Environment, Organics, Fair Trade & Recycling at Big Green Purse

Make Your Spring Cleaning Green With Plant-Based Cleansers

Don’t you think it’s ironic that many cleaning products actually contain ingredients that, while maybe not dirty, can still make you sick? No wonder millions of people have decided to make their spring cleaning ‘green’ by choosing plant-based cleansers free of synthetic ingredients and harsh chemicals. This post, sponsored by Source Supply Company, highlights the value of using plant-based cleansers for counters, walls, tile, mirrors and more.

What’s Wrong With Synthetic Chemicals?

A better question is, what’s right? And the answer?  Not much!!

Some of the synthetic chemicals you’re likely to find in conventional cleaning products include:

·       Phthalates – linked to birth defects in children exposed in utero; can cause headaches, nausea and other discomfort when inhaled via the artificial fragrances they’re usually found in

·       Phosphorous – overloads fresh water systems; when washed down a drain, it ends up in streams, rivers, and lakes, where it can rob the waters of precious oxygen and make it difficult for fish and other aquatic wildlife to survive

·       Bleach – releases powerful fumes that can cause headaches, nausea and general feelings of illness; when mixed with ammonia, can create a poisonous gas that can burn your lungs if you inhale it.

What’s a Healthier Alternative?

Responsible cleaning companies are manufacturing products that rely on plant-derived cleaning agents that use natural sources and contain essential oils, corn-based alcohol, earth-based minerals and filtered water. Though lemon oil is probably the most common essential oil used, many other citrus oils, plus essence of peppermint, spearmint and lavender, among others, may be included as well. Though there’s always a chance you might be allergic to one of these ingredients, they’re far less likely to pose serious threats that the more conventional cleansers you might currently be buying.

If you’ve never tried a green cleaner before, in honor of Earth Day our sponsor SourceSupplyCompany.com is offering at a 10% discount green cleaners that can be used on bathroom and kitchen surfaces, including chrome, stainless steel, and glass; dishwashing detergents, laundry detergents, and more.

You can find the full list of products available for purchase here.   Use promo code Earth10 for your discount!

NOTE: Sponsors allow us to provide expert content at no cost to you. Our editorial opinion remains our own. Thanks!

About Source Supply Company 

SourceSupply Company is a janitorial supply company with over 20 years of experience in the industry, specializing in janitorial, facility, and maintenance products. With more than 14,000 products and access to more than 300 manufacturers, Source Supply Company makes it easy for you to find the products that best meet your need while benefitting from our competitive pricing and superior service.  For more information, visit http://www.sourcesupplycompany.com. 

 

 

 

Is It Time to Give Your Office a Green Make-Over?

  People spend almost a third of their lives at work, yet many offices and industries haven’t taken important steps to “green” their facilities. That’s a mistake, for two key reasons:

·         1) Research shows that productivity increases when people work in a healthier environment.

·         2) Cleaning green can actually save companies money by reducing waste and materials use as well as the number of sick days employees claim.

Plus, conventional cleaning products can have a negative impact on the environment. Aerosol sprays emit fine particles, contributing to air pollution that can irritate the eyes, skin or lungs. Wastewater flushed down a drain can enter the water system and harm aquatic life. Throwaway cleaning materials, like paper towels and single-use plastic bottles, can create a lot of trash.

But how do you make the transition to green cleaning? GreenFacilities, an environmentally certified cleaning consultancy based in the UK and the underwriters of this article,  recommend a process that can work for many kinds of businesses, from retailers to gyms to hospitals and everything in between.

Start with an Audit

Take stock of how your business is currently being cleaned. For example,

·         * What chemicals are in the cleaning products that are being used? They may be “standard” to the cleaning industry, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are safe when people are exposed to them repeatedly over time. 

·         * What machinery is being used? Is it effective at actually pulling dirt and dust out of your indoor environment, rather than simply displacing them? Does it operate as efficiently as possible, using energy and water wisely?

·         *How much waste does the cleaning process generate? Do cleaners use throwaway paper towels and one-use plastic bottles, rather than reusable containers and washable cloth?

·        * How much time and money are being spent on cleaning currently? Where can you shift spending to greener products and services that will protect the workplace as well as the environment?

 Develop a Green Cleaning Plan

 Once you have the complete picture, take steps to green every part of the process.

·         * Ensure that any chemicals used in your workplace minimize human exposure to toxins and have no negative environmental impacts. Look for certifications from non-profit organizations like Green Seal, which have issued environmental standards for green cleaning products used in offices and industrial settings.

·         * Replace old and outdated equipment with newer models that save energy and water and are effective at eliminating dust and dirt.

·         * Switch to cleaning cloths, refillable bottles, and any other cleaning accessories that can be reused, rather than thrown away. Determine what can be recycled, and ensure that it is.

Create a Schedule

 With new green processes in place, optimize your current cleaning schedule to increase effectiveness while reducing costs. In most cases, the transition from “dirty” to green cleaning should be straightforward and easy to implement in relatively short order. Your employees – and the planet – will thank you!

 

NOTE: Underwriters enable us to bring you expert content at no cost to you. Our editorial opinions are our own. Thanks.

