Men and women who are big on green style and earth-friendly substance have discovered that the Web is littered with natural and free-trade clothes and accessories. You can get vegan shoes for hundreds of dollars, or hoodies and Ts for a lot less.

We’ve combed through online shops to create a very merry Green His and Hers Gift Guide.

HIGH STYLE

Deborah Lindquist uses both  “reincarnated” and new Earth-friendly fabrics for her creations. From her current collection, “Goth Girl Goes to the Country, ” is a vintage cashmere crewneck floor sweeping dress, $394, and silk long-sleeve T-shirt underneath, $185 (above).  You can buy Lindquist’s edgy styles in stores, or directly on her Web site.

Linda Loudermilk, another hot natural designer, offers a striking organic cotton long jacket for him (below). It looks like leather, but it’s not – because the fabric is cured with mud. It has top-quality styling and details, which is good since it costs $2,350. You can take solace knowing that it will last a lifetime.

Got a greenie on your shopping list this year, someone who’s yearning for a composter or a bat house? Here are a few gift ideas for the newly minted or entrenched ecoist.

A Chlorine Filter for the Shower.

Rainfall Showerhead filters out the chlorine and other chemicals

Give the gift of soft skin and hair with this High Output SHower Filter. It will collect the chlorine from your city water before it gets a chance to dry your skin, and seep into your pores. It can be used  with your own low-flow shower head, which some people are quite attached to. Buy a replacement filter when you order and you’re covered for two years.

Or get a spa-like Rainfall Showerhead with a built in filter, a gift of luxury and good health, it contains a filter to get out chlorine and a variety of other chemicals and meets federal guidelines for 2.5 gpm.

($58 and $78 at Gaiam, respectively.)

Envirocycle Composter

Envirocycle composter

Even the earthiest among us can get discouraged composting giant mounds of earth and grass that have to be turned with a pitchfork. This spinning Envirocycle Composter makes it easier to collect and reprocess  organic matter. Instead of grappling with a mountainous mass, you just spin. Not only can you produce fine compost, this contraption collects compost tea in the the base. The tea makes a great foliar treatment, and the solid compost can be spread on flower and veggie beds at any time. This particular composter may not accommodate a large household, but can handle conservative amounts of organic waste from the kitchen. It could be used in tandem with a compost pile. Enclosed it helps keep odor down, and it’s reasonable. ($126.50 at Greenfeet.)

Let’s shop green without being obvious about it, OK? You can, you know. There are many ways to tweak the holiday list this year to skew it toward recycled, socially conscious, energy-conserving goods. Of course, we don’t like to advocate lots of consuming. We definitely don’t buy that theory that it’s our patriotic duty to purchase our way out of the recession.

On the other hand, we are going to exchange gifts this holiday season. With that in mind, here are a few humble suggestions for keeping it green (and affordable), subtly.

A TOASTER OVEN

Black and Decker CTO6301 Convection Toaster Oven

Mom, dad, a kid on her way to college. Lots of people can appreciate the utility and electricity savings of a Toaster Oven. Did you know that the average 1500 watts used by a toaster/convection oven is less than half, or even more, than that used by a full-size oven? How many times have you heated the entire oven just to warm rolls for dinner? Or to bake a couple ramekins of dessert? Or broil a tuna melt? Or brown a small brushetta?

Turn that big oven off, and use a tool that’s sized-right for the job. That’s the very sound idea behind this “smart” appliance. There are dozens to choose from. The Black & Decker one shown here can be had at Amazon and other stores for around $60. It gets good reviews for durability, space and function.

THE WOVEL

THe wovel uses see-saw action to shove snow.

This goofy looking simple machine just might keep some snow blowers off the road. It’s unique enough to keep the relatives marveling about the weird gift Aunt Sally got Uncle Mel, but it’s got it’s serious side: It powers through snow without using fossil fuels.  More importantly to most users, it makes the job of shoveling the white stuff, pound per pound, easier. Easier on the back, mainly, because the motion of pushing and then “throwing” the snow engages leg and arm muscles.

We don’t actually have one, and we wonder if it’s quite as easy as it looks, but the see-saw action does appear to take a load off the back, a victory over bending, raising and twisting to shovel snow the old-fashioned way. The Wovel has made several YouTube appearances since being named on Time’s Best Inventions List in 2006. Check out this video by a convinced user.

