By replacing your mass produced hygiene products and investing in eco-friendly ones, you can make a positive impact on the environment, your family, and your wallet. Make sure to read more than the price tag of your hygiene products, as most are not biodegradable or handmade. Purchase products that are marked cruelty-free (not tested on animals), organic, eco-certified, and made out of recycled content. Also, look for products marked paraben-free. Parabens, similar to phthalates,have been reported by the Food and Drug Administrationto cause tumors, hormone malfunction, and other health issues.

Follow the guidelines below to green your shopping list.

1.  Make-up Galore

Most cosmetics can clog your pores and causevarious skin irritations because they are petroleum based. Such make-up also negatively impacts the environment because it promotes the extraction of a non-renewable resource, petroleum or crude oil. Purchase items that are labeled organic, cruelty-free and petroleum-free. Organic products are made from plant materials and do not include pesticides, harsh chemicals, or preservatives. Let your eye-shadow reflect your respect for nature and wildlife.

2.  Your pearly-whites

Popular toothpastes include fluoride, sweeteners, and artificial preservatives that give you that ‘ahh, fresh’ feeling. Artificial cleaning solutions are not only an empty investment, but they’re also bad for the environment. Chemicals can concentrate in your septic tank or local water source. Many environmentalists confirm that a little baking soda on the end of your toothbrush gets the job done just as in commercial toothpaste. If you prefer to use a store bought toothpaste look for one that is fluoride-free or lower in fluoride, especially for children, according to the American Dental Association. It is reported that a high dose of fluoride can discoloration, decay and can damage tooth enamel. In addition, shop for a paste with no artificial preservatives, sweeteners, coloring, or harsh abrasives. Most green toothpastes are organic and may contain interesting ingredients like seaweed extract, ginger, cinnamon, or even tea tree oil.

3.  Feminine Products

There are numerous feminine product options available but the best ones are marked as 100% USDA Organic and contain the Leaping Bunny Logo which is used to identify various items as free of animal testing. Organic products do not include the bleaching agent dioxin, a known carcinogen and pollutant. If you are looking to eliminate packaging waste, reusable options are also available. You can get more knowledge on such products online and in local stores.

4.  Care for your locks

Shampoos, hair conditioners, hair gels, and styling mousses haves been modified numerous ways to accommodate consumers’ desires. Currently, there are many natural and herbal products available. Avoid artificial waxes and protein-stripping enzymes when purchasing hair products. The best way to ensure that you are applying an all-natural product to your hair is by using homemade herbal recipes like henna or honey mixtures. When shopping, look for paraben-free, organic hair products that are made with fruits or vegetables.

5.  Deodorants

Conventional deodorants are usually made in bulk and include aluminum, which prevents our sweat glands from producing perspiration by inducing cell inflammation. Studiesshow that such artificial inflammation can be bad for your health, so shop for aluminum-free products. In addition, handmade and vegan de odorant options are available in stores nationwide. Buying a biodegradable, natural deodorant will decrease your ecological footprint when the time comes to dispose of your antiperspirant.

To Learn More Visit

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10 Quick Ways to Green Your Home

]]> http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/featured/pretty-in-green/feed/ 10 http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/featured/don%e2%80%99t-get-coal-in-your-stocking/ http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/featured/don%e2%80%99t-get-coal-in-your-stocking/#comments Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:14:47 +0000 SCGHLLC http://www.sierraclubgreenhome.com/?p=7730 How to go green without breaking a sweat

The holidays usually mean lots of travel, local mall runs and trips across the country to visit family. Don’t forget there are many little things you can do to offset your carbon output. Follow these easy steps to start your holidays off with the right foot and lower emissions. Also, remember to encourage your friends and family to be conscious of the environment this season.

