Terracycle: Funding Your Favorite Non-Profit Organization With Garbage

Once I dreamt I was on a spaceship with people who looked human but were not human. We eventually landed on a planet that looked like earth but was not earth. Its trees and grasses were purple and blue rather than our many shades of green. They took me inside a house that looked similar to what we have here except that there was no waste. Everything, even the garbage, fed into something else that helped run the home. The place was a highly efficient feedback loop.




Around that time I found Terracycle. My son attends a school for children with learning differences. Like any school we are always trying to raise money to cover costs, so I signed us up for this upcycling program.

It works like this: Terracycle takes items not typically recyclable, like chips bags and energy bar wrappers, and turns them into things that do not get thrown away, like picnic tables and park benches. Your organization gets paid one or two cents per item depending on shipment size. It really adds up. And, it teaches the children important lessons about environmental stewardship. Some parents tell me how the program has changed the way their children see garbage. They will not allow anything to be thrown away at home now that can become something else.

So basically, this pile of thousands of potato chip bags,

 and these stacks of a gazillion energy bar wrappers and Capri Sun pouches

 

will become stuff like this,

or this,

 

or this.

 And when the backpack wears out it can be sent to Terracycle to be turned into something else.

There are many items that can be collected, but we choose to focus on those not accepted by local recycling banks:

Salty snack bags (ie. potato chips, pretzels, etc.)
Children's drink pouches (Capri Sun, Honest Kids, etc.)
Energy bar wrappers and cereal bar wrappers
Cheese packaging (any, including singles)
Pens, markers, and Sharpies
Candy bar wrappers
Diaper packaging and baby wipes packaging (soft)

Special thanks to Unity of East Louisville, St. Matthews Area Community Ministries, and my family  in Kentucky and Georgia for collecting items for us. If your Louisville, Kentucky based family or organization would like to save items for the school please contact me at moonbeams_and_ecodreams at yahoo dot com.

We have been collecting for a while now. By Christmas the school should receive a check for around three hundred dollars.

As I was packing boxes of Terracycle for shipment one day it hit me - this is like in my dream. A feedback loop without waste, where one thing feeds into another. Hmmh.  How about that?

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Resources:

Terracycle

Terracycle products


Terracycle In The News:

Terracycle Wins Green Innovator Award - Philly.com

Terracycle on Good Morning America and Oprah

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This post is linked with Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.

Tags: Eco Friendly Louisville, Green Living, Terracycle, Upcycling

How I Beat Severe Insomnia (Part III): EcoTools Sleep Mask

This is part three of my How I Beat Severe Insomnia series. Part one discussed how I reset my circadian rhythms with light box treatments in the morning and blue blocker glasses after seven p.m. This system retrains my brain to produce sleep hormones at night instead of during the day. Part two details how a custom made hypnotherapy MP3 helps me fall asleep at night or fall back asleep if I wake up and have difficulty drifting off again. And, part three focuses on how my overall sleep quality improved by wearing sleep mask.

Our brains require complete darkness to sleep optimally and research reveals that light pollution disrupts this process. In fact, ambient light floods into our bedroom windows from streetlights, passing cars, our neighbors' floodlights, and even the full moon, disrupting sleep patterns by making our brains think it is morning. Items alight inside the room, such as LED lights from alarm clocks and televisions, trigger this problem as well. Not good.

Some people are more sensitive to this than others. Unfortunately, I am one of them.

For decades I had severe sleep problems. Jolts of adrenaline repeatedly woke me out of nowhere. Then what felt like electrical disturbances coursed through my head. I wondered if I had apnea or seizures or both. I'd already experienced major sleep benefits by reducing my light exposure after 7:00 p.m. by wearing blue blocker glasses, so I decided to do something about this ambient light exposure during sleep too.

I purchased an EcoTools sleep mask at my local health food store for $3.99, though the price appears to have increased since then.






