Here comes the sun

Is Your Sunscreen More Harmful Than Being in the Sun?

...an ingredient in most sunscreens — retinyl palmitate – actually causes cancer.


In one FDA study on animals, dismissed by a dermatologist consultant to sunscreen companies as “very premature to even cast doubt about the safety of this chemical,” retinyl palmitate accelerated tumors and lesions in the sun by 21 percent! (Similar studies on humans not animals would be “unethical” say scientists)


And there are other sunscreen doubts. Many people don’t apply the needed amount of sunscreen to protect themselves from UVA and UVB sunrays because the products are expensive (and no one wants to be a goo monster). But when they do, they still may not be safe since ingredients like oxybenzone — which is an endocrine-disrupter, as are most fragrances — and titanium dioxide are now thought to penetrate the skin and enter the bloodstream. THAT wasn’t in the brochure.


Once upon a time, before links between skin cancer and sun bathing were confirmed, people didn’t use sunscreen. They used baby oil and iodine to enhance the sun’s effect, literally sautéed themselves in the sun and using reflectors. (They were also smoking Tareytons or Kents which also wasn’t seen as self-destructive.) Having the best suntan in the room was like being the thinnest person in the room decades later: a badge of social status and sex appeal. Who knew that wrinkles would develop? Who believed they would live past 30?


Then the pendulum swung and the sun was as bad as, well, cigarettes. The era of sunscreens and long sleeves began and spray-on tans, often carrot-orange, were the rage, with Hollywood leading the way.

Smokes, sun and beer.  Years ago they didn't add all the "new" items into lotions, cigs or liquor.  Just as good back then - maybe even better since chemicals really don't taste too good.

Hey if butter worked for Kramer - Land O'Lakes here I come.

Raw Veggie scare in Europe

E.coli cucumber scare

Germans have been warned not to eat cucumbers until tests identify the source of a deadly E.coli outbreak which local officials say has killed 13 people.


It is thought contaminated cucumbers were imported from Spain, but further tests are being carried out.


With cases reported in Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and the UK, Germany is set to hold crisis talks later.


In many of the reported cases, the gastrointestinal infection has led to Hemolytic-uremic Syndrome (HUS), which causes kidney problems and is potentially fatal.


The head of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany's national disease institute, has warned people to avoid eating raw cucumbers, tomatoes and lettuce.

Whether sourced at the growing site or brought about by the handlers...

A few points and questions:
1) Grow your own veggies
2) If you do buy veggies and fruit know where they come from
3) Wash, wash, wash
4) Robert Koch related to our Koch boys?
5) If you see real cheap cukes in Walmart next week - run away!!!

Models for today

If they can do it on a small piece of land, what can we do with a larger plot?

Wonder what suggestion (beyond fencing)  Jules would have to keep deer from eating all my crops.

Nature Deficit Disorder

From Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and The Nature Principle:

If we see only an apocalyptic future, that’s what we’ll get, or close to it. But imagine a society in which our lives become as immersed in nature as they are in technology, every day, where we live, work, learn and play. Imagine a future in which our intelligence and creativity, our ability to feel and be fully alive is enhanced by more frequent contact with the natural world.

We’re already seeing a convergence of a New Nature Movement focused on human restoration through the natural world. A new river is gathering force. At its headwaters, an expanding body of scientific evidence links the human experience in the natural world to better physical and mental health and enhanced cognitive abilities.

Now comes a cascade of hope: biophilic design of new homes, workplaces, neighborhoods, cities; reconciliation ecology and human-nature social capital; restorative homes and businesses; ecopsychology and other forms of nature therapy; pediatricians who prescribe nature; citizen naturalists; nature-based schools; the Slow Food and simplicity movements; organic gardening; urban agriculture, vanguard ranching and other forms of the new agrarianism; the children and nature movement; and more.


As these currents join, they’ll lead us to a different view of the future. It won’t look perfect, but it’ll surely be better.


In fact, precisely because of the environmental challenges we face, the future will belong to the nature-smart — those individuals, families, businesses and political and social leaders who develop a deeper understanding of the transformative power of the natural world, and who balance the virtual with the real. That’s a picture worth painting, a future worth creating.

A sense of hope?  A view that I have not thought about for a long time.  But maybe...

Beyond the Crazy Train

GOP Congressman Proposes Clear-Cutting Rainforest to Fight Climate Change

The New York Times reports that Representative Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) has a novel solution for combating climate change: clear-cut all the trees in the rain forests. Yes, that's the solution he proposed in a Congressional hearing today, to the bewilderment of forestry experts also in attendance.

I have crazies on the train, running the train... This guy must own it. Doesn't need a seat - in a world all his own.

What's missing from the list?