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1. Goodbye elevator. If you are decided between taking the stairs and the elevator, especially on the way down, avoid the elevator. The energy expended by the average elevator when traveling one floor up and back down is equivalent to fully charging one cell phone.
2. Keep the trash. Avoid throwing away your garbage bag unless it is full. Plastic bags are petroleum based items that are non-recyclable after coming in contact with waste. They also do not biodegrade in landfills, so remember to use them sparingly.
3. Is one dish worth it? Run the dishwasher only when it is full and avoid using heat when drying the dishes. Your dishes will be just as shiny when washed with biodegradable detergent and cool-dried.
4. And around we go. When doing laundry, remember to set the appropriate water temperature and level. If you are planning on washing only a shirt and a few pairs of socks, do it by hand or wait until you have a full load.
5. Air-dry your hair. Blow drying your hair my not be costly based on your utility bill, but it does require energy that can be avoided. After washing your hair air-dry it.  Skipping the blow-dryer will also protect you hair, preventing it from being brittle and frizzy.
6. Off with the shoes. When you visit a friend or come home, opt to take your shoes off at the door. Doing this will decrease the amount of airborne pollutants and improve your indoor air quality. Also, dragging in dirt means you have to use extra power for the vacuum, not to mention extra cleaning products which also affect indoor air quality.
7. Natural fragrances. Instead of buying an ‘Island Orchard’ scent in a spray bottle, set out orange or lemon peels. This will encourage you to eat more fruit and reduce pests, as flies hate citrus.
8. Reuse gift bags & tissue paper. After the holidays it seems like there is a never ending supply of gift bags in your house.  Instead of throwing them away, just fold them up nicely and reuse during the next celebration. This will save you money, shopping time, and the earth’s resources.
9. Green your pet. If you have a dog or a cat, consider decreasing their carbon footprint. When walking your dog use biodegradable waste bags. If you have a cat, purchase eco-friendly litter that is either biodegradable or compostable.
10. Natural hygiene products. Before taking a shower or getting ready for a busy day at work make sure you have your eco-friendly hygiene products ready. Buy products that are marked USDA organic, Blue Bunny/cruelty free, phthalate-free, paraffin-free, and biodegradable.  If you prefer truly natural products use things like oatmeal for a body wash and henna as a shampoo.
11. Lights Out. If no one is in the room, turn the lights off!
12. Reduce. If you have to think to yourself, “Do I really need this?” you don’t. Consume less, and create less waste. Even though recycling has its perks, if we decided to use less material and resources we would ultimately spend less energy on recycling.
13. Shorter Showers. Try shortening your showers in five minute increments; you might realize you’re spending way too much time in there. Over the course of a  year, you will save hundreds if not thousands of gallons of water by cutting shower time and eliminating baths altogether.
14. Eat Right. Buy locally and what’s in season. Mangoes in January just aren’t right. If you have the chance, invest in organic produce. USDA organic foods are free of hormones and pesticides.
15. Walk. A mile or two is always good for you. If you live a short distance from your local grocery store and only need a few things, grab your reusable bag and head on out.
16. No more plastic bottles. Stop buying bottles of water and get yourself a nifty aluminum bottle instead. A great benefit of aluminum bottles is that they are ultimately recyclable.
17. Foliage. Buy just one plant, it’ll look nice and convert all of that nasty CO2 into oxygen. Good indoor air quality is very important, especially if you have children with asthma or pets.
18. Unplug. TURN EVERYTHING OFF. If you’re not using it, then why let it use up energy? Vampire energy (energy that, unknowingly to you, sucks up electricity) can cost you approximately 20% of our annual energy bill.
19. Cruise Along. When driving downhill take your foot off that accelerator and let gravity do the work for you. Also, remember to be easy on your brakes and fuel tank by shifting down a gear or two.
20. Strings Attached. Hang your clothes out to dry (when weather permits) instead of using your dryer. You’ll save loads of energy and your clothes will have a true fresh-air scent.

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Learn More

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How many different personal care products do you use? Shampoo, conditioner, hair mousse, hair spray, body wash, bar soap, shaving cream, moisturizer, body lotion, facial toner, foundation, sunscreen, eye cream, eye shadow, blush, mascara, perfume, and makeup remover are just a few of the products found in many American homes. The average person in the United States uses 9 to 15 of these products every day, applying an average of 126 unique ingredients.

Finding eco-friendly personal care products is a challenge, especially since labeling and certification remain mostly unregulated. We are drawn to “natural,” “hypoallergenic,” and “organic” beauty products. Yet, neither “natural” nor “hypoallergenic” have any regulatory meaning. “USDA Certified Organic” is clearly defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, but absent that certification, you have to be careful. “Organic” can be used in the name or label without the product containing any organic ingredients other than water. Traditionally, the term “unscented” has meant that the product has no odor, and “fragrance-free” has meant that fragrance hasn’t been added to mask a bad odor. But neither of those terms is legally defined, so consumers must take their chances.

