Dear EarthTalk: I work for an office equipment company selling copiers, fax machines, computers and printers. Each year new models come out making old ones obsolete. As a result, we have loads of trade-ins with nowhere to go. What can we do with this old equipment? – Jeff P., Worcester, MA

Electronic waste, or “e-waste” as it’s called, is a growing problem in the United States and abroad, as obsolete or broken computers and other electronic equipment are taking up increasingly precious amounts of landfill space and potentially leaking hazardous substances into surrounding ecosystems.

The Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition reports that
70 percent of the heavy metals in U.S. landfills are
from discarded electronics. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency reports that
Americans trash two million tons of unwanted
electronics each year -­ six times the amount
they recycle. Pictured, e-waste in Ann Arbor,
Michigan readied for recycling.
George Hotelling, courtesy Flickr

The nonprofit Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition reports that 70 percent of the heavy metals in U.S. landfills are from discarded electronics—even though the e-waste itself accounts for only two percent of the trash by volume. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that Americans trash two million tons of unwanted electronics each year—six times the amount they recycle. To make matters worse, U.S. companies often ship old equipment to poor nations whose landfills and incinerators are ill equipped, subjecting already struggling populations to lead, cadmium, beryllium, and other contaminants.

So what can be done? If your old units still work but have merely been eclipsed by newer models, then by all means donate them to a needy cause that will either put them to good use or resell them to help fund their programs. You’ll earn a tax deduction for a charitable donation and, by keeping the equipment alive, prevent the manufacture of new units and thus, if ever so slightly, reduce the footprint of your operations. Read the rest of this entry »

Question: I frequently use a fat-free spray that tastes like butter and has no calories. I spray it on bread, vegetables, popcorn, etc. Is this spray bad for me?

Answer:(published 2/22/10) You raise an interesting question. I did some research to find out about these products and what they actually contain. While the nutritional labels do state that they contain zero fat and zero calories, something more than just air comes out when you spray. A little checking produced some illuminating information about how manufacturers and marketers can legally claim that products have no fat or calories, when the opposite is true.

The FDA permits foods to be labeled "fat-free" if they contain less than 0.5 grams of fat per serving. The labels of some products I checked said that a single serving is one spray providing 0.2 grams (2 tenths of a gram) of the product for cooking and five sprays when you're using it as a topping. I found calculations showing that to get a single 0.2 gram serving you would have to spritz for about one-third of a second, something that is almost impossible to time. If you spritz for five seconds, you'll be adding as many as 35 calories of fat to your food. Read the rest of this entry »

Flaxseed is one of those superfoods you've only heard about in the past decade. Flax, aka linseed, is not only a food staple but it's used to manufacture everyday products such as paper, hair care products, and fabric.

Now research shows that in addition to all the other health benefits it affords, consumption of flaxseed reduces cholesterol.

Recent findings by Dr. Xu Lin at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Shanghai show that when participants underwent studies using flaxseed they experienced a reduction in their LDL — the "bad" cholesterol. The findings were compiled from 28 different past studies involving more than 1,500 participants. Post-menopausal women seemed to experience greater levels of reduction than men. The participants averaged one tablespoon of flaxseed per day. Read the rest of this entry »

In my previous post I described four food choices that have been shown to encourage cancer formation. You might feel daunted to discover some of your favorite foods are increasingly labeled as lethal. However, a lot depends on the amount of indulgent foods eaten, your genetic predisposition for cancer, your attitudes toward eating, and your belief system — in other words, it's all about finding the right balance for the mind, body, and spirit.

I believe Mother Nature knows what our bodies need, and incorporating fresh produce, nuts, and berries allows one to benefit from the protective factors offered by nature, simply because eating a diet with lots of whole plant foods is more than just supplying your body with nutrients. You are also ingesting nature's subtle intelligent balancing energies woven into its consciousness — something I'm sure those packaged cupcakes with synthetic cream filling don't contain!
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We've heard a lot about specific vegetables, fruits, nuts, and berries that assist us in preventing cancer. But what about the foods we should avoid eating that tend to create situations in our bodies that allow for cancer — the no. 2 killer in America — to occur?

