15 Things You Should Never Buy Again - For a better world.

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15 Things You Should Never Buy Again

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For a better world, boycott dangerous products

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more informations:

http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/shopunshop/unshopping/neverbuy.cfm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Styrofoam cups

Styrofoam is forever. It's not biodegradable.

Alternative: Buy recyclable and compostable paper cups.

Best option: Invest in some reusable mugs that you can take with you.

 

2. Paper towels

Paper towels waste forest resources, landfill space, and your money.

Alternative: When you do buy paper towels, look for recycled, non-bleached

products. Search the National Green PagesT for recycled paper products.

Best option: Buy dishtowels or rags to wash and reuse.

 

 

3. Bleached coffee filters

Dioxins, chemicals formed during the chlorine bleaching process,

contaminate groundwater and air and are linked to cancer in humans and animals.

Alternative: Look for unbleached paper filters.

Best Option: Use reusable filters such as washable cloth filters.

 

4. Overpackaged foods and other products

Excess packaging wastes resources and costs you much more. Around thirty

three percent of trash in the average American household comes from packaging.

Alternative: Buy products with minimal or reusable packaging.

Best Option: Buy in bulk and use your own containers when shopping.

 

5. Teak and mahogany

Every year, 27 million acres of tropical rainforest (an area the size of

Ohio) are destroyed. Rainforests cover 6% of Earth's surface and are home to

over half of the world's wild plant, animal, and insect species. The Amazon

rainforest produces 40 percent of the world's oxygen.

Alternative: Look for Forest Stewardship Council certified wood.

Best Option: Reuse wood, and buy furniture and other products made from

used or salvaged wood.

 

Learn how to become WoodWise at home and in your office »

 

6.Chemical pesticides and herbicides

American households use 80 million pounds of pesticides each year. The EPA

found at least one pesticide in almost every water and fish sample from streams

and in more than one-half of shallow wells sampled in agricultural and urban

areas. These chemicals pose threats to animals and people, especially children.

Alternatives: Buy organic pest controllers such as diatomaceous earth.

Best Option: Plant native plants and practice integrated pest management.

Plant flowers and herbs that act as natural pesticides.

 

7. Conventional household cleaners

Household products can contain hazardous ingredients such as organic

solvents and petroleum-based chemicals that can release volatile organic

compounds (VOCs) into your indoor environment, positing a particular danger for

children. The average American household has three to ten of hazardous matter in

the home.

Alternative: Look for nontoxic, vegetable-based, biodegradeable cleaners.

Best Option: Try making your own green cleaner using vinegar, water, and

castile soap.

 

Find safe, green cleaners in the National Green PagesT»

 

8. Higher octane gas than you need

Only one car in ten manufactured since 1982 requires high-octane gasoline.

High-octane gas releases more hazardous pollutants into the air, and may be bad

for your car.

Alternative: Buy the lowest-octane gas your car requires as listed in your

owner's manual

Best option: Make your next car purchase a hybrid. Or ditch the car and

take public transportation, ride a bike, or walk.

 

Learn more about green transportation »

 

9. Toys made with PVC plastic

70% of PVC is used in construction, but it is also found in everyday

plastics, including some children's toys. Vinyl chloride, the chemical used to

make PVC, is a known human carcinogen. Also, additives, such as lead and

cadmium, are sometimes added to PVC to keep it from breaking down; these

additives can be particularly dangerous in children's toys. PVC is also the

least recycled plastic.

Alternative: Avoid plastics that are labeled as " PVC " or " #3. " Look for #1

and #2 plastics, which are easier to recycle and don't produce as many toxins.

Use sustainable construction materials.

Best option: Take action to tell manufacturers to stop using PVC plastics,

especially in children's toys.

 

See animation about PVC:

 

Find safe toys in the National Green PagesT »

 

10. Plastic forks and spoons

Disposable plastic utensils are not biodegradeable and not recyclable in

most areas.

Alternative: Use compostable food service items. Companies such as Biocorp

make cutlery from plant materials such as corn starch and cellulose.

Best option: Carry your own utensils and food containers.

 

 

Learn more:

 

a.. Five more things you should never buy again »

b.. Get our free email newsletter

c.. Find everyday green living tips in the Real Money newsletter

Information updated from 50 Simple Things You Can Do to Save the Earth,

The EarthWorks Group, The Green Consumer. John Elkington, Julia Hailes, and Joel

Makower.

 

 

 

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5 More Things You Should Never Buy Again

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1. Farm raised salmon. Several studies, including one performed by

researchers at Indiana University, have found that PCB's and other environmental

toxins are present at higher levels in farm raised salmon than wild salmon.

 

Pregnant women, women of child-bearing ages, and children should be very

careful when choosing fish due to high levels of environmental toxins including

mercury found in many fish. Check out our Safe Seafood Tip Sheet to see what the

environmental and health risks posed by different fish.

 

2. Rayon. Developed and manufactured by DuPont as the world's first

synthetic fiber, it is made by from liquefied wood pulp. Unfortunately, turning

wood into rayon is wasteful and dirty, because lots of water and chemicals are

needed to extract usable fibers from trees. Only about a third of the pulp

obtained from a tree will end up in finished rayon thread. The resulting fabrics

usually require dry cleaning, which is an environmental concern as well as an

added expense and inconvenience.

 

Much of the our rayon sold comes from developing countries, such as

Indonesia, where environmental and labor laws are weak and poorly enforced.

There is mounting evidence that rayon clothing manufacturing contributes to

significant forest destruction and pollution in other countries. Learn more

about WoodWise clothes »

 

3. Beauty/Body Care with Phthalates and Parabens. Phthalates are a group

of industrial chemicals linked to birth defects that are used in many cosmetic

products, from nail polish to deodorant. Parabens are preservatives used in many

cosmetics that have been linked to breast cancer though more research is needed.

Phthalates are not listed on product labels and can only be detected in

laboratory tests. To be safe, choose products from companies that have signed on

to the Compact for Safe Cosmetics. Learn more in our Real Money article, " The

Ugly Side of Cosmetics " »

 

4. Cling Wrap. Many people don't realize that cling wrap may be made with

PVC. #3 PVC (polyvinyl chloride) leaches toxins when heated or microwaved and it

is an environmental problem throughout its lifecycle. Read more about problems

with plastics »

 

5. High VOC Paints and Finishes. Volatile organic compounds or VOCs can

cause health problems from dizziness to lung and kidney damage and are infamous

for polluting both indoor and outdoor air. VOCs are found in products including

paints as well as finishes used for wood, such a stains or varnishes. There are

now a wide array of low or no-VOC paints on the market. Look for paints

certified by Green Seal (www.greenseal.org). Or, look for natural paints made by

green businesses listed in our National Green PagesT.

 

Learn more ...

 

a.. Get our free email newsletter

b.. Find everyday green living tips in the Real Money newsletter

c.. Check out our original list of ten things to never buy again

 

Source:

http://www.coopamerica.org/programs/shopunshop/unshopping/neverbuy.cfm