Green Living

In Australia, BASIX rules make it compulsory for every new house to have at least one water tank, depending on the size of the house as well as the balance of BASIX points that need to be made up.

So what do you do when you’re struggling to stay within a budget? - look for the cheapest tank of course.  However, the cheapest tank on the market, Zincalume, is not the prettiest and doesn’t have much of a warranty.

ZINCALUME, STEEL or GALVANISED TANKS

Tasmania is heavily marketed as a pristine island with untouched wilderness areas, pure waterways and tasty, fresh, natural produce. Gourmet cheese and yoghurt, Tasmanian salmon, Oysters, berries - we've all bought these before believing that produce from Tasmania was fresher, healthier, tastier and cleaner than what we could buy elsewhere. However, Tasmania's clean and green reputation is misleading and falsely earned.

Who would have guessed that Tasma nians experience the highest rates of cancer, Parkinson's disease, asthma, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, dental decay and toothlessness in Australia. It's not just the people who are suffering, Tasmania's wildlife are also extremely unwell. The Tasmanian devils have an aggressive, contagious form of cancer which has decimated their population. Their platypus and frogs get fungal infections and the marsupials toxoplasmosis. Tasmania's seals have tuberculosis and the echidnas staphylococcal infections.

This unnaturally high level of disease is most likely a result of long-term environmental pollution produced by the mining, agricultural and forestry industries as well as water fluoridation plants. With 41 fluoridation plants in operation, Tasmania is the most fluoridated state. It was also the first state to receive water fluoridation.

In addition to the toxic pesticides, fertilisers and other unidentified chemicals that are commonly found in the water catchments and rivers that provide drinking water to Tasmania's towns, you'll find sodium fluoride (a byproduct of aluminium smelting) and fluorosilicic acid (from superphosphate manufacturing) as well as their associated heavy metals, lead, cadmium, mercury and arsenic.

Heavy metals produced by the mining industry also contaminate old mine sites, waterways, landfill sites and even residential and recreational areas. Like feed-lot cattle, intensively farmed salmon are fed antibiotics which find their way into the marine ecosystem and wild fish.

It's such a shame that Tasmania's human and wildlife population are being so blatantly exploited and polluted by big industry but the rest of Australia is also being subjected to the same sorts of toxins by the same industries - we're just more spread out. What's happening in Tasmania should be a big red flag to the rest of us. We cannot afford to sit back and accept chronic disease as inevitable and environmental pollution as a sign of progress.

Do some research, find out if your own backyard is being contaminated by toxic waste, pesticides and byproducts of industry. Speak out about it, educate others and hold your local politicians accountable until they acknowledge the problem and join in the fight. Do nothing and we all pay the price.

If you're drinking water from a plastic or concrete rainwater tank then you're getting more than just H20. You could also be drinking heavy metals, pesticides, bisphenol A, harmful bacteria and tank water sludge.

The quality and safety of your rainwater depends on many factors including the type and condition of the roof and gutters it's diverted from, the presence of airborne contaminants such as pesticides, industrial pollution, dust etc, the type and condition of your water tank, how often you clean out your tank, how often you clean out your gutters, how long the water remains in the tank.

With the right type of tank, proper roof and tank maintenance and filtration, it is possible to drink rainwater safely. Drinking water should only ever be stored in a stainless steel tank. Yes, they are more expensive than plastic tanks and can be harder to get but they are safer, longer-lasting, easier to keep clean and if you only use it for drinking water, you only need a relatively small tank.

Colorbond, galvanised, fibreglass and concrete water tanks are all sealed or lined with epoxy resins. They'll tell you that the linings are "food grade" but that doesn't mean they're safe.

Bisphenol A or BPA is the toxic chemical culprit that leaches out of these linings and into your drinking water even from a new tank. It is a reproductive toxin and likely carcinogen and so widespread that over 90% of people tested in recent studies run by the US Centers for Disease Control & Prevention Environmental Health Laboratory, had Bisphenol A in their urine. Not only is it not possible to filter Bisphenol A out of your water but some water filter systems actually contain Bisphenol A.*

Sunlight, heat and bacteria will cause the linings to break down, as will the addition of chlorine for water disinfection, releasing more plastics into your water as well as eventually exposing your water to the underlying tank materials.

