Today is Earth Day. While information abounds about how to do things such as use different light bulbs (which, by the way, those new light bulbs contain mercury and have to be thrown away in a special place for safety – don’t break them!!), there’s not as much information about the everyday products you, your family, and your pets use that are harmful to both the environment and yourselves. I personally only use toiletries and cleaning products that are not tested on animals, do not contain animal ingredients, and do not contain harmful and carcinogenic chemicals. This goes for me and my dog. To see the latest research on the story that made national news this week – that there were 48 industrial chemicals found in pets’ bodies and the levels are higher than those found in humans – visit www.petsfortheenvironment.org. It includes healthy pet tips. To see which foods contain the most pesticides (so you can decide which fruits and vegetables to buy organic and which you don’t have to), visit www.foodnews.org. To see how your own shampoos, deodorants, lotions, cosmetics, baby products and such fare, visit www.cosmeticsdatabase.org. All of the sites are under www.ewg.org, the Environmental Working Group, which seeks to protect public health and the environment. They educate consumers and promote legislation.
I like to support “mom and pop businesses” whenever possible. My favorite cleaning line comes from Seventh Generation. There are many other great ones. My favorite toiletries come from Alba Botanica, Kiss My Face, Giovanni, Tom’s of Maine (which unfortunately was purchased by a large company, and I know some of the others have been partially purchased by large companies), Jason, and Avalon Organics. Again, there are many great ones. For those of who are interested in more high-profile lines, today I was made aware of a hair products line Kate Hudson promotes, which meets my standards and seeks to protect wildlife habitats worldwide. It’s David Babaii for Wildaid (www.db4wildaid.com). I wash my dog with Nature’s Embrace (www.naturesembracearomatherapy.com), which contains only essential oils and was created by a former cancer researcher. I also use Buddy Wash from Cloud Star. My dog eats super premium food (I will have another blog entry on food another day. I have a lot to say about that!), supplemented with mostly organic fruits, veggies, and snacks. I give him spring water or filtered water. My point is, take a step back from the glossy tv and magazine ads. Educate yourself. Like I said, for me, what’s most important are products that don’t test on animals, don’t contain animal ingredients, and don’t contain harmful ingredients. What’s most important to you? Decide, and then find those items and support those companies!
