Summer and fall are the seasons of abundance. Fruits and vegetables abound in backyard gardens, farmer’s markets and stores.

Sometimes, like when your own garden is peaking, and the farmer’s markets are replete with everything from avocados to zucchini, that abundance can be overwhelming. Then it’s time to preserve, freeze and can, so you can seize Mother Nature’s gifts while they are at their best. Don’t throw out that entire container of strawberries because a few molded. Savor and secure the ones that survived by freezing them, or turning them into a jam.

It’s the healthy, and greener, thing to do.

Save the taste of summer with simple canning and freezing methods (Photo: Oleg Kozlov/Dreamstime.com)

Here are a few ideas, assembled from many sources and countless hours in the kitchen, that will help you capture that summer spigot of fruit (we’ll deal with veggies next time) by properly canning, freezing or drying your favorite produce .

Freezing

Most berries can be stemmed and frozen whole or sliced on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper. Once they are frozen, transfer them to containers. Zipper-locking bags are nice because you can “suck” out the air and then seal them. Just zip the bag almost closed and insert a straw into the hole to suck out the air. Or just suck it out. Air in frozen food leads to ice crystals and diminished quality food. Freeze quickly so that bacteria do not have a chance to grow.

Blueberries can be frozen or turned into a freezer jam (Photo: Ron Chronister / Dreamstime.com)

Fruits that are frozen will be soft when thawed, but the nutrition and taste will be largely preserved for enjoyment after berry season. Use frozen fruit in smoothies, salads, and sauces. Freezing them individually allows you to grab a few from your freezer bag without having to use the whole batch. If you only use a partial sack of fruit, remember to suck out the air when you put it back in the freezer.

Some fruits, the hard berries like blueberries and cranberries, can be frozen on a cookie sheet without even washing. Wash them when you thaw them. You can just scoop out what you need and reseal the bag. Great convenience for adding to other dishes or muffins.

Another even simpler option for that extra fruit is to make “freezer jam”. Follow the directions found on the pectin box that you get at the grocery store. Pectin is used to make fruit gel into jams and jellies. Box directions will include “freezer jam” recipes so you can just freeze your jam in a glass or plastic container. No processing is necessary, but pay attention to shelf life. These jams must be refrigerated upon opening. Fill the jars or containers following instructions on jars or pectin boxes. You need some room for expansion and as little as possible for spoilage and crystal formation. Great taste, looks, and easy small batches make this a favorite type of preservation for the first timer.

Drying

Blend almost any fruit with a dab of your favorite sweetener (or not) and pour the mixture onto a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Slowly dry in your oven on the very lowest temperature. (For details see the Washington University extension service, which recommends drying fruit leathers at 140 degrees.) Or you can dry the fruit leather on a cookie sheet with a cheesecloth or screen cover at room temperature. Where you live will determine the best method. In arid areas, room temperature drying is fast enough that mold will not be a problem. If you are living in a humid area, you may be better off to put your leather in the oven to dry it. There are also commercially available dehydrators with heat sources and fans that work well. Children love fruit leathers, they make a light, wholesome snack..

Recipes for fruit leathers abound. University extension websites carry good advice on how to dry leathers. The safety issues are also addressed on some of these sites. You want to dry at a high enough temperature to retard bacterial growth but not bake the fruit.

This also is an effective way of avoiding the food dyes that are typically used in manufactured dried fruits; which some studies have found to exacerbate hyperactivity in kids. Other studies, with mice, suggest that food dyes are carcinogenic.

Canning

Fruits can particularly well because the heat keeps the flavor full- bodied by stopping enzyme action and killing bacteria that could cause spoilage. Whether or not you sweeten is a matter of preference. Sweeteners tend to retard food spoilage, so many people like to can in sugar syrups. (No self-respecting bacteria likes to live in a sugar syrup!)You can also can in honey, raw sugar or fruit-juice-based syrups. This will change the taste of the natural fruit, but can be quite pleasant. Apple juice and white grape juice are examples of natural syrups that can be used for canning fruits.

