Fabric Softeners: Not soft on your Health

Soft towels, fluffy fleeces and synthetic fabrics don’t cling. What’s not to like? Well, try skin irritation, increased flammability and environmental pollution, for starters. It seems the average bottle of fabric softener has a dark side.

Around the world affluent consumers spend millions in a year to keep their fabrics soft but the problem is that fabric softeners are not soft on the health and the environment. It can be harmful to both the people who use them and the marine life that ends up swimming in them.

Most fabric softeners are emulsions of water and cationic surfactants, which can cause skin irritation. Consumers never know which surfactant is used because manufacturers are not required to list this on the pack. Because the mechanics of fabric softening don’t vary from brand to brand, manufacturers have turned to perfume to distinguish their products from one another- indeed, many believe fragrance is a key factor in increasing sales. These products are often marketed as luxury items, in much the same way as health and beauty products, which customers are encouraged to purchase in a range of scents to suit all moods.

Manufacturers are not obliged to write harmful chemicals list on the products neither there is a law, which can make them write but, no one can stop you from finding out what you are paying for. You just need to keep our eyes open to what is good for our health and the environment.

Be aware for your own health

Rich in poor Environment: Where does it lead us?

Till few years ago the health of an economy was determined by per capita income or per capita consumption. Today we have a new definition added for determining well being of a society. It is called per capita energy consumption. Energy consumption is directly proportional to the growth of the economy. The more energy consumed the better is the economic growth but- what about Environment? Energy is one of the most important economic drivers as also a source of enviornmetal disaster if we are not careful about its use. Some of the energy sources we now consume come from burning petroleum that is derived from crude oil. Other major energy sources include coal, natural gas and uranium. Unfortunately, using these materials leads to numerous environmental problems. In addition, none of these energy sources is renewable.


Rich and poor, developed, developing and under-developed countries alike need to apply energy-efficient technologies to cut future greenhouse gas emissions and to meet the energy needs of the developing world.

Gradually non-renewable energy sources will become scarcer and costlier. Crude oil, which is still the world’s most important energy carrier covers approximately one-third of the global demand for energy. The steady growth in transport services leads to a continuous increase in the demand for oil. Studies reveal that the number of cars will double internationally over the next three decades –leading to a phenomenal increase in the demand of crude oil unless a vehicle propulsion revolution takes place soon.

Also carbon dioxide emissions from the use of fossil fuels will continue to build up in the atmosphere, accelerating global warming. According to World Development Indicator 2009, without government initiatives on energy or climate change, global temperatures may rise as much as 6°C by the end of the century. This outcome of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Trend Scenario can be compared with a 3°C rise under a Policy Scenario in which greenhouse gasses are stabilized at 550 parts per million (ppm) of carbon dioxide equivalent and a 2°C rise under a Policy Scenario in which concentrations are stabilized at 450 ppm. The consequences of the Trend Scenario go well beyond what the international community regards as acceptable.

World is already experiencing the impact of rising average global temperature on physical and biological systems, and the situation is worsening day by day. The 13 warmest years since 1880 have occurred in the last 16 years. There is a risk of reaching unpredictable tipping points, such as a rise in Arctic temperatures precipitating a massive release of methane from permafrost zones. Thawing permafrost could also threaten oil and gas extraction infrastructure and pipeline. If this contentious prediction comes true, the crisis may leave the world on a higher carbon dioxide emission path.

Such complex situations where demand cannot be curbed at the cost of development (and in some cases survival), alternate green energy becomes the only solution.

Time to take Action.

The future lies in green and clean energy. At policy level, the governments, international agencies, civil societies and corporate houses are engaged in a concerted effort to explore and harness energy from unconventional source in
view of shortage of non-renewable sources of energy. At business level , companies are trying to develop energy-efficient transformers so that electricity is not wasted to a great measure during transmission. At individual level we need to understand the importance of energy in our lives and stop taking it for granted. We have to minimize the use of oil, gas, electricity, or any other fuel. We cannot afford to waste any available energy. It is also important to spread awareness about limited availability of energy resources. Simple things like joining a car pool, switching off car engines at raffic lights, and minimizing the use of gas and oil in everyday activities will help a long way in crisis-readiness.