It is expensive for a shovel ($119.95 retail), but it solves a problem, without adding another pollution-spewing machine to the household arsenal.

RECYCLED TIRE WALLET

Recycled Tire Wallet made by artisans in El Salvador

Number three on our list is black, but so very green. This completely recycled, vegan friendly wallet is made from discarded tires. But it looks so much like the standard leather version we thought it would qualify as a green gift that doesn’t stand out as different. Each 9 x 3.5 inch wallet has a slot for money and six slots for credit cards, just like you’d expect. A Fair Trade artisan group in El Salvador makes these wallets, helping provide jobs and living wages in their community. You can buy it ($30)  through the GreenHeartShop in Chicago, at their online store.

Green Heart helps promote artisan craft goods, clothing and food from around the world and in the U.S.

Chicago’s Greenheart Shop is declaring that Black Friday will be Green Friday this year at their store, which sells Fair Trade, eco-friendly and socially conscious gifts, food, clothes and accessories.

Greenheart, a non-profit cultural exchange and storefront (at 1911 W. Division) will be serving free Fair Trade wine, cocoa and snacks to shoppers. Visitors can also see a make-your-own gift wrap demonstration. The event, on Friday, Nov. 27, when shoppers traditionally swarm the stores keeping retails in the black, will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Those who can’t attend can still buy Greenheart products online.

The goodies sold at Greenheart benefit disadvantaged workers, coops in developing nations and support ecologically sound growing methods, like shade-grown cocoa. They include:

• 

  Clutch made of recycled saris.

  Purses and clutches made from recycled saris, such as this one made by a family of artisans near New Delhi, India, through WorldFinds, a Chicago-based organization that partners with fair trade organizations, women’s self-help groups, and small families of artisans in India, Nepal, and Indonesia.

• Beeline Honey, an all natural raw honey produced by (bees and) Sweet Beginnings, LCC, a social enterprise and transitional job program of the North Lawndale employment network in Chicago. The program helps people who face barriers to employment, particularly those with histories of criminal conviction. The Beeline enterprise helps workers establish a work history and learn productive work habits.

• Eco-friendly gift wrap that is 100 percent tree-free. Made out of recycled cotton rags, each sheet of gift wrap
  

  Wrapping paper made of recycled rags.

  offers unique colors and patterns. Customers can specify a color preference for these 22 x 32-inch sheets of wrap made by Artisans at the Eco Friendly Papers workshop in Rajasthan, India, who collect cotton waste, such as rags, and turn it into a pulp.

The shop also sells soy candles, women’s dresses, baby accessories, reusable water bottles, Fair Trade cocoa and more.

To read more about Greenheart and its work around the world, see the history on their website.

The Greenheart storefront is open  M-F 11-7; Sat 11-6; Sun 12-5; products are available online.

In Omaha, Neb., Travis Freeman is a bit of a local Christmas legend. Not only does he own and operate Brite Ideas Decorating – which specializes in both commercial and residential seasonal lighting – but he also is known for his efforts in putting together the Salvation Army’s  Tree of Lights, a big part of the local holiday landscape.

Omaha's Tree of Lights uses LEDs (Photo: Brite Ideas Decorating)

Christmas, of course, isn’t a famously “green” time of year, unless you are talking about the trees we cut down or the currency that seems to fly endlessly out of our wallets and purses. The spirit of the season almost insists that we throw caution (and energy) to the wind when it comes to fancying-up trees and winning the arms race on outdoor decorations.

For years, the Salvation Army was no different.

“When we had our tree outside the Crossroads Mall, Travis used incandescent lights on real evergreen trees offered each year by local residents…not very green!” recalls Susan Eustice, Divisional Director of Publications and Communications for the Salvation Army. “Travis encouraged us to think a bit more green…”

That process started about five years ago, when Freeman began to dabble in new kinds of lighting. This year, he may have outdone himself.

The 2009 Tree of Lights, made of metal, weighs more than 6,000 pounds, stands 75 feet tall, and will be illuminated by 55,000 lights and 100 starbursts. The 10-foot base features an additional 16,000 red and green lights, and the tree is topped by a star illuminated with another 2,500 lights.

An electric bill only Warren Buffett could afford?

Hardly. Freeman’s creation is built entirely with LED (Light Emitting Diode) bulbs. By his estimate, this year’s tree will use about 90 percent less energy than a similar display using traditional incandescent lighting.

