If you use makeup, hair dye, antibacterial soap, have a perm ... or know someone who does, you should read this article from Philadelphia's Post Gazette. Here's a snippet:

"The European Union has banned more than 1,000 ingredients from cosmetics, while the United States has banned only 10."

The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act of 1936 has only two pages that relate to cosmetics, and it has not been updated despite a sea change in the industry. The fact is, the Food and Drug Administration has no authority to make cosmetics companies test products for safety or recall products that are found to be harmful.

Although the average woman uses a dozen personal care products each day that contain a total of 168 chemicals and the average man uses six products containing 85 chemicals, there is no federal regulation of these ingredients.

Many are known carcinogens responsible for childhood and hormone-related cancers, while others have been linked to asthma, birth defects, early puberty, learning disabilities, nervous system disorders and infertility.

Read the entire article, by Marylynn Uricchio, here. The article includes a list of cosmetics and ingredients to avoid.

Something else to think about: Not only can the ingredients in one product be a toxic soup, you have to wonder how they interact with the other products they come in contact with.

From SafeCosmetics.org and the producers of "The story of stuff," I present, "The story of cosmetics." It includes information on how to find non-toxic cosmetics and does a great job explaining how today's cosmetics industry operates:

Are you hair products more like scare products? (And, learn how to make your own!)

One of my favorite cosmetics and personal care companies is The Body Shop. They've insisted on natural ingredients, environmentally friendly and fair-trade practices since before it was cool. And, no, they're not paying me to say that. I'm a long-time customer and fan. Learn more about The Body Shop here:

Some say solar's too expensive, but that's rapidly changing ... especially below the Mason Dixon line when there are six-figure grants up for the taking.

Regionally, Southern states are offering generous tax incentives for using renewable energy sources at residential and commercial levels. Solar is quickly becoming a viable option for the average consumer, but it’s still not without significant up-front cost. A five-kilowatt system with rooftop photovoltaic (PV) panels will initially run around $40,000 out of pocket. But with tax credits, that amount is reduced by $10,000 to $20,000, depending on your home state. Plus, you can start recouping money by selling power to utilities on a monthly basis.

Read the entire Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine article, by Jedd Ferris, here.

Here's the governor of Tennessee talking, in May 2009, about the facts and figures behind solar energy investments:

Further reading: Google Energy’s big green power purchase -- Grist.org

First of all, what is biomass -- besides a buzzword? Biomass is, most simply, waste that's burned to generate electricity.

That waste can come from farms, an example would be corn husks. (Sometimes certain crops are grown specifically for biomass incinerators.) It can also come from places like Compost Central in the form of woody mulch, some of which is already being trucked to South Carolina for their incinerators. It can be the non-liquid stuff left over after sewage is treated. It can be medical waste, like the stuff in the red haz-mat canister at your doctor's office. And it can be regular 'ol trash, like the the stuff you roll out to the curb every week — minus the recycleables, we hope.

Creating energy with biomass technology is nothing new, in fact it's old technology. Though, there are "new" twists, like gasification, that have been in use in other "green" countries like Austria, Germany and Japan for decades.

Using biomass solves one problem (what to do with our waste) and helps with another (energy creation); however, detractors say, in return, it creates other problems, like air pollution and ash that has to be used or stored in some sort of landfill.

Mecklenburg County has one incinerator right now. It burns medical waste but isn't currently generating electricity ... which is a waste in itself. It's also not up to code, so to speak, and contributes to the area's air pollution woes. In a phone conversation yesterday, County Commissioner Jennifer Roberts assured me the county is looking at both of these issues -- emissions and electricity production -- with that particular incinerator.

But, the biomass facility on everyone's mind right now hasn't even been built yet. (It will eventually be at the proposed eco-industrial park ReVenture, which sits on top of a Superfund site on the edge of the Catawba River between the U.S. National Whitewater Center and the City of Mount Holly.) In fact, not only has it not been built, Forsite Development, the company behind the project, hasn't announced whether they're going to use older incinerator technology or newer gasification technology.

Still, even without knowing what technology will be used, several governmental bodies have given the project their approval. This bothers a few environmental groups, like the Catawba Riverkeeper, the Sierra Club and Sustain Charlotte.

While they like the ReVenture project in general, they take issue with the fact that a couple of the eco-industrial park's components -- one of which is the biomass facility and the other is a wastewater treatment plant -- will be polluters. Exactly what kind of pollution, and how much pollution, will depend on which technology the company decides to go with.

Shannon Binns, of Sustain Charlotte, told me last week, "There is no good incineration technology."

