I was a Winner of A GIVEAWAY!!

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers






Thank You to Kenna Foster of Beholden To Nature and Fine Art, Nature Conservation Photography by Kenna
-- for holding her "Vow NOT To Recycle" Giveaway -- for 2 reasons!!

First of all, I so totally support REUSING and using REUSABLE CONTAINERS over using plastic bottles that have to be recycled (or heaven-help-me -- thrown away into our overfilled Landfills!!!).

It has been some time now since I signed onto the "Break the Bottled Water Habit" Campaign --- and I am really doing it!! I have 2 stainless steel bottles that I use both around the house - and when I go out - for water and other beverages; I also have a PUR water filter on my kitchen faucet rather than buy bottled water.

I just don't buy bottled water any more unless I am backed into a corner and I think that happened once in the past year. Otherwise, I just carry my trusty stainless steel bottle with the screw-on top (which has the added bonus of not leaking) everywhere I go and I love it -- water, tea, coffee -- it serves me so very well and I don't have those disposable/recyclable bottles to worry about any more.

I also managed to find a somewhat insulated travel cup with a stainless steel inner cup that I take with me when I stay out overnigt because I can use it at the coffee bar at the hotels or restaurants I go to usually. Don't have to take their disposable cups and the drinks stay hotter in it, too!!

And, Second, by gosh -- I was one of the Winners of Kenna's Giveaway and I am getting the photo pictured at the top here!! It links to Kenna's listing in her Etsy shop!! (photo used by permission)

Maybe using the RESUSABLE CONTAINERS and not even having to recycle, let alone throw away, will help preserve the beautiful nature spot in the photo -- Havasu Falls in Arizona!!

REUSE! -- REUSE! -- REUSE! -- REUSE! -- REUSE! -- REUSE! -- REUSE! -- REUSE!

BE SMART ABOUT PLASTICS - BE AWARE OF DIFFERENT TYPES & FIND WAYS TO NOT USE THEM -- AS WELL AS RECYCLE THEM

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items In Fibers


Being concerned about anything toxic affecting me medically, I have been being quite careful in a variety of things in my life.

One of the biggest areas to be concerned about is PLASTICS - because there still seems to be a lot that is either unknown or not fully researched or in research in the subject of PLASTICS - and what toxins they put in your foods, drinks or environment.

Being Smart About PLASTICS means keeping oneself informed.

This guide from pbs.org in PDF form is quite useful as far as the different types of plastics that you can find, especially as regards food packaging:

http://www.pbs.org/strangedays/pdf/StrangeDaysSmartPlasticsGuide.pdf

But you need to keep up somehow on what research is going on - I tend to check with certain organizations and individuals who I have quite a bit of trust in, because, unfortunately, there is false data in the world. Not being a chemist or other kind of scientist, I am not capable of evaluating the accuracy of research or testing - or evaluations by individuals. I try to get to the basic article written by the person doing the research or testing - or an article at least quoting them.

Most recently there is an article on the Internet about the possibility found in testing mineral water in PET plastic bottles (plastic #1) of an estrogen-mimicing chemical. This plastic has been previously considered to be safe and is also recyclable.

Here is the article: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090312.BOTTLES12/TPStory/Environment

It quotes someone from the University where testing has shown "...consistent contamination of bottled water with a hormonally active substance leaching from PET, one of the world's most popular packaging materials." Another scientist who has done research on BPA's is quoted in the same article stating "...he worries about exposures to synthetic estrogens because they add to the natural female hormones already in people."

So, basically now I am worried.

It is kind of humorous - I have already been avoiding these PET bottles of water by using my own resusable water bottles (now stainless steel or glass ones) for environmental reasons -- it is better for the environment to not have to make and constantly recycle these bottles when you can reuse your own bottles. See my earlier post on "Breaking the Bottled Water Habit". Now, it appears that it may also be good to avoid them for health reasons, so I am going to continue avoiding them and more than before. I don't want to take the risks.

Reading and using the "By Number Guide to Plastics" may really be a good thing to do -- I recommend it both for health and environmental reasons.

There is so much PLASTIC out there in the food packaging business.

Based on what I have read including this article I read in 2005, http://deliciouslivingmag.com/greenliving/dl_article_1527/ , there are all kinds of reasons to avoid all kinds of plastics.

But I strongly urge everyone to especially watch out for the following:

1. Styrofoam cups for hot drinks like coffee and tea -- some restaurants still use them - they are made of styrene, which leaches into the hot drinks. It is plastic #6 and if you look on the bottom of the cup, it will have a triangle with a "6" in it. I am studiously avoiding such now.

2. Plastic bottles of what are considered healthy drinks, such as soy milk, I have seen in BPA plastic bottles. This plastic will have a triangle with a "7" on it. I found a bottle of Vitasoy soy milk in such a bottle. Not buying those any more.

Several Senators, including one of my own - California Senator Dianne Feinstein - are proposing a law banning BPA in all food and beverage containers. I read about it here: http://www.jsonline.com/watchdog/watchdogreports/41215752.html .

It is also in the Recent Headlines as of Sunday, March 15, 2009 on Senator Dianne Feinstein's own website: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/

-- and here is the Press Release from her website: http://feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=NewsRoom.PressReleases&ContentRecord_id=01832CD5-5056-8059-76DB-C984D14B7FCE

I hope all food manufacturers stop using Plastics 3, 6 and 7 right away.

Maybe they will eventually have to stop using Plastic 1, too.

