We designed a computer game in class this semester to teach some of the same ideas we’ve communicated in our blog. It’s called “green monster” and you can check it out here: http://www.journalismgames.com/
Instead of flowers, why not choose a plant that will last longer?
When choosing a place to take Mom to brunch, why not choose a restaurant that uses locally-grown, sustainable ingredients (such as the 4th St. Bistro in Reno, open from noon to 3 p.m. on Sunday)?
When buying gifts, why not buy locally? EcoReno has a variety of gift suggestions for Mom, from bamboo towels (so soft!) to recycled glass vases to non-toxic bubble bath. And if you’re choosing chocolate, this Nevada Magazine article lists local chocolatiers throughout Nevada.
I sometimes think that the best gifts are not things, but experiences you can enjoy together – tickets to a play or a concert or the ballet, for instance. But please, whatever you buy, try to avoid perfumes and lotions that may contain harsh chemicals. Not sure? Check the Cosmetics Safety Database.
Last weekend while I was at Earth Day, I foolishly neglected to wear sunscreen (other than what is in my face lotion that I use daily) and ended up with burned shoulders. It occurred to me later that even if I had applied the sunscreen in my cupboard, it might not be safe. So, I Googled “paraben free sunscreen” today to see what I could find out and I ran across a post on the Organic Consumers Association site that was very disheartening. “The bottom line is this: we have found no sunscreen ingredients which we consider to be safe,” it says. They say that sunscreens can provide consumers with a false sense of security – that while they may prevent burn they may not prevent cancer. Yikes.
So, I went to the Cosmetics Database and searched for sunscreens with an SPF above 30 and found three with a score of zero (there are many more in the low hazard range of 0-2). The lowest were, Heiko Kids 40 SPF, Loving Naturals Sunscreen SPF 30+ and Thinkbaby Sunscreen SPF 30+.
Additionally, I found an article on Grist that tested seven eco-sunscreens to see which ones worked.
I guess the bottom line for me is to find a safer sunscreen and try to not to have too much exposure to the sun.
Here is the conclusion from the Organic Consumers Association:
“Small amounts of sun are healthy. People and children should remain indoors (at work and school or play) during the hottest part of the day, and when they venture out they should be sure to cover themselves properly. Schedule gardening, errands, play, etc., for early morning or evening hours. Our recommendation for protection: Loose-fitting clothing, shady trees and big floppy hats. Organic cotton is a good way to go!”
Earth Day festival at Idlewild Park in Reno Sunday
Today I attended Reno’s annual Earth Day festival, hosted by Nevada EcoNet, and took the opportunity to talk to a few of the vendors about their natural cleaning and beauty products. Here is what they had to say:
H2O At Home:
Holly Dorsey, an independent advisor for H2O At Home, said the cleaning products are chemical free, using organic essential oils to sanitize and disinfect. “And we have smart tools, which are a natural microfiber, made in Romania and France … It’s the highest quality fiber. You can clean and sanitize your whole home with just the cloth,” she said. For deeper cleaning, Dorsey said they offer a clay that can replace 90 percent of the cleaning products in most homes. The line is sold through direct sales, such as having an advisor hold a home party, or online.
The Thoughtful Mama:
At the Thoughtful Mama booth, Jennifer Gray of Reno had a variety of products from her online store on display, and was demonstrating the use of the E-cloth. Gray said after bringing the E-cloth into her home, she was able to get rid of nearly all the other cleaners. “We’re able to clean our entire house with just water,” she said. She said they discovered the E-cloth just after her daughter was born, and having safe cleaning products in the home was important to her. “It has fibers that are positively and negatively charged,” she said. Gray sprayed water on a dirty mirror and used the cloth to wipe it clean, leaving no streaks. She said it will even grease. T
he cloth is washed on hot in the washing machine and is guaranteed for 300 washes, she said. “They’re fabulous,” Gray said. Gray said her family made the switch to stainless steel water bottles. She carries the Kleen Kanteen line, which has a sippy cup bottle available for small children. She estimates that she’s saved $27,000 over the last four years by making these changes. She also carries other products such as skin care, including Nature’s Baby, snacks and organic lollipops called Yummy Earth which are colored with vegetables rather than dyes. Gray said they interview all of the companies they conduct business with to ensure they share the same philosophy.
