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Why Recycled Jewelry Matters for a Green Valentine’s Day

by MarlaTranter Posted on February 8, 2016

As beautiful as jewelry can be to wear, it sure can have an ugly impact on people and the planet:

* Irresponsible mining practices, often in developing countries, have caused terrible human suffering and environmental devastation. I personally witnessed gold being panned along the banks of the Amazon in Peru; the workers were just dumping the arsenic-tainted slurry they used to separate the gold from the rock directly back into the river.

* Diamond mining has fueled civil wars in many African countries, where governments use “horrific violence” to maintain control of people and resources in mining regions, reports Brilliant Earth, a company devoted to producing jewelry ethically. A fictional portrayal of this issue was poignantly told in the Academy Award-nominated movie Blood Diamond, starring Leonardo di Caprio.

* Mining can take a heartbreakinghuman toll. Children as well as adults may be forced into dangerous jobs mining gold and diamonds. More than 200,000 women have been raped in Congo since a civil war began there over access to the country’s mineral resources. Workers die when tunnels collapse, rocks fall and underground mines catch fire.

* In addition to arsenic, mercury is used to separate gold from other materials. Brilliant Earth reports that gold mining is responsible for 30 to 40 percent of man-made mercury pollution each year. Mercury is a powerful toxin that’s known to cause brain damage, impair the ability of the heart and lungs to function and wreak neurological havoc in developing fetuses. When it gets dumped into a river or stream, it ends up in drinking and bathing water and becomes unavoidable.

* Gold mining is not just a problem in far-away countries. The U.S. is the third-largest gold-producing nationin the world, after China and Australia. Most U.S. gold comes from large open-pit heap leach mines in Nevada. “This type of mining is particularly damaging to the environment,” reports MIT. “Environmental hazards are present during every step of the open-pit mining process,” including exposing radioactive rocks, asbestos-like minerals and metallic dust. Rock slurries, which are mixtures of pulverized rock and liquid, are produced as tailings. Toxic and radioactive elements from these liquids can leak into bedrock and get into groundwater. If their containment ponds break, the slurries can be sent coursing into streams and rivers.

* Jewelry made from the body parts of endangered species threatens those animals even more. The Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) prohibits trading in shells, bones, skeletons and other parts of animals that are threatened or endangered. That means that shouldn’t buy jewelry made from those animals, either.

The Benefits of Buying Recycled Jewelry

Buying recycled jewelry offers a sharp contrast to buying it brand new. Choosing recycled saves energy, water and the mineral resources themselves. Eighty percent of all gold mined is made into jewelry, reports TheWorldWomenWant.com. There is already so much gold availablein old jewelry, coins and furnishingsthat we could satisfy our gold demands for the next 50 years just by getting access to old gold.

Making jewelry from recycled materials also helps reduce environmental degradation. It’s easy to see how much better it is to create a new ring out of an old one instead of needing to mine and process the gold from scratch.

Plus, there’s something inspiring about creating new and beautiful jewelry out of what otherwise might be thrown away.

And remember, your jewelry doesn’t need to be made from gold, sapphires, diamonds or rubies to be exquisite. I have a beautiful necklace made from an antique button, a gorgeous pendant fashioned from a piece of Chinese pottery and lovely earrings that used to be beach glass.

Where Can You Buy Recycled Jewelry?

Here is a list of the many places to find jewelry made from recycled gemstones, metals and everyday items.

Antique stores and estate sales – For high-quality rings, necklaces, earrings, pendants and broaches, browse antique stores and estate sales. Here’s another advantage: Prices may be somewhat better than buying the equivalent item new.

Craft fairs – Look for artisans who work with locally available materials, including beads, glass, stones, stainless steel and wood. Locate craft fairs by date and state here.

