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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Read 'n' Seed 4: Third Quarter of Do One Thing Green
For the third quarter I read the third section or part of the book. This time the primary topic of discussion was regarding ‘Personal Care and Apparel.’ This section included chapter’s 11 and 12 which expanded from page 149 to 189.
The overall main topic, as I mentioned, was about personal care products and apparel so each chapter tied into that category. Chapter 11 focused on Skin and Hair, and chapter 12 focused on clothing.
After reading the third section of the book I would have to say there were 3 main pieces of information I found to be most significant and surprising.
1. By stearing clear of products from bottles of personal care products with the term 'fragrance' imprinted on it you may protect you and your family's hormonal system. This is due to fragrance being composed of a hormone-disrupting chemical, phthalates. Fragrance is also the number one ingredient in personal care products associated with allergic reactions. When companies use the term 'fragrance' it allows the companies to unlabel or 'hide' components of synthetic scents. Surprisingly, even bottles that include the word 'natural' by itself are meaningless without a reliable third-party certifier's seal. This is because toxins such as lead and mercury are originally 'natural,' even though they have been altered for the product. The best way to avoid exposure to any of these products would be to, when shopping, look for the personal care products to contain a gold green standard label 'USDA Certified Organic.'
2. When it comes to personal care products it seems I am always looking for a new product to try, especially when it comes to purchasing moisturizer. Unfortunately, a number of moisturizer products include synthetic chemicals, which may cause cancer and hormone disruption. This is a little terrifying when it comes to moisturizing the skin because chemicals may be readily absorbed through the skin and eventually make their way into a person's bloodstream. Some great plant-derived products that may be readily available and won't empty the wallet include oil preservatives such as aloe vera, rosemary, and olive oil. Please avoid products that include petroleum-derived preservatives, including parabens.
3. I always knew that purchasing less new clothes was good for the environment (demand goes down), however, it never really dawned on me that you could purchase eco-friendly clothing. It seems a good portion of clothes are made from cotton, the most popular natural fiber, though, also in the top three slots for having pesticides sprayed on the crop (after corn and soy). Another product we often hear used in clothing is polyester. Unfortunately, polyester leaves the biggest greenhouse gas footprint and consumes the most energy. A great new product clothes are being manufactured from is bamboo. Bamboo grows at a considerably fast rate and is constantly being renewed and when used for clothing has a smooth feel to it. The next time you go clothes shopping take an extra moment to read the label. Shirts that include hemp, organic cotton, recycled cotton or wool, or bamboo are considerably eco-friendly.
New Terminology - definitions and information provided in the link
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