My Green Project

My name is Ilana and I am currently a senior in high school. Through the month of October, I am participating in the Project Green Challenge at http://projectgreenchallenge.com/about . I hope to gain a better understanding of my impact on the environment and how it impacts me. On this blog I will record the projects I complete, and what they (hopefully) teach me. Each day of the project is tagged with its number, so search 1 for day 1, etc. I hope you enjoy learning about this as much as I do!

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This blog is  example of the work I did this month. There were many more projects that didn't make it up here, but I think this gives an overview of the work I did. This project has honestly changed my view so much. At stores, I look at ingredients on food and in my products and avoid extremely processed or chemical-filled items. Even just walking around with my friends or packing lunch, I'm careful to reduce and recycle as much as possible, even if it's a little extra effort. I am using more reusable bags and materials to shop and pack my lunch, and overall I am more aware of my impact.

I'm so glad I did this project because I know it is helping me to live a healthier, more conscious lifestyle! I started this because of my interest in environmental science, and I think it's been a good start to step outside society's bubble and see the impact we have on the earth, and it has on us. I have a lot more to learn, but I'm on the right path!

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Exciting!

I was one of the winners for more challenges! I was a winner for the Packaged Food Greener challenge, which can be viewed at http://goinggreenproject.tumblr.com/post/33469519087/day-12-greener-project and then today I received an email that I was a winner for both the Greener and Greenest challenges for Organic Cotton! Woo! Those posts can be viewed at http://goinggreenproject.tumblr.com/post/34035145637/day-19-greener-project-pick-10-15-cotton-products and http://goinggreenproject.tumblr.com/post/34035670761/day-19-greenest-project-1-find-an-item-in-your .

Also, I recently made the switch from Jif peanut butter to all-natural made only with peanuts after learning what was in my food, and I find myself constantly checking ingredient lists to see what weird chemicals are in my food before I decide whether to eat it. This project has really been changing the way I look at things I took for granted before.

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Day 20- Greener Project

-  Share five things in the course of your day that cause stress in your life.

School

Sports (Cross country and track)

College applications

Time management

Parental expectations

-  Share five ways that you reduce stress that really make a difference.

Go for a run!

Yoga

Meditation

Make a list so I know I’ll get everything done

Read a book and listen to music

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Day 20- Green Project

Today's theme was wellness.

The first project today was simple--share your favorite inspirational quote! I chose one of my favorites from running:

“Good, Better, Best. Never let it rest until your good is better, and your better is best!”

-Tim Duncan

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Day 19- Greenest Project

1. Find an item in your closet that is made of conventional cotton to bring this challenge to life. Take a photo. Caption the photo with information about two pesticides that might have been used on the cotton that made this item, and share two environmental and health impacts for each pesticide. 

(photo above). I have a TON of these 100% cotton t-shirts from four years of running track and cross country. You can buy or win them at almost every meet, and we have at least one meet each week. Some common pesticides used on cotton are Acephate and Aldicarb.

Inhalation of Acephate can cause convulsions, dizziness, sweating, laboured breathing, nausea, pupillary constriction, muscle cramp, and excessive salivation. Ingestion can cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. It is a known/probable carcinogen, known groundwater pollutant and known reproductive or developmental toxicant. When released into the environment, it can affect growth and behavior or even cause mortality for animals.

Aldicarb has the same effects as Acephate for inhalation and ingestion. Aldicarb is a highly acutely toxic, cholinesterase inhibitor, known/probable carcinogen, known groundwater pollutant and known reproductive or developmental toxicant. It is especially known to cause endocrine disruption. When released into the environment, it affects the growth, development, behavior, and biochemistry of animals, and can cause mortality.

2. Now, find an alternative to this item that is made of organic cotton! Snap or find a photo of that item. Caption with the brand, and where you found it. Research sustainable farming methods for cotton that could have been used to produce this product without pesticides, and cite resources that you used to find your information.

Alternative: ORGANIC cotton t-shirts!

At altahemp.com you can purchase all kinds of cool organic clothing, including t-shirts! Organic cotton does not involve the use of pesticides or herbicides or any other chemical including GMOs.

The soil is kept rich by crop rotation and allowance of some natural biodiversity, excluding dangerous weeds. This helps cut down on wasting water, because fertilized fields that don’t sustain the soil’s natural fertility generally need a lot of irrigation. Instead of herbicides, weeds are picked by hand. Insects are sometimes drawn away by putting a more appetizing plant nearby, or other insects that aren’t harmful to the plant are introduced to take care of the destructive insects. Some farms are blocked off underground to prevent chemical run-off from affecting the organically grown cotton.