Shaklee:
JoAnn Coy, and independent distributor of Shaklee products, said its main product – Basic H – was developed 50 years ago by Dr. Forrest C. Shaklee, who believed in living in harmony with nature. It’s plant-based, made from corn and coconut products, and is non-toxic and biodegradeable. None of the products he developed were harmful to the environment or tested on animals, she said. The Basic H is also highly concentrated so there’s less waste – a 1-pint bottle makes 48 gallons of cleaner. “I’ve used this stuff since the ’60s,” Coy said. Shaklee also has a line of skin care products and other cleaning products. Even though the Basic H “does it all,” Coy said, there are also products for dishwashing and laundry, sanitizing wipes, hand soap and more. The products are sold through direct sale because “Dr. Shaklee believed in sharing information – he wanted ot to be person to person,” Coy said, although they can now also be purchased online.
I’m interested to learn more about these product lines, especially the fibers that allow you to clean with only water and the Basic H since it’s been around so long. Have you ever tried any of these items? How did they work for you?
-Tammy
I just saw this article on Yahoo! that suggests we use too much laundry detergent, and that we may not need any at all. The article says that “Americans are doing 1,100 loads of laundry every minute of every day.” That’s a lot of water, and a lot of soap. According to the report, “Ancient people used rocks and rivers, but your modern washing machine can clean lightly soiled clothes by just pushing them around in water.”
If the idea of no soap at all doesn’t work for you, I recently switched to Charlie’s Soap, which uses just a tablespoon per load and doesn’t require the use fabric softener (though we’ve still been using it … but may stop once we run out), and the article includes a “recipe” for making your own detergent. While the article is focused on the wash cycle, another obvious way to save resources on laundry is to hang them to dry rather than use a dryer. I do this for probably 1/3 of our laundry, but could do better.
Have you made any changes to “green” your laundry … or save some green?
So I made a natural drain cleaner a few days ago (half baking soda, half vinegar). It didn’t seem to do much!! I used it in my bathroom sink and shower drains. Has anyone tried this before? If so, have you had success? Any suggestions?
-H
Here’s a little tip provide by my Aunt T.–”take a small amount of cooking oil (olive would work great) into the palm of one hand. Add about a teaspoon of either sugar or salt and a squirt of your favorite liquid soap (Ivory dishwashing works well). Rub hands together and, viola!, all the garden grime is gone!”
-Heather
We are delighted to have Morgan Tiar, co-owner of EcoReno, as our guest blogger today. As a mom and business owner, we were interested in how Morgan got involved in seeking out environmentally friendly and healthier alternatives for her family and how she determines what products are safe. Here is what she wrote in response to our questions:
Married to a fantastic partner, Marc, we are the proud parents of two children – Lola, 5 and Sid, 2. Although we have been conscious of the environment and done what we had thought best in the past (as we composted, recycled and did our best to cut down on our use of material stuff), I was rudely awakened by the research and results of the effects of BPA – bisphenol A in 2008. When Canada banned the sale of baby bottles containing BPA, I was heating formula for my infant son in a bottle containing BPA. And only to find out that heat made the leaching worse. After throwing out all #7 plastics (although not all contain BPA), I started researching and reading about toxins in our everyday environment – including our home.
In my search to find more information locally, I found that there was no one-stop shop for sustainable products nor someone who could tell me more – what was better, why, and what I should be concerned about. This was just a few months before Whole Foods came to Reno. So, I approached my husband with an idea. We opened EcoReno in October of 2008 and despite the economy, have been hanging in there ever since.
EcoReno became a lot more than just a store. I have researched and learned so much over the past year+. Sustainability is so much more than recycling, not littering, and even solar – it comes down to a better and healthier life.
I research my products a variety of ways – through news stories, through other vendors and just research and ingredient reading! I use www.cosmeticdatabase.com frequently, although not all products are listed on the site and I have even found some product listings outdated – all understandable as they are a non-profit organization. When choosing personal products, I try to avoid “The Dirty Dozen.” This includes formaldehyde, antibacterials, pthalates, parabens, petroleum and more. If for some reason it is unavoidable, I try to make sure it is one of the last ingredients on the list as they are listed by the amounts contained in the product. I try to buy direct when possible and from businesses with sustainable practices.
We have also started a local publication – GReNO. We felt that education is a vital point in helping people WANT to make these changes – for their own health and the health of our environment.
I am proud to say that when you come into EcoReno – it is almost always my husband or myself. We want to help incorporate changes into this community’s living. We can make changes and we can help you make changes that make sense for each family individually.
I ran across an ad the other day for a new line of cleaning products by Martha Stewart called “Clean” that’s now being sold at Home Depot and carries the EPA’s Design for the Environment label. I googled it to find more information and didn’t run across any bad reviews (although ecorazzi is waiting for a full list of ingredients on its Web site, as Method has).
