Guests:

Janne Flisrand is here from MN Green Communities to talk to us about energy efficient homes. Minnesota Green Communities seeks to ensure that all new affordable housing built in Minnesota is green. Additionally, the initiative aims to green rehab or retrofit 10,000 units of existing affordable housing by 2015. Minnesota Green Communities is a collaboration of the Greater Minnesota Housing Fund, the Family Housing Fund, and Enterprise designed to foster the creation of affordable, healthier, and more energy efficient housing throughout Minnesota. The initiative supports the production of affordable housing with markedly reduced energy costs, use of materials beneficial to the environment, conservation-minded land use planning, and attention to the creation of healthy environments and lifestyles for individuals, children, families, and communities.

Joe from Vantagio is here to talk about is cutting-edge eco-dry cleaning business.  Here is an excerpt from his website:

In an industry that represents the term "taken to the cleaners", we proudly fight dirty against this stereotype. While close to 98% of dry cleaners choose to use a solvent that is known to be a carcinogen and widely recognized pollutant (according to the EPA), we work with an absolute dedication to using a sustainable, and integrated approach with the health of the humans who maintain the clothing, the humans who wear the clothing, and the future of our planet in mind.

Listen to the podcast to hear Joe talk about his eco-friendly dry cleaning service.  Joe's service includes pick-up and delivery - it's like carpooling for your dry-cleaning!   Sign up for Vantagio's great green dry-cleaning service today!

Green Tips and Info:

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Light Green Tip #417 - Replace your mercury thermometer

In case you haven't heard - flu season is here!  With the flu comes a fever and you check yours with a thermometer.  Hopefully, it is not a thermometer filled with mercury.  Go digital instead!  Don't throw away your mercury thermometers though because mercury is toxic and should not end up in the landfill.  Instead, take them to your local household hazardous waste facility for proper disposal.

While mercury spills in the home almost always can be cleaned up so that they do not pose a danger, the vapor given off from spilled mercury is a neurotoxin that can be health threatening if it is inhaled at a high enough concentration or over a long period.  Be carful this flu season!

Dark Green Tip #45345b - Read packages and look for questionable food dyes

Specifically the following, called out by the FSA and the CSPI:

• Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Red 40 (both groups)
• Yellow 10, Car-mo-i-sine, Red 4 (FSA)
• Blue 1, Blue 2 Green 3, Orange B, Red 3 (CSPI)