Pesticides & Junk Mail: better ways to deal with both

Here are two news items from the Center for Biological Diversity that not only benefit the environment but will also have definite proactive effects on our lives. 

EPA proposes new pesticide regulation  
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a proposed regulation that will require pesticide manufacturers to list both active and inert ingredients on their products.  Apparently, the manufacturers currently are only required to list active ingredients which are those designed to kill the intended pest.  So-called inert ingredients can actually turn out to be hazardous.  Chemicals like formaldehyde, sulphuric acid, or known carcinogens have been used for this purpose and the EPA has recently designated 350 inert ingredients as being hazardous. 

If this proposed regulation is enacted, you, the consumer or farmer, will be able to better decide what product to use (if you are inclined to use any pesticides) by knowing ALL of the ingredients that would be entering the air, soil, or water.  

But as with many proposed regulations, there will first be a public comment period that will commence shortly.  It is anticipated that the pesticide manufacturers will add a dissenting voice.  If you would like to add your own voice of support, click here. 

Happy with your junk mail? 
I suspect not, yet millions of pounds of the stuff gets crammed into our mailboxes each week.  And that printed material represents the loss of thousands of trees.  But there's a way you can help to put a stop to it by visiting 41pounds.org.  This organization gets its name from the fact that the average adult currently receives about 41 pounds of junk mail each year.  

For a 5-year membership fee of only $41USD (that breaks down to $8.20USD a year), 41pounds.org will block your name from leading mailing list agencies in addition to catalogers you specify.  They guarantee that within 6-8 weeks you will see a noticeable drop in unwanted mailings, credit card offers, and catalogs.  

41pounds.org is a non-profit organization and, just to be clear, I'm not getting any compensation for plugging this group.  You could do all the leg work yourself and save the cost of membership - if you are tenacious enough.  But as a former marketing exec, I can tell you that the direct mail industry counts on the fact that you won't bother.  To visit their web site and learn more, click here.