“It takes about one-tenth the energy to run LED lights as it does incandescent lights,” he said. “It used to take 180 amps to run that tree. Now, the whole thing draws about 19 amps.”

When you go shopping for lights this season, you’ll find no shortage of LEDs vying for your attention, sitting on shelves right next to their incandescent brethren. Those boxes will tout savings of 80 percent or more over the older technology, an environmentally-friendly edge that could take some of the sting out of those post-holiday bills. Claims that the lights will burn twice as bright and last up to 20 years are pretty attractive, too.

The catch: A significant difference in your up-front costs.

Outdoor LED multi-colored lights

During an early November visit to a local home and garden store, we priced the incandescent mini lights we’ve used on our outdoor display in recent years against similar LEDs. A string of 100 incandescents  on a 25.5 foot length were offered at $4.99. A string of 60 warm white LED minis (20.33 feet) came in at $14.99.

Bottom line:  Making the switch is the “green” way to go on several fronts, but you’ll have to part with considerably with more cash up front to do so.

Bottom line 2: If you can pony up that cash, you’ll probably get your money back over the long haul…and maybe save yourself some other aggravations in the process.

Most folks are accustomed to trudging to the store in November after discovering that a significant number of last year’s strings mysteriously passed away in a closet, basement, or attic. And anyone who has known the joy of seeing that middle string on the tree burn out after the ornaments, tinsel, etc., have been added can appreciate the prospect of more dependable, longer-life lights.

While acknowledging the cost, Freeman says he is finding more and more customers willing to dig a little deeper on the short end.

“It’s an easier sell, because people are keeping their lights. They’re not throwing them away; they’re taking better care of them. With the old ones, they’d buy new lights every year. It’s not even worth it to keep them.”

Mindful of the price gap, some retailers are offering creative incentives. From Nov. 5-15, The Home Depot offered customers a $3 credit on old or broken strings (up to five redemptions) toward purchase of LED lighting. Online retailer HolidayLEDs.com offers a 15 percent discount for shoppers who send in their old strings to be recycled.

For those unfamiliar with the new kids on the illumination block, LEDs are a type of semiconductor that generates light when an electric current passes through positive and negative materials. Different colors and efficiency levels result from altering the composition of those materials. Early on, LEDs found applications in traffic lights, DVD players, cell phones and other electronic devices. Ongoing improvements in the technology are allowing LEDs to expand into new markets.

Today, LEDs seem to be leapfrogging compact fluorescent lights (CFL) as the next significant change in lighting technology. More than a year ago, lighting giant Philips announced it was shifting its focus from CFL to LED moving forward. Others seem to be following suit.

“We know the cost will come down and the technology will improve,” Kevin Dowling, vice president of innovation at Philips Color Kinetics, told the San Jose Mercury News.

While making the monetary commitment to LEDs can be a difficult call for the average consumer, manufacturers find themselves in a quandary as well.  Conventional business has been based on the assumption that customers need to replace bulbs regularly. Philips and others must weigh the advantages of cutting costs with the knowledge that better bulbs mean less frequent sales.

And, like hybrid cars, LED lighting is cutting edge, with all the good and bad that implies. Both have clear advantages, with a few bugs yet to be worked out.

Angel LED light (Photo: 1000Bulbs.com)

“The one thing, and it’s getting better, is the colors,” Freeman says. “Particularly with the whites and warm whites, it’s getting consistency. The reds, the blues, the greens are definitely better.”

Good enough that the citizens of Omaha will be getting an eyeful this holiday season.

“It’s an amazing tree,” Freeman says. “Every year, more and more people are attracted when we light it.”

This year, they’ll be seeing more than colors and holiday cheer. They might just be getting a glimpse of Christmas Future, too.

Copyright © 2008 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

As we were prowling for practical green gifts to feature in our coming 2009 Green Gifts Lists, this simple T-shirt caught our eye. It’s green, unisex and made with organic cotton. And you’ve got that iconic Panda there on the side. What more could a greenie want?

Organic cotton T from World Wildlife Fund

It’s your gift — to re-gift at Christmas or Hanukkah — with a donation of $50 to World Wildlife Fund.

A gift to the WWF is a no-brainer for conservationists concerned about polar bears, tigers, pandas, penguins, moose and countless other creatures threatened by global warming and loss of habitat.

