 |
What chemicals are in your baby shampoo? Was sweatshop labor used to make your t-shirt? What products are the best, and what products should you avoid?
Increasingly, you want to know about the impacts of the products you buy. On your health. On the environment. On society. But unless you’ve got a Ph.D, it is almost impossible to find out the impacts of the products you buy. Until now…
|
|
 |
Almost all consumer electronics (mobile phones, computers, monitors, printers, etc.) contain toxic materials such as lead, mercury, arsenic and a broad variety of other materials that pose a threat to the environment and health. The challenge is to extend device usage to end-of-life, safely mine existing eWaste for materials, and design new devices with planned reclamation using reclaimed materials where possible.
|
|
 |
Finding a convenient, healthy snack can be difficult in workplaces and schools where fruit trees are long gone and the best on offer now comes from a vending machine stuffed with junk. In this troubled economic times, many schools are forced to shut down their cafeteria services and replace them with rows of vending machines.
|
|
 |
In the US alone, consumers spent hundreds of billions of dollars in fast food alone. Modern consumers have an ambivalent relationship (characterized by guilt) with fast food, particularly in relation to children. This guilt is projected onto processed food, where bizarre tales of contamination and lax standards are widely believed. Trans fats which are commonly found in fast food have been shown in many tests to have a negative health effect on the body. Excessive calories are another issue with fast food. A regular meal at McDonald's consists of a Big Mac, large fries, and a large Coca-Cola drink amounting to 1430 calories
|
|
 |
The local food movement in which sustainable food production, processing, distribution, and consumption is integrated to enhance the economic, environmental and social health of a particular place and is considered to be a part of a broader sustainability movement. Urban farming — the art of growing vegetables in cities has become increasingly trendy in recent years, led by health-conscious foodies coveting just-picked produce, as well as hipsters who dig the roll-your-own vibe.
|
|
 |
Water towers, TV antennas, parking garages and other structures tend to be ignored within the ubiquitous context of their surroundings and get destroyed when decommissioned. However these often overlooked structures can offer amazing opportunities for renovations. As green buildings have become more popular and important, developers are looking for ways to renovate older buildings and structures into modern, efficient and healthy spaces.
|
|
 |
Urban farming or the art of growing vegetables in cities has become increasingly trendy in recent years, led by health-conscious foodies coveting just-picked produce, as well as hipsters who dig the roll-your-own vibe. Our world faces many food-resource problems, and a massive increase in edible gardening could help solve them. This has worked before. During World Wars I and II, the government urged city dwellers and suburbanites to plant food in their yards. The project, called victory garden worked: The effort grew roughly 40 percent of the fresh veggies consumed in the US in 1942 and 1943.
|
|
 |
Deer reproduce quickly - a healthy herd can almost double its numbers during one favorable year. If you are to believe some advocates, an increase in deer hunting opportunities in appropriate areas is one way to help address the effects of expanding deer populations and to ensure healthy, sustainable herds. There are 17 million deer hunters in the USA alone, and the whitetail-lure business - a $44-million-a-year market - keeps growing.
|
|
 |
Bottled water is healthy than tap water? That’s what marketers would have us believe. Just look at the labels or the bottled water ads: deep, pristine pools of spring water; majestic alpine peaks; healthy, active people gulping down icy bottled water between biking in the park and a trip to the yoga studio. Whether bottled water is better than tap water, and justifies its expense, remains under debate.
|
|
 |
Traditionally snacks were prepared from ingredients commonly available in the home, often leftovers, sandwiches made from cold cuts, nuts, fruit, and the like. With the multiplication of convenience stores, packaged snack foods are now a significant business. Snack foods are typically designed to be portable, quick and satisfying. However, They often contain substantial amounts of sweeteners, preservatives, and appealing ingredients such as chocolate, peanuts, and specially designed flavors (such as flavored potato chips).
|
|