Worldwide effort is being made and more innovations are in the offering. For a change, the entrepreneurs all over the world are getting attracted towards tremendous opportunity in green energy sector. With such a massive cash booster for this sector, global market is definitely steered towards a low carbon economy. And this provides a great relief to the common people reeling under the perpetual trepidation of energy shortage and eventual end.

Eco-Friendly Fabrics

The use of synthetics for clothing is contributing to the rapid depletion of the world's forests. Petroleum-based products are detrimental to the environment on many levels. Fortunately there are alternatives. Eco-conscious fabrics exist and we need to be aware of them, so that we're able to make choices that allow us to lessen our impact on the environment. Here are few ECO friendly Fabrics as alternatives for people who want to make a move towards eco freindly dressing.

Bamboo

Bamboo fabric is a natural textile made from the pulp of the bamboo grass. It has been growing in popularity because it has many unique properties and is more sustainable than most textile fibres. Bamboo fabric is light and strong, has excellent wicking properties, and is to some extent antibacterial. The use of bamboo fibre for clothing was a 20th century development. Bamboo fibre resembles cotton in its unspun form, a puffball of light, airy fibres. Many companies use extensive bleaching processes to turn bamboo fibre white, although companies producing organic bamboo fabric leave the bamboo fibre unbleached. To make bamboo fibre, bamboo is heavily pulped until it separates into thin component threads of fibre, which can be spun and dyed for weaving into cloth.

In textile form, bamboo retains many of the properties it has as a plant. Bamboo is highly water absorbent, able to take up three times its weight in water. In bamboo fabric, this translates to an excellent wicking ability that will pull moisture away from the skin so that it can evaporate. For this reason, clothing made of bamboo fibre is often worn next to the skin.

Bamboo also has many antibacterial qualities, which bamboo fabric is apparently able to retain, even through multiple washings. This helps to reduce bacteria that thrive on clothing and cause unpleasant odors. It can also kill odor causing bacteria that live on human skin, making the wearer and his or her clothing smell sweeter. In addition, bamboo fabric has insulating properties and will keep the wearer cooler in summer and warmer in winter. Bamboo fabric has something in it called “Bamboo Kun” which means it’s naturally an antibiotic - even after 50 washes! Another cool fact about Bamboo is that it has got mild UV blocking protection.

Bamboo fabric is very soft and can be worn directly next to the skin. Many people who experience allergic reactions to other natural fibres, such as wool or hemp, do not complain of this issue with bamboo. The fibre without chemical treatment does not have sharp spurs to irritate the skin.

On the pulp trend, to create bamboo fibre, a process of hydrolysis-alkalization and multi-phase bleaching refines bamboo pulp from the plant, which is then processed into fibre. Bamboo fibre works for both you and the environment. As the fastest growing plant in the world, bamboo reaches its maximum height within a few months and maturity within less than a handful of years. The pesticide and fertilizer-free growing process is entirely natural –without human assistance –and bamboo spreads rapidly across large areas, which is argued to improve soil quality in degraded and eroded land areas. The point is, don't feel badly for any chopped-down bamboo shoots –there is plenty where that came from.

Hemp

By far, the crop with the most potential for eco-friendly textile use is hemp. The ecological footprint of hemp is considerably smaller than that of most other plants considered for their fibres. Hemp plants grow very quickly and densely which makes it difficult for weeds to take hold, eliminating the need for herbicides and artificial fertilizers. It requires no irrigation as it thrives on the amount of water in the average rainfall, and it is highly pest-resistant.

