Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Mythic Paint Review

My affair with Mythic Paint goes back about a year and a half ago. I was pregnant with our first child and browsing through a pregnancy magazine I spotted an eye catching advertisement. Naturally I went online to find out more about them. I was excited to find non-toxic paint to say the least. In January of 2009, being nine months pregnant, I invited Mythic to host a Lunch 'n Learn in our office at Rob Bramhall Architects. I was more than impressed and decided that I will never paint with anything else in my life, period.

After our daughter was born we put off painting our living room for a long time because of finances. This past August though Mythic was kind enough to send us some paint to try and I present to you my account of the truly legendary Mythic Paint.

After

Before

The Buzz: So what makes Mythic so special and how come it stands apart from other paints? If you are new to the 'indoor air quality' scene, I'll fill you in. Your average paint contains a multitude of VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds). Yes, they also contain known carcinogens. Why would anyone make paint that causes cancer you ask? I honestly don't know - but the same question can be applied to everything these days. Like why do they use pesticides on our food if it causes cancer? Or why are most cleaning supplies cancerous as well?

Anyhow, VOCs off-gas for years after you paint your walls. I am sure you are all familiar with that 'new paint' smell as well. It can be a trigger for asthma and other ailments. With Mythic you don't need to worry about any of that. My daughter was contently watching daddy paint in her highchair. I was nearby working on my laptop, no headaches involved. Safe for pets, save for babies, and good for the Earth as a bonus. It is a major step toward better indoor air quality - which at the moment the EPA labels as one of the top five health risks in the US.


























Before
and After

Performance:
If you don't believe me that it performs better than SW and BM paint, you can try it yourself! They now sell 4 oz sample jars to feed your curiosity. I wasn't the one painting, my husband was, but he said that it is better than other paint he used before and has much better coverage. For me though, I was sold at the non-toxic part and would have used it even if the performance was average. Not sure if you want to commit? Two words for you: sample jar.

You see, Mythic Paint doesn't just take out the toxic stuff out of regular paint, which is what other 'green paint' manufacturers do. It is the result of over six years of intensive polymer research conducted by the University of Southern Mississippi. It is completely redesigned in its makeup from the ground up, resulting in something you will not find on the market.

As a latex paint it is very easy to deal with. It washes off tools nicely (if you don't let it dry of course!). We had a drop or two on our laminate flooring, it just peeled off with no issues. Third party performance testing? Sure:
"In 2007 an industry leading independent consulting and testing laboratory service, performed side-by-side comparative tests between Mythic Paint and all other leading paint brands – both their Eco-friendly and premium lines. Tests focused on subjective performance including thickness, sheen, sag resistance, flow and leveling and gloss. Mythic Paint proved to be equal if not better than all competitors. Resistance and durability was analyzed through the industry‟s gold standard in paint performance testing – the „scrub test‟. Mythic Paint substantially outperformed by 1.5 to 8 times the durability of their competitors."

Value: I know what you are thinking, if this paint is so great, am I going to pay more for it too? Yes, it does cost more than your average toxic paint (about $50 a gallon for interior paint). Here is the deal though, in my experience and that of other people who have used it, the coverage of Mythic is superior to that of other paints. This means that you will need less to cover more. For most colors, even one coat is sufficient. You can't put a price on your health though, so this beats the value of all other paints in that aspect. They also have exterior paint. In which case you will be doing the Earth a favor by having one less house painted with toxic exterior paint.

Love their commercials, take a look!




Disclaimer:

I did not receive payment in any form for this review.

I did receive a sample of the product or service for testing and review purposes. This will in no way sway my opinion of the product or service. The review is in my own words and is my own opinion. Your results and opinion may differ.

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

Emerson Creek Pottery Review

What do you bake with? Let me guess... It has a non-stick coating? If you are familiar with how 'responsible' the FDA and EPA are with consumer safety, you have every reason to be concerned about your non-stick cookware and bakeware. PFOA is a chemical used to manufacture non-stick coatings and its fumes, emitted at high temperatures, are actually toxic to living organisms. Studies show that an estimated 95% of the population have PFOA in their blood. In rat studies it was shown to cause cancer with high exposure. Don't take my word for it, do your own research :)

With that being said, one of the alternatives to non-stick bakeware is ceramic pottery. It has been used in baking for centuries and is naturally non-toxic. It has great thermal properties and helps in even baking. Emerson Creek Pottery was kind enough to send me the Go Green Loaf Pan to test.

My Homemade Bread in an Emerson Creek Go Green Large Loaf Pan

Emerson Creek Pottery is located in Virginia and all their pieces are U.S. made. You are also guaranteed that the products are lead-free, non-toxic, made by humans - not machines, packed in Eco-friendly corn starch peanuts and recycled fiber boxes, their catalogs are never mass mailed, and your piece of pottery will last you a lifetime with good care. I made bread in this beautiful loaf pan about 10 times already, comes out perfect every time. Cleaning is a breeze, I just rinse it in warm soapy water. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for healthier baking alternatives for their home and family!

VISIT EMERSON CREEK ONLINE
COME BACK TO THIS POST SOON FOR A 15% DISCOUNT CODE!

Below is a short video of their Virginia store.

