[blparent] Natural recipe for going green

Thu May 3 02:16:49 UTC 2012

My pediatrician said that the kidneys of young children aren't as efficient 
as those of adults at processing salt, so she warned me to keep tabs on 
sodium intake.  She said toddlers and preschoolers are particularly 
vulnerable during the holidays and at summer picnics where there are big 
bags of chips and trays of pickles and olives and the like.

Jo Elizabeth

"How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, 
compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of 
the weak and the strong.  Because someday in life you will have been all of 
these."--George Washington Carver, 1864-1943, American scientist

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From: "Veronica Smith" <madison_tewe at spinn.net>
Sent: Wednesday, May 02, 2012 5:37 PM
To: "'Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Subject: Re: [blparent] Natural recipe for going green

> Interesting, thanks.  Like salt, is really bad for us and especially for
> children, can actually cause death among tots.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Erin Rumer
> Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2012 6:32 PM
> To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Natural recipe for going green
>
> I did some additional research on Borax and found some helpful information
> that I've pasted below.  You can find this and more information at
> http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingsworkfaqs/a/howboraxworks.htm
>
> Erin
>
> Borax (also known as sodium borate decahydrate; sodium pyroborate; birax;
> sodium tetraborate decahydrate; sodium biborate) is a natural mineral
> compound (Na2B4O7 . 10H2O). It was discovered over 4000 years ago. Borax 
> is
> usually found deep within the ground, although it has been mined near the
> surface in Death Valley, California since the 1800s. Although it has
> numerous industrial uses, in the home borax is used as a natural laundry
> booster, multipurpose cleaner, fungicide, preservative, insecticide,
> herbicide, disinfectant, dessicant, and ingredient in making 'slime'. 
> Borax
> crystals are odorless, whitish (can have various color impurities), and
> alkaline. Borax is not flammable and is not reactive. It can be mixed with
> most other cleaning agents, including chlorine bleach.
>
> How Does Borax Clean?
>
> Borax has many chemical properties that contribute to its cleaning power.
> Borax and other borates clean and bleach by converting some water 
> molecules
> to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This reaction is more favorable in hotter
> water. The pH of borax is about 9.5, so it produces a basic solution in
> water, thereby increasing the effectiveness of bleach and other cleaners. 
> In
> other chemical reactions, borax acts as a buffer, maintaining a stable pH
> needed to maintain cleansing chemical reactions. The boron, salt, and/or
> oxygen of boron inhibit the metabolic processes of many organisms. This
> characteristic allows borax to disinfect and kill unwanted pests. Borates
> bonds with other particles to keep ingredients dispersed evenly in a
> mixture, which maximizes the surface area of active particles to enhance
> cleaning power.
>
> Risks Associated with Borax
>
> Borax is natural, but that does not mean it is automatically safer for you
> or for 'the environment' than man-made chemicals. Although plants need
> boron, too much of it will kill them, so borax can be used as an 
> herbicide.
> Borax may also be used to kill roaches, ants, and fleas. In fact, it is 
> also
> toxic to people. Signs of chronic toxic exposure include red and peeling
> skin, seizures, and kidney failure. The estimated lethal dose (ingested) 
> for
> adults is 15-20 grams; less than 5 grams can kill a child or pet. For this
> reason, borax should not be used around food. More commonly, borax is
> associated with skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. It is also important
> to point out that exposure to borax may impair fertility or cause damage 
> to
> an unborn child.
>
> Now, none of these risks mean that you shouldn't use borax. If you do a 
> bit
> of research, you will find risks associated with all cleaning products,
> natural or man-made. However, you do need to be aware of product risks so
> that you can use those products properly. Don't use borax around food, 
> keep
> it out of reach of children and pets, and make sure you rinse borax out of
> clothes and off of surfaces before use.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Veronica Smith
> Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2012 5:06 PM
> To: 'Blind Parents Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [blparent] Natural recipe for going green
>
> But borax is made from all natural, not harmful to the earth. But don't 
> know
> what is in it.  I know it can't harm animals like dogs or cats, but bugs
> find it quite offensive.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Bridgit Pollpeter
> Sent: Tuesday, May 01, 2012 11:51 AM
> To: blparent at nfbnet.org
> Subject: [blparent] Natural recipe for going green
>
> Erin, not a recipe from me, smile. I agree though, I wouldn't want to use 
> a
> product with Borax if wanting to go green.
>
> Sincerely,
> Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
> Read my blog at:
> http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/
>
> "History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
> The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan
>
> Message: 24
> Date: Mon, 30 Apr 2012 14:24:24 -0700
> From: "Erin Rumer" <erinrumer at gmail.com>
> To: "'Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blparent] natural recipe for going green
> Message-ID: <002e01cd2717$9f3c9090$ddb5b1b0$@gmail.com>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
>
> Thanks for another cleaning recipe Bridgett.  To be honest though I'm
> wanting to avoid things with Borax because that stuff us used to kill 
> pests
> during extermination measures.  It cannot be that healthy for us although
> I'm sure it works.
>
> Erin
>
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