The National Academy of Sciences report that the water that millions of Americans drink to quench their thirst, is making them sick. Its hard to believe that the water that flows through our tap over much of America, is contaminated. Though the density and levels of contamination may vary from place to place.

As per the analysis by The Environmental Working Group, there are around 300 pollutants present in the water that we drink. Water that is provided to our houses contain large amounts of chemicals like arsenic, or some deadly radioactive substances like Uranium. Various other contaminants like fuel additives, illegal and prescription drugs are also present in the water supply. Even dangerous bacteria, mostly found in sewage, can be present in our drinking water.

There have been many confirmed outbreaks of waterborne diseases like Cholera, Typhoid and other gastrointestinal diseases, that not only make Americans sick but few of them die due to severe health complications. As per the research, even bottled water can no longer be considered to be safe, as 40% of bottled water is filled from tap water somewhere. One can no longer ignore the fact that protecting our lives is in our own hands. For more information, view this guide from the National Academy of Sciences.

The only way to protect ourselves is to filter our drinking water. One gets confused regarding the selection of water filters, as there are various types and varieties of water filters available in the market.

Trust me! its really difficult to decide which one to buy? Many questions come to our mind like which one is the right one for my home? or whether water will be safe enough to drink? or whether all the contamination will be removed or not after filtering? That’s where friendsofwater.com come to our rescue.

Friendsofwater.com is a family run website and an online store as well. They provide us various information on several water related issues like the risks related to drinking contaminated water, precautions one need to take regarding our health and several tips to lookout for signs and symptoms of various waterborne diseases. The best part about them is they also send health care professionals to our homes, who help us understand issues regarding health, identifying symptoms of various waterborne diseases and various precautions, one needs to take. They help us recognize the need for filtering water and keeping diseases at bay.

The people at friendsofwater.com offer a variety of water filters, such as the fluoride water filters, for you to choose. One can select the most suitable, from the wide variety range.

 Just a few a months after closing its last retail store, Linens ‘N Things has resurfaced as a popular e-commerce website that redefines the online shopping experience. Now under different ownership, the new Linens ‘N Things (www.lnt.com) catapults the brand consumers have known and loved for 34 years into the 21st century and beyond. Promising to set the standard for what’s to become the new model for many traditional brick-and-mortar retailers, the new Linens ‘N Things is about creating the ultimate online shopping experience.

Visit the new Linens ‘N Things (www.lnt.com) to discover a wide assortment of highly recognized and popular home and living brands (over 2,000 brands and growing everyday). A sampling of the well-known, international brands you’ll find include: Calvin Klein, Vera Wang, Le Creuset, Versace, Viking Range and Laura Ashley, as well as more recently launched lines such as DwellStudio, Perry Ellis Bedding and Blissliving Home. It all adds up to a comprehensive online destination, filled with over 200,000 top branded products for every room in the home — from bedding and bath to dining and decor and much, much more.

But top brands and a huge product selection is just the start. New categories have been added too, including pet products; a large selection of high quality nursery bedding, accessories and baby gear, such as CoCaLo; a variety of travel accessories and luggage for any occasion. Be sure to check the site daily for its ever changing “Deal of the Day” and Clearance Center that promise deals like you’ve never seen before. With a focus on pricing its products for today’s cost-conscious, quality-driven consumer, the new Linens ‘N Things (www.lnt.com) prides itself on its leading staple of brands offering products at every price point.

The new Linens ‘N Things (www.lnt.com) is built on an innovative, technologically-advanced e-commerce platform that enhances the online shopping experience based on real-time consumer demand. The website changes automatically by the day and even by hour based on what customers are buying. New brands and products are added constantly while the existing inventory is continually remerchandized to meet the consumer demand and desires.

The new Linens ‘N Things (www.lnt.com) builds on the enormous customer following that started 34 years ago with a single store in West Orange, New Jersey. Recognized as one of the top two home retailers in North America, something that very few home textiles and housewares brands have achieved, the new Linens ‘N Things (www.lnt.com) offers consumers the ultimate shopping experience that includes new and noteworthy retail partnerships, from brands that have been trusted for decades to leading brands in contemporary home furnishings, accessories and much more.

About Linens ‘N Things (www.lnt.com)

The first Linens ‘N Things store opened in 1975 in West Orange, New Jersey, offering high-end linens at discount prices. The company grew to become the second largest specialty retailer of home furnishings and decorative accessories with 589 stores across North America. Now part of the Gordon Brothers Brands and Hilco Consumer Capital portfolio of retail brands, the new Linens ‘N Things hits home with consumers as a popular e-commerce website, featuring top brands, new categories, hot deals, and the ultimate shopping sensation. Poised to become the modern standard in retailing, the new Linens ‘N Things caters to the demands and desires of today’s consumer.

Survey: 28% Say They’ve Mixed Their Own Cleaning Product at Home

- SDA Offers Safety Tips For Those Considering Home-Made Concoctions

You might think it’s safer or more effective to mix your own cleaning products at home. Think again.

According to a new survey from The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA – www.cleaning101.com), 28 percent of Americans say they have mixed their own cleaning product at home.

When asked what was the most important factor in deciding to try and make their own concoction, those who did so said they believed it was safer to know what was in the products (38%), they believed it was cheaper (38%), or they believed it was more effective (28%).

“When it comes to making your own cleaning products, consumers should think twice before mixing once,” said Nancy Bock, SDA Vice President of Education. “There can be serious safety implications if proper care is not taken. In the frantic haste of an emergency situation, will the person who made the mix-at-home product know exactly what to tell a Poison Control Center on the phone?”

What do consumers need to consider before mixing their own concoctions?

Labels: Homemade cleaning products aren’t always stored in properly labeled containers. While you may feel confident that you know what’s in them, consider the fact that a child or a pet may get a hold of them when you’re not around. How would other members of the household know what’s inside or what to do in an emergency if there’s no label with safety instructions?
Testing standards for safety: An incredible amount of research, development and testing goes on before formulated cleaning products ever hit the store shelves, not to mention that the products must meet all applicable federal and state quality, safety and labeling regulations. Homemade cleaners are not tested or held to any standards. An ingredient may be labeled as “natural” but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s safe for ingestion by children or pets.
Testing standards for use: Untested homemade mixtures may have unforeseen consequences, such as damaging your kitchen counters or stripping the finish from your brand-new wood floors.
Secure storage containers: Formulated products come with safety and precautionary language, including reminders about storing the product safely and securely. A number of products are also fitted with child resistant packaging if there are significant precautions for usage. When you make it at home, you’re on your own.
As a longtime supporter of National Poison Prevention Week (March 15-21), SDA reminds consumers about the proper ways to store and use cleaning products in the home:

Close cleaning product caps securely. Even child-resistant packaging doesn’t work if the container isn’t properly closed.
Lock products up. Store them in a location that’s away from children, pets and food. Install child-resistant locks on cabinets and doors.
Keep cleaning products in their original containers. If an accident occurs, the label provides information concerning the product’s contents and advice on what immediate first-aid to perform.
Carefully dispose of empty cleaning containers. Replace the caps and then discard in a sealed recycling bin or garbage container that’s safe from curious children and pets.
If there’s a poison-related emergency, contact the U.S. Poison Control Center’s nationwide toll-free number: 1-800-222-1222. Post this number, which operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, next to every phone in the house and add it as a contact into all your cell phones.

SDA has more specific information online for consumers on the safe, beneficial and proper use of cleaning products, including:

Clean and Safe in the 21st Century, available at www.cleaning101.com/health.

Facts About Mix-at-Home Cleaners, available at www.cleaning101.com/environment/facts/.

The survey was completed for The Soap and Detergent Association by Echo Research, Inc. Echo questioned 1,001 American adults (501 men and 500 women) via telephone February 26-March 1, 2009 on whether they had ever mixed their own cleaning products. The second question was asked of 302 adults (123 male, 179 female) who had answered “yes” to the first question. Both questions have a margin of error of plus or minus 3.2 percent.

The Soap and Detergent Association (SDA – www.cleaning101.com), the Home of the U.S. Cleaning Product and Oleochemical Industries(R), is a one-hundred plus member trade association representing the $30 billion U.S. cleaning products market. SDA members include the formulators of soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings; companies that supply ingredients and finished packaging for these products; and oleochemical producers. SDA and its members are dedicated to improving health and the quality of life through sustainable cleaning products and practices.

With more demand for environmentally-friendly products, designers and manufacturers are introducing upscale luxurious and elegant options that prove stylish and ‘green’ can go hand in hand.

