They’re everywhere. You are surely breathing them, whether you can smell them or not – and whether you can spell them or not – and whether you can pronounce them or not (THA-LATES). In fact, it’s very likely that you or someone in your family received or bought an item containing them over the recent holiday season. They’re ubiquitous and often listed as ‘fragrance’ – usually in scented body products, candles, air fresheners, laundry detergents and fabric softeners, perfumes, colognes, deodorant and cosmetics.

It’s the ingredient that fixes the scent and makes it last longer. It also is used as a ‘penetration enhancer’ as it helps products like lotions get more deeply absorbed into the skin. In some lotions they are used as emollients and humectants – they make the skin seem soft when it’s actually the product on the skin that feels like this, not the skin itself. Thing is, when phthalates are absorbed into the skin, they stay in your body for years. That’s not a good thing because they disrupt the endocrine system.

Hormones control reproductive processes so these buggers can really mess with your body. In a 2007 report, The Natural Resources Defense Council stated, “Phthalates are hormone-disrupting chemicals that can be particularly dangerous for young children and unborn babies. Exposure to phthalates can affect testosterone levels and lead to reproductive abnormalities, including abnormal genitalia and reduced sperm production. The State of California notes that five types of phthalates—including one that we found in air freshener products—are “known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm.” Young children and pregnant women should be especially careful to avoid contact with these chemicals. “

Hormone disruptors, or endocrine disruptors, are linked to early onset of puberty in girls, low sperm counts in men, gender abnormalities, and may be linked to metabolic disorders and obesity. They can also stimulate the growth and development of cancers (breast, uterine, prostate), impair fertility, and disrupt pregnancy. Other illnesses are now being associated with exposure to phthalates including heart disease, asthma, and behavioral problems in children.

A relative of mine once said to me, “If the chemicals are so bad, the government wouldn’t let companies sell them to us!” I immediately thought of the propaganda footage for DDT in the ‘40s that show trucks roaming neighborhoods spraying out huge plumes of DDT clouds onto kids running alongside, fogging kids in a swimming pool and in a small schoolroom. In one short film, an entomologist ate a large dose sprayed right into his bowl of porridge to convince Kenyans  that it’s harmless .  Essentially, like the promotion and use of DDT in the ‘40s before it was found to be a deadly toxin, many current untested and unproven chemicals are used willy-nilly in industry for reasons far less noble than treating malaria – and we are the guinea pigs, often gladly paying for our poisons as we blindly march ahead into the chemical fog. It’s no joke: the Center for Disease Control (CDC)  found measurable amounts of at least five kinds of phthalates in 75% of the population in the U.S.

As it stands now in the U.S. in January 2012, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the federal agency responsible for overseeing personal care products, has no authority to ensure their safety. The FDA does not require any testing for safety before products are put on shelves for you to purchase. Furthermore, the FDA does not require that known toxins be listed anywhere on their labels. As for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), they have approved 80,000 chemicals for consumer use. Of those, 2,800 are produced in volumes of more than a million pounds a year, but fewer than half the high-volume ones have been studied for toxicity. Senior scientist, Richard Denizen, PhD, on his blog site, addressed the EPA’s battle to test HVP (high production volume) chemicals: “Clearly, this antiquated system is not anywhere near being up to the task of keeping up with a modern chemicals economy characterized by ever-expanding chemical production. New HPV chemicals – let alone chemicals produced in smaller volumes – are arising far faster than EPA could possibly promulgate test rules to provide the information needed to conduct even the most basic screening of their potential hazards.”

Testing brings up another can of worms, however, as there are questions about who is doing the testing and the source of the tester’s funding. Many of these questions cannot be conclusively determined yet as they may not take into account long-term exposures or be tested in the context of other chemical combinations in typical contemporary environments, which include exposure to hundreds if not thousands of other, often untested, products.

With pressure from consumers and consumer advocate groups, the EPA recently added phthalates to their Chemicals of Concern list and is taking steps toward testing and banning certain products containing phthalates. Phthalates aren’t only in scented products; they’re the ingredient in plastic products to make them soft. Products like baby toys, shower curtains, and food storage items. Fortunately, in 2008, Congress followed the 2005 E.U. ban and passed The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act, which banned 6 types of phthalates from children’s toys and products. A good start.

Since the products on store shelves and shown in television commercials and magazine ads have very little screening before they end up in our homes and our bodies, it is up to us to stay informed and keep vigilant to protect ourselves and those we love. And that’s not even to mention the other creatures affected by our actions, especially in many of our fish and amphibian populations. Whether it’s from the manufacturing plants that we encourage from buying their products, or from our landfill waste and our bodily waste, these chemicals have an effect on our own water supplies and our wildlife. Male species of fish and frogs are now producing eggs and have mutated genitals, for instance, and females are having ovarian abnormalities. (Check out New York Times columnist, Nicholas Kristof, on The Colbert Report !)

Phthalates have a distinct odor. Those of us who are sensitive to smells or to chemicals can detect them a mile away. If you are as inundated as most people are in this country by mass-produced scented products, you may not detect the scent of off-gassing from these chemicals. It’s like getting into a new car- you may smell the phthalates at first (from the vinyls, plastics and cleaners) but then quickly get used to the smell and you are no longer conscious of the odor.

