Question from R.M.

HI Debra and Green Living Blog Readers:

For example, I can either pay a couple thousand for organic mattresses or insurance will cover the 3″ polyurethane foam mats.

I have several articles of clothing which are no longer useful. They are stained, or ripped, or otherwise inappropriate for donating as used clothing.

I do not want these articles to end up in the landfill, but they are taking up valuable space in my bedroom. I have already repurposed holey socks into rags, and may cut up a few t-shirts for that use as well, but I don’t need many more rags, and I have a pair of unwearable jeans that is plaguing me. Any creative suggestions would be much appreciated.

Debra’s Answer

Well, oddly enough, the answer is to take your nonservicable clothing to the Goodwill or Salvation Army.

When they get donations of clothes that are too worn to re-sell in their shops, these organizations send the clothing to “rag sorters” that specialize in recycling fabrics of all types and sizes. About half the clothing gets sold in developing countries, while garments like cotton t-shirts are turned into wiping and polishing clothes and sold to industries and consumers. Some textiles are shredded into fibers used to make new products, such as fine quality “rag” paper, and blankets.

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Question from RBES

I have a few descoware pots from the 1970’s. The enamel coating is a little scratched on most of them. Are these safe to use? How can I find out if the coatings have lead in them? Thanks for any information you can give me.

Debra’s Answer

You can find out if they have lead in the coating by using a Lead-Check kit, which is sold now at Home Depot, among other places. It’s only $5. But I’ve never heard that enamel pots contain lead.

Chipped enamel isn’t a problem, but if it exposes the metal beneath, I would stop using it. The metal isn’t intended to have contact with food.

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Question from Charise

Hi Debra,

We bake everything homemade, and I often buy grains in quantities of 50 lbs. or more to save money.

I can’t seem to find a food grade storage container that isn’t plastic that will hold 25-50 lbs. at a time.

Do you know of a source?

Thanks,

Charise

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from jeanespeaks

After Canada banned Bisphenol A, and placed it on their hazardous chemical list, I became concerned, since I know that besides being present in plastic #7 (i.e. Baby Bottles and other hard plastics), BBA is also routinely used in cans.

So I did a little research and found out that even the healthy organic canned food brands that I buy at WholeFoods ALL use

Bisphenol A, with the exception of two – namely EDEN beans, and SANTA BARBARA OLIVES.

ALL other brandd, such ast WholeFoods’very own 365 label, Amy’s, Westbrae, and Muir Glen, to name a few of my favs, eacj CONTAIN Bisphenol A. I’m told that canned tomato sauce is the worst offender, with the highest levels and most interactivity between the BPA and the product, due to the acidic nature of tomatoes.

I had initially read that all Trader Joes brand cans do not have BPA, but when I contacted TJs direct to verify that actually told me that that is not the case – the ONLY Trader Joe’s brand products that do NOT contain BPA are canned fish items.

It seems that some major “independent” studies out of Japan and Europe in recent days have concluded that BPA is NOT harmful, however, Canada maintains that BPA is harmful in that it can cause reproductive problems and even cancer.

Debra’s Answer

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Question from jenbooks

Hi Debra, as I become more aware of chemicals in my environment, I am aware that some pretty silk shirts I have purchased at high end thrift shops in NYC were dry cleaned. I’ve actually washed them but I can still smell the dry cleaning chemical. Is there any good way to remove it or is it, like fabric softener, bonded to the fabric for a long time?

Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

This is one of the problems with thrift store clothes. While it’s good for the environment to buy used clothing that is still serviceable, they may have residues of perfume, pesticides, and many other unknown chemicals.

Dry cleaning chemicals, however, are extremely volatile, and would evaporate complete fairly quickly after being cleaned (like within days). I can’t think of a reason why it would be bonded to the fabric.

Are you sure it’s a dry cleaning chemical?

Try hanging them out in the sun for a few days and see if that takes care of it.

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Question from Kristen

My husband & I are making a couch. He is constructing the wooden frame & I will be sewing the cushions. Does anyone have any suggestions for filler material? I’ve priced 100% cotton or 100% wool batting that I could build layer upon layer, but am wondering if there is any thick cushion material out there that is no full of poly..?

