Minnehaha Creek Clean-Up Event - July 12

Citizens for the Minnehaha Creek Corridor (CMCC) is co-hosting a clean up event this Sunday, July 12th. There will be gloves and trash bags provided, as well as free food and beer. Click here for event details.

The CMCC is a very young group and is always looking for more people who want to participate. Their goal is to help protect the creek and to educate others through a variety of activities.

You can learn more about CMSS on their website or the Facebook page. If you have any questions, you may also email Jennifer.

Source Separated Organics - Curbside Collection!

If you live in Linden Hills and are not yet participating in the pilot project to collect source separated organic materials at your own curbside (what could be easier?), it's not too late to sign up!

Just in case you missed the update received in the mail from the city, here are the current statistics on participation in the pilot:

• 41% of eligible households are participating in the project (a total of 1,054 households)
• An average of 432 pounds per house per month are collected! (wow...that's a lot!)
• Weekly participation (of those with green organics carts) averages at 62%

ONLY 41% OF ELIGIBLE HOUSEHOLDS ARE PARTICIPATING THOUGH??? Seriously? I'm sure all you fabulous EcoParents in Linden Hills are participating, but let's each make an effort to find a couple of neighbors or friends who are not currently signed up and get them signed up!! If just 30 of us each got 2 new households to sign-up, then we could help divert an additional 311,000 pounds of waste from the 'trash' stream and into fabulous compost!!

To sign up, or for more information, contact Susan Young at the City of Minneapolis via email or telephone(612.673.2917 or 311), or check out the webpage for Linden Hills Power & Light. For FAQs about the pilot project, click here.

2009 Sunscreen Guide from Environmental Working Group

The Environmental Working Group recently published their 2009 Sunscreen Guide. They found that, 3 of 5 brand-name sunscreens either don’t protect skin from sun damage or contain hazardous chemicals — or both!!

Despite their sobering findings, the EWG study did find that 19% fewer sunscreens contain oxybenzone, a hormone disruptor approved by FDA as an active ingredient in sunscreen...and which we learned at the last EcoParents meeting to avoid!

They also published the EWG Shopper's Guide to Safer Sunscreens, which recommends the following sun protection products:

• California Baby - any sunscreen
• Mustela - “Sun Cream” or “Sun Lotion, Bebe”
• Mission Skincare - “Face Stick”
• Neutrogena - “Pure & Free” or “Sensitive Skin”
• Blue Lizard - “Face”, “Baby”, or “Sensitive”
• Jason Natural or Earth’s Best - “Mineral Based”
• Solar Sense - “Clear Zinc Sport Stick”
• CVS - “Sport Sunstick”
• Coppertone Water BABIES - “Pure & Simple”

They also offer the following tips for making decisions about sunscreen purchases:

BUY

• SPF 30 or higher for best protection.
• At least 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide for broad spectrum protection.

AVOID

• Oxybenzone or benzophenone-3: skin absorption, allergies, hormone problems
• Spray and powder sunscreens: inhaling sunscreens can pose extra risks
• Fragrance: allergies, reproductive problems
• Sunscreen with added bug repellent: you can get too much of the pesticide in your body

Thanks to EcoParent Jennifer for passing along this link!

Garden Center Plastic Pots

I realize that it's probably a bit late in the season for a post about planting, but I'm a bit slow when it comes to anything remotely related to the garden.

Did you know that many garden centers will accept the plastic pots you purchase most plants in? They will either reuse or recycle those plastic pots, which are NOT currently accepted in Mpls recycling program.

I know that Linden Hill's own Sunnyside Gardens will accept all plastic pots, and I believe that Bachman's has specific collection days. Call and check though...

Nice to know that they don't have to go in the trash though, eh?

