Sunday, September 30, 2007

EcoMoms: October 2007



Doing our part for a healthier planet in Janesville, Wisconsin

DID YOU KNOW?

One child will use an average of 7,349 disposable diapers. One-time use diapers are the single largest nonrecyclable component of household garbage, creating one ton of garbage per year per child.
How cloth diapers compare depends on which study you cite. Two studies from 1991 seemed to show that disposables were no worse for the environment than cloth diapers; this study, however, was funded by Proctor and Gamble, the nation’s largest manufacturer of throwaway diapers. A later study by the Landbank Consultancy found these results: disposables use 3.5 times more energy, 8 times the non-renewable raw materials, and 90 times the renewable materials as reusable diapers. They produce 60 times the solid waste when compared to cloth.
Despite the apparent controversy, many experts agree that cloth diapers are an eco-friendly choice. Other reasons to choose cloth include the substantial cost savings and baby’s health.



WHAT MOMS CAN DO:

IDEA #1: Consider cloth! Modern cloth diapers are just as convenient as disposables. They are available in a range of styles and colors, and are fastened by Velcro or snaps. You need not soak them; just toss them in a dry pail until ready to wash. Cloth diapering can save your family an estimated $2300 to $5000! The savings increases if you use the diapers for more than one child. Cloth diapers encourage faster potty training and ensure that baby’s skin is touched only by soft cotton and no chemicals. To further reduce environmental impact, consider line-drying diapers when possible and washing on warm instead of hot. Use a high-efficiency front-loading washing machine and an eco-friendly detergent. If financially feasible, choose organic cloth diapers.

IDEA #2: If possible, buy chlorine-free diapers. Disposables are white thanks to bleaching with chlorine gas, which produces toxic chemicals called organochlorines. One of the most toxic of these is dioxin, which has been linked to birth defects, miscarriage, and cancer. A trace of this harmful substance is found in disposable diapers. To avoid dioxin, try Seventh Generation, Tushies, or Nature Babycare brand diapers. Seventh Generation can be purchased at Basics Cooperative. Nature Babycare diapers are compostable and can be found at Target. A third option is gDiapers, a hybrid between cloth and disposables. According to the National Resources Defense Council these seem to have the environmental edge: “gDiapers… send no material to the landfill, use no elemental chlorine or plastics, and require much less washing (therefore, less water and energy usage) than regular cloth diapers.”

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT:

• The plastic in disposables is estimated to take up to 500 years to biodegrade. The fabric of cloth diapers disintegrates in 6 months.

•One cup of crude oil is required to manufacture the plastics used in one single-use diaper.

• A 1999 study found that mice that breathed emissions from disposable diapers showed reduced lung function. Several chemicals with “documented respiratory toxicity” were found to be present in the tested diapers.

• Greenpeace Germany, an environmental group, discovered tributyltin, a biocide used in wood treatment, in 8 brands of disposables it had tested in 2000. The EPA states that TBT is “extremely toxic to aquatic life” and is an endocrine disruptor in marine species. It is unknown whether this chemical can affect the health of babies.

• Superabsorbent diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, the same substance that was removed from tampons in 1985 due to an apparent link to toxic shock syndrome. No studies have been done on the long-term effects of this chemical on the reproductive health of our babies.


This EcoMOMs tip was brought to you by Dana Petersen Murphy, mom to Sabriel. You can contact me at dpmurphy@photokiva.com.

EcoMoms: September 2007



Doing our part for a healthier planet in Janesville, Wisconsin

DID YOU KNOW?

100 billion plastic shopping bags are used in the U.S. each year. Only 0.6% are recycled; the remainder end up in landfills, where it is estimated to take up to 1000 years for a bag to fully degrade.
Paper bags, while made from a renewable resource, are also problematic. They require more energy than plastic bags to produce and transport. In 1999, 14 million trees were cut down to manufacture the 10 billion paper grocery bags used by Americans.


