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.
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
BREAKING NEWS…
A Great Gift for that Special Child
March, 2026
When I was a little kid my mother gave me a copy of Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White. That was the beginning of my love affair with books. Fifty-some years later I wrote a children’s fable of my own, dedicated to the memory of E.B. White. It’s called Three Green Rats, an Eco Tale, for ages 7 to 11 and precocious adults, a funny early chapter book filled with “green” tips preparing the next generation to inherit this remarkable planet we call Earth.
As a child in love with reading, I was entranced with glossaries, so I included a glossary at the end of my eco tale; the word “glossary” appears in the glossary. And that’s just the beginning of the clever giggles at play throughout this humorous book, making it really fun to read out loud.
So why write a book about rats? They’re nasty, aren’t they? Well, that’s what I initially thought until I learned that some Asian societies revere rats. Three Green Rats has even been translated into Korean and is for sale in South Korea. The Chinese zodiac features a Year of the Rat with this description: “People born in the Year of the Rat take on rodent-like characteristics. They are enterprising and resourceful, witty and cunning, and above all steadfastly thriftly. They work hard and are clever at adapting to their environment.” In other words, they are born leaders who don’t give a snicker what others think. That’s my pack ‘o rats, all right.
Three Green Rats, an Eco Tale is available for $20 cash or Venmo. Simply contact me through the contact page on this website. Or visit me in Mainframe Studio #275 on First Friday April 3rd and First Friday May 1st where I’ll be signing and dedicating books for that special someone in your life. Rats will soon to be available on Amazon.
Mainframe Studios is located at 900 Keosauqua Way, Des Moines, Iowa.
Green Zone Tips for April, 2026
As heard on KFMG FM, Des Moines’ award-winning terrestrial radio station, streaming at https://kfmg.org/resources
Is it okay to store food in plastic?
The short answer is no if you want to avoid microplastics altogether. According to the Washington Post, prior studies have found heating plastic aggravates microplastic leaching, though it can also occur, albeit more slowly, during refrigeration over several months. You’d think that freezing food in plastic would be even safer.
Well, here’s where it gets interesting. A small 2022 study from the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre found that when ultrapure water was frozen in plastic bags and then thawed, the thawed water contained detectable particles chemically consistent with the plastic bag material. In comparison, bags stored at room temperature released fewer particles in the same test.
Why this happens is unclear, but scientists speculate that very cold temperatures could cause certain plastics to become brittle and shed differently.
For more interesting answers to your microplastic questions, search out “Baggies, retainers, and more” in the Washington Post, March 2, 2026.
Source: “Baggies, retainers and more: 5 microplastics questions, answered,” by Trisha Pasricha; Washington Post, March 2, 2026.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/03/02/microplastics-faq
Should you stop using your filtered water pitcher?
It’s made of plastic, too.
The question is more complicated than meets the eye because you’re actually dealing with two issues: (1) Does the filter remove microplastics from your tap water effectively, and (2) Does the plastic pitcher itself shed microplastics after the water has passed through the filter?
Let’s talk first about the typical filters you might see in a standard pitcher, which are granular activated carbon. A consumer Lab test of several such popular filter pitchers found results that were all over the map: one removed all detectable microplastics, while others reduced them by as little as 36%, or—in one case --actually increased the particle count (a reminder to change those filters on schedule!) A handful of pitchers are NSF-certified to reduce microplastics by at least 85%, so that’s an upgrade to consider when searching for options.
Now onto the pitcher itself. Suppose your water gets filtered and at least some portion of microplastics do get removed. What happens when it sits there in a plastic pitcher for days on end? Many of these pitchers have parts made from polypropylene which can degrade and shed particles over time—although there are other types of plastics in these pitchers about which we know even less when it comes to shedding. But the principle holds that at least some plastics can leach even at room temperature.
One fix: Try to transfer filtered water to a glass or stainless-steel container promptly. If minimizing contaminants is a priority, consider investing in a reverse osmosis system.
Source: “Baggies, retainers and more: 5 microplastics questions, answered,” by Trisha Pasricha; Washington Post, March 2, 2026.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/03/02/microplastics-faq/
Be wary of orthodontics, specifically plastic retainers.
