Where Does Formaldehyde Hide?

One of my students gave a presentation on formaldehyde last term, and I haven't been able to get it out of the back of my head since. We have all heard of formaldehyde-- it's the chemical we use to preserve frogs for dissection biology class and the chemical we use to embalm our loved ones after they die. But did you know it's also in, well,... just about everything?? Formaldehyde preserves against bacteria, so humans have found all sorts of uses for this substances including: cosmetics and personal hygiene products, vaccines, clothes, plastics, pill coatings that promote maximum absorption, building materials, flooring, furniture, car components, inks, and just about every other place you could think of.
So, what's the big deal? Formaldehyde can cause several short term effects including burning sensations, coughing, weezing, skin irritation, and nausea. For those who have long term exposure to this chemical (with the list above that seems like just about all of us!), the EPA has classified formaldehyde as a probably carcinogen.
So, what can you do? First off, stop sleeping on the stuff. Any fabrics that are permanent-press or wrinkle-free contain formaldehyde. This means that almost all bed sheets contain formaldehyde, giving you 7-9 hours of exposure each and every night. To avoid formaldehyde-ridden sheets, stick to cotton flannel or jersey-knit; these fabrics are not treated with formaldehyde-laden resin as they are meant to be soft and not 'crisp' (to read more about this check out Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck). Also look for personal care products and building products that are labeled formaldeyde-free. Lastly, when you are in the market for new furniture, try to look for solid wood pieces or used furniture. Used furniture (older than 10 years) will have off-gassed a good portion of the formaldehyde it contains, and will be less toxic to your health. Pin It Now!

Roots Shoots Buckets & Boots: A Review

This is a great little book that has many ideas for different children's gardens... from a pizza garden, to a sunflower house, to growing plants in old boots. Along the way, the author, Sharon Lovejoy, gives some great tips and activities to encourage exploration in the garden.. and lots of it involves eating things, finding bugs and getting dirty.... things that most of our children just love. And, for you novice gardeners, there is a section in the back that explains some basic gardening tips so that you and your children can learn together! Thumbs up for this one! Pin It Now!

Lentil Burgers

This is a recipe that I modified from one I found at 101cookbooks.com. It is super easy and DEEE-licious! It has become a new regular on our dinner menu.

What You Need:

• 1 cup dried french green lentils
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 pieces of whole grain bread, toasted well (or use store-bought bread crumbs)
  
• 2 eggs
• cumin
• olive oil (for the pan)
• condiments, toppings, buns or bread to serve on

What You Do:

• Cook lentils (making sure that you do not overcook)
• While lentils are cooking, chop and saute the 1/2 onion in a skillet heated with olive oil. Cook onions until they are tender and starting to caramelize. Add cumin (to your taste) and continue to cook for 2 more minutes while stirring continuously. Turn off heat.
  
• Put your 2 pieces of toast in a plastic bag and use a rolling pin to turn your bread into crumbs. If the bread is not toasted well-enough to make crumbs, then toast some more!
• When lentils are finished cooking, strain well. Put in a bowl and add the 2 eggs. Mash up your mixture really well (a potato masher works well)... if it is not mashed up well, the burgers won't stick together.
• Add onions and breadcrumbs to the mixture and combine well.
• Cook in a saute pan lightly coated with olive oil, flipping once, until each side turns a golden brown.
• Serve with home-made fries and enjoy!
• Makes 3 medium-size patties.
  

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Let the Farmers Market Begin!

Yesterday was our first chance of the spring to make it to the Portland Farmer's Market. Hooray for local farmers and local food! Pin It Now!

Quick Tip: Time to Bulk Up!

A great way to start saving money and natural resources is to start shopping in the bulk bins of your local grocery. Now, I am not talking about stocking up at Costco, where many things are still individually wrapped but sold in huge quantities, but the actual bulk bins, where you buy exactly how much you need. Food sold in bulk is usually cheaper and there is no packaging that comes along with it. That means if you bring your own home-made bulk bags, you can get food at a much reduced environmental cost: Food packaging is made from natural resources, such as trees or petroleum. And, making all of that packaging takes lots of energy. Eventually, that packaging will be disposed of and will likely sit in a landfill for hundreds or more years. Yikes! It just makes sense to try to avoid any packaging that we don't really need.
I know that individually wrapped 'snack packs' can be a real convenience, especially if you have young ones, but it only takes a few minutes to break up a bag of bulk snacks into individual-size reusable containers. The money saved will make it worth it. Pin It Now!

Happy Earth Day!

Today is the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day. Celebrate by paying your respects to this magical planet that we inhabit.
The photos above are a few from my trip to the Bay Area I took last weekend.

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Green Housekeeping: A Review

I recently finished reading Green Housekeeping by Ellen Sandbeck. This book is packed with all sorts of facts and information on everything from safe and natural cleaning and stain removal to non-toxic eradication of garden pests. Throughout the book, the author discusses toxins that commonly arise in certain areas of the home (for example, did you know that the sheets that you sleep on every night likely contain formaldehyde!) and ways to avoid or minimize these toxins.
I think this book is a must-read for anyone who is concerned with the safety of their family, and anyone who is willing to choose more natural and non-toxic ways to live. This book is so packed with information that it would be great to always have on hand as a reference book. I borrowed this book from the library, and upon finishing it, decided to buy a used copy to keep at home. There is just that much good information in there. And don't worry-- I will share lots of this information with you in upcoming blogs! Pin It Now!