Image: http://www.northwestern.edu/sustainability/news/2013/articles/keeping-it-clean-and-green.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EcoCentric Mom Box Delivers Non-Toxic Make-Up & Cleaning Products

This month's EcoCentric Mom Box arrived just as I was tackling a big kitchen cleaning project. Cupboards, countertops, light switches, walls - the works. Fortunately, the job was made easier with Tru All-Natural Multi-Purpose Cleaner, made from purified water, botanicals from organic citrus, and food-grade carbonates. My box included a travel-size spritzer, but you can buy it in a concentrate that will make 128 fluid ounces.

 Also in the cleaning category: Eve Organics "Dirty Hands" Hand Sanitizer. I'm personally not one to use hand sanitizers, but if you are, take a look at this one. It contains essential oils of lavender, lemon, peppermint and tea tree, and promises not to promote drug resistant "superbugs" as more conventional hand sanitizers do.

After cleaning the kitchen, I needed a great moisturizer for my hands. Turns out, Eve Organics also makes a terrific skin cream: light, non-greasy, and full of therapeutic essential oils.

For a snack, I munchedon Beanfields Bean and Rice Tortilla Chips - gluten free, vegan, Non-GMO Project verified. Very crunchy, too.

Getting a Green Clean from Maid Brigade

Don't you love it when someone else cleans your house?

I sure do - unless, of course, they "clean" it using products laden with nasty chemicals that leave my rooms smelling like antiseptic and that leave me with a big headache. I've tried a lot of so-called green cleaning services over the years, but generally have found that, unless I provide my own healthy, non-toxic cleansers, most housekeepers use conventional stuff that's full of phthalates, pesticides, formaldehyde and other toxins.

 That's why I was intrigued when Maid Brigade, a self-proclaimed green cleaning company, approached me with an offer to clean my house top to bottom in exchange for a no-holds-barred review of their service. In other words, they would do the dirty work; I would tell you how they measured up.

WHAT IS A GREEN CLEANING SERVICE?

Is Glade Air Freshener Bad for Babies?

"Cleaning product companies aren’t required to disclose the ingredients they use in their products, and what they’re keeping secret from you could be hazardous to your health," reports Women's Voices for the Earth (WVE), the respected non-profit research group that investigates toxic chemicals in the common household cleansers we use.

  In their "Dirty Secrets" study, WVE commissioned an independent laboratory to test twenty popular cleaning products for hidden toxic chemicals from five top companies: Clorox, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, SC Johnson and Son, and Sunshine Makers (Simple Green). WVE found reproductive toxins, carcinogens, hormone disruptors, and allergens -- none of which were listed on the product label. 

"Consumers deserve to know what chemicals they are being exposed to, so that they can easily avoid products that may cause allergic reactions or serious long-term health impacts like cancer, birth defects, or pregnancy complications," WVE declares - and I agree. That's why I support WVE's effort to get Congress to pass new federal legislation that requires cleaning product manufacturers to disclose all the ingredients they use in their products directly on the product label.

I also support WVE's effort to persuade companies like Glade to list ALL ingredients in their product on their label. You may think Glade helps clear the air. According to WVE's research, here's actually what Glade is putting into the air:

Toxic Chemicals Found in Glade (according to WVE research)

Looking for New, Non-toxic Lotions, Cremes & Cleansers? Try the January EcoCentric Mom Box.

 This month's EcoCentric Mom box is chock full of exactly what I need in dry winter months: soothing organic skin lotions and cremes to moisturize my hands and face, gentle soaps, and cleansers and laundry "berry drops" that put the "clean" back in cleaning.

But first, the food.

I've said before that, as much as I enjoy the new non-toxic products from EcoCentric Mom that I get to try every month, I particularly like sampling the different taste treats that come in each box. This month, those treats included:

Simply 7 Snacks Lentil Chips - These flavorful snacks are made with gluten-free, non-GMO ingredients, have no preservatives, and contain nothing artificial.

Pure Matters Pea Protein Powder, in Chocolate and Vanilla - The vegan, non-GMO, plant based protein powder can be mixed with water or milk for a shake, or added to yogurt or fruit to make a smoothie.

PROBAR Meal Bar - A lot of energy bars disappoint - they seem too sweet, too airy, and way too full of processed ingredients. The PROBAR Meal Bar was surprisingly the opposite: very dense and chewy, tasty without being cloying, and so "natural" you could see some of the raw ingredients with every bite. I've got to say, I really liked it.

For my dry skin...

Green Consumer Clout Motivates Tide to Clean Up Its Act

Think you can't tell a Fortune 500 company what to do?

Think again.

When Women's Voices for the Earth released a report noting that Tide detergent contained chemicals that could actually be harmful to kids, millions of consumers were outraged. They were buying the Procter & Gamble (P&G) product to keep their children clean and safe. Yet according to the report, Tide actually contained the cancer-causing chemicals 1,4- dioxane at levels safety experts considered threatening.

Mom blogger and consumer activist Lori Alper sprang into action by launching a petition drive on Change.org.  urging the company to ditch the dangerous compounds. 