There are some natural pesticides, such as a mixture of garlic and soap, and intercropping is also sometimes used. This is where secondary crops are grown between and around small plots of cotton. These form a barrier against the boll weevils, which can’t smell their favorite snack—cotton-- through the extra plants. (These secondary crops may also provide another cash crop or food for the farmers, a useful backup in case of a poor cotton harvest.)

Resources:

http://www.pesticideinfo.org/List_ChemicalsAlpha.jsp

http://www.toxicfreenc.org/informed/pdfs/Cotton_chems.pdf

http://forcechange.com/8504/encourage-more-sustainable-cotton-farming-and-textile-practices/

http://www.peopletree.co.uk/content/32/organic-cotton-fibre

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Day 19- Greener Project

Pick 10-15 cotton products that are part of your everyday life and find an organic cotton alternative, photograph or find an image of each. Caption with the product name, brand, and website where you found it (note: include 4 designers who make clothing from organic cotton, and have the rest of your pins span as many product categories as possible). Share two facts that you learned and could pass on to inform and educate friends about the impacts of conventional cotton. 

Organic Cotton Alternatives to Everyday Products

1.T-shirts

Alternative: Organic Cotton and Organic Hemp T-shirts

By Shirt Magic and Alta Hemp, a company that sells quality organic cotton T-shirts, hemp T-shirts and clothing on line for over 14 years. They are sweatshop free and use only eco-friendly non-toxic water base inks! These T-shirts aren’t boring either, just look at the cool earth shirt above! http://altahemp.com/index.html

2.Jeans

Alternative: Unisex Organic Hemp Jeans, Organic Cotton Jeans, & Denim Work Dungarees

By Rawganique.com , a website that  offers sweatshop-free, chemical-free, cruelty-free hemp products that are made with love in USA, Canada, Europe, & Thailand. We do not test any of our products on animals; except for cruelty-free wool bedding & socks, our eco-friendly products are also 100% vegetarian & vegan.

http://www.rawganique.com/

3.Workout clothes

Alternative: Workout Clothes made with Organic Cotton, such as this “Studio Top” By Gaiam, a company that makes its clothing with Organic Cotton, is a Fair Trade company, and uses Green Packaging!

http://www.gaiam.com/

4.Sweaters/Sweatshirts

Alternative: Organic Cotton Pullover Hoodie

By econscious, which creates the finest quality products using carefully sourced organic and sustainable fibers. econscious has established a market-based approach to sustainable manufacturing, working closely with their supply chain, treating workers fairly, and eliminating the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers and other harmful chemicals. They also create custom products; their design and production teams can and will work with you to develop and manufacture products to your exact specifications. http://www.econscious.net/

5.Feminine products

Alternative: 100% Organic Cotton Products

By ORGAN(Y)C. Unlike most feminine care brands, Organ(y)c contains no synthetics, no SAPs and no wood pulp.  For good hygiene, they bleach only in hydrogen peroxide, a naturally occurring disinfectant. (Oh yeah, did you know that most feminine products are bleached??? Not ok with me!)

http://www.organyc-online.com/

6.Q-tips

Alternative: Maxim Organic Cotton Rounds

By Maxim Organic and Natural, whose products provide the most intimate personal care by using the most Natural, Soft and Safe materials. The methods and materials used in manufacturing their products help preserve our global environment. Maxim Organic Cotton Rounds are made with 100% Certified Organic Cotton. Their organic cotton is pesticide free, and is whitened and disinfected with Hydrogen Peroxide instead of Chlorine to avoid creating harmful chemical Dioxin residues. They don’t use any irritating materials like Petrochemical byproducts, Viscose/Rayon or Perfume found. All of these qualities combined make their cotton rounds Hypoallergenic. (Found through the American Environmental Health Foundation)

https://www.aehf.com/product.php?productid=1789

7.Towels

Alternative: Organic Cotton Towels

By Coyuchi. Coyuchi Organics is a Northern California company that uses only 100% organically grown cotton to create their beautiful products including adult, baby and bath linens. Coyuchi Organics have been recognized for their environmentally friendly endeavors and received the United Nations Second Annual Fashion Industry Award for Environmental Excellence. In addition to reducing pollutants that are causing global warming, Coyuchi Organics is supporting local farmers. They receive their cotton from small farms, giving jobs to many farmers that would be forced out of work due to the heavy commercialization of farming around the world. All the organic cotton for Coyuchi products is grown in India by family farmers organized in cooperatives. Premium prices are paid to these small-scale growers for their organic cotton fiber because this encourages organic practices that protect not only the environment, but the farmers, their families, and their communities from exposure to toxic agricultural chemicals. (Found through the Ultimate Green Store) http://www.theultimategreenstore.com/p-1016-organic-cotton-towels-7-67.aspx