Lately, I’ve been knee-deep in research on microplastics. You may think that a dreary way to spend my time, but for me it’s fascinating. The Washington Post is doing a good job helping me out on this endeavor. One worrisome fact I’ve uncovered relates to oral hygiene—specifically plastic retainers.
According to the Washington Post, a 2023 study documented microplastic shedding from several orthodontic aligners after seven days of saliva exposure. The good news is that the majority of particles detected were on the larger side (5-20 microns) which can be excreted from the body. Only a few plastic retainers (including Invisalign, the most common retainer) appeared to release particles less than 5 microns in size. It’s the smallest particles that are the most hazardous because they don’t get flushed out the body like larger particles do. Small nanoplastics tend to adhere to the intestinal wall, or migrant to the brain
What to do? You wear retainers for several hours daily, and potentially for years on end. That’s significant cumulative exposure. But the orthodontic benefits are real, and there’s no proven harm from aligner microplastics at this point. Until safer alternatives are available, it’s probably best to opt for plastic retainers and keep them clean with gentle brushing (no hot water), and avoid eating or drinking hot beverages while wearing them.
Source: : “Baggies, retainers and more: 5 microplastics questions answered,” by Trisha Pasricha, MD. The Washington Post, March 6, 2026. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/03/02/microplastics-faq/
Take a look at your toothbrush.
Most toothbrushes have plastic bristles which can shed fragments during brushing; some studies estimate shedding of dozens of microplastics per day. You could certainly opt for alternatives like boar-hair bristles, but they come with their own trade-offs. Personally, I dislike the feel of boar-hair toothbrushes which often shed hairs which get between my teeth. Not pleasant. Most commercial dental floss, too, is made of plastic. What to do?
Until safer alternatives are available in the marketplace, it’s advisable to continue brushing and flossing because oral hygiene matters for your overall health. To me, the far bigger win — with less of a health trade-off — is reducing exposure from ultra-processed foods and plastic water bottles.
Whatever you do, don’t microwave food in plastic containers, even if the containers say it is safe to do so. It’s not.
Sources: “Baggies, retainers and more: 5 microplastics questions, answered,” The Washington Post, March 2, 2026. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2026/03/02/microplastics-faq/;
“Preliminary results on microplastic shedding from plastic toothbrushes,” Science Direct;https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0026265X2502034X
Green Zone Tips for March, 2026
As heard on KFMG FM, Des Moines’ award-winning terrestrial radio station, streaming at https://kfmg.org/resources
Let your garden sleep in
Avoid the spring fever trap. This time of year it’s tempting to grab a rake on a warm day and do a little outdoor cleanup. Hold on! This year’s pollinators are still sleeping in your leaves.
The leaves and plant stems on your garden beds hold seeds, dormant insects, and beneficial larvae that overwintering sparrows, doves, and jays rely on—and believe it or not, some bird species have started migrating back! Many others will touch down in April, including warblers, wrens, and hummingbirds.
Wait to tidy up your garden until we have a week of temps in the 50s or above, historically late April to mid-May, but climate change may move that date up a bit. Look for at least seven consecutive days with temperatures at or above 50 degrees.
No doubt about it. Spring is right around the corner. Watch the weather. Sniff the air. Mother Earth will tell you when it’s time to rake. Listen to her.
Good news for those of us worried about the growing abundance of plastic
Plastic is made of petroleum, a fossil fuel which is a major cause of climate change. When we throw it away it breaks down into tiny particles, what we call microplastics, that wind up in our bodies, our blood, and our brains, harming our health.
So where is the good news? A new innovation: Compostable plastic! Material that may look like ordinary plastic, but is made from sugar cane and is completely biodegradable. It’s made by a new company called Black Earth Compost located near Boston. The key is that it breaks down and doesn’t leave microplastics in our soils. It doesn’t harm the environment, or our bodies.
According to company PR, these better plastics break down along with household food scraps to become valuable compost for farms and gardens. The finished product is referred to as “Black Gold” that’s safe, with no microplastics in our brains, according to company literature.