COMPANY VALUES AND ETHICS

EcoTools is actress Alicia Silverstone's eco-friendly, sustainable body care company.  I like the environmental vision of EcoTools and that they donate money to causes. The product is made in China, so I can't say where this business stands on ethical treatment of workers. Made in China doesn't always mean with exploited labor, though it can. It depends on the corporation. Alicia's social conscience concerning environmental causes and animal welfare is stellar, so I would hope she extends that kindness to human beings she employs. I took this one on faith.

REVIEW

The product is made of bamboo, so unlike satin masks this one can go in the washing machine. The elastic is sturdy and the eye pillow feels like soft terry cloth. It does not easily slide down the face during sleep like cheaply made sleep masks.

From the first night I used this mask the adrenaline rushes and abnormal electrical activity in my head during sleep ceased. I was stunned. Could subtle light exposure during sleep really trigger adrenaline rushes and haywire electrical activity in the brain? Then four days later I misplaced the mask and had to do without it for a few nights. Sure enough the problem returned with a vengeance. I bought a second mask and the activity stopped again, never to return. I now keep two EcoTools sleep masks on my night table in case one gets misplaced.

Dr. Terman's Take On Sleep Masks

My sleep guru, Dr. Terman of Columbia University Hospital's sleep clinic and author of Chronotherapy: Resetting Your Inner Clock to Boost Mood, Alertness, and Quality Sleep, does not recommend sleep masks or black out curtains. Though he acknowledges the deleterious effects of light pollution during sleep, in his book Dr. Terman expresses concern that these interventions will block exposure to the light of true dawn, which is crucial to circadian rhythm regulation. But I tend to instinctively whip this mask off my face at around 5:00 a.m. anyhow, so I still experience dawn's first light piercing through my blinds like everyone else. Sometimes I just have to go with what works even when it is not recommended by the experts.

Other Post In This Series:

How I Beat Severe Insomnia With A Light Box and Blue-Blocker Glasses

How I Beat Severe Insomnia: Hypnosis


Resources:

Circadian rhythms are powerful, but people can change their sleep-wake cycles - The Washington Post

Prevent Light Pollution - Florida Atlantic University

Free app adjusts color on monitors to prevent disruption of sleep cycle - The Washington Post

Environ Health Perspect. 2009 January; 117(1): A20–A27.
Missing the Dark: Health Effects of Light Pollution

Eco-Tools

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This post is linked with Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways. 

*This is not a sponsored post. This blog is an Amazon.com affiliate, though. All affiliate profits earned will be donated to Kiva, a not-for-profit micro-lending organization that makes no interest business loans to low income entrepreneurs in the developing world.

       

Some Essential Oils Inhibit MRSA, Influenza, & Strep - Scientific Studies

Photo Credit: Photobucket

My workplace strives to become Louisville's first green pre-school. Since this is right up my alley our director has invited me to do some of the legwork.

My first project was to register us with Terracycle, a non-profit organization that turns typically discarded packaging, like salty snack bags and energy bar wrappers, into stuff that does not get thrown away, like picnic tables and park benches. And, since preschools are perpetual germ factories now I'm researching the anti-microbial properties of essential oils (for diffusion). Next I will raise funds for a steam vacuum so the babies don't have to crawl on floors cleaned with harsh chemicals.

I've learned that some essential oils have actually been studied for their anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. Here is a sample of the many studies available on Pub Med.




Photobucket

STREP

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:269161
In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils against Streptococcus pyogenes.

This study used a disc infusion method to test the in vitro anti-bacterial aspects of eighteen different essential oils against streptococcus pyogenes, a bacteria that causes strep throat. Fourteen of the oils demonstrated anti-bacterial action against Streptococcus pyogenes. These include, among others: cinnamon, lemongrass, thyme, oregano, and winter savory. This study suggests that these oils might be helpful to patients suffering from bacterial throat infections.

J Contemp Dent Pract. 2012 Jan 1;13(1):71-4.
Antimicrobial activity of commercially available essential oils against Streptococcus mutans.