8.Painting canvases

Alternative: Organic Cotton/Hemp Canvas By NearSea Naturals. They use eco-friendly supplies (soy toner, 100% recycled, high-PCW-content paper, etc), and recycle, reuse, or rehome things they can no longer use. They encourage working from home where possible (obviously, cutting fabric requires being on-site; web work does not...), etc. They are also active in education and advocacy work; for instance, with fifteen years of service, NearSea's managing partner Daniel Sanders is the only remaining original board member of the Sustainable Cotton Project. And, of course, they are incredibly careful when it comes to sourcing the materials they sell. Their organic cotton fabrics and notions are primarily milled in the United States using certified organic cotton. Their organic wool products are also from the United States, primarily from California, New Mexico, and throughout the East Coast. Their organic merino wool comes from California and Australia. Their hemp fabrics are from socially-responsible facilities in China, while their yarns, notions, and useable goods come from various sustainable enterprises worldwide. http://www.nearseanaturals.com/index.php

9.Pillows

Alternative: GoodNight Organic Cotton Pillows By GoodNight; their pillows are made with the safest ingredients available: Organic Cotton, Buckwheat, 100% Virgin Wool and Kapok. Each pillow is stuffed and sewn by hand to ensure only the highest quality. They use only natural and chemical free fibers that are breathable and completely safe! http://www.goodnightnaturals.com/index.html

10.Cards

Alternative: John Muir 8 Organic Cotton Card Variety Pack By Green Field Paper Company, these cards are made from 100% recycled organically grown cotton, and are accompanied by quality hemp envelopes. Green Field Paper in San Diego has been producing specialty papers for over a decade. Organic cotton, hemp and other fibers are incorporated into the papers produced by this artisan mill. http://www.greenfieldpaper.com/

11.Body Wash

Alternative: ORGAN(Y)C Natural Intimate Wash By ORGAN(Y)C, this is made with organic cottonseed oil. It contains no SLES and SLS, no coloring, no parabens, no synthetic parfumes, no preservatives (natural preservative agents). The natural substances and vegetal active principles contained in this new intimate wash ensure the greatest respect of your health and the environment. Calendula extract with excellent soothing properties, and blueberry extracts with refreshing and normalizing virtues, make this product suitable also for the most sensitive skin, while lactic acid helps to stabilize the pH in order to avoid irritations. http://www.organyc-online.com/

12.Mattresses

Alternative: Naturepedic Serenade Mattress (Queen Size) By Naturepedic, who follows the precautionary principle and eliminates questionable chemicals in the first place. Naturepedic also avoids the use of certain conventional mattress materials such as vinyl/PVC and polyurethane foam in favor of materials such as organic cotton, organic latex rubber and organic wool. In addition, Naturepedic eliminates perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs), questionable fire retardant chemicals, and antibacterial biocides. http://www.naturepedic.com/index.php

13.Cotton balls

Alternative: 100% Organic Cotton Balls By Green Cradle, 100% Organic cotton balls are grown without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides or fertilizers, sewage sludge, irradiation, or genetic engineering. Green Cradle specializes in organic and all natural health & body care, clothing, mattresses, bedding, toys, furniture and a host of other products for children, pregnancy, and the whole family. Their other specialties are research and sharing the scientific information they’ve collected concerning the health benefits of truly 'green' products. Their goal is to offer families products that not only say ORGANIC or ALL NATURAL on their labels, but actually contain no chemicals, no synthetic preservatives, no harmful dyes, no hidden plastics, no toxic fire retardants, no formaldehyde-leaching pressed woods etc. http://www.greencradle.com/welcome-a/138.htm

14.Paper Towels

Alternative: PeopleTowels PeopleTowels, an on-the-go alternative to paper towels, are reusable personal hand towels that make going green as easy as drying your hands. Made only of 100% organic Fair Trade Cotton.  B.Y.O.Towel to save trees, reduce landfill waste, cut CO2 emissions and conserve water!

https://www.peopletowels.com/

15.Restorative Yoga Mat

Alternative: Organic Cotton Mat & Cover Set By Gaiam, this yoga mat is super cushioned and comfortable. The pure organic cotton shell is stuffed with organic cotton batting that's hand tufted for an extra supportive surface your back and joints will appreciate. Includes one organic cotton cover. http://www.gaiam.com/

So why is normal cotton so bad??