Hemp has naturally long fibres which makes it suitable for spinning with a minimum of processing. The hemp fibres are also long-lasting; in fact, historically hemp has been used for making naval ropes that were used in and around water because they resist rot. If it held up to those conditions, imagine how well it will wear as a pair of jeans, or a shirt?

Hemp fabrics come in a variety of weights and textures. You can purchase fabric or clothing, woven or knit; buy yarn, rope, belts and a wide range of products made of this versatile plant.


Organic Cotton

Organic cotton is much more environment-friendly than the traditional variety as it uses no pesticides, herbicides, or insecticides during the growing cycle. There are many growers of this crop, and the number is steadily increasing. Usually manufacturers using this plant to make textiles follow up the process by using natural dyes to further reduce the amount of chemicals dumped into our ecosystem.

Did you know?
That growing cotton uses 22.5 percent of all the insecticides used globally?


Even more promising is new cotton that is grown in the tradition of the Aztecs –colored cotton. Sally Fox, a biologist, spent ten years perfecting colored cotton with long enough fibres to be spun into thread. She managed to get it to grow naturally in shades of green and brown. It has the added benefit of not fading (in color) and in fact, it gets more vibrant with the first few washings.

Soy Silk

Soy fabric is created from leftovers in soybean and tofu production, and has all the great benefits of moisture wicking. Soy silk is made from the by-products of the tofu-making process. The liquefied proteins are extruded into fibres which are then spun, and used like any other fibre (woven, knitted, etc.).

You can purchase soy silk yarn and test it out for yourself. The high protein content makes it receptive to natural dyes, so you can create your own colors.

Corn Fibre

Corn fabric, being sold as “Sorona” is touted as the new nylon. It is a fabric that uses much less energy to create than traditional fabrics and is a renewable resource. It is created by extracting the starch and then sugars from corn, and processing them to make a fibre, which can be spun into a yarn or woven into fabric.


Seaweed

The newest eco lovechild is a fabric called SeaCell, a mixture of seaweed and wood pulp. The word on the street is that when you wear Seacell, your body actually absorbs some of the delicious goodness found in seaweed like calcium, magnesium, and vitamin E.


Coconut
Coconut fabrics offer a natural solution incorporated into the yarns and fibers which provides enhanced performance without adding steps and costs for additional finishes. By using natural ingredients incorporated into yarns and fibers, there are no harsh chemicals or topical treatments to irritate the skin.

The coconut carbon woven into the fibre increases the ability of the fabric to draw moisture from the skin. The carbon particles are irregularly shaped so that the moisture accumulates in small hollows on the carbon’s surface, which then unloads the moisture by evaporation. This process ensures that the wearer stays dry and cool. Tests have been conducted in which the characteristics of fabrics made of coconut fibers and other fabrics were compared. These revealed that using coconut fiber based clothes increased moisture absorption by 50%, compared to ordinary Polyester, and was 45% better than the fabric that until now has been considered best in the world. Like bamboo fabric, it gives protection against UV rays.

The coconut shell carbon woven into the fibre increases the fabric’s performance in protecting the wearer from ultraviolet rays by absorbing the rays rather than letting them reflect onto the skin. It is also able to protect the skin from damage caused by the sun’s rays. It also minimises body odor: Since the surface of the coconut carbon is uneven, then it also absorbs various odor molecules into the small hollows, and minimises bad smells. The fabric retains them there until the carbon replenishes itself when washed.

Mold:
A smooth ,water absorbent fiber,Model is made by spining reonstituted cellulose from beech tree.Because of its silky finish the material is often used in intimates and other clothing worn close to the skin.

Yak:
Similar to cashmere in its physical properties, this luxury fiber comes from Yak, a large long halved bovine indigenous to the Himalayan Mountains. This incredibly sustainable fiber doesn’t itch like some knits and can even be washed at home. So you do not have to send your special clothes made of this fiber for expensive dry cleaning.

Health concerns: Plastics are there in our stomach too!