This study tested the in vitro effectiveness of nine essential oils against Streptococcus mutans. Cinnamon oil was most effective against Streptococcus mutans followed by lemongrass oil, cedarwood oil, clove oil, and eucalyptus oil. Wintergreen oil, lime oil, peppermint oil and spearmint oil had no antibacterial effectiveness. The authors suggest the useful oils as a possible alternative to other antibacterial agents for treating oral infections.

 J. Antimicrob. Chemother. (2001) 47 (5): 565-573.                                    
Antibacterial activity of essential oils and their major constituents against respiratory tract pathogens by gaseous contact

The anti-bacterial effectiveness of fourteen essential oils in their vaporized states was examined against Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Streptococcus pyogenes and Staphylococcus aureus. All of the oils showed activity, but cinammon, lemongrass, and thyme (wild and red) were the most impressive, suppressing all of these and e coli too (except lemongrass), which was used as a control. They hyper-link above leads to the complete study.  

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2012 Jun 28;12:81.l
Chemical composition of 8 eucalyptus species' essential oils and the evaluation of their antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral activities.
Studied the anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and antiviral activities in eight eucalyptus species. E. bicostata had the best anti-viral activity. " E. odorata showed the strongest activity against S. aureus, H. influenzae, S. agalactiae, S. pyogenes, S. pneumoniae and against all the tested fungal strains."


Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2012;2012
Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils against Streptococcus mutans and their Antiproliferative Effects. 
"EO showed activity at low concentrations, and their selected active fractions were also effective against biofilm formed by S. mutans and human tumor cell lines." This abstract does not say which oils were tested.

J Food Sci. 2011 Nov-Dec;76(9):H226-30
Essential oil of Curcuma longa inhibits Streptococcus mutans biofilm formation.
Found turmeric oil inhibits carcinogenic properties of strep mutans.

Molecules. 2011 Nov 21;16(11):9651-64
Biological activity of carbazole alkaloids and essential oil of Murraya koenigii against antibiotic resistant microbes and cancer cell lines.
Found curry oil inhibits anti-biotic resistant strains of  Staphylococcus aureus (210P JTU), Psedomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 25619), Klebsiella pneumonia (SR1-TU), Escherchia coli (NI23 JTU) and Streptococcus pneumonia. Also found that the oil exhibits anti-tumor properties against certain cell lines.





INFLUENZA

J Ethnopharmacol. 2012 Jan 31;139(2):668-71
Chemical compositions and anti-influenza activities of essential oils from Mosla dianthera.

Mosla Dianthera oil reduced lung titers in influenza infected mice. It also inhibited pneumonia, reduced levels of serum IFN-γ and IL-4, and enhanced antioxidant activity in the lung tissue of the infected mice.

Antiviral Res. 2011 Jan;89(1):83-8
Activity of Melaleuca alternifolia (tea tree) oil on Influenza virus A/PR/8: study on the mechanism of action.

Found tea tree oil effective at inhibiting influenza H1N1 in MDCK cells within the first two hours of exposure to the virus. This suggests that exposure to the oil inhibits an early step replication process of the virus. Exposure to the oil during later stages of infection had no effect.

BMC Complement Altern Med. 2010 Nov 15;10:69
Protective essential oil attenuates influenza virus infection: an in vitro study in MDCK cells.

Found that the commercially available essential oil blend On Guard suppressed influenza virus PR8 in MDCK cells in a dose dependent manner. Abstract goes into exactly how and why.

Lett Appl Microbiol. 2009 Dec;49(6):806-8
In vitro antiviral activity of Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) essential oil.

Tea tree oil shows antiviral activity against influenza A/PR/8 virus subtype H1N1.



MRSA (STAPH)



Lett Appl Microbiol. 2009 Apr;48(4):387-92.
***Vapour-phase activities of essential oils against antibiotic sensitive and resistant bacteria including MRSA***
Diffused a mix of geranium and Lemongrass called BioScent in a ST Pro Machine. The oils were tested against antibiotic resistant and antibiotic sensitive strains like MRSA. They not only inhibited the growth of these bacteria, but reduced surface and airborne levels. However, results varied depending on method (89% & 39%). The authors conclude that BioScent may be useful as an air disinfectant.