Normal cotton is treated with tons of chemicals such as herbicides and pesticides, which then end up in the surrounding environment and in the clothes on our bodies. Cotton is also often bleached and then dyed with artificial coloring and sometimes fire-retardant chemicals! All of this goes on our skin when we wear it. Organic cotton does not contain these chemicals. Because of this, it has been known to benefit people with sensitive skin or eczema, and is great for babies’ soft skin. And overall, I know I would feel better knowing my clothes didn’t contain all these chemicals! Cotton is used in so many different products that it is important to look for organic alternatives in order to reduce chemical exposure.

(note: I couldn't add all the photos through tumblr for each product because there are too many but most are in the photoset at the top!)

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Day 19- Green Project

Theme: Organic Cotton

Do some research on the web and write an informative definition for organic cotton and cite two resources.

My Definition: Organic cotton’s differences from normal cotton start with the seed. The seeds are not treated with fungicides or insecticides, and are required to be GMO free by federal regulation in the US. The soil for the seeds is not treated with fertilizers, but is kept strong and healthy through crop rotation. Herbicides are not used while the plant is growing, so weeds are taken out by hand. Pesticides are not used, but instead use other plants to lure pests away, or use beneficial insects to get rid of the bad ones that eat the plant. Also, no chemicals are used in harvesting. Organic farming replenishes the soil fertility, so that cotton can be grown for a long time without depleting the soil of nutrients. All cotton sold as organic in the United States must meet strict federal regulations covering how the cotton is grown.

Resources:

Organic Trade Association: http://www.ota.com/organic/mt/organic_cotton.html

AboutOrganicCotton.com http://www.aboutorganiccotton.org/OCdiff.html

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Day 18- Greener Project

- Take a photo of ALL the electronics you own or use on a daily basis. Include the product name, brand, and how long you have had it. (Think cell phones, computers, tablets, calculators, alarm clocks, music players...)

(Picture above)

Laptop (4 years), iHome (5 years), iPod (3 years), phone (1 year), school flash drive (.5 years), alarm clock (1 year), and the clicker for the car (2 years). My iPod has internet access as well as the ability to download tons of apps, so it generally takes the place of calculator, calendar, e-reader, TV, etc. My previous alarm clock I had had for at least 5 years, but unfortunately it broke recently.

- Next, watch our video of the day, The Story of Electronics (http://www.storyofstuff.org/movies-all/story-of-electronics/), created by Annie Leonard. 

- After watching the video share the three most important facts you learned,

1.Almost all electronics contain toxic materials that can be harmful to people and the planet. This includes lead, mercury, and brominated flame-retardants. Some electronics contain heavy metals like cadmium, beryllium, hexavalent chromium, or arsenic, which have been shown to build up in our bodies and the environment.

2.Each year we make 25 million tons of e-waste, which gets broken, burnt, or recycled, usually at the cost of releasing the toxins that went into them into the environment.

3.Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), also called "Producer Takeback," is a system where manufacturers take responsibility for the environmentally safe management of their product when it is no longer useful or discarded. This would cause them to create materials that are easily recyclable and keep waste costs down.

- Now look at the inventory you created, tell us about two products that are guilty of the “designed for the dump” mentality and why. - Upload a photo of each and caption with your information.

My iPod is a perfect example of “designed for the dump” mentality. Apple is constantly creating new and supposedly better products. In fact, about four months after I had bought this, they came out with the first iPod Touches to have cameras! I have stuck with this one for about three years, but recently the speaker on it broke, and apps have been crashing more frequently. For now, it works well enough that I’m not planning on getting a new one, but this iPod is remarkably sturdy compared to the newer ones. Newer models are even flimsier, and break down so quickly that people are forced to buy the new product. The push for newer, better products and the bad quality of existing products make this completely designed for the dump.

