Category: Miscellaneous

Drought. Famine. Severe flooding. Record rainfall. Hurricanes. Acid rain. The highest average temperatures in recorded history. Catastrophe is reported on the nightly news as isolated incidents. But are these incidents isolated, or pieces of a larger global puzzle that could unlock humanity’s future? Are these changes to the earth permanent? Or are they puzzle pieces that, if connected, reveal a larger story that needs to be told; a human story that takes into account who we are and the state of our relationship to this planet, our only home. We are in an environmental age whether we like it or not.

The movie, “The 11th Hour”, directed and narrated by Leonardo DeCaprio, is now playing in theaters, and tells a story many of us know. Yet many of us still ignore. Go see it, and take a friend who is an unaware bear.

How does this fit into “organic comfort”? Well… I’m pretty sure I read somewhere that Leonardo has an organic mattress. And although we have quite a few celebrity customers, I’m sad to say, I don’t believe Leonardo is one of them. ;-( But no matter, he stands-up for a great cause, just like we do, so we are united in a the same mission…. to lessen our destructiion on the environment. And that means better health (and comfort) for all of us! Live well and choose well. Why wait until the 11th hour?

With poisonous toxin alerts connected to almost everything made in China, seems more and more people are now wanting to buy local. We’ve always manufactured in the USA for our own reasons, but we’ve heard many times over the years from customers who say: “I can’t tolerate clothing, towels, blankets or sheets made overseas.” Maybe those folks were on to something, since the most recent reports now indicate that textiles in China are also contaminated with dangerous levels of formaldehyde.

Here’s the report:

Wellington – New Zealand researchers have found dangerous levels of poison in children’s clothing imported from China, a newspaper reported Sunday.

Formaldehyde, a chemical used to give a permanent-press effect to clothes, was found in wool and cotton garments at levels 500 times higher than deemed safe by the World Health Organization, the Sunday Star-Times reported.

Details of the research are to be reported Tuesday on the TV3 channel in the consumer-affairs programme Target.

Dr John Fountain, spokesman for the National Poisons Centre, told the newspaper that international research supported by WHO showed exposure to formaldehyde in concentrations of 20 parts per million (ppm) could cause eye, skin and nasal irritations, respiratory problems, asthma and cancer.

He said that the European Union limits formaldehyde residues in children’s clothes to a maximum of 30 ppm and bans 22 aromatic amine dyes, which are known carcinogens.

Research for Target showed that 10 per cent of clothes tested in China contained residues, and some children’s apparel had levels of ph, which measures acidity or alkalinity, that could damage skin.

Simon Roy, producer of Target, said that a variety of new clothes were tested including a girl’s top, school shorts, a T-shirt and pyjamas.

He said that the results, showing levels of formaldehyde ranging from 230 ppm to 18,000 ppm were so elevated that the research scientists thought they had made a mistake.

The paper said that buyers were advised to wash and air all clothes before wearing them for the first time.

Just another reason to buy locally-produced and grown organic food, organic clothing and organic bedding.

We know we shouldn’t eat large and heavy meals too late at night. But there are times when those hunger pangs can actually keep you restless, and unable to fall asleep. Sometimes you just have to give-in… and indulge in a late night snack.

So when that stomach-rumbling monster has you tossing and turning, be sure to eat the right snack! Treat yourself to “sleep better” comfort foods, that digest easily such as:

Avoid any hard-to-digest foods like red meat, spicy foods, chocolate, beans, cheese, citrus, and anything greasy, fried, or too-rich. Before going back to bed, allow the food to travel down into your intestines, so wait about 15 minutes before lying down.

Today is our official day to relax, chill out, take it easy. We live in a world of fast-food, fast-internet connections, fast-cars, fast-diets, even fast-greetings with our neighbors. So…. Lets slow down a bit. Atleast for today. Some of the tips include:

* A calm soak in the tub
* Treat yourself to a day at the spa
* Read a book
* Putter around the house in comfy PJ’s
* Don’t answer any emails (yeah, we know that’s hard)
* Take a nap

Around here, we’re experts at “relaxation-day” since we specialize in chillin’-out. Of course, our twist is we chill out naturally… with organic and natural fiber comfy stuff. I caught Cris taking a nap on one of the natural mattresses upstairs (she was supposedly just getting some water). When I asked her what she was doing, she said “Oh, I’m just testing this new blanket”. Yeah, right Cris. That’s a good one. I mean, what could I say? LOL. See the stuff you get away with when you work for a company that makes organic comfort products? Everyone gets paid to relax all day! Not bad, huh?

