Green Options

Paige Donner presented the panel Greening Hollywood: Guild by Guild in Santa Monica. Paige, Founder of Greening Hollywood, invited panelists who are members of the Hollywood Makeup and Hairstylist’s Guild, I.A.T.S.E. Local 706 to speak about clean and green make up use on film and tv sets. Moderated by Rachelle Carson-Begley - co-star of Living With Ed.

It is common now to see the USDA Organic logo on many beauty products, but this does not always mean a product is 100% organic or all natural.  One way I know if I can trust a beauty product is by looking up the company on the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) cosmetic database Skin Deep. Five Natures Paradise products have been tested by EWG, and the company received the lowest ratings for toxicity!  From scores of 0 to 1, I know this is a company I can trust for my family’s skin care needs.

We at Natures Paradise are dedicated to developing the safest Certified Organic skin care products for the whole family. Using nothing but natures finest USDA Certified organic ingredients. We are the worlds 1st manufacturer to develop ONLY USDA Certified Organic products, we will never manufacture anything that can not be USDA Certified Organic. We are dedicated not only in providing the finest and safest skin care products but also to educate the world on the true meaning of Organic for their well being and the well being of our environment. We strive to make life better for everyone protecting both our body and our Earth.

When I was a child, sunburns were common.  We used suntan lotion to get tans not to protect us from the sun.  Fortunately for today’s children, we know better.  Sun damage in childhood can cause health problems as adults.  Although it is important to expose your children to natural sunlight for vitamin absorption, these periods should be limited and occur during off peak hours.

When it comes to sunscreen ingredients, I trust the Environmental Working Group (EWG) to tell me what is safe.  EWG recommends:

Which sunscreens are best for children?
Since kids are more vulnerable to damage caused by the sun and to harmful effects of chemical exposure, you want to make sure you choose a sunscreen that is rated highly in terms of both effectiveness (against both UVA and UVB radiation) and safety. Use EWG’s guide to help you find one. If your child is going to be swimming or playing in the water look for a sunscreen that says it is water resistant. Avoid sprays, powders and products with bug repellant. Make sure to apply sunscreen generously before going out and reapply often. (Don’t believe claims that a product will remain effective for a certain period of time, as these are not always reliable.) Infants under 6 months need special protection Ñ at this age, a fair-skinned baby does not have melanin proteins for sun protection and needs to be kept out of the sun. The AAP recommends that you avoid using sunscreen on children younger than 6 months unless protective shade and clothing are not available. In this case you can apply a minimal amount to exposed skin (AAP 2008). Remember that sunscreen is just one part of a sun-healthy lifestyle. Limiting sun exposure and wearing protective clothing are even more important than wearing sunscreen.

Editor’s note: The following post was originally published on Green and Clean Mom. “Green & Clean Mom can inspire you to try a little harder, be a catalyst for change and to offer you some new tips and news on how to be the green, sexy and sassy mom…I know you are!”

April Fools Day! Welcome to an emergency Green Moms Carnival where some very concerned and wonderful moms, women and bloggers want to educate, inform and empower others to learn about some potentially hazardous ingredients in our babies’ bath soaps and lotions. Women with different backgrounds and educational levels on the chemical compounds, laws and details but sharing a common thread of being passionate and dedicated to spreading an educated and insightful message that we hope you take very seriously (this means the companies too). This is not something we are taking lightly or throwing out there without research and strategic efforts to reach as many viewing eyes as possible so please don’t think us foolish.

First, let me begin by telling you that I am not better than anyone, I used Johnson and Johnson products on my son (he’s four now) but I did not know any better. My mom used it and I received bucket loads of it for my baby shower. Who would think that the FDA does not approve the ingredients and concoctions of chemicals put into bottles before they are put on the shelf, marketed to us and bought. The FDA has prohibits 9 ingredients and regulates color additives but the European Union prohibits 1,100. This just shows you how out of date we are in the U.S.

The General Accountability Office (GAO) adds the EPA’s Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), to its 2009 High Risk list, saying that the EPA “lacks adequate scientific information on the toxicity of many chemicals that may be found in the environment”.

The GAO recommends that the Obama administration place a high priority on upgrading the policies for assessment and control of toxic chemicals.

“EPA’s inadequate progress in assessing toxic chemicals significantly limits the agency’s ability to fulfill its mission of protecting human health and the environment.” - GAO

The Environmental Working Group has done it again. Have a mentioned lately how much I appreciate them?

They’ve just released a report and new guide for all of us about what CFL bulbs contain the least mercury. Let me back up.

Awhile back I posted on my blog Non-Toxic Kids about the mercury in those energy efficient CFL bulbs, what to do if you break one, and another post about where to recycle them.

We know that CFL bulbs save gobs of valuable energy and are the most responsible, greenest choice. But no one wants mercury, what we all avoid eating fish for (especially when pregnant), all over our house. So the folks at EWG have created a guide to the bulbs with the lowest amount of mercury in each, and a handy list of steps to follow if you do break a bulb.

Environmental groups and food producers oppose the Renewable Fuels Association’s requests for support from the stimulus package that includes $1 billion to finance current operations and a $50 billion federal loan guarantee, as well as job tax credits.

The Clean Air Task Force, Environmental Working Group, Friends of Earth, and the Network for New Energy Choices released a statement today saying that federal government subsidies and mandates for corn-based ethanol produce potentially catastrophic consequences to the environment, and have no payback to taxpayers in terms of alleviating global warming effects, providing for energy security, or even simply reducing the cost of driving. The group’s stance:

“With evidence mounting that biofuels are worsening global warming and harming water quality and wildlife habitat, it makes no sense for the federal government to lavish billions more on an industry already flush with government assistance. It is time for ethanol to stand on its own.”

Myth: Drinking bottled water is safer than drinking tap water.

Truth: You are being ripped off, and then poisoned, by drinking bottled water from unknown sources.

Recently found in bottled drinking water: Trihalomethanes, Haloacetic acids, Nitrates, Ammonia, Acetaldehyde, Hexane, Toluene, bacterial contamination, Arsenic, radioactivity contamination (and more…)

Not the sort of chemical cocktail you had in mind when you bought bottled water at the grocery store, now is it?

The results of a two year study by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) were recently released, detailing the lab tests of 10 brands of bottled drinking water from 8 different states in the US.

The report is shocking.

38 different chemical pollutants were detected, with an average of 8 contaminants per brand. One-third of the chemicals they found are not even regulated in drinking water. Some brands, like Sam’s Choice (Wal Mart) and Acadia (Giant) contained cancer-causing chemicals at levels exceeding the standards for safety set by the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986.

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) tested ten brands of bottled water and found that Wal-Mart’s “Sam’s Choice” contained chemical levels higher than is legal in California, and exceeding voluntary limits set by the industry.

The study found that 10 popular brands of bottled water, purchased from grocery stores and other retailers in 9 states and the District of Columbia, contained 38 chemical pollutants altogether, with an average of 8 contaminants in each brand.  The group is not disclosing most of the brand names at this point, but did single out Wal Mart’s “Sam’s Choice,” as a brand to be wary of.

The Environmental Working Group found that some of the Sam’s Choice bottled water bought from stores in Mountain View and Oakland, California, came from the Las Vegas Valley Water District’s public water supply, which is sometimes chlorinated.  Scott Huntley, a spokesman for the Las Vegas Valley Water District, said he had no knowledge that Wal-Mart was using Las Vegas’s water supply for bottling.

On Tuesday, the Environmental Working Group filed a notice to sue Wal-Mart, stating that the chain did not effectively warn the public about the health risks of their bottled water.