My cell phone is called an LG Extrovert, and is through Verizon. I do not have a data plan on my phone, but Verizon specifically sets up phones so that you are offered a free “upgrade” about every two years. Of course, the upgrade only covers certain phones, and you are often prompted to just buy a new one. This is “designed for the dump” mentality because the phones are designed to only last about two years, at which time people take advantage of the upgrade. Instead of all this waste, if phones were made to last they could be used for many years without being thrown away all the time. New phones also generally have cool new features, which prompts people to want the next big thing.

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Day 18- Green Project

Theme: TECH

Take to the web and find 5 businesses that are making more eco conscious electronics for consumers. Share one fact about how they are rethinking the design of their products to reduce toxic components, and share one way they are ensuring that their products are being disposed of in an ethical, environmentally friendly way.

1.Hewlett Packard (HP) Media Center offers a compact computer hooked up with television, TiVo, stereo, and a DVD player. Putting these products all into one lessens the amount of electronic products bought. HP also offers trade-in values on older models so you can upgrade with them for less. HP actually has several of their own recycling facilities to ensure correct and efficient disposal.

2.Nokia leads the way on eliminating toxic chemicals, since the end of 2005 all new models of mobiles are free of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and all new components to be free of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) from the start of 2007.

3.IBM has been measuring, managing, and voluntarily reporting on its environmental impact for more than 20 years. It says it has conserved 5.4 million kilowatt-hours of electricity over that time, cutting its CO₂ emissions and saving the company more than $400 million in the process. Energy efficiency and conservation is a “business no-brainer,” says Wayne Balta, a vice president who oversees sustainability at IBM. But the company has extended its eco-savvy far beyond its own operations—for instance, providing software that helps customers identify energy-saving efficiencies at an office campus.

4.Lenovo, which bought IBM's consumer electronics division in 2005 offers take-back services in all the nations where its products are sold. This means it will recycle any broken or obsolete own-brand product returned to it.

5.Round2 is making great strides toward a meaningful goal: zero electronics in landfills. More than any other e-cycling company, Round2 recycles valuable elements and raw materials from all kinds of electronic and corporate equipment—and makes discarding devices the green way financially attractive to big businesses, too. Given the high turnover rate of our digital gear, it’s a significant achievement to have electronics recycled rather than simply discarded. And, by doing all of its operations in the U.S. (rather than shipping the work overseas), Round2 has a smaller carbon footprint than other e-cycling companies.

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Day 16- Greener Project

Take the list that you just made for the Green Challenge and pick your top ten. Create a before and after graphic: Before is the conventional product that you listed. After is the conscious alternative that you find. Caption the conscious product telling us why the switch will lessen your impact on the earth. 

1.Before: Tissues

After: Handkerchiefs

Handkerchiefs are a more environmentally-friendly product because they are not thrown away after every use. This would greatly cut back on my paper waste because handkerchiefs can be washed and used again.

2.Before: Napkins

After: Cloth napkins

Cloth napkins are a great alternative to paper ones because they can be washed and reused. This cuts back on unnecessary paper waste.

3.Before: Calendars

After: Electronic calendars

Unlike paper calendars, electronic ones can be reused year after year without having to throw anything away!

4.Before: Toilet Paper

After: Bidet Toilet

Toilet paper was a tough issue to approach because although it’s only been around for a little, it’s very ingrained into our daily routine and society. Obviously cloth pieces could be used and washed, but really who wants to wash that? I eventually came across something called a “Bidet Toilet.” These have become very popular in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, and cut back greatly on toilet paper waste. Essentially, the toilet sprays water to wash, and is much gentler than rough paper. Coincidentally, bidet toilets help conserve water, since bidets use less water than is used in paper production. Bidet toilets, then, provide a sustainable and hygienic alternative to toilet paper. I have to admit that the idea freaks me out a little after using toilet paper my whole life, but it would definitely be worth a try!

5.Before: Newspapers

After: Online news sites

Reading newspapers online would help to lessen the amount of paper waste that is thrown away each day.

6.Before: Lined Paper

After: Recycled paper

I use lined paper daily in school to take notes, and it can create a lot of paper waste. The alternative that I found to ordinary lined paper is a company called “Roaring Springs Paper Products.” They make all kinds of paper products from recycled paper, sugarcane fiber paper, and poo paper! They have reduced their landfill waste by 99% and by producing sugarcane paper they help preserve over 60,000 acres of forestland every year, and they are an American owned company. Although any form of recycled paper is better than ordinary lined paper, this company is stellar.

