Sick-care industry responsible for 8 percent of US carbon emissions

The Journal of the American Medical Association has published a report conducted by the University of Chicago that estimates nearly 10 percent of U.S. carbon dioxide emissions come from the health care industry. Findings reveal that hospitals are the number one polluter with pharmaceuticals at a close second.

Jeanette Chung, PhD, and study co-author David Meltzer, MD, PhD, procured their findings by analyzing 2007 health care spending numbers through the environmental input-output life cycle assessment (EIOLCA) model. By capturing both direct and indirect environmental effects caused by day-to-day health care industry actions, the model was able to assess the carbon intensity of each dollar spent on various activities and come up with an estimate.

The high energy demands of operating and maintaining hospitals account for their number one position as health care carbon emitters. Similarly, pharmaceutical companies expend tremendous amounts of energy in researching drugs, manufacturing them, and transporting and distributing them.

The goal of the study was to draw attention to the environmental impact of health care in general and to highlight the possibility of improving environmental efficiency in health care. The study's authors hope to bring awareness to the issue of carbon emissions and to encourage innovation that will make the health care industry cleaner with less negative impact on the environment.

Researchers suggest that hospitals can improve their environmental impact by purchasing goods and services from environmentally-friendly suppliers, as well as implementing recycling programs. Architecturally, hospitals can take more advantage of natural sunlight by implementing facility designs that capture natural light and utilize it for energy, light, and temperature control.

The University of Chicago Medical Center has a sustainability program of its own that requires 90 percent of hospital cleaning supplies to bear Green Seal Certification. The center also operates a recycling program that deflects 500 pounds of plastic waste each day from landfills to recycling plants.

The U.S. Green Building Council's LEED certification program is another option facilities can strive to achieve by implementing energy efficient designs and technologies. LEED recognizes building and community designs that strategically aim to improve energy savings, water efficiency, carbon dioxide emissions reduction, improved environmental quality, and concerted stewardship of resources that recognizes their environmental impact.

From a preventative perspective, the health care industry needs an ideology overhaul that redirects the focus from symptom treatment to healthy lifestyles that incorporate nutrient-dense diets rich in superfoods and living, whole foods. Proper nutrition and preventative natural medicine will keep people out of hospitals and away from pharmaceutical drugs, which will in turn have a positive impact on the well-being of the populace and on the environment. -naturalnews

Alanis Morissette on Green Tips for Rock Stars

Hers include conservation of power ... and lions.

Pardon the pun, but Alanis Morissette thinks rock stars "Oughta Know" about ways to green up their lives.

The ex-Nickelodeon star and alternative music icon tells Spin Earth that musicians can pursue a rock agenda and an environmental agenda at the same time.

Some of the things she does herself include using biodiesel-fueled buses on tour and giving unused backstage food to shelters, which is "both environmentally considerate and helping other human beings."

"For me, it's everything from shutting off the light in my hotel room to not running the water for too long, to using the same towel over and over again until you can't."

These days, Alanis also is writing a book and running in marathons.

She just finished a Nov. 1 event for the Maasi Wilderness Conservation Trust. The money from the event went to the Simba Project, which prevents the killing of lions and other large predators through a livestock compensation program in East Africa.

Alanis runs with headphones, and her marathon mix includes Rage Against the Machine, Radiohead and "Survivor" by Destiny's Child.

Morissette's latest album, "Flavors of Entanglement," features a song called "Citizens of the Planet." -planetgreen.discovery

Recycling Lipstick + Non-Petroleum Jelly

This is a great way to use up those colours of organic lipstick you are not very fond of. It is possible to create new colours. Recycle the small left-over organic lipstick that is left in the bottom of the tube or pot.

Petroleum jelly has such a wealth of uses (including a base for recycled lipstick).It is nice to know how to prepare your own healthful non-petroleum substitute.

Many over-the-counter salves, oinments, liniments and cosmetics have petroleum as a base. We all know crude oil, sometimes called petroleum, is a fossil fuel that was produced deep in the earth through a process that took millions of years to complete.

Recycling Organic Lipstick into LusciousLipgloss

Only use certified organic lipstick and non-petroleum jelly - Why eat chemicals?
Women are now aware that they can ingest, at worst 12 kilograms of lipstick and chemicals in one lifetime. That is why you can have a beautiful smile without the worry of chemicals, lead, aluminuim, artificial colourings, petroleum jelly,preservatives and sunscreen.

Keep a record of what organic lipstick you use and how much in case it turns out to be a really beaut colour. You can control the hardness of the product by using less or more beeswax acording to preference. It it doesn't turn out quite right, simply toss the experiment back into the top of the double boiler and melt it down again. Add a little more of whatever you need. Have fun!