Eat to Defeat Cancer Campaign

This campaign comes not a moment too soon. Finally let’s put some energy toward prevention and as we do that, let’s focus on the single most important activity we do, eat. Our diet is our body’s medicine and we feed our bodies three times a day, so what we eat has a huge impact.


The campaign is built on research published in peer reviewed journals from the National Cancer Institute, the American Medical Association, and the American Society of Nutrition and partners with chefs like Ming Tsai and Mario Batali.


The Eat to Defeat Cancer Campaign was created by the Angiogenesis Foundation, and it’s the first campaign of its kind to target cancers with diet. The campaign wants us all to get involved in the fight against the disease by taking a few easy steps:


Choose foods from the Eat to Defeat Cancer food list.

Find the list here. What's missing?  Doesn't a vegetarian diet look even more important now?

Happy Birthday

The other 98%

Koch-Blocked

Tired of the Koch Brothers buying our political system?


Then join our campaign to push Koch money out and bring democracy back in - sign up below to join The Other 98% as we fight Koch money wherever it shows up - and maybe take part in some more awesome creative agitation.

I didn't need another reason

Want Better Yield from your Tomato Plants? Pee on ‘em…

I missed this one originally, but researchers at Finland’s University of Kuopio published a paper in 2009 showing that a mixture of wood ash and human urine makes great fertilizer for your tomatoes… one more great excuse for peeing outside!


Popular Science gave a run-down of the paper published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. The authors didn’t stop with tomatoes, though… a few months later, they published similar findings on beets.


OK, fess up… you peeing in the garden? How’s it working out for you…?

I have admitted this before. I confess. And now I have another reason!!!

NOAA agreeing with Mayan Calendar?

Solar Storms Could Have 'Potentially Devastating Effects'

A senior official at the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says solar storms pose a growing threat to criticial infrastructure such as satellite communications, navigation systems and electrical transmission equipment.


NOAA Assistant Secretary Kathryn Sullivan says the intensity of solar storms is expected to peak in 2013 and countries should prepare for "potentially devastating effects."

Okay now I'm thinking - coincidence or messages?  Solar storms and Mayan Calendar prophecies!  Weird.

Chuck E. Cheese serves food?

Chuck E. Cheese's Promoted Gambling With Kids

The Chuck E. Cheese's chain of restaurants uses the slogan, "Where a kid can be a kid." But to one San Diego mother , the chain is really where a kid can develop a serious gambling habit.


Debbie Keller, a real estate agent with two kids ages 3 and 5, is suing the Dallas-based restaurant chain for $5 million because she feels that many of the games intended for children at these locations are actually illegal gambling devices -- like slot machines and roulette wheels.


Although Keller is asking for a jury trial as well as damages and restitution totaling at least $5 million, her lawyer, Eric Binink told the San Diego Union Tribune that the money is a secondary issue.


Benink said the lawsuit's real purpose is to prevent Texas-based parent company CEC Entertainment Inc. from keeping the machines in its game rooms.


Another mom who is bothered by the suit is San Diego blogger Morgan Quinn Benzian, who says Keller's suit is "mind boggling."


Benzian -- who has written love poems to the chain -- freely admits she's taught her daughter to play "The Claw" and claims the girl has, so far, not had any major meltdowns.


Benzian believes that instead of suing Chuck E. Cheese's, Keller should look at the restaurant as a godsend.


"Chuck E. Cheese's serves beer and pizza and they watch your kids for two hours," Benzian said, adding with a cackle, "[Keller] better not f--k it up for the rest of us."

These two are both crazy. The second one for taking her kids there and then getting drunk. The first for suing Chuck. She should be suing the chain for serving something billed as food. The games are safer than the food. as a matter of fact - eating that food is gambling with your life!

Drill, don't drill, drill, don't....

Obama Calls for More Offshore Drilling. Again.

Despite the massive economic and ecological damage wrought by the BP spill, and despite the numerous studies by nonpartisan agencies that show increased drilling won't lower prices at the pump, President Obama has taken the bait and is now joining the GOP in calling for expanded offshore drilling.


As you'll recall, the last time the president made such a "compromise" (it was really a concession, as yielding increased drilling to the GOP won Democrats precisely nothing in return), the largest offshore oil disaster in American history erupted a few days later. Of course, most vocal conservative and oil-state 'moderate' pols ignored that little mess and went right on calling for more drilling throughout the spill -- meanwhile, not a single meaningful piece of legislation was ever passed to address the reckless safety culture inherent in the oil industry's drilling practices.


So, once again, we're given an example of the president's hugely unambitious energy strategy -- wherein it's more important to cater to GOP falsehoods than to put the nation on an actual path to cleaner energy. In the process, he's apparently willing to endanger numerous more pristine offshore habitats and the economies that rely on them.

