My son refuses to drink sodas, which makes me one proud mama and almost makes me forget that he won’t eat most vegetables and fruits. But, I was alarmed today when I read that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is planning to find out of the amount of arsenic in our food is a problem and apple juice – my son’s favorite drink – is among one of the highest offenders! Past studies have shown that the amount of arsenic in our foods and drinks may pose a problem, but I guess the FDA has just glossed over it. … Continue reading →

Not long ago, I blogged about polluted beaches. Oceans are one of nature’s great wonders, yet man has destroyed them and in doing that, destroyed the beaches as well. Dreaming of a vacation to beautiful Bali? You might want to avoid the Seminyak Beach. How is it polluted? Let me count the ways…agricultural run-off, sewage, urban waste, and industrial waste. Repulse Beach in Hong Kong has been nicknamed Repulsive Bay and that’s not a good thing. In the past, the beach has an E. coli counts of over 400 count/100 mL. A pipe drains construction pollution into the water. As … Continue reading →

If you are like me, when you think of a beach, you think of vacation, sun, white sand, lawn chairs with umbrellas, and a frosty drink that contains slices of fruit. But, that is not always the case with many of the world’s beaches. Some are nasty, polluted places that no one wants to visit. While many are fighting today to protect oceans and beaches, many are still in need of a lot of help. Such is the plight of the Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai, India. The beach is filled with debris, including remains of salvaged ships. And if it … Continue reading →

On my way to work every day, I drive through the inner city. It makes me sad to see trash on the side of the road. I don’t know why the city doesn’t have people to clean it up or maybe they do, but it is just a losing battle. Memphis is such a pretty city if they could keep it clean! Such it the plight of many cities around this country. “Travel + Leisure” magazine just name its top 5 dirtiest cities and it ain’t pretty. Coming in at #5 was Atlanta. Atlanta has banned smoking in parks, which … Continue reading →

Green seems to be the new black. It seems as if every company and every product it produces wants to be seen as eco-friendly and green. Some products even claim to be new and improved, less toxic, etc. But, are they really? Welcome to the world of greenwashing. Greenwashing is when a company or product says it’s green, but it’s not. Often, it’s just a ruse to get you to buy. Some products may make you think that by buying them, you are doing your part – helping prevent global warming, improving the quality of the air, saving wildlife and … Continue reading →

We all know pesticides are bad, but we still eat food that is treated with them. We don’t want pests eating the food, but pesticides themselves can be very pesky to our health. The thing is the chemicals used to treat produce can remain not only on the outside, but may seep into the food we eat. Now some say that well, a tiny amount of pesticides in our system doesn’t really hurt us. But, is that really true or is it just something we tell ourselves to feel better about what we eat? Some scientists think that the level … Continue reading →

Not long ago, I blogged about Freegans and how they get their food from garbage cans. While some may find that a bit repulsive, let me share some facts with you. I read in an NPR article today about a new report by the National Resources Defense Council titled “Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill.” Think the titles shocking? Then you should hear some of what’s in it. Stat like 40 percent of the food in the United States goes uneaten. And, this is a time when the … Continue reading →

I don’t know about you, but I am fed up with the news lately. A zombie apocalypse, child molesters, hate crimes – I just cannot take anymore! Every day when I check the news (yes, I am a glutton for punishment!), it seems most of the headlines are bad. But, every once in a while, I find some good news. To me, at least in the case of these items, good news is green news. It is stories about people helping out people without wanting any fame or glory for it. Today, I read that an anonymous casino owner just … Continue reading →

Yesterday, I was blogging about Rodney King, an unlikely civil rights figure who died yesterday at the age of 47. In 1991, King was pulled over by LAPD and savagely beaten by four police officers. They were charged, but three were acquitted and one’s trial ended in a deadlock. With a community upset by the trial results, riots exploded in Los Angeles. There was looting, burning, and attacks. After a plea from King himself (“People, I just want to say, can we all get along?”) and the Army National Guard and Marines were sent in, the violence finally ended. At … Continue reading →

Remember Rodney King? In the early ‘90s, he helped us see that social unrest was still alive and well in America. King died yesterday at the age of 47. He was found in the bottom of his pool, but the official cause of death may not be known for weeks. On the night of March 3, 1991, King saw blue lights in his rear view mirror while driving down Interstate 210 in Los Angeles. While most people would pull over for LAPD, King decided to drive a bit as he had been drinking, he was speeding, and a DUI would … Continue reading →