THE GREEN ZONE BLOG by LINDA MASON HUNTER
All about taking care of yourself, your family, and the planet, "The Green Zone" offers short, basic tips to incorporate into your daily life to make Earth a cleaner, more sustainable place.
In the Zone
"The Green Zone" airs four times daily at approximately. 2:50 a.m., 6:50 a.m., 4:50 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. central time. Listen every day for a new tip you can put to good use.
Just a little bit…
December, 2024
It’s just a little bit of chlorine in your water.
It’s just a little bit of heavy metals in your food.
It’s just a little bit of fragrance in your cologne.
It’s just a little bit of benzene in your sunscreen.
It’s just a little bit of aluminum in your deodorant.
It’s just a little bit of PFOAs in your nonstick pans.
It’s just a little bit of phthalates in your plastic storage bags.
It’s just a little bit of methanol in your surface cleaner.
It’s just a little bit of artificial coloring in your toothpaste.
It’s just a little bit of ammonia in your sugar-free sweetener.
It’s just a little bit of propylene glycol in your skincare products.
It’s just a little bit of sodium lauryl sulfate in your shampoo.
It’s just a little bit of glyphosate in your breakfast cereal.
It’s just a little bit of “forever chemicals” in your plastic bottles.
It’s just a little bit of fluoride in your drinking water.
It’s just a little bit of parabens in your moisturizer.
Hmmmm. Let me ask you this: When does “just a little bit” become too much for the body to handle?
Green Zone tips for August, 2025
As heard on KFMG FM, Des Moines’ award-winning low power radio station; streaming at https://kfmg.org/resources/
What are ultra-processed foods?
Ultra processed foods are formulated to be “craveable” – designed to be tasty, cheap and ready-to-eat. The Environmental Working Group defines ultra processed foods as food products that contain one or more of certain functional ingredients, including artificial colors and flavors, non-sugar sweeteners, emulsifiers and thickening agents. These ingredients, mostly produced by industrial processes, are broken down and combined to form foods through industrial techniques, such as molding into shapes or extrusion through a machine to make, for example, puffs or flakes. This process creates many popular breakfast cereals, packaged cookies, frozen pizza, even some “healthy” granola bars.
But not all processed food is ultra-processed. Oatmeal, peanut butter and pasta are processed but they’re not ultra-processed – they’re made with just a handful of ingredients and may retain significant nutritional value.
But if the oatmeal has been pre-cooked and dried, with fruit flavoring thrown in, it can be thought of as instant. Pasta that's been preserved as part of a ready-to-eat meal has also been transformed. Both might have started out as minimally processed but in these forms, they are ultra-processed.
For more info on ultra-processed foods, get your free Guide to Food Additives from the Environmental Working Group at ewg.org.
Source: The Environmental Working Group, ewg.org.
HawaiI passes law keeping cell towers away from homes,schools
It’s slow in its adoption, but several cities and counties in the U.S. are now limiting construction of cell towers close to homes and schools due to health concerns. The newest is Hawaii County, commonly known as the Big Island, which recently enacted the first regulation of its kind in the state, paving the way for other local jurisdictions to follow suit. According to the Environmental Health Trust, Hawaii County, with a population of over 200,000, is the largest community in the U.S. with 600-foot installation setbacks.
It’s notable that Hawaii County passed a resolution in 2020 calling for a halt to 5G deployments until independent testing can determine the safety of radiofrequency radiation emissions generated by such infrastructure. Earlier this year Hawaiian Telcom unveiled an ambitious plan to make Hawaii the first fully fiber-enabled state by 2026, which would allow all Hawaiians to rely on fiber-optic cables rather than wireless networks for internet connectivity.
Source: “Hawai’i Passes Law Keeping Cell Towers Away from Homes and Schools,” Environmental Health Trust, July 5, 2025; https://ehtrust.org/hawaii-county-passes-law-keeping-cell-towers-away-from-homes-and-schools/.