The Ball Blue Book is a good guide for home canners.

Fruits for canning should always be processed. They must be blanched to kill bacteria and also to stop enzyme action in the plant cells. Get a good simple book on canning how-tos. The Ball Blue Book of Preserving, put out by the company that makes canning jars, lids and seals, is a seminal, short guide, filled with the details you need to know. The Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving covers even more ground.

Another option for learning the protocols is to find an experienced canner and shadow them through some actual canning. It is fun and the best way to learn.

Open kettle canning is also known as water-bath canning. It uses boiling water to process the jars of prepared food in syrup. Pressure canning requires an actual pressure canner and will ensure complete elimination of bacteria that can be dangerous. This method is a must for veggies, but fruits are commonly done by water bath.

You will need directions for using a pressure canner or an open-kettle canner for use in your climate and altitude. When canning, the amount of time and pressure involved is paramount. If you deviate from recommended safety guidelines you chance spoilage and bacterial contamination. Your county will have an extension agent’s office. Call them and ask about classes and information about canning before you tackle this option. They will be able to tell you about any altitude adjustments needed for your area.

Fruits can be turned into canned preserves or jellies even easier. You can sweeten or not as you prefer. Cook the fruit per your recipe and seal in jars or freezer containers for use later. Small batches are easy to manage and allow for less time spent in the kitchen. You can get tested and true recipes in the box of pectin from the grocery store. Pectin is the plant substance found in the cell walls of some fruits that allows jelly and jam to “set up”. Some fruits will gel without added pectin and some berries resist even added pectin. But the flavor and color are great even if you end up with syrup rather than jam. Try it on pancakes!

Once you become proficient in the techniques, experiment with mixed fruits. Develop your own family’s favorite blend. Try using apple juice or white grape juice instead of water to cook your fruit down. Add apple juice to those stubborn berries like elderberry to help them gel. Apples have a tremendous amount of pectin in them. It should help with gelling problems too.

You can can jams and jellies in an open kettle because of the high acid and sugar content in them. But be sure to follow the directions from your county extension agent for times. Altitude can be a real issue for successful canning.

Fruits also can be pickled, another form of canning that preserves using salts and high acid vinegars to deter bacterial growth and preserve nutrition. Canned apple rings and watermelon rind pickles are examples of this type. Recipes can be found in almost any cookbook and online.

Each of these processes have been used for centuries. Knowledge of what causes food to spoil has led to more information on safety in preserving food. Techniques for preservation are more consumer friendly than what your grandmothers had to deal with and can actually be fun and rewarding.

Check out these sources for more information:

• Back to Basics: Traditional Kitchen Wisdom: Techniques and Recipes for Living A Simpler, More Sustainable Life, Andrea Chesman, Editor, (2010) Quintet Publishing Limited, London
• The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Preserving Food, Karen K. Brees, PhD., (2009) Penguin Group,Inc.
• Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook (1930-2000 Limited Edition), Meredith Books, Des Moines, IA
• The websites Simply Recipes and the Washington State University extension service also have helpful information

But according to a new report from the President’s Cancer Panel, environmental toxins also play a significant and under-recognized role in cancer, causing “grievous harm” to untold numbers of people. Environmental Working Group’s own research has found that children are born “pre-polluted” with up to 200 industrial chemicals, pesticides and contaminants that have been found to cause cancer in lab studies or in people.

Here are some simple things you can do to reduce your exposures:

1. Filter your tap water. Common carcinogens in tap water include arsenic, chromium, and chemical byproducts that form when water is disinfected. A simple carbon filter or pitcher can help reduce the levels of some of these contaminants. If your water is polluted with arsenic or chromium, a reverse osmosis filter will help. Learn about your tap water and home water filters at EWG’s National Tap Water Database.

2. Seal outdoor wooden decks and play sets. Those built before 2005 are likely coated with an arsenic pesticide that can stick to hands and clothing. Learn more from the EWG online.

