My Eco Action

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Some of the staples of our diets are the ones with the highest pesticide contamination levels in the world and we need to be talking about this more. If no one knows it’s a problem they won’t complain to the suppliers and nothing will ever change. We will continue to get sick and have no idea why. I am writing this to spread the word that we should all be switching to organic produce to keep our families healthy and strong.

I mean, healthy food should be good for us right? Is that too much to ask?

By choosing organic foods you will cut out a drastic amount of not just pesticides and related chemicals, but also hormones that are found in meat. The main reason most people haven’t already totally turned to organic fruits, vegetables and meats is because they are often more expensive.

I am not sure what it’s like where you live but in my city, buying organic at the big chain stores costs a lot but when I actually go out to the farms and buy the fruits and meats there it’s a lot more affordable. This way you also get to see just where the food comes from. If you have anything like that around your town or city, check it out.

In the meantime you can at least avoid the 12 dirtiest fruits and vegetables. By doing this alone you can easily lower your pesticide exposure by almost 90%. Shocking! And good to know.

Here are the 12 most contaminated fruits and vegetables:

* Peaches- 96.7% of samples tested positive for pesticides, 87% for multiple pesticides
* Apples- 94.1% tested positive, 82.3% for multiple pesticides
* Sweet Bell Peppers- 81.5% tested positive, 62.2% for multiple pesticides
* Celery- 94.1% tested positive, 79.8% for multiple pesticides
* Nectarines- 97.3% tested positive, 85.3% for multiple pesticides
* Strawberries
* Cherries
* Kale- 53.1% for multiple pesticides
* Lettuce
* Imported Grapes
* Carrots- 82.3% tested positive
* Pears

That was disheartening, but there is some good news too. While those are contaminated (and are pretty much all my favorite foods!) there are some that are clean.

Clean uncontaminated foods:

* Onions- no detectable residues on 90% or more of samples, zero samples positive for multiple pesticides
* Avocado- less than 10% tested positive, less than 1% for multiple pesticides
* Frozen Sweet Corn- no detectable residues on 90% or more of samples, zero samples positive for multiple pesticides
* Pineapples- less than 10% tested positive, less than 1% for multiple pesticides
* Mango- less than 10% tested positive, less than 1% for multiple pesticides
* Asparagus- no detectable residues on 90% or more of samples
* Frozen Sweet Peas- 77.1% had no detectable pesticides
* Kiwi
* Cabbage- 82.1% had no detectable pesticides
* Eggplant- 75.4% had no detectable pesticides
* Papaya
* Watermelon- 28.1% tested positive, 9.5% for multiple pesticides
* Broccoli- 65.2% had no detectable pesticides
* Tomatoes- 53.1% had no detectable pesticides, 13.5% positive for multiple pesticides
* Sweet Potatoes

How sad is that?! I like some on the clean list but the dirty list has all my favorite fruits :O Oh well, what can we do? Write letters to try and get the laws changed, that’s what, and buy local organic produce whenever possible.

Technorati Tags: highest pesticide contamination levels, contaminated fruits and vegetables, local organic produce

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We can all make a difference when it comes to helping save the environment. Global warming and all the other environmental issues we are facing took some time to build up and to get our of these messes it is going take a lot of work, but this doesn’t mean we should get discouraged because it’s more than the big things that are going to make the difference, it’s the little things that make the biggest impact.

Here are some simple changes you can make in your everyday life to help the planet recover from the wounds we have inflicted upon it:

1: Walk sometimes. You don’t need to take your car everywhere you go. If your job is in walking distance, or you’re able to ride a bike to get there, then do it. Not only are you helping to save the planet, you’re exercising and helping yourself stay fit. Most big cities that have the worst traffic jams also have bike paths and walking trails for pedestrians. You’d be surprised how much more convenient they were for you.

2: Pick it up! People litter, that’s just the way it is. You’ll see plastic bottles, cigarette packs, etc, all lying on the ground. It wouldn’t hurt or inconvenience you at all to pick them up as you walk by. If you see a plastic bag blowing by you, grab it and put it in the nearest trashcan. Most places have Recycling bins set up all over. Sure, it’s not your fault that some people just don’t care. But you do! Show you care by being good to your mother.

3: Use less energy in your home. Whether you work from home or just like to lounge around and watch TV, there are all sorts of ways you can conserve energy in your home and do your part to help the world. If you’re on the computer, you don’t need any lights on. The monitor provides enough light. And if not, open the shades to let the sun in.

