Category Archives: organic

Industrial-scale aquaponics is coming of age

by AntonetHipple Posted on April 14, 2016

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Spark Joy – Marie Kondo

Japanese decluttering guru Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up  has revolutionized homes—and lives—across the world. Now, Kondo presents an illustrated guide to her acclaimed KonMari Method, with step-by-step folding illustrations for everything from shirts to socks, plus drawings of perfectly organized drawers and closets. She also provides advice on frequently asked questions, such as whether to […]

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How to Grow More Vegetables, Eighth Edition – John Jeavons

Decades before the terms “eco-friendly” and “sustainable growing” entered the vernacular,  How to Grow More Vegetables  demonstrated that small-scale, high-yield, all-organic gardening methods could yield bountiful crops over multiple growing cycles using minimal resources in a suburban environment. The concept that John Jeavons and the team at Ecology Action launched more than 40 years ago […]

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Angels of Death (Enhanced Edition) – Games Workshop

The Space Marines stride across alien worlds, their boltguns roaring a benediction to the Emperor as they kill. They are the finest warriors Mankind has ever known, and it is by their courage and skill that the Imperium of Man endures. When the enemies of Humanity rise up from the darkness of the void or […]

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White Dwarf Issue 115: 9th April 2016 (Tablet Edition) – White Dwarf

This is it, folks – 30 years of Space Marines, and the celebrations begin right here! Yes, that’s right, the greatest defenders of Humanity in the grim darkness of the future have been with us for three decades now, and of course we want to mark the occasional in style. We’ve got a grand retrospective […]

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The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up – Marie Kondo

This New York Times best-selling guide to decluttering your home from Japanese cleaning consultant Marie Kondo takes readers step-by-step through her revolutionary KonMari Method for simplifying, organizing, and storing. Despite constant efforts to declutter your home, do papers still accumulate like snowdrifts and clothes pile up like a tangled mess of noodles? Japanese cleaning consultant […]

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The Drunken Botanist – Amy Stewart

Sake began with a grain of rice. Scotch emerged from barley, tequila from agave, rum from sugarcane, bourbon from corn. Thirsty yet?  In The Drunken Botanist , Amy Stewart explores the dizzying array of herbs, flowers, trees, fruits, and fungi that humans have, through ingenuity, inspiration, and sheer desperation, contrived to transform into alcohol over […]

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Index Astartes: Apocrypha – Games Workshop

Celebrating thirty years of Space Marines, Index Astartes: Apocrypha brings together a number of the most elusive articles from the darkest reaches of the Citadel archives. Discover for yourself the origin, history and development of the greatest warriors humanity has ever conceived! Inside this eBook you will find classic articles from the early days of […]

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Dream Home – Jonathan Scott & Drew Scott

. Jonathan and Drew Scott have taken HGTV by storm with their four hit shows, Property Brothers, Property Brothers at Home, Buying & Selling, and Brother vs. Brother. The talented duo’s good-natured rivalry, playful banter, and no-nonsense strategies have earned the popular twins millions of devoted fans who have been anxiously waiting for a Scott […]

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Angels of Death (Tablet Edition) – Games Workshop

The Space Marines stride across alien worlds, their boltguns roaring a benediction to the Emperor as they kill. They are the finest warriors Mankind has ever known, and it is by their courage and skill that the Imperium of Man endures. When the enemies of Humanity rise up from the darkness of the void or […]

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Homer’s Odyssey – Gwen Cooper

BONUS: This edition contains a new afterword and an excerpt from Gwen Cooper’s Love Saves the Day. ONCE IN NINE LIVES, SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY HAPPENS.   The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with […]

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Industrial-scale aquaponics is coming of age

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9 Surprising Things Fungus Can Decompose

by RolandoAngel970 Posted on April 13, 2016

Fungus has an amazing ability to decompose organic matter. But it doesnt stop at leaves on the forest floor. Fungi can safely recycle a lot of different human waste and pollution.

How Decomposition Works

In biological terms, organic refers to any material that is made up of molecules containing carbon and hydrogen atoms. All living things are considered organic.