7.Before: Wrapping Paper

After: Newspaper, maps, pottery, bag, gifts….

This is more focused on reusing products, but instead of using new wrapping paper find other ways to use what you have! Try wrapping with newspaper or old maps, present a present inside a piece of pottery or a reusable bag, or even wrap a gift in another gift! All of these will cut back on the amount of paper wasted in buying brand new wrapping paper. (You can even save wrapping paper someone else gives you on a gift and reuse it!)

8.Before: Mail

After: Unsubscribe!

Although I don’t sign up to get junk mail, it is sent from many different companies to my family. Like most people, we’ll simply throw it away. However, the best thing to do to prevent wasteful junk mail is to remove yourself from their list the first time you receive anything. That way, they won’t continue to send papers that only end up in the trash.

9.Before: Sticky Note Pads

After: Reusable sticky notes

Did you know reusable sticky notes existed? Me neither! Sticky notes can be extremely useful, but also extremely wasteful. These reusable ones save a lot of that waste. Scribble and stick them to any surface you like (i.e. fringe, monitor, wall, book etc.) When done, just simply flip up the transparent sheet to erase. This portable product can also be puzzled (or stick) together to form bigger writing pad. Great for fridge reminders and expiration info, bookmarks, brain storming sessions, shopping list and daily task reminders, while being good for the environment!

10.Before: Books

After: E-Readers

Although books are not wasteful in that they are thrown away, a lot of resources are put into creating and developing them. I have always loved books, and practically have a mini library in my room. Switching to eBooks would save a lot of paper and the resources used to develop and print on that paper.

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Day 16- Green Project

This day's theme was Paper

Please provide a definition for each of these terms and get a sense of what conscious paper means. 

-  Pre consumer waste- a material that was discarded before it was ready for consumer use. Pre-consumer waste is the reintroduction of manufacturing scrap (such as trimmings from paper production, defective aluminum cans, etc.) back into the manufacturing process. Pre-consumer waste is commonly used in manufacturing industries, and is often not considered recycling in the traditional sense.

-  Post consumer waste- material discarded after someone uses it. Post-consumer waste has served its intended purpose, passed through the hands of a final consumer, and has been discarded for disposal or recovery. Quite commonly, it is simply the garbage that individuals routinely discard, either in the trash can or a dump, or by littering, incinerating, or pouring down the drain. In the case of paper, pre-consumer waste would be that which was printed but never used. Such as newspapers that were never bought by a consumer. Post-consumer waste in this example would be the newspaper that was bought and read and then discarded.

-  Virgin paper- cellulose fiber derived directly from trees and other plants that is newly pulped, previously unused. Paper made exclusively of pulp from trees or cotton, as compared to recycled paper.

  - Think about all of the types of paper you interact with on a given day. Make a list of every paper item that you use in a 24 hour period – EVERY one!

Here's what I came up with:

·Tissues

·Napkins

·Lined paper

·School assignment sheets

·Paper plates at work

·Books

·Fliers

·Drawing paper

·Toilet paper

·Paper towels

·Packaging

·Scrap paper

·Notes

·Cards

·Cardboard

·Posterboard

·Calendars

·Paintings

·Certificates

·Mail

·Money

·Newspapers

·Magazines

·Wrapping paper

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Day 14- Green Project

This day's focus was sustainable agriculture!

We had to watch a film about a farmer who uses sustainable agriculture here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIbXU5iR2P4 and share two important things you learned from the film, and what was the main difference between the two kinds of farming?

1.Holistic farming is designed to keep animals in as natural an environment as possible

2.Holistic farmers believe in devoting life to making the world better for the next generation

The main difference between holistic farming and factory farming is the way their livestock are treated. Holistic farming believes in mimicking the natural environment and protecting livestock, allowing them to live well in exchange for animal products. Also, holistic farmers have more of a connection with nature, whereas factory farms are very dirty and industrial.

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I've been super busy with college applications lately, so sorry I haven't been posting but I have been continuing my project and uploading my work to the Project Green Challenge site. I will hopefully be able to post my work on here tomorrow!

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COOL NEWS!

So it turns out that the menu I created for the Day 8 Greenest Project (Meatless Mondays) was selected as one of the winners for the day! This is so exciting! The post I made on here about it can be viewed at http://goinggreenproject.tumblr.com/post/33202836086/day-8-greenest-project-the-final-project-today .

