Toxic Free Talk Radio Archives
Healthy Halloween
My guest today is Annie B. Bond and we’re going to talk about how to reduce toxic chemical exposure on Halloween—everything from candy to costumes. I met Annie many years ago when her publisher asked me to write the forward to her first book Clean and Green. Annie is the best-selling author of five books, including Better Basics for the Home (Three Rivers Press, 1999), Home Enlightenment (Rodale Books, 2008), and most recently True Food (National Geographic, 2010), and winner of Gourmand Awards Best Health and Nutrition Cookbook in the World. She was named “the foremost expert on green living” by “Body & Soul” magazine (February, 2009). She has been the editor of a number of publications, including “The Green Guide.” Currently Annie is the Executive Director and Editor-in-Chief of The Wellness Wire and leads the selection of toxic-free products for A True Find. www.anniebbond.com
The Basic Principles of Toxicology
Toxicologist Steven G. Gilbert, PhD, DABT, a regular guest who is helping us understand the toxicity of common chemicals we may be frequently exposed to. Dr. Gilbert is Director and Founder of the Institute of Neurotoxicology and author of A Small Dose of Toxicology- The Health Effects of Common Chemicals.
He received his Ph.D. in Toxicology in 1986 from the University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, is a Diplomat of American Board of Toxicology, and an Affiliate Professor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington. His research has focused on neurobehavioral effects of low-level exposure to lead and mercury on the developing nervous system. Dr. Gilbert has an extensive website about toxicology called Toxipedia, which includes a suite of sites that put scientific information in the context of history, society, and culture. www.toxipedia.org
The Seal that Defines “Natural Product”
My guest today is Vicki Whitsitt, Scientific & Regulatory Affairs Manager for the Natural Products Association (NPA). We’ll be talking about the what defines a natural product, how natural products are labeled, what, if any, government regulations apply to them, and what the Natural Products Association is doing to identify products that meet their definition.Vicki works with the association’s self-regulatory quality assurance and regulatory education programs, and manages the NPA GMP Certification Program. In this capacity, she works closely with program advisors, third-party auditors and companies seeking NPA GMP certification. She has been involved in the development and revisions of the NPA GMP Standard and related program materials and GMP education for the past 14 years. Through her work, Ms. Whitsitt has developed competencies in dietary supplement law and regulation compliance. www.NPAinfo.org
Caring for Your Dog Toxic-Free
My guests today are Leslie May and Johann The Dog, authors of the Raise a Green Dog blog and website. This very popular blog began in November 2007 and has grown over the years into a complete website, with educational pages, tips, tricks and product information to help dog lovers learn more about being green and helping their dog live a healthier, happier life. We’ll be talking about toxic chemicals your dog may be exposed to in typical dog products and how to choose and find safer alternatives. Leslie grew up in a green and organic family, before being green was popular. After adopting Johann as a puppy from a no-kill animal shelter in the Indianapolis area in September of 2004, she wanted to be sure that he was not only safe from the environmental dangers that he may encounter in his life, she also wanted eco-friendly, healthy and safe products for him to eat, play with, sleep in, and be and live around, inside and out. Fortunately knowing how to live an eco-friendly, healthy and organic lifestyle gave her a ‘leg up’ in helping find information, tips and products that would keep Johann the happiest and healthiest dog he could be. She quickly discovered that healthy and green information and products were not easy to find for other dog lovers. That’s when Raise A Green Dog was born….with one goal in mind: to bring valuable, green lifestyle information to dog lovers, so they can enjoy a long and happy life with their dogs, and help the environment at the same time. In her spare time, Leslie enjoys life in the mountains of NE Georgia with her dogs, Johann (YoYo) and Gracie, and her kitties, Wolfie and Wiggy; and enjoys competing in dog agility and hiking the many mountain trails with Johann and Gracie. http://debralynndadd.com/category/debras-list/raise-a-green-dog and blog.raiseagreendog.com.
