Help! There’s dioxin in my food!

Don’t microwave food in plastic containers.

Don’t put water bottles in the freezer.

Don’t microwave food in plastic wrap.

This list of don’ts – quite a mouthful, you might say – was recently sent out by Johns Hopkins in its newsletters and circulated at WalterReed Army Medical Center. The very absorbing info was shared with us by a friend based in Canada.

This alert comes in the wake of findings that heating food in plastic containers and freezing plastic bottles can cause the release of dioxin chemicals that cause cancer (especially breast cancer). Fact is, dioxins – actually a group of hundreds of chemicals found in the environment – are some of the most toxic chemicals known to science. According to environment experts, there is no safe level of exposure to dioxins. Aside from cancer, exposure to dioxin can cause severe reproductive (decreased fertility and reduced sperm counts) and developmental (learning disabilities) problems, lung problems, and skin disorders. According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, it is a serious public health threat that rivals the impact of DDT in the 1960s (remember the insecticide that was later found to be highly toxic to fish and eventually banned in the US?).

Appearing on TV to explain how bad dioxins are for us was Dr. Edward Fujimoto, wellness program manager at CastleHospital. Dr. Fujimoto warned the public against heating food in the microwave using plastic containers. He particularly referred to fatty foods or foods that contain fat. He gingerly noted that the (deadly) combination of fat, high heat, and plastic releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.

Instead of plastic, Fujimoto recommended using glass or ceramic containers when heating (or microwaving, as today’s homemakers are wont to do). You get the same results – but without the dioxins.

For the TV dinner generation, Dr. Fujimoto dished out a handful of instant reminders: When heating your TV dinner, instant ramen and soups, etc. remove them from their containers and heat them in something else, like glass.

Fujimoto reminded everyone that some of the fast-food restaurants have junked styrofoam in favor of paper partly because of the dioxin problem.

To wrap it up, Fujimoto pointed out that Saran wrap is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be microwaved. The reason is that the high heat can cause poisonous toxins to melt out of the plastic wrap and drip straight into the food. Your safe bet: Cover food with a paper towel instead.

* * *

Down-to-earth ways to say ‘I love you’

It’s beginning to look a lot like Valentine’s Day, what with the shopping malls, flower shops, bookstores, hotels, and restaurants selling assorted red and heart-shaped goods and goodies to warm the heartstrings (and bust the purse strings?).

This spending spree to show your significant other how much you care (and how much you’re willing to spend) has had a not-too-loving effect on our already battered environment.

"Be kind and loving to our planet when buying your Valentine gifts. Let’s honor our Mother Earth by using our purchasing power to boost products and activities that will not put at risk her ability to support and sustain life," actress and environment advocate Chin-Chin Gutierrez reminds everyone.

So, how do you say "I love you" without hurting the environment?

The Ecological Waste Coalition of the Philippines counts the down-to-earth ways:

• Go ahead and celebrate Valentine’s Day with customary bliss, but do it with savvy – the guiltless, environmentally-responsible way, like creating your own Valentine message. In lieu of commercial cards, which can be too mushy, or cold and impersonal, why not write your own Valentine letter or poem? You can put it inside a recycled bottle, read it out loud to your beloved, or sneak it into her/his lunchbox or bag. You may also write a list of things that you pledge to do for your loved one and artfully frame it in recycled wood or paper. Try to think of other creative ways of saying "I’m so lucky to have you!" that will not strain the environment or your pocket.

• Say it with flowers that are pesticide-free. Refrain from buying pesticide-bombarded flowers that are not healthy to grow, touch or smell, considering the tons of chemicals used to produce faultless blooms. These chemical substances can poison the groundwater and soil and threaten the health of farm workers and florists as well. Do choose flowers that are grown organically. Better still, go to a plant nursery and get some seeds, bulbs, saplings or plants. As the plant or tree grows, it will be a constant reminder of your love. If your sweetie is a greenie or has a green thumb, give a living plant or tree. If your sweetie is a wannabe greenie, cactus and succulent plants will be great to start with. Use flower or plant pots made from clay or recycled tires. The Manila Seedling Bank Foundation at Quezon Ave. corner EDSA, Quezon City has a wide selection of fruit-bearing, flowering, and forest tree saplings, which are excellent Valentine gifts.