How safe is to use plastics in packaged food, food containers and the products which come in contact with our skin, is debatable. Chemicals known as "phthalates" (pronounced thal-ates) make plastics flexible. In use since the 1930s, phthalates can be found today in a wide variety of products, ranging cosmetics, toys and detergents to solvents, lubricants and vinyl flooring, and even in the food packaging. This is of particular concern because Phthalates have in recent months come under considerable scrutiny.

There is a huge amount of data confirming the migration of plastic monomers and additives in all steps of food processing. “Unfortunately, phthalates are highly mobile and can leach or separate from plastics and other products, eventually making their way into the food we eat, the liquids we drink, and the air we breathe” says Dr Meshgan Al Awar, PhD in Chemistry from Cardiff (UK). Some researchers have pointed to potential links between phthalates and abdominal obesity, among other concerns.

Phthalates can also be found in certain medical devices including intravenous bags, blood bags and different kinds of tubing. In fact, recent studies of indoor air and household dust have revealed surprisingly high levels of these chemicals.
Industry sources often claim that plastics used in food packaging are absolutely safe for human health. However, Paul Goettlich in his research article-‘ Get Plastic out Of Your Diet’, writes, “I find a critical disparity between the level of science employed by the regulations and the current scientific knowledge regarding the levels at which plastics migrate to food and the effects they can have. In particular, I am more concerned with extremely low concentrations. There is also a conflict of interest in allowing the manufacturer to submit its own testing to the approving agencies as proof of anything.” He further adds, “We invite the fox into the henhouse and are surprised when there’s nothing left but eggshells and feathers”.
How can you know whether a product contains phthalates?

Manufacturers are not obligated to list phthalates in the ingredients lists Some manufacturers may list the chemicals on their packaging. Phthalates commonly used in products include:
• DBP (dibutyl phthalate).
• DINP (diisononyl phthalate).
• DEP (diethyl phthalate).
• DEHP (di 2-ethylhexl phthalate).
• DMP (dimethyl phthalate).
• BBP (benzyl butyl phthalate).
• DNOP (di-n-octyl phthalate).
• DIDP (Diisodecyl phthalate).




Plastics are definitely flowing in our blood streams. According to a study published in the journal Pediatrics last year, University of Washington tested the urine of 163 infants and found that all the babies had at least one type of phthalate in their system while 81 per cent had at least seven different types. Among children who had recently had their hair shampooed or had lotion applied to their body, levels of phthalates were higher, the study said. The study cautioned, however, that the products themselves were not tested for phthalates. Researchers also noted that there was no proof the chemicals found in the babies' urine were harmful.

What you can do?

By using even the least offensive plastic one only prolongs and increases the toxic load on the Earth and in our bodies. Stephanie Barger, executive director of Earth Resource Foundation in Costa Mesa, California says,”We are extracting and destroying the Earth to use a plastic bag for 10 minutes." To avoid further degradation of the environment with plastic, we just have to stop using plastic the way we do it right now. Each one of us can make an effort to reduce the amount of plastics we use by disposing of our own trash responsibly, by not buying stuff with excessive packaging, by not buying stuff that we don't really need and by assisting in clean up efforts with local organizations that can recycle plastics.

Buzz about the Bees

Honeybees are social insects with a marked division of labour. A colony generally contains one breeding female, or "queen"; 2000 males, or "drones"; and a large population of sterile female “worker” bees. The population of a healthy hive in mid-summer can average between 40,000 and 80,000 bees. The workers cooperate to find food and use a pattern of "dancing" to communicate with each other.
Honeybees live in colonies that are often maintained, fed, and transported by beekeepers. Centuries of selective breeding by human beings have created honeybees that produce far more honey than the colony needs. Beekeepers harvest the honey. Beekeepers provide a place for the colony to live and to store honey in. The modern beehive is made up of a series of square or rectangular boxes without tops or bottoms placed one on top of another. Inside the boxes, frames are hung in parallel, in which bees build up the wax honeycomb in which they both raise brood and store honey. Modern hives enable beekeepers to transport bees, moving from field to field as the crop needs pollination.

