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Baking Soda: Safe, Useful, and Green
─Debbie Rinehart
Some grooming products, such as facial soaps and toothpastes, contain tiny beads that are made of plastic. These beads work well as cleaning agents, but once they go down the drain, they make their way to lakes, rivers, and oceans. There, they absorb motor oil, pesticides, and other toxic chemicals. Aquatic life and birds mistake these beads for fish eggs and eat them, affecting their health and the safety of the entire food chain.
Governments in Europe and in the United States are considering making the sale of products containing plastic beads illegal. However, regardless of whether such products are on the market, we as consumers can make wise decisions and choose to use products that don't harm the environment.
One such product is baking soda, which has been around for centuries. Most people probably know it as a baking ingredient, but it has many other functions around the house. You can use it to brush and whiten your teeth and scrub your face. A little baking soda in your bathwater can soothe your skin. Not only is baking soda safe for the planet; it's also inexpensive.
環境救星—萬能蘇打粉
有些梳洗產品像是洗面皂和牙膏，含有塑膠製成的微粒。這些微粒作為清潔劑效果很好，但一旦它們進入下水道，就會流進湖泊、河川和海洋。它們在那裡吸收了機油、殺蟲劑和其他有毒的化學製品。水生動物和鳥類誤認為這些微粒是魚卵而吃下肚，影響牠們的健康以及整個食物鏈的安全。
歐美政府正考慮將販售含塑料微粒產品列為違法。然而，不管這些產品是否在市場上販賣，身為消費者的我們可以做出明智的抉擇，並選用不會傷害環境的產品。
這類產品中有一樣是蘇打粉，它已經存在好幾個世紀了。大部分的人可能都知道它是一種烘焙材料，但是它在房子內外還有很多其他的功能。你可以用它來刷牙和美白牙齒，還有擦洗臉部。加一點蘇打粉在洗澡水中可以舒緩你的肌膚。小蘇打不僅對地球很安全，而且價格不貴。
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