Category Archives: Scientific

How Soap Works

Posted on April 17, 2008 by jkmcintyre

The reason we need soap is that we wash our clothes, dishes, and bodies with water. Most ‘dirt’ is greasy from oils coming off our skin and food. Even if you’ve never studied chemistry you will have heard that oil … Continue reading →

Posted in education, Scientific, soap | 5 Comments

Soap-du-jour

Posted on April 7, 2008 by jkmcintyre

With Scott away at his crag course in Leavenworth, I wondered what to do with my weekend? Early Saturday morning, I drank tea and read from the anthology of Nature Writings. I watched the birds play and hunt in the … Continue reading →

Posted in DIY, homemade soap, Scientific, soap | 2 Comments

To stop your head from catching on fire

Posted on January 12, 2008 by jkmcintyre

Flame retardants. They’ve been in the news a bit lately, so you’ve probably heard of them. But maybe you haven’t. After all, there are so many chemicals in the news these days. Flame retardants (FR) have been used for several … Continue reading →

Posted in Rants, Scientific | 5 Comments

Are chemicals people too?

Posted on January 6, 2008 by jkmcintyre

The Presumption of Innocence – ‘innocent until proven guilty’ – makes you think of the noble legal system of many modern nations, right? Does it also make you think about industrial chemicals? If you live in the U.S. or Canada, it should. In the U.S., an industrial chemical is presumed safe unless the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) can prove significant harm to humans or wildlife. Continue reading →

Posted in Rants, Scientific | 1 Comment