Getting Around

My first semester of college I took a microeconomics course. I learned a lot from this class but one of the biggest things I took away was the following.

"When traffic is congested, each driver is imposing a cost on all other drivers on the road --he is literally getting in their way (and they are getting in his way.) This cost can be substantial: in major metropolitan areas, each time someone drives to work, as opposed to taking public transportation or working at home, he can easily impose $15 or more in hidden costs on other drivers." - Microeconomics by Paul Krugman and Robin Wells

In that class I also learned that "You don't need to know this," means, "You need to know this," in professor speak, and that you should never enter a jungle alone (I don't remember why, but I wrote it down in my notes).

The point is, I had never really thought about the negative economical factors involved with automobiles. The environmental impact is something I've always known is terrible. Automobile driving is a major cause of:

1. Global Warming: Carbon dioxide emissions from autos are the largest contributor to global warming.
2. Air Pollution: Automobiles produce nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and particulate matter that contribute to smog and respiratory illnesses.
3. Water Pollution: Automobile manufacturing, gas and oil production, road runoff of fuel, oil and antifreeze, underground gasoline storage tanks and marine oil spills all pollute our water.
4. Habitat Destruction: Oil drilling, metals mining and road construction all damage wildlife habitat.
5. International Conflict: Nations compete over oil reserves. The US currently imports 48% of its oil -- the highest levels ever. Many analysts ties this oil dependency to the hundreds of billions we have spent on Persian Gulf wars.

Americans drive an average of 231 miles per week, which comes out to about 12,000 miles per year. For a car with average miles per gallon (21), this is 571 gallows of gasoline annually. Given that every gallon of gasoline used emits 20 pounds of CO2, that means our cars are emitting 11,420 pounds of CO2 each year. The Union of Concerned Scientists stated, "personal use of cars and light trucks (including pickups and SUVs) is the single most damaging consumer behavior." In fact, the most significant change an individual could make toward reducing their carbon footprint is to cut down on how much they drive. Here's how:

Lastly, be a considerate and cautious driver. Fast accelerates and decelerations are damaging to your vehicle and the environment. Moral of the story: Be the tortoise, not the hare. In this classic children's tale, the tortoise proved that slow and steady won the race. The arrogant hare who burst from the gates and slams on his breaks for a rest proves that being a jerk never got anyone anywhere. Or at least that's what I got out of it.

How do you cut back on your car time?

12 Weeks of Wellness: Freshen

We're more than halfway through our 12 weeks of wellness; this week we'll focus on the home and making your space safe, stress-free zone where you can find relaxation and comfort.

To freshen your space in a sustainable way, check out my Greening your Home Posts: Part 1 and Part 2

This week freshen: nest and take care of your space

The Perfect Ten: Mani-Pedi for the Earth Angel

I love going to the nail salon to get pampered, I'm sure I'm not the only one. It's a little splurge that helps me relax and results in beautiful digits. Unfortunately, mani-pedis are not very Earth-friendly and, with the exception of the relaxed feeling that results, they aren't very good for your body either. Just like so many other things that I love, I must add them to the bad list and replace them with an Earth-friendly option. (Yes, there is another way!)

Here's the deal, the process from start to finish is chemical city. The pedicure sinks they soak your feet in must be disinfected using harsh, nonbiodegradable chemicals. Tools are shared between customers. It's a green goddess' nightmare (I just learned that green goddess is also a salad dressing, so I do not mean this nightmare to involve withered vegetables or anything like that, but hopefully the context was enough so you new that).

Über Chic is an eco-friendly salon in Edgewater, CO

On top of this the products used specifically for nails (at the salon or at home) go directly to your bloodstream (do not pass the liver, do not collect $200). It turns out that while your nails are hard, they are absorbent and therefore do not form good barriers (you might say they form better windows than doors).

Many nail polishes contain formaldehyde, which as you might remember from Cleanliness is Next to Godliness: Hair, is a carcinogen with many undesirable qualities. Dibutylphthalate is another common ingredients. See the phthalate hiding in that word? It's another carcinogen and a hormone disruptor. The dibutyl form is a potential reproductive toxin and endocrine disruptor. You may also find the volatile organic carbon toluene, which is a neurotoxin.

Piggy Paint is a harsh-chemical free nail polish marketed for children, with ingredients as natural as mud.

The removers aren't much better. According to the National Institutes of Health, acetone is a poison which can cause death; coma; unconsciousness; seizure; respiratory distress; kidney damage; nose, throat, lung and eye irritation; intoxication; headaches; fatigue; stupor; light-headedness; dizziness; confusion; increased pulse rate; nausea; vomiting; and shortening of the menstrual cycle in women. Most nail polish now state they are "non-acetone" but what do they replace this nail polish removing miracle poison with? Acetate.

