toxic plastics
Man. I read the bit in Salon's How The World Works (scroll down to 'Does plastic make us fat?') about how a common chemical in plastics that we're exposed to in copious quantities acts like estrogen and causes developmental and reproductive problems in fetuses, and probably obesity as well. And I thought, 'blah blah blah, spurious expose in Salon with fishy science.' But then I read the original PLoS article. And well, I am SO GLAD I don't plan to have kids. SO GLAD.
Also, while looking up the various toxicities of different plastics (see this handy guide), I found this interesting tidbit:
"Have you ever noticed an odd taste in, say, a water bottle left in the car on a hot day?
More than half of plastic bottles that hold water and soda pop are made from the polyester PET (polyethylene terephthalate). In heat, PET breaks down and gives off a slightly fruity flavor. It also leaches the toxic metal antimony, which poisons the body in similar ways to arsenic. An antimony overdose can be fatal; you certainly won't die drinking from a PET-based bottle, but it might cause a headache, dizziness, or a foul mood." Original article here.
Dude. I get that nasty fruity taste all the frickin' time when my bottle's been in a hot car. Always skeeves me out. And I'm usually dizzy after I drink from it, true, but then again, I get dizzy instantly from being hot or in the sun, so it's not like I could tell the difference. In any event, I think it's time I switched to bottles that don't leach nasty crap--I've used disposable water bottles for years because of how often I lose bottles, but hey, a nice Rubbermaid chug bottle made of polypropylene is only a few bucks.
Also, while looking up the various toxicities of different plastics (see this handy guide), I found this interesting tidbit:
"Have you ever noticed an odd taste in, say, a water bottle left in the car on a hot day?
More than half of plastic bottles that hold water and soda pop are made from the polyester PET (polyethylene terephthalate). In heat, PET breaks down and gives off a slightly fruity flavor. It also leaches the toxic metal antimony, which poisons the body in similar ways to arsenic. An antimony overdose can be fatal; you certainly won't die drinking from a PET-based bottle, but it might cause a headache, dizziness, or a foul mood." Original article here.
Dude. I get that nasty fruity taste all the frickin' time when my bottle's been in a hot car. Always skeeves me out. And I'm usually dizzy after I drink from it, true, but then again, I get dizzy instantly from being hot or in the sun, so it's not like I could tell the difference. In any event, I think it's time I switched to bottles that don't leach nasty crap--I've used disposable water bottles for years because of how often I lose bottles, but hey, a nice Rubbermaid chug bottle made of polypropylene is only a few bucks.