Storing your rainwater in stainless steel is therefore a must if you intend to drink it. However, you should still filter your tank water before drinking it to remove heavy metals and pesticides with a standard twin filter system attached to your kitchen sink. *Gwarehouse water filters are guaranteed Bisphenol A-free.

A 3000litre stainless steel tank is more than enough for your drinking water and a tank this size from Gwarehouse costs $1,640 (not including freight). If you already have another type of tank, you should collect your water directly into the stainless steel tank and then channel the overflow into your other tanks.

Our tanks are made from 304 stainless steel, are made with no rivets or screws and are guaranteed to outlast any other tank.

Keeping your manicured and painted nails looking good can be tiresome and expensive. Why not just use house paint? Yes, I’m being facetious, but it is true that house paint and nail polish have many ingredients in common. Ingredients such as toluene, formaldehyde, phthalates and acetates produce toxic VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) as house paints dry and for an undetermined period afterwards. In fact, less than 50% of VOCs are released in the first year after painting.

Breathing in these chemicals can cause symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, headache and fatigue. And over time, they are carcinogenic and neurotoxic. They are especially dangerous to pregnant women and children and can affect the development of the foetus, the breastfed baby and growing child. You’d have to be crazy to have your house painted if you’re pregnant, breastfeeding or have small children ar ound. Yet many “nesting” mothers and young parents wanting to renovate do just this. Well, the same goes for painting your nails – you’d have to be crazy.

What’s that smell?

Nail polish may not smell as bad as house paint but that’s because synthetic perfumes are often used in an attempt to mask the highly chemical smell of solvents and alcohol. Synthetic fragrances are derived from petrochemicals such as benzenes and aldehydes. They accumulate in human tissue and are found in breast milk and have been linked to cancer and birth defects.
They have been placed in the same category as second hand smoke when it comes to triggering asthma by the Institute of Medicine. Skin allergies, sinus problems and migraine headaches can all be triggered by synthetic perfumes, yet most people don’t recognize the trigger.

Toluene, used to make nail polish smooth and long-lasting, Formaldehyde, for its hardening ability and Dibutyl Phthalate, used as a plasticiser, have been removed from some nail polish brands, mostly due to pressure from groups such as the Environmental Working Group. This is a start, but other ingredients commonly found in many of these brands of nail polish, which really shouldn’t be there, include:

FD&C Colour & Pigments: Synthetic colours from coal tar containing heavy metals that get absorbed into skin causing sensitivity and local irritation. Known to be carcinogenic.

Acetates: Irritating to skin, eyes and respiratory tract, make nails yellow, brittle and weak. These chemicals make up 60-70% of this type of nail polish.

Camphor: Irritating to the eyes, nose, and throat. Can disrupt the central nervous system, causing dizziness and confusion, nausea and even twitching muscles. Is easily absorbed through the skin.

Isopropyl alcohol: Irritating to eyes and mucous membranes (mouth and nose lining); Prolonged contact can cause eczema.

Perfluorinated chemicals such as PTFE or Teflon: These are now known to be reproductive and immune system toxins and carcinogens; used to make nail polish more chip resistant.

Water-based nail polish - safer than toluene/formaldehyde free nail polish
It is possible to make a 100% natural nail polish but it would wash off too easily in water. Suncoat is not 100% natural but it is about as natural as you can get. It contains 70% water and only 1-3% natural colourants (earth pigments). It contains NO phthalate of any kind, no toluene and no formaldehyde.

Getting it off
Conventional nail polish remover is a very strong acetone/acetate-based solvent – similar to paint thinner or turps. It is highly volatile and extremely irritating to the eyes and lungs and long-term exposure can damage the liver and kidneys. In addition, it weakens your nails and dries out the surrounding skin.
Make sure you use Suncoat Nail Polish Remover, which is safer, plant-based and moisturising or remove Suncoat nail polish by soaking your nails in warm water for a few minutes, then scratching off.

When not to use nail polish
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you should avoid using nail polish of any type.
Don’t apply nail polish to babies or children who suck on their fingers or bite their nails.
Use safer, water-based nail polish, such as Suncoat, for special occasions.

