Farm · Eco-Chick

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Bamboo: Ecofriendly or Not So Much?

I’ve heard bamboo flooring is more eco-friendly than traditional pine or oak. Is this true?
—Cara Truhlar, Montpelier, VT

At first glance, bamboo is as green as it gets. It grows like a weed (technically, it’s a grass) and can reach harvestable height in three to five years. This crop—also native to the Americas—sequesters carbon more efficiently than slow-growing oak forests, which can take 10 times as long to reach maturity.

Bamboo is grown most extensively in China for commercial products, but—here’s the hitch—it can become invasive if not properly managed. Widely acclaimed for its prolific growth, bamboo doesn’t usually require fertilizers and pesticides for optimal yields. However, once it’s cut, most bamboo is treated with chemical preservatives, as is the case with some other mainstream flooring materials, says Brad Salmon, president of the American Bamboo Society. These issues should factor into a product’s measure of sustainability.

The Forest Stewardship Council, the main green-wood accreditor, has just started evaluating U.S. bamboo producers, and so far it has okayed only one company, Smith & Fong Co. If you’re shopping for bamboo flooring, it’s best to start with taking a hard look at its source. Bamboo grows in some of the most threatened ecosystems in Southeast Asia and Central America.

Look for planks made from farmed, not wild, bamboo. Also “keep its whole life cycle in mind,” says Stowe Hartridge-Beam, program manager for indoor-air quality at Scientific Certification Systems, an industry-recognized third-party certifier. “How is the product manufactured and transported? Is it recyclable when it reaches the end of its life?” He says these questions must be asked of a bamboo floor salesperson or the manufacturer; they should be able to provide answers. Remember, bamboo, like any wood, needs additional sealants if you want to use it in a place that gets wet, like a bathroom or kitchen.

Ask for varnishes and glues that have low volatile organic compounds, or VOCs, and that also adhere to California Section 01350, the highest air-quality standard for these products. Always buy the most sustainable products you can afford. You’re worth it.

For more details on the bamboo debate, specifically bamboo that’s used for clothing, check out the excellent coverage on The Greenloop’s blog.

This question and answer originally published in the Green Guru column of Audubon Magazine written by Starre Vartan.

bamboo, bath, car, carbon, clothing, ecofriendly, farm, magazine, mainstream, Organic, party, produce, sales, Shopping, sport, Starre Vartan, sustainability, sustainable, wood

Idbids for Kids

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by Kimberly Jordan Allen · 10/14/08

Waverly, the aquatic Idbid.

The Idbids Kit for kids encourages play, learning and caring the earth. Always on the lookout for toys that will inspire my children to love nature, Idbids offers a cute, eco-friendly option.

The kit contains organic Egyptian cotton toys, a bright storybook that is unique, a canvas bag, and a Field Guide to plant the seeds of ecological stewardship. Reminiscent of claymation movies, the adorable storybook features photographs of the stuffed toys in various settings taking “iddy biddy steps” toward a greener, cleaner planet.

On the company’s website, kids can sign up for their certificate of completion, once they have finished working with the Idbid Kit Field Guide that lists ten ways to be more sustainable in everyday life, such as, “color on both sides of the page to double the masterpieces.”

Encouraging positive action and simple steps, the field guide helps to get kids involved and feel motivated by their own ability to care for their environment. Idbids are a great gift for little ones.

book, car, children, cotton, farm, kids, movies, Organic, Outdoors, photographs, simple steps, sustainable, water

Is Melamine Safe for Kids?

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by Kimberly Jordan Allen · 09/25/08

If you ever needed another reason to breastfeed, here it is. Four babies have died and thousands are ill after melamine was found in contaminated dairy products in Asia.

The industrial toxin, which is high in nitrogen, is added to milk when producers want to artificially boost protein content. According to the Associated Press, one in five national dairy companies tested positive for the chemical. The hygiene practices of dairy farmers dates back to 80′s standardization and this lack of updated regulation has allowed the antiquated technology to go largely unchecked.

After the pet-food scare with melamine it leaves one wondering what, if any, form of melamine is safe. I was recently given some kids’ bowls made from melamine. Are they at risk? Obviously the substance is solidified, but as we now know with regard to plastics, it is best to err on the side of caution.

Melamine flatware is usually created by combining the chemical with formaldehyde. Formaldehyde has been linked to asthma and cancer. In a piece for the Green Guide, Alexandra Zissu (author of The Organic Pregnancy – a great book I reviewed last year,) discusses the concern surrounding melamine and other durable plastics used in baby and toddler wares. In her article on plastics Zissu notes:

Aside from sippy cups, most kidware isn’t made of polycarbonate but of durable, colorful melamine. Melamine is a questionable choice for food because it’s made with formaldehyde, which has been linked to allergies, asthma and cancer. There’s no evidence that formaldehyde leaches out of melamine every single time it’s used, but some studies, including one by the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, have shown that the chemical can migrate out of melamine and into food under certain circumstances, such as heat and when serving highly acidic foods.

