Nourish Your Body
With Fabulous Homemade Food
Is Boric Acid Safe?
Question from E. Hi Debra, What are your thoughts on flame retardants in natural insulation? I'm trying to fill cracks around a doorway inside my house with a natural type of batting but I've noticed all the natural options (sheep's wool, denim/cotton insulation) are...
Packing a Lunch Without Plastic
Whether you are packing a lunch for school, work, travel, or picnic, my guest Sandra Ann Harris, California eco-mom and Founder of ECOLunchbox, can tell you how to pack it without plastic. Her food containers are plastic-free, waster-free, BPA-free, PVC-free, and petroleum-free. We’ll talk about the toxic chemicals in standard lunch boxes, utensils, containers, and wrappings, and explore the many toxic-free options for carrying your own nutritious, delicious, organic lunch. Sandra started ECOLunchbox to empower families with non-toxic lunchtime tools to help them learn to reduce their dependence on plastics. Scientists are learning more everyday about the health and environmental hazards of toxins in plastics. ECOlunchbox’s mission is to offer lunchware alternatives that are healthy for both people and our planet. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/ecolunchbox
Tableware and Flatware
Question from Brenda Alexander What kind of flatware is the most non toxic without heavy metal contamination? Also, What brand of tableware--plates and dishes are the most safe? Is pyrex safe to eat off of? Thanks, Brenda Alexander brenda@wwdb.org Debra's Answer There...
Airocide Air Cleaner
Question from Angelique Someone on one of my MCS groups is gushing with praise about this expensive air purifier. Do you or any of your readers know anything about it, or have any experiences with it? It's called Airocide. Debra's Answer I have no personal experience...
OK to Line My Kitchen Shelves With Cork?
Question from Bruce For a rental home with particle board kitchen cabinet shelves, (the particle board is 11 years old and likely mostly offgassed), does anyone know if cork is safe for lining shelves and drawers? Williams-Sonoma sells some. Okay for...
Fabrics That are Nontoxic, Ethical, Sustainable…and Beautiful
My guests today are Patty Grossman and Leigh Anne Van Dusen, co-founders (and sisters) of O Ecotextiles. They are changing the way textiles are being made by proving that it’s possible to produce luxurious, sensuous fabrics in ways that are non-toxic, ethical and sustainable. Today we’ll be talking about toxic chemicals in textiles, and how they are creating safe fabrics (they specialize in upholstery fabrics, but the production issues apply to all fabrics). The the collection has garnered accolades and honors since it debuted at Decorex in 2007, where it won Best Merchandise from House & Garden magazine. In 2009, Environmental Building News and BuildingGreen named O Ecotextiles one of the top 10 Green Building Products of 2008. Leigh Anne and Patty believe that the best way to achieve necessary changes in textile manufacturing is to share what they’ve learned about the methods used to make fabrics – and what this means to us and our planet. Their research and groundbreaking efforts to create aesthetically pleasing and environmentally safe fabrics has made them experts in the issues of sustainability in textiles. They are founding members of the Sustainable Furnishings Council and serve on its Textiles Subcommittee. www.oecotextiles.com
Read Why and How to Green Your Textile Choices
Make Your Own Herbal Bodycare Products
My guest Dina Falconi is the author of Earthly Bodies & Heavenly Hair: Natural and Healthy Personal Care for Everybody. We will be talking about nuturing and healing your body with herbal products you can make yourself—many using ingredients you already have in your own kitchen. Dina is a clinical herbalist with a strong focus on food activism and nutritional healing. An avid gardener, wildcrafter, and permaculturalist, Dina has been teaching classes about the use of herbs for food, medicine, and pleasure, including wild food foraging and cooking, for more than twenty years. She produces Falcon Formulations natural body care products and Earthly Extracts medicinal tinctures. She is a founding member of the Northeast Herbal Association, a chapter leader of the Weston A. Price Foundation, and an organizer of Slow Food-Hudson Valley. Today Dina is also the author of Foraging & Feasting: A Field Guide and Wild Food Cookbook (she’ll be back on the show soon to talk about this) www.debralynndadd.com/books/earthly-bodies-amp-heavenly-hair
Dye in Blue Jeans
Question from Orsolya Dear Debra, All the clothing what we wear is made from 100% natural fibers. I say no to synthetics it is the way we decided to live. (same goes for cosmetics, cleaning staff...etc.) For my baby I bought unbleached, undyed or low impact dyed...
Can These Fumes Harm My Child?
Question from Kelly We had an oil based low voc polyurethane applied to our hardwood floors on the entire first floor of our house. Unfortunately I wasn't aware of the toxicity until after it was done and still smelled for weeks and I started researching. We have a...
Experience with Various Futons?
Question from Chris Hi Debra, We have a 3 year old Maggie couch from Bob's that is primarily foam. I am guessing it is still pretty toxic as it isn't that old but we were not aware of the many toxic issues when it was given to us. We'd like to get a futon to use as a...
