By ecoRI.org News staff
Madison Avenue’s
stealth use of labels to market everything from cologne to jeans has been
co-opted by K Street. Candidates are elected or not based on catchy labels
produced by pundits, political advisers and marketing agencies. Flip-flopper,
insider, outsider, moderate, pro-choice, pro-family, flaming liberal, bleeding
heart, ultraconservative and hawk are among the empty tags we affix to
Republicans, Democrats, Independents, Greens and Cool Moose.
Candidates are seldom
elected based on their ideas, honesty, integrity and intellect. The same could
be said for many of our purchases. Advertisers spent $144 billion in 2011 to
entice us to buy more and more stuff, much of it unnecessary and bad for public
health and the environment.
The following is a
list of some products you don’t need, but are advertised as if they are
essential to our existence:
Bottled
water. Americans buy half a
billion bottles of water weekly. Many people buy bottled water thinking they’re
avoiding any contaminants that may be present in their tap water. Bottled
water, however, can be just as, or even more, contaminated than tap water. In
fact, some bottled water is tap water – overpriced and packaged in plastic that
can leach chemicals into the water. Also, from manufacture to disposal, bottled
water creates an enormous amount of pollution and waste. Our elected officials
spend about $18,000 of taxpayer money annually to provide bottled water at the
Statehouse. Perhaps they too should invest in reusable stainless steel water
bottles.
Fragrance
products. Chemical fragrances
found in everyday products such as air fresheners, dryer sheets, perfumes and
colognes can trigger asthma. Some of the chemicals mimic estrogen, a process
that may increase the risk of breast cancer. For example, diethyl phthalate
(DEP) is absorbed through the skin and can accumulate in human fat tissue.
Phthalates are suspected carcinogens and hormone disruptors that are
increasingly being linked to reproductive disorders.
Canned
food. Food cans are lined
with bisphenol-A (BPA). Most experts believe this is our main source of
exposure to BPA, which has been linked to early puberty, cancer, obesity, heart
disease and depression in young girls. Many food brands have gone BPA free,
including Campbell’s Soup. However, some companies have switched to BPS, BPA’s
chemical cousin, which has been linked many of the same health effects. To be
safe, opt for fresh, frozen, dried or jarred foods.
Toxic
cleaners. It’s a bit odd to
“clean” your oven, floors, counters and toilets with toxic chemicals. Corrosive
or caustic cleaners, such as the lye and acids found in drain cleaners, oven cleaners
and acid-based toilet bowl cleaners are dangerous cleaning products because
they burn skin, eyes and internal tissue easily. It’s simple and effective to
use non-toxic cleaners or to make your own.
Pesticides. This is a huge category of products, but
they deserve inclusion in their entirety because of how extremely toxic they
are. They are made to be. That’s how they kill things. But, solving your pest
problem may leave you with another problem — residual poisons that linger on
surfaces, contaminate air and get tracked into the house on the bottom of
shoes. There are many non-toxic ways to eliminate pests and weeds.
Triclosan. This antibacterial agent is found in soaps,
toothpastes, mouthwashes and deodorants. Studies have found triclosan may harm
the human immune system, which makes people more likely to develop allergies,
and reduces muscle strength in humans and animals. The FDA warns consumers to
read labels for triclosan and recommends using plain soap to clean up. Instead
of using antibacterial hand sanitizers made with triclosan, choose an
alternative made with at least 60 percent alcohol.
Nonstick
cookware. Studies show that perfluorinated
chemicals (PFCs), which make products stain and stick resistant, are linked to
cancer and low birth weights. They are incredibly persistent and can now be
found worldwide, including in the bodies of polar bears. PFCs also are found in
microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes, some dental flosses, furniture and
clothing. To steer clear of PFCs, avoid products made with Teflon or list
ingredients beginning with “fluoro” or “perfluoro.”