The Green Dove » natural

The Future of Plastics

The Dove — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:25:46 +0000

More than 40 years after the well-known one-liner, “Just One Word: Plastics” from Mike Nichols classic movie The Graduate, the presence of plastics in society has evolved from a manufacturing wonder material to a hazardous consumer concern.

Petroleum is in almost every product that we use in our daily lives. In fact, plastics use as much of the imported petroleum as the jet fuel industry does (approximately 8 percent each). It takes about 100 millions years for the earth to produce just one drop of oil, but it takes most people about 45 minutes to use a disposable cup, only to be sent off to a landfill for 500 years.

Cereplast, Inc., a pioneering renewable plastics company, designs and manufactures proprietary bio-based, sustainable plastics created from their cutting-edge breakthrough technology. This technology produces bio-based resins used to replace a significant portion of the petroleum-based additives in plastics by using natural material from starches such as tapioca, corn, wheat and potatoes.

For example, Safety 1st-Nature Next, is using Cereplast resins in their new line of bio-plastic products including the 3-in1 potty, booster seats, bathtubs and stools.

Mr. Frederic Scheer, founder and CEO of Cereplast and an 18-year veteran of the bio-plastics industry is spoke to The Green Dove about bio-plastics and how his company is busy making the resins for products ranging from plastic cutlery (they provided plastic foodservice items at the Salt Lake City Olympics), to product packaging and household items.

What do most people not know about traditional plastics that wrap much of their supermarket-purchased food?
90% of all wrappers used to wrap the fruits and vegetables in supermarkets are made in Asia, meaning that the life cycle assessment does not show such products as environmental-friendly. The safety might be also questionable, especially from plastics made in certain Asian countries that do not have the same stringent regulations on toxicity and health concerns.

How does the wrapping affect/contaminate our food?
Toxic chemicals, such as BPA, may be found in some plastics. Those chemicals then can leech out into the food and other plastic container and therefore contaminate it. Now so far science is very divided and no-one can confirm that it is dangerous. But in such a doubt Cereplast policy is to say lets abstain. Cereplasts resins contain no BPA.

Do you believe our throw-away culture will ever end?
I do believe that this culture will eventually phase out. I think it is important to remember that we live in a fast-paced world, so disposable products not only appeal to us because they are easy and require little to no effort, but they are also a quick solution. I am confident that the world is moving toward sustainability. It is a very slow process. But, we are using reusable shopping bags now and starting to bring lunch in the same container to work each day. The desire to become more eco-friendly is definitely there, it is just a question as to when this plan of action will actually start taking action, and I believe that it already has. Cereplast is informing consumers of the importance of taking responsibility for their products and methods of disposal. We are moving forward and rewriting the definition of “plastic.”

What is your background in the plastics industry?
Oh, I’ve been in the biodegradable plastics industry for more than two decades. In 1994 I became involved in the industry through Montedison SpA, a large chemical conglomerate operating Novamont SpA, an Italian resin manufacturer and research company. I could see even then, that the demand for biodegradable products would expand rapidly by the end of the decade, so I secured the exclusive distribution rights in North America for Mater-Bi�

A Natural Beauty Transition

The Dove — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:45:32 +0000

If you’ve never really understood the mineral makeup trend, and held on tight to your traditional creams and liquids, there’s another natural alternative thanks to Christopher Drummond, a former model turned celebrity makeup artist.

According to Christopher, while “many people know the benefits of using safe cosmetics”, he adds many natural cosmetic companies “seem to teach the ‘all-or-nothing’ mentality”.

“Throwing away the chemical beauty products may be intimidating and not realistic for some,” he says. “To think that someone is going to throw out all existing cosmetics and start new with 100% natural products just isnt going to happen.”

Here, Christopher shares his tips for an easy (realistic) transition into natural cosmetics:

A Green Halloween

The Dove — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 22:55:01 +0000

Trick or treating has a frightening impact on the environment. According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spend upwards of $5 billion on the spooky celebration annually – and that adds up to a lot of plastic masks, candy wrappers and fake tombstones.

Jodi Helmer, author of The Green Year: 365 Small Things You Can Do to Make a Big Difference offers some tips for making the black and orange holiday a little more green.

Green the goodies: Think of all the candy wrappers that one little goblin throws in the trash – then multiply that number by the millions of trick-or-treaters who are happily gobbling up their stash. Offer organic apples from the farmers market or buy treats in bulk to minimize packaging waste.

Come up with a new costume: Skip the racks of colorful costumes at the mall (most of them are made of non-renewable materials like plastic) and come up with a creative idea for a homemade costume. Add a bandana to a pair of jeans and a denim shirt for an instant cowboy costume or put on your wedding dress and go as the Bride of Frankenstein. Or, host a costume swap with the neighbors. The costumes their kids have outgrown might be the perfect fit for your little one.

