Post by Sunday at midnight
Since Blogger.com has stopped allowing unlimited comment space, change one thing about your blog post: instead of pasting your article after your own comments, just past a small portion (if possible) and a link now. Thanks.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Week 11: Post your Blog Entries as Comments to my Main Post Each Week
Post by Sunday at midnight
1. Mark Whitaker
2. The Rush to "Korean Organic" Could Still Make You Sick--Because Korea lacks Legal Definitions of Organic, Still
3. I was unaware of this. Interesting that there is not a word from President Lee so far on expanding organic health standards as part of his claimed Green New Deal slogan, even though health and untrustworthy food and cosmetics was polled as what was of most concern to Koreans (even above fear of nuclear weapons, etc.) a few months ago. The article doesn't discuss food, though I assume that Korea doesn't have organic standards for food in addition to the lack of organic standards for beauty products (exclusively discussed below)?
--------------------
05-19-2009 21:08
Safety of Organic Baby Products Questioned [Because Korea Doesn't Have Any Organic Standards, Legally Speaking]
By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Organic and natural beauty supplies are the fastest growing segment of the cosmetics market, but consumer rights advocates are now questioning whether these products are really green.
Consumers are more health-conscious than ever and the anger over the recent discovery of talc containing asbestos in baby powders, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals have organic products flying off local shelves.
Lotte Department Store said the sales of its brands, such as Aveda and Origins, have more than doubled from last year's numbers, and Hyundai Department Store is also reporting a significant increase in the sales of similar products.
``Consumers are increasing looking for products verified as organic items, and we really got a lot of inquiries around the talc fiasco,'' said a sales manager at Lotte Department Store's Sogong-dong outlet.
``Brands like Aveda, Kiehl's, L'occitane are becoming popular.''
The growing sales indicate that consumers in general are trusting these organic products to be healthier for their bodies and also for the environment. Obviously, many of them would be appalled to know that the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) has no answer when asked ``just what is an organic beauty product?''
The country has yet to establish certification standards for companies using the word ``organic'' in brand names, thus failing to control how much of a product is made from organic elements. There also aren't any requirements for companies to display the ``organic percentages'' of their products on packaging.
So, in many cases, a consumer would have no idea whether the lotion they just bought uses 90 percent organic ingredients or less than 1 percent.
And, despite all the claims about cleanness, a wide range of organic beauty supplies, such as shampoos and lotions, were found to contain undesirable substances known to linked with health problems.
A report by Consumers Korea, a Seoul-based civic group, found that seven out of nine organic baby products sold here contain substances that are identified as potential health hazards by American's Environmental Working Group and the European Consumers' Organization (BEUC).
The Nuk Natural Diaper Cream, a popular baby product imported by Boryung Medience, contains polyethylene glycol (PEG) compounds and paraben preservatives, chemicals that are believed to increase the risk of a variety of cancers.
PEG compounds were also found in Boryung's Pureganic Baby Body & Hair Wash and the company's Nuk Classic Face Cream contained levels of benzyl alcohol, which was also found in L'occitane Korea's Mom & Baby Cream and Skinvery Nature Baby Shampoo & Bath and Baby Cream.
And many products branded as ``organic,'' ``natural'' and ``green'' aren't revealing their usage of organic ingredients on their packages, which includes Boryung's Nuk Classic Face Cream and Dr. Atomild Essential Moisture Wash, Yuhan-Kimberly's Green Finger products, and Johnson & Johnson's Soothing Natural baby products.
``Consumers trust organic baby products to be safer than others, but you can argue that such beliefs aren't backed by much logic,'' said Jin Jeong-ran, an official from Consumers Korea.
``The products are taking advantage of consumer fears erupting from the talc fiasco and exploiting the country's lack of regulations in handling organic products.''
thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
---
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/05/123_45211.html
and
2. Korea turns to Ecological Modernization: Mosquitoes Fought Ecologically with Mudfish instead of Insect Sprays in Seocho District, Seoul
3. Interesting quote: some districts of Seoul use insecticides, though one district in Seoul is using ecological modernization to deal with mosquitoes: build an ecology to take care of them instead of just spray insecticides. Perhaps because of this solution, there will be mudfish swimming soon on the roof of many other areas of Seoul, in all apartment complex's water chillers on the roof? ^^
(Additionally, there are MANY natural chemical alternatives to chemical sprays to reduce the ever-present 'mogi'. ('Mogi': one of the first Korean words I learned. Appropriate?))
-------------------
05-19-2009 17:52
Warmer Weather Spawning Mosquitoes Early
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
With temperatures reaching summertime levels, mosquitoes are breeding earlier than in the past and they are already disturbing people's sleep.
The number of collected mosquitoes at 38 sampling sites nationwide marked 300, about four times the average number over the past five years, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Management (KCDC). It reflects the rather high and humid climate surrounding the nation since early April.
