2011 is the International Year of Forests, and I thought it fitting to conclude the year with a final piece on some of the environmental effects of deforestation and subsequent land use that I observed and learnt about during my field trip a few months ago, to the area of Janda Baik, a small village in the state of Pahang. Janda Baik nestles among pristine rainforest hills about 30km from Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.  The visit was part of a workshop organised by Wild Asia.

The ethereal mist wafting over the vast, dense rainforest hills of Janda Baik, the smell of fresh drizzle and the silhouette of a lone bird flying against the cloud covered sun made me close my eyes and capture this frame in my mind’s camera.  A moment like this is the memory that one wants to etch forever from a trip to a land that is far removed from one’s own.

In all fairness, Janda Baik isn’t all that far from Singapore, though in the hustle and bustle of manicured city living, it is easy to forget that Kuala Lumpur (KL) is all but 5 bus-ride hours away from here.  Janda Baik is only another hour away from KL.  But as an idyllic village that is quite different from this city state – in landscape, in population mix, in politics and culture, in its pressing issues; it is easy to forget proximity, and that perhaps the demands of the country of my residence and those of a greedily growing world may have some part to play at least, in Janda Baik’s and Malaysia’s complex problems.

Illegal vs Organic Farming

Illegal farm on the slopes of Janda Baik

My reverie and savouring of the beautiful distant hills came to an abrupt end as our local guide Zaini pointed to our immediate left. A steep slope had been razed off completely to make way for what he pronounced as an illegal farm.  He directed our eyes to the hilltop where bamboo poles had been haphazardly erected. The bamboo came from the forest too, and was fast disappearing in Zaini’s estimates.  From the top to the bottom of the hill which disappeared into the valley, there were vegetables growing amidst various structures and poles to support straggling vines.

There are many such illegal farms in Janda Baik, according to Zaini, a fact I haven’t been able to verify yet with official statistics, but if what he says is true, the consequences could be quite alarming. For one, it is quite obvious even to a casual observer how exposed the hills become to landslides without the strong, supportive roots of the trees. There can be little control over the amount and quality of fertilisers and pesticides used on illegal farms. The runoffs from these could flow quite easily and without much interruption down the hills into the streams and rivers.

Zaini as our guide

Zaini said he once asked to buy veggies from an illegal farmer who replied, “Oh, These vegetables are not for ‘eating’, they are for ‘sale.’   This is the implied level of synthetic chemicals used in such farms.  It’s hard to tell whether veggies like these come into Singapore, which depends on external countries including Malaysia for 98% of its food imports.  One also needs to explore and understand what kind of pesticide residue checks the official food agency in Singapore, the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) follows, how supplier screening is done, and whether this can at all be exhaustive.

According to the March 2006 report of International POPs Elimination Project :

“Even though Persistent Organic Pollutants POPs-listed organochlorine instecticides is prohibited, a number of studies on rivers and sediments throughtout Malaysia have demonstrated that most of these compounds are present in the aquatic environment (Lee et al 2003). In most of these studies, the sources of contamination were not known. In a separate study to study the source of contamination, it was found that agricultural areas such as paddy and vegetable cultivation are the main sources of environmental contamination by most organochlorine insecticides in Malaysia. “

If fertiliser and pesticide use in Malaysia is rampant, it could have a serious effect on topsoil and water in the short and long term, apart from effects on workers and consumers.

Yousof's organic farm

In contrast, it was encouraging to see an organic farm in Janda Baik run by the young, 25 year old Yahya Bin Yusof, as a means of sustaining the adjoining orphanage for which he shoulders responsibility.  He took us to a shed with various types of enzymes being brewed out of the waste in the farm, and behind it was another one for organic compost.  Goat manure was also used to enrich the soil.  I never cease to marvel at farmers like Yusof who use organic and ecologically friendly methods to work and condition rainforests soils – which are notoriously clayey and deceptively poor in nutrition. The lush greenery of a rainforest depends on the efficiency of various parts of the ecosystem to recycle the biomass containing nutrients, with very little coming from the soil itself.  This is an oft forgotten reason for the soils of conventional agriculture in rainforest areas requiring a heavy dosage of chemicals.

Yusof’s farm sells about 60kg of produce every week, many of whom are regular customers in KL who are willing to pay the higher 10RM (RM = Ringitt, the Malaysian currency) per kilo for his organic produce as opposed to RM4 for conventional ones.  He admits that viability of the farm would have been difficult without corporate sponsorship for capital costs. This has been handy for putting up the sheds that cover the vegetables from the intensive and ruthless tropical sun and rain.  Only 3 farms unfortunately, of the several hundred legal ones (and not counting the illegal ones), have been labelled as organic by the certifying state government body.

The vanishing hills

The previous day Zaini’s French wife, Fred had shared her observations on local environmental issues with us, a pot-pourri of journalists attending the Responsible Journalism Workshop. Organised by Wild Asia, a Malaysian NGO, the workshop had reporters from Malaysia’s national newspaper The Star, a regional one The Selangor Times, a specialist magazine the Malaysian Tatler, citizen journalists from the group “komunitikini”, other freelance writers and myself, the odd one out from Singapore as a citizen journalist.

Going around Janda Baik had been our field trip to make sense of what we observed, in the overall context of how we as journalists could extend the scope, regularity and depth of environmental reporting in the region, while maintaining high standards of professionalism.

Fred sharing her concerns

Fred, who with Zaini runs a lodge spoke with noticeable anguish as someone who has lived in and breathed the air of Janda Baik for the last 9 years – in particular about the vanishing trees.  “The hill behind my guest house used to be a jungle, but with burning bit by bit, in 4 years it’s all gone” she lamented. “The wild animals like pangolin, otter and slow loris are rarely seen. Instead there are monkeys and wild boars which usually live in the interiors and don’t come near humans. They are emerging because their habitat and food are gone.  So too have the morning cheeps of various species of birds who have disappeared over time. “

As we went around Janda Baik we saw how the river had gone down in depth, from what used to be knee high a few years ago as Fred had mentioned, to merely ankle deep in the last few years.

Deforestation in Malaysia

Malaysia faces massive pressures of deforestation, a heavy and often irreversible price to pay for development. The Huffington Post reported that Malaysian rates of deforestation is three times larger than Asia combined.  Mongabay adds, “Analysis of figures from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shows that Malaysia’s annual deforestation rate jumped almost 86 percent between the 1990-2000 period and 2000-2005.”

The foremost reason behind the massive rates of deforestation in Malaysia is due to palm oil plantation, visibly seen as one criss-crosses Malaysia by road, train or flight. It is estimated that 10% of goods in supermarkets all over the world have palm oil in some form or the other, with Indonesia and Malaysia being the biggest exporters of palm oil in the world.

A lesser reason, but significant nevertheless is the way rainforests like the one surrounding Janda Baik are being nibbled here and there, systematically due to encroachment, urban development and illegal agriculture.  There is a web of complexity underneath this, that one begins to get wind of when talking to people on the ground like Zaini and Fred – possible political influences, lack of governance, economic forces, unplanned development, apathy, lack of education and awareness.

Responsible Journalism

I look forward to learning from and sharing the works of my Malaysian journalist friends, who may be in a better position to unearth the statistics, and have the conversations needed with those in administration, industry and communities to press forth with many of the pointers from the trip that need to be investigated further.

Whether as professional or as citizen journalists, we all need to take to heart what Henry Anatole Grunwald, the late editor of TIME magazine once said, “Journalism can never be silent: that is its greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of horror are still in the air.”

Jacqueline Ann Surin of The Nut Graph

Jacqueline Ann Surin, the experienced former editor with The Star and founder of a political website called The Nut Graph  guided us through much of the workshop. She passed around an inspiring book called Journalism.as.if.earth.mattered.” by Kunda Dixit.  It contained a beautiful poem by Joey Ayala, a Filipino ethnomusician and environmentalist who sings about the majestic and near extinct Philippine Eagle, which caught my attention.  I share it here as 2011, the International Year of Forests, draws to an end.

I wish to fly like the Eagle

And live in the heart of the forest.

But the trees are gone.

There is no place for a nest.

A nestless eagle has no reason to fly.

If you want to the see the Eagle,

Don’t look up at the sky.

He has shed his feathers and folded

Up his wing

Oh Eagle, my true King,

I wish to help you so thy Kingdom

May live again.

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About the Writer:

Bhavani Prakash is the Founder of Eco WALK the Talk.  She writes and conducts talks and workshops on sustainability and can be contacted at bhavani[at]ecowalkthetalk.com. Do follow Eco WALK the Talk on Facebook, Twitter, Linked IN and YouTube

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Here is the trailer to the Tribunal:

Video link here

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If I were to speak literally, our human body itself is a huge chemical soup, 70% of which is made up of H2O molecules!!  So we don’t need to balk at the word “chemicals” as though it’s a dirty word.  Chemicals exist in Nature as much as they do in laboratories, so we need to know what we are talking about.

If there is an underlying assumption that Chemicals = bad and Natural = good, then I would like to put that in context.

There is definitely a rising awareness about the dangers of toxic synthetic chemicals, the ones which are created in the laboratory from artificial or natural sources. These have a harmful effect on human beings, and on the environment by polluting the air and water, impoverishing soils and wreaking havoc on food chains.