Commissioner Roberts, who along with other area leaders and educators has toured biomass facilities in Europe, takes issue with claims that the County Commission gave the project their approval without sufficient knowledge about the technology.

Meanwhile, Tom McKittrick, Forsite Development's CEO, is in a big rush to get ReVenture shovel-ready by the end of the year in an effort to qualify for $40-60 million in stimulus funds. Even with that ambitious goal, he says he and his partners decided to stop the air quality permitting process for the biomass plant because they wanted to look at newer, cleaner technologies that won't generate as much air pollution. He says he's mindful of Charlotte's air quality issues and is committed to building a plant that's a minor polluter.

However, until the company announces what type of plant they're building, it's difficult for anyone — including environmental groups and the government — to estimate what its impact will be on our air and water quality.

That's why we're tagging this issue as news to watch. So stay tuned.

Here's more about gasification from SilvaGas:

Now the oil titan is promising their next effort to stop the leak in the Gulf of Mexico is permanent, pinkie swear. Which is, of course, utter bullshit. If they had the permanent solution all along, they would have implemented it months ago.

Speaking of the many-month long oil spill, if you'd like to keep up with exactly how long this disaster has been going on, or how much oil's been leaked, check out the BP Oil Spill Clock, courtesy of PBS. Today is day 85, in case you're wondering.

If you'd like to read more about BP's latest promises, read today's article in The New York Times. I'm not going to waste my time repeating them here, since there will likely be a new round of promises next week.

If you'd like to read about how this nightmare is affecting our relationship with Great Britain, read today's Reuter's article. Interesting, I think, since we all know if an American company created the same type of disaster on that island nation we'd be expected to comply with our mother nation's every request.

And, how about this chummy news? The Daily Beast is reporting Hooters is happy about the business boom from oil spill workers. Woo hoo! Way to go BP public relations people. You managed to work boobs into the conversation. #FTW!

While Hooters might be doing well, this report, from May 6, offers a different story:

The first time I heard about "small wind" power was on some random television show, I can't remember which one, that featured a behind-the-scenes look at Jay Leno's massive auto garage in California. On the roof of it, and you know it's huge — the man owns a kazillion cars, he has small wind turbines that generate power for the garage.

"Brilliant!" I thought.

The reason I'm bringing it up now is because Yale University's Environment 360 project is reporting small wind power will soon be able to power our homes. The article claims one turbine can create enough electricity to fulfill -30 percent of the average-size home's power needs.

I don't know about you, but I think this is pretty cool ... and way overdue.

And, heeeeere's Jay, on Green Garage:

What comforts you? No, really. Think about it for a minute. At the end of a tough day, what comforts you most?

There's something to be said for a warm shower, a shave and freshly brushed teeth. Maybe you're like me: I can't get to my other creature comforts without comforting myself with those things first, though they're all daily rituals I take for granted.

Not so for people on the street. When you're struggling to make it through the week, on the hunt for enough food in your belly to keep it from talking back to you and a warm, safe place to sleep, things like toothpaste and shampoo fall down on the priority list.

That's why the United Way is asking for your help. They would like to create comfort kits for the homeless, a population that's booming in the Q.C.

Here's what they need you to do:

Get to your area Harris Teeter this week — and by this week I mean by Friday. There you'll find collection bins.

Whether you buy them at the Teeter or bring them in from elsewhere, the United Way is asking you to pack Ziploc-style bags with toiletries and place them into the collection bins.

What kind of toiletries? Well, what do you use? Pack soap, toothpaste, shampoo, dental floss, a toothbrush, deodorant, lotion, tissues and whatever else you feel would be appropriate. Also, don't forget to include small stuffed toys for the kids.

The kits will then be distributed to several area non-profits that serve the homeless in Charlotte, such as A Child's Place, Charlotte Emergency Housing, Salvation Army Center of Hope, United Family Services' Battered Women's Shelter and more.

For $10, you can bring a whole lotta comfort to one of your fellow citizens. So, get your ass on down to Harris Teeter by Friday, fill up a bag and comfort yourself with the knowledge that you've made a positive impact on someone's life.

"There are a lot of homeless families, with children, in Charlotte," Noah Manyiko, Sr. Pastor Nexus Church. Watch:

One way to curb our addition to oil — and we do have one — is to reduce the amount of plastic we use. That's easier said that done, as you well know, since practically everything you buy comes wrapped in plastic, is made of plastic, has plastic parts and is then nestled into a plastic bag.

