Question from Ellen Yamamoto

Does you know of a good waterproof table cloth alternative to the plastic or vinyl table cloths?

Debra’s Answer

Readers?

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Question from papamaui

My German Shepherd dog has a beautiful glossy coat that stays flea and tick free with the following Daily Diet:

1 cup of Merrick Holistic Dry Food (she likes the Campfire Trout Feast best. If I can’t get Merrick, I buy whatever natural, holistic dry food is available.

1 Ground Sirloin patty, RAW that I buy from Costco. They also have Ground Beef but it has a lot more fat content.)

2 fresh eggs RAW from our range free chickens mixed in,

Supplements: 4 GARLIC CHEWABLES and 2 FRESH FACTORS tabs that I buy from www.springtimeinc.com. (I use a large kitchen knife to reduce the tabs to a coarse power and add 1/3 to 1/4 cup warm water and stir to make the gravy.)

I live in Hawaii and fleas and ticks love our year around tropical climate and this diet does the job better than anything I’ve ever tried! I don’t use any commercial flea or tick products at all.

Debra’s Answer

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Question from Bonnie Johnson

Hi

I will be spending the winter at my sisters while they work on some remodel issues at my house. She has a Select Comfort bed. I looked at the Q&A but did not see anything about these beds. Could someone give me some info?

Thanks

Bonnie Johnson

Debra’s Answer

Readers, anyone have some info or experience. The website makes no mention of materials, so I am assuming they are not natural.

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Question from Deborah Barnett

Debra, Do you know of a sealer that keeps water out around the floors of your basement? My sister told me about dry-lock that you can paint on and it turns your concrete white. Butd i dont know if its toxic or not. Do you have any ideas? Thanks Deb from tenn.

Debra’s Answer

Readers, anyone have experience with this?

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Question from LB

I am interested in having lightweight plates, bowls, and cups that would be particularly appropriate for using outdoors (picnic style, if you will). I’d rather not use plastic and am considering enameled tinware and am interested in what life cycle, health, etc. issues I should be considering with this choice. Thoughts?

Debra’s Answer

I don’t have a full lifecycle analysis of enameled tinware, but here’s what I can tell you.

Tinware is made of sheet steel coated with tin. Enameled tinware has a layer of enamel. It is extremely durable and can be reused for many years, which is an environmental benefit. The environmental downside is that metal and enamel manufacturing is pretty toxic, even though the end result is quite inert.

Compared to plastic, I believe it is a better choice because it is less toxic and more durable.

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Question from Reenie

I saw packets of a product I think was called Damp Rid at a home where I was green cleaning. It smells a lot like moth balls. Is this stuff safe? Toxic?

Debra’s Answer

According to the Damp Rid MSDS, the freshener pack is mostly natural bentonite clay, plus a little silica gel (glass is silica), and a few polyethylene fibers ( which are not toxic).

MSDS generally don’t list any fragrance that may be in the product, as it is not considered hazardous by the MSDS regulations.

Aside from any fragrance, there’s nothing else in this product that is a toxic chemical. These ingredients are listed as a dust hazard.

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Question from chris

Okay, need a little help. My bassets have been fed Flint River Ranch dry dog food all their lives. Like everything else it has gone up in price significantly over the past year…around $68.00/40#. I have been laid off of work and I need to re-examine expenses in all areas of my life to sustain. I am thinking about seeking out another brand of dog food that is less expensive but provides a comparable nutritional diet. Can you make a recommendation?

Unemployed Chris

Debra’s Answer

Readers? (I don’t have a dog).

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Question from Catherine

Hi,

I am trying to offgass a room that had been painted with regular paint three months ago, the smell is still very strong and cannot go into those rooms. I read someones comment here a while back that the heat needs to get just over 100* to work.

( I cannot find the post)

I have tried to find a way to do this but am not having any luck. All the space heaters have thermostat regulators that only go to 80* or they use propane (thats not going to happen:)I desperately need to get this done so I can live a relatively normal exisistance (and that is putting it gently:) if you have knowledge of what heaters will work and where I can get them I would appreciate the help.

My friend said he worked in an autobody shop and they used infrared heaters, but would not know how or where I could get on to use.

Thanks.

Debra’s Answer

I just use a space heater or the central heat. And it doesn’t need to get to 100 degrees.

But it shouldn’t take three months. Exactly what kind of paint did you use?

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Question from ELISABETH the next Great Performer

people wonder WHAT they can freeze safely in – HERE’s THE answer

VACUUM SEALED Wide Mouth KERR JARS

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VACUUMM SEALED-Brown paper wraped BIG food -put into big zip locks that are rinsed 5 X to get off surface residues & smell

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Debra’s Answer

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Question from liz

Hi Debra and other readers,

Looking for a non-toxic daybed, settee, or sofa, and found one at www.eco-terric.com/linden-daybed.html.

Does anyone out there have experience with this product or others from that company, or, if not, a suggestion for high-quality but not designer-priced wool and/or latex-based living room furniture?

TIA for your reply, and, thanks to Debra for the site.

Liz in Virginia

Debra’s Answer

I have personally seen this furniture on display and found it beautiful and well-made as well as nontoxic. I would buy this furniture myself if I were in the market for furniture. I don’t have any long-term experience with owning it. Readers?

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