3. Cut down on stain- and grease-proofing chemicals. “Fluorochemicals” related to Teflon and Scotchgard are used in stain repellents on carpets and couches and in greaseproof coatings for packaged and fast foods. Some of these chemicals cause cancer in lab studies. To avoid them, skip greasy packaged foods and say no to optional stain treatments in the home.

4. Stay safe in the sun. More than one million cases of skin cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year. To protect your skin from the sun’s cancer-causing ultraviolet (UV) radiation, seek shade, wear protective clothing and use a safe and effective sunscreen from EWG’s sunscreen database.

5. Cut down on fatty meat and high-fat dairy products. Long-lasting cancer-causing pollutants like dioxins and PCBs accumulate in the food chain and concentrate in animal fat.

6. Eat EWG’s Clean 15. Many pesticides have been linked to cancer. Eating from EWG’s Clean 15 list of the least contaminated fruits and vegetables will help cut your pesticide exposures. (And for EWG’s Dirty Dozen, buy organic.)

7. Cut your exposures to BPA. Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen found in some hard plastic water bottles, canned infant formula, and canned foods. It may increase the risk of reproductive system cancers. To avoid it, eat fewer canned foods, breast feed your baby or use powdered formula, and choose water bottles free of BPA.

8. Avoid carcinogens in cosmetics. Use EWG’s Skin Deep cosmetic database to find products free of chemicals known or suspected to cause cancer. When you’re shopping, don’t buy products that list ingredients with “PEG” or “-eth” in their name.

9. Read the warnings. Some products list warnings of cancer risks – read the label before you buy. Californians will see a “Proposition 65” warning label on products that contain chemicals the state has identified as cancer-causing.

Here’s how to go about it, courtesy of the Environmental Protection Agency:

Compost Pile. Photo: addisongreen.info

Before you begin composting, you should understand the process. View what materials to compost and what materials not to compost and read up on the science behind composting about which variables must be controlled during composting.

All composting requires three basic ingredients:

• Browns—Includes materials such as dead leaves, branches , twigs
• Greens—Includes materials such as grass clippings, vegetable waste, fruit scraps, and coffee grounds
• Water

Having the right amount of greens, browns, and water is important for compost development. Ideally, your compost pile should have an equal amount of browns to greens and alternate layers of organic materials of different-size particles.

The brown materials provide carbon for your compost and the green materials provide nitrogen, while the water provides moisture to help break down the organic matter.

What kind of tools will you need?

• Pitchfork
• Square-point shovel or machete
• Water hose with a spray head

There is no one “right” way to compost, but you may want to follow one of the approaches below:

Backyard Composting Approach 1

1. Select a dry, shady spot near a water source for your compost pile or bin.
2. Add your brown and green materials as you collect them, making sure larger pieces are chopped or shredded.
3. Moisten dry materials as they are added.
4. Once your compost pile is established, mix grass clippings and green waste into the pile and bury fruit and vegetable waste under 10 inches of compost material.
5. Optional: Cover top of compost with a tarp to keep it moist.
6. When the material at the bottom is dark and rich in color, your compost is ready to use (this is usually occurs in two months to two years).

Backyard Composting Approach 2

1. Select a dry, shady spot near a water source for your compost pile or bin.
2. Before you add your brown and green materials, make sure larger pieces are chopped or shredded.
3. Cover your composting area with a 6-inch layer of brown materials.
4. Add a 3-inch layer of green materials and a little soil or finished compost.
5. Lightly mix the two layers above.
6. Top with a 3-inch layer of brown materials, adding water until moist.
7. Turn your compost pile every week or two with a pitchfork to distribute air and moisture. Move the dry materials from the edges into the middle of the pile. Continue this practice until the pile does not re-heat much after turning.
8. Your compost will be ready in one to four months, but let the pile sit for two weeks before using.

To read more about individual composting experiences, pricing bins, and more, here.

The Seattle-based coffee chain will reward customers who use their own mug or tumbler with a complimentary cup of joe on April 15. There are several locations in the Addison area –see a map here.

The promotion is to show that BYOC (Bring Your Own Cup) is really better.