Recycling Lipstick

1 tablespoon non-petroleum jelly (recipe below)
organic lipstick the size of a small pea
1/2 teaspoon grated beeswax

In the top of a double boiler, over barely simmering water, melt beeswax and jelly together until both are well combined.
Add the piece of organic lipstick.
Continue to add small amounts (if necessary) until the desired colour is achieved.
Pour into small lip balm tub or tube and allow to set.
You can improve the healing quality of this by adding the contents of one 400 IU natural capsule of Vitamin E.

If you are doing a few, for easier pouring, use a rubber band to hold tubes together. Then they stand upright easily. Use a Soap Crafters dropper cap or Pipette to fill them. Keep filling until they are a little overfilled. This gives each lip gloss a rounded top and not a sunken in one. After a couple of hours they will be cool, put on caps and clean up to label. They are ready to use!

An Easy Lip Gloss

Follow directions as for lip gloss above and combine:

1/2 tablespoon olive / organic coconut oil
1/2 tablespoon sweet almond oil
pea-size piece of organic lipstick
1 teaspoon grated beeswax
200 IU natural vitamin E capsule (as a preservative)

The difference between these two Lip Glosses is a matter of consistency and which one you prefer.

Chocolate Lip Balm

1½ oz grated beeswax
1 oz organic cocoa butter
1½ oz shea butter
2 ozs. sweet almond oil / organic coconut oil
1-2 teaspoons flavour oil - peppermint EO / lavender EO or combination / organic vanilla powder
recycle chocolate colour lipstick or use 2 tablespoons organic cocoa powder
400 IU vitamin e oil capsule

In a very small pan, add the beeswax and melt over the lowest setting. (or use a double boiler or a steamer with ingredients in a glass jug).
Once melted add the cocoa butter chunks and shea butter, let melt, and
then add the sweet almond oil or coconut oil, lipstick or cooa pwder and vanilla powder. Heat through. Add the openedVitamin E oil capsule.
Remove from stove and pour into a glass measuring cup for easy pouring into lip balm containers.

Add the flavour oil, or if you would like to make more than one flavour with this recipe, separate into different glass jars or cups and then add the
flavour. If the mixture starts to harden, place in the microwave for a few seconds to re-melt and then pour.

Recipe makes 6 ozs. Store in 'fridge.This lip balm leaves a smooth, non-greasy feeling and will not build up or cake on your lips.

Use Leftover Lipstick

2 teaspoons beeswax
2 tablespoons, sweet almond oil or coconut oil
5 drops essential oil (such as orange, lemon, grapefruit, tangerine, coconut or mint)
2 drops vitamin E capsule
(optional: to tint, up to 1/4 teaspoon lipstick)

Melt the oil and beeswax together. Remove from heat. If colouring, stir in the lipstick. When the mixture has cooled to lukewarm, stir in essential oil and the vitamin E. Transfer to a small container.
Stir occasionally while cooling.If a thicker gloss is desired, increase the amount of beeswax. (Experiment with other additions such as organic cocoa / carob powder, crushed peppermint, cocoa butter, vanilla bean, oil of cinnamon, oil of camphor or eucalyptus for soothing chapped lips, wheat germ oil, etc.
Add oil-based ingredients to the oil phase, and water-soluble ingredients to the water phase).

(Petroleum jelly -aka Vaseline)

Petrolatum is found in one of every 14 products on the market (7.1 percent of the products assessed by EWG), including 15 percent of all lipstick and 40 percent of all baby lotions and oils. FDA restricts petrolatum in food to no more than 10 parts per million, and requires petrolatum used in food packaging or drugs to meet impurity restrictions for PAHs (21 CFR 178, 21 CFR 172.880).

But the agency allows any amount of petrolatum of any purity in personal care products, many of which are applied directly to the lips and swallowed.

Manufacturers would find no legal impediments to using the same unregulated petrolatum in personal care products as can be used in shoe polish.

Among the studies linking the petrolatum impurity PAHs to breast cancer is a Columbia University study in which researchers found that the breast tissue of women with breast cancer was 2.6 times more likely to contain elevated levels of PAHs bound to DNA (called DNA adducts) than the breast tissue of women without breast cancer (Rundle et al. 2000). The National Toxicology Programs finds that some PAHs are reasonable anticipated to be human carcinogens, and the State of California lists a number of PAHs as carcinogens in its Proposition 65 program (NTP 2002, OEHHA 2004).

Petrolatum is listed as a probable human carcinogen in the European Union's Dangerous Substances Directive (UNECE 2004).

http://www.health-report.co.uk/petroleum_petrolatum_health_concerns.htm

Non-Petroleum Jelly

This is a great multi-use formula.Protects, heals scrapes and rashes.Use for a little gloss to your lips.Dab some on fingers and toenails to impart luster and shine. As a base for homecrafting cosmetic,beauty and skincare products.