Finding and Eliminating Toxic Exposures in Your Home
My guest today is Diana Schultz, CEO of Green and Healthy Homes, and a Certified Building Biologist and Bau-Biologie Environmental Consultant in Orlando, Florida. We’ll be talking about the types of toxic exposures she is finding and measuring in living spaces and how she was able to reduce or eliminate these toxic exposures to improve indoor air quality. With a background in Urban Planning with Environmental Studies and personal experience in designing and building her own home, Diana was introduced to the International Institute for Bau-Biologie and EcologyT (Building Biology) and became Certified by the Institute in 2008. Building Biology is the study of healthy buildings and everything that affects the relationship between our bodies and our built environment. In addition to conducting client home assessments, mitigation services and educational workshops at Green and Healthy Homes, Diana serves as a Program Provider for the International Institute for Building Biology and participates in many of the Institute’s on-site 5-day Seminars as Instructor and Student Mentor. Diana is passionate about sharing the holistic message that Mother Nature is our ultimate guide – “We are dedicated to the principles of living in harmony with nature and in creating built environments that naturally support health and well being in homes and work places every day.” www.greenandhealthyhomes.net
Foraging & Feasting: How to Find and Eat the Wild Foods Around You
My guest today is Dina Falconi, author of Foraging & Feasting: A Field Guide and Wild Food Cookbook. We’ll be talking about how you can identify wild edible plants, harvest and cook them, celebrating local bounty and traditional foodways. Dina is a clinical herbalist wit
h a strong focus on food activism and nutritional healing. An avid gardener, wildcrafter, and permaculturalist, Dina has been teaching classes about the use of herbs for food, medicine, and pleasure,including wild food foraging and cooking, for more than twenty years. She produces Falcon Formulations natural body care products and Earthly Extracts medicinal tinctures. She is a founding member of the Northeast Herbal Association, a chapter leader of the Weston A. Price Foundation, and an organizer of Slow Food-Hudson Valley. www.botanicalartspress.com/example-product.html
A New Kind of Natural Bed
My guest today is Eliana Jantz, founder of Shepherd’s Dream (which is now owned and run by her daughter Sarah Sunshine Smith). Eliana has taken another step in the innovation of using wool to make beds with her new business, Heartfelt Collective. We’ll be talking about her new venture, mattress design, and her experience with wool. Eliana has been a pioneer in the creation of wool beds for the past three decades and has worked closely with her wool growers to develop organic standards for wool (I helped write them). We have been friends for years. www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/heartfelt-collective, www.debralynndadd.com/debras-list/shepherds-dream.
Heal Skin Problems With Organic Products
My guest today is Sheila Jacaman, Managing Partner & Formulator for Divina Natural, a 100% natural luxurious skin care line with focus on natural treatments for anti-aging, skin lightening, serious skin conditions and long lasting hydration. With Sheila’s products you can “rejuvenate, restore and revitalize your skin organically and holistically with the finest and most effective ingredients at the most affordable prices.” We’ll be talking about her special products and how they can be used to to heal, transform, and protect your skin. Sheila’s interest in developing creams began in 1999 when she could not find a cream that truly nourished and protected her skin. Her background was in research and development of juice blends for international juice companies. In this capacity, she did very sophisticated analytical research on many natural ingredients. When she decided to formulate her own skin care line, she brought this same level of interest and professionalism to formulating her products. http://debralynndadd.com/category/debras-list/divina-natural
Toxic-Free Building and Remodeling
My guest today is Victoria Schomer, ASID, LEED AP. As an architect, innkeeper, and real estate agent, Victoria and been at the helm of many ‘firsts’ in the green design and build movement, completing her first green project in 1990. We’ve been friends for years and today we’ll be talking about toxic-free design for building and remodeling, including information on LEED and other green building programs. In 1991, Victoria began publishing “Interior Concerns” the first green design and building newsletter in the US. She followed the next year with the first green materials and products resource guide. She later formed the nonprofit, Building Concerns, to further broaden the base of design and build education tools and programs. In 2000, Victoria was honored for her pioneering work in green design with the American Society of Interior Designer’s (ASID) prestigious “Design for Humanity Award.” Victoria is a co-founded and co-author of the REGREEN: Residential Remodeling Guidelines. She is a founder member of ASID’s Sustainable Design Council, a member of their Distinguished Speakers Bureau, and is REGREEN Trained. She is a LEED AP and BD+C, and a USGBC REGREEN Faculty member. Victoria continues her design and consulting business, Green Built Environments, working on projects throughout the US, and based in North Carolina. And most recently has become a real estate broker to offer comprehensive evaluation and assessment of properties for their green potentials. Green Built Environments, Real Living Carolina Property, Asheville Green Cottage
Let it Shine: The History and Possibilites of Solar Energy
My guest is John Perlin, author of Let it Shine: The 6,000-year story of Solar Energy. I still have on my shelf an autographed copy of his previous book A Golden Thread: 2500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology, published in 1980 (now out-of-print). It’s actually 
one of my favorite books of all time and can’t wait to read the new one. John’s work, to me, is an inspiration for solar energy. John is an international expert on solar energy and has lectured around the world on the subject. We’ll be talking about the history of solar energy and the possibilities of using solar energy as a less toxic energy source now and in the future. www.john-perlin.com
