A Plastic Lawn?


SYNTHETIC TURF

Real plants for real habitats

I disagree with a bill in the Minnesota Legislature about synthetic turf (HF 3705/SF 3869).

Synthetic turf has been framed as a sustainable solution for dealing with the climate crisis, drought and drainage issues. Unfortunately, many want to believe in this easy but expensive solution and believe without evidence that it is a sustainable practice. This is greenwashing and a false solution for helping our climate crisis. Synthetic turf is made of plastic. It has all the terrible side effects of plastic pollution. It breaks down in the sun and breaks down with use. It leaches toxic chemicals into our water and breaks down into microfibers. Synthetic turf is not healthy for children, pets, wildlife or adults to recreate on. It is not a sensible solution for a green lawn.

If plastic were a country, it would be the fifth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the world. We shouldn’t be encouraging the use of more plastic. We should be reducing our plastic use, not increasing it.

Synthetic turf is terrible at managing stormwater runoff. Even if it is permeable, the water will run right under it and cause erosion as it finds a muddy path to the nearest waterway. Deep rooted plants are the master of absorbing runoff and holding the soil. They are a proven solution.

The state of Minnesota is putting lots of money into bee lawns. Let’s pivot to them in times of drought. Bee lawns help pollinators, improve water quality and work for the healthy communities the public wants. Bee lawns are real, not fake. They are a low-maintenance and sustainable solution, and bee lawns can be adjusted and planted for everyone’s needs.

Becky Wardell Gaertner, Minneapolis

I like violets in a bee lawn, they are hearty, can be mowed and bees like them.

Tips to fight food waste

Waste less food: Food Waste Prevention Week is April 1-7

One trillion dollars of food is wasted yearly. We can all do better!

People are starving in Gaza, Sudan, Syria and other places in the world, let’s not waste food.

**Why is reducing food waste so important?

It saves Money

Wasting food is expensive. Every year, Americans lose more than $218 billion on wasted food. In Florida, the average family of four throws out around $1,600 worth of food annually. Households are responsible for the most wasted food. If we begin to reduce and prevent food waste, we can save that money that is wasted on spoiled food.

It reduces hunger in our communities

In the US, approximately 40% of all food grown and produced is never eaten. That’s a lot of food wasted that could go to people that don’t have access to food. 1 in 5 people lack consistent access to nutritious food, while up to 3 million tons of wasted food goes to landfills annually. Recovered food provides an additional source of nutritious food.

It protects the environment

Reducing food waste is the #1 personal action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while safeguarding critical natural resources. When food is wasted, it goes into a landfill. Once in a landfill, food waste breaks down and emits greenhouse gasses, including carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4). Methane is 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide, making it more damaging to the environment. If we reduce food waste, we could save the environment from this damage.

What Can I Do?

At home
  • Save leftovers and store/freeze food in portion-ready containers
  • Cook only what is needed for that meal
  • Make one night a weekly “leftover” night to empty the refrigerator before shopping again
  • Audit what you throw away; it will influence your next shopping trip
  • Keep kitchen essentials on hand (grains, spices, sauces) that bring new life to old meals
  • Freeze ripe fruits and vegetables for baking, cooking and filling in gaps in recipes
  • Compost 
At the grocery store
  • Plan menus for the week and prepare a shopping list
  • Stick to your shopping list
  • Match your shopping to the reality of your week
  • Buy smaller quantities, if appropriate, to avoid spoilage and waste
  • Don’t shop hungry
  • Pay in cash so the amount your spending is tangible
  • If you bought items that you won’t use, donate them before the expiration date

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At work
  • If you bring a lunch, bring only what you will eat
  • In the case of leftovers, save for the next day, if you have a work refrigerator
  • If you brought too much, share with others
  • If ordering takeout/delivery, save leftovers or share an order
  • Bring leftovers from dinner last night

Check out these resources to reduce food waste and spread the word with your community, https://stopfoodwaste.ecochallenge.org 

**This information is from the city of Minneapolis and Hennepin County

https://www.ecowatch.com/global-food-waste-un-report.html

Water for Peace, Water for Life

Water is Life, we must do a better job of protecting our waters.

World Water Day March 22, 2024 is the United Nations observance day dedicated to highlighting the importance of freshwater. It serves as a reminder of the critical role water plays in our lives and ecosystems. 

 “Water for Peace” is this year’s theme. fostering peace, prosperity, and conflict prevention in the role water plays in the world.

It is shameful the poor job we do to take care of our fresh water. Our fresh waterways are teaming with microplastics, nitrates and forever chemicals. None of these safe for human exposure. In some places invasiive speciaes have been introduced that also change the entire ecosystem of our water ways.

73 percent of Minnesota nitrate pollution comes from cropland, primarily through agricultural drainage systems below cropped fields and by nitrate pollution leaching into groundwater, and then moving underground until it reaches streams. 78% of nitrate pollution to the Mississippi River in our state is fr…See more on fmr.org

At least 70 million Americans get their water from a system where toxic PFAS “forever chemicals” were found at levels that require reporting to the Environmental Protection Agency. That’s according to new data the EPA released in its ongoing 5-year review of water systems across the nation. The number will almost certainly grow as new reports are released every three months. USA Today, March 21.2024

Careless humans have transported invasive plants and animals with their boats and equipment. Invasive species disrupt aquatic ecosystems, endanger native species, and have far-reaching consequences that harm the eco-system of waterways.