Family heirlooms – Jewelry is lovely to pass down from one generation to the next. My wedding ring, a combination of diamonds set into a gold band, originally belonged to my favorite aunt.My father gave his gold watch to one of my brothers. Perhaps your mother has a uniquenecklace she’ll pass on to you. Jewelry like this may not necessarily be more valuable, but it probably holds more sentimental meaning.

Etsy – Etsy artistsoften make jewelry out of recycled materials, including unusual items like buttons, typewriter keys, silverware, pop tops from soda and beer cans, sea glass and pottery. Plus on Etsy, you’re likely to find one-of-a-kind designs, since the artists don’t usually mass produce their wares.

Brilliant Earth – This company makes gorgeous wedding and engagement rings from recycled gemstones, recycled gold anddiamonds mined from countries committed to ethical mining practices, including Canada, Namibia and Botswana. Leber Jeweler and Hume Atelier are two other jewelers that have made a commitment to ethical sourcing.

Do What Oscar Nominees Do: Borrow It! The next time you watch the Academy Awards, listen closely when the starlets are asked about their stunning jewelry. They almost always say they’re wearing it on loan from a famous jewelry designer.And that’s a smart idea. Why not borrow a stand-out necklace or pair of earrings for your next big event rather than purchase it new. Check with family and friends to see what they’d be willing to loan you. Or visit BorrowedBling.com, an online emporium that, for a fee, lets you borrow rings, bracelets, necklaces, broaches, pins and earrings. You pay a monthly fee, browse their selections, place your order and return the items using their padded envelope and postage-paid shipping label.

Do you have a favorite piece of recycled jewelry? Please share!

Related:
Fashion Gone Bad: Rhino Horn Jewelry
Toxic Jewelry: Cadmium Found in Ardene, Aldo Products

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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Why Recycled Jewelry Matters for a Green Valentine’s Day

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Is Academic Science Hopelessly Corrupt?

by TemekaSaxton84 Posted on February 7, 2016

Mother Jones

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Marc Edwards, the Virginia Tech scientist who uncovered the lead poisoning in Flint, is absolutely brutal about the way funding priorities have corrupted academic science:

We’re all on this hedonistic treadmill — pursuing funding, pursuing fame, pursuing h-index — and the idea of science as a public good is being lost. This is something that I’m upset about deeply. I’ve kind of dedicated my career to try to raise awareness about this. I’m losing a lot of friends.

….Q. Do you have any sense that perverse incentive structures prevented scientists from exposing the problem in Flint sooner?

A. Yes, I do. In Flint the agencies paid to protect these people weren’t solving the problem. They were the problem….I don’t blame anyone, because I know the culture of academia. You are your funding network as a professor. You can destroy that network that took you 25 years to build with one word. I’ve done it.

….Q. Now that your hypothesis has been vindicated, and the government has its tail between its legs, a lot of researchers are interested.

A. And I hope that they’re interested for the right reasons. But there’s now money — a lot of money — on the table….The expectation is that there’s tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars that are going to be made available by these agencies….I hate to sound cynical about it. I know these folks have good intentions. But it doesn’t change the fact that, Where were we as academics for all this time before it became financially in our interest to help? Where were we?

….Q. When is it appropriate for academics to be skeptical of an official narrative when that narrative is coming from scientific authorities? Surely the answer can’t be “all of the time.”

I grew up worshiping at the altar of science, and in my wildest dreams I never thought scientists would behave this way….Science should be about pursuing the truth and helping people. If you’re doing it for any other reason, you really ought to question your motives.

Unfortunately, in general, academic research and scientists in this country are no longer deserving of the public trust. We’re not.

In academia these day—and especially in the hard sciences, which are expensive to support—funding is everything. To a large extent, at big research universities faculty members basically work on commission: they have to bring in enough money to pay their own salaries and bankroll their own labs. And when was the last time a salesman on commission badmouthed his own product?

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Is Academic Science Hopelessly Corrupt?