Also, today at the pasta party my team had we used biodegradable plates made out of recycled materials... just as I had talked about in my plan for Day 10 Zero Waste. I was pretty excited about that, it's great to see how this project is affecting the way I interact with the environment and that I'm starting to look at our society and our products more critically :)

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Day 12- Greenest Project

The final challenge of the day was the answer these questions:

What is your favorite packaged snack that you buy or are served at school? Tell us the brand, product name, and ingredient list.

Now, visit your local Whole Foods Market or Independent Green Grocer and find a similar, but healthier version of that same snack (or check on line). Take a photo and write up the nutritional benefits (which will be on the package.)

Tell us how you would lobby for a change at your school. What are the next steps you will take?

And my response:

Packaged Foods (and healthy alternatives)

THE OFFENDER:

Baked Lays Potato Chips

  I rarely buy food from the school vending machines, but when I do I pick up some of these to be at least a little healthier. But how healthy are they really?

Ingredients: Dried potatoes, corn starch, sugar, corn oil, salt, soy lecithin, and corn sugar.

  THE PROBLEM:

Although these are healthier than the normal Lays chips, sugar is the third ingredient, as well as another form of sugar as the last ingredient, and they contain a high amount of sodium.

Now let’s take an in-depth look at the ingredients. Dried Potatoes: Dehydrated Potatoes are made through a process where 98% of the water is removed from the potato. Fortunately, this process does in fact retain most of the nutrients that are in a regular white potato. The problem lies in the fact that compared to other vegetables white potatoes are not that healthy. Corn Oil: Corn oil has zero nutritional value and only adds the minimal amount of polyunsaturated fat that is in the chips. Corn Starch: Corn starch is a modified food starch, AKA a starch that has been chemically modified to change one or more of its physical or chemical properties. It is usually chemically treated to change it into a thickening agent, but it can be chemically treated in many ways, and for different reasons. Usually a modified starch has been treated with some form of acid, probably sulfuric, to lower its thickness. Unfortunately, the FDA does not require food companies to describe in specifics how exactly they have chemically engineered the food starch, but one thing is for sure: it’s definitely not all natural.

  THE ALTERNATIVE:

Real Deal Veggie Chips

Real Deal All Natural Snacks are produced using Good Manufacturing Policies (GMCs) in facilities that are Pennsylvania Certified Organic (PCO). The ingredients are: Green peas, corn meal, rice flour, expeller-pressed safflower oil and/or expeller-pressed sunflower oil and/or expeller-pressed canola oil, sea salt.

This alternative is much healthier because it uses vegetables with more nutrients, contains more natural ingredients, and is from a certified organic company! Of course fresh vegetables are always healthier, but this would be a better choice for school vending machines than the Baked! Lays.

  THE CHANGE:

How to convince my school to serve healthier alternatives

In order to convince my school to make a change, I would have to talk to the principal and the administrators. Recently they have been trying to make healthier foods available in the lunch room, and put a rule into effect that you must buy some form of fruit or vegetable in order to buy lunch. Because of this, I’m sure that they would be open to using healthier alternatives in the vending machines. However, it will be my responsibility to raise awareness of the problems of packaged snacks (even ones that seem healthier than most like Baked! Lays), and the fact that healthier alternatives exist.

[goinggreenproject-blog]

Day 12- Greener Project

The second project today was based on  this article: http://www.rodale.com/10-food-label-lies which explains the deception behind conventional packaged food industry, AKA how companies use ambiguous phrases on their products to get us to buy them.

Tell us three things you learned from this article.

1.      “No Growth Hormones”. I had no idea that instead of growth hormones, some companies use antibiotics to get the same effect. So although hormones are not involved, there are still unhealthy ways of beefing up animals being used. It is important to make sure that animal products are not treated by any form of unnatural growth product.

2.      “Nutrition Facts”. I knew that nutrition facts are not always accurate, and only have to be an estimation of the product. However, I did not realize that 0g trans-fat is allowed on the label for any product that has less than .5g trans-fat. I try to avoid trans and saturated fats and instead eat “good” fats (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated), so this is very upsetting.

3.      “Pesticide-free”. I had believed that pesticide-free was the same thing as organic and was therefore healthier because it contains fewer toxins. However, I found out that ‘pesticide-free’ foods are not regulated like the term organic is, and they can contain just as many pesticides as other organic foods. This is not good news for those who want to avoid toxic chemicals in their food. The image to the right shows that labels such as pesticide-free and organic are not always accurate, although some test better than others for not having pesticides.