It may be listed as ethyl acetate, amyl acetate or butyl acetate. It's not as bad as the original stuff (acetone) but the fact that it's "flammable" and the "vapor may ignite" and warns me to "keep out of eyes" and that it's "harmful to synthetic fabrics, wood finishes, and plastics, makes me wonder, "If it's not safe for my table how is it possibly safe for me?"

No Miss Inc. sells  healthy alternatives to beauty products at an affordable price.

What about the Earth? Good point, observant reader, I have not begun to discuss the impact these products have on the Earth. When nail polish and remover go down the drain they seep into and contaminate groundwater. Additionally, while the bottles are technically recyclable, the vast majority of nail polish bottles end up in the landfills where they leach out.

Now what!? Don't cancel your appointment yet, as always I have solutions for your beauty needs.

• Check your city and regional magazines for local green salons and spas.
• Call or stop by some local salons and ask them the following questions:
• Do you use and carry eco-friendly products? Check ingredients and make sure you would use understand the ingredients.
• Do you employ water-saving practices, such as reusing rinse water?
• Do you use energy-efficient equipment?
• Do you use natural cleaning products and laundry detergents? Refer to greening your home part 3: cleaning supplies for information about what to look for.
• Do you recycle?
• Do you offer other eco-friendly services? They may not always use eco-friendly practices but they may offer services to people who ask.
• Consider skipping color and opting for a simply buff and shine treatment (the unnatural color just chips away in a few days anyway).
• If you love color, only use polishes which do not contain toluene, phthalates, or formaldehyde. You can find some at:
• Spa Ritual
• Firozé
• No Miss
• Piggy Paint - children's polish
• Make sure your remover is acetone- and acetate-free. Try No Miss Vegan Nail Polish Remover (smells like vanilla!). While more and more salons are offering earth-friendly nail polishes, the remover is harder to find so take your color off at home.

What earth-friendly products do you use for a perfect ten?

12 Weeks of Wellness: Nourish

Last week I talked about nourishing your body through eating more vegetables. This week (the 6th week of wellness) nourish your body through something other than food. This is important on multiple levels. We eat when we're hungry yes, but many people also eat when they're thirsty, tired, watching TV or just when they're bored. Discovering another way to use your time will not only distract you from the feeling of wanting to eat, but it will enrich your life.

This week nourish: focus on something other than food that fills you up

Click the week for more information on each of these topics that are important to your wellness:

Feedback Loops: Cynicism and Hope

Colorado is experiencing 1000 year flooding. The damage and destruction is unbelievable. My dad keeps saying that word, "Un---believable," or, "Un---freaking---believable!" It reminds me of the movie, The Princess Bride, the character Vizzini keeps saying, "Inconceivable!" until finally Inigo Montoya says, "You keep saying this word, I do not think it means what you think it means." Only in this case, with my dad, he knows what it means and it's the best word to describe these disasters.

I know one storm cannot be definitively linked to climate change and it will take months of research to determine if climate change caused this storm to be more likely to occur. I can't help but speculate that it is likely to have catalyzed  this, and all the other monster natural disasters that have occurred recently around the world. Storms of these calibers did not occur so frequently in history.

When things like this disaster happen we look at the world's problems and have good intentions, we wish the problems will go away but when we see they stubbornly remain we react as if they are happening in a movie. People continue to starve, communities fall apart, violence thrives, families fade, nature disappears, and those unaffected continue in their daily lives.

At this point there are two options: hope and cynicism.

Diagrams adapted from A Better World Handbook by Ellis Jones, Ross Haenfler and Brett Johnson

The cycle of cynicism can be broken and replaced with a cycle of hope. When we find out about a problem that disturbs us, and when we decide we want to help, instead of giving up when we see no options, we should search for more information. We take actions that are in line with our own values, the vision of a better world can become a reality. If we stop blaming others for not doing anything and start taking personal responsibility for being good people. Finally, it's important to recognize that we can't do everything, otherwise we may fall back into a cycle of cynicism.

In ecology we talk about feedback loops. A positive feedback loop continues to build on itself. For example, climate change is a positive feedback loop: As temperatures warms, there is less snow and ice, this leads to more sunlight being absorbed by the land and the sea, which leads in turn to further warming. A negative feedback loop is a system that is kept in equilibrium such as the relationship between predator and prey populations: As the predators population increases they catch more and more prey causing the prey population to decline. With fewer prey to catch, predators begin to die off leaving a greater opportunity for the prey to regenerate their population. Now there are again more prey so the predator population increases again, forever and ever.

Both the cycles of hope and cynicism are positive feedback loops; one leads to apathy and the other leads to a better world. Which loop will you pick?

