Toxic Free Talk Radio Archives
Birth Control the Natural Way
My guest today is Hannah Ransom, founder of Holistic Hormonal Health. We’ll be talking about a method of natural birth control called the sympto-thermal method of fertility awareness that Hannah teaches online. Hannah is passionate about letting women know that they don’t need to resort to toxic birth control, even if they want a highly effective method. She writes about many things related to fertility awareness on her website. holistichormonalhealth.com
All About BioPlastics
Today my guest is Brenda Platt, Director of the Sustainable Plastics Initiative, Co-Chair of the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative, and co-director of the nonprofit Institute for Local Self-Reliance, based in Washington, DC. She has worked 26 years on waste reduction, recycling and composting issues. Today we are talking about complostable bioplastics, made from renewable resources instead of fossil fuels. Brenda is the author of several groundbreaking reports including Beyond 40 Percent: Record-Setting Recycling and Composting Programs and the U.S. EPA’s Cutting the Waste Stream in Half. Her 2000 report for the GrassRoots Recycling Network, Wasting and Recycling in the United States 2000, includes a 10-page zero waste agenda for action. Her 2003 report, Resources up in Flames outlined the economic pitfalls of incineration versus a zero waste approach. Her report, Stop Trashing the Climate, documents that aiming for zero waste is one of the fastest, cheapest, and most effective strategies available for combating climate change. She currently directs ILSR’s Composting Makes $en$e project and Sustainable Plastics project and co-chairs the Sustainable Biomaterials Collaborative, a coalition spurring the use of biobased products that are sustainable from cradle to cradle. The Collaborative has developed environmentally sustainability criteria for biobased plastics, and recently released purchasing specs for biobased compostable food service ware. www.sustainablebiomaterials.org
Proper Disposal of Pharmaceuticals
My guest today is Heidi Sanborn, Executive Director of the California Product Stewardship Council, a powerful network of local governments, non-gocernment organizations, businesses and individuals who believe “people should be able to enjoy safer products made without the harmful and toxic components which jeopardize the safety and health of our children, families, and communities.” Today we’ll be talking about how pharmaceutical collection sites can safeguard the environment and our water supply, and help prevent drug abuse by children and teens. Heidi has been a leader in the solid waste industry in California for 22 years, working with industry, government and the public to reduce waste, improve product design and recyclability, and implement cost-effective policies which protect the health of communities. Collaborating with local government leaders, Heidi was one of two original co-directors of CPSC in 2007 to change the way product waste is funded and managed in California; she has since become a nationally recognized thought leader and driver for innovative product stewardship programs across the country. Heidi’s collaborative, tenacious problem-solving approach has delivered unprecedented success in developing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) public policy at national, state and local levels. She has engaged diverse stakeholder groups to create and promote best-in-class product stewardship programs for pharmaceuticals, mercury thermostats, carpets, paint, fluorescent lights, and batteries. Heidi speaks throughout the world to raise awareness about product stewardship. She teaches about EPR for the California Resources Recovery Association, and has been frequently published on the topic. Heidi earned a B.A. in Political Science – Public Service from the University of California at Davis and a Master of Public Administration from the University of Southern California. She lives in Sacramento with her husband Brad and three rescue dogs and enjoys adventure travel. www.calpsc.org/products/pharmaceuticals
Our Toxic World and Why We Need to Do Something
My guest today is Catherine J. Frompovich, author of Our Chemical Lives and the Hijacking of Our DNA. This book is so full of information on toxic chemicals and their health effects, I can hardly describe it. While I usually talk about solutions, today we’re going to be talking about the problem, so you can understand WHY we need to protect ourselves. As a result of her lifelong interest in nature and the natural way, Catherine J. Frompovich enrolled in holistic modalities and natural nutrition. During her studies that led to advanced degrees in Nutrition and Holistic Health Sciences and a Certification in Orthomolecular Theory and Practice, she came to realize how important it is to follow the “owner’s manual” that comes with the human body – Nature’s intended way of life, living, and healthcare. She spent numerous years in practice as a consulting nutritionist and has written many books. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, her books were used by teachers in elementary schools to teach nutrition, a subject – and lifestyle – that she feels truly is imperative in maintaining one’s health from its prenatal stage and throughout life. During the 1980s, she had a cooking show on cable TV, devoted to the natural way of preparing food. For five years, she was the editor of The Healthcare Rights Advocate, a 32 page quarterly newsletter centered on the politics of healthcare in the 1980s. In the 1990s she represented alternative healthcare interests on Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. Now that she’s a widow and retired, she devotes her time to writing books; consults with aspiring writers to get their works into publication, and helps in the design phase of authors’ books. Catherine also continues her several decades-long research in consumer health and its care, plus the politics of healthcare issues. Her work is published online. www.catherinejfrompovich.com
Compact Fluorescent Lights May Save Energy but Can Harm Your Health
My guest today is Paul Wheaton, who is well-known in Permaculture circles. I invited him to be a guest on the show because he wrote a great article about why we shouldn’t use compact fluorescent bulbs, even though they are being heavily promoted by environmentalists to save energy. Paul believes, as I do, that we shouldn’t do something toxic to achieve some other goal, but rather find a solution that supports the entire ecosystem, including the humans. So today we’re going to talk about how CFL’s can harm your health and what else you can do to save energy that is toxic-free. www.richsoil.com/CFL-fluorescent-light-bulbs.jsp#CFL-bulb-toxicity
How to Protect Your Body From Your Cell Phone
My guests today are Dr. Ryan McCaughey and Dr. Rong Wang from Pong Research, I use Pong cases on my cell phone and ipad to block harmful radiation. We’ll be talking about the health effects of radiation from cell phone and how you can protect your body. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/pong-research.