For the person on your list who’s wild about saving a certain favorite animal, check out WWF’s pewter earrings that depict wolves, rhinos, whales, turtles, tigers, frogs, dolphins and more. These are also a gift option when you make a $50 donation.

Handmade pewter earrings from WWF

To read more about WWF’s work, check out their list of 19 priority areas where the organization is working to restore or preserve lands that hold some of the world’s most exotic and threatened animals. (Many of these areas, the Amazon, Yangzee Region, the Congo Basin and the North American Great Plains also serve as areas where carbon is naturally sequestered, helping in the fight against global warming.)

World Wildlife Fund offers other thank you gifts, for young and old, including tote and aluminum water bottles. And, as always, you can “adopt” an animal — in fact, you can choose from 100 animals to adopt. Each adoption entitles the giver to a certificate of adoption and depending on the donation, a stuffed animal and other goodies. Great stocking stuffers.

Snow Leopard (Photo: World Wildlife Fund)

Chimpanzee (Photo: World Wildlife Fund)

Illinois’ PIRG, a non-profit public interest group, released results of recent testing for toxic chemicals on toys this week, finding that three items intended for children exceeded current safety standards, and two products contact phthalates in violation of federal law.

The tested toys and products can be seen at HealthyToys.org, where they will be incorporated into a much larger list. Researchers at HealthyToys.org are readying a long list of items that will be available on Dec. 2, in time for the winter holidays.

“After the wave of record recalls of dangerous toys just two years ago, we’re glad to see that most of the toys we tested are in compliance with the law,” said Brian Imus, director of Illinois PIRG and an author of the report. “But not all toys are safe and we must do more to prevent toxic toys from ending up on store shelves.”

For more specifics, the PIRG referred people to the list at HealthyStuff.org.

HealthyStuff.org research director Jeff Gearhart said that it was “disappointing” that the early testing still found “significant problems in jewelry.”

Based on that, he said the group would maintain its standing cautionary position on kids costume jewelry, which has been found to contain lead in previous studies, as did two pieces vetted in this latest round of tests. HealthyStuff advises parents to forego the glitzy, inexpensive jewelry, for now.

But, he added, “the initial snapshot (of toys tested in Illinois) shows we’re seeing some overall improvement in toys this year, and we’ll know more once we get a larger sample.”

For the past three years, the group has tested thousands of toys, typically more than 700 before the holidays.

On the preview list of 87 toys released by the PIRG, at least three toys exceed the safe and allowable level of lead, which is set at 300 parts per million, down from the previously allowed 600 parts per million. (Pictures of the toys were not available.)

Two of the offending items are sold at Claire’s, a costume jewelry store that targets tweens and teens

The first is a Halloween item described as a LOVE Pink Block cell phone accessory. The other is a pair of clip-on dangling “diamond” earrings that registered a high reading of lead of 26,692 parts per million.

Another  item that tested above safe limits for lead is a toy car by Marvel Hot Rodz with a Spiderman head that tests showed contained more than six times the allowable levels.

Lead exposure has long been known to cause health problems in developing children, even causing cognitive issues. HealthyStuff.org, however, warns that just because a chemical is detected in a toy, doesn’t mean there’s been direct exposure to it. For more info on why HealthyStuff tests for certain chemicals and how they can affect childrens’ bodies when there is direct contact, see the Chemicals of Concern introduction on their website.

In a news release, PIRG also called out the problem of products that contain phthalates, which turn up in plastics and cosmetics are known to cause “a wide array of harm to the human body; from reproductive defects in men and women, premature birth, early onset puberty for young girls, and lower sperm counts in men.”

However, because HealthyStuff.org does not list phthalates among the toxic components it tests for, people cannot currently reference these products.

The Illinois PIRG (Public Interest Research Group), part of a federation of PIRGs nationally, called for better regulation to catch violators before they make it to market.

The good news? Most of the toys tested are being rated as having a “low” level of hazardous chemical content.

Ornamental gourds (Photo: Cooksgarden.com)

If you’ve cruised the produce section at the grocery lately, you probably stopped to eye the small, colorful, oddball gourds near the pumpkins and winter squash.

You might have seen the Shenot crown of thorns, looking like a squash-like starfish (below right); the winged gourd, the mini red Turban (reminding one of a very small pumpkin with a bigger pumpkin hat), and the golf ball-sized prickles, which might make you think twice before touching them.

