Post Published: Sunday, February 15th, 2009

You have seen the signs and claims as much as I have.  Nontoxic!  A sense of relief issues forth and we, more or less, feel we are safe.  It doesn’t matter what product we’re talking about, or what service, the fear or measure of security is there once we see the nontoxic claim.

Being a dry cleaner (Greensleeves) of a truly nontoxic and environmentally safe process and plant, and, I’ll admit, a bit of an environmental sentinel, I see the signs everywhere on dry cleaners.  Nontoxic!  I know better but the public does not and it irritates me to see these dry cleaners hanging out these nontoxic signs with utter impunity.  One store (or more) I’ve seen actually has a picture of Rainbow Trout swimming into a dry cleaning machine as a demonstration of how safe their solvent is.  The sign says, “So safe even Rainbow Trout can live in it.”

First their solvent is Isaparafin Hydrocarbon, a toxic synthetic petroleum distillate - like virtually all petroleum related substances.  Second, it is devoid of any free oxygen, a must for any fish to live in since fish need oxygen and they obtain it from the liquid they are ’swimming” in - their form of breathing.

This assaulted my sense of dignity as an environmentally safe dry cleaner that goes to great lengths to make sure every aspect of our plant and process is safe for the environment and, at the same time, gives us an outstanding cleaning without harming the environment, the person who wears it or our employees that do the cleaning.  The picture of those trout got stuck in my head.  I knew the claim was ridiculous but how could they get away with it?

Looking into it I found some rather disturbing “loopholes” in the country’s labeling laws.  Unless a substance is proven to be toxic through official studies and tests, it is considered nontoxic and can be so labeled.  The substance can be a deadly poison but unless it had been officially designated a toxic substance through proper studies it can be labeled, advertised, broadcast to the whole world that it is nontoxic.

Caveat Emptor.  Buyer beware, read between the lines.  Read the labels and get to the details.  Look for substances you don’t know and put the item back on the shelf.  Almost absurd advice in today’s world of products with so many chemicals or so many unfamiliar names that even a qualified chemist can’t tell you if everything in the product is safe 0r n0t.  And that’s just the way corporate America wants it.

The Good News. The internet has opened so many avenues of awareness to the common people like you and me that we can find out the real deal in a matter of seconds - if we take the time to look.  There are so many watchdog sites that are out there spreading the news and opening the truth to everyone that we have little excuse for purchasing a product or service that isn’t safe for us.  

One refuge of truth and a site I heartily recommend is focused on safety for products in the arts but covers many products and services. Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety  and the offer fact sheets on many substances here:   http://artscraftstheatersafety.org/datasheets.html

There are many other similar sites out there and if you can’t find information on the substance or service you are looking for, write to some of the people that run these sites, they’ll be glad to help.  Or write to me and I’ll do whatever I can to find the information for you.  

The important thing here is to not use or stop using  any service or product that has toxins in it.  It most certainloy is not good for your health.

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Post Published: Friday, January 11th, 2008

DATE: 1/8/2008 4:58:00 PM
“Oh, Christmas Tree, Oh, Christmas Tree….”
It is always a sad moment when the tree comes down. You put away all the beautiful ornaments, clean up all the errant pine needles and drag the tree outside, leaving a trail of needles behind you.
Suddenly there is a big empty space in your home where the tree stood. The aroma of pine barely lingers on and somehow the house seems quieter, missing some integral part. Thoughts of next year assuage the melancholy and maybe a little bit of planning of getting new lights or more ornaments help, too.
A soft voice whispers guilt for cutting the life of that beautiful tree so short. But it had a noble cause, bringing joy and goodwill of the season if but a short time.
It doesn’t have to end there. Many towns have recycling programs that take all those trees and make rich mulch from them. Returning from whence it came, making the soil rich and fecund for the next year, continuing the goodness with which it had been endowed.
Find the nearest program to your home: CLICK HERE. or call 1-800-CLEANUP

Christmas Tree Facts:

  • There are approximately 30-35 million Real Christmas Trees sold in the U.S. every year.
  • An estimated 175,000 Real Christmas Trees are sold via e-commerce or catalogue and shipped mail-order.Real Christmas Trees are grown on farms
  • North American Real Christmas Trees are grown in
    all 50 states and Canada. Eighty-five percent (85%) of artificial trees
    sold in the U.S. are manufactured in China.
  • Real Trees are a renewable, recyclable
    resource. Artificial trees contain non-biodegradable plastics and
    possible metal toxins such as lead..
  • For every Real Christmas Tree harvested, up to 3 seedlings are planted in its place the following spring.
  • There are about 500,000 acres in production for
    growing Christmas Trees in the U.S. Each acre provides the daily oxygen
    requirements of 18 people.
  • There are about 21,000 Christmas Tree growers in the U.S., and over 100,000 people employed full or part-time in the industry.
  • It can take as many as 15 years to grow a tree
    of average retail sale height (6 - 7 feet) or as little as 4 years, but
    the average growing time is 7 years.
  • The top Christmas Tree producing states are Oregon, North Carolina, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Washington.
  • The top selling Christmas Trees are: balsam fir, Douglas-fir, Fraser fir, noble fir, Scotch pine, Virginia pine and white pine. USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service,
    National Christmas Tree Association (NCTA) and your local Christmas
    Tree professional.

Which is Better? Real Tree vs. Artificial Tree:


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