Is it just politics?  I really feel that all politicians are swayed by the mighty dollar of the lobbyists.  When that greenback talks, politcians listen.  

Live without DEET

CDC Confirms Lemon Eucalyptus Oil as Effective as DEET

It's easy to say you'll never use DEET, that is until you come down to South Carolina. My home state boasts mosquitoes that rival your house pet in size and stature. But even still, many fear the toxicity of DEET and try to avoid it even with those mini-monsters landing on you noon and night. According to the CDC, lemon eucalyptus oil could be a much safer and more natural weapon.


The CDC confirmed that lemon eucalyptus oil can be as effective as DEET in repelling mosquitoes, a story reported on Mattermore:


Oil of lemon eucalyptus [active ingredient: p-menthane 3,8-diol (PMD)], a plant- based repellent, is also registered with EPA. In two recent scientific publications, when oil of lemon eucalyptus was tested against mosquitoes found in the US it provided protection similar to repellents with low concentrations of DEET


attermore reports that until recently, DEET was the only repellent recommended by the CDC, and approved for individual use by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Oil of lemon eucalyptus is plant-based repellent oil made from leaves of Eucalyptus citriodora.

Goodbye DEET. Can't wait to see parents spray a safe repellent on their little ones.

Free Rev Billy

They arrest a peaceful protester but let the Koch boys spew their poison.

Oil money and science

Image via WikipediaNine of the 10 loudest climate-denying scientists tied to Exxon

Climate change deniers like to point out that they have scientists on their side, too. But an analysis of more than 900 papers supporting climate skepticism showed that about 20 percent of those papers came from the same 10 scientists, and nine of them, according to The Carbon Brief, have ties to ExxonMobil.


Eight of the scientists were directly connected to organizations that took money from Exxon, and one other only showed up on papers written with an Exxon-affiliated scientist. Only one of those 10 could claim to be independent of the oil giant. (He or she probably had other problems.)


Given Exxon's massive profits, it's not so surprising they could find nine people whose research fit nicely with the company's political agenda and underwrite their work. After all, the Catholic Church, flush with resources, also found plenty of people willing to offer scientific proof that the Earth was at the center of the universe.

Is it still science when this happens?  Are there papers still valid if all they are trying to do is save their way of life furnished by Big Oil?  Does this mean Al Gore is today's Copernicus?

Another reason to grow your own!

A Fresh Food Diet Rapidly Reduces Bisphenol-A Content Of Your Body

The Natural Resources Defense Council has some good news - a fast way to drastically cut the Bisphenol-A (BPA) content of your body is to eat fresh, eat at home. No cans needed, thanks very much. "...researchers delivered to the families freshly prepared meals made from organic grains, vegetables and meats for three days. All foods were stored in glass or stainless-steel containers and the families were instructed not to microwave in plastic. The participants were given stainless-steel water bottles and the children took their lunch to school in stainless-steel containers."


Then look what happened...


Cited from the NRDC release:
At the end of the week, the participants' urine was again collected and measured. The researchers found that after the intervention with fresh foods, BPA levels dropped on average by more than 60 percent and phthalate levels were cut in half. When the participants returned to their normal habits, their BPA levels went back up. Their phthalate levels did not rise as much either because the chemical takes longer than BPA to build up in the body or because the participants made changes in their eating habits and food handling.
This really is terrific news. Several hazardous substances sold as commodity chemicals can bio-accumulate and stay parked in human body tissues - in original un-degraded form - long after exposure is lessened. BPA, apparently, does not - at least not to a significant degree.
Unknowns matter.
What we don't know from this study is whether very small, but hormonally-active, amounts of BPA might remain present in the body even after one goes on an exclusively fresh food diet.

Now if the weather would only cooperate ....  From last year's records I am about two weeks behind schedule - though on target with 2009.  Last year I was picking lettuce already.

The Day The Earth Stood Still

Been watching Keanu and the remake of "The Day The Earth Stood Still."
Love this remake and especially love the ending.  Start over folks!

Is he getting it?

Obama: "We can't just drill our way out of the problem"

Hey-o! Look who decided to wake up and make a little noise on the energy front. After getting pushed around by the pro-drilling crowd for the last couple years, Obama at least made the effort today to note that drilling for oil won't solve our energy woes. After all, domestic production peaked in the 70s, and the proven reserves we have yet to tap aren't big enough to increase energy independence. And Obama finally said as much in a speech today.


From the Hill:


"We can't just drill our way out of the problem," Obama said during an energy policy speech in Indiana Friday. "If we're serious about addressing our energy problems, we're going to have to do more than drill." Obama's remarks come as Washington policymakers are feeling pressure to take action to address high gas prices, which are nearing a nationwide average of $4 a gallon.
Republicans have ramped up calls for expanded domestic oil-and-gas production. House Republicans passed the first of three offshore drilling bills Thursday that have been fast-tracked by GOP leadership.


