Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products safe for you, safe for your family. Live and Create Green for your future.July 9th, 2009
Green Cleaning Products and Safer Supplementation
The local newspaper recently devoted part of the front page to a new study by ConsumerLab.com. The company tests "natural" products and dietary supplements much like Consumer Reports tests items. The tests show many dietary supplements have serious quality problems. They found lead in ginko pills. Aresnic in herbals. Bugs in baby's colic and teething syrup. Toxic metals and parasites are part of nature and have been found in natural products and dietary aids in recent years. But are they safe? Or is what is on the label really what's in the bottle? Tests by the research lab and other private labs suggests the answer sometimes is no.
One-fourth of the supplements testsd by an independent company over the last decade have had some sort of problem. Some contained contaminants, some had contents that didn't match the labels. Others had ingredients that exceeded safe limits. While yet others contained drugs masquerading as natural supplements.
Fifteen years ago Congress passed a law that treats supplements like food and allows them to go straight to market withough federal Food and Drug Administration approval. The FDA can act only after consumers get sick or a safety issue comes to light. The law also says the FDA can write qulaity control rules for products sold in the US. These are just now taking affect. But the rules do not say what tests companies must do to prove what is in their tests and do not set limits on toxins such as lead, nor do they change the way the products are sold to the public. Therefore, the level of quality assurance of the product is left up to the manufacturer.
ConsumerLab.com found lead in at least one brand each of zinc, black cohosh and ginkgo products tested in recent years. Lead can acumulate in the body and cause many health problems. A fungal toxin was also found in four red yeast rice products in 2007 and 2008. Federal officials warned the public about a liquid herbal supplement sold for colic and teething pain after finding a waterborne parasite that causes severe diarrhea.
How well do you know the company manufacturing your supplements? Is the cheapest version the highest quality? Are you really getting just what you think you're paying for? I know that with the company I trust for my green cleaning products, Shaklee, they have been making the highest quality vitamins and nutritional supplements for over 50 years.
I was sold when I watched a DVD which described their standards using the example that one year an entire herb crop was contaminated with a fungicide prior to shipping. Shaklee didn't sell that particular supplement that year because they wouldn't compromise the quality and risk their customer's health. Do you think other companies pulled that particular herbal product? No they used the contaminated raw materials.
Which company do you trust for your supplementation needs? I certainly wouldn't trust my child's vitamins to anyone else...
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products & A Future
My favorite green cleaning product company has done it again! CEO Roger Barnett announced the company's newest campaign to create A Million Healthier Lives in 2009. He also announced that, because of the current economic crisis, for the next 30 days through May 22nd, we'll be continuing to offer free membership in Shaklee, so that anyone may start their own business today, in an effort to provide an economic opportunity for one million Americans to provide for their families while also taking care of our planet.
"Shaklee has tried to show the world that companies can build long term successful businesses by helping millions of people have better health and more income, while making a meaningful impact on the world. We are very proud to provide our more than 750,000 members and distributors with an opportunity to do well by doing good which has helped Shaklee not just survive, but thrive through every single recession in the last 50 years."
So if you want to get a jump on that spring cleaning, would like to start feeling better, or would like to work from home and create an income, there's no better time!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Millionth Tree Planted in honor of Earth Day by Shaklee
Earth Day activities continue to make news. In our state the President was nearby touting the benefits of wind energy and energy independence. In my community high school youth were out cleaning parks, cemeteries and neighborhoods. In California, the company I trust for my nutritional needs and green cleaning products planted its millionth tree!
On Earth Day, April 22, 2009, Shaklee Chairman & CEO Roger Barnett, the Honorable Arnold Scharzenegger, Governor of the State of California and 2004 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai pitched in to plant the millionth tree in Shaklee's Million Trees. Million Dreams. campaign!
Especially honored was Master Coordinator Ellie Rogers, whose original vision for leveraging the power of the Shaklee Family to make an environmental difference globally was the seed that grew into the Million Trees. Million Dreams. Campaign.