Today - 78,000 signatures later - Tide capitulated. In response to consumer demand and a lawsuit filed in California by As You Sow, P&G agreed to phase out the carcinogens by September 2013.

 “When I started my petition on Change.org, I knew that Procter & Gamble listened to consumer feedback, and I was hopeful we could get this dangerous chemical out of our laundry,” said Alper. “I can’t wait to see what we can do next.”

Related articles

Women's Voices for the Earth Champions Healthy, Safer, Non-Toxic Cleansers for Moms and Kids

Protect Us and Our Kids from Toxic Chemicals Now!

Tell Tide to Clean Up Its Cleaning Products

Candy I Don't Feel Guilty About, and a Whole Lot More in This Month's EcoCentric Mom Box

 The December EcoCentric Mom box arrived right in the middle of the holiday season, so I decided to open it in the new year instead. What better way to start off 2013 than by sampling some new organic taste treats and healthy products for my skin and hair?

Honey Stinger Organic Energy Chews - There was lots of food in this month's box, but my favorite by far were these candy-like "energy chews."  Made with USDA certified organic ingredients that are gluten- and dairy-free, they're wonderfully flavorful but not too sweet. I had intended to eat "just one," but gobbled them all right up once I tasted them.

Clandestino Milk Chocolate Banana Bar - Between the subtle banana filling and the milk chocolate covering, these bars pack a nice little energy punch.

Tisano Organic Chocolate Tea - I drink at least six cups of tea a day, and chocolate is one of my favorite foods, so you can imagine how much I liked trying out this new combo. One added benefit: though the tea is made from pure cacao beans, it's calorie-free.

Organic Nectars Chocolate Bars - Yes, more chocolate! These bars are certified organic, vegan and completely free of dairy, peanuts, soy, gluten, GMOs and refined sugar. I especially liked the one flavored witht raspberry.

September's EcoCentric Mom Box Review

This month's "Mom Box" from EcoCentric Mom contained a great assortment of cleaning products, personal care products, and even a few snacks.  

  On the laundry front, the box included two sample pouches of Ecover Natural Laundry Powder ZERO, as in fragrance-free.  I'm partial to laundy powder as opposed to liquid in a plastic bottle, so I particularly like this sample. I should get four loads of laundry out of the pouches, given how little detergent my efficient, "high e" washing machine uses.

The personal care products featured:

Lotus Wei Joy Juice Mist, a combination of blood orange, Davana (strawberry-like) and Marigold essences, plus pink daisy. It comes in a glass bottle, with just a minimum plastic spray pump attached, which I appreciate, as I'm trying to keep my bathroom plastic-free.

Beauty Without Cruelty Facial Cleanser. This is a lightly-foaming, soap-free cleanser, that is paraben free and has never been tested on animals. I like the slightly fruity scent. 

Tell Tide to Come Clean and Ditch the 1,4-Dioxane

  Would you knowingly wash your clothes in detergent that contained cancer-causing chemicals?
I sure wouldn’t, and I bet you wouldn't either. No wonder many cleaning product companies don’t tell you that they use ingredients that are known to cause not just cancer, but various reproductive problems and allergies, too.

Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), a terrific non-profit organization whose scientists keep an eye on the consumer products you buy, has just issued a report that identifies toxic chemicals used by five top companies: Clorox, Procter & Gamble, Reckitt Benckiser, SC Johnson and Son, and Sunshine Makers (Simple Green). WVE looked at 20 different cleaning products – and found toxic substances in all of them. If not for this study, titled "Dirty Secrets: What's Hiding in Your Cleaning Products?" you’d never be the wiser, because none of the noxious chemicals were listed on the product label.

WVE believes consumers deserve to know what chemicals they are being exposed to so they can easily avoid products that may make them or their kids sick. I agree. That’s why I wholeheartedly support WVE’s call for Congress to pass new federal legislation called the Cleaning Product Right to Know Act requiring cleaning product manufacturers to disclose all the ingredients they use in their products directly on the product label.

I’ve also signed WVE’s petition urging one of the offending companies, Tide, to remove the cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane from its Tide Free & Gentle® detergent. 1,4-dioxane is a known cancer-causing chemical, and has been linked in animal studies to increased risk of breast cancer. Nevertheless, Tide Free & Gentle® is being marketed to moms as a healthier choice for their kids’ laundry, even though infants and children are particularly vulnerable to chemical exposures because their immune, neurological, and hormone systems are still developing.

WVE is targeting Procter & Gamble (makers of Tide®) because P&G has taken 1,4 dioxane out of some of its other products, like its Herbal Essences® shampoo. More than 75,000 people have signed the petition asking the company to do the same for Tide and the rest of its products. Ironically, the Tide website says: Safety: The Most Important Ingredient in Tide®. If that’s true, then 1,4-dioxane should never have been in the product in the first place.

Here’s one more important way you can make a difference: use your big green purse. Shift your spending to safer laundry detergents that are free of toxic chemicals. Here are some we sell in the Big Green Purse store; you can also find them in many grocery stores.

Seventh Generation

Ecover

Method

Here are more ways you can take action.

Related Posts:

Your Big Green Muscle is Getting J&J To Make Its Baby Shampoo Safer