“While our cup has become an integral part of the coffeehouse experience over the years, it has also become an environmental concern,” said  Ben Packard, Starbucks vice president of Global Responsibility.

The company has “set aggressive goals to minimize cup waste” by developing cups that are recyclable, and aims to have 100 percent of its coffee cups either reusable or recyclable by 2015.

Progress is being made. In 2009, Starbucks served 26 million beverages in reusable cups in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom (a 4.4 million cup increase over 2008), keeping an estimated 1.2 million pounds of paper from landfills, the company reported.

Spurning disposable cups can also save forests. Starbucks encourages the curious to visit its Impact Calculator, powered by the Environmental Defense Fund, to see how many trees can be saved by using reusable cups. (Guess: A lot.)

“In addition to working with cup manufacturers, municipalities and recyclers to make our cups more broadly recyclable, we’re encouraging customers to think about reusable cups the way they think about reusable grocery bags,” Packard said.

Another way to help ensure that you and Starbucks are collaborating on a more eco-path: Ask for Fair Trade coffee, which is grown sustainably in conditions favorable for workers and the environment. Here are Starbucks’ notes on its Fair Trade coffee.

Compost bins need aeration, like this metal mesh enclosure. (Photo: Bureau of Environmental Services, Howard County, Md.)

Composting can be as simple or as complicated as you make it. From piling green and brown things in a corner of the yard to buying that perfect compost bin, you’ll generate the same end result. Those of us who turn and nurture our piles can expect more compost in a faster time period, but regardless our gardens will benefit from a little or a lot.

There are a variety of containers and methods to composting. They include:

• Plastic bins/barrels.

• Wire mesh enclosures and loose piles.

• Worm composters.

• Indoor composters, even motorized filter composters.

Gardening experts lean toward the simpler methods of piles and outdoor enclosures. Closed systems require more turning because there isn’t as much air and water.

The enclosures and bins are mainly to prevent rodents and other animals from getting into the compost, which may be more of a concern in dense urban areas. Homeowners in the suburbs or rural areas can use compost piles without much animal interference.

If you use the pile method, experts say to add dry materials around the outside of the pile to reduce smells.

Sam Hartman, program coordinator for The Ecology Center of San Francisco, suggests a simple approach. Begin with a 3 foot by 3 foot square area in your yard. Enclose it with wood posts and wire mesh.

The University of Missouri extension service provides illustrations and instructions this type of compost pile, and others, including using an old barrel to make a spinning composter. The churnable composter will work more quicker.

But because it may be easier to stick with a looser routine, many gardeners say stick close to the ground with this earthy process. Like Hartman, Georgia gardening expert, author and television show host Walter Reeves also advocates simplicity. He suggests homeowners pile compost in the corner of their yard where two fences intersect.

But Reeves cautions gardeners not to rely solely on compost to create a bountiful harvest. Make sure to add soil conditioners to your garden beds.

“(Compost) is a component of your garden, but it will not produce the volume to satisfy all your needs. Adding compost to the soil is gonna really jump start the flower bed or vegetable process,” he added.

Getting Started

After you’ve secured a container, you’ll need a pitchfork or large stick and a pail to collect kitchen scraps.

A bamboo scraps collector that could pass muster in the neatest kitchen.

Once you start collecting food scraps, you may want to make a small investment in a composting pail. These pails, which include carbon filters to destroy any smells, are pretty enough to sit on your kitchen counter and start around $20. Some choices can be found at Gardeners.com, or any of a dozen gardening supply stores online.

Clean Air Gardening offers a bamboo scrap pail with a place for charcoal filters in the lid, a nice combination of design and sustainable materials.

One thing we learned in 2009 is that you can’t wait for big institutions to take the green lead. For every clean tech entrepreneur, there’s a climate change heel-dragger. You can, however, do what you can.