4: Use energy efficient items. Hybrid cars, washers/dryers, water heaters, etc. A one-time purchase can have you helping every other day of your life.

5: The tree huggers (I happen to be one) will love you for this. Plant a tree! Why shouldn’t you? Think of it this way: for every piece of paper you use during the day, a tree was cut down for that. Giving back one would help a great deal. Check out Treegivers.com to learn about a cool tree planting program.

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If you want to download the hottest dance music then you are going to flip for the eMusic store. There are songs you can get for under a dollar, it’s cheap and good for the environment.

What is eMusic and Dada you ask? Only the hottest places online to download dance music and every other kind for that matter. If you love electronic music then you have just discovered the urls to heaven. The sites are loaded with the biggest names in dance music and you can download all your favorites, straight to your music player or computer.

And do you know what the best part is? You get to download the dance music you can’t live without and you don’t have to clog the air and landfills with poisonous gasses and useless, never gonna degrade or decompose plastics.

It is so much better for the planet when you choose download services like eMusic for your electronic music and urban music needs. What are you waiting for? Go and start downloading dance music today, go get your groove on!

Technorati Tags: eMusic, download dance music, electronic music

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The gases we have in our atmosphere called greenhouse gases are ever-present and help to keep our planet at a constant and livable temperature. Over the course of history, we have pumped a lot of these gases into the atmosphere in the form of carbon and fossil fuels. This has caused the temperature to rise. Global warming is about a serious a threat as there is.

It’s already started to affect many regions and ecosystems on our planet, and will affect a lot more in our own lifetime. The ice caps have already begun to melt, causing water levels to heat and rise through thermal expansion. The amount of carbon in our atmosphere is killing the coral reefs, wiping out entire ecosystems and biodiversity. And this is just the start; what we’re already seeing today.

Global warming brings on a complete climate change. No matter if it’s in the long-term or short-term, this is also affecting the earth’s desert regions. Deserts rose in temperature between 1978 and 2000, at an average rate of 0.2-0.8 degrees Celsius. This rate is much higher than what could have ever occurred naturally. This meteoric rise has been attributed to the increase in the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases. The ensuing global warming is expected to cause an overall increase in rainfall. High latitudes are projected to warm more than mid to low-latitudes, resulting in more rainfall in higher, less rainfall in the subtropics.

While the anthropogenic warming of the global atmosphere is already sufficiently warming and drying deserts; deserts cool the neighboring global atmosphere. This is a state that is also projected to further intensify due to the global warming phenomenon.

The warming takes place due to the direct reflection of solar radiation by the earth’s surface from the desert. In contrast to the direct cause of enhanced warming, the actual effect of deserts is that they’re cooling the atmosphere. Though this is quite the paradox, it is actually simple to comprehend. Desert regions and their surrounding geographical locations all have ecosystems which thrive in their own environment. Any degree change, plus or minus, grossly upsets the balance of nature.

Deserts make up one quarter of the earth’s land surface, so it is a situation that much be assessed. To do this, scientists look at the carbon storage which is sequestered in organic and inorganic compounds within the desert soil. It is the organic carbon that is most sequestered when the rainfall permits. Studies are being done that are returning the same results in every desert region. Deserts and hot and bare places, no one seems surprised that they’re slightly rising in temperature. But just as a few degrees melts the ice caps and changes the world, so will a few degrees in the desert region.

There is a lot more at stake than just some dried up land which is, for the most part, uninhabited. Millions of peoples’ lives are ultimately controlled by the temperature of the desert. If they change at all, the surrounding areas will indeed suffer. Deserts are the home to vast ecosystems. Underneath the dry sand and clay, life is thriving there and needs the climate that it evolved in to survive in.

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Ayurvedic Beauty Care: Ageless Techniques to Invoke Natural Beauty

This is an Ayurvedic book filled with ancient beauty secrets and techniques that have been around for centuries. Long before there was anesthetic and scalpels there were these all natural ways of maintaining youth, beauty and energy.

Using these age old styles of facial massage, aromatheraphy and other Ayurvedic practices you will learn how to pamper yourself better than any fancy spa ever could. These are tried, tested and true beauty tips and tricks that you can use to not only look better, but feel younger and more refreshed too.