Fungi are able to decompose organic matter by producing specialized enzymes that break the hydrogen-carbon bonds holding it together. The original material is reduced to carbon dioxide gas, water and the mineral forms of nutrients like nitrogen.

You may have seen how compost piles often shrink as they decompose. This is from the release of the carbon dioxide gas and water. Youre typically left with a fine-textured, black, nutrient-rich organic matter that is great for soils and treasured by gardeners.

Unfortunately, the majority of garbage that ends up in landfills is made up of organic matter. If these materials could be composted instead, it would remove a significant amount of the expense and pollution produced by landfills.

What Fungus Can Decompose

1. Paper

This may seem obvious, but its an opportunity thats currently being missed. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, paper waste makes up over 31 percent of landfills. This is by far the largest portion of garbage that goes into landfills.

Fungi can decompose paper products such as cardboard, newspapers, magazines, food packages or even books. Gardening Know How has a great step-by-step process on composting cardboard, which could also be used for most other paper products.

2. Pesticides

Various fungal species have been found to degrade different pesticides, such as DDT (dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane), which is very persistent in the environment. And long-term exposure to DDT causes the most significant health risks, such as cancer, hormone disruption and neurotoxic effects. A 2011 study was able to reduce the DDT levels in historically contaminated soil by 64 percent.

3. Paint

A 2012 study found that paint sludge can be effectively composted. Researchers added a compost starter culture and additional nutrients to paint sludge that contained melamine formaldehyde resin. These resins are a type of plastic material that make products like laminate counter tops and paints more durable. They can be toxic when released into the environment.

The researchers found the resin was 73-95 percent completely degraded at the end of 147 days. The final paint compost was enriched with nitrogen and other essential plant nutrients from the broken down melamine resin.

4. Glues and Adhesives

Chemical glues and adhesives are another carbon-based material that can be decomposed. A study published in Arid Soil Research and Rehabilitation found that glue waste mixed with rice straw was well composted after 128 days. The researchers suggested it was a cheap and practical way to convert agricultural and industrial waste into a beneficial compost product.

5. Plastics

Plastics are made from petroleum, which is the remains of decomposed microscopic creatures from the oceans of the Mesozoic Era. That means plastics are biologically organic and can be consumed by fungi.

A Yale University study used various strains of fungi to decompose polyester polyurethane, a type of plastic commonly used for clothing. Interestingly, they were able to decompose the material under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Fungi typically work better in well-aerated conditions. The fact they could also work in areas without air circulation is a hopeful sign for dealing with deeply buried landfill waste.

6. Clothing

In addition to decomposing plastic-based fabrics, fungi can also recycle cotton, linen, blue jeans, leather and most other materials used in clothing. These are all made from natural, compostable products.

7. Oil-based Fuels

Gasoline, jet fuel, engine oil and many other fuels and industrial lubricants are made from petroleum. This means theyre fair game for fungi.

Paul Stamets is a mycologist (fungi specialist) committed to finding ways we can use fungi to improve our world. In 1998, he worked with the Washington State Department of Transportation and used mushrooms to detoxify soil from a truck maintenance yard. The yards soil was contaminated with diesel fuel and oil at around 20,000 parts per million (ppm) of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs). This was roughly the same concentration that was measured on the beaches after the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989.

The researchers inoculated a large pile of contaminated soil with a certain strain of oyster mushrooms. At the end of four weeks, the pile was covered with mushrooms and the soil itself had lost the black stain from the oil and no longer smelled like diesel fuel. After eight weeks, the TPHs had plummeted to 200 ppm.

After nine weeks, young plants started to grow in the same soil. The untouched, contaminated soil on the site remained lifeless, black and foul-smelling. Lab analysis of the mushrooms themselves showed no detectable petroleum residues.

8. Water Contamination

Fungi can also be used to filter water, a process known as mycofiltration. Certain species of fungi are capable of actively seeking out and preying on colonies of bacteria. This includes bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes, which can both cause very serious illnesses when ingested.

Other fungal species have been shown to paralyze and consume parasites like Plasmodium falciparum, which causes malaria.