12 Weeks of Wellness: Boost

I love vegetables! I think they are crisp and refreshing and vegetables provide nutrients vital for health and maintenance of your body. So add a few more to your diet throughout this, the 5th week on our journey toward wellness.

Tips:

There are many ways you can introduce more veggies into your diet. I will list a few here but for a printable list you can hang on your refrigerator click here.

• Buy vegetables in season, when they are cheapest and at the peak of their flavor.
• Stock up on frozen veggies that are simply a microwave zap away from eating.
• Plan meals around vegetables, like a stir-fry, add other food to supplement.
• Try a veggie salad for a meal.
• Add shredded zucchini and carrots to meatloaf, casserole, quick bread and muffins.
• Make your vegetables more appealing by serving them with dip.

This week boost: make sure to eat at least three vegetables each day

Click the week for more information on each of these topics that are important to your wellness.

Cleanliness is Next to Godliness - Hair Care

You may have heard that a "green" beauty routine is no beauty routine at all. For extremists this is probably true, but I'm not an extremist: I like my skin to feel soft, I like my hair to shine, I like playing with makeup. If you are like me and want your eco-friendly lifestyle to continue into the bathroom (or wherever your beauty regimen takes place) then read on. If you aren't like me you can still read on, we don't discriminate here.

Here at Maggie's Mind Mumbles, I frequently discuss that what we're putting IN our bodies should be whole, unprocessed foods. For the products we put ON our bodies can affect us just as much, if not more. While it seems as if the products like lotion and makeup sit on the surface of the skin or products are washed away as with soap and shampoo, the chemicals are actually absorbed directly into the bloodstream without being detoxified in the liver.

With that said, we'll start at the top and work our way down. Today...

Hair

Your lovely locks are the accessory you wear everyday so it's understandable that you want your hair to look nice and you want to use products that promote beautiful hair.

Look at the ingredients list on most shampoo bottles. You may find these invading your bottle:

Not only are these, and the other chemicals I haven't listed here, damaging your body but they are also wrecking havoc on the environment. Additionally, these shampoos are often sold in PVC bottles (I really need to write a blog about why PVC is the worst because it keeps coming up and I keep having to just ask you to take my word for it).

So to help you remember not to buy products with these ingredients I have crafted a downloadable cheat sheet that will fit in your wallet. That way you won't have to try to remember these scary names.

Aided with your cheat sheet you can find plenty of shampoos that don't contain offending ingredients but will still leave you with hair that is smooth, strong and shiny. Oh, and smells good too, that's an important one. You can find healthy shampoos at health food stores, the organic section of most supermarkets and some are even finding their way into drugstores. They range in price from cheap to steep.

Source: http://www.collegefashion.net/

I currently use Alba Botanica body builder mango. I found it in the shampoo aisle at a Safeway (conventional grocery store). The bottle was paid from 100% recyclable materials and it is free of all the harmful ingredients listed above. It also smells like a Hawai'ian rainforest and costs less than $10. I condition with a rare treasure I happened across on a quick bathroom break on my way to work. I remembered I needed conditioner so I picked some up. Ology is a Walgreens brand free of bad guys and loaded with good guys. I grabbed the volumizing and softening grapefruit and eucalyptus (can you tell that my hair needs more volume?) It's pretty great and for $6 I can't complain.

Other great brands include:

• Hugo - try Vanilla & Sweet Orange Shampoo
• Aubrey Organics - Honeysuckle Rose Conditioner is fabulous
• Burt's Bees - Terrific shampoos and conditioners
• John Masters Organics - Have yet to try these friend recommended shampoos and conditioners
• Tween Beauty - I know I'm totes not the target demographic but I want all my BFFs to try Orange Sherbet Shampoo and Vanilla Bean Conditioner LOL

Just a few tips - check that the package is made from recycled materials (I will never stop saying this), be sure that the label says certified organic because organic is not a regulated term in the beauty world and make sure you like the scent (that probably goes with out saying but there are some ick smelling healthy shampoos out there).

Which shampoo and conditioner can you not live without?

12 Weeks of Wellness: Unplug

It's the 4th week of wellness and we're focusing on how we can unplug from distractions such as technology.

Modern technology is wonderful in many ways. We can communicate with friends and family all around the world. We can get instant updates about world news, sports and events. There are thousands of facets to boost creativity. Job searches have never been easier. Research can be done with a click of a mouse. But with great power comes great responsibility. We have so many things we need to check and update and learn about and watch and read and on and on and on that sometimes we forget about the things happening around us, in the real world outside of cyberspace.

This week unplug: disconnect from unnecessary technology

Click the week for more information on why these are important to your wellness