For the last 6 years, I’ve been running a green cleaning company. We’ve gone into some clients’ homes who’ve had no clue about the chemicals they’d been using prior to us coming in. Over time, many have switched over to using more natural products in their homes. Those people often tell me how surprised they are at how strong, even nauseating, those chemical products – especially phthalates – now smell to them, whereas before they didn’t notice. Some actually onced liked the scented products before switching. Some, however, have changed their cleaning products and maybe a few other things in their homes but still may burn heavily-scented candles, use carpet shampoos and stain removers, or use laundry products that have greater bodily exposure than their cleaning products would have. It is for people like them that I’m writing this blog post – and for everyone else who may stumble onto my little dearhippie site.

Takeaways

It’s generally pretty safe to buy products that say ‘natural’ and ‘essential oils’ – so long as they don’t also include ‘fragrance’ in their ingredients (some companies are very tricky this way). Avoid products with ‘fragrance’ in the ingredients list in general – stick to unscented products or those scented with essential oils only.

Look for labels of companies who consistently use natural products and make a commitment to the environment – they’re usually a safe bet.

Don’t put your old rubber ducky in your mouth ever again. Or your kids’.

Try to stay away from soft plastics, especially in dishes, food storage containers and baggies. Be creative using other options like glass, ceramic, pottery, butcher paper, waxed paper and the like.

An aside: if you’re looking for candles, try to get those whose wicks are made in the U.S. – many made in China have lead in them, even if they are soy or ‘natural’ candles.

Further Info

• Check out the 60 Minutes story on phthalates from May of 2010.
• An Environmental Working Group (EWG) study found that personal care products expose children to an average of 60 chemicals every day that they can breathe in or that absorb through their skin. EWG product testing, conducted in partnership with Health Care Without Harm and other members of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, showed phthalates in three-quarters of 72 name-brand products tested.
• If you’re curious to know what toxins may be in your body products, check out the Environmental Working Group’s project, Skin Deep
• Read this article by The Environmental Working Group -  and this one, too.
• Toxic Baby, by Penelope Jagessar Chaffer and her website for the movie
• Phthalates May Harm Newborn Girls’ Mental Development - Paul McRandle’s article for the NRDC’s Smarter Living blog.
• Read this study published in the scientific journal, Pediatrics
• OnEarth article, Baby, You Gotta Have Balls, by Laura Wright Treadway
• Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

How is the handmade & craft craze helping the world?

Paraphrased from a Grumpy Passer-By

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Dear Paraphrased,

I have thought about how to best answer this for over a year now and I just haven’t been able to find the clarity to spell it all out for you as concisely as you deserve. This time, I’m going to direct you to an excellent blog post by the wise & wonderful, Judy Wicks. She is much more articulate about these things than I’ll ever be. Please read her post on etsy.com here.

I’d also like to direct you to read this etsy.com post by mover & shaker extraordinaire, Stacy Mitchell.

Happy Reading!

Yours,

Crafty Hippie

PS – If you’re in the Philadelphia area this year, do your shopping at the Art Star Craft Bazaar on November 19th & 20th.

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What is Sustainability and Why Should I Care?

A short talk for your PTA

The general definition for sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of our generation without compromising the needs of those in the future.

I say it’s about the Golden Rule, do unto others as you’d have them do. Basic values.

So, what do you truly care about? When you get right down to the basics, when you strip away the non-essentials? What will you care about, for instance, when you are on your death-bed? These are the things you most value. For most people they are quality time spent with those you love or time in nature, times when everyone and everything is healthy. You may value the freedom from suffering and wish for others to not have to suffer needlessly. You may think about the things that someone did to help you or things you did in service of others that made you feel good. You may think about moments when you experienced beauty or a sense of harmony with your community or the world around you.

Your values are the things that should be at the core of your decisions throughout your life. And if they are indeed these things that I mentioned, then they have everything to do with sustainability.

If you care about people, you’ll not want them to be exposed to toxic chemicals, either from products or from the land fill, that may give them cancer, infertility and other immune-related diseases. You won’t want them to be harmed by industry that destroys the very resources that people depend upon – or be poisoned by the pollution from manufacturing processes. You wouldn’t want them to be drinking tap water that can be set afire with a lighter. If you care about animals, you’ll care about those that are being treated inhumanely and those diseased from being forced to eat foods unnatural to them. If you care about the beauty of the landscape and wildlife, you’ll not want to see vast tracks of land leveled for mining, drilling, crops and excessive development.

I’m not telling you this because I think you don’t know it. I’m bringing it up because I want you to think more about it – and think about how you can enhance your life with your values. I want to encourage you to be mindful of your values and work together to make changes here and at home to improve your kids’ lives. But not just that – I also want to emphasize the need to model behaviors that carry your values.

A couple months ago, I was at a tri-county sustainability event held in Blackwood, NJ. One of the few teenagers attending had a moment to speak up. He was dubious. Kevin asked the crowd something like, “how many of you are interested in actually making the world better for your kids?” He was concerned that in all the rush to follow the money by ‘being green’, that society is overlooking the whole point – the love for the earth, for others and for our children.

Kids aren’t stupid. They all may not be as articulate or bold as Kevin but they absorb the information around them. What you do proves what your values are – and they get it. If you act like you care, they might care. If you don’t show that you care, they likely will feel like caring is futile. And that usually extends to all of their actions.

So, that being said, let’s talk about the basics. Here are the three R’s of sustainability and ecology:

1. Reduce – Assess needs and use (or purchase) only what is necessary.

General conservation. This relates to all sorts of consumption – energy, water, manufactured goods, household products and general materials. It extends beyond your home, classroom, and office, too. By supporting businesses and organizations that also practice conservation, you are ‘voting with your dollars’ and creating a ripple effect of change outside your door.

