What Is The Deal With Plastic?

PLASTIC....WHAT'S the word on the street about this plastic-y stuff? What actual kind of plastic are things made with? What is the number on the bottom really mean? Is it BPA free?  What does BPA stand for?  The list just goes on and on..... I looked into it a little and here are some of my not so scientific findings.

BPA is an organic compound and it's true name is Bisphenol A. It's a chemical used to make some hard, clear, plastic products such as reusable bottles, and is in the resin that lines food and beverage cans along with many other things.  I found an article in the magazine Vegetarians Time, which I love because not only do they have great vegetarian recipes, but they also have really interesting articles like.....plastic and BPA exposure.  Manufacturers love to use BPA because it is tough, heat resistant, and can be produced in enormous quantities- more then 7 billion pounds annually. The article referenced a study published in Human Reproduction which found male workers in factories who were producing BPA products (@ a high exposure), had a higher incidence of sexual dysfunction, loss of sex drive and other sexual problems.  Whoa, that isn't good. While of course sexual dysfunction is not life threatening, researchers looked at it as a hormonal problems, perhaps something that could even lead to cancer.  This is also just one study, one set of conclusions, and I am sure there are many more out there, but I don't have the results for you, other then the one. What a great researcher!

Things that are recommended for the use of plastic (or canned) products- If you reheat food in the microwave, use a glass container.  Try to buy frozen over canned because even if your exposure to BPA is a very miniscule amount, it could be often enough depending on one's eating habits.  When buying plastic products, of course look to see if it is BPA free, which a lot of products available today are.  Check recycling labels on plastic (usually inside of the triangle on the bottom or side of the product). Products with 3 or 7 'may' contain BPA, unless specifically indicates that it is BPA free.

The trickiest part is they do not know exactly what levels of BPA are harmful. One water bottle is not going to do anything, but it being aware of the products and their ingredients.  The more you know.....

Thanks again!

Less Clutter, More Love

I found a few more places to donate things if you are looking for a little something more.  This is most likely overkill, but I am hoping that you will read, then down the line remember this as a resource and it will help you as a reference.

>Bicycles:  The International Bicycle Fund (http://ibike.org/encouragement/youth.htm) offers an extensive directory of youth bicycle recycling programs.

>Books:  There are so many different book drop offs in so many communities. At local libraries, drives during the holidays, BUT if you are looking for somewhere else to ship a few books to and don't mind paying the shipping costs here are a few.  A majority are to inmates looking to read, and/or there are American Indian Reserve book programs, along with many others http://adoptalibrary.org/.

>Cars: If you are an Illinois resident, here is a very popular car donation site http://www.kars4kids.org/car-donation-illinois.htm.  Also, hundreds of charities accept used (running or not) cars to sell at auctions. Here is a website that lists if a charity in your area (state) that could accept it http://donatecarusa.com/.  PS- It is also a tax write off if you donate your vehicle.

>Eyeglasses and Hearing Aids: If you are willing to ship, this is also a great website.  I know that places like Pearl Vision will accept old eyeglasses, but this website also includes sunglasses, hearing aids, watches, and more, so I figured if you need a place to donate for these things look no further.  http://neweyesfortheneedy.org/how-you-can-help/

>Fur coats: IF for some reason you have inherited some fur coats and they are not really your style, you can donate them to http://www.humanesociety.org/issues/fur_fashion/donate_fur_coats_for_cubs_11042010.html and your coats will be redirected to a wildlife sanctuary to help comfort orphaned and injured animals.  Thought this was a pretty cool thing.

Happy De-cluttering, and Happy Post Thanksgiving!

BA- Part Deux

Blogger Anonymous Part Deux- this is more of a kid friendly edition if you want to use some things from around the house to do art projects,  WHICH was also sent to me FROM MY DAD. I didn't give him credit, specifically, for the vinegar uses specifically and he was a little sad. Thank you DAD!


"Americans create an average of 4.5 pounds of trash a day and much of it is created in our kitchens. Recycling is an option to reducing trash and composting is another, but sometimes there are items that can be kept around for a multitude of reasons. Here are five tips for reducing kitchen 'trash'.
1) Egg Cartons
Whether the eggs you buy come in paper, foam, or plastic packaging — you can reuse it all. These containers are perfect for preschool art projects, storing and sorting small items like nails and screws or as seed starters. Or, give them to the golfer in the family because each slot is the perfect size to hold and store a treasured golf ball.
2) Wine Corks
If you are a wine lover, chances are you've thrown a few wine corks away. While you can recycle them at Whole Foods Market and a few other places, there are lots of other ways to give them more life. There are easy ways to turn them into bulletin boards, coasters, or even funky picture frames. They can also be cut into slices and put under furniture to keep pieces from sliding.
3) Milk & Juice Cartons
Those wax-coated milk and juice cartons can be difficult to recycle but there are an endless number of ways to reuse them. They are easily turned into bird feeders that will last outdoors for months. The base of these waterproof containers is also perfect as paint containers for small projects or as seed starters.
4) Cereal Boxes
A creative project for school-aged kids is to turn a cereal box into an organizer for school papers. Any tall rectangular paperboard box will do. You simply cut off the top and decorate the outside with glued on magazine clippings. The size and shape of the box is perfect for keeping all of their papers in one place where you can find them when needed.
5) Plastic Food Containers
All of those lunchmeat, yogurt, or similar plastic food containers with lids are too useful to wind up in the trash. Use them in place of all those plastic baggies to help pack waste-free lunches. You can also use them to store leftovers or for organizing small items throughout your home."

Here is the article: http://www.att.net/s/editorial.dll?eetype=Article&eeid=7859911&render=y&Table=&ch=fh&cat=hgarti&dcatid=2036&topcat=Article

Also, just today a patient came in and had something shoved in between two teeth and could not get it out for the life of her.  A great way to get that wedged, hard to reach piece of something IS.....tie a knot into a piece of floss and put it right up in the business of the irritated area.  Then swishing with water or mouth wash usually is enough to dislodge it.  If this doesn't work then you are going to your dentist.  The #1 thing to get stuck in between your teeth is popcorn kernels, so watch out for those bad boys.  Or just don't chew on them at all because they can also cause some serious cracks, which then turn out to be expensive cracks. My boss suggested that I add this 'bit' to the blog, so thank you to her.  More importantly, thank you to everyone for reading and supporting.

Flanagan out.