A KCDC researcher said, ``mosquitoes lay eggs when the temperature is high and where there is enough water, and the current weather is perfect for them.'' The center expects the number to rise dramatically in couple of weeks.
In the past, mosquitoes are hardly seen until around June but these days they have been spotted from early May.
The sales of insecticide are already surging with large supermarkets recording more than a 150-percent increase so far this year.
Local administrations have been increasing efforts to deal with the mosquitoes that are known to carry infectious diseases.
Guro District of Seoul said Tuesday that it has developed an electronic device to detect mosquitoes, where every time a mosquito passes by an electronic sensor, an induction system sends a signal to its database. With the data collected, the ward office can measure the exact amount of pesticide needed to kill off the insects, ward official Wu Seon-ok said.
Seocho District of Seoul has been working on using a natural enemy ― mudfish.
The fish released in the water-collecting tanks of apartments eat up to 98.9 percent of the larva there, and is said to be one of the most effective ways to kill off the insect without polluting the environment and damaging human body with toxic chemicals.
``A mudfish can eat 1,100 larva daily and survive under extreme drought conditions for several days, a perfect match for dealing with disease carrying mosquitoes,'' Yu Jeong-ae, a district office staff member, said.
bjs@koreatimes.co.kr
---
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/113_45167.html
1. Mark Whitaker
2. The Rush to "Korean Organic" Could Still Make You Sick--Because Korea lacks Legal Definitions of Organic, Still
3. I was unaware of this. Interesting that there is not a word from President Lee so far on expanding organic health standards as part of his claimed Green New Deal slogan, even though health and untrustworthy food and cosmetics was polled as what was of most concern to Koreans (even above fear of nuclear weapons, etc.) a few months ago. The article doesn't discuss food, though I assume that Korea doesn't have organic standards for food in addition to the lack of organic standards for beauty products (exclusively discussed below)?
--------------------
05-19-2009 21:08
Safety of Organic Baby Products Questioned [Because Korea Doesn't Have Any Organic Standards, Legally Speaking]
By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter
Organic and natural beauty supplies are the fastest growing segment of the cosmetics market, but consumer rights advocates are now questioning whether these products are really green.
Consumers are more health-conscious than ever and the anger over the recent discovery of talc containing asbestos in baby powders, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals have organic products flying off local shelves.
Lotte Department Store said the sales of its brands, such as Aveda and Origins, have more than doubled from last year's numbers, and Hyundai Department Store is also reporting a significant increase in the sales of similar products.
``Consumers are increasing looking for products verified as organic items, and we really got a lot of inquiries around the talc fiasco,'' said a sales manager at Lotte Department Store's Sogong-dong outlet.
``Brands like Aveda, Kiehl's, L'occitane are becoming popular.''
The growing sales indicate that consumers in general are trusting these organic products to be healthier for their bodies and also for the environment. Obviously, many of them would be appalled to know that the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) has no answer when asked ``just what is an organic beauty product?''
The country has yet to establish certification standards for companies using the word ``organic'' in brand names, thus failing to control how much of a product is made from organic elements. There also aren't any requirements for companies to display the ``organic percentages'' of their products on packaging.
So, in many cases, a consumer would have no idea whether the lotion they just bought uses 90 percent organic ingredients or less than 1 percent.
And, despite all the claims about cleanness, a wide range of organic beauty supplies, such as shampoos and lotions, were found to contain undesirable substances known to linked with health problems.
A report by Consumers Korea, a Seoul-based civic group, found that seven out of nine organic baby products sold here contain substances that are identified as potential health hazards by American's Environmental Working Group and the European Consumers' Organization (BEUC).
The Nuk Natural Diaper Cream, a popular baby product imported by Boryung Medience, contains polyethylene glycol (PEG) compounds and paraben preservatives, chemicals that are believed to increase the risk of a variety of cancers.
PEG compounds were also found in Boryung's Pureganic Baby Body & Hair Wash and the company's Nuk Classic Face Cream contained levels of benzyl alcohol, which was also found in L'occitane Korea's Mom & Baby Cream and Skinvery Nature Baby Shampoo & Bath and Baby Cream.
And many products branded as ``organic,'' ``natural'' and ``green'' aren't revealing their usage of organic ingredients on their packages, which includes Boryung's Nuk Classic Face Cream and Dr. Atomild Essential Moisture Wash, Yuhan-Kimberly's Green Finger products, and Johnson & Johnson's Soothing Natural baby products.
``Consumers trust organic baby products to be safer than others, but you can argue that such beliefs aren't backed by much logic,'' said Jin Jeong-ran, an official from Consumers Korea.