2. Reuse – Find an alternative use for extra materials.

Before you discard something, consider what it could be used for, either in your classroom, home or for someone else. Donating items and holding yard sales are a great way for others to benefit from what you no longer need, too, in addition to the manufacturing energy, carbon and materials you’re saving from someone buying a new product. And, the longer you can keep something useful from a premature trip to the landfill, the better.

3. Recycle or Recover – Transform materials into new products, including material already discarded – such as making fuel from waste materials.

You know the basics of this and chances are you’re recycling at home. If there’s something you’re not sure you can recycle, contact your local borough or check out earth911.org. Push to get a comprehensive recycling system in place at your work and anywhere where you have an influence. You can ask businesses you support to also recycle regularly or take your business to those who do.

I’d encourage a 4^th R – that is ‘Rethink.’ It’s necessary to rethink what we do so we can use innovation and creativity to make a big impact. Over and over again, those making money from polluting and poisoning people argue that the economy will collapse without their products or that our jobs depend on them. I’d like to think that we have a better understanding of what our country is build on – innovation and inspiration. New ideas create new jobs and services and whatever practice we end that hurts our kids and environment will be replaced soon enough by something better.

Besides, rethinking is a more fun and satisfying way to live.

Here are five very basic things we can do anywhere we live or work:

1. Set up recycling bins wherever it’s appropriate and recycle accordingly.
2. Printing: Reduce the amount of paper you print on and the amount of ink you use. Use 100% recycled paper, print on both sides of paper (save paper that is printed on one side only), use light printer settings and economical fonts (or print smaller whenever possible).
3. Conserve electricity by using lights only when and where needed and use CFL bulbs. Also, dress appropriately for the weather and utilize window shades for light and heat or to keep a room cooler when outside is warm.
4. Avoid toxic chemicals. Make your own basic cleaning products, use natural pest or herb control, and opt for buying products that are most eco-friendly (and human-friendly) as possible. Pretty much all petrochemicals are harmful so stay away from pthalates ‘fragrance’, VOCs and a myriad of others.
5. Reduce your reliance on plastics. Not only are they non-biodegradable and pollute the land and oceans, they leach into your food and water and persist in your body for years, and are linked to all sorts of health problems from cancer to hormone disruption. Instead, use stainless steel when you can’t use glass, and waxed paper, parchment or cardboard for your food items. If you must use plastic, find biodegradable, ‘bio-plastic’ materials, which are now available at many local stores.

Instead of going into much more detail right now, I’d like to highlight a couple things that you can do specifically at your school:

There is strength in numbers. For those who are motivated, please work with others to take action. Join the PTA or any other outside organizations that can make a difference. Even if you commit to having group brainstorming sessions every so often, it would be a good start. If you’re not inclined to get so involved, then please at least support their efforts. Is there a way to encourage a student environmental club in the school?

Be innovative and encourage innovation. Think about all the ways in which the faculty and the students can be proactive about sustainability. How about contests for eco-themed essays or science, art, or music projects? Do the kids have good ideas the school could implement, if only for a week trial period? Are there some green fundraisers you could hold for a green school project?

Consider school-wide policies. Practically overnight, the City of Chicago went from a conventional, almost behind-the-times city to a national leader in sustainability with green roofs, single-stream recycling, improved green spaces and more. It is because Mayor Daly implemented a sustainability plan that placed responsibility on each department for coming up with their own sustainability policies. Is there a way to do such a thing for each classroom, wherein the teachers, maybe with the input from students and parents, can do the same? You may also consider writing school policies to ensure sustainability. These might include procurement policies for supplies and food, as well as recycling and energy policies.

Whatever you do, don’t underestimate the influence you can have on your school, your children and your community. Pretty soon, you’ll appreciate the power of the ripple effect!

First thing to do, if the weather permits, is open up some windows to get a cross-breeze in your home. Second is to gather your family for some quality bonding time and divvy the duties.

Remove drapes and curtains from windows and, along with all rugs, throws, pillows and bedding and shake outside. If you can wash them, be sure to do that, hang outside in the sun – or have them professionally cleaned. Then, sweep or vacuum well, using a vacuum attachment or a broom to get hard-to-reach places. Clean under and on top of furniture (including beds and upholstery) and clutter, lampshades, window blinds, radiators, inside closets, around the edge of your floors. Consider sweeping areas like basements, entrance ways and even your front porch – anywhere that you may be regularly tracking dirt into the house.

After that, nothing cleans and disinfects as good as hot, soapy water. Using a bucket of warm water with castile soap or a natural all-purpose cleaner, dip in a sturdy and clean rag (like terrycloth), wring out and wipe everything down. You may want to consider wearing natural latex gloves. ‘Everything’ includes woodwork, furniture, windowsills, picture frames, shelves, ceiling and wall fixtures, doorknobs, light switches – even phones and electronic remotes. Be sure to rinse out your rag often and change the soap and water in the bucket when it starts looking dirty.

Do the same in your kitchen and bathroom, using different but clean rags. For extra scrubbing oomph, use dry baking soda with your rag or scrubber. For an even more powerful punch to kitchen and bathroom grime, spray straight white vinegar on a surface and sprinkle baking soda over it (good for drains, too). To further disinfect an area consider lemon juice or white vinegar or add essential oils like tea tree and oregano to your cleaning solution.