In addition, using fungi like these in water treatment and biofiltration systems can help control the toxins produced by large-scale animal farming. For instance, toxic levels of zinc and copper often accumulate in livestock feedlots as a by-product of manure production. A North Carolina study found that the fungus Aspergillus niger removed 91 percent of the copper and 70 percent of the zinc from treated swine effluent.

9. Human Bodies

The Infinity Burial Project, founded by Jae Rhim Lee, is currently developing unique strains of fungus that can safely decompose human tissue. The project will be offering burial suits that are embedded with the fungus. The fungi they are working on will also be able to degrade many of the toxins we collect in our bodies and store throughout our lives.

The developers suggest this will be a more ecologically-friendly form of burial as well as a way to promote greater acceptance of death and decomposition.

Sources:
Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World, by Paul Stamets

Related
Cutting Food Waste Would Help Fight Climate Change
11 Fascinating Facts You Never Knew About Your Brain
Permaculture: Landscaping That Works With Nature

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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9 Surprising Things Fungus Can Decompose

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Permaculture: Landscaping That Works With Nature

by TamieNewcomer82 Posted on April 6, 2016

Permaculture is a combination of the words permanent and agriculture. It refers to a system thats designed to help create more sustainable methods of agriculture, but also healthy landscapes, ecosystems and even societies.

What is permaculture?

The term permaculture was started in the 1970s by David Holmgren and Bill Mollison who worked together on the theory at the University of Tasmania.

Bill Mollison describes permaculture as a philosophy of working with, rather than against, natureof looking at plants and animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single project system.

The basic idea of permaculture is to develop an area so that it meets the needs of all its inhabitants, human or otherwise. Your choices of plants, landscape features and layout should all have a purpose and work together to create an ideal space that will continue to thrive for many years to come.

This can be much easier said than done, but permaculture provides some key principles to help with whatever project youre planning.

Permaculture Design Principles

Permaculture principles can be used in many ways. You can apply them towards creating a city food garden, restoring damaged wilderness areas, promoting greater biodiversity in backyards and anywhere else where humans can assist or enhance the earths natural systems.

1. Observe and Interact Before you start any permaculture project, you want to intimately understand the area you are dealing with. Spend some time observing the site, how it changes during the seasons, what animals might live there, which plants are growing in what areas, what seems to be working well and what may be harming the local system.

2. Catch and Store Energy Sustainable ways of collecting and storing sources of energy, such as heat and water, are vital to maintain a healthy landscape. For instance, you can create areas that will naturally catch and hold water at the bottom of slopes and valleys. This will also prevent runoff and erosion.

3. Obtain a Yield An important part of any ecosystem is to provide food for all the animals that live in it, including humans. As you design your permaculture area, make sure to include spaces to plant annual vegetables as well as perennial food plants, such as fruit trees and berry bushes.

4. Apply Self-regulation and Accept Feedback All ecological systems have their limits. Work within the natural boundaries of your space and dont plant or include more than it can handle. Also make sure to plant appropriate plants for the site. If you have a hot, rocky slope, try planting a mix of drought-tolerant groundcovers and shrubs.

5. Use and Value Renewable Resources and Services Compost is an obvious example of this principle. You can plant whats called a cover crop in order to create more organic matter. These are plants that are only grown to be cut down and used as compost. Fast-growing plants, such as peas or buckwheat, make good cover crops.

6. Produce No Waste Any sustainable system contains no waste. This may not always be practical in the modern world, but you can take steps to minimize your waste. For instance, when you buy quality tools, they will last much longer than cheaper ones that you would have to throw out more often.

7. Design from Patterns to Details What patterns does your landscape have? Is there a sunny location that would make a good vegetable plot? Or a hard-to-access corner where you could plant a group of native, low-maintenance shrubs? Keep the larger picture in mind before getting into a detailed plan.

8. Integrate Rather than Segregate See if anything can serve more than one function on your site. If you have an area with too much sun exposure, planting a fruit tree will have the double function of providing shade and food.

9. Use Small and Slow Solutions Systems that operate on a smaller scale will naturally use less energy. Growing and transporting vegetables from thousands of miles away from you uses a lot more energy than growing those vegetables in your backyard or buying locally-grown veggies.

