Got Hogweed??

Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum) is an invasive species first introduced to the Americas from Asia as an ornamental garden plant. Looking at this giant from the carrot family you can see the beauty in such a toxic plant. 

Giant Hogweed

Giant Hogweed grows along streams and rivers and in fields, forests, yards and roadsides, and a giant hogweed plant can reach 15-20 feet or more in height with compound leaves up to 5 feet in width. Avoid contact with the plant, take a photo and report it in any state you live in. 

Giant Hogweed seeds.

Giant hogweed sap contains toxins known as furanocoumarins. When the toxins come into contact with the skin and are exposed to sunlight, they cause a condition called phytophotodermatitis, a reddening of the skin often followed by severe blistering and burns. These very painful injuries can last for several months, and even after they have subsided the affected areas of skin can remain sensitive to light for years. Furanocoumarins can also cause cancer and birth defects. The sap can also cause temporary (or even permanent) blindness if introduced into the eyes. 

Giant Hogweed Leaves

In South Carolina you can report Giant Hogweed to the Clemson University Plant Problem Clinic at 864-656-2677. You can send your photos to Botanist John Nelson at USC for verification, plantman@herbarium.org

Ewwwww What's on Your Easter Candy??

reposted from Village Green Network

Jelly beans, a favorite Easter candy. But when you find out what’s actually in jelly beans, you may not want to eat them anymore.

The Shocking Truth About Jelly Beans

Jelly beans are coated with shellac to make them shiny. Shellac, also known as pharamceutical glaze or confectioner’s glaze, is recognized as GRAS under the FDA or Generally Recognized As Safe for human consumption. But just because it’s safe, doesn’t mean you want to eat it.

The disgusting fact is that shellac, used on jelly beans, is made from the excrement of beetles.In other words, beetle dung, or bug poop.

How Shellac Is Made

The female lac bug, Kerria lacca, found in the forests of India and Thailand, secretes excrement (poop), which forms a tunnel-like tube on the branches of trees. These tunnels referred to as cocoons, although they are not really cocoons. The insects live off of the sap of the tree and excrete the dung onto the tree.

The beetle dung is scraped from the tree branches and heated. The raw shellac, which contains bark shavings and lac bug parts, begins to liquefy, and the bark and bug bits are strained out. The sticky shellac is then dried into a flat sheet and broken up into flakes, then bagged and sold. The dried shellac is then mixed with denatured alcohol in order to dissolve the flakes and make liquid shellac.

Where Is Shellac Used?

Shellac is used in the manufacture of a number of products including furniture polish and varnish; aluminum foil; lipstick, hairspray, shampoos, mascara and perfume; printing ink and paints; pharmaceutical tablets; and agricultural fertilizer.

In foods, shellac is most commonly used as a coating or glaze on confections, chewing gum, and coffee beans, as well as some fruits including apples.

Candies (Other Than Jelly Beans) That Contain Shellac

As a general rule, all hard-coated, shiny candies contains a shellac coating or glaze. M&Ms™ is one exception — they do not contain shellac.

• Hershey’s Whopper’s Malted Milk Balls™
• Hershey’s Milk Duds™
• Nestle’s Raisinettes™
• Nestle’s Goober’s™
• Junior Mints™
• Sugar Babies™
• Godiva’s™ Dark Chocolate Almond Bar; Dark Chocolate Cherries; Milk Chocolate Cashews; White Chocolate Pearls; Milk Chocolate Pearls
• Halloween candy corn

Summer Camp Prep

FTC Disclosure Statement: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links. 

The season for summer camp preparation has begun! By now you're already scrambling to sign your kids up, and soon you'll be sorting through the piles of sunscreen, swimsuits and sneakers. Make their lives a little more organized (and yours a little easier) by picking up some Limited Edition Camp Combo Packs from Mabel's Labels .

These UV resistant, waterproof labels and tags are designed for kids camp equipment — clothing, toiletries, swim gear, backpacks and more — and ready to take a summer beating. To complete the outfit of adventure, receive 20% off of an insulated water bottle from Eco Vessel with your Limited Edition Camp Combo Pack purchase. The wont fade in the sun and you can easily find your child's item. 

Let Mabel's Labels help you to get them sorted, tagged and prepped for a summer they won't soon forget.

Plus, save $2 with early bird pricing now through April 30th!

Happy Camping!

Choose Bees Over Profits

Action Alert--- Share this far and wide--

What kind of company has this sort of power, to subvert the will of the People and Governments? Who can rescind a law??

SAVE THE BEES.
Have you signed the petition yet?

Sign the petition: http://action.sumofus.org/a/bayer-bees-lawsuit/