Over the weekend, someone sent my husband a link to a video called “The Girl Who Silenced the World” from 1992 where a 12 year old girl named Severn Suzuki addresses the UN’s Earth Summit Meeting in Rio de Janeiro. Severn essentially gives the panel and every living adult a well-articulated lashing for leaving the planet in this state for her generation to contend with. Had the Internet been in full force then, this video would have flown around like wildfire. I’d like to help spread it around now. Everyone on this planet should watch it-it is more relevant now than ever.

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Belli Pregnancy is concerned about the products women put on their skin while pregnant.

Most pregnant women know that what they put - or don’t put - in their bodies is important to the health of their baby…Most of us slather on layers of lotions and creams every day, but we don’t think about what might be being absorbed into our bodies through our skin. With a growing baby in your belly, this is a necessary concern.  There are many considerations one should take into account for pregnancy skin care products…Some products may contain ingredients that can potentially cause birth defects or fetal abnormalities…Belli is the only company in the world to perform teratology screening of our ingredients to help guard against birth defects.

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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.

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Even the huge corporations don’t completely hide the hazards of the product.  Right there on oustide of the package, in plain view, the manufacturers warn us of the risks – severe allergic reaction and blindness. Of course, they leave out the dirtier details, like the association between hair dye and cancer. How bad is the situation? Well, even the FDA has admitted that “consumers will need to consider the lack of demonstrated safety when they choose to use hair dyes.”

Given the evidence, what’s a girl to do? Go green, of course — but preferably without literally green results. Fortunately, there is a solution.  I’m delighted to introduce a safe hair dye that actually works!  Advanced Cosmetic Technology’s permanent hair color is 100% vegan and plant-based, and is free from paraphenylene diamine (PPD), ammonia, parabens, resorcinol, bleach, and peroxide.

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Editor’s Note: Allison Wolff is the Founder of Vibrant Planet, a company that provides strategy and communications for companies and nonprofits focused on social and environmental innovation. She was also lead strategist and writer at Stone Yamashita Partners and former Director of Marketing for Netflix. This is her first contribution to GO Media.

I am the mother of a 9 month old little girl named Emerson. I struggled for years—almost to the point of having the age window close on me—with the question of whether or not to have a kid because of planet’s likely dismal future. Emerson is a “we didn’t try not to get pregnant” baby and, because she dropped into my womb with only one unprotected “oops”, I tell myself that she was fated to be here given all the trials and tribulations my other 40 year old friends have gone through to have children. A friend who is a climate scientist/astrologist/string theorist convinced me that she is likely one of the planet saving souls who has been waiting to arrive on Earth.

Since I found out I was pregnant, I have struggled deeply with what kind of mom I ideally want to be versus what is realistic given a number of difficult, well…realities. I grapple with everything from sleep and food introduction philosophies to vaccinations and what products to buy or accept from friends as gifts (i.e. I have been very particular about what I allow to enter my daughter’s mouth). I can’t wait until I have to start thinking about discipline and potty training.

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For the first time ever, kids are ‘burnin’ down the house’ with ideas and innovation to pitch renowned PBS hub WGHB for 3 to 5 minute youth videos on how climate change affects kids’ own community environs, vying for $2000 production grants and potential PBS airing.

WGBH has made it even hotter for green teens by hosting ongoing webinars starting Feb. 3rd to help kids conceptualize, remix, pitch ideas and amass public opinion…(accessible via archive too, so don’t sweat the date)

Popular pioneer vloggers Ryanne Hodson (who I can attest is very generous with her knowledge, as I’ve attended her Media Center how-tos and checked out her book) and Jay Dedman (her partner, former CNN journalist/co-founder of Yahoo’s videoblogging group) will contribute their skill sets to get kids started. Partner org Teachers Domain makes it a cinch for students to get up to speed with factoids and resources too. The inspiration for the contest? The Frontline documentary, “Heat” all about global warming and businesses’ reactions in the court of public opinion contributing to make or break success. Deadline for entries at WBGH is March 15, 2009. Next up on the eco-competitions…

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But what are we really putting on our skin? A recent study raises some concerns.

…. a new investigation of 952 name-brand sunscreens, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) found that 4 out of 5 sunscreen products offer inadequate protection from the sun, or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns. Leading brands were the worst offenders: None of market leader Coppertone’s 41 sunscreen products met EWG’s criteria for safety and effectiveness, and only 1 of 103 products from Banana Boat and Neutrogena, the second- and third-largest manufacturers, are recommended by EWG.

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SmartShield is an “eco-friendly” sunscreen and bug repellent combination, but it does not appear to be all natural, as there are some ingredients I do not recognize. I researched several of these ingredients on Skin Deep, as Smartshied itself has not been rated, and I discovered they contained a low to moderate hazard. The Environmental Working Group has done an extensive study on sunscreens and found that:

Our comprehensive scientific review indicates that 85% of 1,015 sunscreen products offer inadequate protection from the sun, or contain ingredients with significant safety concerns. Only 15% of the products on the market are both safe and effective, blocking both UVA and UVB radiation, remaining stable in sunlight, and containing few if any ingredients with significant known or suspected health hazards.