Microplastics in Water: Threats and Solutions

Things are out of balance as we have allowed industry and farmers and all of us the right to pollute our waterways. We can all do better!

https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.14387

https://extension.psu.edu/nitrates-in-drinking-water

https://fmr.org/minnesota-nitrate-study-highlights-farm-runoff-pollution

https://www.npr.org/2022/06/22/1106863211/the-dangers-of-forever-chemicals

What are a few things you can do to protect our waterways?

1. Always clean your boats and equipment before entering lakes.

2. Pick up litter

3. Keep the storm drains near your home free of leaf debris and plastic waste.

4. Reduce the plastic you use, and always make sure your plastic waste is in the correct place, either recycling, landfill waste or hopefully to be reused again.

5. Plant deep rooted plants that absorb water runoff, like native grasses and native plants.

6. Create rain gardens or adjust your drain spouts to drain onto your lawn or gardens.

7. Never use artificial turf for landscaping!

Microplastics, a Problem!

Microplastic particles are found everywhere on the planet. They are in the air, water, and soil, and they are in us, in every organ of our bodies. This cannot be healthy and we need to decrease our exposure to plastic.

A new study on microplastics finds evidence that that micro plastics could be the cause of heart attacks and strokes. Scary stuff!

Scientists have long known that microplastics can infiltrate the human body. But they didn’t know what the presence of these tiny plastic particles might mean for human health. Until now. A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine finds that people with microplastics in their heart are at higher risk for heart attack, stroke, and death.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/new-microplastics-research-shows-the-scary-ways-they-re-harming-your-body/ar-BB1jwmnk?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=HCTS&cvid=179576203743415eba7241e54596c117&ei=12

Easy ways you can reduce your plastic footprint:

  • Always carry a reusable glass or metal water bottle, and reusable shopping bags with you.
  • Learn to refuse single-use plastics, such as plastic water bottles and coffee cups, straws, plastic bags and plastic utensils. 
  • Purchase fruit and produce in the bulk section, and don’t place items in plastic bags. 
  • Always search out products in glass jars instead of plastic containers. 
  • When you must buy plastic products, choose ones that you can recycle rather than ones you must put in the trash. 
  • Bring your own containers and shop the bulk section of your local food coop.
  • Purchase clothing made from cotton and wool instead of polyester or poly fibers. https://www.npr.org/2023/07/19/1188343293/is-toxic-fashion-making-us-sick-a-look-at-the-chemicals-lurking-in-our-clothes
  • Store food in glass containers instead of plastic.
  • Ditch the baggies!

Invest in Women

International Women's Day

https://www.un.org/en/observances/womens-day

From the United Nations:

Here are five key areas needing joint action:

  • Investing in women, a human rights issue: Time is running out. Gender equality is the greatest human rights challenge, benefiting everyone.
  • Ending poverty: Due to the COVID pandemic and conflicts, 75 million more people have fallen into severe poverty since 2020. Immediate action is crucial to prevent over 342 million women and girls living in poverty by 2030.
  • Implementing gender-responsive financing: Conflicts and rising prices may lead 75% of countries to cut public spending by 2025, negatively impacting women and their essential services.
  • Shifting to a green economy and care society: The current economic system disproportionately affects women. Advocates propose a shift to a green economy and care society to amplify women’s voices.
  • Supporting feminist change-makers: Despite leading efforts, feminist organizations receive only 0.13% of official development assistance.

This International Women’s Day, let’s unite to transform challenges into opportunities and shape a better future for all!

Winter is a “no snow”

Superior Views for winter 2024

The grouse and crows seem happy, the pileated woodpeckers seem happy, and squirrels and white tailed deer are overjoyed. What happened to winter? The sun is shining and the snowstorms forgot to hit the south shore of Lake Superior. The biggest surprise is golden eyes on Lake Superior already migrating through.

But what made me the happiest was that I saw an eagle swimming on Lake Superior. It was amazing! It looked like she was doing a swimming crawl stroking with her enormous wings.

The warmest February and winter on record, but it is worrying for the future when there isn’t ice on the big lake. More evaporation, more algae and a challenge for the fish to find food.

This is not ice cover. It is slush that moves around the big lake depending where the wind is blowing from.

https://www.mprnews.org/story/2024/02/22/wheres-the-ice-historic-low-superior-and-great-lakes-ice-cover

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/11/weather/midwest-non-winter-el-nino/index.html

Contribute to Peace

I’m for anything that is peaceful and kind. Get outside in March and please contribute peace to a Mindful March

Mindfulness helps us respond more wisely, especially in difficult times. So let’s pause, breathe and choose to live mindfully this month. By cultivating inner peace we can contribute to peace in the world around us too.

Look for beauty and live with awareness and kindness every day!

Consumer Reports

Producers of packaging need to be held responsible for how they are exposing consumers to harmful chemicals.