Monday, September 14, 2009

H2O Chlorine Filtering Shower Head Review

For a long time I was aware that chlorinated water is not good for your health. Never mind drinking it, but even just showering in it isn't healthy. I just never realized just how bad it is until my daughters pediatrician recommended bathing her in non-chlorinated water to help clear up a skin condition. So I looked deeper into the subject of chlorinated municipal water while painstakingly using my Nikken Aqua Pour to make enough clean water to bathe my daughter.

You can research it yourself, but I have learned that chlorine in combination with dairy consumption causes clogged arteries in testing on rats. It is also not news that it makes skin dry and hair brittle. I'll just quote from Dr. Mercola's website: "Long-term risks of consuming chlorinated water include excessive free radical formation, which accelerates aging, increases vulnerability to genetic mutation and cancer development, causes difficulty metabolizing cholesterol, and promotes hardening of arteries. Excess free radicals created by chlorinated water also create dangerous toxins in the body. These have been directly linked to liver malfunction, weakening of the immune system and pre-arteriosclerotic changes in arteries."

H2O International were kind enough to send me one of their chlorine filtering shower heads to try. I've been taking chlorinated showers for years and as well have been suffering from dandruff ever since I can remember. I failed to link the two together though until now. Even with just two weeks of using this chlorine filtering shower head I have seen an improvement. Of course it will take longer than that, but I can feel that even my skin is not as dry as it used to be. This will be especially important in the dry New England winters! It is especially enjoyable not to smell the chlorine anymore while showering. My baby loves taking her baths in this chlorine free water and I have the peace of mind knowing I made the best choice for her health. At the pediatricians recommendation, the combination of Fuzzi Bunz and the H2O Chlorine Filtering Shower Head made her rash disappear.

It was pretty simple to install, you just need a wrench. It comes with the filter already in it and it will last you about 6-9 months. I enjoy the five different massage settings, you can get a glimpse of them in this video as well as how easy it is to change the filter cartridge. The shower water pressure droped a little once we installed it, I suspect that is because of the filter action. It isn't anything drastic, just a slight change. Overall I highly recommend this product for making a healthy choice for your body and avoiding all the perils of chlorinated water, especially if you have children or heart health issues.



My readers on EcoBabyz, AnV Design, and Lunch.com get a special 20% discount code for H2O International products, just click the graphic below!





Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Former Vice President Al Gore to Keynote Greenbuild Phoenix

The USGBC announced that the Greenbuild 2009 keynote speaker will indeed be Al Gore:

"Nobel Laureate, best-selling author, and the subject of an Oscar-winning documentary – the Honorable Al Gore will address thousands of Greenbuild attendees at Chase Field in Phoenix, Ariz. as part of the Greenbuild Opening Keynote & Celebration on Wednesday, Nov. 11. Featuring an opening plenary address by USGBC President, CEO and Founding Chair Rick Fedrizzi and a closing concert with nine-time Grammy winner Sheryl Crow, the event promises to deliver inspiration, excitement, and the unique opportunity to listen in person as Former Vice President Al Gore continues to bring climate change to the forefront of international consciousness.

Al Gore's Book: Our ChoiceAlong with four terms in Congress, two terms in the Senate, and two terms as Vice President, Gore has written the bestsellers Earth in the Balance, An Inconvenient Truth and the just-released Our Choice. The first 5,000 full-conference attendee registrants will receive a complimentary copy of Gore's latest book and all other attendees will be able to purchase the book on site."

Register for Greenbuild 2009 here!
Text from USGBC newsletter

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Ditch Your Plastic and Go Stainless


In the world of reusable water bottles most are familiar with big names like Sigg and Kleen Kanteen. But there are many companies out there that offer similar, if not identical, alternatives that will not break the bank. New Wave Enviro has quite a few products on the market and thanks to their generosity I gave the 1 liter stainless steel water bottle a test drive.

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Solar Revolutionizes the Camping Experience

If you went camping lately you might have some inconveniences of the trip still lingering in your mind. Sure, a lot of us love camping for that experience - cooking on an open fire, reading in your tent after dark with a flashlight, and other pleasant oddities. Design has its ways of affecting all areas of life, camping included. Great design has been reshaping camping as we know it and inspiring city dwellers to get out and play without leaving all the conveniences of home.




The new Orange Solar Concept Tent will someday make your camping trip a lot more comfortable. Although the unknown price tag might make it inaccessible to the average camper, it is a great idea nonetheless. By weaving solar threads into conventional fabric, the solar tent will gather energy throughout the day and provide a variety of ways to use that energy. How about some heat from the tent's groundsheet? A charging pouch for mobile phones and other devices? Care for some light in the evening hours of camping? A modern camping experience to say the least.

Another camping convenience that is already available on the market is the Hot Pot Simple Solar Cooker. With some help from the sun, cook or heat your favorite meals without the need for electricity. All you need to do is set it up in full sunlight and within an hour you'll have an oven to use for up to 6 hours. Hey, who needs to go camping, you can do this right in your backyard! It comes with a 5.3 quart enameled steel pot for all your cooking needs. At a temperature of 350 - 400 degrees you can make stews, bake anything to your liking, or heat up previously cooked food. Great news for those of you living off grid - such a handy invention!

On a side note, if you are going camping, I highly recommend investing a few bucks in Bug Bam, read my full review of it here!