Gov. Schwarzenegger praised the efforts of the Shaklee Family, "It is wonderful that you have taken on the leadership here in planting this million trees and continue inspiring so many people," acknowledging the incredible accomplishment of having planted enough trees to "fill up Disneyland 18 times!" In addition to his familiarity with the quality of Shaklee nutritional supplements from his days as a professional body builder, Gov. Schwarzenegger expressed that "Shaklee is about inspiring others," uniting people in a common cause. He mused, "How many schools had to participate, how many neighborhoods had to participate, groups and individuals, parks? It's great when people come together."
Shaklee has been carbon neutral since 2000. The Shaklee commitment to leaving our planet a better place is very real. Recycling, minmal packaging, concentration and minimized shipping are routine for this eco-friendly company. Earth Day is everyday at Shaklee!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
What You Don't Know Won't Hurt You...
"What you don't know won't hurt you." I over heard that just the other day. It almost makes me cringe these daya. My mother used to tell me that all the time, but now I have a different perspective.
After years of toxins in our environment, I cringe because what we don't know is hurting us. Today is Earth Day and I know a lot is made of global warming and all the fuss over carbon footprints and such. I'm not talking about all that stuff, I'm talking only about what I know and have experienced first hand:
I know when the neighbors spray their yard about this time of the year I get sick.
You get the picture, what we don't know, does hurt us. At least some of us. I know I'm extremely sensitive, but I wasn't always. I'm hoping you won't ever get to the place I am. That's why I try to let others know that what you don't know matters.
So this Earth Day, and every day, make good choices. Live a healthier life. Care for yourself and especially the children around you. Their bodies cannot tolerate what adult size bodies can handle as far as toxic loads.
Eat locally, healthy and organically whenever possible, clean with non-toxic green cleaning products, use healthy nutritional supplements, use our natural resources wisely, and use minimal packaging. Every small step you take towards a healthier, less toxic life, is a huge step in the right direction.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products and the Post Office
As we approach Earth Day, I have to share a few thoughts and rant a little too. I recently walked into our local post office and was overcome with fumes. It was cleaning time in our 50s-era post office facility. The postmaster and I trade good-natured fun, so I asked if he was "trying to kill me off" with the bleach and Lysol. Since he knows I usually have to wear a personal air purifier in there (and now we all know why with my chemical sensitivities). It was suggested I not frequent the facilities during "cleaning time" since I am so sensitive.
In all seriousness, I am not the only one bothered by strong chemical fumes. Bleach and pine cleaners are irritating to nasal passages and are particularly troublesome to asthma sufferers and those with sinus problems and migraines. Thirty-three million Americans suffer from sinusitis (inflammation or infection of sinus passages). Ten million Americans have asthma. Asthma rates have increased over 30% in the past 10 years.
I visited the post office the next day (not at cleaning time) with one of my favorite green cleaning products, Basic H by Shaklee. I left a sample and encouraged them to try it on the floors without irritating anybody's nose. It can do so much more than the floors--windows, all purpose cleaning, degreasing, nearly everything they'd need. And it's a good value because of the concentration. We'll see if my sample and education set the stage for a green revolution. I'll be holding my breath until then!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products, Shaklee
50 Ways to Go Green including Green Cleaning Products
50 Ways To Go Green
If you've always wondered what to do or where to begin, here's a comprehensive guide to going green. Many are easy steps, many will save you money, some will be enlightening.
1. Choose organic for the 18 fruits and veggies most likely to absorb pesticides: peaches, apples, peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach, potatoes, carrots, green beans, cucumbers, raspberries, plumbs and oranges. Wash other fruits and vegetables.
2. Avoid nonstick cookware which contains synthetic chemicals that can leach toxins especially at high temperatures and with long-term use. Go back to the cast-iron, stainless steel, ceramic, or thick glass cookware.