• Opt for locally produced sweets instead of imported chocolates. Get your favorite pastillas or candied fruits that are minimally packed in reusable or biodegradable containers. If chocolate is a must, consider giving tablea from organic cacao beans to make a naturally-delicious chocolate drink or cake. Match it with muscovado, the healthy unprocessed cane sugar.

• Don’t spoil your love with dirty gold. To have an 18-carat gold ring, at least 20 tons of mine waste are produced by a polluting process that can disfigure the environment, displace communities, and pose health risks to workers and residents. (To learn more, see www.nodirtygold.org.) Choose handmade knick-knacks that are beautifully made from local, natural, and renewable materials. Our local artisans have successfully fused ecology and elegance in many handcrafted ornaments that are popularly sold in novelty shops and tiangge stalls. Also, look out for smart recycled necklaces and earrings fashioned out of neatly-rolled colored, glossy paper from used magazines.

• Avoid cosmetics and toiletries with harmful chemicals. You can unwittingly harm your loved one with cosmetics and toiletries that contain harmful ingredients. Give a body-care basket for health and wellness, containing natural products such as virgin coconut oil, herbal soap, gugo shampoo, loofah, tawas, and scrubbing stone. Log on to www.safecosmetics.org/your_health/skindeep.cfm to access the Skin Deep interactive personal care product safety guide on over 14,000 shampoos, lotions, deodorants, sunscreens, and other products from almost 1,000 brands.

• Choose cotton clothes, towels, and beddings. Opt for clothing, bathing, and sleeping materials that are made from 100 percent cotton or other natural fibers. Avoid "no-iron"or "easy care" garments and apparel that may contain formaldehyde (a known carcinogen) and cause symptoms of toxicity.

• Connect with nature. Go for a nature trip and get reconnected with the natural world. Take a trip to a farm, park or ecotourism site. Spend time outdoors (walking, cycling, playing, picnicking) and feel rested and relaxed amid the beauty of nature. Enjoy its bounty to the fullest by bringing packed meals of local, organic, and healthy food.

• Dine for health and the environment. If you find dining out irresistible, patronize restaurants that offer healthy food. These outlets serve organic food, do not offer endangered species in their menu, use reusable plates and utensils, and separate their discards at source for recycling or composting. Log on to Happy Cow’s guide to healthy restaurants and food stores in Metro Manila: www.happycow.net/asia/philippines/manila.

• Celebrate at home. Instead of going out, which means battling heavy traffic and adding to air pollution, only to end up queuing for seats in your favorite restaurant, why not save gas, help the environment, and prolong your time together with an intimate via a hassle-free celebration at home? Share a healthy dinner while playing your favorite music to feed your soul. Top it off with a healing massage using virgin coconut oil. Oil’s well that ends well.

To guide you further in your gift choices, the Ecowaste Coaliton of the Philippines defines ecofriendly gifts as those made from renewable natural resources or from recycled, reused or reclaimed materials, and produced in a socially-just and sustainable way. Being biodegradable or recyclable, they can be easily returned to nature or commerce through composting or recycling.

"An ecofriendly gift not only shows that the giver has an admirable sense of responsibility but demonstrates to the recipient the thoughtfulness and caring that went into securing it, evoking positive emotions in the recipient whenever it is used, seen or thought about, and making the recipient feel blessed and genuinely special," says Eileen Sison, Coalition chair.

Encouraging an ecofriendly Valentine’s Day is part of the Coalition’s ongoing drive to promote ecological awareness and action. The Coalition urges consumers to question typical consumption choices, and to leverage their purchasing power to bring about positive changes in the way things are produced and consumed towards a toxic-free society for all.

So, to all lovers (and strangers) out there, heed this Valentine message: Love the environment – it’s the only one you’ve got.

* * *

We’d love to hear from you. E-mail us at ching_alano@yahoo.com