Finish up by mopping with a good sponge or string mop and clean, hot soapy water – rinsing and changing the water often. Consider adding a few drops of essential oil like orange, peppermint, lemon, sage or pine to scent.

Once you’ve done this, you’ll be happy you did. So happy, in fact, you may want to show off to your neighbors – or just run around the house exclaiming how lovely it feels. If you want to make your cleaning officially feng shui, ring a bell or clap in every corner of the house.

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Trying to prioritize your changes for a greener 2011? Chances are if you’re reading this, you’re already doing the basics of conservation, recycling and supporting local farmers but if you’re interested in turning it up a notch, here are some ideas for your New Year’s Resolution:

Change your bank. Look for a local bank that makes it a policy to support sustainable business in your area. Even if they don’t have a such a policy, doing business with local & community banks greatly helps your local economy by providing local jobs, by loaning to you, your neighbors & local businesses – and they pay local property & state income taxes. They often donate to various community projects, as well. Plus, they are often more receptive to pressure from their customers to be eco-friendly in their practices.

Move your investments. Check with your financial advisor or look through your records to make sure your investments are in businesses that have solid records of sustainability or that contribute to small, independently owned business, green energy or socially responsible initiatives. It just takes a little research to be sure that your money isn’t funding mountain-top removal or unfair labor but contributing to the planet or to communities.

Shift at least 10% of your purchases to goods and services offered by local, independently owned businesses. In addition to keeping the money in your community and creating a resilient local economy, it also helps the environment. Supporting local businesses reduces sprawl, habitat destruction, transportation congestion – and business owners are generally more responsive to customer’s requests to operate more sustainably. Additionally, supporting local entrepreneurs, artists and artisans will ensure that your community stays unique and personable.

Avoid foods with genetically engineered (GE) or genetically modified (GM) ingredients. Crops and animals have been scientifically engineered for various reasons but the effects on the environment and on humans have not been proven safe and in some cases, quite the opposite. Unfortunately, companies in the U.S. are not required to label GM products as such. To further complicate our food system, companies such as Monsanto and others have patented their seeds and employ unfair practices that force farmers to purchase their seeds exclusively and annually. There are many reasons to not just avoid these products but also to campaign against their use. Find more information from organizations like the Organic Consumers Organization and GE Food Alert and check out the True Food Shoppers guide at http://www.truefoodnow.com/.   

Get political. Pressure local politicians, campaign for someone you believe in or run for office yourself. Join or design your own campaign to promote an environmental message or project. Get elected into a board position or join a committee where your passion can bring about change. Call, email or write your representatives, show up to rallies or just spread the word about campaigns through your social networks. Commit time, money or expertise to an organization that advocates for sustainability or environmental stewardship. Don’t be afraid to get more active. If you don’t stand up for your environment, health, economy, food or community, who will?

Have a Happy & Fulfilling New Year!

Your Hippie

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‘Tis the season for the celebrating the sensual world. Whichever holiday you’ll be observing, you’ll likely be nesting and nurturing yourself or your loved ones this month. Whether it’s feasting on favorite dishes, lighting scented candles, buying stocking stuffers or slathering yourself in lotions, perfumes or a variety of beauty-enhancement paraphernalia, you will most definitely stumble onto some rather nasty, anti-humanity chemicals. 

While isolated exposure to one or a few toxins does not guarantee death or disease, continued exposure to a number of them will very likely affect the quality of your life. Each time we expose our bodies to toxins, we risk overloading our detoxification system & are more susceptible to allergies, disease, headaches or general malaise.

Because they are found pretty much everywhere you go, here are my top two to avoid:

Phthalates are plasticizers derived from petroleum and they’re considered endocrine disruptors, aka gender benders. These are closely linked to infertility, breast and prostate cancer,  thyroid and metabolic disorders, and low birth weight. Pthalates  are found in an array of products like lipsticks, colognes, air fresheners, lotions, candles, potpourri, laundry detergents and the like, often masked in ingredient lists as “fragrance.” Pthalates are banned in Europe.

Triclosan  is the chemical in most anti-bacterial products. It is snuck into toothpaste and body lotion, it  lurks in random public dispensers and is even sprayed into your bowling shoes. It is linked to hormone irregularity and to disrupted thyroid function. The most dangerous thing about this chemical is its irony; in killing bacteria, it inevitably leads to superbugs – bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Triclosan is producing the same effects in water supplies and wildlife, not just in our bodies. In ingredient lists, look for its various names –  Irgasan DP-300, Lexol 300, Ster-Zac, Cloxifenolum, BioFresh, Microban.

Believe it or not, you likely have some products at home that contain chemicals that the EPA consideres hazardous waste. They might be lead, found in lipsticks and candle wicks or ethanol, acetone and ethyl acetate, sometimes found in perfumes and colognes.

As the fall marches forward we’re stuck between wanting to nest and being rushed to make sure everything is taken care of before the holidays. It may be a time when natural cleaning may seem too much to think about so I’ll tell you how to make it easy. Your place will feel great and you’ll be happy you did it.

• Use a lamb’s wool duster or dry microfiber rag to get most dust off main surfaces. Lanolin in the lamb’s wool attracts dust but keep it away from sticky or greasy areas. Shake outside.

• Vacuum or sweep areas, careful of kicking up the dust. Shake rugs outside.