Choose natural decorations: Bails of straw, colorful mums and a handful of gourds are great seasonal decorations that can be composted on November 1st. If scary witches hanging from the oak tree and plastic pumpkins on the front step are a must-have, scour secondhand stores.

Meanwhile, eco-expert Kim Carlson suggests these handy green Halloween to-dos:

DIY Trick-or-Treat Tote. Make a trick-or-treat container out of an old empty and washed out non-toxic brand paint can. Cover with construction paper or a collage of bats, pumpkins and witches. Or you can sew a Halloween motif fabric onto a re-useable cloth grocery store bag. Either of these can be used year after year.

Earth Inspired Costumes. This Halloween, try making your childs costume instead of buying a one-time use. Try creating a nature inspired costume like a caterpillar from a matching green sweatpants and a hoodie with pipe cleaner antennae. Or make wings from old scarves stitched together and attached to the underarms and side of brown or black hoodie.

Non-Toxic Face Paint and Pencils. Instead of a plastic or rubber mask try a non-toxic brand of face decorating, Nova Naturals Face Pencils. Made from plant oils they are easy to apply, wash off and you can use them over and over. Or make your own face paints with plain yogurt and a few drops of food coloring. It will dry shiny with some texture.

Party and Home Decorations. Use LED candles in pumpkins rather than candles. They burn cool and you can use them for other things throughout the year. Corn stalks and hay from decorative hay bales can be dismantled and spread on garden beds to help protect plants and shrubs from snow and ice.

Pumpkins. Use up every part of the pumpkin that you can – make salted and roasted seeds. Keep the meat of the cut outs for soup or roasting like squash. If you do have pumpkin leftovers from jack-o-lanterns that are past their prime, compost them in your backyard. It will turn into nice black nutrition rich dirt for your spring gardens.

7 WAYS … TO LET GO OF FEAR

The Dove — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 00:25:44 +0000

1. Identify it for what it really is: False Evidence Appearing Real.

As human beings, we are essentially controlled by two emotions: love and fear. We act out of one or the other. The beautiful thing? We have the ability to choose the thoughts we think and the emotion we attach to them. While fear is pre-programmed into us as an instinctual response to potential danger, much of the every day stuff we fear isnt dangerous at all. We have simply convinced ourselves what were fearing is real.

2.

Website for Natural Mamas to Be

The Dove — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 18:56:07 +0000

Natural-health-for-fertility.com has launched its newest website to educate future parents about how to achieve and support a healthy pregnancy with alternative medicine. The site offers a large selection of articles on natural fertility, pregnancy, postpartum and baby care.
Designed for new parents, expecting and planning to conceive mothers, this website provides information on natural ways to support conception, pregnancy and childbirth. Many natural health therapies are discussed such as homeopathy, herbal medicine, vitamins, nutrition, bach flower essences, crystal therapy, reiki, cells salts, yoga, meditation, affirmations, massage, and much more…

The website was founded by Maria Gioia Atzori, a homeopathic practitioner and natural health educator who specializes in homeopathic care for infertility, pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, breastfeeding and baby care.

To find more information at www.natural-health-for-fertility.com

Photo: davhor Flickr Creative Commons

CLEAN BODY, THE HUMBLE ART OF ZEN-CLEANSING YOURSELF by Michael DeJong

The Dove — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:27:31 +0000

Why its great: Rather than harping on about how our toxic household cleaning and beauty products are slowly killing us, Michael DeJong offers solutions that are right there in your kitchen. Using just five pure, natural ingredients-baking soda, lemon, olive oil, salt and white vinegar-he shows you how to wash, scrub and rinse with complete peace of mind, all while saving dollars and the environment. Not a bad deal, eh?

Whos reading it: Those who are discovering their allergies are directly caused by harsh chemicals that lurk in most mainstream cleaning and beauty products. It’s also a favorite of parents who want to give their littlies the most pure start to life, and of those who understand that what goes onto the skin gets absorbed into the body.

What youll learn: How to mix baking soda in varying amounts to use as a shampoo, facial scrub and foot scrub; why olive oil is a superb make-up remover and moisturizer; how lemon will get you salon-perfect streaks and why salt is great for scrubbing away dead skin on elbows and knees.

Want to know more? Head to www.zencleansing.com but not before disposing thoughtfully of all those hazardous products in your cupboards.

Getting Real: Holistic Healthcare

The Dove — Sun, 24 May 2009 01:02:26 +0000

As more Westerners begin to embrace the life-enhancing (and life-saving) benefits of natural therapies, understanding what treatment works best for what condition can cause a headache itself.
Holistic healthcare, unlike Western medicine, treats the whole person to identify the cause of each symptom. As each body is different, treatments are then tailored to the individual-to not only cure dis-eases but also help people live continually in optimal health.