More, not all plastics are created equal, as a recent article on MSNBC.com points out. For example, some plastics are more likely to be recycled — like plastic numbers one and two. This isn't because the other plastics aren't recyclable, it's because a lot of municipalities aren't equip to recycle all of the different types of plastics out there. (Fortunately, thanks to the new Recycle It! program in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, we can now recycle all plastics but number six. There are seven grades total.)

Recycling is a good option, but we also have to create demand for recycled products. No one put that charge on display like the World Cup soccer tournament in South Africa. As you probably know, players wore jerseys made out of recycled plastic bottles. And, as far as I can tell, there were no complaints from the players or the fans.

The seats in my car are actually covered with recycled plastic fabric, and I've got to tell you — they're great. The dealer tried to get me to buy leather seats, in fact they came with the car. While I'm sure they, too, are quite nice, I understand I vote with my dollars, so I chose recycled plastic instead — and I'm glad I did.

Another way to vote with your dollars is to, whenever possible, only buy plastics that can be recycled in our area. Also, buy products that don't include plastic and leave the plastic bags in the store whenever you can.

Here's something else I do: When I'm at the grocery store, I don't get plastic bags for produce. Instead, I take a re-usable shopping bag with me and put all of the produce I want into that bag. At the check out, the clerk simply weighs the produce separately and puts them back into the reusable bag.

Which brings me to another point: Reuse, reuse, reuse. We don't buy plastic containers in my house because we reuse the ones we get from the store -- like the ones sour cream comes in -- until they're worn out, then we recycle them. This helps reduce the amount of waste our house sends to landfills, which is a whole other problem, as well as how much money we're spending on plastic.

Being "green" doesn't necessarily mean spending money, but it does help if you use your noggin'. By not buying things, you are also voting — you're lessening the demand for products we really don't need or want. Not buying things is free. And, bonus: Some stores will actually pay you to bring your own bag. Sure, it's only a few cents per bag, but as Benjamin Franklin famously said, "A penny saved is a penny earned."

MSNBC.com has a really cool interactive feature about paper v. plastic at the grocery store. When you take production, required resources, transportation, usage, recycle-ability and landfill space into account — which is really better? Find out for yourself here.

Of course, the best answer is to take a reusable bag with you to the store — all stores, not just the grocery store. As good as my intentions are, though, this has been a challenge. I'll have a pile of reusable bags in my trunk and still forget about them until I get to the cash register.

At least that was the case until I found reusable bags that fold up nicely, have their own little storage baggie and fit in my small purse. In fact, I carry around two. Now I'm never without a bag when I'm shopping. And, on those rare occasions when I manage to forget even those bags, I'll forgo a bag altogether if possible. The bonus there is two fold: I don't end up carrying around a bag with some store's advertising on it and I don't have to find a place to store the bag until I find a way to reuse, repurpose or recycle it.

Again, free and simple choices also reduce demand and, thereby, reduce our dependency on foreign oil. Don't think your decisions will really make a difference? Check out the impact calculator at the end of that interactive site. Here's the link again.

The truth is your decisions do make a difference. And, together our decisions make a huge impact.

More about recycled fabrics:

Online banking is nothing new, at least not for the tech savvy-ish. But, there are always times when a face-to-face in the bank is preferable when you need to get something accomplished. With Bank of America's new free checking gimmick, however, the bank doesn't want you inside their branches or at their drive-up windows. You can use the ATM, you can use the website, you can probably call, but leave the tellers alone.

According to the bank's website, "If you choose to receive paper statements or use a teller for deposits or withdrawals, you will be charged an $8.95 monthly maintenance fee."

Meanwhile, the bank is dropping other free checking accounts — like those for college students — unless those account holders meet certain requirements.

Let's be real: when banks make these types of decisions or introduce these types of products, they're not trying to do you a favor. Bank of America isn't your buddy and they're not looking out for your best interests. It's about making money, and charging fees is one way to do that. Of course, the big dogs making these decisions aren't buddies with the tellers in this scenario either. There's no word yet on how many tellers will be laid off because their jobs are now automated ... you have to know that news is coming.

Something that got me in today's report from The Charlotte Observer is a comment from an economic researcher, Brian Moeb, that the bank's plan is to "trim lower-income customers." He reportedly thinks charging customers fees for interacting with the bank's staff is "a great idea."

Wow. Well, OK. All you lower-income customers out there, you're on notice.

Of course, since Bank of America isn't always known for their outstanding customer service, maybe being pushed out of the bank for being too low-income is a good thing. I stopped banking at BofA a decade ago and can report I'm happier not being one of their customers.