According to home improvement expert Leslie Segrete, “With so many great materials and choices available, you’ll be able to decorate stylishly, while making a difference for our planet.” Here are some of her tips on getting started:

Green Foundation

Build an eco-friendly room from the ground up. 100-percent recycled floor tiles made of materials such as rich recycled leather, provide a fashionable and environmentally responsible alternative to chemically-treated rugs and manmade flooring.

Look for carpeting that is made from hemp, linen, wool or cotton, they come in a range of colors made from natural dyes. These biodegradable and chemical-free carpets often even use a rubber backing made from recycled windshield wipers or bicycle tires.

Wise Walls

Sherwin-Williams and other paint companies have recently introduced water-based paints to combat the environmental hazards often caused by chemical-laden paints. Alternative home wall coverings can also be made from earth-friendly materials, like hemp, linen, bamboo, cork and recycled paper.

“For an adventurous, unique look that combines color and texture, try American Clay Plaster,” Segrete said. “Create an array of colors with different tints and finishes that appear smooth, rustic or even Old World.”

Faucet Flow

New automatic hands-free faucets, like the Destiny bathroom faucet from ShowHouse by Moen, conserve water with a sleek minimalist design and a distinctly-styled spout that produces a sheeting water flow. The Destiny faucet reduces water waste, providing water only when it is needed.

Window to Tomorrow

Large, high-efficiency windows let more daylight into the home and decrease the need for electrical lighting. To further this green option, forgo window treatments altogether and install frosted glass panes. Additionally, supplement natural lighting by replacing energy-wasting incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient fluorescent lighting fixtures.

As ‘going green’ continues to gain momentum, it’s easier than ever before to make a style statement in your home while still having a conscience.

About Moen

Moen offers a diverse selection of thoughtfully designed, on-trend kitchen faucets, bathroom faucets, showerheads, and stainless steel sinks for residential and commercial applications. As the #1 faucet brand in North America, customers have come to rely on Moen to deliver dependable products and service. Moen is part of Fortune Brands, Inc. (NYSE: FO, www.fortunebrands.com), a leading consumer brands company.Going Grecsfff

Beautiful cutting-edge design, exceptional performance, and Gold environmental certification! Get ready for a new line of environmentally-friendly fabrics with unmatched quality from DuraleeContract. Eco-fabrics by DuraleeContract has the unique styling expected of all DuraleeContract fabrics, which features 100% Eco Intelligent® Polyester fabrics that are Cradle to Cradle Gold certified by MBDC (McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry).

With a current and much-needed social movement towards sustainable products, DuraleeContract has designed the Eco-Fabrics by DuraleeContract collection to fit into the lifestyle of the environmentally conscious without forfeiting fine design. Eco-Fabrics by DuraleeContract makes it possible to match unique and remarkable patterns and colorways with the satisfaction of taking a step in promoting a healthy planet.

To achieve the Gold level, MBDC evaluated Eco Intelligent® Polyester material and product ingredients for human and environmental health and safety. As the first true “technical nutrient” textile, Eco Intelligent® Polyester is a material that remains in a closed-loop system of manufacture, reuse, and recovery, maintaining its value through many product life cycles. Certification of a finished product also requires the evaluation of the mills’ facilities within the five categories including Materials, Nutrient (Re)utilization, Energy, Water and Social Responsibility.

DuraleeContract is headquartered in Bay Shore, New York with showrooms nationwide and throughout the world.

SCHUMACHER TERRA, THE NEW BRAND FOR EARTH-FRIENDLY DECORATING, DEBUTS WITH THE BY NATURE COLLECTION
New Schumacher collection to support WaterAid America—An Industry First

In its on-going effort to bring environmentally responsible products to the design community, Schumacher is launching its Schumacher Terra™ brand of eco-friendly fabrics and wallcoverings. The products featured under the Schumacher Terra label include natural and renewable materials — linen, jute, bamboo and certified organic cotton — and meet authentic third-party certification, such as USDA certification and Oekotex standard 100, for environmentally and socially responsible processes, from field to finished product.

Headlining the new Schumacher Terra brand is the By Nature Collection of luxurious organic cotton fabrics. Perceivably softer than standard cotton, these chemical-free fabrics come by their rich, sumptuous hand naturally; the fibers have not been broken down by chemical washes and finishes and the water discharged at the completion of the process contains no pollutants. Learn more about By Nature and download the brochure.