Br J Community Nurs. 2005 Mar;10(3):123-6
Is tea tree oil effective at eradicating MRSA colonization? A review.

This is a review of other studies on the topic. It concludes that tea tree would not be useful against MRSA.

J Craniomaxillofac Surg. 2009 Oct;37(7):392-7.
The battle against multi-resistant strains: Renaissance of antimicrobial essential oils as a promising force to fight hospital-acquired infections.
Eucalyptus, Tea tree, Thyme white, Lavender, Lemon, Lemongrass, Cinnamon, Grapefruit,Clove Bud, Sandalwood, Peppermint, Kunzea and Sage oil were tested against staph. Thyme white, Lemon, Lemongrass and Cinnamon oil were most effective, but the other oils also demonstrated efficacy. The authors conclude that essential oils represent inexpensive and effective topical treatments for resistant MRSA and candida strains.

J Appl Microbiol. 2012 Nov;113(5):1217-27.
The anti-biofilm activity of lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus) and grapefruit (Citrus paradisi) essential oils against five strains of Staphylococcus aureus
Used disc diffusion method. Tested lemongrass, grapefruit, bergamot and lime against staph. Found  lemongrass had the most antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity.

J Appl Microbiol. 2012 May;112(5):1020-33.
Antimicrobial effect and mode of action of terpeneless cold-pressed Valencia orange essential oil on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Anaerobe. 2011 Dec;17(6):399-402.
Antibacterial activities of essential oils from eight Greek aromatic plants against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus.

The abstract does not say which oils were tested, only that they were from Greece. It does say that the oils tested showed not efficacy against staph.

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009 Nov;75(21):6850-5.
Effect of cinnamon oil on icaA expression and biofilm formation by Staphylococcus epidermidis.

Found cinnamon oil is an effective antimicrobial agent against staph biofilms on surfaces.

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Questions

I'm not sure how to apply these results in the real world. Most of these studies were conducted in vitro, but would those results hold up outside a test tube?  The few studies that diffused oils into the air suggest that they might. But they used industrial style diffusers. Can I get decent results with inexpensive ones bought online for twenty bucks a piece? Hard to say.

I do know that a growing number of hospitals and nursing homes are diffusing essential oils for various purposes to positive effect, so why not schools?
 
Hospitals Using Alternative Medicine to Ease Kids' Pain - NBC Washington

Essential Oils 'Combat Super Bug' - BBC News

Vanderbilt Hospital ER Diffuses Essential Oils - Fox News

We are not looking to treat the children for anything, though. We just want to kill big bad germs in the air and on surfaces, like we currently do with Lysol spray or Clorox Wipes. And, if this happens to obliterate the dirty diaper stink too, well hey, that's just an added bonus.

Cautions:

Though essential oils are generally recognized as safe, not all oils are good for all people and some oils have more cautions than others. For instance, Rosemary is contraindicated for pregnancy and epilepsy, but the citrus oils have few cautions. Therefore, I wasn't the least bit surprised when the above Fox News clip said Vanderbilt Hospital ER uses a citrus blend. That would be the safest choice for the greatest number of people. I want to choose the safest oils for my work setting as well.

It is strep and influenza we see most in daycares. It looks like cinnamon and lemongrass are the most effective at inhibiting strep, followed by eucalyptus, thyme, and oregano. Tea tree appears to be the super star against influenza. So, let's take a look at the safety profiles of these oils.

Cinnamon: The manual "Essential Oils Safety", by Robert Tisserland lists several health conditions that should avoid exposure, so that rules out routine diffusion. We could still probably use it in the steam vacuum, though.

Lemongrass: Tisserland says to avoid in children. That's out. Bummer.

Eucalyptus, thyme, and oregano: The only cautions these three carry that could concern children is as a possible skin and mucous membrane irritant (Tisserland), but they would never come in direct contact with the oils.

Tea Tree: No major concerns beyond the usual skin irritation with direct contact (Tisserland).

AND THE WINNERS ARE.....

Eucalyptus and Tea Tree on account of their positive safety profiles and pleasant aromas.

