We’ve been spotlighting microplastics and the ecological consequence of microfiber shedding due to laundering synthetic clothing at home. Is professional dry cleaning any safer for our planet and our health? Are environmental dry cleaners a real thin
Read more…Silk is associated with luxury and known for its luster, strength and softness. This natural protein fiber originated over 8,500 years ago in ancient China and was traded along the famed Silk Road.
Conventional silk production, known as sericulture,
Read more…Soil vs. Dirt, Biodegradation, and Landfills
Last month, Sustainable Contra Costa hosted a showing of the highly acclaimed documentary Common Ground, which depicts the "Soil Your Undies Challenge." This experiment playfully challenges participants to
Read more…Have you wondered about those multi-colored gel packs for dishwashers? They are pre-measured and convenient to use; just pop one pod into the dishwashing compartment where you normally pour liquid or powder and you’re good to go. This may sound easy
Read more…Photo by David Clode on Unsplash
Cooking oil is an essential staple in the kitchen. Whether you are sautéing chicken, frying up eggs, tossing a salad, or making popcorn, you are no doubt using more than one type of cooking oil on a regular basis. Ther
Read more…Foraging has been an integral activity of human culture for thousands of years. Early hunter-gatherers fished, hunted, and gathered wild plants long before the agricultural domestication of crops and livestock. Today, people replicate this ancient pr
Salt is a historically significant commodity that is essential to human life. Humans have used salt for thousands of years to preserve and flavor food, and there are many modern industrial applications of salt such as de-icing roads or adding it to
Read more…While shopping in the produce section of your local grocery store, you might hear a piped-in storm sound and then see misters spraying the shelves of vegetables with something. Pre-cut fruit like mango and watermelon are likewise sprayed before being
There are many decluttering philosophies out there, and Swedish death cleaning is one of the new kids on the block. In her New York Times bestselling book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, artist Margareta Magnusson takes a different approac
Read more…Photo by Marek Studzinski on Unsplash
In Hitchcock’s suspense masterpiece Notorious, Nazi villain Claude Rains discovers his wife, Ingrid Bergman, is an undercover agent and plots to kill her without detection by gradually poisoning her coffee.
When we
Read more…In the United States alone, 40 billion plastic utensils are thrown away each year, and there are estimates that plastic in the oceans will outweigh fish by the year 2050. Are bioplastics the magic solution to the plastic global crisis? Does the littl
Xeriscaping, from the Greek prefix “xeric,” meaning “dry,” is a popular style of landscaping, particularly in areas with arid or semi-arid climates such as California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada, and Texas. Xeriscaping (“zeer-i-scaping”) reduces the
Read more…Real grass was introduced to North America by the early settlers in order to feed grazing livestock. Later, green lawns came to represent the American dream of living in an orderly, desirable neighborhood with a manicured lawn. We’ve come to learn th
We’ve all seen those cool looking silicone cupcake pans, ice cube trays, whisks, basters, spatulas, and other kitchenware that come in a variety of alluring colors and soft, malleable shapes. There are even silicone baggies that replace disposable pl
Read more…If you're looking for the Spring Cleaning article mentioned in the April 2024 newsletter, click here!
How about a little pesticide with your breakfast? If you regularly eat Cheerios or Quaker Oats products, there are some things you should know, esp
Read more…What is Prop 65? In the state of California, Prop 65 warning labels on products inform consumers that it is known to cause cancer or reproductive harm in humans or laboratory animals. Products include apparel, textiles, jewelry, accessories, home pro
If you’re thinking about New Year’s resolutions for 2024, here are five suggestions that will conserve natural resources, save energy, and help you start out the new year on a positive note while helping the planet!
1) Reduce Landfill Waste There are
Read more…We’ve posted many articles on how to make Christmas greener, and these discussions invariably address the dilemma of choosing an artificial tree vs. a real tree. Whether you are religious, spiritual, or secular, the Christmas tree is a popular symbol
The fashion industry places a heavy burden on the planet. It is responsible for 10 percent of global greenhouse emissions and is the second largest consumer of the world’s water supply. The huge number of resources required to manufacture clothing in
Halloween is one of the spookiest times of the year for the environment. Mass-produced fast fashion composed of cheap, one-use polyester costumes; plastic candy wrappers and packaging; throwaway porch and party decorations; and pumpkins left to rot