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The 7 Must-Watch Moments From the Democrats’ New Hampshire Debate

by HallieMcGruder Posted on February 5, 2016

Mother Jones

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Explosive would be an understatement. Sen. Bernie Sanders and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton didn’t waste any time in Thursday’s Democratic presidential debate in New Hampshire before jumping into a heated exchange over whether Clinton is a true progressive—a subject that continued to emerge in various forms for most of an hour.

The stakes going into this debate were high, particularly for Clinton, with polls showing her far behind Sanders in the New Hampshire just four days before the first-in-the-nation primary. Clinton eked out a very narrow win in the Iowa caucuses on Monday, but underperformed her polling there, setting up what could be a long slog for the Democratic nomination.

The debate itself was the product of a dramatic back-and-forth between the two campaigns and the national Democratic Party over the number of debates scheduled. The tensions that went into scheduling it were evident in the fiery debate.

Here are the must-watch highlights:

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The 7 Must-Watch Moments From the Democrats’ New Hampshire Debate

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How to Simplify Your Wardrobe in 3 Easy Steps

by VWKKarol94 Posted on February 4, 2016

An overstuffed closet and a mountain-sized pile of discarded clothing options after each round of getting ready may indicate that your fashion philosophy values quantity over quality. Create a cohesive collection of streamlined wearable looks and kick the chaos and castoffs out of your closet with a simple capsule wardrobe in three easy steps:

Step 1: Out With the Old

Like many of lifes challenges, this situation is going to get worse before it gets better. However, if you clear a couple hours of your schedule and stay committed, the end result will be a closet you can love again. To get a true view of what you need, love, and wear, you need to start with an honest of assessment of what youre currently working with and why you have it.

Take everything clothes-related out of your closet and pile it up somewhere unavoidable now theres your assurance that this project gets finished today. (Seriously, dont skip that part. Its important.) Try on each piece and ask yourself the following questions:

1. Does this fit?

2. Do I feel confident when wearing this?

3. Have I worn it in the past six months?

If the answer to any of the above is no, its time to honor that item with new opportunity by donating it. The only exception is if a much-loved quality piece can be tailored; if so, drop it off within the week.

Snap a quick full-length mirror selfie for any outfits you feel unsure aboutthe camera is your most honest friend. Once you have separated the trash from the treasure, analyze what you have left. Your keep pile holds clues to your personal style. Why do these items appeal to you? What do they have in common? A successful capsule wardrobe will keep you comfortably and happily clothed. If your everyday style has an easy casual vibe, a closet of fussy fashionista frocks wont solve your problem; youll just go from not having anything to wear to not having anything you want to wear. Be true to your real self.

Step 2: In With the New

Take a look at what you already own and set aside essential foundation pieces. These are items that every wardrobe needs, like a little black dress, a white button-up shirt, a pencil skirt, nice jeans, quality leggings, black pants and a few fitted tees. Anything missing from the essentials should take priority on the shopping list; these key pieces become the uniform for life and are worth the investment. Buy the basics in neutral colors like black, white, khaki or gray. These items are the core of your capsule collection and become the backdrop for most outfits.

Step 3: Freshen Up

Now take a new look at the clothes you have leftis there an underlying color theme? Pick out a few pieces where you feel drawn to the color or pattern and create your personal style palette. Buy accent items and accessories that coordinate with your capsule collection colors to maximize your ability to mix and match, and easily update your wardrobe seasonally by swapping out colors or clothing types.

If youre adopting the capsule wardrobe approach for its simple minimalism, aim to have approximately 30 pieces. If youre just trying to simplify your morning routine, dont overwhelm yourself with options, but dont obsess over item numbers or perfecting your collection, either. Just like your personal sense of style, your capsule collection will evolve as you do.

The ultimate goal is to create a mix-and-match recipe of your ideal outfit for every occasion, which is easy when the closet is full of coordinating favorites. The most essential part of creating a capsule collection isnt in perfecting the numbersits in making sure you feel fashionable and fantastic wearing each and every piece!

