Just Ask: Learn About Castile Soap and Composting Kitchen Waste

Grist Magazine's resident expert Umbra Fisk answers your environmental questions.

September/October 2009
By Umbra Fisk 
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Q: Every time I’m lathering with Dr. Bronner’s hemp castile soap, I wonder, what is castile soap? And how is it different from my bar of olive oil-based soap from the farmer’s market, or my partner’s Dove? Finally, does the ingredient triclosan in antibacterial soap really convert to dioxin in sunlight?
Susan, Washington, D.C.

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Find out what Umbra has to say about castile soap. 

Q: When my garbage disposal died recently, it led me to wonder which is kinder to the environment: putting kitchen waste in the disposal or just trashing it? I compost whenever possible, of course, but there are always scraps that are mixed with animal fat and shouldn’t be added to a compost pile.
Richard, Newburyport, Massachusetts 

Find out what Umbra has to say about getting rid of kitchen waste. 

Umbra Fisk dispenses advice on all things green for Grist Magazine, an online publication tackling environmental topics with irreverence, intelligence and a fresh perspective. To submit a question, e-mail justask@naturalhomemagazine.com.

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  • David Henry 11/29/2009 4:59:24 PM

    ALL food waste can be composted so none of it needs to go down a disposal or in the garbage. The misconceptions about restrictions for composting fat, oil, meat, dairy, and such are unfortunate delusions passed on from ignorant composter to ignorant composter. Anyone who has actual experience with composting knows that it is possible to compost ALL food waste. As long as the food is buried in the hot core of the pile, there is NO risk of smells or incursions by rodents. The best resource for ACCURATE information about all forms of composting is the Humanure Handbook.

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