• Squirt some all-purpose soap, castile soap or dish detergent into a bucket of warm water for floors and woodwork. Use a rag to wipe windowsills, baseboards, counters, fixtures, switch plates and doorknobs. Use a good sponge or string mop for floors. Be sure to rinse frequently and re-fill your bucket when the water is dirty. If you have finicky floors like laminate or pre-finished wood, fill a spray bottle with water and white vinegar, wiping with a microfiber mop. Adding cedar wood, lavender, or peppermint essential oil to the water mixtures is a nice touch.

• Use baking soda in the kitchen and bathrooms. For sinks and tubs, spray them with water first. Use a scouring sponge or terry cloth rag to scrub, rinsing well to remove the residue. You can also use on appliances, tile and other areas where scrubbing is needed. For the toilet or the oven, spray with straight white vinegar then sprinkle soda, letting it sit as needed and scrub clean with appropriate tool.

• Spray all-purpose cleaner on counters and shower walls, using a wet rag to wipe off. Rinse with hot water. Make your own cleaner by mixing 1T vinegar, 1t borax, a squirt of castile soap – add to a large spray bottle with water.

• Furniture needs just a little mist. Lightly spray a rag with mixture of water and lemon or lavender essential oil.

• Clean glass and mirrors with mixture of equal parts water and white vinegar. Use lint-free rags to wipe clean. For grease, use an all-purpose cleaner and rag first, finish with vinegar and water.

If you prefer to buy your cleaners, be sure to look for products that are eco-friendly and manufactured by companies that have a commitment to environmental and social ethics. Brands like Sun and Earth, Earth Friendly, Seventh Generation and the like have good reputations for safe, non-toxic and effective cleaning solutions. If you don’t have a preference between products, lean toward those made closer to home to support your local economy and reduce gas & emissions in transportation.

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It took me awhile to catch on. I had heard of B Lab and their certification a few years ago and thought it was a great idea – for businesses bigger than mine. I even started their online “Impact Assessment” but petered out, thinking it wasn’t worth my time since I’d already taken so many steps to be a sustainable company. Not until I considered expanding did I consider it a worthwhile endeavor, thinking it would ensure that my values would continue with the company regardless of management changes that might come. I wish I hadn’t waited so long – there was much that I didn’t consider.

B Lab is a nonprofit organization that offers purpose-driven companies a means to institutionalize their values. “B” stands for Beneficial – companies that operate with a triple bottom line (TBL) to include people and planet as well as their profit.

Besides differentiating a company in the marketplace, a great benefit to one’s businesses is how much can be learned by taking the survey. Questions include fair labor practices, sustainable procurement and carbon assessments, among others. Before, I hadn’t considered establishing written policies about minorities and women or for community service – all of which are no-brainers for hippies like myself but without a written policy, how long would that last without me micromanaging if we expand or sell?

The big thing I didn’t realize is how critical the legal framework is for SRB/CSR (sustainable responsible business or corporate social responsibility). I didn’t have a clue about business before I became interested in sustainable business as a means for social change. I realized that the nature of the corporate beast lay in the legal framework but it never occurred to me that there are alternatives. You may already know that as it stands now, corporations operate under obligation primarily to their shareholders. They generally have no legal responsibility to society or to the environment – only to make money. It is precisely this reason that so many corporations are the cause of extensive injustices to people and planet in the name of shareholder profit.

Certification as a B Corporation, on the other hand, primarily requires a company to amend their articles of incorporation to state that managers must consider the interests of employees, the community and the environment instead of worrying only about shareholders. Just like that. Brilliant.

The process to obtain B Certification includes the assessment, a helpful review, making necessary legal changes (and changes in practice if you don’t pass their assessment), providing required documentation, signing their ‘Declaration of Interdependence’, and paying an annual fee. It can all be done in a day’s time or as long as a year from the review process if you need more time to provide proper documentation.

In April of this year, Maryland became the first state to adopt legislation making B corporations official and other states may soon follow suit. B Lab is trying to get the structure legally recognized and with tax-preferred status by the IRS. They also hope to increase the number of B Corporations to rival the size of the country’s nonprofit sector, which is around 5%-7% of the U.S. gross domestic product. Surely a smart strategy to change the world.

B Certification ensures an entrepreneur that her company’s ethics remain in its DNA. More than that, it signals consumers and investors that a company is walking the walk, not just using some green- or ethics-washing marketing scheme to hoodwink the public. This way, consumers can be more confident that they’re choosing products or services from an ethical or environmentally conscious company rather than supporting irresponsible practices like contaminating water supplies, ripping out rainforests, encouraging sweatshops or destroying communities.

Watch the video to find out more about B Corporations on their site.

Hello  Readers,

Last month, a DearHippie fan personally asked me to address BP’s oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico for my blog. Good idea, I thought, but how? I don’t want to rant about BP, the poor wildlife, cost of damages and jobs lost. And don’t get me started about the oil industry, their legions of attorneys and lobbyists, their propaganda and spin machines.  You don’t want to read about the sad, spineless acts or non-acts of too many of our elected officials. As many parties as I could focus on, it just wouldn’t be helpful here, now would it? Thing is, it’s you and I – the consumers – who blindly guzzle oil and give the industry its power in the first place. Anyway, how can we place all the blame on others when the havoc you and I wreak on the land, water and skies, by our every day habits rivals that of the worst oil spills. Our  dependency on fossil fuels is murdering everything around us and threatening the quality of our own lives in more ways than I can count.

Since I am writing an advice column and not a special report or thesis, I’ll stick to advice-giving as best as I can and not talk about the inherent problems in mega-corporations that have a single responsibility to their shareholders rather than to health of the planet or of your kid.