Ashley McCann writes foreBayabout mindful living as a Floridian mother of two. She makes affordable and sustainable fashion possible bybuying and selling her clothes online.

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 Simplify Your Wardrobe in 3 Easy Steps

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Ted Cruz Took a Position on Fireworks Legalization in Iowa to Win 60 Votes

by AngelaNaugle Posted on February 2, 2016

Mother Jones

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Do you ever feel like a plastic bag, drifting through the wind, wanting to start again?

Then you probably voted for Ted Cruz. Bloomberg’s Sasha Issenberg has the most intriguing analysis of the Texas senator’s victory in last night’s Iowa caucuses, explaining how Chris Wilson, the Cruz campaign’s pollster and director of analytics, carved up the state’s eligible voters into 150 different categories with a borderline spooky precision. No issue was too small for the Cruz campaign—not even the legalization of fireworks sales, which are currently illegal in Iowa:

When there was no way that a segment could be rolled up into a larger universe, as was the case with the sixty Iowans who were expected to make a priority of fireworks reform, Cruz’s volunteers would see the message reflected in the scripts they read from phone banks, adjusted to the expected profile of the listener. A Stoic Traditionalist would hear that “an arbitrary ban of this kind is infringing on liberty,” as a messaging plan prepared by Cambridge Analytica put it, while Relaxed Leaders are “likely to enjoy parties and community celebrations, such as the 4th of July, and thus a fun-killing measure of this kind is unlikely to sit well with them.”

But here’s the best part:

Unlike most of his opponents, Cruz has put a voter-contact specialist in charge of his operation, and it shows in nearly every aspect of the campaign he has run thus far and intends to sustain through a long primary season. Cruz, it should be noted, had no public position on Iowa’s fireworks law until his analysts identified sixty votes that could potentially be swayed because of it.

And it’s true—fireworks reform might not be a big issue among Iowa voters, but it does look like a real pain to celebrate America’s independence if you live in Des Moines, a healthy two-hour drive from the nearest place to purchase fireworks legally. If you didn’t know what Iowa looked like, you could draw a near-perfect outline of the state just by connecting the dots of all the fireworks retailers on its borders seeking business from Hawkeye State fireworks enthusiasts:

Google Maps

The reasons why Cruz prevailed go well beyond his campaign’s microtargeting. Maybe Trump should have considered spending real money, or investing in a better ground game himself, or—I’m reaching here—conducting his life in a way that didn’t thoroughly alienate the evangelical voters who comprised two-thirds of the electorate. But Cruz has proven that he’s a candidate who knows what he’s doing.

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Ted Cruz Took a Position on Fireworks Legalization in Iowa to Win 60 Votes

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Late Night Miscellany—Powered by Dexamethasone!

by IrwinKDIDa Posted on February 1, 2016

Mother Jones

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I am currently taking a drug that appears to be supercharging my brain. I even almost got into a Twitter argument today, which is surely the biggest waste of gray matter known to man. But I was full of energy, so off I went. I was also full of energy all last night, and I have to say you guys are all a bunch of slackers. At 3 am there were no new blog posts, no one making clever remarks on Twitter, no new email, no nothing. I was reduced to reading a book. If this keeps up, I’m going to have to make more friends in Australia and Europe to pick up the slack.

So anyway, let’s see what’s going on right now. First off, here is Donald Trump explaining how politics works:

At a meeting with The Times’s editorial writers, Mr. Trump talked about the art of applause lines. “You know,” he said of his events, “if it gets a little boring, if I see people starting to sort of, maybe thinking about leaving, I can sort of tell the audience, I just say, ‘We will build the wall!’ and they go nuts.”

The charming thing is that he’s willing to admit this on the record to a bunch of reporters. He just doesn’t care, and he knows his supporters don’t care either. Basically, they’re all in on the con and enjoying themselves, so a little peek behind the scenes—”The Making of the Trump Campaign”—just piques their interest rather than disillusioning them. Not that they read the Times in the first place, so it probably doesn’t matter much what he says to their editorial board anyway.

