Toxic Free Talk Radio Archives
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
Meet a Toxicologist
Yes, there is a field called “toxicology” and it’s all about determining what’s toxic and what’s not. 
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
Household Hazardous Waste—What to Do With the Toxics You Want to Trash
My guest today is Victoria Hodge, President of the North American Hazardous Materials Management Association (NAHMMA), a professional organization dedicated to pollution prevention and reducing the hazardous constituents entering municipal waste streams from households, small businesses and other entities that are not included in other toxics disposal regulations. She is also the Municipal Sales Manager for the Central Region for Otto Environmental Systems, where she works with the field sales team to build municipal business in both products and services. Among other activities in the field of solid waste and recycling Victoria set up a pharmeceutical collection site that received regional, state, and national awards as a result of its success. We’ll be talking aabout which items in your home are considered hazardous waste and how to legally dispose of them. www.nahmma.org
Life Without Plastic
My guest Jay Sinha is co-founder and co-owner (with Chantal Plamondon) of Life Without Plastic, a one-stop shop and information resource for high quality, ethically-sourced, Earth-friendly alternatives to plastic products for everyday life. They founded the business over seven years ago after some tough experiences with chemical sensitivities and following the birth of their son. They sought to avoid the toxicity and awful environmental footprint of plastics but had difficulty finding certain key housewares in a non-plastic form. So they set out to find and source them for others too. Jay has degrees in biochemistry, ecotoxicology and law, and prior to LWP explored jobs ranging from tree planter to environmental consultant to corporate lawyer (most who know him can’t quite believe this one – nor can he) to Parliamentary researcher and policy analyst. This was the most obvious route to becoming a passionate anti-plastic activist and ecopreneur. He loves to walk in the trees – he and Chantal and their son live among the trees in a small dynamic rural community. We’ll be talking about how Jay and his wife manage to live without plastic and some of the great plastic-free products they have on their website. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/life-without-plastic
Creating a Fragrance-Free Life
My guest Alonna Shaw has been blogging about what she’s doing to remove toxic synthetic fragrance from her life (the link below has an index to all her posts on the subject). A writer and editor living in Northern California, Alonna utilizes her background in theater, film, television, and appreciation of nature in her work. Storytelling interests include transformative adventures, travel, biography, and social science fiction. The goal of her alter ego, Alecka Zamm, is “no more freakin’ fragrance.” Because of her sensitivity to fragrance, “Alonna’s world has narrowed to nature, away from anything that spews, reeks, or leaves scent trails. Where there is fabric softener, pesticides, plug-ins, scented shampoos, lotions, potions… she shouldn’t go. Alonna may miss a lot, but breathing means more to her than that once exciting city life, even suburban life. There are many doors in life and she’s still exploring what her fragrance-free door has to offer. Life smells much better without perfume.” www.alonnashaw.com/2013/08/my-interview-on-toxic-free-talk-radio.html
Organic Body and Bath Products in Plastic-Free Packaging
My guest Cory Trusty is President of the family owned business Aquarian Bath. She is
an herbalist, organic gardener, and mother of two active girls. Cory and her husband are both concerned about the environment and take care in making their products. Their soaps and other products are free of chemical fragrances, SLS-free, Non-GMO, dye-free, and palm-oil free, with no animal testing. Most products are vegan. Plastic-free shipping materials include paper, starch, and biodegradable cello bags. Cory’s background is in Cell and Molecular Biology study at the University of Washington as well as Masters study at a Traditional Chinese Medicine Institute. Cory and her family enjoy nature biking and the beach in their free time. She is also Vice-President of SolarNetOne Inc, an innovative solar computing company. We’ll be talking about toxic chemicals in bodycare products and why and how they package their products without plastic.www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/aquarian-bath
The First Affordable Natural Sofa
My guest Emily May Bird Kroll is CEO and Founder of Ekla Home, which makes custom natural upholstered furniture. On the day of our interview, she will be launching a new natural sofa “with a design that more people can afford.” Emily has successfully designed, manufactured, and distributed custom furniture since 1992. She has created custom and contract furniture for notable interior designers, celebrities and large corporations. Emily is passionate about changing the way the furniture business works in the United States where production is notoriously wasteful, and many toxic chemicals are used. Determined to make the process of producing furniture safe for her craftsmen and clients, Emily launched EKLA HOME in 2007. The granddaughter of a furniture designer on one side, and an architectural and scrap metal recycler on the other, EKLA HOME’s approach is rooted in Emily’s DNA. A lifelong Southern California resident, Emily is at the nexus of a close beachside community that holds environmentalism as a way of life and a business model. We’ll be talking about toxic chemicals in sofas and how to avoid them by choosing a safa made with natural materials. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/ekla-home
In addition, Leigh Anne Van Dusen, Co-Founder and General Manager of O Ecotextiles spoke about the textiles used to make Ekla Home upholstered furniture. O Ecotextiles is committed to 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. Co-founders (and sisters) Patty Grossman and Leigh Anne Van Dusen created O Ecotextiles in 2006 and 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. www.oecotextiles.com
Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House
My guest is Carol Venolia, author of Natural Remodeling for the Not-So-Green House, one of my most favorite books about building. This context of integrating your home with nature in the place where you live provides a foundation for all other decisions made regarding design and materials. Natural light from the sun, natural cooling from breezes, natural insulation from earth allows you to eliminate many toxic chemicals as well as aligning with nature. Founder of Come Home to Nature website, Carol is an architect with a passion for reconnecting humans with the rest of life. She wrote the e-book Get Back to Nature without Leaving Home; wrote Healing Environments: Your Guide to Indoor Well-Being; penned the “Design for Life” column in Natural Home Magazine for 9 years; and has designed eco-homes, schools, healing centers, and eco-villages. 
Carol has been honored by The Green Economy Post as one of ten pioneering women in green design, and was named a Green Design Trailblazer by Natural Home Magazine. We’ll be talking about how everyone can become more aware of nature surrounding our homes and use natural flows to our benefit. www.comehometonature.com
Amazingly Natural Toothpaste (It Really Is!)
My guest Darryl Bosshardt developed Earthpaste—”amazingly natural toothpaste”— “because we couldn’t find a natural toothpaste we loved for our families.” He is passionate about healthily living, healthy eating, and life-long learning. After growing up working for his family’s salt and mineral business (Redmond, Inc.) in Utah, he earned a Bachelors of Science degree at Southern Utah University and an MBA at Western Governor’s University before returning as a third generation family member at Redmond. In his spare time Darryl enjoys the outdoors, hiking, fishing, canyoneering, beekeeping, and just about anything else he can get is hands on. We’ll talk about toxic chemicals in toothpaste, good dental hygiene, and the simply healthy ingredients in Earthpaste. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/earthpaste
