The average person consumes about a credit card's worth of plastic every week, and PFAS forever chemicals are now in roughly 97% of people's blood. I sat down with Jordan, the founder of Caraway, to talk about what's actually in your nonstick cookware, why Teflon was originally created for the atomic bomb, and how to tell in five seconds whether the pan in your kitchen is coated in it.
We get into the night he gave himself Teflon poisoning and called poison control, why 6 to 8 states have now banned PFAS in cookware, what happens when your nonstick coating starts to flake, and whether heating food in plastic is as bad as you think. Plus the easiest nontoxic swaps to make first, what to do about takeout containers, baby bottles and kids' toys, and the new nontoxic coffee maker that took five years and two dozen factories to build.
Use code EMPWR20 at: http://www.carawayhome.com/empwr20 for 20% off any Caraway product!
TIMESTAMPS:
0:00 - One credit card of plastic a week
1:13 - Intro
1:30 - The cheap college pots and pans I had no idea about
2:16 - The three types of cookware, and where Teflon came from
3:42 - How to tell if a pan has Teflon in it
4:22 - What happens when your nonstick coating flakes and scratches
5:20 - Where these toxins go once they're in your body
6:15 - PFAS is in 97% of people's blood
6:24 - Why the FDA hasn't banned forever chemicals
8:05 - Everywhere else PFAS is hiding in your home
8:33 - Why manufacturers still use Teflon if they know
9:59 - Will PFAS ever actually be banned
11:13 - Is Teflon linked to cancer
12:44 - How Jordan got into the cookware industry
14:25 - The night he got Teflon poisoning and called poison control
18:51 - The friend who melted baby bottles on the stove
20:31 - Going nontoxic after my son was born
21:28 - How to handle this when you travel
22:39 - Takeout containers and plastic
22:59 - Is cold food in plastic any safer
23:56 - Why heating food in plastic is the worst thing you can do
25:04 - What to swap out for your kids
26:42 - Baby teethers, toys, and whether silicone is better
27:31 - Why BPA free doesn't mean PFAS free
28:20 - Clean cosmetics, perfume and lotions
29:25 - Is nontoxic living just too expensive
30:52 - Where to start, and how long ceramic cookware lasts
31:51 - Should you put your pans in the dishwasher
35:30 - How Caraway products actually get made
36:17 - Two dozen factories turned them down
37:51 - Pushback from the legacy cookware brands
38:33 - Why they started with ceramic nonstick
39:34 - Cooking with stainless steel vs ceramic
40:29 - Replace or not: plastic water bottles, microwaves, ice makers
41:19 - The nontoxic coffee maker, five years in the making
42:27 - Is Caraway first to market with it
43:03 - The design, the colors, and one button
44:29 - When the coffee maker launches
44:46 - Replace or not: toothbrushes, dental floss, straws
45:39 - Jordan's favorite Caraway product
50:05 - What's next for Caraway
50:56 - Launching in Canada and 500 Walmart stores
51:26 - Why it looks good enough to leave on the counter
52:58 - The 100 year vision for the brand
54:40 - Why I gifted my ex a full Caraway set
55:36 - Caraway as a gift, and the boomer cohort
56:46 - Microplastics in clothing and activewear
57:45 - What it's like waiting five years for a launch
58:19 - The factory that dropped them three years in
59:27 - Building trust with customers
1:00:23 - Best Caraway gifts for the holidays
1:00:52 - 20% off for EMPWR listeners
1:01:20 - Wrapping up
CARAWAY OFFER:
Nontoxic ceramic cookware, bakeware, food storage and the new nontoxic coffee maker. http://www.carawayhome.com/empwr20 with code: EMPWR20 for 20% off any product!
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