3. Go easy on plastic packaged, processed, canned or fast foods and never microwave in plastic or plastic cling wrap. Most contain trace amounts of Bisphenol A (BPA) which has been associated with health risks.
4. Purchase a stainless steel personal water bottle without a plastic liner. Fill it with water filtered at home and keep it refrigerated and ready to go.
5. Leave your outdoor shoes at the door. Preventing pesticides, insecticides, and dirt from tracking into your home.
6. Avoid perfume, cologne, and products with added fragrance. The national Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found that one-third of the substances used in the fragrance industry are toxic.
7. Control pest outbreaks without synthetic pesticides. Pesticides are poison. Many are carcinogenic or neurotoxic, while still others are hormone disruptors, all wonderful things to have around huh? Try first to correct problems and take away food sources for critters. Fix leaks and cracks, use screens and traps. Try controlling unwanted insects by the least toxic means. Lemon, chili powder and soap and other items make good alternatives, do your research.
8. Avoid contact with old, decaying or crumbling foam. Old furnishings, mattress pads, car seats, and other foam products often contain hazardous flame retardants.
9. Avoid antibacterial products. Yes you read that right. Most are unnecessary and may contribute to antibiotic resistant super germs. Washing your hands in hot soapy water for 20-30 seconds and scrubbing surfaces regularly is just as effective.
10. Filter your water. Install a carbon filter on your kitchen tap and seriously consider a chlorine filter for your shower or bath. While carbon filtration does not remove all contaminants from drinking water, it removes radon and many common organic compounds as well as lead, asbestos and some forms of bacteria and particles. 60% of the chlorine your body absorbs daily comes through your daily shower. Seriously consider a shower filter, your hair and body will thank you as will your lungs.
11. Set back your thermostat when you are sleeping or away.
12. Invest in a fuel-efficient car.
13. Use non-toxic green cleaning products. You can make your own, which I have tried, or purchase more effective, and very concentrated products. My favorites were green before it was popular. They have proven to be great values due to the concentration of the All Purpose Cleaner.
14. Don't waste food. Mindfully storing your food prolongs its life span, meaning less waste and lower grocery bills.
15. Tighten up your home. Total energy escaping from the average American home through leaks each year adds up to the same as leaving a window open all year. Check for leaks around ceilings, walls, floors, ducts, fireplaces, plumbing, doors and windows, chimneys, fans, vents, and electrical outlets.
16. Install a smart strip power strip to turn off energy-draining electronics and TVs. These devices pay for themselves in about six weeks, after that the savings is yours.
17. Adjusting your water heater 20 degrees can save you up to 10% on your water heating costs.
18. Swap incandescent light bulbs for compact fluorescents. Lighting traditionally accounts for 10% of a typical electric bill. CFLs use a fraction of the energy.
19. Brown bag it, only use washable, reusable metal and glass food containers and stop using disposable waste.
20. Reduce consumption of all kinds of things: paper, napkins, water bottles. Consider refilling ink cartridges, mending or replacing products instead of tossing them out. Buy minimally packaged items, and send the items you no longer need to places where they can still be used or participate in freecycling or other such re-using circles.
21. Be creative with gift wrap. Old maps, sheet music, posters, comics, ribbon, etc. make great alternatives to gift wrap. Or consider giving gifts which part of the gift is a wrap--towels, sheets, baby blankets, scarfs, all are great finishing touches.
22. Recycle glass, aluminum, plastic, cardboard and paper trash. You will be amazed at what doesn't go to the landfill.
23. Reduce the amount you send to the landfill further by composting. Add fruit and vegetable scraps to your leaves to make rich nutrient filled fertilizer for your yard and plants.
24. Take your own bags to the grocery store.
25. Use cloth napkins, cotton rags, dish towels. You'll save money and did you know that 40% of landfill trash is paper.
26. Handle hazardous waste with care. Check labels for "toxic", "corrosive", and "radioactive." We don't want them ending up in our groundwater. Take fertilizers, batteries, antifreeze and other hazardous waste to a collection center for disposal.
