Wednesday, March 31, 2010

out like a lamb





It is the end of March!
How did that happen?
It could get up to 75 degrees today. It will probably snow next week.

I have flowers blooming and buds on all the lilacs. The redbud tree is about to burst too.
I don't have a lot to show for the first three months of the year.
I've knit a bit.
I've read a lot.
I've made a few art journal pages.

I've got lamb for Easter dinner and then a trip up North for a few days. Ah, Spring Break.
Anyone want to bet me that Mariah will have homework?

I'm looking forward to stopping by The Mannings, finding a Trader Joes to explore and seeing family. I'll listen to books on the trip and thanks to my iphone, I'll be able to check email.
Yes I am plugged in.
LOL

Now for the real stuff, I'm worried about healthcare. What makes the government think they can run healthcare when every other big social program they have started has always failed?

I'm tired of writing my representative and getting a form letter back that pats me on the head and tells me he knows what is best and let him and the government take care of it all. Seriously, why aren't our representatives doing what the people want?

Yes, healthcare needs an overhaul, but not this kind of overhaul.

Didn't Thomas Jefferson once say that " A government big enough to give you what ever you want is also big enough to take it all away."

Viki

Saturday, March 27, 2010

Staying Hydrated + BPA = Confusion.


I was catching up on my blog reading this morning and came across some interesting video's on one of my friend's blogs. It is The Story of Bottled Water. What it boils down to is that the Soft drink companies told us Tap Water wasn't good, drink bottled water and like good little drones we have taken their advertising as Truth. Very few of those bottles actually get recycled and those that don't get dumped in landfills or sent to India to pollute there, instead of being recycled.



What is more amazing is that in taste tests most tap water beats bottled for taste.



I found it all very interesting. I have been hauling my own water to school for a while now. I used to use a Sigg aluminum bottle(and a few look alike's), but then there were all those news reports of Sigg bottles having trace amounts of BPA and I stopped. Boo Me.



I have since learned that SIGG bottles made prior to August, 2008 still test at "no detectable levels" of BPA. AND SIGG bottles made since August, 2008 have a new lining that does not contain any BPA and does not use BPA in its manufacturing processes.



So now I feel that I can carry my Sigg bottles. However, the knock offs from China I'll not be using as they do give off minute traces of BPA.



It is now Spring, and I'd like to have an insulated cup that would keep my water cool. I have a very nice one from a local coffee place, Highland Coffee, but now I wonder about BPA in the plastic from it and straws...do they contain BPA. A little research on the web and I have found that the cup is a ThermoServe and they say those are BPA free. Whew!



What about the straws? I usually use a disposable plastic straw, because my cup didn't come with a straw. Hum...another search.


Here is what I found out, most current straws are made from either #2 or #5 plastic and that concern about chemical exposure is low. That is the good news.

The bad news is that although these straws are recyclable, most are not recycled. The sheer number of straws from MickyD's alone starts to look like those bottle mountains in India from the first video that started this post. Who thinks about recycling straws?



What to do. I'm using safe bottles (Sigg and some Stainless steel) and my Highland Coffee cup is safe too, but I need a straw to drink from it as the screw on lid has a straw hole in the middle.

Evidently a few companies have thought about the straw problem. I have found steel straws by RSVP (4 to a pack for about $9.), Hardened Glass Straws by Glass Dharma, Pyrex glass straws by Glass Paradise, both are dishwasher safe. Strangely I also found paper straws in many sizes from Aardvark(if you want to buy 400) and Bamboo straws which have to be boiled in vinegar and water to clean. Both the paper and the bamboo would biodegrade easily. I even remember paper straws from when I was a little kid. They collapsed easily, I wonder about Aardvark, but not enough to buy 400 straws.

I called my local Amazing Green Planet store and they have a set of 4 stainless steel straws for under $12. and I wouldn't have to pay shipping. So I may go that route to drinking cool, clean, safe water while on the go. Although those cobalt blue glass straws from Glass Paradise are calling to me.

Viki