Debra’s Answer

I’d go with the cotton or wool. I’ve used both with good results.

Readers, any other suggestions?

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Question from Monica

To let my land regenerate, I let our 3/4 acre garden area rest for a year – now I am invaded with nutgrass! I have tilled until I’m worn out and seem to be making NO progress with it. I’ve gardened organically and don’t want to begin spraying chemicals to kill it. Has anyone had success combatting nutgrass naturally. My garden is FULL of it!

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from nancy rose

I want to reface my kitchen cabinet doors inexpensively and safely. A salesman said that using thermafoil vinyl is the way to go. Has anyone used that in their kitchen? Is it durable 10 years from now? Is it safe-emmisions, etc.?

thank you

Debra’s Answer

I learn so much about what’s toxic out there from reading your questions!

First, I want to say that refacing is a great option for a kitchen remodel. It reuses your existing cabinets, and just puts on new doors and drawers, with an application of a “veneer” to your cabinets so they match. Saves money and materials, so it’s good for the environment as well.

But watch out. This thermofoil vinyl is made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), one of the most toxic and polluting plastics on the planet. I talked to the manufacturer, and was told that it is about like peel-and-stick shelf paper, only thicker. So it’s flexible, and flexible plastics give off more plasticizers. You just peel off the back and stick it on the cabinet (carefully, of course) and the cabinets look like wood.

So if you are considering a reface job, make sure the cabinets and drawers are real wood, not “laminate,” and a real wood veneer is being applied to the cabinets. And while you’re asking questions, check on the finish and the adhesive used to glue down the veneer.

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Question from Julie Roads

I’d like to share with all of you a great way to introduce your children to the green movement.

I moderate a green blog for kids that centers around the bonobo apes. Our hope is that kids (and their adults) will see that what they do in their own backyard affects the bonobos in Africa, and what happens to the bonobos in Africa, affects the kids in their own backyard.

Bonobos are currently being decimated in their native home, the Democratic Republic of Congo, as a result of war and violence, but also because of habitat destruction and the crisis our environment is currently in. Bonobos share 98.7% of our DNA, and in fact, are more similar to us than chimpanzees. We have so much to learn from these apes – because they are the kind of primates that we want to be. You see, they do not wage war, they do not murder, they hardly fight, there is no infanticide in their culture. They solve conflict and resolve tension through touch (to be exact – they are known as the ‘make love, not war’ chimps).

Their habitat is the rainforest, often called the 2nd lung of the Earth, because its destruction would release, all at once, the carbon equivalent of the CO2 created in Great Britain over the last 60 years. In order to help our next generation understand their link to creatures, land, air and water all over this planet, Mathea Levine and Marian Brickner created a book called, I’m Lucy: A Day in the Life of a Young Bonobo. Jane Goodall wrote the afterword and all profits from the book (when bought on our website) go to Jane Goodall’s youth organization, Roots & Shoots, and the Bonobo Conservation Initiative.

Our website offers kids, families and classrooms the interactive opportunity to track and earn points for the green behavior (like using non-toxic cleaners at home!) and you can even adopt a bonobo as a way of making a meaningful donation to frontline efforts. Our blog (www.bonobokids.com/blog) is an ongoing commentary and information source about bonobos, the environment and kids.

All of you in this community understand the importance of being green – and Debra has played a critical role in educating and supporting us all. Of course, I’d love for you all to buy a book, and check out the blog…but, I’m also interested in hearing from you. We are happy to feature green products, events and heroes…so, if you have any or are one, let me know!

Debra’s Answer

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I came across this company while looking for a nontoxic adhesive for one of my consulting clients.

Sound Specialty Coatings Corporation

They say that all their products are “Zero to Low VOC’s, HAP-Free, Low Odor…

Products exceed all Local, State, Federal and International regulations of the Clean Air, Clean Water and Water Pollution Control Acts.”

Every order is made to order, so you can make it in any color. And if they don’t already have what you want, they will custom-formulate whatever you want.

They have things like coatings for wet and dry applications, waterproofing for anything, paint, marine paints, granite and marble sealants, plastic coating…all the things that are usually very toxic and their nontoxic counterparts are hard to find.

Check this one out if you need this type of product.