EWG’s new Shopper’s Guide to fruits and vegetables
Eating fruits and vegetables is essential for a healthy diet. But do you know which ones are tainted with a host of pesticides and which ones are not? If you don’t eat certified organic, there’s really no way to tell. That’s where the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guides can help. Each year EWG updates its lists to be current, using Department of Agriculture data. The Clean 15 list represents those items with the least amount of pesticide residue, and the Dirty Dozen lists produce with the highest residue.
Here are some examples of what you will discover when checking out these lists: Do you love peaches? I do. But peaches pack a punch when it comes to pesticide contamination. Almost all commercial peaches are contaminated with pesticides—some as many as 19 different pesticides on a single peach. A pesticide called Fludioxonil, for example, linked to hormone disruption, was found on 90% of peaches tested.
But it’s not just peaches that may surprise you. Potatoes are on the Dirty Dozen list, as are blueberries for the third year in a row.
You can rest easy by eating fruits and veges on EWG’s Clean 15 list. Bananas and cauliflower joined this year’s list. Other standouts include avocados, papaya, pineapple and onions.
You can get these lists on the web at ewg.org.
Source: “The 2025 Dirty Dozen;” https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php. “The Clean 15”; https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php/. The full list: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/full-list.php
U.N. court rules countries have duty to limit greenhouse emissions
This is great news for environmentalists who have not had much good news lately. The United Nations’ highest judicial body ruled last month (July 2025) that nations have a “duty” to prevent environmental harm and are obliged to limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, which come primarily from fossil fuels.
In its first-ever ruling on climate issues, the International Court of Justice said any breach represents an “internationally wrongful act” and can lead to reparations for countries suffering the consequences if a “causal” link can be shown.
The ruling is nonbinding and won’t force any immediate policy changes, according to the Washington Post. But it will put more pressure on industrialized countries to live up to their pledges. It will also more widely open the door to climate cases around the world, giving leverage to those trying to hold corporations and high-polluting nations to account. Courts across the world could cite the International Court of Justice ruling in their decisions.
Humanity is on track to blow past its goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with preindustrial levels. The 10 hottest years have all come over the past decade. This is not just a legal question; it is a matter of survival. The ICJ’s decision brings us closer to a world where governments can no longer turn a blind eye to their legal responsibilities.
Source: “U.N. court rules countries have duty to limit greenhouse emissions,” by Chico Harlan; The Washington Post, July 23, 2025; https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/07/23/world-court-climate-ruling/
Coca Cola to add cane sugar alternative
At RFK Jr’s. suggestion, Coca Cola is adding a cane sugar alternative to its original Coke product made with high fructose corn syrup. So, it looks like some time this fall we’ll have a choice when purchasing Coke in a grocery store.
According to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, the switch is aimed at reducing chronic disease and childhood illness. Nutritionists disagree; scientific studies do not show substantial benefits in using cane sugar as a substitute.
High fructose corn syrup, a staple of sugary snacks and drinks, including Coke, gets a bad rap for contributing to obesity and diabetes, but all types of sugar do that. Both have similar effects on weight, blood pressure, and body mass index. Replacing one sugar with another isn’t going to have much effect on health.
Kennedy allies cite concerns over pesticide residue commonly sprayed on corn. It’s true that glyphosate, an active ingredient in Roundup, is linked to cancer.
Many US customers are already familiar with the Mexican version of Coca Cola made with cane sugar because it is widely imported. Donald Trump, for one, allegedly prefers that version in his daily consumption of Diet Coke. Coca Cola’s teas and lemonades already use cane sugar.
Nutrition experts bristle at the focus on the type of sugar in the drink instead of whether people should be drinking it at all. To actually improve health the focus should be on less sugar, not different sugar, they say.