10. Use and Value Diversity Landscapes that include a variety of plants and features will create a richer and more sustainable environment. For instance, groups of native shrubs or perennial herbs next to vegetable-growing areas will attract pollinators and provide protection.

11. Use Edges and Value the Marginal There is often more activity and diversity on the edges of an ecosystem, such as a river. Fish and wildlife will spend most of their time along riverbanks where there is more cover, slower water and opportunity for hunting than the middle of the river. This can be applied to your landscape as well by including features like wandering pathways to provide lots of edges for the beds or ponds for greater diversity.

12. Creatively Use and Respond to Change This principle has particular importance as advancing climate change and human development continue to affect our environment. An inspiring example of what can be done to creatively respond to change is in Chinas Loess Plateau.

The Loess Plateau is an area about the size of the state of Texas that was extremely degraded by human use and had essentially become a desert. In 1994, the Chinese government started a massive rehabilitation project of the region. Environmental engineers organized local communities to help make terraces, replant native vegetation, and create areas for agricultural crops.

John D. Liu, director of the Environmental Education Media Project, filmed some amazing before and after shots of what the Loess Plateau project achieved. Its also a great example of what can be done by applying permacultures principles to work with, rather than against, nature.

Check out a short clip from John D. Lius film here:

Sources:
Permaculture: Principles & Pathways Beyond Sustainability, by David Holmgren

Related
4 Wild Recipes to Celebrate Spring
4 Drought-Friendly Medicinal Herbs for Your Garden
Veganic Gardening: Heres Why its the Future!

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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Permaculture: Landscaping That Works With Nature

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Lingering Lessons from a Cold-War Climate Peril – Nuclear Winter

by Myrna Posted on April 4, 2016

A video report looks back at the nuclear winter theory and ahead at a related type of climate engineering. Originally posted here –  Lingering Lessons from a Cold-War Climate Peril – Nuclear Winter ; ; ;

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Lingering Lessons from a Cold-War Climate Peril – Nuclear Winter

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A Student of ‘Cultural Environmentalism’ Explores the Many Views of Earth’s Anthropocene ‘Age of Us’

by Myrna Posted on April 3, 2016

A writer who explores the meanings of nature takes a tour of the growing array of views of the proposed Anthropocene epoch of Earth history. View original article:   A Student of ‘Cultural Environmentalism’ Explores the Many Views of Earth’s Anthropocene ‘Age of Us’ ; ; ;

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A Student of ‘Cultural Environmentalism’ Explores the Many Views of Earth’s Anthropocene ‘Age of Us’

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This is What It’s Like to Be an Abortion Provider in the Bible Belt

by MonicaSlaughter Posted on April 2, 2016

Mother Jones

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In Dawn Porter’s latest documentary, Trapped, a 19-year-old sits in an Alabama abortion clinic, recovering from her procedure. A white blanket surrounds her slight frame, and her hair is pushed back with an olive head wrap. She speaks frankly, but her internal conflict is clear.

“I want to go to heaven,” she says to the camera. “It’s like, what if I never have a little girl? What if I don’t get married? What if this happens, what if that happens, all because I had an abortion and that’s my payback?”

This scene is only one of the powerful moments viewers witness as Porter navigates the grim reproductive rights landscape in the South, with its complex relationship between religion and abortion. For some who live there, religion dictates that abortion is wrong—an unforgivable sin. For others, including the documentary’s protagonists, providing abortion care is one expression of Jesus’ commandment to love one another.

Porter was first introduced to the region in 2010, while hanging out with a group of idealistic young public defenders working in the Deep South. Her interest in them eventually led to her debut film, Gideon’s Army. “I was like a lot of good Northerners—prejudiced,” Porter says with a laugh. “A lot of people there were very generous in not being suspicious, and a lot of people I’m interested in are misunderstood by people they live with. These characters have thought a lot about who they are, as people, as Southerners.”