``The products are taking advantage of consumer fears erupting from the talc fiasco and exploiting the country's lack of regulations in handling organic products.''
thkim@koreatimes.co.kr
---
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/biz/2009/05/123_45211.html
and
2. Korea turns to Ecological Modernization: Mosquitoes Fought Ecologically with Mudfish instead of Insect Sprays in Seocho District, Seoul
3. Interesting quote: some districts of Seoul use insecticides, though one district in Seoul is using ecological modernization to deal with mosquitoes: build an ecology to take care of them instead of just spray insecticides. Perhaps because of this solution, there will be mudfish swimming soon on the roof of many other areas of Seoul, in all apartment complex's water chillers on the roof? ^^
(Additionally, there are MANY natural chemical alternatives to chemical sprays to reduce the ever-present 'mogi'. ('Mogi': one of the first Korean words I learned. Appropriate?))
-------------------
05-19-2009 17:52
Warmer Weather Spawning Mosquitoes Early
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
With temperatures reaching summertime levels, mosquitoes are breeding earlier than in the past and they are already disturbing people's sleep.
The number of collected mosquitoes at 38 sampling sites nationwide marked 300, about four times the average number over the past five years, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Management (KCDC). It reflects the rather high and humid climate surrounding the nation since early April.
A KCDC researcher said, ``mosquitoes lay eggs when the temperature is high and where there is enough water, and the current weather is perfect for them.'' The center expects the number to rise dramatically in couple of weeks.
In the past, mosquitoes are hardly seen until around June but these days they have been spotted from early May.
The sales of insecticide are already surging with large supermarkets recording more than a 150-percent increase so far this year.
Local administrations have been increasing efforts to deal with the mosquitoes that are known to carry infectious diseases.
Guro District of Seoul said Tuesday that it has developed an electronic device to detect mosquitoes, where every time a mosquito passes by an electronic sensor, an induction system sends a signal to its database. With the data collected, the ward office can measure the exact amount of pesticide needed to kill off the insects, ward official Wu Seon-ok said.
Seocho District of Seoul has been working on using a natural enemy ― mudfish.
The fish released in the water-collecting tanks of apartments eat up to 98.9 percent of the larva there, and is said to be one of the most effective ways to kill off the insect without polluting the environment and damaging human body with toxic chemicals.
``A mudfish can eat 1,100 larva daily and survive under extreme drought conditions for several days, a perfect match for dealing with disease carrying mosquitoes,'' Yu Jeong-ae, a district office staff member, said.
bjs@koreatimes.co.kr
---
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/113_45167.html
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Friday, May 8, 2009
Week 9: Post your Blog Entries as Comments to my Main Post Each Week
Post by Sunday at midnight
Welcome to what the President has called "the Official Week of Pork Consumption," Analyzing It Sociologically...
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/113_44194.html
Friday, May 1, 2009: Prime Minister Han Seung-soo eats pork belly strip at a restaurant in Seoul, Friday, to promote the safety of domestic pork amid growing fear over influenza A (H1N1), formerly known as swine flu. ['promote the safety' or promote the sales: How does eating pork in public address the biophysical issues of the public health concerns? It doesn't. It's called 'symbolic politics', another nice picture:...]
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/113_44608.html
The Next Friday, May 8, 2009: Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jung-gil, third from left, Kim In-jong, second from left, chief of the presidential security service, and other officials enjoy some pork at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday, as part of a campaign to encourage people to eat pork products, after the Mexico-originated (is it?) swine flu (is it?) hit Korea and other parts of the world. The presidential office designated May 11-15 the ``week of pork consumption” during which foods made of pork will be served to its officials. / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/113_44608.html
I posted my comments below, in the regular comments.
Welcome to what the President has called "the Official Week of Pork Consumption," Analyzing It Sociologically...
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/113_44194.html
Friday, May 1, 2009: Prime Minister Han Seung-soo eats pork belly strip at a restaurant in Seoul, Friday, to promote the safety of domestic pork amid growing fear over influenza A (H1N1), formerly known as swine flu. ['promote the safety' or promote the sales: How does eating pork in public address the biophysical issues of the public health concerns? It doesn't. It's called 'symbolic politics', another nice picture:...]
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/113_44608.html
The Next Friday, May 8, 2009: Presidential Chief of Staff Chung Jung-gil, third from left, Kim In-jong, second from left, chief of the presidential security service, and other officials enjoy some pork at Cheong Wa Dae, Friday, as part of a campaign to encourage people to eat pork products, after the Mexico-originated (is it?) swine flu (is it?) hit Korea and other parts of the world. The presidential office designated May 11-15 the ``week of pork consumption” during which foods made of pork will be served to its officials. / Courtesy of Cheong Wa Dae
http://koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2009/05/113_44608.html
I posted my comments below, in the regular comments.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Week 8: Post your Blog Entries as Comments to my Main Post Each Week
Post by Sunday at midnight (by May 3, 2009)
No post in Week 7 (mid-term week).
No post in Week 7 (mid-term week).
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)