Figuring out whether personal care products are safe is even more of a challenge. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is supposed to be regulating cosmetics. But the FDA has banned only nine ingredients and allowed certain color additives, while the European Union has banned or controlled over 1,100 ingredients. As the FDA admits, in the United States a cosmetic manufacturer may use most any raw material and market it without FDA approval.

And then there are the environmental impacts: Most personal care products are eventually washed down the drain. But wastewater treatment plants do not remove them. They are sent coursing through our rivers and streams, and ultimately our oceans. In the process, they poison aquatic animals and ecosystems.

Top Tips

At home

• Use fewer products. Don’t believe the beauty industry’s hype. Most of us probably only need a couple of products daily–not the whole heap of cosmetics that we are told will make us look thinner, younger, and more attractive.
• Make your own. Many personal care products can be made at home with a few ingredients you probably have in your kitchen. Save the environment and your wallet by trying some of the homemade recipes.

When shopping, look for

• Familiar ingredients. If a product claims to be “natural,” check out the list of ingredients. If you’ve never heard of most of them or need a chemistry degree to pronounce them, the product probably isn’t as “natural” as it claims.
• USDA Organic Seal. The U.S. Department of Agriculture organic seal means that a product’s ingredients are grown without pesticides and genetically modified organisms in a way that is good for the soil and the rest of the environment. The program only applies to plant- and animal-based products, so mineral ingredients can’t qualify. Also, because the USDA has flip-flopped on whether the program includes cosmetics, some manufacturers haven’t taken the time to try to qualify now that USDA’s door is open to cosmetics again.
• Environmentally friendly packaging. Personal care products are traditionally packaged to be eye-catching, with little regard for sustainability. Choose products in recyclable containers with minimal packaging. Keep an eye out for manufacturers that recycle their containers.

Avoid

• Phthalates. Phthalates help cosmetics penetrate the skin and make it feel soft. They lubricate other ingredients and help sustain fragrances. On the other hand, they are known to cause developmental and reproductive problems in laboratory animals. Some are hormone disruptors. If a product has phthalates, skip it.
• Fragrances. Unless a product states that its “fragrance” comes from essential oils, it’s probably made from synthetic, petroleum-based ingredients. It’s worth steering clear of fragrances because they tend to have phthalates and–even if they don’t–they can trigger skin, allergic, and respiratory ailments.
• Parabens. Even though they can cause skin irritation and itchiness, methyl, ethyl, propyl, and benzyl parabens are used in beauty products as preservatives. Animal studies have also linked parabens to brain and nervous system disorders and hormone disruption. Because they have been found in breast cancer tissues, some scientists have hypothesized (but not yet proven) that excess absorption of parabens from personal care products, perhaps in concert with exposure to other hormone disruptors, could alter breast tissue.
• Dyes. Used as coloring agents in personal care products, some dyes have been linked to cancer, and may be developmental toxicants. Not all dyes are bad, however. The ones linked with adverse health effects include: D&C Violet 2, EXT D&C Violet 2, FD&C Blue 1, FD&C Green 3, D&C Red 4 and D&C Yellow 5.
• Ethoxylated compounds. Studies have shown body washes, baby washes, shampoos, foaming hand washes, and other products are sometimes contaminated with the carcinogen 1,4-dioxane, which is a byproduct of a manufacturing process called ethoxylation. You can avoid 1,4-dioxane by skipping products with ingredients with myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth or any other “eth”; PEG; polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol. Keep in mind, though, that some manufacturers take the extra step of removing 1,4-dioxane from their products. The product’s manufacturer or the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics can tell you which is which.
• DMDM hydantoin. The preservative DMDM hydantoin is used in shampoos, conditions, moisturizers, sunscreens, and styling products. It can inflame allergies and is a skin irritant. More significantly, as it degrades it can form the carcinogen formaldehyde.
• DEA, TEA and MEA. The foaming agents diethanolamine (DEA), triethanolamine (TEA), and monoethanolamine (MEA) are found in shampoos, lotions, and creams. DEA, TEA, and, to a lesser extent, MEA, are irritants and sensitizers. There’s conflicting information about whether DEA is a carcinogen. In the interest of being safe rather than sorry, it seems prudent to skip products that contain these substances.
• Nonylphenols. Found in body washes, gel masks, foaming shaving creams, and even liquid liners, nonylphenols are surfactants, or wetting agents, which allow a liquid to spread more easily. Unfortunately they are also long-lived estrogen mimics that tend to accumulate in the body. Research suggests that they may reduce male fertility, testicular size, and sperm quality. Many European countries are phasing them out.
• Quaternary ammonium compounds. These preservatives may be found in personal care products ranging from body washes to foundations to blushes. Included in the group are benzalkonium chloride, cetrimonium bromide, and quaternium-15-all of which are caustic and can irritate the eyes. Quaternium-15 works by releasing formaldehyde, a carcinogen. Plus, it is the number one cause of preservative-related “contact dermatitis,” a skin reaction–usually a red, scaly patch–resulting from exposure to allergens or irritants.
• Other ingredients. Of course, you should always avoid mercury, used as a preservative and identified as thimerosal; lead, found in some hair coloring products; and hydroquinone skin lightener.

