It's not easy being green

Kermit the Frog had it right years ago when he said, "It's not easy being green."  Since I was little, I've loved wood.  Every tree has it's own "personality" when it's growing, and the wood when cut is all so beautiful and unique.  The grains, the colors, the textures.

I recently discovered the new hobby of marquetry.  It's the art of making pictures with thin wood veneers.  My first project, a sad attempt, was of a person hiking up a mountain.  It's a great little art project - connects me with nature and art and is a peaceful endeavor.

Then I realized:  formaldehyde!  The glue I'm using no doubt has formaldehyde in it.  I imagine the veneer does as well.  So now I need to decide if I should keep going with this hobby.  Will the additional formaldehyde bother my mother when she is visiting?  If so, the decision will be made.  After all, she's my equivalent of the coal miner's canary.

I say all of this, but I do want to reinforce that we cannot escape all formaldehyde, even if it was completely banned.  For example, some formaldehyde is given off by a gas stove or when burning something with fire.  But, to me, it is about choices.  We all have to ask ourselves:  is the item worth it?  Are there alternatives?   It's about living more lightly, decreasing amounts not total elimination.

In the news...

Evidently, a fifth state has banned BPA in baby bottles, sippy cups, and clear storage containers.  It happened almost a month ago, but I missed the news until now.   The article says the new law "prohibits the use of" - - - what exactly does that mean?  Does that mean manufacturers can not sell items in those states if they contain BPA?  Does that mean they can not be manufactured in those states?  Or does that mean you, the consumer, are the one responsible for knowing which items are BPA-free and only using those? 

BPA isn't only in bottles and cans.  An article that that appears in USA Today, discusses a study that was done by the Environmental  Working Group.  They found that 40 percent of cash register receipts contain BPA.  geesh.  Read the article - some say there is no need to ban BPA. 

In other news here, the Reuters article states, "A nonprofit environmental group has sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, claiming the agency failed to regulate toxic chemicals found in "antimicrobial" soap and other personal care products." 
 

VOC's

I've heard of VOC's (Volatile Organic Compounds) in paint and so forth - you probably have, too - but for some reason, until recently when I read an article spelling out the fact that formaldehyde was a VOC, I had never made that particular connection.  I knew I wanted to decrease exposure to formaldehyde and to VOC's, but I didn't realize one was the other.  Silly me! So, that begs the questions:  1) What exactly are VOC's? and, 2) What other chemicals make up this category? 

Low and behold, when I did my google search, the first result was from the EPA.  It's an excellent resource page and I encourage you to take a look at the information, including the great html documents at the bottom.  In the very last one, "Indoor Air Pollution: An Introduction for Health Professionals,"  it lists formaldehyde, pesticides, solvents, and cleaning agents as VOC's.  In addition, you should watch for other chemicals such as benzene, methylene chloride and perchloroethylene.

Remember doing those school projects with permanent markers?  VOC. 
Like buying those permanent press clothes for work because of the easy care?  Formaldehyde = VOC.
Like trying a new scent out of all those magazines?  Some scents = VOC.

Some folks may think a formaldehyde allergy like my mom's is rare, or think it doesn't affect them.  I encourage you then to check out the EPA's site. It's worth your time to learn facts like this:

It is estimated that 10 to 20 percent of the U.S. population, including asthmatics, may have hyper reactive airways which may make them more susceptible to formaldehyde's effects. 

And that's just one VOC!

New law limits formaldehyde

Great news for those concerned about formaldehyde.  President Obama signed a new law that limits the amount of formaldehyde in wood products.  Check out the article at USA Today.