During the last 50 years or so, there has been an explosion of synthetic chemicals in our environment, many of which have been linked to the increasing occurrence of hormonal disruptions and cancers in human beings, even in low doses.

These chemicals are everywhere and occur in the form of agro- pesticides, fertilisers and fungicides. Synthetic chemicals in our food appear in the form of preservatives, flavourings and colourings.  Chemicals are routinely used in plastics, fabrics, furniture, electronics and household products such as cleaning solutions, detergents, polishes as well as personal care products like cosmetics, shampoos, soaps.

Scientists are only just beginning to understand the effects of toxins in the form of pthalates, parabens, alkylphenols like Bisphenol-A,  brominated flame retardants, chlorinated paraffins and the artificial fragrances that are incredibly pervasive in our day to day products.

David Ewing Duncan, a reporter for the National Geographic points out in an excellent article called “Journey of Chemical Self-Discovery” where he finds out his chemical body-burden :

“ From the early 1980s through the late 1990s, autism increased tenfold; from the early 1970s through the mid-1990s, one type of leukemia was up 62 percent, male birth defects doubled, and childhood brain cancer was up 40 percent. Some experts suspect a link to the man-made chemicals that pervade our food, water, and air. There’s little firm evidence. But over the years, one chemical after another that was thought to be harmless turned out otherwise once the facts were in.”

All over the world, there are over 100,000 synthetic chemicals, with around 1700 being added every year. The problem is that many of them are being released into products, and into the environment, and also into the human body, without sufficient testing or review or restrictions.  Therein lies the problem. We often don’t know the effects, till it’s too late.  It took many decades, for example, before scientists estabilished the link between smoking and cancer.
 

Are all synthetic chemicals bad?

Our lives have been considerably enhanced by several products made with synthetic chemicals. Some are harmless no doubt, but there are many more whose effects on our health and the environment, we are only beginning to understand and unravel.

1. We don’t always know whether the synthetic chemicals we use are totally harmless. They are so many new ones being introduced every year, and yet we don’t know for sure the safe limits estabilished on them, and whether they have been tested at all.  Only a fourth of all the 82,000 chemicals used in the US, for example, have been tested for toxicity.

So if you are in a position to find a natural alternative that is safe and non-toxic, it’s a better option. Look at this report to see how hard Greenpeace is working to convince companies to reduce the extent of toxic chemicals in our household products (as they do exist rampantly), because even well known brands have several synthetic compounds which are harmful to human health and environment.

 2.  It depends  An individual synthetic chemical known and estabilished to be non-toxic may be harmless, depending on the usage. Let’s take synthetic vinegar for example. It’s an excellent alternative to many commercially available household cleaners (which contain a range of toxic chemicals such as sodium laureth sulphates and formaldehydes linked to cancers, and which also affect the rivers and seas they eventually reach).  So is baking soda which is a synthetic chemical, it’s harmless and biodegradable, and is a great alternative for harsh bleaches for clothes.

If you were to repeatedly use the same synthetic vinegar as a preservative or salad dressing, it would probably kill the good bacteria in your stomach too! So a better alternative would be a natural vinegar such as apple cedar vinegar, which has important anti-bacterial properties, apart from being good for your blood pressure, PH balance and potassium balance.  Similarly, baking soda if ingested regularly is not great for the stomach.

There is an added reason to go for non-toxic natural ingredients. Synthetic chemicals invariably use petroleum resources in their manufacture. Home made products are even better, as it saves a lot of packaging and carbon footprint. If you had to use a ready made synthetic face pack for your face, that comes in a plastic tube, and uses at least 5-10 ingredients, and has travelled thousands of miles to reach your supermarket shelf, choose a natural home made one, say of bananas and honey.

However, this is not always practial and we may not always be able to live without processed products.

How can we really assess the toxicity ratings of a product or a brand?

We can look into the Cosmetics Safety Database painstakingly compiled by the Environment Working Group which ranks cosmetics and personal care products and brands on the basis of their toxicity. You can directly search the database for any product or company or brand to get a ranking.

For other products, you could compare the ingredients in your bottle or can, with the list of chemicals listed in this index along with their effects.

  3. It adds up Even if synthetic chemicals in small doses are by themselves safe, we have the problem of “bioaccumulation.” Once toxic substances enter our bodies, they tend to linger in our adipose fat tissues and accumulate or build up over time.

As in the article by David Ewing Duncan of the National Geographic, his blood sample showed evidence of exposure to DDT and PCBs from decades earlier. Though David is fit and healthy, we don’t know the likely future impact of these past residues and the ones building up every day.

Although the consequences of bioaccumulation are not well understood in humans, it is suspected to cause various cancers, immune system problems, learning disabilities, and birth defects.

