Living Green > Getting Started: The Top Ten #5

5) Switching to Natural Personal Care

Using natural personal care has a double benefit-keeping toxic chemicals off your body and then keeping them out of the environment after they wash off your body. Remember, if you wouldn't eat it, don't put it on your body. You already know that anything you put on your skin, from soap to shampoo, moisturizers to hair dye, deodorant to sunscreen, will be absorbed. Chemicals in these products will be absorbed as well, and they can cause serious health problems. Read labels carefully and be aware that certain types of products tend to be worse than others.

Also remember that when you shower, your pores are absorbing things from the water as well, so anything that you wouldn't want your body to absorb, don't put back into the water. This goes from make-up, toothpaste, lotions, shampoo, conditioner; to dish soap, laundry detergent, car cleaning products, pet products, and even prescription drugs.

What you can do - 6 steps for sustainable personal care:

1) Choose natural, organic-fiber clothing
2) Don't compromise with your children's clothing
3) Find a greener dry cleaner
4) Buy safe personal care products
5) Filter your shower and bath water
6) Choose natural feminine hygiene

Some personal care items that I recommend are:
Jason Organics
Kiss My Face
Seventh Generation
Origins
Ms. Meyers

Living Green > Getting Started: The Top Ten #1

"The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself." - President Franklin D. Roosevelt

1) Eating Organic "Let food be your medicine." - Hippocrates

For each 1% increase in organic food consumption in the U.S. alone, pesticide and herbicide use is reduced by over 10 million pounds per year. Typical foods are grown in soils that have been chemically fertilized and sprayed with multiple herbicides (chemicals that kill unwanted plants) and pesticides (chemicals that kill insects), then processed with high heat and preservative chemicals to extend shelf life and added sugars to improve taste, and packaged in disposable plastic containers for your convenience. For example, the typical bag of potato chips you buy at the supermarket has been subjected to over 50 chemicals from seed to shelf and can contain over 75 times the "safe" levels of cancer-causing acrylamide established by the state of California.

What you Can Do - 7 steps to Sustainable Eating

1) Buy organic whenever possible 5) Reduce sugar and sodas

2) Be careful of fish 6) Cut fried and processed foods

3) Eat low on the food chain 7) Change your cup

4) Filter your water