Dan's Papers - May 16, 2008 - It Is Easy Being Green, Says SH College

As part of its effort to "go green," Stonybrook Southampton College held the first in a monthly series of "GreenSpeaks" panel discussions on various topics in this eco-friendly field. In conjunction with Hamptons GreenDrinks, which has been an ongoing gathering of green-minded business people on the East End, this GreenSpeaks project is a further effort to educate the public about better and healthier alternatives.

The first GreenSpeaks panel discussion, "How We Can Make Our Homes and Lawns Less Toxic," was held April 28. Chuck Schwartz, owner of Long Island Green, a company that aims to reduce energy needs in the home, moderated the panel discussion.

Anamaria Cobo de Paci, Dean of Students at Stonybrook Southampton College, who also attended the event, said, "The mission of GreenSpeaks aligns with our mission of creating a sustainable footprint. There are so many talented people in our community who can come here and share important ideas, so I think it's a great partnership, and hopefully we will be making a difference on the planet and in people's lives."

This first panel included three experts on toxic-free homes and two experts on toxic-free lawns. Maggie Wood, founder of Maggie Wood Design, who is a green furnishings expert and owns Golden Earthworm Organic Farm in Jamesport, spoke about the importance of keeping homes healthy.

"Oftentimes, green architects build green homes, but when it comes time to furnish them, they bring in toxic chemicals in the carpets or the refinishing on the floors and furniture, and the kids get sick from asthma or headaches," she said. "We forget that many chronic illnesses and even cancer come from these off-gases created by toxic chemicals that you can't see or smell."

Stan Halpern of Healthy Clean Buildings in Melville tries to bring green cleaning alternatives to homes and schools. His company has supplied Tuckahoe Schools with green cleaning alternatives, and his website gets 20,000 hits per day, which shows how much people need this information. He explained his "clean products alternatives" move away from petro-chemicals and contain safer alternatives.

"I got into green cleaning because the products I was using were making me sick," he explained. "I have five children, and I understand the need for safer and healthier products on the market." His wife said she cleans her home with natural products like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and tea tree oil.

Michael Brylewski of Organic Cleaning in Hampton Bays took over his father's company and continued to watch it grow as more people became familiar with healthier products. "We see the massive amounts of toxic chemicals in people's homes, with the everyday cleaners they buy in the supermarkets," he said. "These cleaners are polluting the planet and interfering with the health of parents, children and pets."

Jonathan Langer, Vice-President of Paramount Pest Elimination in Patchogue and a nutritionist and an organic food-processing inspector, talked about the importance of creating chemical-free lawns.

"How we act affects others, and environmental concerns require sacrifice," he said. "Our parents sacrificed their lives during World War II, but now we have a different kind of crisis, which is an environmental crisis, concerning the contamination from pesticides, from genetically modified food, from plastic packaging and other things in our environments," he explained. "Why are we seeing increases in autism, Parkinson's Disease and ADD? It partly has to do with the increase in pesticides and chemicals in our surroundings, so anything we can do to reduce this is helpful."

Karl Fridenberger of Organic Care Inc. in Westhampton Beach said he only serves clients who are willing to treat their lawns 100% with organic products.

"It is estimated that 60% of Americans still use pesticides on a daily basis to treat their lawns," he said. "This is exposing our children to billions of pounds of pesticides, and the long-term exposure is carcinogenic."

One woman asked, "How can middle America go green when it seems to be more expensive to buy the products from a health food store or private company than from a supermarket?"

Halpern replied, "If done properly, the cost of organics may be slightly higher, but compare the cost of doctors visits and your overall health, and it comes out to less."

Wood added, "Thinking green is a mindset, and once you think this way, you think differently about your immediate world, and about the planet." She said for example, when choosing something like a mattress, you have the choice to sleep on foam, which is cheaper and full of chemicals, or buy a mattress like Lifekind, which is all organic and chemical-free. "It's easier to go cheaper, but a mattress is an investment in your health for a long period of time," she said.

People asked the organic lawn care experts how to treat their lawns for ants, to which they suggested mint oil and gel baits. For fleas in the house, they suggested simple hot water extraction of carpets. For mosquitoes, they suggested garlic spray and rosemary oil, and for deer issues, they said get deer-resistant plants or electronic devices.

Steve Cea, owner of Organically Green tree and shrub care, added that maintaining the correct watering, mulching and height of plants, which are planted in the right place, will also negate the need for pesticides.

Wood suggested staying away from vinyl products in the home that can't be recycled and produce off-gases. She also recommended getting a water filtration system in the home that filters out chlorine and pesticides, and using paints that contain no or low VOCs. To get rid of mold in the home, experts recommend the same peroxide used in dying hair, as well as mold inhibitors like lemongrass and oregano oil. Wood referred the audience to a website called greenhomeguide.com for other tips.

The next GreenSpeaks evening will be held at the college on May 19 at 7 p.m. on the topic "What's Real? Green Energy Facts and Myths." For upcoming events, visit www.LIGreen.com