Queen

The queen is the largest bee in the colony. Queens are developed from larvae selected by worker bees to become sexually mature. The queen develops more fully than sexually immature workers because she is given royal jelly, a secretion from glands on the heads of young workers, for an extended time. She develops in a specially constructed queen cell, which is larger than the cells of normal brood comb, and is oriented vertically instead of horizontally. In each hive or colony, there is only one adult queen, who is the mother of the worker bees of the hive, although there are exceptions on occasion.

Although the name might imply it, a queen has no control over the hive. Her sole function is to serve as the reproducer. She is indeed an "egg laying machine." A good queen of quality stock, well reared with good nutrition and well mated, can lay up to 3,000 eggs per day during the spring build-up and live for two or more years. She lays her own weight in eggs every couple of hours and is continuously surrounded by young worker attendants, who meet all her needs, such as feeding and cleaning.
Drones

The male bees, called “drones”, are characterized by eyes that are twice the size of those of worker bees and queens, and a body size greater than that of worker bees, though usually smaller than the queen bee. Their abdomen is stouter than the abdomen of workers or queen. Although heavy bodied, drones have to be able to fly fast enough to catch up with the queen in flight. Drones are stingless. Their main function in the hive is to be ready to fertilize a receptive queen. The life expectancy of a drone is about 90 days.


Worker Bees

A worker bee is a non-reproducing female, which performs certain tasks in support of a beehive. Worker bees undergo a well-defined progression of capabilities. In the summer, 98% of the bees in a hive are worker bees. In the winter, besides the queen, all bees are worker bees. Workers feed the queen and larvae, guard the hive entrance and help to keep the hive cool by fanning their wings. Worker bees also collect nectar to make honey. In addition, worker bees produce wax comb.

Why Honeybees are Important?

Bees play a central role in our food supply. Crops from nuts to vegetables and as diverse as alfalfa, apple, cantaloupe, cranberry, pumpkin, and sunflower all require pollinating by honeybees. For fruit and nut crops, pollination can be a farmer’s only real chance to increase yield. The extent of pollination determines the maximum number of fruits. Post-pollination inputs, whether growth regulators, pesticides, water, or fertilizer, are actually designed to prevent losses and preserve quality rather than increase yield.

As pollination is so important, farmers cannot depend on feral honeybees that happen to nest near crop fields. That is why farmers invite migratory beekeepers, who move millions of beehives to fields each year just as crops flower. The pollination of our crops is the greatest honeybee contribution. Without their services, many of our crops would not produce fruit or set seed. Although other insects perform this service, honeybees are by far the most numerous and important pollinators. Their large perennial colonies can be moved to wherever they are needed and they can communicate direction and distance from the hive to nectar sources. Honeybees also practice flower fidelity, which makes them very efficient pollinators. Flower fidelity is the habit of concentrating on one specific species of flower when gathering and transferring pollen even though the insect is attracted to a large variety of flowers.

Crops that need the Bees
Apple; blackberry; blueberry; cantaloupe; cherry; clover; cucumber; fruit trees; peach; pear; persimmon; plum; pumpkin; raspberry; squash; and watermelon must be pollinated by bees to produce food yields. Crops that will produce higher yields if visited by bees include: strawberry; soybean; pepper; okra; lima beans; grape and eggplant.

But the bees’ importance goes far beyond agriculture. They also pollinate flowering plant species, ensuring that we have blooms in our gardens. Of course, there are honey and beeswax as well. Honeybees are also excellent at finding the most abundant and sweetest source of nectar near the colony. Scouts communicate information about the source to their brood with what is called “dance language”. Even in the darkness of the hive, the direction in which a bee is dancing can be easily followed by other worker bees and the odour of the nectar that the dancer provides gives the followers a clue as to what kind of flower the dancer has found.