And speaking of Trump, here is Thoreau explaining that he loves the guy because he’s smashing the Republican Party for us:

Some of you might doubt that Trump is deliberately doing good, and you’re probably right. But, hell, when the Hulk is smashing bad guys, do we really know for sure that he’s acting on his good side rather than just smashing for fun? Still, he’s smashing what we need him to smash. Well, same for Trump. I mean, FFS, he already dashed Scott Walker’s hopes of ever having a political career in Washington. That alone should make him the greatest liberal hero of the 21st century thus far.

What else? Gallup is always good for a laugh. They report this weekend that 50 percent of Americans think they’re better off economically today than they were eight years ago. But wait. Here’s how it breaks down by party affiliation:

In other words, this poll result is completely meaningless. I think it’s safe to say that both Democrats and Republicans have done about equally well over the past eight years, and Gallup even presents some more detailed polling results that pretty much prove this. But when you ask a very general question, even if it’s on a specific topic, what people hear is “Do you like President Obama?” And that’s the question they’re answering. It’s all pure affinity mongering, and I’m sure the results would have been the mirror opposite if the question were asked in 2008 instead of 2016.

And as long as we’re at the Gallup site, here are the top ten results for economic confidence by state in 2015. I’m showing them to you for two reasons. First, California handily beat Texas. Hah! Second, Washington DC is simply on another planet—with Beltway neighbors Virginia and Maryland also doing pretty well, though in a more earthbound way. Conservatives are always griping about the way that folks who feed at the federal trough always manage to do great no matter how poorly the rest of the country is doing, and it seems like they might have a point.

And now I’m off to bed. Whether I’m also off to sleep remains an open question. I’ll let you know Monday morning.

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Late Night Miscellany—Powered by Dexamethasone!

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Are There Toxic Chemicals Lurking in Your North Face Jacket?

by Grady6963359742 Posted on January 27, 2016

It may come as a surpriseor perhaps not surprising at allthat a variety of toxic chemicals have been used to makeoutdoor gear like jackets, shoes, tents, backpacks, and even sleeping bags.

A new report by Greenpeace Germany has documented that “hazardous and persistent chemicals, dangerous to human health and the environment, have been found in the products of leading outdoor brands.”

Greenpeace tested 40 products purchased in 19 different countries and regions. Among the companies whose products were found to be tainted are The North Face, Patagonia, Mammut, Columbia and Haglofs.

The chemicals found embedded in the fabrics of the products these companies make are calledpoly- and per-fluoronated compounds, or PFCs. PFCs are synthetic chemical compounds that do not exist in nature. They are used by the outdoor gear industry to make products waterproof and dirt-repellent.

As effective as they may be, PFCs have serious human health and environmental impacts. These compounds can cause harm to reproduction, promote the growth of tumors, and affect the hormone system. The National Institute for Environmental Health Science reports that in animal studies PFCs also “reduce immune function; cause adverse effects on multiple organs, including the liver and pancreas; and cause developmental problems in rodent offspring exposed in the womb.”

The Minnesota Department of Health notes that PFCs “are extremely resistant to breakdown in the environment,” so once they are released, they persist for a very long time. They can get into the food chain of animals far from their source. PFCs have been found in animals like dolphins, in polar bear livers, and in human blood. They have also shown up in drinking water and in fish near textile factories in China where much of the clothing and gear is produced.

The gear is not believed to threaten you if you wear it. However, because we all live on one planet, and because once the chemicals are released they circulate all over the world, you could be exposed to themwhether you’ve bought the gear or are basically an innocent bystander. Certainly polar bears never wear Polar-tec, yet the chemicals have shown up in their bodies.

What Can You Do?