The organic cottons in the By Nature Collection have relaxed, washed-finish hues inspired by the natural palette of earth, sea and sky. Stronger than traditional cottons, many of the organic cotton offerings in this collection are washable, and come in a range of solids, stripes, wovens, and classic and modern prints. The By Nature Collection of organic cotton is grown without materials harmful to humans, animals or the soil and is processed under the Global Organic Textile Standard and other certifying agencies to assure purity with environmental and social responsibility.

“In the past, designers and consumers have perceived sustainable fabrics as muted and monochromatic and plain,” according to Susan North, Schumacher’s Vice President of Design. “In conceiving the By Nature collection, we wanted to break the mold by offering an unexpectedly vibrant color palette, bold patterns and ultra-soft hand not generally found in eco-friendly textiles.”

To celebrate the launch of its first collection under the Schumacher Terra label, and as part of its ongoing commitment to a healthier planet, Schumacher is proud to announce that it has allied with WaterAid America, the world’s leading non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to working with people in many of the world’s poorest countries to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. Schumacher will contribute 2% of the proceeds from the sale of its By Nature Collection to WaterAid America.

“The decision to team up with WaterAid America was a natural one,” said Corinne Kevorkian, President and General Manager of Schumacher. “The textile manufacturing process involves heavy consumption of water. At the same time, preserving the quality and availability of safe drinking water concerns all of us, including Schumacher. The By Nature collection contributes to this goal through its environmentally responsible production process. Our program with WaterAid takes our commitment a step further by directly providing access to safe water to communities around the world where the needs are most urgent.” Patricia Dandonoli, President and CEO of WaterAid America, is delighted to welcome Schumacher, an industry leader, as a supporter of WaterAid’s mission. “The business community has an important role to play in ensuring and safeguarding access to safe drinking water. WaterAid is grateful to Schumacher for their tangible support, which is helping us reach thousands of marginalized and vulnerable people with safe water and basic sanitation.”

About Schumacher
The Schumacher brand is known for textile and wallcovering design of the highest quality. Its signature looks encompass a diversity of design and include classic luxurious silks and European derived wovens as well as innovative modern design gathered from sources around the world. Historic interpretations and reproductions, often in collaboration with museums and historic foundations, have also been a central part of the Schumacher heritage and continue in our collections today. The Schumacher brand has been a consistent resource for the essential needs of interior designers, from versatile sheers and solids to opulent textures and velvet plains. www.fschumacher.com

About WaterAid
WaterAid is the world’s leading independent non-profit organization dedicated exclusively to working with people in the world’s poorest countries to improve access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene education. Founded in 1981, we operate throughout Africa, Asia and the Pacific region and have helped more than 11 million people gain access to safe water through low-cost, sustainable projects that can be locally managed and maintained. With a goal of expanding operations to assist 1.3 million people to gain access to safe water and 1.5 million people to gain sanitation this fiscal year, it has earned a worldwide reputation for its effectiveness and leadership and garnered numerous national and international awards, including the prestigious Stockholm Water Prize. www.wateraidamerica.org

It appears that someone wants to profit in the quest to go green. Similar to the recent peanut-salmonella contamination, a manufacturer may be trying to cut corners and sell what could be dangerous products.

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is notifying consumers that compact fluorescent lamps, identified below, bear a counterfeit UL Mark for the United States and Canada. The products also have a counterfeit EMC mark. These lamps have not been evaluated for safety by UL and are not eligible to bear the UL Mark.

Photo Source: UL

Identification of Counterfeit Product:
On the product: The product is marked with a counterfeit UL Mark and the following information:

The lamps also have the following markings:

Sold at: The products are known to be sold by Blanchard Distributing and may also be sold by other retailers.

What You Should Do: UL recommends that consumers stop using the product immediately and return it to the place of purchase.

Photo of the Product: Photos of the compact florescent lamps that bear a counterfeit UL Mark and a counterfeit EMC Mark are available here: http://www.ul.com/newsroom/newsrel/nr022009.html

Underwriters Laboratories (UL) is an independent product safety certification organization that has been testing products and writing Standards for Safety for over a century. UL evaluates more than 19,000 types of products, components, materials and systems annually with 20 billion UL Marks appearing on 72,000 manufacturers’ products each year. UL’s worldwide family of companies and network of service providers includes 64 laboratory, testing and certification facilities serving customers in 98 countries. For more information, visit: http://www.UL.com/newsroom.

SOURCE Underwriters Laboratories

http://www.UL.com