After Gideon’s Army, while Porter began working on her second film, Spies of Mississippi, she stumbled upon some unexpected inspiration. Whenever she’s on location, Porter picks up the local newspapers, and when she was in Mississippi, the Jackson-based Clarion-Ledger featured an article about the last remaining abortion clinic in the state.

“I just felt like how could it be that a pro-choice woman who pays attention to politics and reads the paper doesn’t realize there’s only one clinic in Mississippi?” she asked.

So she did what any good documentarian would do—she called up the clinic and asked if she could stop by for a visit. After meeting Dr. Willie Parker—a Harvard-educated OB-GYN in his 50s who’s from Alabama and has been providing abortions full time since 2009—and seeing the conditions for staff members at the facility, she decided to work on a documentary that eventually became Trapped. The film’s name comes from insidious laws known as TRAP laws—Targeted Regulation of Abortion Providers—that target abortion providers through unnecessary regulation.

“For better or worse, the right to have an abortion is a protected right by the Constitution. How could it possibly be that states could be intentionally, without any subterfuge, aiming to take away that right?” she asks. “I think a lot of people don’t like people to do things that are underhanded. And I think that these laws are underhanded. Straight up, come at me! You want to overturn Roe v. Wade? You should do it straight up.”

The heroes of her film are the women who run clinics in Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, as well as Parker, who works with several clinics in the Southeast to provide the procedure. After nearly every legislative session, a new law threatens to close down these clinics, and all the owners struggle to remain open as they make their way through anti-choice protests and daunting piles of paperwork. It’s hardest of all to answer the phone calls from desperate women who must be denied services because the clinics are overbooked and, in some cases, have only one doctor.

“Women who have had abortions are so stigmatized, and so made into caricatures,” Porter says. “There’s the Jezebel and the irresponsible co-ed, so seeing the range of folks was a big deal.”

The film is steeped in religion, and Parker’s faith occupies a central role in his personal story. Parker is filmed singing hymns with his family at a Baptist church and praying at a meal with other clinic workers. He says he wants to talk to the church about abortion because he thinks the church is missing a ministry opportunity by condemning it. Callie Chatman, a recovery room assistant at Reproductive Health Services, agrees. “No woman has ever told me that she feels it’s alright to have an abortion, but they have told me that, ‘This is the only decision I can make at this time,'” she says. Chatman is later seen praying with a patient in recovery.

Porter says the issue of religion kept coming up organically. “The patients would say, ‘Dr. Parker, am I going to hell?'” she remembers. “It struck me how often he was counseling people, telling them they aren’t going to hell, and talking about his own beliefs.”

In another scene, the clinic workers say “The Lord’s Prayer” together as they prepare to endure an Operation Rescue anti-abortion demonstration in front of the Reproductive Health Services clinic in Montgomery, Alabama. The demonstration has all the hallmarks of abortion protests from small towns to the steps of the Supreme Court: children holding signs depicting fetuses with such messages as “I’m a child, not a choice,” and yelling, “Jesus Christ saves!” The clinic workers have erected signs—one says, “Jesus never shamed women”—in front of the building.

While filming, Porter and her team experienced some of the safety concerns that many abortion providers must face on a daily basis. Protesters looked Porter up and began posting her name on their websites. They screamed at her as she visited the clinics. Trapped premiered at Sundance mere weeks after a man in Colorado brought a gun into a Planned Parenthood clinic and started shooting, killing three people and wounding nine others. Porter learned from Parker to not let fear dictate her life. In one of their final interviews, he tells her that he doesn’t wear a bulletproof vest. She later asks him if he had any concerns about her including that fact in the film.

“And he was like, ‘You can and you should. Because I don’t, I’m not going to, and that’s not going to keep me safe. Me being vigilant and responsible will keep me safe,'” she continues. “He said, ‘I’m not foolhardy. I don’t want to die, but I’m also not going to live as if that’s around every corner.'”

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This is What It’s Like to Be an Abortion Provider in the Bible Belt

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How to Fragrance Your Home With a Simmer Pot

by ElanaLortqpatk Posted on April 1, 2016

Theres nothing like walking into a delicious-smelling room, is there? Humans have a natural affinity for fragrant scents. Its why we buy things like scented candles, incense and potpourri. Unfortunately, some methods of scenting your home are better than others. Scented candles may seem lovely, but burning them can release harmful chemicals into your environment. And let’s not even get intoair fresheners.

