Art | Resources
Whistle Creek
“Whistle Creek is the nation’s largest manufacturer of rustic walking and hiking sticks. They’re warm, full of character and 100% US Made. You’ll be proud to own one – and we GUARANTEE you’ll get at least one compliment a month, or we’ll buy it back!” Accessories include compass, whistle, bear bell, leather straps, tree seeds, and more.
Wood Tree Swings
Wood-and-rope tree swings: bench swings, kid’s seat swings, disc swings, made of various types of woods and finishes.
Fluidstance
Designed by the Mayo Clinic, this tool gives your body constant motion while you are simply standing. It increases energy expenditure, raises heart rate, and increases range of motion. Perfect for standing desks, washing dishes, watching TV, anytime you are standing, or can stand instead of sit. We’ve gone the extra mile to use eco-conscious materials in our fabrication process. The Original’s top deck is made of bamboo, one of the world’s most abundant and renewable resources; our finish is GREEN GUARD certified to meet rigorous standards for low emissions; our sand-cast bases are produced by hand in zero-water process in a solar-powered facility. We’ve also chosen to finish our bases via powder-coating, as it has almost zero emissions compared to painting and anodizing. It’s all part of our bigger mission to be responsible borrowers from Mother Earth, for team members and customers alike.
Monkii Bars
These clever bars let you”take the gym anywhere.” Designed for people “who want awesome workouts without being stuck in a regular gym,” these bars are made for total-body workouts while traveling, at home, or even outside. Made from aerospace-grade aluminum and abrasion resistant nylon, with a 2-layer ultra durable weather-resistant powder coat. Handcrafted in the USA.
Phthalates in Mac and Cheese Made With Powdered Cheese Higher Than Natural Cheese
This is exactly why you need to eat real fresh food, from the farm or garden to your plate.
Phthalates are potentially harmful chemicals. Three phthalates (DEHP, DBP, and BBP) were banned from children’s products in 2008. The most recent 2015 phthalate regulations call for banning additional phthalates (DINP, DIBP, DnPP, DnHP and DCHP).
In 2014 a report to the Consumer Product Safety Commission concluded that food—not plastic children’s products—is the primary exposure to plastics.
Now a new study has found phthalates in all but one of 30 packaged mac and cheese mixes made with powdered cheese.
Most relevant compounds within the sample set were DEP, DiBP**, DnBP, and DEHP*, with a prevalence ranging from 63 to 92 %. DAP and DCHP were never found above the LOQ, and DMP only in 2 samples. Prevalence of DnHP, BBP*, DNOP, DiDP/DPHP and DiNP** ranged between 12 and 22 %.
* banned from children’s products in 2008
** recommended for ban in 2015
The major findings are:
- Phthalates were detected in nearly every cheese product tested (29 of 30 varieties). The testing identified ten different phthalates in all, with up to six in a single product;
- Average phthalate levels were more than four times higher in macaroni and cheese powder samples than in hard blocks & other natural cheese, in fat of products tested;
- DEHP, the most widely restricted phthalate, was found more often and at a much higher average concentration than any other phthalate, among all the cheese products tested.
To me, this clearly shows that processing adds toxic chemicals to foods. And the more highly processes foods contain more toxic chemicals.
This applies to organic foods too. They didn’t give the brands tested, but it doesn’t matter if you buy organic mac and cheese with powdered cheese in a box. It’s the processing of the cheese that adds the phthalates.
NEW YORK TIMES: The Chemicals in Your Mac and Cheese
KLEAN UP KRAFT: Testing Finds Industrial Chemical Phthalates in Cheese
“Vast Amounts” of Toxic Mercury Accumulating in Arctic Tundra
Scientists have long been reporting high levels of mercury pollution in the Arctic.
But now a new study reports identifies gaseous mercury in the air as the major source. It gathers in the Arctic tundra, then moves into the soil, and from there into waterways.
If so much mercury is moving from industrial nations to uninhabited arctic areas, this news begs the question: how much mercury are WE being exposed to from the environment on a daily basis?
ENVIRONMENTAL NEW NETWORK: Study Finds Toxic Mercury is Accumulating in the Arctic Tundra
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY: Mercury Emissions: Worldwide Emissions
MOMS CLEAN AIR FORCE: How Mercury Poisoning Works
UNITED STATES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY: Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS)
Studiopatró
Simple, colorful kitchen linens, “big + handy, elegant + everyday, fresh + modern.” Aprons, towels, napkins. “Our linen is the finest medium-weight linen available, and is naturally sustainable and luxurious. We test for absorbency and sturdiness, and these aprons and towels work beautifully. They remain strong and actually get softer with lots of use. Each tea towel is handprinted one-by-one, using ecologically friendly water-based inks.”
Soft Star Shoes
Handmade shoes for infants, kids and adults since 1984. And because each pair is handmade, you can customize your shoes with choices of colors. “We make minimal shoes for happy, healthy feet! Every one of our shoes is handcrafted at our Oregon, USA workshop… We are careful to source non-toxic materials for our shoes, including leather colored with food-grade dye and non-toxic adhesives… we use only leathers which meet high safety standards both for our customers, and for the environment. As our little ones like to occasionally chew on their shoes, it is important to us they are as chemical-free as possible. Many shoes today (99.9%) are imported from countries using formaldehyde tanning methods. Not only is this chemical a potential irritant to your skin and absorbable transdermally, but it poisons ground water downstream from tanneries, and causes well-documented health issues with tannery employees. Almost all or our leather is sourced from USA tanneries to ensure that strict regulations are adhered to. When the leather is not available from USA tanneries, it is sometimes sourced from approved tanneries in Italy, Brazil, South Korea or Germany which meet labor and environmental standards set by our supplier. We are proud to also offer Ecopell vegetable tanned leather from Germany, which we import due to their extremely high standards for quality and sustainable practices, arguably the best in the world.” Soles are made out of natural rubber, durable suede, or a tough leather. Their shop is run from 100% solar or wind energy.
Oralba
One-of-a-kind shoes, handcrafted using all natural materials: Jute fibers, 100% cotton fabrics, and handmade natural cotton cording. “Oralba’s Shoes products are entirely hand made with bio-friendly, recyclable materials, featuring comfort and unique classic designs and styles that never go out of style. The simplicity and versatility of our shoes make them unique in the market. The designer hand selects the most exquisite fabrics to use as uppers of the shoes to create unique handmade footwear. Each pair is hand-crafted and features a classic style that is easy to match with varying fashions.”
MiCacao
Cacao tea. “Cacao tea is produced from the shell, or husk, of the cacao bean, which is often discarded in the process of making chocolate. During this process, cacao beans are harvested, fermented, and dried. The shells are then removed from the beans, leaving the remaining nibs to continue forward in the process. Although only a byproduct of chocolate making, the shells are rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals and serve as the foundation for MiCacao.”
