Oh Crap! If your Grocer provides disinfectant wipes you should use them

I have noticed that my local grocery store has started to provide disinfectant wipes. Initially I thought it was to kill off germs from the common cold or the flu, but that isn't all that needs to be cleaned from your shopping cart.  According an article in USA Today  72 percent of shopping carts will test positive for..  FECAL MATTER!!!  50 Percent will contain E'Coli as well, not only should you wipe down your carts but wash your hands and produce when you get home.

Photo Via: USA Today by Paul Vernon AP

Why are they finding so much fecal matter on the handles of shopping carts, more than is found in bathrooms, because shopping carts are not washed or cleaned, those disinfecting wipes are there for you to do the job.  The article mentions that a recent study found that children who touch cart handles get sick from salmonella at a higher rate than others, all that hand to mouth action that, hopefully, we as adults don't do.  Who is depositing all the fecal matter on the carts I wonder, could it be the child in the seat area, perhaps it is from nature as the cart sits in the parking lot, birds, as we know, hang out in populated areas and do carry salmonella, not only are they angry birds but dirty birds too. 

Greenwashing: How companies bury the truth to get you to believe.

 My husband is testifying to a senate sub committee today about using green products.. He is getting his paperwork together and had a printout with this website on it so I took a peek.. 

The website is called "the Sins of Greenwashing" defines the term Greenwashing like this:

"Green-wash (green’wash’, -wôsh’) – verb: the act of misleading consumers regarding the environmental practices of a company or the environmental benefits of a product or service. "

The Story of Stuff and Bottled Water..

Watch this short presentation about bottled water and how big business is making you believe you need to purchase this product when they are actually trying to boost their bottom line.  The Story of Stuff style to tell the story of manufactured demand—how you get Americans to buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week when it already flows from the tap.

“Did You Know…”

• According to a five-year EPA study, the air in an average American home has chemical contamination levels three to five times greater than outdoor air. The EPA maintains that half of all illnesses occurring in the United States can be attributed to chemical contamination of indoor air. In fact, a 1985 EPA report states that household cleaners are three times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air pollution.
• After analyzing 2,983 chemicals used in personal care products 884 were found to be toxic.
• According to the National Safety Council, more children under the age of four die of accidental poisonings at home than are accidentally killed with guns at home.
• We spend 90% of our time indoors, and 65% of our time at home. Moms, infants and the elderly spend 90% of their time at home.
• National Cancer Association released results of a 15 year study concluding that women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of developing cancer than women who work outside the home.
• Of chemicals commonly found in homes, 150 have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psychological abnormalities.
• According to the American Cancer Society, there has been a 26% increase in cancer over the past two decades.

Here are just a few of the dangers that may be in your home;

Dirty Friday

It was a much needed day of dusting and cleaning, not the most exciting blog post.   I cleaned radiators and windows, oh what joy..  In brighter news it was a very productive day and I accomplished a lot.  I didn't garden but do need to think about cleaning out what is left of the vegetable garden and emptying out the composter in preparation for winter.

DAILY WORKOUT:  Back and BicepsX..

I love working arms which makes this one of my more favorite workouts.  Challenging and forgiving all at the same time, plus I love spending time in my newly cleaned room.  I am such a sap.