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Is Your Home or Office Making You Sick? Click Here to see products and information to help you create a HEALTHY HOME TODAY!!

You probably spend a lot of money each year on cleaning supplies. There is something different for every chore it seems. You have toilets to clean, tubs, sinks, dishes, laundry, walls, windows, carpets, wood floors, I could go on and on all day. But the question is, do we really need them? Is there an option that gets everything clean and that isn’t poison to the planet?

Lemon juice cleaning has been around since…well, since lemons I guess. Obviously lemons are all natural (you can even get organic ones) and when you combine it with a little baking soda and/or vinegar you have a powerful cleaner that you can use all over the house. Everything will sparkle in no time and when it gets washed down the drain it doesn’t do any damage to the earth whatsoever.

Who doesn’t love the smell of lemons. Regular store bought cleaners often have a citrus scent. So many of us associate the scent with clean and the thing is those big conglomerates got the idea from thefact that citrus fruits really do clean things well. Lemon juice will cut through grease and grime like nothing else can.

The acidity of lemons doesn’t just work to get rid of grease, it also goes straight to work on the stains on any hard surface.

Going for the fresh lemon clean is especially good for those with sensitive skin. Those who suffer from rashes, itchiness or dryness after using the regular supermarket cleansers  will be happy to know that with lemon juice cleaning that will be a thing of the past.

To get your house clean you can use the all purpose cleaner recipe below, it’s cheap and it works wonders on everything dirty:

• one teaspoon of baking soda

• one teaspoon of soap

• a squeeze of lemon

• 1/4 litre of water

Your house will be lemon clean and fresh in no time and you will manage to do it without hurting the environment at all.

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Get up to 40% off Method home products at drugstore.com
Offer ends 06.19.2009

I love the slogan of Method home cleaners: People Against Dirty. How cute is that?

They really are fantastic cleaning products though and they are natural and non toxic unlike so many of the supermarket brands that are filled with chlorine and formaldehyde. They also have cleaners for everything from wood floors, to bathrooms, windows and everything in between. If it’s in your house there is something natural from Method to take care of it.

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Just one Paloma PH24M supplies all the hot water you need in your home for shower, bath, dishwasher, laundry, etc. Click here

Most consumers do not realize that in their every day lives they actually create or contribute to the creation of a lot of green house gases, specifically carbon dioxide, so understanding your carbon footprint is an excellent way to begin making more environmentally sound decisions that in the long run when combined with other peoples efforts will make real change.

Understanding your carbon footprint is a pretty complex issue, one best left to the academics. However thanks to the wonders of the Internet we can use various websites and on line tools to get a pretty good approximation of our carbon footprint, both on the individual and household levels. The best place to start research on your carbon footprint is a good Google search when you have a little extra time on your hands.

Depending on the website or tool that you use for determining your carbon foot print you will need to input information like what make and model of car do you drive, how far do you drive, do you own or rent your home, what are your recreational activities like, and sometimes websites can get as detailed as evaluating your eating choices. After all eating locally grown food contributes a lot less towards your carbon footprint then eating food shipped cross country in refrigerator trucks.

Evaluating your carbon footprint will not only make you more eco friendly, but it will also make you a much more informed consumer. A person capable of thinking about their purchasing power on a whole new level.

Technorati Tags: green house gases, carbon footprint, locally grown food, eco friendly

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Eco friendly living gets easier and easier each day and with Fathers Day and Graduation coming up now is the time to buy the kinds of gifts that are not just good for the recipient but good for the planet too.

You can get some amazing graduate gifts and plenty of items for dad at Gaiam. Here are sales you can take advantage of while showing others how great eco friendly living can be:

Shop Gaiam’s Father’s Day gift guide. Receive Free Shipping on any order over $49. Use code AFDAD. Expires 6.21.09.

Celebrate Graduation with Gaiam’s sustainable living, organic apparel and fitness gift ideas! Receive Free Shipping on any order over $49. Use code AFGRAD. Expires 6.15.09.

Check out the summer savings on Gaiam.com with Free Shipping on any order over $49. Use code AFSUMMER. Expires 6.15.09.

Technorati Tags: amazing graduate gifts, eco friendly living, Free Shipping

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Hey look Indigo Books has a green shop! Yay! I have always loved Indigo Books but now that they have made it even easier for me –and you of course–to find the greener goods.

Just a heads up!

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