WHAT MOMS CAN DO:

IDEA #1: Go canvas! Sidestep the paper-or-plastic issue altogether and bring your own canvas bags to the grocery store. They are sturdy, washable, and generate absolutely no waste! Buy several bags so you can keep a few in your car for unexpected trips to the store.

IDEA #2: Recycle your paper and plastic bags. Paper grocery bags can be recycled with your newspapers and placed in your recycling bin for city of Janesville curbside pick-up. Plastic bags are accepted for recycling at the Logli Supermarket. Pick ‘N Save on Center Ave. doesn’t offer bag recycling, but will give you a nickel off your bill for each bag that you bring in to be used again. Teach your child that recycling pays by letting them collect the money you save!


WHY IT'S IMPORTANT:

•Wisconsinites generate 4.6 million tons of waste each year. That equates to 4.7 pounds of trash per person every day. The amount of waste we are producing is growing twice as fast as our population and we could face shortages in available landfill space in the future.

•12 million barrels of oil are needed to manufacture all the plastic bags used in this country in a single year. Curbing our plastic bag habit could significantly decrease our dependence on foreign oil.

• If 25% of American families used just 10 fewer plastic bags each month, an estimated 2.5 billion bags could be kept out of the landfills each year.

• Thousands of marine animals die annually from ingesting plastic bags that turn up in our oceans and waterways.


This EcoMOMs tip was brought to you by Dana Petersen Murphy, mom to Sabriel. You can contact me at dpmurphy@photokiva.com.

EcoMoms: August 2007


Doing our part for a healthier planet in Janesville, Wisconsin

DID YOU KNOW?

The average grocery store’s produce travels nearly 1500 miles from the farm to your fridge.

WHAT MOMS CAN DO:

IDEA #1: Buy local! Summer is a great time to take advantage of the Janesville Farmer’s Market. You can meet the farmer who grew your food, pay affordable prices that actually help support the farmer and farm families, and teach your children where food really comes from. The Farmer’s Market runs from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. through October 27 between the 100 and 200 blocks of Main St.

Farm stands or farm markets are another great way to go local. Skelly’s Farm Market, at 2713 Hayner Road in Janesville, is open from 9-6. They also operate 3 farm stands in Janesville and one in Edgerton. More information can be found at www.skellysfarmmarket.com. Meyer’s Farm Market is also open from 9-6 daily, at 1329 E. M-H Townline Road in Milton. You can find local produce and all-natural local beef at Basics Cooperative, 1221 Woodman Road, just off of Milton Ave. You might also consider buying a share of a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm. As a member, you receive a box of farm-fresh produce every week or every-other-week during the Wisconsin growing season.

IDEA #2: Grow your own veggies. This can be a great learning experience for the whole family. The distance from the “farm” to your fridge could be measured in feet instead of miles! For ideas, peruse the sites at www.organicgardening.com or www.cdcg.org/goOrganic.html.

WHY IT'S IMPORTANT:

•Transporting food such vast distances results in increased burning of fossil fuel. Fossil fuel releases pollutants into the atmosphere, contributing to climate change, acid rain, smog, and air pollution.

•Food processors use a great deal of packaging to keep food fresh for the amount of time it takes to transport it. Excess packaging means more waste in our landfills, waste that does not go away.

•Fresh food from local farms is healthier because it doesn’t spend days in transit, during which time nutrient loss is occurring. There is also less chance of wilt and rot happening.

•We are losing small farms in this country at an alarming rate. The U.S. loses TWO ACRES of farmland each MINUTE. By buying local, you support farms and farm families in our area and help prevent rural communities from disappearing.

•When you purchase food at the grocery store, only 3.5 CENTS of each dollar actually ends up in the farmer’s pocket. In contrast, if you buy from a farm stand or market, most if not all of your money spent goes directly to the farmer.



This EcoMOMs tip was brought to you by Dana Petersen Murphy, mom to Sabriel, 18 months. You can contact me at dpmurphy@photokiva.com.