I guess we will see.

In the meantime -- you can take steps yourself and use your own reusable bottles for drinks - waters and teas. Some places will let you use your own bottles to get water or cold teas -- or use your own hot cups to get hot coffee and hot tea. I know some that do in my life: the Cafe at the Palmdale Transportation Center and the Plaza Deli and Grill in the UCLA Westwood Medical Plaza -- when I have asked at both, they were very nice about it and said yes.

So, for your own health -- and the health of our planet and our environment, be smart about PLASTICS -- AND GET YOUR OWN REUSABLE BOTTLES, SUCH AS AT HERE:

http://www.newdream.org/marketplace/nubius.html

I got my stainless steel water bottle at Walgreens, but I don't know if they always have them!!

And don't forget recycling all the PLASTIC that you can!!


Ruth

PHTHALATES - I'VE KNOWN ABOUT THEIR DANGERS FOR 4 YEARS NOW

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items
RSS Designs Wearable - Internet Shop of Wearable Items


It was sometime in February 2005 that I picked up a copy of Delicious Living Magazine and read the article, "Plastic Planet", which is still available online here: http://deliciouslivingmag.com/greenliving/dl_article_1527/index.html .

I recommend reading this article.

You see, I had been hearing around, as an environmentalist, that there were these dangers from some plastics - it was somehow tied into the whole issue of manufacturing them, which is a toxic industry anyway - and recycling them and not just putting them in landfills.

Also, when I found this article I read it all the way through and kept a copy of part of it for my own reference as the article has a "by-the-numbers guide to safety" - it gives the numbers of the plastics that have "no known health hazards" (1, 2, 4, 5) and the ones with "potential health hazards" (3, 6, 7).

#3, Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC or vinyl) quote from the Feb. 2005 article:

"Some research has shown that the phthalates in PVC cling wraps (commonly used
in delis and supermarkets) and vinyl flooring are endocrine disruptors linked to
various health problems. Water and vegetable oils sometimes are bottled in
PVC, and many toys and baby teethers contain PVC."

So, this is the one with the phthalates.

But having recently been reading about vinyl showing with XRF testing to contain lead, I am now wondering if it also contains lead - and if the lead is leachable.

This article, "Plastic Planet" discusses many different issues - and using the plastics "...for what they were intended for and approved for."

Personally, I am careful for myself - have tried to be ever since reading this article -- avoiding 3, 6, and 7 plastics -- my vegetable oil (olive and sesame) bottles are glass!

My reusable water bottle is stainless steel - not plastic at all any more - and I rarely buy any drinks in plastic bottles when I am out any more, though I slip up occasionally - and I watch the number on the bottle.

(I also read the food labels for ingredients - part of watching my diet - this is me! LOL!)

I am glad that the CPSIA bans children's childcare/teething products (including synthetic fiber clothing items that contain phthalates) with phthalates in them - and I am glad that it is retroactive for existing inventory as of today.

I actually want products made with phthalates, styrene, BPA etc. taken out of the market place for everyone.

You would have a hard time convincing me that the manufacturers of plastic products did not have this information available to them years ago - and could have voluntarily stopped making products with these materials that are "potential health hazards".

-- And I rarely use that Microwave, sitting there cold and neglected on my counter, except to heat some water once in a while, if I have to - but never with any plastic containers. But that is another health matter to be covered another time.

Again - to a healthier world!!


Ruth

USE WATER FILTERS -- BREAK THE BOTTLED WATER HABIT

Ruth Sandra Sperling
RSS Designs In Fiber - Internet Shop of Handmade Items
RSS Designs Wearable - Internet Shop of Wearable Items
RSS Crochet Thread Plus - Internet Shop of Crochet Thread


All of us are concerned about drinking water that is healthy for us.

Drinking water that has toxins and/or chemicals or parasites in it can cause us health problems.

For years, many have thought that the answer was bottled water -- either mountain spring water or distilled water, but this involves the manufacturing and shipment of millions or billions of plastic bottles. This manufacturing and shipping of these bottles, even if they are recycled repeatedly many times, results in carbon emitting activities,which is not good for our environment or us - AND THERE ARE ALTERNATIVES!!

A much better solution, which I find very workable, is to have a water filter on my kitchen sink faucet which filters out much more I believe that the bottled waters have filtered out -- and use a reusable water bottle whenever you go out.

My current reusable water bottle is a metal one with a screw-on top, which I have found works much better than any plastic bottle I have ever had, even the reusable plastic bottles. In the summer, when I had it in my rolling backpack, it kept quite cool and it holds enough of the filtered water so that I always had some when I was thirsty -- and with the screw-on top, it doesn't leak!!!!

And knowing what my own water filter at home filters out, I have the peace of mind knowing that it is quite healthy water.

You see, I have seen the charts published about the bottled waters and I am doubtful that some of them are even healthy -- and may be less healthy than some tap waters, so I always worry about what is really in that bottle of water on the store shelf.

Also, you can find bottles with filters built on them. There is a variety of them on the Internet if you search.

So, I have made the pledge to Break the Bottled Water Habit.

See the badge here on my blog.

Through the website, http://www.newdream.org/marketplace/water.php, you can get a lot of information about reusable water bottles, even some with their own filters -- and they have links to information about water filters for your home.

I would say that drinking healthy water is very important -- don't assume that bottled water is healthy -- get a water filter that you know filters out chemicals and toxins and use your own reusable water bottle -- for your own peace of mind!!!!


Ruth