Green Living. Change your life inside and out. A journey of one thousand miles starts with a single step. Chinese Proverb

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Prosper Golden
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1 Green Living Change your life inside and out. A journey of one thousand miles starts with a single step. Chinese Proverb

2 Why change? Join a growing Sustainability Revolution For personal health as well as the environment. Because we can make a difference.

Getting Started Pick something from the top ten

your output 3) Recycle this can cut the waste

3 Getting Started Pick something from the top ten list of sustainable steps and commit to it. 1) Eat organic reduce personal and global exposure to dangerous chemicals 2) Going Carbon zero balance your output 3) Recycle this can cut the waste stream by 75% 4) Deny disposables just glass or mugs, lunch containers

Getting Started 5) Switch to natural personal care

environment 6) Use natural lawn care reduce over half

the environment 7) Cleaning with green products keep

4 Getting Started 5) Switch to natural personal care products keep chemicals off your body and out of the environment 6) Use natural lawn care reduce over half a billion pounds of synthetic fertilizers entering the environment 7) Cleaning with green products keep toxic chemicals out of your home and out of our water supply

energy efficiency reduce dependence on fossil fuels 10)

5 Getting Started 8) Filter your tap water remove chlorine and fluoride, decrease exposure to phthalates 9) Increase energy efficiency reduce dependence on fossil fuels 10) Stay informed join organizations that support green efforts

6 Sustaining Health from the Inside Think about where your food comes from, remember you are what you eat. Buy organic whenever possible Grown in soils without chemical fertilizers, not sprayed with herbicides or pesticides, not processed with high heat and preservative chemicals to extend the shelf life WWII chemicals applied to our food Over 70,000 chemicals introduced in the last 100 years. We consume about 14 lbs. of chemicals a year just from additives and synthetic chemical residues. We have on average 500 manmade chemicals circulating in our blood.

Sustaining Health from the Inside USDA standards: - be produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for

7 Sustaining Health from the Inside USDA standards: - be produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations - organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones - organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation Some things to keep in mind when buying food and products: - Natural does not mean organic and/or healthy - Free-range does not mean organic - Hormone-free does not mean organic - The word organic on something does not mean that everything in the product is actually organically grown - The use of the USDA seal is voluntary, so if you don t see the seal, it does not mean a product is not organic

8 Sustaining Health from the Inside Tiers of Organic Labeling 100% Organic According to USDA s national organic standard, products labeled as 100 percent organic can only contain organically produced ingredients. Products containing 100% organic ingredients can display the USDA Organic logo and / or the certifying agent's logo. Organic To be labeled as "organic," 95% of the ingredients must be organically grown and the remaining 5% must come from non-organic ingredients that have been approved on the National List. These products can also display the USDA organic logo and/or the certifier s logo. Made With Organic Ingredients Food products labeled as "made with organic ingredients" must be made with at least 70% organic ingredients, three of which must be listed on the back of the package and again, the remaining 30% of the non-organic ingredients must approved on the National List. These products may display the certifier s logo but not the USDA organic logo.

9 Sustaining Health from the Inside Be careful of fish. Mercury contamination Farm raised fish have high levels of dioxin, polychlorinated biphenyls, antibiotics, anti-parasitic drugs

10 Sustaining Health from the Inside Eat low on the food chain. Environmental costs of eating beef huge water and land consumption.

Sustaining Health from the Inside Filter your water How to get quality water in cities where you find chlorine, trace metals like arsenic, lean and aluminum, added floruide bottled water NO!

11 Sustaining Health from the Inside Filter your water How to get quality water in cities where you find chlorine, trace metals like arsenic, lean and aluminum, added floruide bottled water NO! Plastics leach phthalates into our water and food They act as estrogenic endocrine disrupters which means they mimic the female hormone estrogen in the body. Less landfill waste Use an inhouse water filtration product Use glass bottles or if this is not feasible use Polypropylene (#5 PP) or #2HDPE OR #4LDPE

of sugar a year Sugars have been linked to increasing caloric intake and

12 Sustaining Health from the Inside Reduce sugars and sodas Americans eat nearly 160 lbs. of sugar a year Sugars have been linked to increasing caloric intake and fat storage in our bodies setting the stage for obesity Consumption of HFCS has increased at the same rate as obesity in America

13 Sustaining Health from the Inside Cut fried and processed foods Decrease intake of chemical preservatives and additives and flavorings Avoid white stuff sugar, flour Decrease boxed foods, mixes, hydrogenated oils, canned soups, white rice and canned vegetables

14 Sustaining Health from the Inside Ban plastics as much as possible. Most dangerous are Phthalate-rich vinyl (found in food packaging, toys, baby pacifiers, floor tiles, etc.)

impacts for your health and that of the planet.