For a person who lights a candle every day for years or just uses them frequently, inhalation of these dangerous pollutants drifting in the air could contribute to the development of health risks like cancer, common allergies and even asthma, South Carolina State University professor Ruhullah Massoudi explained.

An Alternative to Scented Candles: The Simmer Pot

Thankfully, there are safer alternatives. Essential oils, organic vegetable-based candles and reed diffusers are a few options. If you have a full kitchen, you might want to try scenting your home with a simmer pot.

Making a simmer pot is really simple: You just simmer a concoction of good-smelling ingredients (think citrus peels, herbs and spices) over a low boil for a few hours. You can also add the ingredients to a slow-cooker. Youre basically scenting your home in the same way you do when you cook, but youre cooking combinations of ingredients that are designed to produce a particular scent.

Spring Simmer Pot Recipes

For fresh, spring scents, focus on citrus and zesty herbs. Try one of these combinations on for size:

Sliced lemons with rosemary, cinnamon and vanilla essential oil
Anise, nutmeg, clove and cinnamon with lavender essential oil
Orange and lemon peels with cranberries and cloves
Grapefruit with rosemary, eucalyptus, shredded coconut and vanilla essential oil

The exact ratios will be up to you! Dont be afraid to get creative either. A good rule of thumb is to combine your favorite citrus fruits (usually 2-3 whole fruits will suffice) with a few sprigs of your favorite herbs in a pot of water. Then finish the concoction off with 2-3 drops of your favorite essential oil. Bring the mixture to a simmer, turn the heat to low, and enjoy! Just be sure to keep your eye on the pot so you can add water as it evaporates.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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How to Fragrance Your Home With a Simmer Pot

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Brave Testimony Helps Convict Costa Rican Slayers of a Turtle Conservationist

by Myrna Posted on April 1, 2016

A Spanish veterinarian who was attacked by thugs as they also murdered a turtle conservationist provided vital testimony at a Costa Rican trial. Continue at source:  Brave Testimony Helps Convict Costa Rican Slayers of a Turtle Conservationist ; ; ;

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Brave Testimony Helps Convict Costa Rican Slayers of a Turtle Conservationist

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5 Ingredients to Avoid in Your Hair Products

by DaciaMcGaw Posted on March 30, 2016

Many Americans are working to reduce their exposure to harmful chemicals and toxic ingredients. Few industries have faced more criticism for their ingredients than the cosmetics industry, and lately, it seems that more and more brands arereleasing organic or all-natural personal care lines.

Shampoos and conditioners, in particular, contain a lot of toxic ingredients. Some health-conscious consumers have taken to making their own haircare products, but others still prefer to use ready-made, expert-developed shampoos and conditioners. If this is you, rest assured that you have plenty of options. You dont necessarily have to spend a fortune, either! A quick glance at a products ingredient list can tell you a lot about its safety. Here are five toxic ingredients youll want to be sure to avoid when picking out a shampoo or conditioner:

Sulfates

Youve probably heard of sulfates by now; pretty much every natural hair care brand states proudly on itspackaging thataproduct is sulfate-free. But what are sulfates, and why should you avoid them?

The main thing to keep in mind when thinking about sulfates is that they are chemical detergents. That in itself isnt necessarily a bad thing, but it means that sulfates are extremely effective at removing dirt and oil … in fact, theyre a little too effective. Sulfates are harsh on the hair and scalp, so they can strip away that natural moisture that keeps your hair shiny and soft.

On a deeper level, they may carry some hormone-disrupting agents along with them. According to Natural Society, many sulfates contain traces of dioxane, a known carcinogen. Dioxane is also thought to disrupt kidney function.

Parabens

Parabens are another widely hated group of chemicals that youve probably been told to avoid in your beauty and personal care products. Parabens are xenoestrogens, which means that they have a similar composition to hormones found in the human body. Xenoestrogens are thought to disrupt hormones and could even post a cancer risk.