In my home we have been using glass, stainless steel, #5 plastics and wood. As far as plastics go, it is wise to never use abrasive detergents or scrubby sponges as this can cause degeneration, which can lead to leaching. Zissu discusses what she feels are the best alternatives:

My daughter eats from our own lead-free ceramic dishes. She also eats from small stainless-steel prep bowls purchased at a kitchen supply store, and even the occasional glass bowl. I know some moms and dads worry about shattering glass, but she’s never broken one, despite the fact that the floor under our dining table is poured concrete (inherited from someone else’s renovation). It probably helped that we have firmly explained to her over and over and over that she may not toss the things.

Avoiding all things plastic is not a new concept. The idea of toddlers throwing glass and ceramic bowls at the dog can be daunting, but as Zissu says, teaching can help alleviate flying objects (at least ideally.) People go back and forth with the plastics debate. A few weeks ago a study was released saying “everything is OK – you can use BPA” and some of my friends told me they felt duped into buying BPA-free. But, here’s the thing. If we know we are already exposed to all of these chemicals in our environment and have a higher body-burden than our civilization has ever seen, isn’t it wise to err on the side of caution? When so many still use microwaves and plastics together, this just seems like a no-brainer to me. We put this stuff through the dishwasher (heating to high temps,) we serve hot food on it, and we bang it around and scratch it up. The attitude of “well, everything is dangerous – everything causes cancer” is resigning responsibility and leaving the well-being of our youth up to Dow and Monsanto, who as we know, have done a bang-up job so far.

allergies, Amazon, babies, Baby, book, BPA, bpa-free, Cancer, car, carbon, eating, farm, FDA, Food, formula, Home, kids, melamine, Milk, mom, moms, News, Organic, plastic, plastics, plates, Pregnancy, produce, spa, Tea, teaching, Technology, wood

In Honor of Those Who Served on 9/11

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by Kimberly Jordan Allen · 09/11/08

Every year on this day we remember what happened.

This year I wanted to remember those who served. Some we lost, and many are still suffering with lung disease, cardiovascular illness, and fatal maladies. The price so many have paid is beyond what anyone can imagine.

One of my dear friends is an iron worker in NYC. He arrived on site the day of 9/11/2001. He did not leave for three weeks. At one of his doctor’s visits following the time he spent at the WTC, the doctor told him he had the lungs of a sixty-year-old smoker. He is thirty-one. What he saw, he would never discuss in detail. The intensity of emotion and devastation is so evident when he does speak of this time.

I respect Garret hugely and think of his sacrifice often.

Today we honor those who lost loved ones, those we lost, and those who are still experiencing the fallout of this event due to illness. To anyone in the NY area who wants to attend memorials, listen to amazing speakers and hear incredible music, here are some events.

car, Events, fall, farm, Music, NYC, Outdoors

350: Global Warming. Global Action. Global Future.

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by Kimberly Jordan Allen · 08/20/08

Last night I was reading my favorite magazine, Orion. Bill McKibben was discussing the campaign 350. From the website:

350 is the red line for human beings, the most important number on the planet. The most recent science tells us that unless we can reduce the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to 350 parts per million, we will cause huge and irreversible damage to the earth.
But solutions exist. All around the world, a movement is building to take on the climate crisis, to get humanity out of the danger zone and below 350. This movement is massive, it is diverse, and it is visionary. We are activists, scholars, and scientists. We are leaders in our businesses, our churches, our governments, and our schools. We are clean energy advocates, forward-thinking politicians, and fearless revolutionaries. And we are united around the world, driven to make our planet livable for all who come after us.
We are everywhere, and together we are unstoppable.

We are currently living at 387ppm. Scientists claim numbers could reach 450-550ppm which would mean disaster for life as we know it. Every time we turn on a car, a light, the heat, the stove, the television, the computer; we partake. Unless we are receiving our power solely from renewables, then we are using coal and oil. The 350 campaign is hoping to influence lawmakers, political leaders, and individuals to take action. One view has perpetuated the notion that climate change, such as what we are experiencing now, is normal, just as ice ages come and go. However, the real science is in and it is time to listen, regardless of partisan politics.

Last week my extended family gathered. A discussion arose, among friends and family, about the fictionalized nature of global warming and how it is simply a marketing campaign so people can sell “green” products. Greenwashing exists. We know this. But this conversation, dominated by one in particular, was reiterating a denial about what is happening. My young cousin, who is twenty and overheard the discussion, told me she wasn’t sure. We had a decent conversation about some examples of climate change, what greenwashing means, and environmentalism in general. The information is out there. Bill McKibben, Michael Pollan, Terry Tempest Williams, Treehugger, Grist, Adbusters, Huffington Post, ENN – just to name a few sources.