Which Is Worse?

Today, I'm introducing a new segment to the blog called, "Which Is Worse?" In these periodic postings, I'll be examining the lesser of two environmental evils. Because, after all, living a green life is about making changes, not sacrifices.

Which Is Worse?
Getting sunburned which will lead to wrinkles, skin cancer and generally looking like leather by the time I'm 50.

OR

Using toxic sunscreen laden with cancer-causing parabens and other compounds.

The Coppertone Sport SPF 15 sunblock I'm so fond of (it sprays on!) is listed on Skin Deep as one of the 37 worst I could choose, due to sunblock instability, those nasty cancer-causing parabens, loads of fragrance and more. So, while I'm blocking myself from melanoma, I may be giving myself some other form of cancer thanks to the super-absorbing nature of the toxins in this sunscreen.

The skin is our largest organ. Every time we slather conventional, fragrance-laden products on our skin, they are rapidly absorbed into our systems.

So, what's a sun-loving Colorado girl who just got two suspicious moles removed for testing to do? Get a new sunscreen.

Skin Deep has a list of 128 recommended sunscreens - and they aren't all the $50 a bottle versions. Oil of Olay, Banana Boat and Coppertone products make the list. As do some great baby varieties.
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/browse.php?sunscreens=1&best=1

Time for me to lather up and hit the trails!

Holy Cow

A century ago, the average cow produced 1700 quarts of milk a year. Today, the "average" cow squeezes out a massive 8200 quarts of the white stuff.

The reason our super heffers are producing so much milk these days is not just because they've become extra-generous. Instead, our conventional milk farmers are pumping thier black and white beauties with rBHD - a synthetic, bovine growth hormone created by our genetic modifying friends at Monsanto.

Here's a good summary of the issues surrounding the use of rBHD from the book, "What's In Your Milk?" by Samuel S. Epstein, MD:

rBGH (recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) is a genetically engineered, potent variant of the natural growth hormone produced by cows. Manufactured by Monsanto, it is sold to dairy farmers under the trade name POSILAC. Injection of this hormone forces cows to increase their milk production by about 10%.Monsanto, supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), insists that rBGH milk is indistinguishable from natural milk, and that it is safe for consumers. This is blatantly false:

• rBGH makes cows sick. Monsanto has been forced to admit to about 20 toxic effects, including mastitis, on its POSILAC label.


• rBGH milk is contaminated by pus, due to the mastitis commonly induced by rBGH, and antibiotics used to treat the mastitis.


• rBGH milk is chemically and nutritionally different than natural milk.


• rBGH milk is contaminated with rBGH, traces of which are absorbed through the gut.


• rBGH milk is supercharged with high levels of a natural growth factor (IGF-1), which is readily absorbed through the gut.


• Excess levels of IGF-1 have been incriminated as a cause of breast, colon, and prostate cancers.IGF-1 blocks natural defense mechanisms against early submicroscopic cancers.


• rBGH factory farms pose a major threat to the viability of small dairy farms.


• rBGH enriches Monsanto, while posing dangers, without any benefits, to consumers, especially in view of the current national surplus of milk.

The risks of cancer to consumers and particularly their children, especially those enrolled in the Public School Lunch Program, are undisputable.

If you're buying organic milk and other dairy products (good for you!) you know you're not taking in any rBGH. But these days, even some of the conventional milk producer are rejecting the hormone use. Alta Dena cottage cheese and Ben & Jerry's ice cream are just two of the major brands who offer their creamy delicious products produced from milk "provided by farmers who pledge not to use rBGH."

Yet another good excuse to buy a $4.99 pint of B&J ice cream. I'll take a scoop of the Oatmeal Cookie please ...

Meet the 'Bachers

Mr. Redenbacher needs to get with the Organic Kettle Corn program. Sure, it's impressive that the geeked-out popcorn maker offers Organic Microwave Popcorn at my local conventional grocery store (never mind that the Organic version comes with only 2 bags per box, as opposed to the 3 bags in regular 'corn ... for the same price). But where is the organic kettle corn in his "green" offerings?

Every brand of micro-corn has an assortment of flavors in its arsenal: cheddar, butter, butter lite, movie theater butter, artery-clogging butter ... and yes, kettle corn. That slightly sweet, slightly salty satisfier that has moved from the State Fair to our living rooms. And yet ... the makers of said popcorn have not yet forayed into making an organic version. A shame, indeed.

So, tonight, after returning Marc's 2-day late movie to Safeway (yes, they have one of those instant renta boxes) I browsed the 3 full shelves of microwave popping corn and settled on a particular variety of Orville Redenbacher's Gourmet Popping Corn: Smart Pop! Kettle Korn. It was the only one made without hydrogenated oil.

I guess you can chock one up to old four-eyes after all.