1) Ask the manufacturer of your gear whether they use PFC compounds for water proofing and repelling dirt. There’s not really much you can do if you already own the gear, other than return the gear to the manufacturer when you’re finished with it, but that’s better than tossing it in the trash.

2) Buy used gear. Since a big source of PFC pollution comesduring manufacturing, you can reduce the amount of new products manufactured – and new chemicals emitted – by buying gently used equipment and clothing.

3) Likewise, sell your used gear on EBay or Craig’s List, donate it, or take it to a thrift shop rather than throwing it away. Extend its life as long as possible.

4) Buy gear from companies that have pledged zero discharge of hazardous chemicals into the environment. There aren’t many of them, but one to look at is Paramo, which has issued a “Detox Commitment” that hopefully will inspire its competitors.

RELATED

Big-Brand Clothing Found Laced with Toxic Chemicals
Why You Should Wash Your Clothes Before You Wear Them

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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Are There Toxic Chemicals Lurking in Your North Face Jacket?

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5 Healthy, Green Home Hacks

by KathrynMontenegr Posted on January 27, 2016

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleepingwith a mosquito. ~Dalai Lama XIV

No. Really.

A lot of people ask me if one small change in their daily habit is really going to make a difference and to that I reply, of course!

Lets face itit can be overwhelming trying to change all of your (bad) habits at once, but my motto is to take baby steps. Its more fun. Its more do-able. And, youre more likely to stick with your new habit over the long run.

To get started, here are a few reuse home hacks that will not only help heal our beautiful planet, but will pad your wallet with some generous savings.

But first, listen to myGreen Divas at Home radio show segment. Then read on for more!

Now do I have your attention?

1. Clean with Microfiber Towels vs. Paper Towels

Paper towelsmay be the default for tackling household cleaning tasks, but absorbent microfiber towels can do anything paper towels or wipes can do, and microfiber usually does a better job of whisking up dirt and grease. They wont scratch surfaces, leave no lint behind, and can be washed about fifty times. Buy several so you can throw them in the wash and grab another as you clean.

Reducing yourpaper towel usewill help conserve trees and cut down on the pollution produced in the bleaching process. Using one roll of paper towels per week, at $1.25 per roll, will cost you $70 per year. A stack of reusable microfiber towels is about $19.99. Thats an annual savings of around $50.00!

2. Reuse Plastic Snack Bags

Do your part to reduce the over 20 million disposable snack bags that end up in landfills each year. Most families spend $85 a year on disposable plastic baggies according to the Sierra Club. Plastic disposable Ziploc bags make convenient food storage and freezer bags, but discarding them is a waste of money and resources.

The Blue Avocado (re)zipSeal Reusable Snack and Sandwich Bags can easily extend their life tenfold. PVC-, lead- and BPA-free, each (re)zip features a unique double-lock closure that keeps liquids and food fresh inside. Using just onere(zip) at least twice a week can eliminate over 100 disposable plastic baggies per year. With a one time investment of $5.95-9.95 vs. repeatedly purchasing new resealable bags equals long-term saving of hundreds of dollars.

Or, try Baggie Wash; the first-of-its-kind dishwasher accessory that allows you to easily clean and reuse your zipper-style food storage bags 50 times.Bag-E-Wash fits any make/model dishwasher and adjusts to fit any Ziploc style reusable bag from sandwich size up to gallon size bags.Just one box (30) of gallon size bags washed and dried with Bag-E-Wash and reused 50 times each keeps 1,500 bags out of our landfills & oceans. This equals asavings to you of $150.One time investment of $5.95-9.95 vs. repeatedly purchasing new resealable bags = long-term saving of hundreds of dollars.

3. Recharge Your Power

Did you know Americans purchase nearly three billion dry-cell batteries every year? Many of these contain toxic heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, andlead. Cadmium can cause damage to thekidneys, birth defects, andcancer. Mercury and lead are very potent neurotoxins. Whenbatteries end up in the landfill, these toxins can contaminate water supplies.