27. Reduce the amount of catalogs you receive. Go to catalogchoice.org, sign up for a free account and click on "get started".
28. Store foods in reusable glass containers.
29. Schedule an energy audit to get a list of suggestions for reducing your home's energy use. Many utility companies provide these free or professional companies are offer these services. Often the fees are offset in savings found.
30. Buy local food. Urge your grocers to buy from producers within 100 miles. Frequent your local farmers markets.
31. Don't blow your yard, rake. Leaf blower engines emit smod-forming pollution. Go for the exercise.
32. Push that lawn. Today's reel mowers are much improved over the kinds used 20 years ago. Electric mowers are increasingly earth-friendly as well.
33. Installing a ceiling fan can reduce your summer electric bills by 40%. Winter warmth can be returned to the room by reversed blades too.
34. Reduce your carbon footprint by driving less, carpool or try public transportation to and from work. Exercising? How about walking instead of driving to run that little errand. Riding a bike? Saves on the gym membership.
35. Drive smart. 55 mph on the highway. Check the air pressure in your tires, keep your car tuned up. Make sure the gas cap is tight. Drive smoothly. Ease up on the brake. Lighten the load. Don't warm the car up. Organize your trips. It all saves.
36. Use concentrated laundry detergent. Wash in cold water and skip the dryer, remember the clothesline?
37. Turn off the computer. Leaving it on all the time wastes energy.
38. Switch to a corded phone. Cordless phones are energy vampires, they sit in the cradle sucking up power around the clock.
39. Green your trash bags. Go for recycled non-petroleum materials in a design that seals tightly and will not break open. Biodegradable, compostable bags aren't much good because garbage in landfills is packed too tightly and doesn't get enough light, water or air to readily decompose.
40. Safe the cell phone for emergencies. Among scientist there is concern that non-ionizing radiation from cell phones could increase the risk of a rare brain cancer called glioma. Children and teens are particularly vulnerable.
41. Avoid plastic toys for kids. Toxic chemicals called phthalates make plastic toys and teethers soft ad flexible but have been linked to birth defects and some cancers. Select natural, earth based alternatives.
42. Don't dry clean, green clean. Instead of taking your "dry clean only" clothes to a traditional dry cleaner which used toxic chemicals. Try washing them by hand or take them to a "wet cleaner", a dry cleaner using liquid carbon dioxide or one using a silicone-based cleaning method. Make certain the cleaner doesn't use a hazardous hydrocarbon called DF-2000 as a solvent.
43. Ditch the electric blanket. Electric blankets produce electric and magnetic fields that are potential health hazards and raise your electric bill.
45. Skip dryer sheets and fabric softeners. Use dryer balls or add baking soda to the rinse cycle to soften fabrics and eliminate static cling.
46. Choose cotton carefully. Cotton is one of the most chemically treated crops. "Natural" cotton is unbleached but still sprayed with pesticides. The best choice is certified organic cotton. If you want color, choose cotton dyed with organic vegetable dyes.
47. Choose natural fabrics for clothing and furnishings. Wool, cotton, silk, hemp, linen, bamboo, that are naturally fire resistant. Make sure they aren't treated with stain resisters, pesticides, fire retardants or other synthetic chemicals. Organic fabrics and natural dyes are best. If you have not experienced any of these, you will love these truly organic fabrics.
48. Choose nontoxic body care products. Avoid chemicals shown to have serious health impacts: antibacterials, coal tar colors FD & C Blue l and Green 3, diethanolamine (DEA) 1, 4-Dioxane (present in sodium laureth sulfate and other ingredients ending in "eth") formaldehyde, fragrance, hydroquinone, mercury, lead, nonoparticles, parabens, petroleum distillates, and phenylenediamine (PPD).