If you, my dear reader, are very serious about this issue and if you are ready to do something about it, take my advice and the advice of many environmentalists around the globe. Don’t believe that you are powerless in the face of the oil industry, their lobbyists, their corporate allies or their friends in your government; you can have a huge impact by making changes at home and in your daily life. I urge you to make the best of this terrible accident and make a real commitment to change the way we’re doing things around here.

Your Transportation

1. Alternative transportation – walk more, use your bike, take public transportation. The next time you consider a move, think about living closer to your work or in a place where you’re not so car-dependent if that’s smart for you.
2. There are great opportunities to carpool. Check out groups like http://www.erideshare.com/, http://carpoolconnect.com/, look for rideshares on http://www.craigslist.org. You can even use your gps to join on a rideshare program like http://www.pickuppal.com/pup/intro.html, which has an iphone app. http://www.rideshare-directory.com/ has as great list of other carpooling options.
3. Work at home if possible. There’s nothing that reduces fuel consumption like staying put for a bulk of your time. Even though it’s good for you to occasionally get out, the difference in consumption (and aggravation of traffic) is substantial. Utilize phone and video conferencing and the internet to share files and collaborate on projects.
4. Of course, you can look at the possibility of owning a hybrid or bio-diesel vehicle. Problem with buying a new car is that it takes energy – usually from fossil fuels – to manufacture a new car, not to mention the energy it takes to dispose your old car, even if it doesn’t get junked for a bit longer. Buying a used fuel-efficient car is a good alternative. A hybrid, or a fully electric vehicle is probably the way to go if you need a new car. You can also get a diesel engine – and, if it’s feasible in your area, you can convert it to bio-diesel, which is derived from plants.
5. Improve your driving habits. Keep you car tuned up. Drive with less weight in the car. Don’t drive so fast. Don’t speed up so quickly. When it makes sense, take short cuts, avoid traffic jams by your route or by the time of day you drive, avoid construction crews and streets with untimed lights or excessive stop signs. Instead of idling in a parking area or drive-thru, shut off your engine.
6. Fly less. Reduce the number of trips and the number of miles traveled. Though it might take longer, ride a train instead and get some needed R&R or quality time with loved ones traveling with you. If it’s for business, imagine all the uninterrupted work you can get done riding a train.
7. Reduce oil consumption in transporting goods by buying from local stores, manufacturers and artists/crafters. Use local materials instead of importing them from halfway around the world. Also, buy supplies in bulk to reduce oil in transportation.
8. Plant a garden (or share space at a community garden) to reduce transportation consumption for your produce. Otherwise, buy from local growers via farmers’ markets and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture)
9. It’s not exactly transportation, but it could be; ditch the gas-powered lawn mower and make rock gardens, flower or veggie gardens or otherwise interesting vegetation that won’t need to be mowed. Use a push-mower for the remaining grass.

Extra Actions:

• Demand funding for public transportation – it benefits everyone.
• Push your municipality to provide bike lanes and bike racks to encourage more bicycling.
• Request that your employer gives incentives for taking public transportation or implements a carshare program.
• If your employer has a fleet of cars, suggest that they make them electric or fuel-efficient.
• Contact your local transportation department, write letters to editors and representatives to demand carpool lanes, timed traffic lights and laws that require road construction be done at non-peak times.
• Start a rideshare group yourself in your social network or at work.
• Support legislation that requires higher fuel standards for vehicles.

Your Energy Use at Home or Workplace

1. Use proper insulation in walls, ceilings and windows, as well as plug up drafts.
2. Improve the efficiency of your appliances. When buying new, look for the best energy ratings. Consider an induction cook tops and solar ovens. Use cold water to wash clothes and hang them outside or on a rack to dry and wash them only when they’re actually dirty. Store as much in your refrigerator & freezer as you can (thermal mass = less energy to keep cool) and don’t place it in warm areas like next to the stove, dishwasher, heat vents or in the sunshine. Usually, there is no good reason to preheat an oven. In summer, grill outside or eat more fresh and raw foods instead of cooking. Set your hot water heater at a lower temperature – especially when you go away for periods of time. Run washer, dryer and dishwasher only when there is a full load.
3. Keep all appliances maintained – be sure all gaskets, hoses and the like are in good repair. Regularly check all appliance filters, coils and vents to be sure they are clear of dirt, dust and lint so they run more efficiently. Change the filter on your HVAC system regularly (or clean a re-usable filter).
4. Can the incandescents for LED lights or CFL bulbs. Use natural lighting as much as possible. Be sure to turn out the lights when you’re not using them. Motion detector and dimmer switches are a great investment – especially if you’re handy with electric.
5. When building or making home improvements, aim for a ‘zero energy home’ or come as close as you can by utilizing a smart energy design. Buy high-efficiency windows and use as much natural lighting as possible. Look for things like south-facing windows in colder climates, wind-blocking terrain, shade trees, roof placement, and floor plans to optimize daylight and heat. Consider solar panels, wind turbines, efficient wood stoves, geothermal systems and passive solar. When replacing roofing, use something with a light color that reflects light/heat or consider a green roof (the vegetation also considerably helps conserve water and filters carbon in your ecosystem). Look at an instant water heater or solar water heating system if it makes sense.
6. Actively adjust your home with the weather. To keep cool, use light-blocking blinds for south-facing windows (and east & west if the sun is coming in) and when the temperature starts to rise above interior temperature, close up your house, opening it back up when it cools back off outside. Use ceiling fans (be sure the to blow them the correct way via a switch on the fan: blow up in winter and down in summer) to move the air when you are in a particular room (don’t use them in an empty room since they only serve for your comfort, not to actually change the temperature of a room). Utilize window fans to blow in or out as is best. Use whole-house ventilation fans to move heat out of the house in the evening and crack windows to create a better air flow to cool the house down.
7. Purchase renewable energy with your utilities providers. If they don’t offer it, demand that they do.
8. If you want to filter your air, get houseplants, not an electric unit.
9. Monitor your electronics. Use a power strip that you can easily unplug when not in use. There are some with automatic switches that don’t leak electricity (“phantom power”) when the units are off. Look for energy efficient items like monitors, CPUs and ink jet printers. Laptops use less energy than desktop computers.

