Thursday, February 13, 2014

A Short Message from the False Advertising Industry


A comical but sad look at the world of food label marketing

Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Ripe for the Picking


What a fabulous idea, hopefully many other cities will follow Seattles lead. I recall living in the San Fernando Valley outside LA in the late 1970's close to Northridge University who's campus had apparently at one time been a commercial avocado orchard. Many of the trees had been left on campus as landscaping and there were literally thousands of avocados "ripe for the picking". Granted, how much guacamole could one eat but it was wonderful filling up bags of the fruit fruit. Way to go Seattle!

Wednesday, February 5, 2014

The ‘No More Tears’ Shampoo, Now With No Formaldehyde


According to a New York Times article The ‘No More Tears’ Shampoo, Now With No Formaldehyde (http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/18/business/johnson-johnson-takes-first-step-in-removal-of-questionable-chemicals-from-products.html?_r=0) Johnson and Johnson has now removed all formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasing preservative chemicals from it's "No More Tears Baby Shampoo" in addition to 100 other products! This is the same shampoo that caring trusting mothers have been pouring over their babies heads for generations. For those unaware, formaldehyde is the main ingredient in EMBALMING FLUID, yep, the same liquid they use to pickle and preserve you after death. I don't know about the rest of you all but I don't fancy this chemical poured on my skin just 2 inches from my brain on a daily basis, I think I'll leaving the embalming until AFTER I'm gone. While this is a tiny step in the right direction for one big company, most other major cosmetic and body care manufacturers use and expose unaware consumers to the exact same chemicals. So until they all get with the program and remove these toxins from their products, it has always been my philosophy to take control of what goes on or in my body and whats goes into my environment. 3 ways to do this are:
1) Read the labels and educate yourself as to what the ingredients actually are. Other hidden names for formaldehyde are: quaternium-15, 2-bromo-2nitropropane-1, 3-diol, imidazolidinyl urea, Methyl aldehyde, morbicid acid, oxymethylene and many more
2) Make your own (I will be including DIY recipes in future blogs)
3) Buy from a natural foods store or vendor (but still read their labels)

The Environmental Working Group is a great site to check out the toxicity of any ingredient in the products you buy. While you may not want or be able to eliminate all the toxic chemicals in the products you buy, at least you can make an informed decision about what goes on and in your body and home and extended environment.

Then & Now

So, it's been a long time since I started this blog and almost as long since I posted anything, 2009 to be exact. Since that time a lot has changed with me, most specifically, I have started a small cottage industry crafting and selling all natural organic skin care, bath, body and home goods on Etsy.com and at local (Phila/PA) craft shows. Although it would seem like a natural course of action for me to take after being in the "green" movement for almost 44 years and after making and using my homemade products for myself and my home all that time, I balked at the idea mainly due to lack of confidence. It was my granddaughter who finally convinced me I could do it. So I started my little business in 2011 and it has been growing slowly but surely ever since. I also started a second shop on Etsy selling vintage housewares and costume jewelry, what better way to "Reduce-Reuse-Recycle"? I have found that most of the items I find and buy to resell are made of higher quality materials than those available today in the current plastic throw away society. Other changes, sadly, were a decrease in my community activism (Sustainable 19125) with regard to local environmental issues, something I intend to rectify very soon. A new grand baby, work changes, major house renovations and my 2 new business ventures have all distracted me for a while but now I'm baaaaaaack and with a vengeance! So with the new "me" comes a more in-depth blog. In addition to the previously seen climate and environmental facts and musings, I will be including "home and personal environment" news, facts and recipes because all planet issues start with us the consumer and with what we buy, use and pour down our drains.
Earthwise Naturals (https://www.etsy.com/shop/EarthwiseNaturals)
Retrofit (https://www.etsy.com/shop/RetrofitGallery)