GUESTS:

Chris Hruza is the manager at the University of Minnesota ReUse Program Warehouse - one of the greatest hidden jems of the Twin Cities green community!  Check out what they do:

RELIEVES 250 University buildings of unwanted materials, fixtures and supplies.

REDISTRIBUTES furniture & equipment valued at over $200,000 to U of M departments each year.

RESELLS a never-ending variety of items to the general public each Thursday.

RECYCLES unwanted steel, aluminum, wood, cardboard & paper.

REDUCES campus construction waste that would otherwise end up at the landfill.

Hours: Thursdays - Open to the public from 8a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Contact Info: Reuse Program Warehouse, 883 29th Avenue SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414, 612-626-9152

Brian Pieti talks to us about Atomic Recycling's amazing efforts to recycled construction debris.   Atomic recycles an average of 63% of what is put into their dumpsters.  That is the highest recovery rate in the Twin Cities.  Their sorting and processing equipment allows them to separate all categories and sizes of materials, from large wood pallets to the 2-inch minus materials at the bottom of the dumpster.  That means every last screw, nail and piece of waste that can be recycled is!  They continually search for new markets to expand the list of materials recycled in Minnesota.  Their new asphalt shingle recycling pilot program is a great effort.  And the wood that is recycled from particle board to scrap 2x4's ends up as a biofuel.  Cool!

OTHER INFO:

Sick Building Syndrome - http://www.epa.gov/iaq/pubs/sbs.html

Safe Sunscreens - Your sunscreens should use either titanium dioxide, zinc oxide or a combination of both.  Also avoid sunscreens (or any beauty product ) that contains any of the following ingredients.

1. Antibacterials
Washing with regular soap and warm water is just as effective as using an antibacterial soap!  Overuse of antibacterials can prevent them from effectively fighting disease-causing germs like E. coli and Salmonella enterica.  Triclosan, widely used in soaps, toothpastes and deodorants, has been detected in breast milk, and one recent study found that it interferes with testosterone activity in cells.

2. Coal Tar
Coal tar is a known human carcinogen used as an active ingredient in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams. Coal-tar-based dyes such as FD&C Blue 1, used in toothpastes, and FD&C Green 3, used in mouthwash, have been found to be carcinogenic in animal studies when injected under skin.

3. Diethanolamine (DEA)
DEA is a possible hormone disruptor, has shown limited evidence of carcinogenicity and depletes the body of choline needed for fetal brain development. DEA can also show up as a contaminant in products containing related chemicals, such as cocamide DEA.

4. 1,4-Dioxane
1,4-Dioxane is a known animal carcinogen and a possible human carcinogen that can appear as a contaminant in products containing sodium laureth sulfate and ingredients that include the terms "PEG," "-xynol," "ceteareth," "oleth" and most other ethoxylated "eth" ingredients.

5. Formaldehyde
Formaldehyde has a long list of adverse health effects, including immune-system toxicity, respiratory irritation and cancer in humans. Yet it still turns up in baby bath soap, nail polish, eyelash adhesive and hair dyes as a contaminant or break-down product of diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium compounds.

6. Fragrance
The catchall term "fragrance" may mask phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and may cause obesity and reproductive and developmental harm. Avoid phthalates by selecting essential-oil fragrances instead.

7. Lead and Mercury
Neurotoxic lead may appear in products as a naturally occurring contaminant of hydrated silica, one of the ingredients in toothpaste, and lead acetate is found in some brands of men's hair dye. Brain-damaging mercury, found in the preservative thimerosol, is used in some mascaras.

8. Nanoparticles
Tiny nanoparticles, which may penetrate the skin and damage brain cells, are appearing in an increasing number of cosmetics and sunscreens. Most problematic are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, used in sunscreens to make them transparent. When possible, look for sunscreens containing particles of these ingredients larger than 100 nanometers. You'll most likely need to call companies to confirm sizes, but a few manufacturers have started advertising their lack of nanoparticle-sized ingredients on labels.

9. Parabens
(methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-) Parabens, which have weak estrogenic effects, are common preservatives that appear in a wide array of toiletries. A study found that butyl paraben damaged sperm formation in the testes of mice, and a relative, sodium methylparaben, is banned in cosmetics by the E.U.

10. Petroleum Distillates
Possible human carcinogens, petroleum distillates are prohibited or restricted for use in cosmetics in the E.U. but are found in several U.S. brands of mascara, foot-odor powder and other products. Look out for the terms "petroleum" or "liquid paraffin."

11. P-Phenylenediamine
Commonly found in hair dyes, this chemical can damage the nervous system, cause lung irritation and cause severe allergic reactions. It's also listed as 1,4-Benzenediamine; p-Phenyldiamine and 4-Phenylenediamine.

12. Hydroquinone
Found in skin lighteners and facial moisturizers, hydroquinone is neurotoxic and allergenic, and there's limited evidence that it may cause cancer in lab animals. It may also appear as an impurity not listed on ingredients labels.

GREEN TIPS VAULT:

Light Green Tip #3295 - Toaster Ovens are COOL!
Using a toaster oven instead of a conventional oven will use far less energy.  Tests have shown that a well-insulated toaster oven, with plenty of room for air to circulate around it, consumes a whopping 50% less energy.  As an added bonus, using a toaster oven will keep your kitchen cooler in the summer months.

DARK GREEN TIP #459: Cut down on waste, and breathe cleaner air, by using an electronic furnace filter instead of those throwaway fiberglass screens. Electronic models are permanent, washable and easy to install and clean.  Here is a  great website with some additional info on electrostatic furnace filters.