Extra Actions:

• Look into energy efficiency tax incentives.
• Share your home improvement projects with others in your social networks or on a blog or other social media.
• Support companies that use only renewable energy in their manufacturing or operations.
• Pressure representatives in your region to pass legislation that encourages energy-efficiency in homes.
• Keep an eye out for efforts to drill or mine fossil fuels in your area and refuse to let it happen – protest, tell your representatives your thoughts, spread the word, join or organize campaigns to stop it.
• Demand legislation (or write it!) to incentivize clean energy development and production instead of helping out the oil industry.
• Make suggestions to businesses about how they can decrease their dependency on energy from fossil fuels and make you, their customer, happy.

Your Buying Habits. Consider the ingredients of everything you purchase because petroleum and chemicals made from it are outrageously ubiquitous and pervasive – not just in the items that you buy but also in your body from breathing and eating them.

1. Consume conservatively. You want to reduce energy used in manufacturing, packaging, and transportation for all the goods you use.
2. DIY as much as you can. Make your own cleaning agents, build, sew, and repair items to reduce manufacturing and transportation fuels.
3. When you can, buy used items to reduce manufacturing energy consumption.
4. Buy recycled products – the next best thing to used products.
5. The less packaging, the better. Purchase items that are not wrapped or bottled in petroleum-based material unless it is recycled. If you need to buy a gift, consider a gift certificate for a service rather than goods.
6. When re-designing, use recycled or natural materials for your interiors like tile or wood flooring, local stone or wood counter tops, water-based paints and stains and recycled carpet or wool rugs.
7. When buying clothing or fabrics, avoid synthetics made from petroleum like nylon and polyester.
8. Look for natural or recycled materials in home goods like furniture, mattresses, window treatments, rugs, bedding, linens, pillows and pet beds.
9. Choose home-improvement materials free of petrol-chemicals. Avoid tars (roofing, paving), vinyl siding, PVC pipes, synthetic insulation or caulking, oil-based paints and stains and plastic lumber (unless it is recycled).

10. Buy bio-based inks (and print lightly).

11. Use natural art supplies like beeswax crayons or paints and markers that are water- or plant-based.

12. Purchase plant-based cleaning detergents and soaps.

13. Use natural cosmetics, perfumes and first-aid creams – most all of the conventional products contain a petroleum-derived substance.

14. Avoid candles and air fresheners made with petroleum-derived chemicals like phthalates. Look for waxes made of beeswax and soy and all scented products should be from essential oils, not “fragrance”.

15. No more plastic bags. Use cloth bags, not plastic, nylon or polyester for your store purchases. For garbage bags, choose biodegradable plastic or, at least, bags made from recycled content. Be sure to compost all of your food scraps or use your disposal if you can’t compost. You can get biodegradable pet bags – and even pet feces composting systems.

16. No more water bottled in plastic. Use glass or stainless steel water bottles and filter your water instead of buying bottled water. You might also find a local spring for filling up your bottles.

17. No more petrol-based fertilizers.

18. No more factory-farmed meat or dairy. These are heavily dependent on fossil fuels in their production. Buy from local, organic farmers and/or reduce their role in your diet.

19. Garden and buy fresh, local foods. The more processed the food, the more energy it takes to create it.

20. Use second-hand tableware for parties and events instead of disposable plastic.

21. Avoid plastic toys for kids and pets.

22. Most all plastics are made of petroleum. If you must buy plastic for anything at all, find a plant-based plastic that is biodegradable. Also, if you must buy plastic, see to it that it will last long and not need to be replaced too soon. Depending on the products, look for items that have less plastic than other products.

Extra Actions:

• Support companies that refuse to use petroleum-derived chemicals in any of the products they manufacture. This includes companies that own many brands – so be diligent in your research! Likewise, don’t support or invest your money in companies that are oil-dependent.
• Recycle all plastic products and make it easy for others to do the same when they’re in your home or office or at an event you organize.
• Request your local stores to stop using plastic bags or ask that they recycle them.
• Research your local waste companies and recyclers to make sure they are actually recycling the material locally and not shipping it to China or dumping it in a landfill.
• Spread the word about the products you buy so that others know what to buy and where to find them.

If you are passionate about energy and our dependence on fossil fuels, I encourage you to put your action where your mouth is and make radical change. If you’re someone who donates to causes, consider donating your money or time on this issue. Many experts and activists claim it is, hands-down, the most critical issue of our time and I wouldn’t disagree.

We are facing peak-oil issues and energy shortages – situations that create more war and suffering, financial ruin and limited freedoms for individuals. More importantly, this stuff is killing everything it touches. It is destroying our world and ruining our bodies. It doesn’t take scientists to tell us that the earth is in bad shape. Just look around at the devastation. If you can’t see it for yourself – or even if you can – do a quick online search to see the facts on environmental damage and the many ways it is being measured and proven.