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Facts: Some natural, organic beauty products are exactly what they claim to be; however, many of the trusted brands featured in health food stores and coops contain harmful ingredients and/or are not 100% natural. Anyone can claim their product is natural and/or organic, as there are no federal certifications or safety testing for beauty products. There are no official guidelines as to what constitutes a natural product, and even though a beauty product may contain certified organic ingredients, it may not be 100% natural. Some beauty products labeled organic, contain only a single digit percentage of organic ingredients.

Rebecca recently wrote about beauty products in Tip o’ the Day: Cosmetics that Cause Concern. She advised readers to visit the Environmental Working Group’s cosmentic data base Skin Deep, which provides analysis of many beauty products. When consulting this site, I became concerned when I saw many of the “natural” beauty products I purchased at our local coop were rated higher than I expected for toxicity. By reading labels, I discovered many of these brands utilize ingredients that are not natural or may only be derived from natural ingredients. According to Skin Deep FAQ, “It is often difficult for us to identify which ingredients in products are truly organic, since “organic” is a generally marketing term used by many in the cosmetic industry to imply that the product is natural.”

Let’s look closely at one such “natural” body product I use every day. Alba Body Lotion made by Avalon Natural Products received a score of 8 out of 10, according to Skin Deep. Here are the ingredients from the packaging, some of which are organically grown:

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS: OCTYL METHOXYCINNAMATE, BENZOPHENONE-3. INGREDIENTS: CERTIFIED ORGANIC HERBAL INFUSION OF CHAMOMILE (CHAMOMILLA RECUTITA), ECHINACEA (ECHINACEA PURPUREA), GREEN TEA (CAMELLIA SINENSIS), LAVENDER (LAVANDULA OFFICINALIS) AND ROSE HIPS (ROSA CANINA), ISOPROPYL PALMITATE, GLYCERYL STEARATE, SWEET ALMOND OIL (PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS), CETYL ALCOHOL, SILICA, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, CERTIFIED ORGANIC ALOE BARBADENSIS, ORCHID EXTRACT (CYMBIDIUM GRANDIFLORUM), ALPHA-HYDROXY ACIDS OF GLYCOLIC (SUGAR), LACTIC (VEGETABLE) AND ASCORBIC (CITRUS FRUIT), BOTANICAL FRAGRANCE (PARFUM), METHYL/PROPYLPARABEN, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE AND TOCOPHEROL (VITAMIN E).

The fragrance is considered to be of the highest concern for hazard, but the ingredient that stands out as the most unnatural is methyl/propylparaben. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reports methyl and butyl parabens and certain preservatives have been linked to metabolic, developmental, hormonal, and neurological disorders, as well as various cancers. “True organic personal-care products would not contain preservatives,” says Diana Kaye, cofounder of the organic care line Terressentials. According to Wikipedia, methyl/proplylparaben belongs to the paraben family, “Parabens are a group of chemicals widely used as preservatives in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries…. Their efficacy as preservatives, in combination with their low cost…probably explains why parabens are so commonplace.”

Another common ingredient used in “natural” beauty products is sodium laureth/lauryl sulfate (SLES/SLS). This surfactant is derived from coconut oil and fell victim to an Internet rumor as carcinogenic. It is commonly used in “natural” beauty products, as well as engine degreasers and antifreeze. Although SLES/SLS do not cause cancer, it is in fact an eye and skin irritant. In people with sensitive skin (prone to dermatitis, acne, eczema, psoriasis and chemical sensitivity), the drying property of SLS/SLES can cause flare-ups or may worsen existing conditions. This has been my experience with my son, who’s eczema disappeared after only three days on SLS free soap. As the Natural Health Information Center warns us, “Do not believe that just because a product is labeled as “natural” it is free from SLS or SLES. Most common brands of “Natural” or “Herbal” shampoos and cleansers still use these harmful chemicals as their main active ingredient - check your labels!” Many “natural” beauty companies stand by the use of SLS/SLES, such as Tom’s of Maine (now owned by Colgate/Palmolive). Other companies, such as Aubrey Organics, question its safety. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps has put together a video using a forensic drug test to demonstrate how many, “Companies mislead consumers in conflating their detergent-based products with ecological biodegradable soaps, even calling these synthetic detergent products ‘organic’. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soaps are real soaps made from real organic oils, while these other so-called ‘Soap’ products are detergents made from petroleum and conventional vegetable material. They are not soap, they are not organic, they are not natural.” Although SLS/SLES is derived from coconut oil, and many “natural” companies will place coconut in parentheses on the label behind SLS/SLES, it is not considered natural by all. In Germany, where there is an effort underway to label cosmetics and personal care products as certified natural, formulations containing sodium lauryl sulfate, ammonium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate cannot be certified natural.