It's important for you to know what kinds of foods to avoid since 35 – 60 percent of all cancers are caused by diet — the biggest factor in causing cancer,  according to The Cancer Project, a non-profit organization consisting of a team of physicians and researchers who seek to increase awareness about cancer prevention and to improve survival after diagnosis. And because we usually make our own choices regarding the foods we eat, carefully considering these major dietary factors and making better choices helps make cancer more preventable and avoidable.
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After meeting Carlo Leifert, a professor in ecological agriculture who has been researching low-input farming, Wayne Roberts is now convinced that the merging of farm, food, health and environment concerns will become the new normal.

The great divide between food and farming is about to become a blur as a result of pioneering scientific research in Europe that's pushing the boundaries of health and agricultural policy. Though no poem insists that 'food is food and agriculture is agriculture, and never the twain shall meet', that may as well be the watchword in both fields. The chasm between the two is rarely bridged at any level of public discussion or decision-making. Food writers rarely report on farms, and vice versa. Nutritionists rarely discuss anything that happens to food before it's harvested, and vice versa for agronomists; even the champions of organic farming rarely make nutritional claims. Doctors barely know about nutrition and hospitals serve what is called hospital food, just as farmers and processors don't fret about what happens to diabetes rates when all their corn is turned into cheap pop and junkfood filler. Government ministries and departments of food and agriculture rarely meet, let alone worry about harmonizing their policies.
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The lush landscape of Hawai'i once offered abundant food. What can these islands teach us about food and sufficiency?

The island of Kaua'i is one of the most beautiful and fragile places on earth. From above, it looks like a vibrant green flower, lush and pulsing with life, floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. The Hawaiian tourist industry calls it "The Garden Isle," comparing it to the Garden of Eden. The image of Hawai'i has always been sold as a "paradise." But there is another side to life on this island, one that visitors rarely see.

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Besides the extra 136 calories (35 g of carbs) from the eight teaspoons of sugar products added to each 12-oz can, there's another reason to avoid drinking soda and other similar carbonated beverages.

A new study by researchers at Loyola University in Chicago noticed that women of normal weight and who drank at least two sodas per day were at twice the risk of showing early signs of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). The National Kidney Foundation cites an increase of CKD by 30 percent in the last 10 years, now affecting approximately 26 million Americans.

Upon studying the findings of 9000 adults, the data led Loyola University researchers to believe the ingredient in the soda that may contribute to the disease is either high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) or phosphorus. Men who took part in the study or those who drank diet soda did not show the same early signs.
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Have a green thumb but not enough green in your wallet? According to a 10-year study by Burpee Seeds completed last year, a $50 investment in gardening supplies will save you $1250 a year in produce. It is for these savings in food costs that there's been a recent "bloom" in the number of people buying seeds and deciding to start up their own gardens.

Seed companies have been one of the few industries to thrive during this recession. The National Gardening Association predicts an increase of 19 percent in home garden production for this year, and community gardens across the U.S. have become so popular there's a long waiting list to get your own plot.

Despite the fact that it takes at least several extra hours a week invested in tending your own, that hasn't deterred many from making the decision to begin a new gardening project. Read the rest of this entry »

When money gets tight and drastic budget changes need to be made, people can eliminate their cable TV, their nights-out, cell phone, or internet. But people can't eliminate food from their monthly expenses, so they're forced to resort to cheaper alternatives of their regular meals. And since a lot of people lead such busy lifestyles, both of these factors mean that people choose value items from fast-food restaurants as their alternative.

There are quite a few chains now offering the Dollar Menu — fast food to go for only a buck an item. These items, however, tend to be overloaded with calories, animal fat, salt, and carbs, and of very low nutritional value.
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