto Protocol that will achieve the 350 goal or better (depending on how the science progresses).
* Pledge to support the 1sky.org policy platform that also includes creating five million green jobs (through, for example, weatherizing our buildings and manufacturing solar panels and windmills) and placing a moratorium on the building of new coal power plants.
* Push for the introduction of new and the strengthening of currently pending climate change legislation to reflect the crucial 350 goal. This means, at the very least, aiming for an 80% reduction in climate emissions below 1990 levels by 2050 and a 25% reduction by 2020.

Yours sincerely,

<Your Name>
<Your Mailing Address>
<Your Email Address>

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Weekend Product Review: Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid

Last month, I reviewed Trader Joe’s Next to Godliness Liquid Dish Soap. A number of things pleased me about the product, but I did find that it did not always seem to wash dishes that well, especially in washing oily dishes. I recently picked up a bottle of Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid in Lemongrass and Clementine Zest as I had run out of Trader Joe’s Dish Soap. (I previously reviewed Seventh Generation paper towels and liked them a lot, so I was eager to try another product from the company.)

At first glance, Seventh Generation Natural Dish Liquid appears to be rather eco-friendly. The bottle is made of #1 PETE plastic (easily recycled), and contains a minimum of 25% post-consumer recycled plastic. In addition, the bottle states:

… We disclose all
INGREDIENTS: A unique combination of naturally-derived cleaning agents (coconut-based surfactants), Whole and natural plant essences (a blend of lemongrass, clementine, bergamot, blood orange, and elemi essential oils), Preservative (less than 0.05%), Water.

This dish soap is also not tested on animals and does not contain animal ingredients. It claims to be non-toxic, biodegradable, and hypo-allergenic.

I purchased the soap with hardly a second thought, and was very pleased when I used it for the first time. It cleaned my dishes like a charm, and I needed significantly less soap than Trader Joe’s to do the job. The scent was light to the point of non-existence. My only complaint was that the soap came out of the bottle very quickly, so I wound up using much more than I had to and felt like I had wasted quite a bit.

To get ready to post this review, I popped over to Seventh Generations web site and found a somewhat more extensive list of ingredients than appears on the bottle:

Sodium laureth sulfate, cocamidopropyl betaine, cocamide MEA and coconut alcohol ethoxylate (plant-derived cleaning agents), aqua (water), sodium chloride (thickener), magnesium chloride (cleaning enhancer), citric acid (cornstarch-derived water softener), essential oils and botanical extracts* (citrus clementina (clementine co2), citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot fcf), citrus sinensis (blood orange), cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass), carnarium luzonicum (elemi)), hexahydro-1,3,5-tris (2-hydroxyethyl)-s-triazine (preservative, less than 0.05%). *d-limonene is a naturally occurring component of these ingredients.

This was really disappointing to me. The bottle says that Seventh Generation discloses all ingredients, which they do on their web site if not on the bottle. However, had I read on the bottle that the soap contained sodium laureth sulfate and cocamide MEA, and coconut alcohol ethoxylate, I would have tried another product. After all, I do my best to avoid personal care products that contain these ingredients due to their links to cancer. (Sodium laureth sulfate is a foaming ingredient and is commonly found in products like soaps and shampoos. It is a concern because 1,4 dioxane is a carcinogenic byproduct of this and other ethoxylated ingredients, and it is often found in products containing sodium laureth sulfate. Cocamide MEA contains diethanolamine (DEA), which the National Toxicology Program found to cause cancer in laboratory animals.)

Bottom line: This product is effective and I was very happy when I first used it, other than its overzealous spout. However, I was disappointed that the product contained ingredients that have been linked with cancer, and even more disappointed that a company as seemingly transparent as Seventh Generation does not list these ingredients on the bottle. This kind of thing bothers me even more in natural products than it does in non-natural products. Consumers have a certain trust in natural products, but I am learning that one has to be just as vigilant with them as with anything else.

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The outfield isn’t the only thing that is green

Some colleagues and I went to a San Francisco Giants game earlier this week on what was the hottest day in the city in more than 30 years. Our tickets had us seated right in the direct sun, and we, like many other fans, migrated up into the shady nosebleed sections as the game wore on.