Communicating by Dance
Honeybee dancing, perhaps the most intriguing aspect of their biology, is also one of the most fascinating behaviour in animal life. Performed by a worker bee that has returned to the honeycomb with pollen or nectar, the dances, in essence, constitute a language that “tells” other workers where the food is. By signalling both distance and direction with particular movements, the worker bee uses the dance language to recruit and direct other workers in gathering pollen and nectar.

Furious Bees: Reel not the real image of Bees

Bees are most harmless insects. But media has projected their false image. Bees are shown as aggressive insects in most of the films, comics, and cartoons although they are working tirelessly to offer the sweetest thing to the world: Honey.
All honeybees defend their nest by stinging, and their behaviour ranges from mild to intense. But they sting in greater numbers only on provocation. It is this defensive behaviour that Hollywood has raised to mythic proportions. The average person can survive 1,000 to 1,500 stings (about 10 to 15 stings per pound of body weight), especially if they get medical attention. Fortunately, such massive stinging is rare.

The Vanishing Act

Honeybees are mysteriously vanishing across the countries, putting billion dollars worth of fruits, nuts and vegetables at risk. Apples, cucumbers, broccoli or onions, pumpkins, squash, carrots, blueberries, avocados, almonds, cherries and many other crops cannot grow without honeybees. Baffling disappearance of these hard-working pollinators could put crops at risk –not to mention put a damper on your diet.
In recent years, there has been a drastic and mysterious die-off of honeybee colonies. Beekeepers sounded the alarm about disappearing bees in 2006. Seemingly healthy bees were simply abandoning their hives en masse, never to return. Researchers are calling the mass disappearance –Colony Collapse Disorder, and they estimate that nearly one-third of all honeybee colonies in the US have vanished.
Why are the bees leaving?

Scientists studying the disorder believe that a combination of factors could be making bees sick, including pesticide exposure, invasive parasitic mites, an inadequate food supply and a new virus that targets bees' immune systems. More research is essential to determine the exact cause of the bees' distress.

Bee Friendly, Bee Safe

Protecting honeybees is crucial. You can also help keep bees healthy by making your yard and garden colourful, diverse and pesticide free.

Here are some tips on how you can Bee Safe
•Bee Native: Use local and native plants in your yard and garden. These plants thrive easily and are well suited for local bee populations, providing pollen and nectar for bees to eat.
•Bee Diverse: sow lots of different kinds of plants in your yard. Plant diversity ensures that your garden attracts many different varieties of bees and gives them a range of flowering plants to choose from throughout the year. Make sure your yard plants vary in:
oColour: Bees have good vision and are attracted to several different colours of flowers.
oShape: Different species of bees are better suited for different shapes of flowers. Give your bees some variety!
oFlowering times: Having a sequence of plant species that flower throughout the year helps sustain the food supply and attract different species of bees.
•Bee Open to Pollen: Pollen is bee food. Genetically engineered pollen-free plants trick bees into thinking they will find food, and then leave them hungry. (Don't worry; flower pollen isn't a big contributor to most people's allergies.)
•Bee Pesticide Wary: There are many natural methods to control pests in your garden. Researchers believe that pesticides are a contributing factor to Colony Collapse Disorder. Moreover, some insecticides are harmful to bees and wipe out flowers that provide bees with food. If you must, use targeted pesticides and spray at night –when bees are not active.
•Bee a Hive Builder: Building your own beehive is easy and fun. Creating a wood nest is a good place to start –wood-nesting bees do not sting! Simply take a non-pressure treated block of wood and drill holes that are 3/32 inch to 5/16 inch in diameter and about 5 inches deep and wait for the bees to arrive.

Spread the sweet message…Honey!

It is high time that the people across the world should initiate serious and concerted efforts to save the honeybees. Honeybees are important not only from the perspective of wildlife diversity but also essential for our dietary and olfactory needs. Colony Collapse Disorder leading to large-scale disappearance of the honeybees can adversely affect fruit and flower production if it remains unattended.