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organic home

Organic food is categorically worse for the planet

by Jennifer on November 27, 2009

Or so says Michael Mack, chief executive of Syngenta, a Swiss agribusiness giant that makes pesticides and seeds. According to the New York Times, Mack notes, “Organic food is not only not better for the planet… it is categorically worse.

organic food sucks

His reasoning…

  • Organic farming takes up 30% more land than nonorganic farming
  • You can’t feed the fast-growing population on existing cropland if you go organic.
  • Pesticides are proven safe.

Actually Mack took his speech pretty damn far noting, “If the whole planet were to suddenly switch to organic farming tomorrow, it would be an ecological disaster,” AND that organic food is the “productive equivalent of driving an S.U.V.” Extreme much?

Interesting, but not very convincing. Keep on reading this post!

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Green Home Audit: excess packaging in the bathroom

by Jennifer on October 23, 2009

In My plan to cut out excess packaging, I discussed my plans for cutting out excess packaging this year. However, first I need to know which packaging I have that’s excessive and can be cut, so a small green home audit about said packaging is in order.

soap with natural ingredients

I went through my bathroom and found the following packaging – along side each I’ve made notes about which I can cut and which I’m not so sure about.

Packaging in my bathroom:

  • Organic Body wash – this was an unnecessary impulse buy and one I don’t need it and two I can cut it by using unwrapped bar soap, homemade body wash, or fill a reusable container with body wash at the natural food store.
  • Organic Shampoo – I rarely use shampoo and don’t need a special kind so I can get a refillable bottle instead.
  • Conditioner – I have naturally curly hair (blah) and use a super charged, really good organic conditioner. Since I can’t find a decent conditioner in bulk, I don’t know if I can cut this. One option is to make my own conditioner. I make hair masques, but I’ll have to look into conditioner.
  • Organic face wash – I should make my own like I used to, but not sure if I want to. I like my current face wash.
  • All natural facial grains – I LOVE these facial grains, but I can make my own in a reusable container, they’re not as good IMO, but close.
  • Organic shaving cream – well, I could quit shaving, or figure out how to make my own. This is a bath product I haven’t ever tried to make though, so I’m not sure. We’ll call this a maybe.
  • Razors – I use recycled razors from Preserve. Right now I like shaving, so I suppose I’ll keep them, but I don’t love how the Preserve razors work. My goal is to find an eco-razor I like better.
  • Bath scrubby – I usually have a washable bath scrubby in the tub, most of the time made of natural hemp – right now though for the last year I’ve been using one made with organic cotton fibers. Since I use them to death and rewash, I’m not concerned.
  • Lip gloss – OMG I have so much lip gloss that it’s embarrassing. I LOVE lip gloss, especially my Tarte lip gloss. I think though what I’ll do is just commit to buying new Tarte and one take along organic lip gloss when I run out, then recycle the packaging. Another option is to make my own lip gloss more often.
  • Deodorant – This is one of the biggest baddies in my bathroom. I don’t buy organic or natural because I’ve never found one I like that works. Trust me, I’ve tried a ton too.  The perfect goal would be to find a healthier one that works in less packaging, but I’m not holding my breath.
  • Keep on reading this post!

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Organic Foods Your Family Should Buy All the Time

October 18, 2009

Organic foods do more than help keep toxins out of our soil, water, and air. They also keep dangerous toxins out of your family’s bodies and help keep farmers (and farmers children) safe which yes is better for everyone’s health in spite of recent news that claims otherwise. Organics better support a local economy and [...]

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A Safe Green Baby Mattress

October 10, 2009

It pays to look for a green baby mattress. Most traditional mattresses are made with PVC, polyester, and or foam. After production these mattresses are covered in flame-retardant chemicals and PBDE’s. Some of these chemicals have been implicated in SIDS – although not all research backs that up. Also consider that babies spend quite a [...]

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