I haven’t been to a sporting event in years, and therefore haven’t given a lot of thought to their environmental impact (I also don’t watch sports on TV, so I missed out on all the green hoopla surrounding the Superbowl, etc.). Looking at the emptying seats, I was struck by all the trash left behind and couldn’t help but wonder about (A) the workers who would have to clean up in the blazing heat, and (B) whether any of it would be recycled. Imagine cleaning up an entire stadium: how scrupulous would you be? Of course this train of thought led to others, such as all the energy used to run the concessions, all the water being flushed away after an afternoon of beer drinking, all the lighting that goes into a nighttime game.

By coincidence, I read a Newsweek article the very next day about the new Washington Nationals ballpark and other greenities in Major League Baseball. The $611 Nationals’ stadium is the first such building to be LEED certified, though the Minnesota Twins’ new stadium will have a higher level of LEED certification when it opens in 2010. Among the features of the Nationals’ stadium:

• High efficiency bulbs in the field lights
• 95% of the steel used in construction was recycled
• Toilets are low-flow
• Recycled 5,500 tons of construction waste
• Has a state-of-the art water filtration system
• Close to public transportation

Even more exciting, building the stadium to LEED standards resulted in just a 2% hike in construction costs, proving that building with a mind to the environment is very feasible.

The Natural Resources Defense Council has been lobbying sports teams and facilities to go green since 2002. Some successes to date include:

• A composting and recycling project by the Seattle Mariners at Safeco Field, which expects to recycle 25% of its waste this year (about 350 tons of glass, trash, and organic trash
• Solar panels on ball parks in Cleveland, San Francisco, and Colorado
• Bio-degradable corn-based cups at the Oakland A’s stadium
• A goal by the Pittsburgh Pirates to recycle 100% of bottles and cans used this year
• MLB will be using some of its $6 billion yearly revenue to pay for greening costs of the Marlins’ future stadium in Miami

Now that is something to cheer about.

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Product Review Friday: 365 Everyday Value Body Lotion

It’s not often that I leave Whole Paycheck Foods saying “What a deal!” but I did just that earlier this week. I was looking for a body lotion and while many of the lotions on the shelf were way too pricey (some more than $16 for a smallish bottle), Whole Foods 365 Everyday Value Body Lotion was on sale for just $3.89 for a 32 ounce bottle. This should last me a while!

The bottle itself is #2 HDPE, easily recycled in most communities. It is also made from 50% post-consumer recycled content, another strong plus. A few other good things about this product:

• It was not tested on animals
• It does not contain parabens (an ingredient linked to cancer, reproductive problems, and endocrine disruption)
• It does not contain fragrance (I chose the fragrance free version)
• It does not include artificial color or unnecessary chemicals
• It does not contain animal ingredients

So let’s look at what is in this product so we can see whether this is as good of a product as the label may lead you to believe. Ingredients include: Water, Brassica Campestris Oleifera (Rapseed Oil), Cetyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Benzyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Xanthan Gum, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame Seed Oil), Sodium Citrate, Lecithin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Panthenol, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba Seed Oil), Allantoin, Tocopherol (Vitamin E).

Of these ingredients, two are cause for concern:

• PEG-100 Stearate – an emulsifier and skin softener. Products containing this ingredient may contain 1,4-dioxane, an animal carcinogen and probable human carcinogen, and a “dirty dozen” ingredient found in personal care products.
• Benzyl Alcohol – an aromatic alcohol found in a slew of personal care products. The Cosmetics Database lists this ingredient as a moderate hazard, and the EU classifies it as harmful. It is a known neurotoxin.

Bottom line: The price is right for this product and I find it adequate as a moisturizer on my body but not my hands, which tend to be dry. I’m concerned about the presence of PEG-100 Stearate and would prefer a product that does not contain ingredients that produce 1,4-dioxane. Finally, some of the ingredients, such as lecithin, glycerin, and cetyl alcohol, can be derived from animals as well as plants. If you are looking for products without animal ingredients, you may want to find out the source of these ingredients in other products.

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When bloggers talk, Dell listens

Congrats to blogs Gizmodo, the Consumerist, and others who posted about Dell using a gigantic box to ship a thumb drive, complete with photos to show the size discrepancy and wasteful packaging. It didn’t take long for chatter around this topic to grow: some taking the opportunity to knock Dell, some defending Dell for using minimal packaging in their experiences, and some mentioning other companies who shipped products in equally ludicrous packaging.