Here’s the bottom line from the Mindful Momma review, which I found helpful:
“So is Martha Stewart Clean for you?
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probably NOT if the thought of Martha makes you cringe
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probably NOT if you are an ingredient purist who prefers not to use any ingredients that you can’t pronounce
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probably NOT if you are loyal to purchasing from small business instead of corporations
But for those of you whose day-to-day reality includes picking up affordable, eco-friendly cleaning products as part of a larger shopping trip, I’d say that Martha Stewart Clean looks like a pretty good option to me.”
The Clean product line, according to its Web site, “contains 99+% plant- and mineral-based biodegradable ingredients, without artificial additives of any kind, and comes in fully recyclable packaging.” The site includes also includes a “Green Glossary:”
Ammonia-free – Ammonia may irritate eyes, mucous membranes, and skin with prolonged exposure. Martha Stewart Clean™ Glass and Mirror Cleaner is free of ammonia while formulated to be as effective as other commercially available glass cleaners.
Bio-based – a bio-based product is composed of biological ingredients or renewable biological resources.
Color-free – Martha Stewart Clean™ products contain no added colors, only the natural tints of their plant- and mineral-derived ingredients.
DfE – The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created the Design for the Environment (DfE) Program to help minimize potentially harmful effects of consumer products. The Design for the Environment label allows consumers to quickly identify and choose products that are safer for families and the environment. When you see the DfE logo on a product, it means that the DfE scientific review team has strictly screened each ingredient in the product for potential human health and environmental effects. The DfE logo is only earned when a product is best in its class.
Naturally Fragranced – Martha Stewart Clean™ products include no artificial fragrances. The only detectable scent is the natural, clean scent of the plant- and mineral-based ingredients.
Hypoallergenic – Products that come in prolonged contact with the skin—specifically Martha Stewart Clean™ Laundry Detergent, Fabric Softener, and Dish-Hand Soap—have been tested and formulated to be hypoallergenic. They contain no sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), a known skin irritant found in other ‘green’ cleaning brands.
INCI – The International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients, abbreviated INCI, is a system of names for many ingredients used in personal care products. We have adhered to INCI standards in naming our products, believing that our consumers should have as much information as possible to help them make an informed purchase decision.
Kosher – Martha Stewart Clean™ products are Circle U Kosher-certified to meet the needs of our Kosher observing consumers.
Leaping Bunny Certification/Zero Tolerance – The Corporate Standard of Compassion for Animals (represented by the Leaping Bunny logo) is a voluntary pledge that cosmetic, personal care, and/or household product companies do not conduct animal testing during any stages of product development. All Leaping Bunny companies must be open to independent audits, and commitments are renewed on an annual basis.
Plant Surfactant – Plant surfactants are usually organic compounds that are both hydrophobic and hydrophilic: that is, they both attract and repel water. This makes them soluble in both organic solvents and water, and also allows them to cut grease, an important function of detergents. Our surfactants are derived from plant sources.
Quaternary Ammonium Compounds – These compounds used in common household detergents accelerate the hydrolysis of animal by-products such as fats, glycerides, and proteins, allowing them to be rapidly emulsified in water without leaving oily residues. It has been shown to cause skin or respiratory irritation. Martha Stewart Clean™ uses no animal by-products and therefore no quaternary ammonium chloride.
SLS – Sodium lauryl sulfate is a compound found in certain ‘green’ cleaning products that has been shown to irritate skin. Martha Stewart Clean™ products are SLS-free.
Tallow-free – Tallow, derived from animal fat, is a common ingredient in many fabric softeners. Martha Stewart Clean™ products contain no tallow or other animal by-products.
Water Supply – The EPA’s Design for the Environment program tests ingredients to ensure that products carrying their seal will not adversely affect the ground water supply if used according to directions on the package label. Martha Stewart Clean™ carries the DfE certification label.
Have you tried any of the Martha Stewart Clean products? What was your experience? What is your favorite “green” cleaning product?
I’ve been making the effort to trade out old, harmful products for new, safer ones, and in doing so I’ve noticed all the wasteful packaging that is being thrown out. My apartment complex doesn’t offer recycling bins, and dropping the recycleables off downtown is very inconvenient. So it all just sits in bags waiting to be taken somewhere.
The good news is Target now has recycling stations in front of every store! So now I can get eliminate the clutter in my house, without going out of my way. Target accepts plastic shopping bags, empty bottles and cans, ink cartridges, even cell phones and mp3 players.