I hope you didn't get too lost among all that research. I know I did.

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Related Posts:

Can Vetiver Help ADHD & Autism?

Rosemary Essential Oil Improves Memory: Emerging Scientific Evidence

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This post is linked to Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways.

Tags: Essential Oils and flu, Aromatherapy and flu, strep, and MRSA, studies

Green Giveaway: Stainless Steel Drinking Straws

A few years ago I started feeling guilty about all the non-recyclable straws that my family used once then discarded. I imagined them piled atop each other in the landfill for eternity. That charming visual made me ask Google if anyone makes reuseable stainless steel straws. Ten bucks and two days later these cool silver straws arrived in our mailbox. They even had the serrated bend in the neck like the plastic ones. Our glasses haven't seen the old landfill fodder since. Now I just need to ratchet up my green commitment and bring these like a dork when we eat in restaurants.

Since I like these so much I'm giving away a set of four stainless steel drinking straws (Endurance brand). I hope the winner enjoys these as much as we have. I have to warn you though parents: you will only know where two of these are at any given time and this will frustrate you. But alas, just lift your couch cushions and there you will find the others.

To enter this giveaway please leave an email address or a link to your website below. Winner will be chosen by random drawing on September 27th, 2011.

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*This is not a sponsored post. I funded this giveaway.

*This giveaway was originally posted on my Wordpress Blog. Congratulations to Hazel Harker of The Witch Next Door for winning the straws.

Our New Environmentally Friendly Carpet is Made from Recycled Plastic Bottles

Recently massive water damage destroyed most of our downstairs flooring. Did you know you are supposed to pour bleach into one of the air condition valves every few years or your house will flood? We didn't either.


We wanted carpet in the family room but it had to meet two criteria:


1. It Wouldn't slowly kill us with toxic chemicals

2. Made from 100% recycled materials


Puresque  at Home Depot fit both. It is certified by the Carpet and Rug Institute for safety and sustainability. Not only is Puresque low in Volatile Organic Compounds but it is made from recycled plastic bottles. Now we get to feel good about having prevented thousands of discarded bottles from joining that gigantic island of plastic under the Pacific Ocean.. It's win win.




I'm pleased to report that our new carpet does not have that new carpet smell and that it is as plush as any other rug.




Just ask my cat!

I was torn between two great carpet pad options:




1.) Step Ahead with Nike Grind carpet padding is a Nike/Home Depot partnership. Think of sneaker making like cookie cutting. When making cookies those parts outside the cutter get reconstituted into the next cookie. With Nike those scraps become carpet padding instead of landfill fodder.
2.) Healthier Choice uses biofuels and renewable resources. They are a zero landfill operation, which means all waste products are turned into something else. Their carpet pads are low VOC and can be recycled.




We chose Healthier Choice because its specs for mold, mildew, and bacteria prevention are excellent. Since the room is situated between a bathroom and the laundry room we need that extra protection. Who knows - had it been a different room we might be walking on Nike.


The Step Ahead padding looks significantly thicker than the Healthier Choice, so if you are specifically wanting a thicker pad that's worth knowing.


TIPS WHEN SHOPPING FOR GREEN CARPET


1. Watch out for Greenwashing.  Just because the sign says it is green does not mean the product is as green as it could be. Always look at the back of the carpet swatch. If the sign says made from recycled materials yet the swatch says up to 5% recycled materials that is Greenwashing.

2. Look for the Carpet and Rug Institute's Green Label Plus logo on the back of the carpet swatch. This means the carpet, pad, or adhesive is among the safest in the industry.



ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY CARPET SHOPPING:

Shaw Flooring

Green America

How to Shop for an Environmentally Friendly Rug



Tags:  Environmentally Friendly Carpet, Puresque Carpet Low VOC, Home Depot Carpet Pad Nike, Healthier Choice Carpet Pad, Eco Friendly Carpet, Green Carpet, Recycled Carpet, Puresque Carpet Review, Puresque by Beaulieu, Beaulieu Puresque Carpet.