Bioaccumulation has an impact on the environment as well. For example, Japanese and Russian scientiests published a study in 1997 reporting high toxic levels of polychlorinated biphenyls(PCBs) in fish in Lake Baikal, Siberia as well as in the Baikal seal that eats these fish. While the process of bioaccumulation  is very important for the accumulation of vitamins and minerals, it can be really disastrous with harmful chemicals.
 
4. Cocktails may behave differently  As different synthetic chemicals are being introduced every year, there is no way to really tell how they interact with a plethora of other synthetic chemicals entering our atmosphere, water, and human bodies. 

We don’t know how different chemicals may combine in our body and impact it. For example, how will the  chemical from the furniture polish that we inhale, combine with the pesticides in the fruit we’ve eaten, and the minute particulate matter in the air when we go for a walk, and the chlorine in our swimming pool?

Learn more about our Chemical Body Burden, and how chemicals enter our body and their impact.

Can there be green chemistry?

Is it possible to create green chemicals that are completely non-toxic? Terry Collins, director of Carnegie Mellon University’s Institute for Green Oxidation Chemistry, certainly thinks so as he tries to create chemicals that don’t pollute in the first place. He’s among the leaders of green chemistry, an emerging technology that makes new molecules that are safe by design.

According to him, toxicity is a problem because we are putting elements that do not occur commonly in the biosphere, such as lead and mercury. In green chemistry, you try to use only those elements that are encountered naturally in the environment and in the exact manner they are used in biochemistry.  

Hopefully this will usher in a future of less toxic synthetic chemicals. Read Terry Collins’ interview with Bioneers here.

This brings me to the second part of the question I was posed:

Are all natural ingredients good?

1. Poisons exist in Nature There are all sorts of poisons created by plants and animals, primarily for self defence.  Think of it as a massive chemical warfare occuring every day, and over millions of years by Nature, where all kinds of toxins are manufactured as a repellent for predators. 

It might surprise you to know even common foods we have contain toxins, e.g. the stones and pips of apricots, plums, cherries, peaches, apples and pears all contain glycosides which if eaten release potentially lethal doses of cyanide. Every part of the tomato plant is poisonous except the fruit!

How does this knowledge help us?

When we talk of natural alternatives to synthetic chemicals, it is equally important to understand what these ingredients are and their effects. Usually the ones that have been used for generations in various cultures, as hand-me-down recipes are safe even though there is no formal testing. We have to accept as valid, the trial and error over the generations combined with ancient wisdom.

With the increasing availability of herbal powders, mixes, pills for medicines, diets and cosmetics, at times with natural ingredients we are not very familiar with, it is important to research and understand the herbs we may be ingesting or applying on our skin.

In Nature, a leaf may have over 500 compounds all of which are meant to be taken synergistically by animals. Extracts isolate a compound and in concentrated form may have a different effect.  Even though a health or diet pill or herbal extract may be “Natural,”  it should be taken with proper guidance. For example, Ginseng is a powerful natural substance, but should be taken with guidance as it is a blood thinner.

2. Proper guidance is important Many poison plants such as jewelweed, poison oak, poison ivy are purified and used in Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Homoeopathy and other traditional therapies. Given the right dose for the right length of time under the proper guidance of a good doctor, such alternative medicine are very beneficial without the side effects of allopathic medicine. It is equally important to obtain “natural” ingredients sources you can trust.

3. Beware of green washing “Natural” or “Herbal” or “Organic” may still mean that there are some synthetic chemicals, which may or may not be toxic.  Even if the product is entirely “Natural” it is important to do your research on what the ingredients are and their impact. Here are some resources to help you.

- Understand your natural ingredients 

 - Assess toxicity of cosmetics which are “Natural” or synthetic using EWG’s Cosmetics Database

 - Understand the meaning and effects of synthetic chemicals in Personal Care products 

That Nature is not necessarily safe, is no excuse to condone synthetic chemicals which are toxic or whose effects we don’t fully understand. Interestingly, the fact that Nature makes dangerous chemicals was a line used by detractors of Rachel Carson, author of “The Silent Spring” and who often credited with starting the environmental movement.

Having said that, not all chemicals are bad and many have considerably enhanced the quality of our lives, but as Deborah Ortiz, chair of the Senate Health Committee and the author of a bill to monitor chemical exposure (and as quoted in David Ewing’s article) says:

” The key is knowing more about these substances, so we are not blindsided by unexpected hazards. We benefit from these chemicals, but there are consequences, and we need to understand these consequences much better than we do now.”