Read the Label!You can take action on this issue by signing EWG’s petition in support of government-mandated safety testing of product ingredients. Alternative products do exist that are truly natural and organic, but the consumer will need to read labels, research ingredients, and review Skin Deep to find the safest, natural beauty products. The advises, “There are still no regulations that keep unethical body care companies from making fraudulent ‘organic’ labeling claims outside of the USDA organic certification process… As a consumer, if you purchase a body care product that claims to be organic but does not have the USDA certified organic symbol, you have no way of knowing how much (or how little) organic content that product actually has.”

A perfect example is our car seat mobile. Emerson screamed every time I drove the 15 minutes it takes to get to our town. Because I am one of those wimpy moms who can’t handle her baby crying, I often arrived in town with more tears streaking my face than Emerson had. I searched high and low for some eco car seat entertainment and, to my knowledge, an eco car seat toy does not exist. I toyed with making one myself—Waldorf style—with sticks and strings, but figured that might not be so safe. After 5 months of screaming every town trip, I finally broke down and bought a Tiny Love car seat mobile. Low and behold, Emerson cooed upon first sight and played all the way to town and back every trip. Was the purchase necessary? I say yes. Is it safe? Hell no. This thing is made of toxic plastic and the dangly mirror, ball, and crinkly butterfly are by no means “food for the planet”* as Bill McDonough* might say, much less something I want in my baby’s mouth. However, it seemed slightly safer than my twigs and string idea. Does Emerson like it? Oh, yes. (It is these kinds of situations that make me think at least eight times a day that I need to get into the eco baby product business.)

Here is how we generally go about getting what we think is “the right stuff” for Emerson:

1. We get as much as possible from our community. We’re lucky to live in a small, connected community that happens to be having a baby boom. We accept all used clothing…even if something isn’t organic cotton, we’ll take it—it’s better to go used than buy new organic, obviously. And, anything made from synthetic materials is better off re-used. When it comes to non-sustainable furniture and toy hand-me-downs, after asking myself whether Emerson really needs each item, if the answer is yes (e.g. a safety gate), I then ask myself whether there is a new green, affordable alternative that is so much safer for Emerson it warrants the expenditure of my money and the energy/resources it took to make it. If there is not, we’ll take the hand-me-down! You might check around in your community to see if there is an organized kid stuff swap on or offline. Our community also has an organized swap once a year, a free box with a kids stuff area, and a localized eBay “Trash or Treasure” program through our local community radio.

 

2.  We buy only what we absolutely need—and what we buy is usually as green as we can get. We try our darndest to live by a voluntary simplicity philosophy. Luckily, once again, we live in a community where second hand, eclectic, and sparse are all considered cool. When we do go to buy something we really need, I am always amazed at how few options we eco moms have. We are limited to a handful of companies making organic cotton clothing, bath products, bedding, and European wood toys. Thank goodness these products are getting easier to find as more and more conscious (and smart) retailers are getting behind them. I don’t have time to cruise a hundred little websites to find what I need. These four sites have made eco baby shopping a little easier for me.
   • eBay’s World of Good: eBay’s World of Good started by featuring arts and crafts from artisans around the world. Now they have added planet friendly products to the World of Good mix. All “Planet Friendly” products are certified planet friendly by trusted third parties through World of Good’s “Trustology” network.
   • Amazon Green: Amazon launched Green last year and, in typical Amazon style, makes finding and buying (fairly) green quick and easy.
   • FAO Schwarz recently launched it’s Planet Friendly toy label which means organic/sustainable raw materials, natural/non-toxic paints and dyes, and low or no chemical processing.
   • Our Green House is one of my longtime favorites. It’s a small store in Connecticut that seems to have everything an eco mom would want under one roof. Great online service too.
   • Green By Design is a new site doing a great job at identifying and qualifying its recommended (and all green) products. 
3. When in doubt, I buy European. It can be pricey, but European goods are, as a rule, greener than US products because their governments have mandated more and stronger safety laws around children’s products (for example, they banned BPA 10 years ago). So, for the must-haves with no apparent green alternatives (e.g. car seats), I try to buy a European brand.  

 

4. I run every baby bath care product through the Skin Deep cosmetics database, a trusted source for researching how safe your bath and body products are.

 

5. I create green gift registries for every holiday and birthday (well, she’s only had the one birthday so far). I try to be directive with family and friends about what we need so that we don’t get a bunch of unwanted plastic, nonorganic junk in the house (I’m sure my in-laws think I’m a control freak). You can cobble together products from any website into one registry through www.myregistry.com—then you can get all the eco products you want from various sources. I also encourage people to shop at used book stores and second hand stores for good finds.

I look forward to the day where we don’t have to go to special stores or special sections of big stores to buy “green” products. I look forward to the day when it would be unthinkable to make or sell anything that couldn’t be safely put in a baby’s mouth—baby-related product or otherwise. I look forward to the day that every hand-me-down is a green product that will eventually become food for the planet or can be infinitely recycled*.