Anti-microbial counter tops are an interesting new approach to controlling microorganisms. The antimicrobial compounds used in these counter tops are required to be registered with the EPA as antimicrobial pesticides and, as such, are required to have substantial data to support their antimicrobial claims.

I recommend that you use the Free & Clear Fabric Softener for your baby’s clothes. Although our data tell us that the Blue Eucalyptus and Lavender Fabric Softener is not irritating, many babies can have sensitivities to fragrances and our Free & Clear products do not contain fragrance.

Water from public water supplies has been disinfected with chlorine for over 100 years. There is no doubt that that such disinfection has reduced the occurrence of water-borne disease and helped save thousands of lives. However, over the past 30 years there has developed a body of evidence that chlorination of drinking water results in the formation of a family of toxic substances known as chlorinated hydrocarbons. Members of this family include chloroform, chloroacetic acid, and chlorinated phenols.

Dear Susan:
First, my apologies for taking so long to answer your question. My dual identity as Scienceman keeps me very busy!

Now, to your question. Plastics are great materials for reusable goods, or for goods that can be readily recycled. Two concerns about plastics are their use in throw-away goods (what a waste of resources!) and the possibility of toxic components making them unsuitable for certain applications (such as the use of PVC and polycarbonate for food contact applications).

Dear Besenok: Although it was not done in a "green" way, a lot of energy and materials went into the "not so green" cleaning products you have. If they are not immediately hazardous (like chlorine bleach or spray cleaners with 2-butoxyethanol) the most environmental thing to do with them is to use them and buy more environmental products when the ones you have are gone.

I don’t know which will kill more germs, and it will probably depend on the level of sunshine, actual dryer temperature, and the pathogens present.

From the standpoint of the clothing, drying in the sun is far superior (less damage to fibers). From the standpoint of the environment, drying in the sunshine is better (less energy and associated greenhouse gases).

To my thinking, there is no reason to use the dryer if drying in the sun is an option.

Dear MamaBird: Kindness to the environment (and to ourselves) clearly begins well before the faucet on our kitchen sinks! If we were more considerate of the impacts on our environment we wouldn't be contaminating our surface and ground water with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of industrial and pharmaceutical chemicals. Buying bottled water is not the answer; doing so only exacerbates the problem.

Proponents of duct tape have long held that it has a special and unique ability to remove warts!

Researchers at the University of Minnesota set out to prove, or disprove, the veracity of this thesis. Working with 90 be-warted adults, researchers covered half the warts with moleskin (a heavy cotton fabric used for bandages) and half with duct tape. At the end of the experiment 21% of the warts covered with duct tape were completely resolved, compared to 22% for the moleskin. Statistically, those are identical outcomes.