Shenot Crown of Thorns (Photo: Reimerseeds.com)

Autumn’s wee ornamental gourds have been staples of the harvest for many years, but time and hybridizing has produced smaller, wackier (or more beautiful, depending on your perspective) ones.

We’re talking about the colorful, warty gourds in the Curcubit family (which includes squash, pumpkins and cucumbers), not their bigger, more utilitarian cousins, hardshell gourds.

Those larger hardshells have been used for thousands of years as practical tools – spoons, dippers, bowls – as well as birdhouses, masks, pipes and even musical instruments. Throughout the centuries, artists have turned Lagenaria gourds into fascinating works of art. (Check out a sampling of some.)

But for now, we’re talking about mini-gourds such as the multi-colored eggs, the Ten Commandments, apple gourds and the huggable wooly bear.

Mini Red Turban gourds (Photo: Johnneyseeds.com)

“Think of them as cucumbers with an attitude,” Judi Fleming said. She is the point person for the American Gourd Society when it comes to talking about tiny gourds.

“I have noticed the trend of the last 10 years: The traditional bi-color pears, egg gourds, spoon gourds and crown of thorns have given way to the more popular angel wings and warty gourds,” she said.

If you buy some shiny (that’s because of a coat of white varnish or shellac) mini gourds at the grocery store, don’t think about eating them. Unlike other popular edible winter squash, such as butternut and acorn, you have missed the window of opportunity for eating small gourds.

“All gourds are edible in their young stages,” Fleming said. “In fact, most European and Asian cultures think we Americans are strange in that we let our gourds get old and hard. The ornamentals can have a slightly bitter taste.”

(OK, you can bake the tiny orange or white pumpkins if you want.)

The big question: Are they organic?

Maybe, maybe not.

Organic gourds are more likely to come from your local farmer’s market rather than the big grocery store.

Whole Foods’ produce expert James Parker spoke to a company representative, saying that they buy locally grown squash and gourds when possible, “to get them to market quicker. But they can come from anywhere.”

Prickles gourds (Photo: Johnnyseeds.com)

Right now, Whole Foods’ gourds are mostly from Indiana, North Carolina and California. “There are dozens (if not hundreds) of gourd varieties produced throughout the U.S. Some of the more common have simple names that match up with there general shape and color: apple, orange, pear, spoon, warty and egg.

“Unfortunately, the organic availability tends to be spotty, and very much local,” he told the representative.

“Yes, they can be grown organically. Any agricultural product can be produced organically if it is in compliance with the National Organic Standards,” said Miles McEvoy, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Program. Large producers of small gourds would “have to get certification from an accredited certification agency if they sold more than $5,000 of organic products.”

Growing large numbers of these gourds can be tricky, which could be one reason lots of commercial producers don’t go organic. The gourds can fall victim to a variety of bugs and disease.

Their mortal enemies come under many names: striped or spotted cucumber beetles, squash bugs, aphids and the dreaded squash vine borer. Then there are the diseases: bacterial wilt, mosaic virus, mildew and others. Fruit rot is also a problem.

Plus, since most colorful little gourds are used as decorative items, there is probably a lower demand that they be organic.

Ten Commandments gourds (Photo: Reimerseeds.com)

But you can grow them organically.

The experts at Organic Gardening magazine say all gourds can be grown organically.

“Gourds, squash and pumpkins grow very well organically. There are many certified organic seed providers, and although insect pests sometimes pose a problem, it is easy to take care of them organically.”

The gourds fare best in warm climates, but they can grow in cooler climates as well. They must be planted immediately after the final frost. The magazine’s editors advised using row covers over the plants in the first month or so, until they’re sturdy, then remove the row covers and use soapy water or a hard water spray to zap the pests.

“Gourds, squash and pumpkins are some of the plants most susceptible to absorbing and retaining pesticides, so it is especially important that they are grown organically,” said a representative from the magazine.

Wooly Bear gourd (Photo: Johnnyseeds.com)

“Plants that are shipped across the country can leave a huge carbon footprint, even if they are grown organically, so ask your grocer if their gourds are organic,” they add. If not, find a local organic farmer, they suggest.

A few tips for growing gourds:

First, they take a while to grow, and they can’t survive the first frost of fall, so very cold climates won’t suit them. They are slow growers, and they’re big and sprawling, so you need to give them plenty of room. They prefer bees for pollination.

If you need advice on growing them organically, the USDA has many resources on their website. The American Gourd Society has a cornucopia of information and links for gourd growers.

Interestingly, a Whole Foods representative said that this year, the small ornamentals haven’t been selling as well as in previous years. Plus, the grocery chain has seen an uptick in sales of the larger, hardshell gourds, such as the gooseneck and the snake.

Psyched up to get some gourds? Hurry, because after Thanksgiving they’ll vanish.

Autumn Wings blend of gourds (Photo: Johnnyseeds.com)

Resources:

Cooks Garden

Reimer Seeds

JohnnySeeds

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Rummaging through sweaters? Trying on last year’s jackets? Tired of that same old gray hoodie? It is possible to make a fashion statement this fall and express concern for artisans of the world with an assortment of fair-trade apparel. Your choices range from high-end big-name designers to small, globally conscious entrepreneurs. We’ve piled up a lot of crisp, autumn goodies for you to sort through.

Start at the top of the fashion pecking order with some pieces from Stella McCartney’s collection. In addition to being a lifelong vegetarian (and Paul McCartney’s daughter), the fashion-forward designer uses no leather or fur. Some — but not all — of her offerings are made of natural materials by workers co-operatives in Senegal and Burkina Faso. Sticker shock time: her boucle Porrima motorcycle jacket (above, left) is $1,645, and her shaped gray wool Olesia coat (above, right) is $1,795.

Cobalt Chopsticks by TiStix

You’ve gotten rid of your plastic water bottle. You turn down polystyrene to-go containers.  You ask for local fruit and you only drink Fair Trade coffee.

What’s left to help lower your dining-out carbon profile?

Reusable titanium chopsticks.

Alan Folts’ colorful and gracefully turned titanium “TiStix” chopsticks are made from surplus titanium; they’re durable dining tools that help save a surprising amount of wood.

Disposable chopsticks use up some 25 million trees annually just in China, where residents might use and discard a couple sets of disposable chopsticks every day.

Make that 45 billion pairs of disposable chopsticks that the Chinese alone use every year, adding up to 1.7 million cubic meters of timber or 25 million full-grown trees, according to an account in the The Independent.

Apparently those little wooden sticks could probably be stacked to the moon when you consider a globe of billions of people all hungry for the Happy Family combo dinner (or sushi or Asian fusion or Thai dishes). After reports about the horrific toll on forests created by consumable chopsticks came out about three years ago, China actually began taxing chopsticks in 2006.

Still, the problem is far from solved. Add to China the other Asian countries where chopsticks are the norm, and the Western world, which has a big appetite for Asian food, and you’ve got a needless deforestation issue.

TiStix in rainbow colors

Folts’ idea for a more lasting product predated the fuss over the snap-and-use disposable chopsticks (which we’re still using, why?). He took up a challenge on the Internet to make them out of titanium back in 2003.

His custom-made chopsticks are pricier than some reusable chopsticks, such as those made with plastic  or finished wood. But they’ll likely last a lot longer too. They are made from surplus titanium that’s recyclable, though the metal artist hopes that his TiStix will become family heirlooms (why recycle something that remains usable?).

Buy them online ($65 retail) from Folts’ shop in Greenville, N.C..

And don’t think these are the only high-end chopsticks, Robbe and Berking produce a set made from sandalwood and silver. These are also made for the ages, though they’re not so green.

For a more affordable, though still perishable option, you can find an array of reusable chopsticks made from renewable bamboo at online stores.

Stainless steel chopsticks are reusable and functional, but without the gift appeal of TiStix.

Copyright © 2009 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Lead in toys is scary enough, but that’s only the start. Now, you might need to take a second look at your handbag, your car, your pet’s bed and even your clothes. The non-profit group Healthy Stuff reports that their recent tests of 900 everyday consumer products turned up some toxic results.

Let’s start with man’s best friend or your purring pal.

More than 400 pet products, such as beds, chew toys, stuffed toys, collars, leashes and even tennis balls were tested. The results are unsettling. Healthy Stuff says that 45 percent of all the pet products they examined had at least one and frequently more toxins. A good one-quarter of the items had detectable levels of lead and of those, 7 percent exceeded the current limit the government has said are acceptable in children’s toys.

About half of the pet collars tested had detectable lead, and more than 25 percent of those exceeded the 330 ppm (parts per million) level that the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) has said is dangerous for children.

And if throwing the ball is fun for Fido, you might want to reconsider. Almost half of the tennis balls made for pets contained lead (interestingly, no lead turned up in tennis balls for the court).

That’s just the tip of the chemical iceberg.

If you’re driving a 2004 or older car, there is a greater chance of heavy metals (such as lead) in it. Also, the groups said, the level of chemicals in cars can be five to 10 times higher than your home or office.

The group tested 700 new and used vehicles, from some ‘80s models to 2010s. The two with the least chemicals – the 2009 Pontiac G5 and the Chevy Cobalt. The worst offenders — at the bottom of the chemical-heavy car list — were Mitsubishis, Audis and VWs.

Just what is HealthyStuff.org, anyway? They say their ratings are based on information from environmental health groups and researchers. The website was created by the Ecology Center, a non-profit environmental group in Michigan born after the first Earth Day in 1970. Its goal, according to its website, is to advocate for safe environments in all walks of life.

Healthy Stuff calls out the government and EPA for what they say are lax, outdated and incomplete research of potentially harmful toxins.  In 2005, the nation’s Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report criticizing the government agencies for  failing to expand regulation and testing of potentially harmful chemicals in consumer products.

With this latest round of tests, the Healthy Stuff group says it has conducted more than 15,000 tests on more than 5,000 everyday items.

Their most recent research also scrutinized the chemicals found in children’s car seats. Almost 60 percent of car seats had potentially harmful additives, they say, such as PVC, chemical flame retardants and heavy metals.

A substantial list of various kid car seats lets you find the variety you’re using, and a click on the “model” link reveals an overall score, the testing method, manufacturer code and which parts of the seat contain chemicals.

The group repeatedly reminds visitors that their results are not meant to imply that a specific chemical found in a product necessarily means it is dangerous. Their testing is meant to inform the public of the presence of certain chemicals in an item, not to tell consumers what they should and shouldn’t buy.

They test using a portable X-ray fluorescence analyzer, or XRF, to search for lead, cadmium, mercury, bromine, chlorine (PVC) and arsenic.

XRFs are used by manufacturers and government regulators to screen products for potentially harmful chemicals, Healthy Stuff says on their Web site. They also state that their testing has limitations: product choices were based in part on consumer interest. They did not randomly sample the items they tested, and want people to know that the items they test are not representative of all products in the market.

Now that the kids are safely back to school, you might want to peruse Healthy Stuff’s screening of more than 60 school supplies. A look at backpacks, pencil cases, binders and even lunchboxes had plenty of PVC and more than 20 percent had lead.

Of all the kids’ school products, almost 90 percent had one of more of the chemicals on Healthy Stuff’s concern list.

Before you rush out to buy replacements, you’d best check out their new research on women’s purses. Healthy Stuff tested more than 100 handbags, and found detectable lead in more than 75 percent of them. Of those, they said, 64 percent had more lead than the level the government has deemed safe.

The current law that governs chemical content is decades old. The Healthy Stuff site says that impending legislation demanding closer scrutiny of consumer goods chemical makeup is in the works.

Look over these lists for more detailed information:  toys, cars and trucks, clothing and accessories, products for children or pet products.

More questions? Check their list of frequently asked ones.

Copyright © 2008 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

From Green Right Now Reports

The EPA announced today it has revised the qualifications for televisions to achieve the Energy Star label, requiring TVs to be 40 percent more energy efficient than conventional models.

The new requirements raise the bar on how energy efficient a TV must be to earn the Energy Star label.  They require TVs to use less energy when turned on, ensure a satisfactory level of brightness and curb power associated with downloading program guide data. The EPA says this will translate to greater savings for consumers and the environment.  If all televisions sold in the United States met the new Energy Star requirements, Americans would save $2.5 billion annually in energy costs while reducing annual greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to the emissions of about 3 million cars, the agency says.

Televisions meeting EPA’s new, more stringent Energy Star specifications will be available in stores nationwide starting May 1, 2010.

With more than 19 million TVs with screens larger than 40 inches expected to ship to American homes in 2010, these Energy Star requirements will offer important savings in larger size TVs.  For example, the new requirements for 46- and 50-inch TV models will deliver almost 50 percent savings over conventional models of the same size.