The Health and Vitality Center‘s Dr Shiva Lalezar (pictured below) says many people who deal with fatigue, for example, may overcome it with controlled doses of Vitamin C-a common vitamin which has a profound positive effect on immune cells and is specifically anti viral when given intravenously.

“It helps patients live a vibrant life filled with energy, stamina and mental clarity through diverse natural treatments including infusion therapies,” she says.

“A 24-year female was presented to my clinic with worsening fatigue in the past six months. She also had enlargement of one lymph node in her neck which was biopsied and found to be non cancerous. All her blood work was also normal. She was however feeling worse each day and had quit working out and was dragging herself at work. She could not get out of bed in the morning and this was affecting her work.

Dr Lalezar said she did a series of blood work and found two viruses to be extremely high (Epstein Bar Virus and Cytomegalovirus).

“She also had high Candida antibodies and a low Vitamin D level. I placed her on high dose Vitamin C intravenously once a week and gave her Ribose powder (the monosaccharide sugar backbone for RNA and DNA), fish oil, probiotic and placed her on a Candida-free diet.”

The doctors says within three weeks the patients energy level went from 50 percent to 80 percent and has been able to work out and function better at work.

THE GREEN DOVE: What is one natural therapy everyone should know about and why?

DR LALEZAR: High dose Vitamin C because Vitamin C boosts up the immune system, fights against bacteria, viruses, and cancer. Vitamin C can be taken orally in the form of buffered Vitamin C up to 10,000mg per day. Oral Vitamin C however can be hard on the stomach and may cause diarrhea. Patients who need high doses of Vitamin C (10,000?75,000 mg) can be given IV infusion. They see immediate improvement in their health.

TGD: Explain allergies and how they can be best treated?

DL: There are different forms of allergies. An IgE mediated allergy causes hives, swelling, throat tightening, and shortness of breath. This is seen with bee sting, certain medications, and highly allergenic foods such as shrimp, peanuts, strawberries, and Shellfish. Allergies of this nature can be quick in onset and cause anaphylaxis and death. Another type of allergy is IgG or IgA mediated and they are more insidious and less obvious. Patients may not be aware that their daily symptoms are due to an allergic reaction or food sensitivity. Milk, Wheat, Soy, Eggs, Beef, and Citrus fruits are the most common food allergens. Patients may experience vague symptoms such as fatigue, muscle aches, brain fog, irritability, mood fluctuations, dark circles under the eyes, inability to lose weight or gain weight, and many more! Allergies are best treated with elimination of the food, and strengthening the immune system with fish oil, Probiotic, Vitamin C. Antidote drops are also very powerful in treatment of allergies.

TGD: For someone who has only known the Western way of medicine, can you explain holistic care?

DL: Holistic care is combining the best of conventional medicine along with natural and nutritional medicine, and tailoring an individualized treatment plan. A holistic medical doctor is well aware of the benefits and side effects of medications and can use alternative medicine to treat a patient and gradually wean them off medications in a safe manner. A holistic approach is to investigate the causes of the disease and encourage lifestyle modifications to treat and prevent disease. Orthomolecular medicine is a field that uses diet and vitamins to open up healthy pathways in the body and optimize functions of organs. Holistic treatment approaches are highly individualized for the unique needs of each patient.

TGD: What is your definition of an optimal healthy lifestyle?

DL: My definition of an optimal healthy lifestyle is eating organic fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates, hormone free poultry, fresh water fish, and raw nuts. Moderate exercise including aerobics, weight training, yoga, and Pilates is encouraged. Meditating at least ten minutes per day and most importantly practicing self-love. Balance work with fun. Spend time with family and friends. Take a good multivitamin and fish oil daily.

TGD: How connected is the food we eat to the way we think, move, react etc?

DL: We are what we eat. The food we eat directly affects our way of thinking, actions, and behavior. A diet high in sugar causes mood disturbance, fatigue, memory impairment, brain fog, and muscle spasm to name a few. If we dont expect an alcoholic to behave normal, why do we expect a sugar addict to do so?

TGD: What ailments would people would be surprised to know can be reversed?

DL: Many ailments can be reversed if they are properly diagnosed and the causes are investigated and eliminated. Rheumatoid arthritis, Lupus, Diabetes, Hypertension, Fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue, Menopause and Andropausal symptoms, attention deficit disorder, depression, and anxiety can all be reversed with proper diet, nutrients, detoxification, Vitamin infusion therapy and lifestyle changes.

TGD: What factors do you believe are contributing to the explosion of cancer cases?

DL: Poor diet, nutrient deficient soil, pesticides, chemicals, fumes, plastic, and toxins are contributing greatly to the explosion of cancer cases. Today one in every seven women is diagnosed with breast cancer. By 2010, 50% of the population will be diagnosed with one form of cancer.

For more information on the Los Angeles-based Health and Vitality Center visit online at www.healthandvitalitycenter.com