Source: “Coke confirms cane sugar change. RFK Jr. calls it MAHA win. Is it?” by Rachel Roubein and Caitlin Gilbert; The Washington Post, July 22, 2025; https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/07/22/coke-cane-sugar-health-rfk-jr/
Study finds strong evidence linking cell phone radiation to cancer
June, 2025
A World Health Organization-backed study determined with a high level of certainty that there are links between cell phone radiation and two types of cancer in laboratory animals— malignant nerve tumors in the heart and gliomas (a type of brain cancer). This is a significant development because, as Dr. Devra Davis, founder of the Environmental Health Trust, points out, “Every agent that causes cancer in humans will produce it in laboratory animals when adequately tested.”
Results of the study prompted this swift response from the International Commission on the Biological Effects of Electromagnetic Fields: “Given this high level of certainty, government policymakers worldwide should immediately move to revise their radiation exposure limits to protect public health and the environment.”
In the meantime, it’s wise to take simple precautions to reduce exposure.
· Keep the phone away from your head and body.
· Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times.
· Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or inside metal vehicles and elevators.
· Use airplane mode and turn antennas off when not in use.
· Children should only use cell phones for emergencies.
· Do not charge a cell phone or sleep with it near your bed.
· Use a corded landline at home.
· Minimize talk time on your cell phone.
· Connect your cell phone to the internet without radiation by using an ethernet cord.
Sources: “WHO-funded study finds RF-EMF exposure increases incidence of cancer,” Environmental Health Trust, May 19, 2025; https://ehtrust.org/who-funded-study-finds-rf-emf-exposure-increases-incidence-of-cancer/
https://ehtrust.org/10-things-you-can-do-to-reduce-the-cancer-risk-from-cell-phones/
Why I’m cooking with olive oil
By Linda Mason Hunter
June, 2025
Seed oils have been much in the news lately, ever since Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., the current Secretary of U.S. Health and Human Services, described them as “poison.” We’re talking about cooking oils that come from vegetable seeds, like corn, canola, cottonseed, sunflower, safflower, and grapeseed. Many wellness influencers and restaurant chains say they are transitioning away from seed oils in favor of animal fats, chiefly beef tallow and butter.
Wait, what? Are nutritionists now saying animal fat is good for you? I thought it was associated with high cholesterol, heart disease, and cancer. How can plant-based seed oils be worse?
Some studies link seed oils with body-wide inflammation, which accelerates all kinds of disease. At the end of the day, good health is all about reducing inflammation.
However, much of the concern centers on the fact that, due to their high linoleic acid content, seed oils have an over-abundance of omega-6 fatty acids, whereas a balanced ratio of omega-3 and omega-6 is best for health. There’s already an imbalance in the typical Western diet due to widely available seed oils used in fried fast foods and ultraprocessed foods, which comprise roughly 10% of the U.S. food supply.
So, should you cut out seed oil altogether? The answer depends on what you replace it with. Animal fats, like beef tallow and butter, are high in saturated fat which is bad for cardiovascular health. Best to switch to olive oil or avocado oil which contain omega-3 fatty acids, thus lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia. Extra virgin olive oil has an added bonus: It’s minimally processed, thus retaining beneficial nutrients that get stripped away in the production of most other oils.
After reviewing the pros and cons, I’ve decided extra-virgin olive oil is the healthier choice. That is what I am doing, while also avoiding ultra-processed foods altogether.
Sources: “Replacing butter for some plant oils could significantly lower risk of mortality, new study finds,” by Julianna Bragg, CNN; March 6, 2025. https://www.aol.com/switching-butter-plant-based-oils-210052905.html
“Robert F. Kennedy Jr. says beef tallow is healthier than seed oils. Is he right?” by Kristen Rogers, CNN; March 26, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/25/health/beef-tallow-healthy-seed-oils-rfk-wellness
Seed oils, “The Checkup with Dr. Wen,” by Leona S. Wen, https://s2.washingtonpost.com/camprw/?trackId=5e80b256ae7e8a594862ffaa&s=8264ecd315a3609b52471a1&utm_campaign=wp_checkup&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&linknum=5&linktot=74