Newer pre-charged and ultra-low self-charge batteries are even more efficient and cost effective than their rechargeable predecessors. For example,some brandscan be used right out of the package and recharged up to 2,100 times. At around $21 for a four pack of AA batteries and charger, youre looking at less than half a cent per battery; a long-term savings of roughly $983.50 over each batterys lifetime.

4. BYOB

An estimated 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used annually worldwide. More than 14 million trees were chopped down to manufacture the 10 billion paper grocery bags used in the U.S. in 1999. Thats more than one million per minute!

Less than five percent of shoppers in America are using canvas, cotton, or mesh bags. Take a reusable cloth bag to the store. If not for you, do it for sea life. Of all known species of sea turtles, 86 percent have had problems of entanglement or ingestion of marine debris thousand years to decompose. Does this mean paper bags are more environmentally friendly than plastic? Although recycled more often, the production of paper sacks produce seventy percent more air pollutants and take up more space in the landfill than plastic bags.

5. Use Reusable Cutlery vs. Disposable

To reduce environmental impact, tryPreservespurposeful plastic products which utilize recycled plastics from yogurt cups into toothbrushes, storage containers and cutlery consisting of #5 polypropylene plastic (safe food grade material) thatsBPA-freeand dishwasher safe.

Another smart choice for plates and cutlery is bamboo. It is a fast growing, abundant, woody, perennial, evergreen plant that can grow three to four feet in one day! It can even be used for construction of houses, bridges, fences and furniture due to the durability of its short fibers.

Bonus:

Listen to the latest full episode of theGreen Divas Radio Show! It’spacked with fun and useful information from a lively conversation with Mariel Hemingway and Bobby Williams about creating mindful and sustainable relationships to eating sustainably with Dr. Karen Lee and one of our fav green dudes Rob Greenfield talks about living a zero waste life.

Catchthe latestGreen Divas Radio Showand other green, healthy and free radio showsdaily onGDGDRadio.com(or get theGDGD Radio app)!

Written by Green Diva Lisa Beres | Main image viaShutterStock

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 Healthy, Green Home Hacks

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Ted Cruz vs. Donald Trump: Who Is the Least Charitable?

by MadelinBach Posted on January 21, 2016

Mother Jones

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McKay Coppins tells us that Ted Cruz is “facing questions” about his lack of entirely Christ-like generosity:

In a series of interviews this week, political opponents and pastors alike suggested Cruz — an avowed Baptist who is aggressively courting evangelical voters — has flouted the Biblical commandment of tithing in his personal life….According to personal tax returns released during his 2012 Senate bid, Cruz contributed less than 1% of his income to charity between 2006 and 2010 — a far cry from the 10% most evangelical leaders believe the Bible demands.

Well, Ted had all those loans from Goldman Sachs to pay off, so he probably didn’t have much to spare for tithing. Anyway, those loans were used for the greatest possible gift to the Lord: Ted Cruz’s ascension to the Senate.

Of course, Cruz is Mother Theresa compared to his competition:

Tax filings of the Donald J. Trump foundation show Trump has made no charitable contributions to his own namesake nonprofit since 2008. Without an endowment, the fund has continued to give grants only as a result of contributions from others.

….Pressed by the AP on the details of his contributions, Trump campaign spokeswoman Hope Hicks provided a partial list of donations that appeared to correspond with the foundation’s gifts — indicating that Trump may be counting other people’s charitable giving as his own.

“I give to hundreds of charities and people in need of help,” Trump said in an emailed response to questions from the AP about how he tallied his own philanthropy. “It is one of the things I most like doing and one of the great reasons to have made a lot of money.” The Trump campaign did not respond to a request that it identify donations that Trump himself gave.