Dr. McCaughey is the Chief Technology Officer for the company. He leads the technical team that designs and tests the Pong technology. He has a Ph.D. in Physics from the University of Manchester (UK) for his thesis on Laser Stimulation of Nerves. He also received a Masters in Physics with Technological Physics from the University of Manchester. Dr. McCaughey grew up in Northern Ireland, before moving to the United States in 2007 for a research position at the Beckman Laser Institute, University of California, Irvine, where he researched laser surgery of the bones in the ear. In 2009, Dr. McCaughey joined the International Foundation for Science, Health and the Environment (IFSHE) in Los Angeles, where he worked on development of a plasma centrifuge for isotope separation and the genesis of the technology that became the foundation for Pong Research Corporation.
Dr. Rong Wang joined Pong in 2011 as Chief Science Officer. She is responsible for the oversight and scientific integrity of all research, published content, and documentation related to the biological effects of non-ionizing radiation emitted from cellular and Wi-Fi devices (including cellular phones, tablets, laptops, routers, and Bluetooth accessories). Rong reports directly to the CEO as lead technical writer, editor, and media representative on all scientific issues related to mobile health, wellness, and environmental topics that pertain to Pong’s technology. As a co-inventor of Pong’s internationally patented technology, Rong also continues to participate in product research and development and helps identify and qualify new technologies and applications for the company.
Rong received her Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, including a joint degree from Harvard in Health Sciences and Technology. She is a specialist in radiation biology, and her doctoral dissertation focused upon human cellular responses to radiation. She also earned two bachelor’s degrees in Physics Engineering and Economics from Tsinghua University in China.
Prior to Pong, Rong is originally from the Sichuan Province of China.
Healthy Halloween
My guest today is Annie B. Bond and we’re going to talk about how to reduce toxic chemical exposure on Halloween—everything from candy to costumes. I met Annie many years ago when her publisher asked me to write the forward to her first book Clean and Green. Annie is the best-selling author of five books, including Better Basics for the Home (Three Rivers Press, 1999), Home Enlightenment (Rodale Books, 2008), and most recently True Food (National Geographic, 2010), and winner of Gourmand Awards Best Health and Nutrition Cookbook in the World. She was named “the foremost expert on green living” by “Body & Soul” magazine (February, 2009). She has been the editor of a number of publications, including “The Green Guide.” Currently Annie is the Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Wellness Wire and leads the selection of toxic-free products for A True Find. www.anniebbond.com
The Basic Principles of Toxicology
Toxicologist Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT, a regular guest who is helping us understand the toxicity of common chemicals we may be frequently exposed to. Dr. Gilbert is Director and Founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and author of A Small Dose of Toxicology- The Health Effects of Common Chemicals.
He received his Ph.D. in Toxicology in 1986 from the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, is a Diplomat of American Board of Toxicology, and an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington. His research has focused on neurobehavioral effects of low-level exposure to lead and mercury on the developing nervous system. Dr. Gilbert has an extensive website about toxicology called Toxipedia, which includes a suite of sites that put scientific information in the context of history, society, and culture. www.toxipedia.org
The Seal that Defines “Natural Product”
My guest today is Vicki Whitsitt, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs Manager for the Natural Products Association (NPA). We’ll be talking about the what defines a natural product, how natural products are labeled, what, if any, government regulations apply to them, and what the Natural Products Association is doing to identify products that meet their definition.Vicki works with the association’s self-regulatory quality assurance and regulatory education programs, and manages the NPA GMP Certification Program. In this capacity, she works closely with program advisors, third-party auditors and companies seeking NPA GMP certification. She has been involved in the development and revisions of the NPA GMP Standard and related program materials and GMP education for the past 14 years. Through her work, Ms. Whitsitt has developed competencies in dietary supplement law and regulation compliance. www.NPAinfo.org
Caring for Your Dog Toxic-Free
My guests today are Leslie May and Johann The Dog, authors of the Raise a Green Dog blog and website. This very popular blog began in November 2007 and has grown over the years into a complete website, with educational pages, tips, tricks and product information to help dog lovers learn more about being green and helping their dog live a healthier, happier life. We’ll be talking about toxic chemicals your dog may be exposed to in typical dog products and how to choose and find safer alternatives. Leslie grew up in a green and organic family, before being green was popular. After adopting Johann as a puppy from a no-kill animal shelter in the Indianapolis area in September of 2004, she wanted to be sure that he was not only safe from the environmental dangers that he may encounter in his life, she also wanted eco-friendly, healthy and safe products for him to eat, play with, sleep in, and be and live around, inside and out. Fortunately knowing how to live an eco-friendly, healthy and organic lifestyle gave her a ‘leg up’ in helping find information, tips and products that would keep Johann the happiest and healthiest dog he could be. She quickly discovered that healthy and green information and products were not easy to find for other dog lovers. That’s when Raise A Green Dog was born….with one goal in mind: to bring valuable, green lifestyle information to dog lovers, so they can enjoy a long and happy life with their dogs, and help the environment at the same time. In her spare time, Leslie enjoys life in the mountains of NE Georgia with her dogs, Johann (YoYo) and Gracie, and her kitties, Wolfie and Wiggy; and enjoys competing in dog agility and hiking the many mountain trails with Johann and Gracie. http://debralynndadd.com/category/debras-list/raise-a-green-dog and blog.raiseagreendog.com.