And in that spirit, here are 11 ways to lower your carbon footprint this New Year. Adopting even one of them can help reduce the pollution that’s leading to dire consequences. And while some New Year’s resolutions are hard, and cost you money (gym fees aren’t going down you know), these resolutions are likely to save you money, reduce your exposure to toxins and help you lead a healthier life. We’ve included only those ideas that really make a big impact, and scuttled those that we consider to be “boutique green” — those non-starter nice ideas that matter, but just a little bit.

To help make this list something you can really use, we’ve included some nifty online tools that can help you find a greener track in 2010.

(Photo: Green Right Now)

1 — Drive Less. If you live in the city, or in a small town, you can accomplish this easily. Hop on the bus. Use the corner grocery. Walk. In the suburbs, which were designed to disperse us, it’s trickier. But you can group errands, your kids may be able to walk to school. And maybe this is the year that you ask your employer about working from home one day a week, to cut your commuting costs.

Here’s some ammunition: If you work for a large company, it may soon be inventorying its greenhouse gas emissions. New EPA rules will require some 12,000 of the country’s largest emitters to inventory their GHGs in 2010, and while this mainly concerns utilities, power companies and other heavy industries, it is likely to launch a new era of transparency. Companies across the board could soon discover that a friendly work-at-home policy would cut their carbon imprint, as well as yours.

In the meantime, you can find many Ride Share programs already up and running.

Another sign that things may turn your way: Insurance companies may reward temperate driving with better rates. Check out MileMeter, a company based on giving preferential rates to those who take it easy on their wheels.

If you’re in the market for a new car, find the most economical ones at fueleconomy.gov.

Breakdown of U.S. power sources (Image: EPA)

2 — Buy Green Power. Do this and drive less and you’ll have cut a big slice out of your personal or family energy consumption total. Many power companies now offer menus where a consumer can select a green power package, or even power generated specifically by wind (especially in big wind generation states like Texas). Some companies offer cleaner power packages that focus on hydro-power — not the greenest, but better than getting your electricity from a coal-fired plant. Use the EPA’s map finder to see what’s available in Texas or go to the state’s site, Power To Choose. The EPA also puts out a Guide to Green Power.

You’ve probably heard by now that buildings — commercial and residential — account for nearly 40 percent of the greenhouse gas emissions produced in the United States. That’s largely because they use electricity produced by coal-fired plants, the most carbon polluting of all electricity sources. See the chart above, which shows that about half of our electricity is fueled by coal, the cheapest and dirtiest source of power. So hooking up with a green provider really does make a difference. You’ll reduce your personal carbon footprint, and you’ll be helping shift the market toward cleaner options that your children and grandchildren will need.

3 — Buy Local, Organic Food (when possible). Used to be that this was touted as a way to strengthen the local economy, which frankly didn’t much concern most Americans over the past few decades as groceries burst forth with more and more far-flung, highly engineered foods and treats. But rather than get started on that, let’s just say that getting back to basics can be good.

Farmers Market (Photo: Green Right Now)

There are two main points in favor of going local and organic: The first is better nutrition. Even though experts still debate whether organic produce is nutritionally superior to conventionally grown (with pesticides) food, this debate will soon go the way of the one over whether cigarettes are damaging. A 2008 review of recent studies comparing foods, found that organically grown produce and grains are indeed more “nutritionally dense” — which makes intuitive sense because organic farming doesn’t poison the soil with pesticides, allowing plants grown there to take up the full nutrient load from the ground. The study was done by the Organic Center, a group with a bent, but check out the candlepower of the experts involved and you may be swayed.

The second argument for buying local is indisputable. If you want to lower your carbon footprint, or your “foodprint” as it’s now called, buy food that comes from closer to home. It will come with fewer “food miles” and have contributed less to greenhouse gas emissions. And by the way, it will help the local economy.

4 — Reduce Harmful Chemicals. Step back from some of the toxic chemicals you buy for household use, and those you use to “treat” the lawn and you will be contributing to cleaner indoor air and healthier ground water, especially if you use no-phosphate laundry and dishwasher detergents, now widely available. Consider, too, trying Soap Nuts, the natural laundry soap that is highly concentrated and comes from, well, a nut. We also like Dropps, an eco-laundry detergent packed in individual pouches that dissolve in the wash. Presto — packaging gone!

