Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Stand For Somthing Movie Night
Monday November 16, 2009, Stand for Something will be hosting a different dinner party. We will still be eating local organic food, but now we will also be watching a movie called, Food Inc. It is a documentary film about our food industry. Please go to their website, www.foodincmovie.com/about-the-film.php to learn more about the film and also watch the trailer. Hope you all can join in on the fun and learning. If you have any questions please feel free to ask.
Friday, November 6, 2009
2nd Dinner Party Summary
On Monday November 2, 2009, Stand for Something hosted it's second dinner party and it was a success. We discussed the questions from the previous dinner party. Here are the answers.
- Which cleaning products are better for the environment and which are "green washing"?
The EPA has come up with a "Designed for the Environment" label that looks at chemicals in the cleaning products. There is a list of "better" products http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/cleaning.htm
Seventh Generation is not on the list because they go above and beyond the DFE label.
- Are there any local cleaning products?
I couldn't find any, so if you know of one let me know.
- In Durango, what is being done with the recycling? Is it shipped out-incinerated- or made into what?
Durango recycling is trying to open a bigger facility, but was just denied 4 grants. I asked what they did with their recycling (glass, plastic, cardboard) and the only thing they replied to me about was the glass. The glass is used for different things around town, mainly glass mulch.
Durango Natural Foods is recycling #5 plastics, which the city does not. They charge .5 cents because they are shipping the plastic to Preserve in NY that uses #5 plastic and makes it into tooth brushes, razors, and dishes.
If you are interested in taking a tour of the recycle plant here in Durango and getting more information out of them as to what they do with the plastics and cardboards their tours are M-F 8am-3pm, call me I'll go.
- When plastic is recycled, is it turned into recycle #7? If not what does it turn into?
Most of the time when plastics are recycled they stay the same number because the resins in the plastic don't mix very well.
- At City Market, the giant reusable water jugs, what recycle number are they?
#7 Other. That means that each plastic is put into the jug to make it. The plastic is called polycarbonate and has been known to leach harsh chemicals, such as, BPA and Phthalate's, into your water.
- What is PEX tubing and is it used for all water pipes since PVC has become a hazard to our health?
PEX has become a common tubing for water pipes in houses. It has however been tested and leaches two harmful chemicals, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and benzene. MTBE is a potential human carcinogen, where as benzene is a known carcinogen according to the EPA. It is still being used for piping, except in California where they have higher standards (http://www.plumbingengineer.com/june_07/domestic_water_systems.php).
- And of course last but not least, are there sustainable condoms?
Sustainable condoms still made of latex, but they are fair trade condoms. Most of the fair trade condoms are coming from India, with a company called, The French Letter Condom Company. "Our motto is ‘Fairplay’ - so we’re saying have fun, be ethical, be safe and do it with style." (http://bradyswenson.greenoptions.com/2007/09/10/safe-sustainable-and-supportive-sex/). The other type of material for condoms, is natural rubber latex from a rubber tree. This type of condom has become popular with the people who are allergic to synthetic latex.
The alternative right now to latex that are synthetic are made from polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), neoprene, and vinyl and these petroleum based products are also potential carcinogens (http://www.mdtmag.com/scripts/ShowPR.asp?PUBCODE=046&ACCT=0008231&ISSUE=0910&RELTYPE=fe&PRODCODE=3140&PRODLETT=A&CommonCount=0).
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to let me know! The next dinner is going to be movie night. We will be watching Food Inc. It's a documentary about our food system, I've heard it's really good. Watch the trailer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0&feature=fvst . Hope to see you at the next event:)
- Which cleaning products are better for the environment and which are "green washing"?
The EPA has come up with a "Designed for the Environment" label that looks at chemicals in the cleaning products. There is a list of "better" products http://www.epa.gov/epp/pubs/cleaning.htm
Seventh Generation is not on the list because they go above and beyond the DFE label.
- Are there any local cleaning products?
I couldn't find any, so if you know of one let me know.
- In Durango, what is being done with the recycling? Is it shipped out-incinerated- or made into what?
Durango recycling is trying to open a bigger facility, but was just denied 4 grants. I asked what they did with their recycling (glass, plastic, cardboard) and the only thing they replied to me about was the glass. The glass is used for different things around town, mainly glass mulch.
Durango Natural Foods is recycling #5 plastics, which the city does not. They charge .5 cents because they are shipping the plastic to Preserve in NY that uses #5 plastic and makes it into tooth brushes, razors, and dishes.
If you are interested in taking a tour of the recycle plant here in Durango and getting more information out of them as to what they do with the plastics and cardboards their tours are M-F 8am-3pm, call me I'll go.
- When plastic is recycled, is it turned into recycle #7? If not what does it turn into?
Most of the time when plastics are recycled they stay the same number because the resins in the plastic don't mix very well.
- At City Market, the giant reusable water jugs, what recycle number are they?
#7 Other. That means that each plastic is put into the jug to make it. The plastic is called polycarbonate and has been known to leach harsh chemicals, such as, BPA and Phthalate's, into your water.
- What is PEX tubing and is it used for all water pipes since PVC has become a hazard to our health?
PEX has become a common tubing for water pipes in houses. It has however been tested and leaches two harmful chemicals, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE) and benzene. MTBE is a potential human carcinogen, where as benzene is a known carcinogen according to the EPA. It is still being used for piping, except in California where they have higher standards (http://www.plumbingengineer.com/june_07/domestic_water_systems.php).
- And of course last but not least, are there sustainable condoms?
Sustainable condoms still made of latex, but they are fair trade condoms. Most of the fair trade condoms are coming from India, with a company called, The French Letter Condom Company. "Our motto is ‘Fairplay’ - so we’re saying have fun, be ethical, be safe and do it with style." (http://bradyswenson.greenoptions.com/2007/09/10/safe-sustainable-and-supportive-sex/). The other type of material for condoms, is natural rubber latex from a rubber tree. This type of condom has become popular with the people who are allergic to synthetic latex.
The alternative right now to latex that are synthetic are made from polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), neoprene, and vinyl and these petroleum based products are also potential carcinogens (http://www.mdtmag.com/scripts/ShowPR.asp?PUBCODE=046&ACCT=0008231&ISSUE=0910&RELTYPE=fe&PRODCODE=3140&PRODLETT=A&CommonCount=0).
If you have any questions or comments please feel free to let me know! The next dinner is going to be movie night. We will be watching Food Inc. It's a documentary about our food system, I've heard it's really good. Watch the trailer, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eKYyD14d_0&feature=fvst . Hope to see you at the next event:)
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