Real Simple even noted that British scientistsfound evidence of parabens in samples of breast cancer tissue. Though this doesnt necessarily mean the parabens caused the cancer,most natural-minded folks try to avoid parabens completely.

Fragrance

Fragrances are bad, bad, bad. If the fragrance in your product comes from a natural essential oil, it will say so on the packaging. If all the manufacturers have chosen to tell you about the ingredient is that its a fragrance, thats generally bad news.

The term fragrance allows manufacturers to opt out of including a list of the ingredients used to create that fragrance, as the term is not regulated by the FDA. So really, if fragrance is listed on an ingredient list, theres no telling whats in there. Natural Society even notes that there are more than 3,100 chemicals used by the fragrance industry to concoct these suspicious-sounding additions to your shampoos and conditioners.

Triclosan

Triclosan is an antibacterial agent thats often added to personal care products as a preservative. Dr. Ben Kim notes that we still dont have enough conclusive evidence to say for sure whether or not triclosan is safe for use, but there have certainly been some warning signs to the contrary.

Triclosan is thought to be an endocrine disruptor, which means it can be harmful in the same fashion as xenoestrogens. Its also been linked to immune system problems, weight loss and uncontrolled cellular reproduction, according to Dr. Kim.

Polyethylene Glycol

Polyethylene glycol, or PEG, is also thought to interfere with the body. According to Natural Society, the state of California has classified the chemical as a developmental toxicant, which means that it may interfere with human development. Its also known to be contaminated by the aforementioned cancer-causer dioxane.

If youre looking for shampoos and conditioners that are made with safe, reliable, natural ingredients, you have lots of options at your fingertips. And if youre feeling more adventurous, of course, you could always try making your own homemade hair care products!

Related
How to Choose Natural Ingredients for Beautiful Skin8 Natural Mosquito Repellents

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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5 Ingredients to Avoid in Your Hair Products

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This Law Just Took Abortion Pseudoscience to a New Low

by Angelia35W Posted on March 29, 2016

Mother Jones

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Utah Gov. Gary Herbert on Monday signed a bill that makes the state the first in the nation to require doctors to anesthetize fetuses before performing abortions after 20 weeks of gestation. Previously, fetal anesthesia for abortion after 20 weeks was optional in Utah.

Supporters of the new law, called the Protecting Unborn Children Amendments, say fetuses can feel pain starting at about 20 weeks, so anesthesia or analgesic should be administered to “eliminate or alleviate organic pain to the unborn child.” But scientists have rejected the fetal pain claim, saying there is no conclusive evidence to back up such legislation.

Still, 12 states ban abortion after 20 weeks post-fertilization on the grounds that the fetus can feel pain. The 20-week mark is several weeks before the point at which the fetus is considered viable and abortion is no longer legally protected by Roe v. Wade. Utah already bans abortion after viability.

Republican State Sen. Curt Bramble initially planned to introduce a 20-week ban, but attorneys in the state advised him the law would not pass constitutional muster, according to the Salt Lake Tribune.

“The process of a child being born is a natural process. There’s nothing natural about abortion. In fact, it’s barbaric,” Bramble said, adding, “In this quote ‘medical procedure,’ let’s call it what it is: It’s killing babies. And if we’re going to kill that baby, we ought to protect it from pain.”

Dr. Sean Esplin, a Utah-based physician, told the Associated Press that in order to comply with the law, the anesthesia will have to go through the woman to reach the fetus. Doctors can give the woman general anesthesia, which would make her unconscious, or a heavy dose of narcotics, neither of which were previously necessary for the procedure.

According to the American Society of Anesthesiologists, side effects of anesthesia include nausea, confusion, chills, and rarely more serious symptoms like delirium or long-term memory loss. “You never give those medicines if you don’t have to,” David Turok of the University of Utah’s obstetrics and gynecology department told NBC.

Utah is the only state in the country with an anesthesia requirement during abortion. The Montana Legislature passed a similar law in 2015, but it was vetoed by the governor.

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This Law Just Took Abortion Pseudoscience to a New Low

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