15 Sustaining Health from the Outside It is not just what you put in your body but what you put on your body that can have profound impacts for your health and that of the planet. Your skin is the largest organ of your body, more like a sponge than a barrier. Garlic test.

Sustaining Health from the Outside Choose

most intensive pesticide-use crop in the world

polyester are coated in formaldehyde finishes

16 Sustaining Health from the Outside Choose natural, organic fiber clothing Cotton is the most intensive pesticide-use crop in the world Synthetic fibers like acrylic, nylon and polyester are coated in formaldehyde finishes that give off plastic vapors a the fabric is warmed. Children s fire resistent clothing use polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) linked to brain and thyroid development problems

Sustaining Health from the Outside Buy safe personal care products Don t put it on your skin if you wouldn t eat it. Don t buy it if you can t pronounce all f the ingredients easily.

17 Sustaining Health from the Outside Buy safe personal care products Don t put it on your skin if you wouldn t eat it. Don t buy it if you can t pronounce all f the ingredients easily. There is no FDA mandate to test the safety of these products before they go to market. Main things to watch out for: Phthalates (labeled as DBP, DEHP) DEA and TEA Formaldehyde Bronopol Dimethyl dimethyl hydantoin Parabens Imidazolidinyl urea

18 Sustaining Health from the Outside Filter your shower and bath water Chlorine vaporizes and in inhaled and absorbed by your lungs Attach an inexpensive carbon filter to your showerhead.

19 Sustainability in the Home Conserve by increasing efficiency Seal up the cracks Turn down the thermostat Replace the light bulbs Turn off the lights Conserve water Lose the plastic Buy recycled paper Look for Energy Star label

Sustainability in the Home Clean green Common household chemicals can be hazardous and natural solutions more economical Laundry products major source of water pollution, health

20 Sustainability in the Home Clean green Common household chemicals can be hazardous and natural solutions more economical Laundry products major source of water pollution, health problems Other all purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, hand dishwashing detergents and disinfectants can have a variety of dangerous chemicals and may even be considered hazardous materials

21 Sustainability in the Home Furnish for health Indoor pollution must be considered Off-gassing chemicals, flame retardants, formaldehydebased stain guards

22 Sustainability in the Home The right paint Number one ingredient are solvents to help paint spread evenly, and VOC s (volatile organic compounds) originate from solvents

23 Sustainability in the Home Replace or remove carpets Made from synthetic fibers Emit hazardous chemicals including neurotoxic solvents like toluene and xylene, and benzene a potent carcinogen

24 Sustainability in the Home Breath easier Open your windows, use houseplants, use a highefficiency particulate air (HEPA) vaccuum

25 Sustainability in the Home Say no to disposables Grocery bags Cups and plates batteries

Sustainability out of the Home Green your yard Natural means of pest and weed control are more effective than synthetics since strong plants produce their own pest and weed control

26 Sustainability out of the Home Green your yard Natural means of pest and weed control are more effective than synthetics since strong plants produce their own pest and weed control Pesticide poisoning is the second most common cause of household poisoning in the U.S., and pesticides have been linked to high rates of leukemia development Air pollution from power equipment

Sustainable Country Support natural electricity choose to support options with local power companies such as solar and wind generated energy for your home Go

27 Sustainable Country Support natural electricity choose to support options with local power companies such as solar and wind generated energy for your home Go Carbon Zero offset your output by buying credits with reputable organizations Live near work decrease output, increase quality of life, or choose public transportation

28 Sustainable Country Beware of energy vampires computers, refigerators, keep freezers full, set hot water heater at 120 degrees or less, replace conventional lights with compact florescents. Buy locally support farmers markets and small business

29 Sustainable Country Keep your car tuned up and save Go hybrid

30 Going Green Know that you can make a difference with each new choice you make including behavior changes and product changes. Be empowered with knowledge for a healthier life and a healthier planet for future generations. Lecture information based on a book titled, Living Green: a practical guide to simple sustainability by Greg Horn. Found online and in our library.

Synthetic organic compounds

14.4.5 Synthetic organic compounds Synthetic, or human-made, compounds can enter the water supply either from industrial point sources where they are manufactured or from nonpoint sources when they are