honey, and horseradish

I've been thinking about how it is that we find out "news". The days of reliance on the morning paper are long gone... so few people even get a newspaper anymore. And what even qualifies as news or editorial in a newspaper is an entirely other story.

(photo, above, via Flickr here)

Now we can construct news feeder tubes to our computers and inboxes, effectively siphoning off only the categories and subject areas we're interested in. More than ever, I wonder, are we living in information silos?

In Canada, in recent months, there has been a half decent amount of newspaper coverage of BPA (bisphenol A), the hormone-mimicking chemical that is considered to be probably toxic and set to be banned in this country. But so few people read the paper. In order to find out about BPA otherwise, I suppose one might have to be following some eco blogs and internet news providers like the Daily Green.

Hmmm.

We don't generally take cash register receipts anymore because most of them have BPA (molecularly loose BPA) on the surface of the carbonless paper. That means that the BPA on cash register receipts is far more readily absorbed into one's skin than via, let's say, BPA-containing plastic.  And I usually try to remember to ask local store cashiers and owners whether they have considered ordering BPA-free receipt paper.

I've been surprised by the number of blank stares I've gotten in return. Even from a local organic bed company, no less.

But one organization that seems to be taking BPA very seriously in Ottawa is the Ottawa Public Library. I found out this week that - for sure - the receipts used at the library are BPA-free. That's every library in the system. How fantastic is that? As I glanced at the piles of books "on hold", marked with names on receipt paper taped to the books' edges... I felt incredibly relieved. Some honey - lots of delicious honey - for the Ottawa Public Library.

(photo above, via Flickr here)

But some horseradish is on the menu for other local shops and businesses, many of whom could act to protect themselves and their customers, but choose not to.

And it's not just limited to BPA.

A local pregnancy-oriented massage business and I had a bit of a run in a few weeks back when I asked to see the ingredients of their so-called entirely non toxic massage cream. Parabens, phenols and a slew of unpronouncable ingredients were listed on the bottle. Pregnant women are more vulnerable to such toxins (because of the potential for these chemicals to affect the fetus and baby) and somehow I thought there was lots of information about there about reducing toxicity for expectant mothers.

I guess there's (a really) long way to go, baby.

(photo above, via Flickr here)