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Earth Hour 2009 has a nice buzz around it, in contrast to last year, when it passed by almost incognito. Just look at the response this year to Earth Hour, a global event initiated by WWF Australia and The Sydney Morning Herald in 2007.  Compared to 35 countries who participated in 2008, today we’ll see people from more than 2100 countries, switching off their lights and all non-essential electrical and electronic devices, between 8.30 pm and 9.30 pm local time, and bask in the darkness of the sky. At least in theory. We’ll see what happens tonight!

Will it really make a difference?

Globally, we emit 27 billion tons of CO2 every year.  Will turning off our lights for merely an hour, for only one day in a year make a difference? I don’t think it will even scratch the surface of the problem, and in all the hype surrounding Earth Hour, we must not be lulled into a sense of complacency about the sheer magnitude of the problem of global warming.

Where Earth Hour does make a huge impact is at a symbolic level. Precisely because the scale of the issue of global warming is so large, this act helps to keep it on our radar screen, and perhaps a little higher on the political agenda.

If your city turns truly dark tonight, it will only go to show how much of a difference our collective actions can make. It’s a learning for all of us to extend that lesson to other areas of our lives too, including recycling, reducing our consumption, changing the quality of our consumption to environmentally friendly options.

Personally, I don’t really mind more Earth Hours, once a month, maybe even once a week. We’ll manage, for Earth’s sake. Besides, it would be rather nice to see the stars in the city skies a bit more often, and give ourselves a break from all the electrical and electronic gadgets that rule our lives.

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JUST ONE CHEMICAL FREE DAY…TO SAVE YOU AND ME
By Dr Priyadarshani Kamat

Water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink? Soon we are moving in this direction.  Unless we act fast. 

Look around, Pause, Think.

We seem to be polluting everything in our wake, water, land and air. 

And what we give comes back to us in more than equal measures. 

Cancer, hormonal imbalance (hypo and hyper thyroid), asthma, eczema, chrons disease, cardiac illnesses, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and other ailments are striking more and more at an even younger age group than before. 

Nothing can happen at macro level unless it begins at the micro level.  And both you and I are the micro blocks of our world.  So let us do our tiny bit to save and protect our world, thereby protecting ourselves.  Let us begin by stopping the pollutants which are washed out from homes on a regular basis. 

If we take a really close look at the ingredients in our personal and home care items, you will be completely shocked to find out about the chemicals we constantly expose ourselves and our families to.  These chemicals are then washed out through our drains into the oceans setting in motion the vicious cycle of pollution. 

So my dear friends, let us make a pledge today, to observe at least one Chemical Free Day in a month. 

I am sure it is not too much to ask, is it? 

And if we do our sums correct, by adding up each family that takes this pledge, the magnitude of chemicals emptying into our oceans would decrease considerably even if we followed this habit for just one day in a month, to begin with.

Are you all then ready for a journey into a normal Sunday, in a normal household in a normal city? 

GOOD MORNING..

WAKE UP, and even before the sleep flees from our eyes, the tooth brush with the tooth paste starts fighting with the oral monsters. 

Pause – focus – ingredients – toothpaste – chemicals, chemicals – even in the so called herbal ones.  Now think, is there a natural solution?  Yes, it is the common salt and lemony lemon to the rescue.  Take a small piece of lemon, dip it in salt and scrub your teeth sparkling white.  Salt with its anti septic properties, gets rid of the bacteria along with tightening of the gums.  Lemon adds the dash of white along with vitamin C. 

For a little more pampering, you could scrub strawberries.

But what about mouth wash to attack those nasty germs at the back of our throats?  Well add the same salt and lemon to a glass of warm water and gargle away to glory.  This takes care of even minor inflammations.  Wasn’t granny really wise?

HEADING FOR A BATH?

Ah ha! For a relaxing luxurious weekend bath or a shower. 

Pause – check – bath foam or gel – chemicals again.

Shampoo – oh! More chemicals.

Face wash – even more chemicals. 

But then don’t worry.  Let’s really pamper ourselves.  Let’s make a paste from rice or chick pea flour + yogurt + turmeric and give ourselves an authentic herbal scrub. 

The benefits? The flour naturally scrubs and takes away the dead skin.  The yogurt not only softens the skin but is armed with acidophil bacteria (good bacteria) takes care of the fungal infections common in humid weather.  The turmeric as you know if famous for its medicinal whitening and anti bacterial properties. 

An ideal replacement for shampoo would be a herb called Shikakai (Acacia Concinna) and Soap Nut (readily available in India).  These are the wonder herbs which have for generations, helped Indian women manage their long dark tresses, without a single bad hair day.  You could also use herbal mixes from  your local Ayurvedic shop. Just make sure the ingredients have no chemicals added.

If your hair is stressed out with all the chemically treatment, perming, straightening and coloring hair, why don’t you go in for a relaxing head massage with a personalized aroma blend.  Let it be an oily hair day.  The scalp would be grateful after all those harsh chemicals. 

HAND WASH

Hey, hold on, I can hear you say, what about our hand wash? We need to wash our hands every now and then?  Yes, the same simple lemon cut into piece, kept in a beautiful looking box on our wash basins and used for scrubbing hands whenever needed, will not only disinfect our hands but add a glow to them (please do not keep them for more than 6 hours). 

DRESSING TABLE

On this chemical free day, why not steer clear of your dressing table and let your skin breathe naturally, without layers of chemical rich cosmetics.  Just one day..that’s not too much to ask.

These are just a few chemicals we have successfully eliminated from our personal care items.  So now let’s turn our focus to home care. 

DISHES and FLOORS

Let’s begin with the kitchen.  Oh please!  How can one clean the greasy pots and pans and kitchen platform without our regular kitchen solutions? 

Here’s a relatively gentler and eco friendly household cleaner:

Mix together one teaspoon baking soda with two teaspoons common salt and half a lemon and watch the grease running for cover. 

Then we need sparkling floors free from dust mites and other germs. For a wonderful floor cleaner:

Mix half cup white vinegar + 2 -3 drops of Tea Tree essential oil in a bucketful of warm water.  Now mop the floor and see how the fragrance of Tea Tree will banish your nose blocks while sparkling and disinfecting the floors. 

BATHROOMS & LAUNDRY

But what about the harder to clean toilet pots and wash basins?  Well, our simple baking soda and vinegar can do wonders.  Pour half cup baking soda into the toilet pot, then drizzle with vinegar, scrub, let it stay for 10-15 mins and flush.  If there are difficult stains then borax can come to the rescue.  This combination of baking soda, borax and vinegar can also treat choked drains. 

What about the washing machine?  Should we keep it idle?  Ideally yes.  Consider the savings of electricity.  how about hand washing of clothes to burn a few calories?  I can already hear you saying – “We prefer the gym!” 

Ok then, here is the solution.  1/3 cup washing soda + 1 litre water + soap flakes instead of detergents + ½ cup borax for additional cleaning power.  Add this to the machine before adding the clothes.  Stir and add the clothes.

Yes I know this is not entirely a natural solution, but just much eco friendlier than our usual cleaning agents.  If you have come across some alternatives, please let us know and we can pass the word around to save the world. 

Hey, have you realized the savings on our pockets that we may enjoy en route to saving the environment? 

Ah ha!  Now the environment is blessing us, the home is clean, money is saved.  We have had some spa pampering.  So why not burn some aroma oil in a burner now, listen to some soft music and relax our tired nerves.  Happy relaxation.  See you later. 

Author’s profile:

Dr. Priyadarshani Kamat,
B.H.M.S., D.M.L.D., D.H.A. (ITEC U.K.), D.H.A. (IFA, U.K.)
NatureNurtures, Homoeopathic and Holistic Therapy Center
Tel No: (65) 96647657 email : priya@naturenurtures.net

Dr Priyadarshani is a Bachelor of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery from the prestigious CMPH College of Mumbai University a Post Graduate Fellow from the Institute of Clinical Research (ICR), Mumbai.  She also holds several diplomas in alternative medicine.

She has been practicing as a homoeopath for more than seventeen years.  Her training for seven years in the ever busy municipal hospitals of Mumbai and the rural and urban clinics run by the ICR has given her a profound knowledge of clinical medicine and a deep understanding of handling a variety of medical ailments through homoeopathy and mainstream medicine.  Her conviction to empower through knowledge is evident through the various workshops she conducts on homoeopathy, health and nutrition.  Her e-practice covers clients globally in USA, Japan, Russia, Pakistan, Australia and India.

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Holi hai!! Holi which is just around the corner, is the most energetic and vibrant of Indian festivals. People literally take to the streets in India and play with a riot of colour, smearing it all over the faces and clothes of friends, families and even strangers. This is done with coloured powders or “Gulal” or coloured water using syringes or “pichkaris.”

Colour is a symbolic way to denote the passing of winter and to welcome the brilliant hues of spring blossoms under the warming sun.

In earlier times till about the 1950s, Holi colours emanated from the very same flowers that blossom in spring, such as the bright red ones from the Flame of the Forest(Kesu) or the Indian Coral Tree (Parijat).

However now, what is commonly used is a gamut of colours made of chemicals which are quite toxic to human health and to the environment. According to Toxics Link, a think tank investigating chemical use in India, dry colours are made of bases which are usually asbestos (a known carcinogen even in minute quantities) and silica which can dry the skin intensively. Colourants used in Gulal comprise mainly of heavy metals like lead, chromium, cadmium, nickel, mercury, zinc, iron. These are systemic toxins which get deposited in the kidneys, liver and bones and may disrupt human metabolism, apart from causing nervous system disorders and allergies.

Download a document from Toxics Link website called “The Ugly Truths behind Holi” pastes, dry powder and water colours. It outlines in greater detail the kind of chemicals and metals in their composition apart from the specific health effects.

In our joyous fervour, we need to be mindful of the impact of these colours on our health, as well as on the air and water which are polluted during production as well as in end use. We are also exposing factory workers in India manufacturing these colours, to toxic effects which come from touching and inhaling these chemicals.

There are many organisations and NGOs in India promoting the use of eco-friendly Gulal. CLEAN India which stands for Community Led Environment Action Network teaches school children all over the country to prepare Gulal from natural sources.

Kalpavriksh is an Indian NGO which encourages the extraction of Gulal from the flowers and herbs grown by a womens farmers group called Vanastree. This provides valuable income to women farmers on the lower rungs of the economic ladder as well as provide a truly eco-friendly alternative to chemical colours. The brand, Rang Dulaar is marketed by a social enterprise called E-coexist  and is available in a few stores in India such as Dorabjees( Pune), The Bombay Store(Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore), Spencers Hypermart(Mumbai and Pune), Either Or( Pune), Nilaya(Pune), Temple Tree( Pune), Namdharis(Bangalore) and Gifts of Love( Delhi)

Here’s a video showing their joint efforts:

Organic India is another company that has introduced organic HOLI colours. These can be ordered online at www.organicindia.com or bought in India.

With a little bit of imagination, exciting, natural and eco-friendly colours can be made at home too. Feel free to experiment textures and strength of colours to your taste.

For dry powders you may use these:

GREEN: Mehandi or henna powder or powder from dried tulsi
RED: Grind dried petals of hibiscus or rose flowers
YELLOW: Grind dried petals of marigold or chrysanthemum flowers, or use turmeric powder
BLUE: Grind dried petals of jacaranda or blue hibiscus flowers

To increase the bulk to the above, you can add any flour such as chickpea flour(besan), wheat flour(atta or maida) or rice flour:

For wet colours, you can derive them in the following manner:

GREEN: Grind into a fine paste spinach, mint, coriander and dilute with water
RED: Soak pomegranate peels or red hibiscus petals in water overnight. Juice of tomatoes and carrots give an orange-red colour though they need to be strained and diluted
YELLOW: Boil turmeric in water to get a concentrate. Allow to cool and dilute as required. Alternatively, boil marigold or chrysanthemum petals in water, and leave overnight to cool.
MAGENTA: Grate beetroot and soak in water. To get a stronger colour, boil and allow to cool.
BROWN: Boil tea and/or coffee in water and strain
BLACK: Boil dried Amla(Indian Gooseberry) in an iron pot (kadai) and cool overnight. Dilute as necessary. Alternatively, grind black grapes, dilute and strain.

(preparation ideas condensed from www.holi.org)

All these home made preparations are totally harmless, and can be quite therapeutic. You could use the dry powders, along with multi-coloured lentils for making a chemical-free rangoli for your Holi decorations.

Wish you a really fun and “green” Holi!

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I bring this up because of an email I received today about the harmful effects of Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS) or its variant, Sodium Laureth Sulphate (SLES), which are ingredients that lead to the “foaming” action in most personal care and home cleaning products. SLS is used as a surfactant in floor cleaners, car washes, carpet cleaners, stain removers, laundry detergents, dishwashing liquids and fabric glues. You might like to know that it’s also added to products such as toothpastes, shampoos, soaps, shaving creams, moisturisers and sun-creams.
 
Just think about it, if SLS can remove the car grease in the engines or stains in your carpets, it could have a similar abrasive and drying effect on your teeth, scalp and skin.

In fact, according to the JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN COLLEGE OF TOXICOLOGY, “In absorption, metabolism and excretion studies, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate had a degenerative effect on the cell membranes because of its protein denaturing properties. High levels of skin penetration may occur at even low use concentration. Other studies have indicated that Sodium Lauryl Sulfate enters and maintains residual levels in the heart, the liver, the lungs and the brain from skin contact. This poses question of it being a serious potential health threat to its use in shampoos, cleansers, and tooth pastes.”

A good EcoWALK habit would be to read the various labels on everything you buy, and stay away from products which have a long list of chemicals, especially SLS. That’d be good for your skin and gums, and good for the planet, which could do with a lot less than the 100,000 or so synthetic chemicals that are lingering around. 

Some brands which you may find are SLS free are Dr. Bronner’s, Nature’s Gate, some products from Tom’s of Maine.  Of course, these products tend to be pricey. If you’re comfortable using toothpowder, there’s an Ayurvedic brand from Vicco Vajradanti.  However, their toothpaste does contain SLS, despite its claim of being “herbal.” So, watch out for the greenwash.

You could try some simple effective home made alternatives, which are light on your pocket too.

Home made toothpaste:

Here’s a recipe I simplified from www.crazy-mumma.blogspot.com
3 tbs baking soda (bi-carb soda)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbs glycerine
20-30 drops peppermint extract or essential oil, like tea tree for example.

Mix the bi carb soda and salt thoroughly, then add the glycerine to form a paste. Add the peppermint or other essential oil and combine well. Store in an airtight container.

Home made shampoo:
The plain old baking powder(bicarbonate of soda) is such a handy ingredient!  Instead of shampoo, try a tablespoon baking powder with a cup of warm water to rinse your hair. If you have dandruff, then regular use of apple cedar vinegar is a good cure. Add a tablespoon of apple cedar vinegar to a cup of warm water. Apply in your hair and allow to soak for a few minutes and then rinse off.

As for my great-grandma…the secret to her gleaming white smile was a regular brushing of the teeth with the twig of Neem (Azadirachta indica). Neem is well known to have anti-bacterial properties, its fibres cleanse the teeth, and its juice works as a mouth freshener too. Now, that’s better than SLS, on any EcoWALKing day!

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Diwali is the spread of light to remove our “inner darkness” or ignorance. This is usually symbolised by lighting of diyas (earthern lamps) in the house and outside. It’s a beautiful tradition.

While customs and traditions must be maintained, we must also relook at some of things we do and the way we celebrate important festivals, and weigh the kind of effects it has on the environment.

Here are some ways to celebrate an environmentally friendly Diwali or Deepavali:

1. Use less fireworks, or avoid them if possible (unless someone invents non-toxic ones). Fireworks like crackers, sparklers and pots spew out a wide range of toxic chemicals, like sulphur dioxide, and heavy metals such as copper, cadmium, lead etc. 
For a more detailed look at the kind of chemicals present in fireworks, and the health effects, here’s a website worth visiting: http://www.indiatogether.org/environment/articles/diwali.htm

Firecrackers create a lot of noise pollution and cause a lot of distress to animals and birds. Avoid them if possible or localise their use in a community to an open field. Do help to clear up the mess in your neighbourhood once the festivities are over. Luckily in Singapore, there are restrictions on noise pollution, so we are spared the noise of firecrackers.

Fireworks are non-biodegradable, and in places like India end up clogging up drains or end up in rivers. The residues of toxic chemicals enter streams and rivers.

Most of the fireworks in India are made using child labour. Children exposed to such heavy metals and chemicals often suffer in health. Here is a video showing young children working at a factory which makes matchsticks and fireworks:

2. Distribute sugary sweets in moderation. Fresh and dry fruits make excellent alternatives for processed sugars, which are not good for health. Sugar plantations extensively use chemicals and there is heavy pollution in the wastewater discharged in the production process.

3. Avoid chemically coloured powder for making rangoli designs. Instead, try to use rice flour, plain sand, turmeric powder, coloured pulses, cereals and henna. 

4. Refrain from excessive shopping and consumption. Many retailers discount items for Diwali and actively promote shoppers. Buy only what you need. Ultimately whatever you buy requires the use of precious natural resources.

5. Avoid giving gifts with excessive packaging, be it paper or plastic, as this leads to a waste of resources. If this packaging is not recycled, it will end up in landfills or as carbon emissions if incinerated.

6. Moderate or do away with your purchase of gold, which is a common custom during Diwali. I risk taking off the shine during the festive season by saying that production of gold is one of the most polluting of mining activities, ruining rivers, threatening wildlife and natural areas and in several cases, fuelling human conflict.  For more information, look at http://www.nodirtygold.org/dirty_golds_impacts.cfm As of now, I don’t know of any certifications in Asia that guarantee that retailers source their gold manufactured in an environmentally friendly way. So, when in doubt, restraint is a good idea.

It does take a tough mindset, sometimes to go against tradition. I grew up looking forward to the fireworks during Diwali. It’s usually the most fun and enjoyable part of the festival. To many, including me, Diwali without fireworks would be unthinkable. Similarly, it is easy to get carried away with the festivities, when it comes to shopping and the purchase of gifts.

Lakshmi, the Goddess of Wealth is worshipped very devoutly during this festival. Does real Lakshmi come from all the goodies, gold and diamond jewellery that we bestow on our children, or does She come from the pure air, water and soils that we leave as lasting legacies for the future generations?

Between a few hours of enjoyment, a few years of vanity and preventing lasting damage to the environment, I’d choose the last. That’s the light of awareness we need to spread around us. 

Wishing you a green Diwali, bringing you, your family and our Earth, abundance and prosperity!

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