More here. Obviously Trump is lying about this, but that’s hardly even noteworthy anymore. As near as I can tell, he’s congenitally unable to tell the truth about anything related to his finances. I mean, this is a guy who’s using other people’s money for his supposedly self-funded campaign and who claims to this day that he did great with his Atlantic City casinos.

But he’s somehow invulnerable anyway. As best I can figure it, Trump (a) never goes to church, (b) has never read the Bible, (c) is unusually stingy, and (d) lives a personal life of serial affairs with younger women followed by serial divorces. But somehow lots of evangelicals think he’s a Godly man anyway.

Cruz, on the other hand, is the son of a guy who runs the Purifying Fire International ministry—a preacher so evangelical he seems ready to explode at times. Cruz went to a Baptist high school; he talks about religion interminably; and he attends church regularly. But somehow lots of evangelicals have abandoned him for Trump.

Strange times.

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Ted Cruz vs. Donald Trump: Who Is the Least Charitable?

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January is Radon Action Month. Here’s What You Need to Know.

by AdrianYqwwp Posted on January 15, 2016

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. You can’t see it or smell it,which is why the U.S. EPA and other organizations encourage people to be on the lookout for it.

January is Radon Action Month, which makes it a perfect time to find out if your home is contaminated with radon. If so, there are several ways you can fix the problem.

Health Impacts of Radon

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Although lung cancer can be treated, only between 11 and 15 percent of those afflicted with this horrible disease will live beyond five years. Smoking and secondhand smoke also cause lung cancer, but radon isthe second leading cause. It’s responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. The U.S. Surgeon General issued this national health advisory on radon to encourage people to get their homes tested if they have any reason to believe it could be contaminated.

Where is Radon Found?

Radon comes from the natural radioactive breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. It also can get into the air you breathe. Because it is a gas, it can easily get into buildings, including your home.

How Do You Know if Your House has a Radon Problem?

The only way to know for sure if you and your family are at risk from radon is to test for it. The EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools.

How Can You Test For Radon?

Use a test kit or find a qualified radon measurement professional to do the test. The National Radon Program Services at Kansas State University offers discounted test kits for purchase online. The cost between $15 and $25 and will test for radon over both the short and long-term. Alternatively, you may be able to find a test kit at your local home improvement or hardware store.

If you need to bring in a professional, you can use EPA’s Map of Radon Zones to find links to your state’s radon program, if one exists, or EPA’s regional contacts, which should be able to help you get in touch with the right contractors.

What If You Find a Radon Problem?

According to EPA, you will need to fix or mitigate the radon problem in your home if, through testing, you find that your radon level is confirmed to be 4 picocuries per liter, pCi/L, or higher. EPA says radon levels less than that amount still pose a risk, so you might want to err on the side of caution and still take steps to reduce radon in your home. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, you are at a significant risk for developing lung cancer.

To fix the problem, work with a qualified radon mitigation contractor. Before you start, you probably should get estimates from at least two contractors. In its handy Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction: How to Fix Your Home, EPA provides a very useful checklist that will help you do a good job securing a contractor and supervising the work.

How the problem is ultimately fixed will depend on the kind of home you have and what the problem is. Some techniques prevent radon from entering your home; others reduce radon levels after it has entered. It’s generally best to prevent radon from getting in, perhaps by suctioning it out of your home or the soil surrounding your home and venting it to the open air, where it will dissipate. If you have a crawlspace under your home, the solution may be to cover the soil below with high density plastic, then suction the radon emanating from the soil below the plastic and send it out into the air.

Sealing cracks and other openings in your home’s foundation may also help prevent radon from entering. Increasing ventilation in the spaces that contain radon will also help, though it’s not generally a permanent solution.

Generally speaking, if your home has a basement or a crawl space, you should probably have it tested for radon. Again, the test is not expensive but the consequences can be extreme if the problem is ignored. Even new homes built with radon-resistant features should be tested after occupancy to ensure that radon levels are low.

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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January is Radon Action Month. Here’s What You Need to Know.

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