Dell responded quickly, sending a team out to the vendor that shipped the offending box to fix the process. In a post on their blog, Dell discusses their immediate directive to use envelopes for small items like thumb drives as well as other initiatives to use more intelligent and size-appropriate packaging.

Dell also has a forum where people can rate, discuss, and brainstorm on environmentally friendly solutions.

It’s great to see people posting about this kind of thing, and to see companies responding. Greener One is one platform to share both positive and negative environmental info about products, and I’m always on the lookout for products to review here. Drop me a comment if you have any review requests!

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Product Review Friday: Seventh Generation Paper Towels

Like many eco-conscious folks, I try to eschew paper products whenever possible. It has been years since I’ve bought paper plates or paper napkins, for example. I use cloth napkins, re-using them a few times before tossing them in the laundry, I always have a stash of dish towels on hand, and I use a sponge to clean up most spills. I will admit, though, that it is nice to have a roll of paper towels handy for some situations.

I will also admit that I’ve long held a prejudice against recycled paper towels. My lack-of-love for recycled paper towels started over a decade ago. The towels on the market then were brown and scratchy, and disintegrated into mush practically at the sight of liquid. I stopped buying them and instead became a master at making a roll of regular paper towels last for nearly a year. A few months ago, I decided to give recycled paper towels another go. They were just as bad as I remembered them to be and I continued to write them off as a product I wouldn’t buy. So, I have to say that I am very happy that I tried Seventh Generation paper towels this week, and even am happier to report that I think they are great. I still plan to use paper towels sparingly, but at least now I know that I have an alternative that (a) works and (b) has as minimal of an environmental impact as possible for a paper towel.

Are they as sturdy and absorbent as the “quicker picker upper?” I didn’t do a side-by-side test, but probably not. However, I use paper towels primarily for two things — cleaning mirrors and windows, and in cooking to drain or strain foods like eggplant, cucumbers, yogurt, or fried food — and in these uses, Seventh Generation paper towels more than delivered. I also used one to to clean up a small spill, and it worked just fine; I only needed one towel, and it didn’t turn into some weird kind of mush.

Seventh Generation is a bit of a green darling. If you know of Seventh Generation, you probably know of their good reputation, too. If you are new to Seventh Generation, I recommend taking some time to read about them on their web site. Based in Vermont, they’ve been around for decades and operate with principles of social responsibility. The name “Seventh Generation” stems from the Great Law of the Iroquois that states, “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” Certainly a principle to live by.

So about the greenness of those paper towels. When you buy paper towels, there are two main things two look for:

• The percent that is made from post-consumer recycled content
• What kind of bleaching process was used

If you are not buying a recycled roll of paper towels, still take the bleaching process into consideration, and also look into the forest practices of the manufacturer and/or its supplier.

Seventh Generation paper towels are among the greenest on the market. In fact, only 365 Everyday Value from Whole Foods scores higher on the environmental front. Seventh Generation’s towels are 100% recycled, with 80% of the recycled material coming from post-consumer sources. In addition, the towels are also whitened without chlorine bleach. 365 just edges out Seventh Generation, containing 80% – 95% post-consumer recycled material.

Perhaps the only drawback to the product is its wrapper, made from #4 LDPE plastic. While recyclable, many communities do not accept this material in their recycling programs. Safeway and Lucky’s, however, will accept this kind of plastic in their bag recycling bins.

Bottom line: I am really happy with this product and will continue to buy it when I need paper towels. It’s a product that works well and one that I can feel good about. Per its packaging — and I have no idea where they get these numbers — if every household in the US replaced just one roll of 70 sheet virgin fiber paper towels with 100% recycled ones, we could save:

• 544,000 trees
• 1.4 million cubic feet of landfill space (2,000 full garbage trucks)
• 196 million gallons of water (a year’s supply of water for 1,500 families of four)
• and avoid 33,400 pounds of pollution

Not bad! If you have hesitation about recycled paper towels due to bad past experiences, give these a shot. And, if you want to see how your regular brand stacks up, the Natural Resources Defense Council has a great resource for comparing paper towels and other common household paper products.

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