All kidding aside, stress can cause serious problems and consume your world if you let it get to you…. so today, let it GO. Walk away from it, chill out and as the song goes: Don’t worry. Be happy. 🙂

Today is my birthday and if I have to blow out 41 candles I’ll be out of breath. Thank goodness we don’t have them available. Instead we used 1 huge beeswax candle (organic, of course) as substitute, works just fine. I had the good ol’ birthday cake, a few hugs and and maybe a few kisses for later. They bought me an angel food cake, and I didn’t realize how much it looked like our natural latex organic mattress! Off-white, soft yet just a little firm. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend eating an organic mattress just because it may look like an angel food. Anyway, it’s always good to know someone remembers especially when you least expect it. All in all, this day may be just another ordinary day but it’s very extraordinary because someone cares and it’s my birthday.

From Cris

Acar’re Randolph-McCombs was born with a form of Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Mastocytosis. This very rare disease centers around the mast cell/blood cells, which affects your skin, bones and organs. Acar’re suffers severe and extremely painful allergic reactions when he comes in contact with everyday household items, including tap water and certain purified waters, soap, preservatives in foods, and fabrics that are not from 100% natural fibers.
His mother, Traci McCombs spoke with me and shared the many struggles she has encountered through the years in her attempt to provide the best care for Acar’re. Obviously, healthcare and the associated expenses have been a major concern. She had to sell her home and everything she owns just to keep up with the mounting costs. Traci speaks very highly of President Clinton, who provided wonderful resources to assist the family. She was happy to hear Inside Edition was interested in sharing her story, because she hopes that such a large and respected TV show will help her reach across the nation. She is overwhelmed by the people who have been helping her so far, and acknowledges Americans generousity to touch lives.

Once Traci contacted Tomorrow’s World about our organic products, her story passed across our owner’s desk. Cheryl immediately put us out to the shelves to select some items to donate for Acar’re and his family. In addition to our donation, as well as other businesses, the support circle of Acar’re hope to capture the heart and soul of generous folks throughout the US who are able to provide additional assistance.

Traci says her son is just like any other every day kid in many ways. He enjoys playing video games, watching TV and reading. When looking at Acar’re, you would never know he was sick, but the inside of his body is shutting down. But Traci and Acar’re have hope for a better tomorrow.

If you too, would like to donate visit our website @ Tomorrows World and click on the banner “Inside Edition” at the top of the page. We have created a registry just for Acar’re.

WASHINGTON — Chemicals known to change the sexual characteristics of fish and other animals have been found in West Virginia tributaries of the Potomac River, which runs through Washington, D.C. and surrounding areas, the U.S. Geological Survey said Wednesday.

An investigation into fish that had both male and female characteristics turned up a range of chemicals including pesticides, flame retardants, and personal-care products, the USGS said.

The Potomac is fed by rivers and streams in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.

“We analyzed samples of 30 smallmouth bass from six sites, including male and female fish without intersex and male fish with intersex,” said Douglas Chambers, a USGS scientist who led the study.

“All samples contained detectable levels of at least one known endocrine-disrupting compound, including samples from fish without intersex.”

Endocrine disrupters affect the animals’ hormone systems. They can cause birth defects and sexual abnormalities called intersex in species ranging from frogs to alligators and perhaps humans as well.

“Antibiotics were detected in municipal wastewater, aquaculture, and poultry-processing effluent, with the highest number of antibiotics and the greatest concentrations found in municipal effluent,” the USGS wrote in the report, published at http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2006/1393/.

The USGS said the sexual changes in the fish were discovered by accident in 2003, when scientists were investigating massive fish kills.

“Many potential sources of contaminants discharge to the South Branch of the Potomac and Cacapon Rivers. Chief among these are runoff from agricultural activities, municipal and domestic wastewater effluent (both treated and untreated), industrial wastewater, and gypsy moth control programs using dimilin (diflubenzuron),” the report reads.

Source: Reuters