Chemicals in plastic packaging can leak into our food. Also, the plastic breaks into tiny particles (microfibers) that we consume when we are eating. None of this can be healthy for the consumer.

Harmful material in our food is upsetting. Producers of plastic need to be held responsible for the packaging they use. Corporations think they should regulate themselves. That is clearly not working! We need tough standards for our food packaging, but also in cosmetics, toys and other packaging as well.

Consumer Reports sent a letter to General Mills this week over relatively high levels of plastic chemicals called phthalates found in several products, including Cheerios, Yoplait, Progresso vegetable soup and cans of Annie’s organic cheesy ravioli.

Phthalates are “plasticizers” used in the production of plastic to make them stronger and softer and are commonly used in vinyl flooring, shampoos and plastic packaging. Health impacts in humans need further study, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but scientists have found strong associations between chronic exposure and issues with reproductive systems and child development.

Read the entire article:

https://www.startribune.com/consumer-reports-calls-out-general-mills-for-plastic-chemicals-in-food/600342084/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=evening_update

Just a year ago, the board at General Mills said that General Mills needed to reduce the plastic in their packaging https://foodindustryexecutive.com/2022/09/general-mills-shareholders-support-plastic-reduction-proposal-preliminary-results/

More articles:

Walter Morris, “Hyattsville residents raise concerns about plastic pellets spilled in train derailment,” NBC4 Washington, October 3, 2023.
2. Neel Dhamesha, “The massive, unregulated source of plastic pollution you’ve probably never heard of,” Vox, May 6, 2022.
3. Karen McVeigh “Nurdles: the worst toxic waste you’ve probably never heard of,” The Guardian, November 29, 2021.
4. Karen McVeigh, “Nurdles: the worst toxic waste you’ve probably never heard of,” November 29, 2021.
5. Lisa Frank, “New bill would stop companies from dumping plastic,” U.S. PIRG, May 25, 2022.
6. “Our waters shouldn’t be dumping grounds for plastic,” U.S. PIRG, October 3, 2023.
7. Doyle Rice, “Oh, yuck! You’re eating about a credit card’s worth of plastic every week,” USA Today, June 12

The Year of the Dragon

Happy New Year!

Wishing you good luck and good fortune in 2024, the year of the dragon.

The Vietnamese are so happy traveling home, decorating, planting red and gold flowers. I have been in Vietnam for the past month and loved their excitement.

We can learn something from them: Be kind, be happy, honor our ancestors, and eat healthy food

Red and gold decorations and red and gold flowers.

The year of the dragon

Vietnamese flag

A beautiful country

Cave of the Buddhas in Laos

Seven story pagoda

https://www.chinahighlights.com/travelguide/special-report/chinese-new-year

Plastic in our Food and Water

Many reasons to use a non-plastic reusable water bottle.

New studies on plastic start to emerge.

In a trailblazing new study, researchers have discovered bottled water sold in stores can contain 10 to 100 times more bits of plastic than previously estimated — nanoparticles so infinitesimally tiny they cannot be seen under a microscope.

Disposed plastic water bottles blanket a beach in New Taipei, Taiwan in 2022.

The plastic water bottle industry is booming. Here’s why that’s a huge problem

At 1,000th the average width of a human hair, nanoplastics are so teeny they can migrate through the tissues of the digestive tract or lungs into the bloodstream, distributing potentially harmful synthetic chemicals throughout the body and into cells, experts say.

One liter of water — the equivalent of two standard-size bottled waters — contained an average of 240,000 plastic particles from seven types of plastics, of which 90% were identified as nanoplastics and the rest were microplastics, according to the new study. https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/08/health/bottled-water-nanoplastics-study-wellness/index.html?utm_term=17051508781315d4f59f626ee&utm_source=cnn_Weekly+LBB+Automated&utm_medium=email&bt_ee=uul4Fxg9FZKZA30rzJn08%2BUBxjUR1MOAuPwj1fjq3OFfXysulwJVn0gwksla8rm%2B&bt_ts=1705150878134 Source CNN

And from Consumer Reports:

Another new report finds that 84 out of 85 supermarket foods and fast foods had plastic chemicals in them — including cereal, yogurt and even baby food.1

We shouldn’t be so nonchalant about harmful chemicals in the food we eat, and especially not in the food we serve to babies.

Tell the U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Test for, limit and, wherever possible, eliminate plastic chemical contamination in food.

Among the chemicals found in the food were “plasticizers” like BPA, once found in so many plastic water bottles, and phthalates, a chemical used to make plastic more durable.

Companies have allowed these plasticizers into a dizzying range of food products. But they seem to have forgotten to ask themselves: Should we?

After all, chronic exposure to plasticizers can disrupt the production and regulation of estrogen and other hormones, and potentially increase the risk of birth defects, cancer, diabetes, infertility, neurodevelopmental disorders, obesity and other health problems.2

We can’t keep letting companies get away with this “ask for forgiveness, not permission” approach to harmful substances in our food.

Join PIRG in urging the FDA to help get plastic chemicals out of our food. Add your name

1. Jonathan Stempel, “Consumer Reports finds ‘widespread’ presence of plastics in food,” Reuters, January 4, 2024