He also made a nod toward eliminating oil subsidies, referring to oil companies in saying that "If you're already paying them at the pump, we don't need to pay them in the tax code."

But wait - did I speak too soon?

Yet his administration has not yet threatened a veto on the bill that just passed the House of Reps that would expand offshore drilling while slackening the environmental review process -- so it doesn't seem like he hates drilling that much. After all, he famously pledged to dramatically expand offshore drilling right before the BP Gulf spill erupted. So there is indeed a chance we may yet see expanded drilling just one year after the worst offshore oil disaster in US history.

So what are your real thoughts?  Drill or not-to-drill.  That is the question you have to answer Mister Prez!

It's all about cash - II

House of Reps Passes Bill to Expand Offshore Drilling

Just weeks after the 1-year anniversary of the BP Gulf spill, the US House of Representatives passed a bill that would force the US government to offer more offshore drilling leases to oil companies. All but two Republicans voted for the bill, and 33 Democrats voted in favor as well. As I've taken to saying, it's like the BP spill never happened at all ...


If it had, after all, how could policymakers justify pursuing an agenda like this: (via the Hill)


House Republicans passed legislation Thursday that would require the U.S. government to offer up offshore areas for oil and gas leasing, part of a wide-ranging GOP effort to expand domestic energy production ... The bill is the first in a three-part legislative push by House Republicans on drilling. Two related drilling bills are expected to come up for a vote on the House floor next week.
The legislation, authored by House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-Wash.), would set a deadline for holding delayed Gulf of Mexico oil and gas lease sales. It would also mandate the sale of leases off the Virginia coast, a plan the administration nixed after last year's Gulf oil spill.


Yup. With rising gas prices, Republicans had a window to falsely claim that a lack of offshore drilling was to blame. And since the oil industry is one of the GOP's favorite and most generous benefactors, it made sense to strike while the iron was hot.

It's drill baby drill - with no concern about the air or water. It's the money stupid!

Don't let the neighbors catch you

Garden Mulch Makes the Simplest Composting Toilet of All

From peeing in public to plush and fragrant composting toilets, there was a time when I was writing an awful lot about pee and poop. It's been a while since I visited this important topic, but as I was going through my morning routine today, I thought I should share my ingenious design for a composting toilet with the world.


Garden mulch.


Urine Contains Valuable Nutrients
Whether we are talking about gardening with urine or large-scale urine separation for fertilizer, we've already covered many ways to utilize our bodily wastes in the fight against peak fertilizer.


Urine as Fertilizer Requires Processing
But, generally speaking, these systems involve either a major infrastructural investment, or they involve some kind of processing at home—whether it is a humanure toilet, peeing on the compost heap, or at least diluting your pee before using it as a direct fertilizer. Using urine directly on your plants can be too strong, and unless it binds with some form of carbon the nutrients are not readily available to plants and can easily be washed away.


The Easy Way to Use Urine in the Garden
But, like many gardeners I already have a perfect source of carbon spread right around my plants—mulch. So while I still pee in my compost heap from time to time (stop me if this is TMI), I have also taken to peeing any and everywhere where we have a carbon-based mulch applied around plants. The idea is that, over time, the mulch will break down anyway, but with added nutrients from human urine it will not just provide organic matter to the soil, but a dose of valuable nutrients with no need for turning the compost heap or spreading out the end result. (Remember that not all mulches are created equal—the New York Times ran an illuminating piece on the environmental impact of cypress mulch some time back.)


Just one more trick in the lazivore gardener's tool box. Does anyone else pee on their mulch?

Great for the garden and a great way to mark your territory,  Let those deer know they are in your domain now.

Deer fencing

The Pro-Environment Case for Errecting Deer Fences

Intuitively, I've never been to fond of fences. Symbolically, they were always a reminder of humans' tendency to dominate nature, and on a practical level they seemed like they would restrict the movement of wildlife and prevent access to important habitat. But last year, having watched my gardens decimated by deer for a number of years, my wife and I decided to invest in a deer fence. I have been amazed at how it has transformed our yard from an aesthetic perspective. But what really had me surprised was just how much it seems to have benefited wildlife too.

Good article reminds me of my PF days - that's pre-fence days.  I always thought that I could share my vegetable garden bounty with nature.  Always had - at least I thought - an agreement that we would share.  But then the deer became greedy and took it all.

Sorry guys for fencing you out - but I thought we had a pact.  

Ax-man

Modern Day Paul Bunyan?

Wait, did he uproot that tree with his bare hands?