Outside, try using corn gluten as a pre-emergent weed killer. You will be restoring life to the soil, which can then better sustain life. We won’t get into the debate about whether organic lawns look better than chemically greened turf, some do, but often they don’t have that same ethereal green glow. But a healthy organic lawn can look pretty good, and the availability of organic options in mulch, weed suppressants and other organic compounds is growing.

5 – Reduce the Personal Paper Products You Use. One word here: Forests. We need to cherish them again, not plunder them to wipe our noses. Look for personal paper goods made from recycled and unbleached paper. This simple step, if we all made a concerted effort, can go a long way toward saving forests. Even Kimberly-Clark, maker of virgin fiber Kleenex, is offering recycled tissues and paper towels and has pledged to take sustainable steps (after a three year tussle with Greenpeace). We’ve printed it before, but it’s worth mentioning here that the Natural Resources Defense Council has put together a guide to the brands using recycled paper. The list of environmentally conscientious products is growing! And one other thing, instead of even using paper towels, try a washcloth. We use one that’s made of hemp, which is naturally germ resistant.

6 — Buy in Bulk. This reduces packaging and can make shipping easier and more efficient. Look for large laundry boxes, wine in boxes and soup… in boxes. The packaging is more degradable and you can buy bigger, storable portions. Bulk products can help conserve energy in many ways, even beyond the savings in packaging. They can make shipping more efficient, and when the carton is degradable, recyclable or reusable, it can save on landfill space and pollution.

7 — Invite Wildlife into the Yard. This can be a tough concept for people who’ve spent a lot of time keeping wildlife out. And we understand. We don’t want moles or armadilloes digging up our garden either. But there are ways….set aside a brushy area in one corner of the yard to serve as a haven for small critters and birds. Plant native plants that feed butterflies and birds, and don’t forget shrubs that produce winter berries. Construct a water garden to support amphibians. The hows and whys here get pretty deep. We can recommend a book, Bringing Nature Home, for people with yards.

8 — Conserve Water. We assume you don’t let the water run when you brush your teeth or shave. This year, pledge to take shorter showers or install rain sensors for your lawn sprinkler. Set the dishwasher on economy and see if it doesn’t get the job done; wash only full loads of clothing. We found a new way to conserve this year by using waterless products to clean cars. The Baye’s High Performance Waterless Wash/Detailer produced a great shine — and used NO WATER.

9. Generate Your Own Power. This is still a pricey proposition, but the cost of residential solar installations came tumbling down this past year. And we saw neighborhoods incorporating solar power in ways that don’t even show, with tiles that mimic shingles. On-site wind is a growing option for homeowners with the space and the gusts to try it. Some wind installations have gotten more compact. And don’t count out geothermal, also available on a residential scale.

Michelle Obama oversees an education day in the White House Garden (Photo: White House Photographer Samantha Appleton)

10 . Grow Your Own Food. Take a look at your yard, it’s probably not working for you, but it could. This past year saw a boom in home gardening led by the First Family, who installed a bountiful food garden at the White House. Without the Park Service to help, you might have to run with a smaller scale project, but even if you’ve only got a condo deck or windowsill, you can grow a few herbs and tomatoes. Urban dwellers also can find a rooftop garden to help with, like Brooklyn’s Rooftop Farms for instance. Or, provide the patch of ground and hire the garden help, as detailed in this story by KGO-TV.

Copyright © 2010 Green Right Now | Distributed by Noofangle Media

The Center, working with partners across the country, released its findings in the 3rd Annual Consumer Guide to Toxic Chemicals in Toys at www.HealthyStuff.org. Researchers tested nearly 700 popular 2009 children’s products for lead, cadmium, arsenic, PVC, and other harmful chemicals.

According to researchers, who have tested more than 4,000 children’s products over the past three years, lead has been steadily decreasing in toys. The number of products with lead exceeding current federal standards for lead in toys (300 ppm) has decreased 67 percent since 2007. However, 32 percent of the toys tested for this holiday season still contained one or more harmful chemical including lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury.