If you need more proof, do some deeper research and look closely at the sources, considering agendas of those sources. Discern which organizations are looking out for consumers and the environment and which are industry-sponsored groups looking for ways to make money for the stockholders – over all other concerns. Careful about trust placed in published studies paid for by corporations – directly or indirectly through funding for universities or organizations whose research is sponsored by the corporations with stake in the product. Look at independent groups and give more credence to those with little to financially gain from their findings.

In any case, just do it! Believe me, you’ll be glad you did. Here are more suggestions to go the extra mile:

• Go ahead, spend the extra money on smart energy even if you don’t see a return on your investment in 10 years – or ever.
• Move your investments into eco-conscious companies and local business. Invest in renewable energy, bio-fuels and the manufacturing of recycled content. Be sure to make your voice heard in companies you own stock in.
• Help retrofit your neighbor’s house.
• Give a ride to a stranger – or a few strangers.
• Start an energy-wise group to educate and help your local school, church or organization become less dependent on oil.
• Join a think-tank or common security club to strategize and ensure the autonomy and empowerment of your community when it comes to these issues.
• Stay abreast of all legislation and get involved in the political process to make these changes now. Pressure your representatives – be persistent. Be a yapping dog, a squeaky wheel.
• Make clean energy a priority when voting for candidates.
• Run for local office, school boards or any board of directors where your voice can help change the way things are done.
• If you own or plan to own a business, make a Triple Bottom Line commitment to people, planet and prosperity.
• If you own or plan to own a manufacturing business, consider how you can use recycled content in your products.
• Tell all your friends about the changes you are making and encourage them to do the same (without being preachy).
• You may go so far as to consider going off-grid, like I’m hoping to do ASAP.

I’ve often imagined what I would do in wartime, how I would change my habits and my lifestyle, would I make the necessary changes to survive or help out others. Though I’ve been fortunate that I’ve not yet had to live through the devastation of war, I increasingly feel that I am living in a time that doesn’t allow me the luxury of ignorance or of blindly living my life in a vacuum. I personally see this as a time of global crisis. With each passing day it’s ever more obvious that what I do – and don’t do – about the environment affects my neighbor and vice versa. I mean, the Himalayan glaciers are not melting because of the activity of the locals.

Many of our leaders in the environmental and social movements repeat the same thing: we are not doing enough; we need a massive paradigm shift immediately. The great thing is, this doesn’t have to be heavy or laborious. Whatever level of commitment you can give to becoming less dependent on fossil fuels, it can be a gratifying, if not exciting, process. With power in numbers, let’s you and I make it happen – and have fun doing it.

*

Dear Hippie,

Last week was beautiful and I got a wind for cleaning. I took out my daily commuter, Raleigh Super Course. It has a brilliant golden red color. I hadn’t looked down the frame for a couple of months. Yes, I had been neglecting it like the lights after Christmas. I noticed a dollop of grease on my shoe a couple weeks ago after I put it away.
So on Sunday, I was pulling gray balls of putty off of my chain. This is the first time I’ve used this plant based chain lubricant. My toothbrush was not cutting it. Nor was a fully concentrated green cleaning agent I used. The cloths I used just seemed to smear it. The grease I was able to get off then stuck to my bare skin and took some serious scrubbing and pain tolerance to get it off. Two days later I realized that it was still plastered to my bare feet. What is worse was that my carpet trailing down to the basement was affected, and a white cotton space rug, like from Ikea or something, had little Pollock flicks as well.
Can you help me take it out of my rug, carpet, and find a green solvent that can tackle that chain? I’m also afraid I will have to forego using the plant-based lubricant.

Thanks,
Jared

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Dear Plant-Grease-Monkey Jared,

I have a few options for you to try after you blot up as much as you can with a dry cloth:

1. Call the manufacturer. I was going to list this last but it makes more sense to do this first. Just give them a call and find out if they make something for this exact task – chances are, they make a plant-based solvent. If not, they may have suggestions for proven results on their specific product. Failing that, keep reading.
2. Corn starch. Sprinkle it on, rub it in, let it be for 15 minutes or so, vacuum it up. I don’t think that’s going to do the trick completely, but it’s worth an easy shot.
3. Rubbing alcohol. Dab some on. Use castile soap and hot water to scrub it out with a rag.
4. Paper and iron. Put a piece of damp paper bag over the spot and iron with a warm iron (not hot – may ruin the carpet). That may pull the grease out & into the paper. Works for wax, too, by the way.
5. Try some citrus degreaser. Like CitriSolve. Try it on an inconspicuous area first to make sure it doesn’t ruin the carpet. If not, use a rag to dab it on the grease spot, let it sit for a minute and wipe it off with a clean rag. If that doesn’t do it, try the iron method again over the treated area but use a wet rag to steam it out.
6. Enzyme cleaner. These are best for protein-based stains. I’m not too familiar with your plant-based lubricant but an enzyme cleaner may work better on that than on petrol-based grease. It may be worth a shot.

As for degreasers to clean your chain, try products like Pedalite Chain Clean or Green Oil’s Clean Chain – or a standard citrus degreaser.

You’ll have to let me know how it goes!

Your Hippie Momma

P.S. For future reference, don’t bloody your greasy flesh by needless scrubbing. Squirt castile soap directly into your hands, add some baking powder or corn meal and wash under warm water.