Other Considerations

• Antibacterial Products. We may be doing ourselves more harm than good when it comes to antibacterial products containing triclosan and triclocarban, especially since they have not been shown to have any significant benefit except to the immune compromised. Triclosan is now found in a majority of American surface waters and in breast milk. While no studies have as yet shown that this chemical causes anything more than skin irritation and susceptibility to allergies in humans, a study has found it harmful to the development of frogs. In addition, these antibacterial products leave surface residues, creating conditions that may foster the development of drug-resistant bacteria.
• Insect Repellants. To ward off bugs, many insect repellants are laced with the synthetic pesticide DEET. While the EPA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), claim that DEET is safe to use if you follow directions, some studies have found that DEET can slow motor skills and impair central nervous system function in humans, especially if used with permethrin (used on some outdoor clothing to repel insects). Eco-friendly options involve using repellants based upon “essential oils” (oils distilled from plants) instead of DEET. But repellants made from essential oils work by scent, and need to be applied every two hours or so. They can also be irritating and cause allergic reactions.An oil made from lemon eucalyptus is the only plant-based insect repellant so far approved by the CDC. If you decide to try it, do a patch test first. Products containing lemon eucalyptus oil are not recommended for children under three years of age.
• Sunscreens. When it comes to a sunscreen, you need to block two wavelengths of ultraviolet light: UVA and UVB. The scientific consensus is that a “physical barrier” sunscreen, using titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, is better for your health than a chemical-based sunscreen because it doesn’t penetrate the skin. A physical barrier is also more environmentally friendly: chemical-based sunscreens are contributing to the bleaching of coral reefs. Avoid any sunscreen that contains phthalates or parabens.
• Polyethylene beads. Many beauty products use polyethylene beads to provide scrubbing action. Unfortunately these little plastic particles are too small to be filtered out by sewage treatment plants and go straight to surface waters and to our oceans where they could be mistaken for zooplankton and poison our marine life.
• Nanoparticles. Microscopic “nanoparticles” are being introduced rapidly to personal care products, generally to help other ingredients penetrate skin. Their safety hasn’t been fully investigated, though, so you may want to skip them for now.

Benefits…

…to your health
Avoiding personal care products with unsafe ingredients will benefit your health.

…to your wallet
Using fewer products will save you money.

…to the Earth
Choosing products that are not petroleum based will conserve resources. Avoiding toxic preservatives and hormone disruptors will protect our water and wildlife. Choosing products free of polyethylene beads will reduce plastic debris. And skipping antibacterial soaps in favor of plain soap and water may also help preserve our aquatic environments.

Common Mistakes

Not reading labels. Even if it makes you flashback to high school chemistry, scrutinizing a product’s list of ingredients is well worth doing, because the Food and Drug Administration isn’t protecting you.

Getting Started

• Clear out your beauty clutter. Figure out what you really need, and clear out the rest. As you finish a product, switch it for a more eco-friendly product. Recycle what you can, and properly dispose of the rest.
• Research your products. Check out the products you have using databases such as Skin Deep.

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