In addition, 18 percent of the products tested this holiday season (119 of 669) still contained detectable lead, including the Barbie Bike Flair Accessory Kit, Dora the Explorer Activity Tote, and the Kids Poncho from WalMart. PVC, considered a “worst in class” plastic because of life cycle concerns, continues to be found in 42 percent of children’s products.

“The toxic chemicals that we find are a fraction of the thousands of chemicals that can be present in everyday products, including those intended for children,” Jeff Gearhart, the Ecology Center’s lead researcher and founder of HealthyStuff.org, said in a statement. “We need a major overhaul of our chemicals policies immediately to start phasing out these dangerous substances.”

Holiday shoppers can obtain the findings on popular toys by going to the HealthyStuff.org web site. Consumers can search for toys by product name, UPC code, product type, manufacturer, or retailer to find products that have “No, Low, Medium,” or “High” levels of toxic chemicals.

In addition to toys, HealthyStuff.org tests products such as shoes, belts, wallets, handbags and backpacks. While levels of lead in toys have declined, adult and children’s apparel continues to show high levels of lead. For instance, over half of the 100 plastic handbags tested contain more than 1,000 ppm lead.

Babies and young children are the most vulnerable to toxic chemicals since their brains and bodies are still developing and because they commonly put toys, other products, and their hands into their mouths.

However, the researchers stressed that many manufacturers are producing safe toys. Two-thirds (68 percent) of the products tested in 2009 did not contain any lead, cadmium, arsenic, or mercury, including many made in China. These results show that manufacturers can make toys free of unnecessary toxic chemicals and 58 percent of children’s products were made without PVC.

To sample the toys, HealthyStuff.org said its experts used a portable X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer that identifies the elemental composition of materials. The device has been used by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to screen packaging; the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to screen food; and many state and county health departments use this method to screen for residential lead paint.

Today, the U.S. Senate Environment & Public Works Committee is scheduled to hear testimony from three key federal agencies about the need to reform the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) – passed in 1976 to regulate chemicals. To date, the EPA has required testing on only about 200 of the more than 80,000 chemicals that have been on the market since the law passed 33 years ago. Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Representative Bobby Rush (D-IL) are expected to introduce a new bill soon to reform this outdated law.

Also today, environmental commissioners from 13 states released principles that call for updating and strengthening Act while preserving state implementation and management rights. California, Connecticut, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Washington endorsed the principles, which include:

• protecting the most vulnerable including pregnant women and children
• requiring manufacturers to provide health, safety, and use data on chemicals
• demonstrating that chemicals in commerce are safe
• identifying safer alternatives to toxic chemicals in keeping with the principles of green chemistry
• assessing the safety of emerging chemicals of concern including nanoscale materials before they enter into widespread commerce

Rather than declining, that number has grown by 20 percent, to 6 million tons. Obviously, Use Less Stuff Day hasn’t been a big enough event to get people into the conservation spirit. Starting this year, ULS is proclaiming the entire week before Thanksgiving (Nov. 19-25, 2009) to be Use Less Stuff Week.

According to Bob Lilienfeld, editor of The ULS Report, here are some reasons why people need to be more aware of waste during the holiday period:

• Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, Americans generate 25 percent more waste per week than during the rest of the year. This creates an additional 1.2 million tons per week, or an extra 6 million tons, for the holiday season.
• According to the USDA, Americans throw away 25 percent of food purchased — 52 billion pounds each year, or 170 pounds per person. When you add in food waste from restaurants, retailers and other commercial purveyors, the University of Arizona estimates that the real amount wasted is closer to 50 percent.
• If every American family reduced holiday gasoline consumption by just one gallon a week, the result would be an annual reduction in greenhouse gas production of 13 billion pounds (6.5 million tons) of carbon dioxide.
• If American households reduced their holiday ribbon usage by just 2 feet, the result would be a savings of 50,000 miles, enough ribbon to circle the Earth twice.