Which Disposable Glove is the Right Glove?

The skin on your hands takes a lot of abuse throughout an ordinary day. The simple act of washing your hands as often as is necessary - let alone protecting them from cleaners or bacteria or other types of foreign matter - often results in dry, cracked skin. It's no wonder that many people choose to wear some from of disposable glove in these instances. And then there are the times where task at hand - food preparation; medical, dental or lab work- requires your hands be covered. But which glove do you choose?

There are several options to choose among, primarily latex, vinyl and nitrile.

Latex

These gloves are made from natural rubber and often use cornstarch to make them easier to put on. They have a high degree of tactile sensitivity and are very durable. Additionally, though, they also can cause dry, irritated skin and more and more people are developing/discovering they are allergic to latex. Regardless, it remains the most popular choice for most healthcare or surgical procedures and are suitable for a wide variety of other tasks.

Nitrile

These gloves stretch like rubber but are made from a synthetic latex. They are easier to slip on, offer a higher degree of flexibility, offer excellent barrier protection to many chemicals and solvents and are more resistant to puncturing than latex or vinyl gloves. However, they are also more expensive and don't have the level of tactile sensitivity that latex offers.

Vinyl

Made from polyvinyl chloride (pvc), they are less durable but more cost effective alternative to nitrile. While they don't protect as well or as thoroughly as nitrile - nor offer as close of a fit - for projects that require frequent glove changes or short term use (food service or nonsurgical medical procedures), they are a worthwhile option.

Please let us know if we can assist in choosing the right glove for your task at hand!

Thank you for reading,

Dave, Ellen, Eric and Amy

The Ant Situation

It's spring and we have a creatively built addition on our century home (believe me, we want to redo it). Not suprisingly, we suffered an ant infestation. What seemed like hundreds of ants were busy scurrying back and forth between the newly laid kitchen tiles that were waiting to be grouted. Because they were below regular surface level, they avoided any and all traps that we put down.

Lovely.

Now, while I've finally adopted a "live and let live" philosophy regarding the random spiders and the occasional ant and such that find their way into my home, this was waaaay too much. But I have a preschooler and two cats and needed a way to "safely" get rid of the ants without antagonizing the wanted living creatures in my home. I was unwilling to use most of the commercial insecticides but didn't think I had another option.

That's when we turned to a sample we had recieved at a trade show. Manufactured by EcoSMART, this commercial crawling insect killer works within the National Organic Program guidelines. According to their labels and websites, I could use it while child and pets were around. And, the two active ingredients are rosemary oil and cinnamon oil. Still, I was a bit skeptical.

Needless to say, my scepticism was unwarranted. The spray worked like a dream; ants were gone within the hour and haven't been back. Everyone was able to stay home. And best of all, my house smelled wonderful; I was even asked what air freshener I was using!

We're now able to carry the EcoSMART Commercial Crawling Insect Killer, EcoSmart Commercial Flying Insect Killer and the EcoSmart Commercial Wasp Killer. Check them out!

Thank you for reading!

Dave, Ellen, Eric and Amy

Green or green washing?

Being eco-friendly or producing a product that is green has become more and more desirable for many obvious reasons. However, with this swell of interest, many companies are utilizing tactics that can only be labeled "green washing".


Green washing is what happens when an organization or individual wants to appear to be ecologically conscious, touts itself as such, but in reality is simply applying misleading or completely false labels and claims. These practices, frequently referred to as the "six sins of greenwashing" are:

• Sin of the Hidden Trade-Off (in which one positive/green attribute is touted while other non-green attributes or issues are ignored)
• Sin of No Proof (in which green claims cannot be substantiated)
• Sin of Vagueness (in which terms such as "non-toxic", "all natural" or even "eco-friendly" are applied to make it appear a product is not harmful. Examined more closely, toxicity is a matter of degree; many 100% natural substances - such as arsenic - are quite hazardous; and using the term eco-friendly without further clarification is fairly meaningless)
• Sin of Irrelevance (in which an environmental claim is made that, while it may be true, is pointless. The biggest example is the claim that a product is CFC free considering CFCs were banned approximately 30 years ago)
• Sin of Lesser of Two Evils (in which are found products like organic cigarettes or even the fuel-efficient sport utility vehicle. These claims, while they may be technically true, detract from the greater environmental impact of the product)
• Sin of Fibbing (in which claims are made that just aren't true. Often, these claims are regarding certification that the product simply doesn't have)

There has recently been an addition of a "new" seventh sin:

• Sin of Worshiping False Labels (in which the so called official seal on the label has been created by the company/marketers themselves and is, therefore, meaningless)

So what can an ecologically conscious person do?

• Check for reliable labeling from an independent and qualified third party (a topic we'll go into at a later date)
• Ask questions! How many products in this field could the claim apply to? Is the company able to easily and clearly provide more information regarding the claim? Is the claim vague or specific? Does it apply to only one small faction of the product or process? Does it make the consumer feel better about making a "green" choice instead of eliminating the product completely? Is the claim true at all?

With all the choices and claims out there, a little perseverance will pay off considerably in the long run.

Thank you for reading!

Swine Flu:What is it? How does it spread? How can we prevent it or protect against it?

Yes, the health topic on everyone’s mind is swine flu. What is it? How does it spread? Most importantly, how can I/we prevent it or protect against it?? As there are many wonderful sites that are currently addressing these issues (such as the CDC's or Wikipedia or the NLM's MedlinePlus site), we’ll be brief with the first two questions…

Q: What is it?

A: The most basic explanation is that it’s a mutated respiratory disease caused by a strain of influenza A (H1N1) that is commonly found in pigs.

Q: How does it spread?

A: In humans, the swine flu is spread in pretty much the same way that seasonal flu is spread: from person to person via contact with droplets from the mouth when a person sneezes or coughs. However, it's not yet known exactly how easily it's actually being spread.

Q: How can I/we prevent it or protect against it?

A: Just as you would prevent yourself from getting a traditional cold or flu: wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water or use alcohol based hand cleaners; stay in good health (eating nutritiously, getting plenty of sleep, drinking plenty of fluids); avoid contact with those that are already sick; and clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

The following is a list of a few of the products we carry that can assist you with regard to sanitizing and disinfecting:

• Lysol Brand III Disinfectant Spray
• Clorox Disinfecting Wipes
• Whistle Degreaser/Disinfectant Spray
• Purell Original Instant Hand Sanitizer Pump
• Dial Complete Antibacterial Foam Hand Wash
• Vinyl Gloves
• Kleenex Antiviral Facial Tissue
  

Please visit our website for a complete list of available items.

Thank you for reading!

Dave, Ellen, Eric and Amy

Greetings and welcome to Earthenair's weblog.

We’ll be using this space for many purposes:

• Share tips and how to's regarding cleaning and maintenance
• Discuss noteworthy events in health news (such as recent MRSA concerns and the current swine flu outbreak) and how they may impact our customers
• Notify you when we are able to make new products available (like recent additions of Clorox's Green Works line and Seventh Generation products)
• Address any questions or concerns you might have

Please feel free to contact us at earthen@earthenairinc.com or call us at (800) 860-8626.

Thank you for reading!

Dave, Ellen, Eric and Amy