Caree Alexander BDSc www.gwarehouse.com.au
For more information or permission to reprint this article, email gwarehouse@bigpond.com

Aluminium salts make up around 25% of most antiperspirant deodorants. They help to stop you sweating by blocking the pores in your armpits. Our bodies use sweat to cool us down and to remove toxins, so sweat is a good thing and stopping your body from sweating is not a good idea. Putting aluminium, artificial perfumes and preservatives (usually parabens) in close proximity with breast tissue is also not a good idea as studies show a relationship between aluminium in breast tissue and breast cancer. Parabens too have been linked to breast cancer.

Aluminium is also known to damage nerve cells and has been found in the brain tissue and blood of people with Alzheimers disease. It’s not meant to be in the human body but is still used in most vaccinations as a preservative and an “immune adjuvant”, designed to stimulate the immune system to react intensely for as long as possible to the vaccine virus being injected along with it. Mercury, or thimerosal, has also been used in vaccines for the same purpose. Although thimerosal (linked to Autism) has been removed from most childhood vaccines (except for Hepatitis B), it has been replaced with Aluminium Hydroxide.
You should think seriously about avoiding anything which might introduce aluminium into your body, that also includes cooking in aluminium, drinking from aluminium, eating food from aluminium cans, living anywhere near an aluminium smelter.....

What about crystal deodorants?
If you don’t want aluminium in your deodorant, you probably shouldn’t be using a crystal deodorant stone. Crystal deodorants are made from alum, or potassium aluminium sulphate. Although thought to be a safer alternative to aluminium chloride or chlorohydrate, the aluminium compounds linked to Alzheimers disease and breast cancer, they are still aluminium salts. Alum is made up of larger molecules, believed to be too large to be absorbed into the body via the sweat ducts of the armpits.

However, with aluminium’s reputation as a neurotoxin and pseudo-oestrogen, we really should steer clear of it altogether. There are some excellent, effective, truly aluminium-free deodorants available (at www.gwarehouse.com.au). Alternatively, you can try going without although this requires frequent showering, especially at this time of year). You can also try applying a pinch of bicarb soda to your pits to help absorb BO, however, some brands of bicarb may also be contaminated with aluminium. Yet another dilemma!

You’ve heard of passive solar homes – they’re the ones positioned on the block to make the most of the sun in winter. They utilise thermal mass in the form of internal brickwork and concrete slabs to absorb the heat during the day and release it back into the home at night. Less energy is expended on artificially heating your home, saving you money at the same time.

But what about passive cooling your home in summer? Just opening your windows does not guarantee cool air will enter your home. Cross ventilation is achieved when windows and doors oppose one another. Cracking the windows rather than opening them wide will be more effective in creating a breeze. Lighter colours will reduce heat buildup in your home, as will awnings, blinds and covered verandahs. Deciduous trees and shrubs on the Northern and Western aspects of a home will be a blessing in summer and allow the sun in for winter.
Roof ventilation is critical in the passive cooled home. The correct number of vents, strategically placed, depending on roof type, will ultimately control the living space below. If you live in a subtropical/ tropical region you might want to think twice about having ceiling insulation installed. You could well end up even more uncomfortable in summer with insulation.

Ceiling insulation without adequate ventilation leads to condensation and mould building up in the ceiling space, especially when *sarking (builder’s foil) is used in combination with insulation. Heat is held in the roof space and air conditioning systems have to work overtime to have any measurable effect. Structural damage from rising damp, mould, mildew and termite and rodent infestation are the likely outcome. Ventilation is necessary to evacuate hot, moist air from the roof space caused by condensation, exhaust fans from bathrooms, kitchens and laundries.

For more information on the selection and correct placement of vents, visit Gwarehouse. We’re serious about developing revolutionary ventilation systems because proper ventilation is far more important to the health of your home and yourself than insulation will ever be.
*Sarking is generally used as a thermal moisture barrier and secondary radiant reflector.

So how are we supposed to clean up a broken CFL? 

• Open nearby windows and ventilate the room before attempting to clean up;
• Do not vacuum;
• Use protective clothing, including disposable gloves and a disposable brush to gently sweep up the pieces;
• Use moist paper towel to wipe up remaining small fragments;
• Wrap remains in newspaper and then in a bag or sealable container, along with the cleaning equipment used, including gloves, brush, damp paper;
• Place this in your outside rubbish bin.