Today, when I go to my bank, I'm greeted by name, asked how I'm doing in a way that makes me think the teller actually cares and, slowly but surely, the teller and I are getting to know each other through our two minute meetings every week. When we return from vacation, she asks how we liked it. When we bought a new car, she marveled at it with us. From my side, I'm fascinated by my teller's endless collection of costume jewelry. That woman likes her bling. She also has a very cute granddaughter who occasionally comes to work with her. Because of her, going by the bank now feels less like a chore and has actually become enjoyable. But, she's not the only teller within my bank who's like that. When I go to a branch, clear across town, on behalf of my mother-in-law or to access our safe deposit box, they, too, greet us by name, ask how we're doing and seem genuinely interested when we answer.

Sure, my husband and I do 98 percent of our banking online, but, still, I like it when the company that holds onto all of our money actually gives a shit about us as individuals rather than as a cluster of accounts. Call me crazy.

So, out of curiosity, I went to YouTube to see if I could find some videos detailing what other people think of Bank of America's customer service. Here are three, and all are dissatisfied:

One can only hope.

Reporting from Washington and Los Angeles — In a sharp rebuke of the Bush-era crackdown on foul language on broadcast television and radio, a federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down the government's near-zero-tolerance indecency policy as a violation of the 1st Amendment protection of free speech.

The ruling is a major victory for the broadcast TV networks, which jointly sued the Federal Communications Commission in 2006.

The case was triggered by unscripted expletives uttered by Bono, Cher and Nicole Richie on awards shows earlier in the decade, and the court's decision calls into question the FCC's regulation of foul language and other indecent content on the public airwaves.

Read the rest of this L.A. Times article, by Jim Puzzanghera and Meg James, here.

In case you missed it, Google the Internets for "Janet Jackson nipple." Frankly, I don't see what the fuss is all about. First of all, everyone has nipples. Second, you have to spend some time slowing this video down and repeatedly watching it to actually see any nipple action. (Something I have no interest in doing so, sadly, I still have yet to see even one of JJ's nipples.) I hear it was decorated and pierced. Good for her. Everyone needs a hobby.

Woo hoo! College textbooks are damn expensive. I know, I used to buy and sell them ... both as a student and as a manager of two college textbook stores, one in Montgomery, Ala., and another in Atlanta, Ga. But, that was more than a decade ago. Even then, however, the industry was trying to figure out how to rent textbooks and still turn a profit.

There are some books that, as you college students already know, you're guaranteed to get about half of your money back on during book buy back season at the end of the semester. These are your English and History 101 types of books. There's a huge demand for them since everyone has to take those classes.

You get into graduate level classes, however, and there isn't much demand for the books. For a class of 25, the campus bookstore will probably carry 12, the off-campus bookstore will likely carry 10 and both will figure the other three will be picked up either from other students or online. And, they're probably right.

It used to be, when I ran off-campus book stores, our main competition was with the campus store. We would fight with them to get accurate book information for each class. We would snoop through their stores for pricing information, and they would do the same to us. (Everyone wants to be known as the low-cost leader.) And, during buy backs, we would do our best to offer $1 or $2 more than the other guys.

Book buy backs are essential in the college textbook industry because that's where the money's at. The stores get the books from students less expensively than they get them from wholesalers and publishers. Plus, there are no shipping charges. But where there's profit, there is usually also risk.

The risk in buying books back from students is several fold: the book may be usurped by a new edition (everyone, besides the author and publisher, hates it when that happens), the professor or department may change their mind about which book to use at the very last second and there's always the possibility the store will over-buy the books and then not be able to unload them all to next semester's students.

But, more often than not, it's more profitable to buy books back from the students. So, in my mind, renting the books makes sense. Or, at least it's an experiment worth trying (finally). For one thing, it means the stores will hand out less cash at the end of the semester. Instead, they'll simply hold their hand out, take their book back and re-stock it.

Here's an example:

If you buy a $100 book, take good care of it and turn it in at the end of the semester for $50, then why not just pay $50 to begin with?

It sounds easy, but it's going to be a challenge for the school's store to manage. And, I have a lot of questions. Like, which books are for rent? What happens if the book gets lost or damaged — would you then owe the store the full amount? What about old editions or out of print books, do they qualify for this program?

It will be interesting to see how this program pans out, and it will also be interesting to see how the off-campus bookstore, Grays, responds.

The sad news for students, however, is any savings they realize on their textbooks probably still won't make up for the extra $708 they'll owe for tuition this year. Wa.wa.wa.

This lady's got a few more ideas about how to save money on your college textbooks: