BLOG UPDATE

Comments on our blog last week show that our report on the value of copper was misunderstood. Copper gutters, plumbing pipes, hardware, sinks, faucets, countertops and railings should be used in houses for their beauty and their antimicrobial properties. A copper surface kills E. coli, fungi, viruses, bacteria and more. But here are the safety factors to think about: Never cook using a copper pan that is not tin-lined. Acidic foods, especially tomatoes, will create a poison if they touch copper while being heated. Copper bracelets are fun, but it has never been scientifically proved that they help with arthritic pain. The antimicrobial properties of copper that we wrote about were part of a study conducted at the University of South Carolina.