Studies Show: Dirt Really Doesn’t Hurt

A New York Times article demonstrates what the best moms already know: playing in dirt, making mud pies, and getting a little filthy are healthy habits for developing children. Ongoing studies of the hygiene hypothesis–that our clean-obsessed culture is related to the rise in certain diseases–suggest that coming in contact with the microbes and even worms in soil and other natural environments (like pets) is essential to developing a hearty immune system and warding off autoimmune diseases and allergies down the line.

With the alarming rise in illnesses caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as what led to the death of a Brazilian model recently, I think we need no further reasons to drop the anti-bacterial soaps, dishwashing liquids, and hand sanitizers. In the article, Dr. Mary Ruebush, author of “Why Dirt is Good,” advises alcohol-based sanitizers, which are widely available. She adds, however, that the best thing to do is to wash less!

“The typical human probably harbors some 90 trillion microbes,” she wrote. “The very fact that you have so many microbes of so many different kinds is what keeps you healthy most of the time.”

Recyling water filters

After much petitioning, a grassroots campaign has succeeded in persuading Brita water filtration company to provide a recycling program for their plastic water filters. Go here to learn more, and go here to refill your own! (Thanks IdealBite!)

A few green things

What’s on my radar:

• I can’t watch it myself, but if you have CNN and care about the state of the planet, then be sure to tune in for Planet in Peril: Battle Lines at 9 p.m. ET on Thursday, December 11. Lisa Ling, Anderson Cooper, and Dr. Sanjay Gupta host a global investigation into “environmental conflicts between growing populations and natural resources including the threat of global warming to both humans and wildlife.” More info is available here.
• The National Wildlife Federation has a hopeful rundown of what’s in and what’s out following the recent elections.
• Ten great green sites for all tastes from a great blog, GreenHackz.
• It’s advisable to stretch your imagination and optimism from time to time with the latest in green innovation–take this vertical farming of the future, for instance.

BPA Update

New information is out on BPA and its potential dangers. Read the linked blog post and decide for yourself. Also in the post: a good alternative to hard plastic bottles (although it’s not a new idea).

Coalition to Sue the EPA; Great Lakes Now Protected

From the Chesapeake Bay Foundation’s website:

The Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF), the Virginia State Waterman’s Association, the Maryland Watermen’s Association, the Maryland Saltwater Sportfishermen’s Association, former Maryland Governor Harry Hughes, retired Maryland Senator Bernie Fowler, former Virginia legislator and Natural Resources Secretary Tayloe Murphy, and former Washington D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams today notified the federal Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that they intend to go to federal court to force EPA to require pollution reduction in the Chesapeake Bay.

Visit CBF’s website if you want to watch a video statement, sign a petition supporting the action, or learn how to attend a upcoming rally. Do you think the action is justified? How should we go about saving the Bay?

On a happier note, a historic law now protects the Great Lakes from “depletion and diversions,” according to the Great Lakes Natural Resource Center’s press release.

A Big Step for Boreal Forests

For all of you who signed the Boreal Songbird Initiative petition I posted on the Conservation Page a few months ago, this news should be especially heartening: Ontario’s leader has pledged to preserve 55 million acres of boreal forest (home to prime songbird habitat and climate-regulating trees) in large tracts, a move hailed by conservationists. You can read more about it at the International Boreal Conservation Campaign’s webpage.

Renting is the new buying, and Hummers take a dive

Renting household items may be a great alternative to buying, whether you a) have next to no space for new things, b) don’t want the hassle of arranging, storing, and dusting new things, or c) want to lighten your contribution to the local landfill. Now I’m not advocating those “rent-to-own” places that enslave you for a new T.V., but there are small-scale renting options popping up around the web that are worth a look. Zilok allows you to rent out or to rent from others anything from laptops to golf clubs to evening gowns. For the book-hungry, BookSwim has monthly rental plans that work like Netflix and start as low as 14.99.

In other news, here’s a positive update–according to an article on CNN Money.com, GM is shifting its auto production from 50% cars to 60% in the wake of gasoline price-induced consumer spending changes. Also,

GM is launching a strategic review of its Hummer line of heavy trucks and . . . may sell the unit, though finding a buyer will likely prove difficult.

“This is very difficult environment to sell a brand like that,” Mainstay’s Kudla said. “Unfortunately for GM, Hummer just doesn’t have much consumer appeal at this point.”

The proof is in the numbers. Hummer sales were almost cut in half in April compared to a year earlier, with 2,380 moving off the lots down from 4,375 in 2007.

I was going to say sorry to those who like Hummers, but tolerance has its limits. There’s never been a reason to appreciate Hummers as civilian vehicles, and unless you live on on a craggy outer planet, it doesn’t seem like there ever will be.