Let’s hope this works. If it does, it just might be the solution to our growing plastic problem, but we still have the fossil fuel lobby to fight in order to eliminate petroleum plastic from our lives once and for all.
Don’t throw away those tangerine peels
If you love tangerines for their bright sweetness and easy-to-peel charm, you’re already enjoying half the magic. But what if the real treasure isn’t the fruit—but the peel? Far from mere kitchen waste, tangerine peels are a powerhouse of natural fragrance and practical utility. Before you toss them in the compost or trash, consider giving them a second life where they can work quietly—and beautifully—as a natural air freshener.
That faint musty smell that lingers after days of closed windows? The ghost of last night’s garlic-heavy dinner? Instead of reaching for synthetic sprays or plug-in diffusers, try this: lay a few tangerine peels on your sunlit windowsill.
Rich in volatile citrus oils, the peels release a clean, uplifting aroma as they dry. A gentle breeze carries that scent through your home, turning stale air into something fresh and invigorating. For an even stronger effect, place peels near a radiator or heating vent—the warmth coaxes out more essential oils, filling your space with a subtle, spa-like ambiance. No chemicals. No plastic. Just pure, sun-kissed fragrance.
A peek behind the scenes of the plastic industry
When I was a kid growing up in the 1950s, the only plastic I remember in my household was the bag of white margarine that came with a capsule of yellow food coloring. Users would pinch the red dot to break it inside the pouch and knead the margarine until it turned yellow. That was my job and loved it, squishing the flexible bag until the entire mass resembled butter.
That bag was cellophane, an early forerunner of today’s plastic. But where today’s plastic is petroleum based, cellophane is made of cellulose derived from natural sources like wood pulp or cotton. It’s is compostable and breaks down naturally, unlike petroleum products.
Today, petroleum-based plastic products are everywhere—in our houses, our cars, even our food. It’s endangering our planet in its manufacture and disposal, has huge impacts on human health, environmental pollution, and global warming. While you and I are taking our canvas bags to the grocery store, Exxon Mobil and Saudi Aramco are actually going in the other direction, ramping up to increase production in the years to come.
In a new book, “Plastic Inc,” journalist Beth Gardiner digs into an industry that mostly flies below the radar. She reveals a set of corporate actors that are doing everything in their power to get the world to use as much plastic as possible.
It’s a sobering read that exposes disinformation campaigns, efforts to foist responsibility onto individual consumers, and brutally effective political lobbying, all of it very similar to the playbooks used by Big Tobacco and Big Oil.
The book is “Plastic, Inc.” by Beth Gardiner. This is LMH…
Source: “The Big Plastic Game,” by David Gelles; The New York Times, Feb. 24, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/climate/plastic-plastic-everywhere.htm
Four foods that have a surprising amount of microplastics
Most experts agree that ultra-processed foods are likely the biggest source of microplastics in our diets. Food that comes packaged in plastic is obvious, but there are exposures during industrial processing that we don’t see. That’s one more reason to lean toward whole foods when you can. A few surprising sources of microplastics, based on limited research, are these four foods:
(1) Nylon tea bags in plastic. These single-use tea bags are made out of plastic — and one bag steeped in hot water can release more than 11 billion microplastic particles. Try loose leaf tea, instead. It comes without the baggage.
(2) Instant rice. A 2021 study found that instant rice contains four times the plastic of regular uncooked rice. Washing rice before you cook it can cut amounts of microplastic by 40%.
(3) Breaded prepackaged nuggets. Breaded shrimp, breaded chicken nuggets — and even processed plant-based nuggets — may contain dozens if not hundreds of microplastics per serving. Best to buy whole food protein instead and ditch everything ultraprocessed.
(4) Pink Himalayan salt. Those coarse pink and black salts look fancy but a small 2021 study found terrestrial salts like these may contain more microplastics than salt that comes from aquatic sources. That’s sea salt, my friends. Opt for sea salt.
Source: “Baggies, retainers and more: 5 microplastics questions answered,” by Trisha Pasricha, MD. The Washington Post, March 6, 2026.