Safe Personal Care Mtg Highlights

Here are some of the highlights from last night's EcoParents meeting with Jesse Avery, wellness coordinator for National Cooperative Grocers Assoc:

Regulation of personal care products falls between regulatory schemes b/c they aren't really food (USDA) nor are they drugs (FDA). So, most 'standards' are developed by the industry...which results in much confusion! But, there are 2 emerging standards: NSF "Made with Organic" and NPA "Certified Natural"

Major Chemicals to Avoid in Body Care Products include:

• Nitrosamines: carcinogens created as by-product of combinations of ethanloamines. Look for diethanolamine (DEA) or triethanolamine (TEA) in the ingredients list
• Lead: found in some lipsticks, source is unknown, but probably a by-product of colorants.
• Parabens: preservative linked to cancer, hormone disruption, immune and reproductive toxicity, and more. Look for methylparaben, propylparaben, ethylparaben and butylparaben on ingredient list.
• Phthalates: not usually listed as ingredient, but found in synthetic fragrances. Look for 'fragrance' or 'parfum' on ingredient list. Banned in the EU.
• Hydroquinone: used as a skin lightener in anti-aging products, but linked to cancer, immune & reproductive toxicity Banned in the EU.
• 1,4-dioxane: not listed as an ingredient b/c it's a chemical by-product, but very common in products that produce suds. Potent carcinogen, reproductive toxcicant, neurotoxin, respiratory toxicant, and environmental pollutant. Look for chemicals with the words myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol.
• Sodium Lauryl Sulfate: a very drying irritant detergent
  
• Oxybenzone: chemical sunscreen, carcinogen, hormone disrupter
  
• BHA: masking ingredient typically found in cosmetics, banned in the EU, immune system toxicant, carcinogen, liver toxin, neurotoxin.
  

So, what to do?? Some great alternatives to look for:

• Jojoba Oil
• Rose Hip Seed Oil
• Castille Soap
• Shea Butter
• Beeswax
• Pure Essential Oils
• Aloe Vera Gel
• Mineral sunscreeens
  

There was just so much more information than be captured in a short post, but hopefully with this (and the online resources) will help us more more informed choices for our families.

Online resources for safe personal care products

Thanks to Jesse Avery for a very informative EcoParents meeting last night! We certainly learned a lot about personal care products, so that we can make more informed choices for our families. Whew...it was a lot of info though! Here are a few of the online resources he shared with us to help us keep on top of this important issue.

• Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database
• Campaign for Safe Cosmetics
• Aubrey Organics Dictionary of Natural Cosmetics
• Organic Consumers Association - Coming Cleam campaign for organic integrity in skin care products

Stay tuned for a brief summary of some of Jesse's recommendations about what to avoid in personal care products, and safe alternatives...

And a HUGE THANK YOU to the Linden Hills Co-op for their generous donation of samples and gifts, as well as their assistance in finding our speaker!

EcoParents Mtg this Tuesday: Safe Personal Care Products (and FREE samples!)

REMINDER: EcoParents Meeting TOMORROW (Tuesday)!!

Linden Hills EcoParents: Safe Personal Care Products
Tuesday, June 30
6:30-8:30 pm
Linden Hills Park Building (43rd & Xerxes)

Jesse Avery, wellness manager for National Cooperative Grocers Assoc, will speak to us about personal care products, such as lotions, soaps, make-up, sunscreen, etc... What should we look FOR and what should we AVOID, both for ourselves and our families?

FREE SCHWAG BAGS OF PRODUCT SAMPLES DONATED BY LINDEN HILLS CO-OP!! Plus, one lucky attendee will win a gift bag of with some seriously good stuff, including Four Element Healing Cream, SunLeaf Natural RosyGeranium Shampoo & Body Bar, Veriditas Botanical Organic Lavender Essential Oil, Wyndmere Revitilizing Aromatherapy Air Freshener, and Awesome Family Total Skin Care Organic Moisturizer!!

Hope to see you there!!! All are welcome...feel free to spread the word.

It would be helpful if you could drop me a line (via email or Facebook) to let me know if you are planning to come so that we have enough samples. But, even if you don't RSVP, please feel free to come. (If we run out of schwag bags, we'll just do a drawing...)