A softer or firmer gel can be made by changing the amount of beeswax used. Try the recipe as written, then decide if it suits or if you would like to change the next batch to a different consistency. For a softer gel, use 1 oz. of beeswax. For a firmer gel, use 1½ oz. of beeswax. For a very soft gel - more like an ointment in consistency - use 1/2 oz of beeswax.

Combine 1¼ oz. grated beeswax and 3/4 cup sweet almond oil (or organic coconut or olive oil) in the top of a double boiler. With water in the lower pan at a simmer, thoroughly melt ingredients together. Remove from heat and pour into suitable container(s). This recipe will fill two 3½ to 4 oz. containers. This allows one jar to be used 'as is' and the other to be used as a base for products you wish to make.
Optional - add 12 drops of grapefruit seed extract as a natural preservative.- Will keep for one year.To make a lighter consistency, can mix with a hand beater after heating.

Enjoy and happy handcrafting! -ecobites

35 Ways to Winterize Your Home (Without Poisoning Your Family)

Stay cozy all winter long with these ideas.

There are hundreds of tips on the Internet for winterizing your home but many of them aren't too eco-friendly. If you don't want to huff toxic chemicals all season check out these tips for a warmer home and healthy breathing all winter long.

Tips for Winterizing Your Home, Safely :

1. Consider using green alternatives to traditional insulation. There are several options including cellulose and spray foam.

2. Learn from the old timers! Plant evergreens close to your home and consider planting a windbreak on your property. A windbreak can save up to 30% in energy costs.

3. Your attached garage can add to the difficulty in heating your home. It is a large, unheated space that usually shares a wall with either the kitchen or the den. Either way, keeping it warm helps keep the whole house warm. Take a look at the instructions to make this garage solar heater.

4. Install a permanent furnace filter to save waste and to keep your air clean.

5. Wrap the windows in plastic to keep out those arctic blasts.

6. You can also use bubble wrap to cover your windows. The air in the bubbles helps to insulate even more.

7. Sew a draft stopper

8. Install weather stripping

9. Use non-vinyl blackout curtains to trap the heat in and keep the cold out.

10. Add a door sweep to each exterior door.

11. Head to your local feed store and buy straw bales to place around the foundation of your home. This will block cold air and help keep the floors warmer, especially if you have pier and beam.

12. Have your furnace serviced to make sure that it is running properly and safely.

13. Check the duct-work where it is exposed. Our house is old and pier and beam and all the duct work is under the house. Over the course of a year raccoons and other visitors may pull at it, tear it, or loosen it from the registers. We almost always have to repair a few ducts.

14. While you are checking the duct-work consider insulating it as well. This helps keep the heated air warm as it moves through unheated spaces under the house or in the attic.

15. Reverse the direction on your ceiling fans. This will push the hot air down and help it recirculate through out the house.

16. Install foam insulation gaskets around your electrical outlets and keep the outlets covered when not in use.

17. Installing storm doors and windows can save you up to 45% on your energy bill.

18. Move furniture off your vents.

19. Consider these high efficiency heating tips.

20. Cover your water heater with an insulating blanket. Here is a video by Sierra Club that shows you how.

21. If you have an old fashioned radiator use a fan to help spread the warm air and a put a reflector behind it.

22. Buy organic cotton thermal long johns for everyone in the family.

24. Wear layers of clothing made from breathable organic fabrics.

25. Eat soups to help keep your body temperature up.

26. Shut the door on rooms you don't use, if there are any.

27. If you live in an old house, live in it the way they used to. We have a fireplace in the kitchen and a kitchen door. We spend many winter days around the kitchen table with the fireplace crackling (we have had a lot of trees fall the past year) and the door closed. We keep the heat to the other areas of the house very low.

28. Improve the air quality of your home. Sealing your thermal envelope too tightly can be dangerous if you don't look out for your air quality. Get a heat recovery ventilator if you seal your house up tight.

29. Grow some herbs and vegetables inside. Not only are they great to add to soups and stews but plants filter toxins out of the air.

30. Open the curtains on the south/west side of the house during the day to get the most of the sun's warmth. Close up at night to keep out the cold.

31. Cold feet? Put a little ground cayenne or ginger in your socks. You can do the same with mittens but don't do this with small children. If a finger goes into an eye it is painful!

32. Put hot baked potatoes wrapped in a piece of flannel in your bed about 15 minutes before you plan to get in it. Your bed will be warm and you will have potatoes ready to make hash browns at breakfast.

33. Another old fashioned fix it to hang a thick curtain in front of the door. Use the round hangers and you can easily push it aside to open the door.

34. If you have a two story house the upstairs will always be warmer than the downstairs. Plan on spending more time up there.

35. Bake bread. It is fun, it warms up the house, and it tastes great. -planetgreen.discovery