How will you apply this knowledge when choosing foods in the future?

When choosing foods in the future, the most important thing will be for me to look at labels critically. Do the claims made match the ingredients list? Are any labels FDA or USDA approved? The best way to get healthy, non-toxic food is to buy as many fresh and organic products as possible. I can buy much of my food at our local farmer’s market, where I can ask the farmers themselves how their food was made to ensure that it is safe. When buying food in the store, I need to make sure there aren’t dangerous or unhealthy hidden ingredients, and I will look for organic foods. Finally, if I buy packaged foods, I can look for packaging materials that I know are safer chemical-wise than plastic.

[goinggreenproject-blog]

Day 12- Green Project

Today's theme was packaged foods. The first project was to photograph or find images of the five packaged food products that you eat most frequently, caption photos with their ingredient lists, select five ingredients in total from any of these lists that you think are most harmful to human and environmental health, and research and share the health impact of two of these ingredients.

1.      Nutri-grain Blueberry Breakfast Bars.

Ingredients: CRUST: WHOLE GRAIN ROLLED OATS, ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMIN MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR, SUNFLOWER AND/OR SOYBEAN OIL WITH TBHQ FOR FRESHNESS, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, SUGAR, HONEY, DEXTROSE, CALCIUM CARBONATE, SOLUBLE CORN FIBER, NONFAT DRY MILK, WHEAT BRAN, SALT, CELLULOSE, POTASSIUM BICAR-BONATE (LEAVENING), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, MONO- AND DI-GLYCERIDES, PROPYLENE GLYCOL ESTERS OF FATTY ACIDS, SOY LECITHIN, WHEAT GLUTEN, NIACINAMIDE, SODIUM STEAROYL LACTYLATE, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, CARRAGEENAN, ZINC OXIDE, REDUCED IRON, GUAR GUM, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B6), THIAMIN HYDROCHLORIDE (VITAMIN B1), RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), FOLIC ACID. 

FILLING: HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, CORN SYRUP, BLUEBERRY PUREE CONCENTRATE, GLYCERIN, SUGAR, WATER, SODIUM ALGINATE, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CITRIC ACID, METHYL-CELLULOSE, CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, MALIC ACID, RED #40, BLUE #1.

2.      Trader Joe’s Dried Mango Slices

Ingredients: Mango, unsweetened and unsulfured

3.      Wegmans Greek Yogurt.

Ingredients: Cultured Pasteurized Grade A Nonfat Milk, Clover Honey. Contains the following Live Cultures: L. Bulgaricus, Streptococcus Thermophilus, L. Acidophilus, Bifidus, L. Casei.

4.      Peanut Butter Cookie Luna Bar

Ingredients: LunaPro ® (Soy Rice Crisps Soy Protein Isolate, Organic Rice Flour], Organic Toasted Oats [Organic Rolled Oats, Organic Dried Cane Syrup], Organic Roasted Soybeans, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Flaxmeal), Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Coating (Organic Dried Cane Syrup, Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Palm Kernel Oil, Organic Soy Flour, Organic Soy Lecithin, Organic Vanilla), Inulin (Chicory Extract), Organic Peanut Butter (Organic Peanuts, Salt), Natural Flavors, Organic Peanuts, Vegetable Glycerin, Organic Oat Syrup Solids, Sea Salt, Organic Peanut Flour.

5.      Jif Creamy Peanut Butter

Ingredients: PEANUTS, SUGAR, PALM OIL, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: SALT, MOLASSES.

    I think the most harmful ingredients for humans and the environment from these lists are: enriched flour, high fructose corn syrup, artificial flavor, sugar, and palm oil.

  High fructose corn syrup leads to abnormal increases in body fat, and a rise in circulating blood fats. It especially causes increases in abdominal fat, and can lead to sugar addiction and dependency, having the same effect as on the brain as some drugs of abuse. These characteristics are known risk factors for high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, cancer and diabetes.

Artificial flavors can be a combination of hundreds of individual chemicals, many of which come from petroleum. Ew, we could be eating petroleum? The FDA does not monitor flavorings nor require that they be tested. Instead, thresholds have been created for chemicals with unknown toxicity. AKA they created a limit without knowing what the real limit is, so artificial flavors could be doing any number of awful things to our bodies.