49. Buy Energy Star appliances. Always buy the most energy efficient appliances you can afford.
50. Learn how to read a label. When it comes to household products, words such as natural, eco-friendly and toxin-free have no legal meaning. A long list of ingredients often indicates the presence of questionable synthetic chemicals. Do your homework.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products and a Longer Life
B>Cleaner Air Extends Lifespan in the United States was recently a headline in my local newspaper. I was so excited! The report was based on a federally-funded study which proclaimed cleaner air over the past 20 years has extended average U.S. life expectancies nearly five months. Researchers claim this is the first study to show that reducing air pollution translates into longer lives. The study was funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the EPA.
Between 1978 and 2001, an American's average life span increased almost three years to 77. As much as 4.8 months of that can be attributed to cleaner air according to researchers from Brigham Young University and Harvard School of Public Health as reported in the New England Journal of Medicine. Some experts not connected to the study have called the gain dramatic, indicating efforts to control air pollution have been worth the expense.
Scientists have long been concerned about air pollution particles lodging in lungs and raising the risk of lung disease, heart attacks and strokes. In 1970, the Clean Air Act enacted by Congress provided the EPA with the power to set and enforce national standards to protect people from particulate matter, carbon monoxide and other pollutants. The law is widely credited with improving the nation's air quality via such devices as catalytic converters on cars and scrubbers at new factories. Now it seems it may have helped extend lives.
On the average, the study determined particulate matter levels fell from 21 micrograms per cubic meter of air to 14 micrograms per cubic meter of air in the 51 cities studied. During that time Americans lived 2.72 years longer. Communities that had larger reductions in air pollution averaged larger increases in life expectancies. Two cities, Pittsburgh, PA and Buffalo, NY saw the most progress cleaning up their air and saw their life ex;ectancies raise by about 10 months.
Findings like these are further evidence that what we breathe does matter. Indoor air quality is often poorer quality than outdoor air. Please make sure you are doing all you can to keep your indoor air safe for you and your family. Green cleaning products, VOC-free paint and stain products, lower VOC flooring and furniture options, fewer chemicals, all these choices will help keep your family healthier. If necessary, air filtration products are available for those with allergies, asthma or who need the extra air filtration. The verdict is in, air quality makes a difference to your health.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Healthy Aging from my Green Cleaning Product Company
The media this week has been full of stories on healthier living and aging. 60 Minutes had an exciting piece focusing on resveratrol . The link will take you to a video and transcript of the show. In case you missed it. They talk about the keys to making 90 the new 60. Extending healthy quality living.
Scientists are formulating a pill filled with resveratrol which itself may not extend lifespan but could prevent the diseases of aging, like Alzheimer's, diabetes, heart disease, even cancer. "What we're talking about is activating the body's natural, genetic defenses against diseases. And that's very powerful if we can harness that," Sinclair says.
The pill is a highly concentrated form of resveratrol, a virtual vineyard of healthy living. Asked how much red wine one would have to drink to get the kind of resveratrol they are using in their experimental pills, Sinclair says, "Well, the sad news is that you'd need to drink about 1,000 bottles a day of red wine, which I don't recommend."
Today, Oprah and Suzanne Somers are discussing how women are living twice as long as our ancestors. Years ago women were expected to bear children, lived a difficult lifestyle, aged their 40s and died. In contrast, women are now living into their 80s. Life in the second half for women has become more about restoration rather than deterioration. One of their discussions focused on the need for hormonal balances and restorative sleep.
I found all this so exciting because I have experienced the dramatic results alluded to in the 60 Minutes segment and found the restoration Oprah referenced all because of resveratrol. You don't have to wait for the prescriptive pill form to begin reaping the benefits of this amazing nutrient.
I became a Shaklee Independent Distributor because of the quality of the green cleaning products. As I have learned more about the quality of the company's nutritional products, I have been amazed. But never as impressed as I am by Vivix. After years of not sleeping due to fibromyalgia, I now have to set the alarm! I am sleeping and it's nothing short of amazing. The restorative benefits of the sleep that eluded me for years is beginning to become more apparent. I haven't been taking my resveratrol for very long, but it will always be an important part of my nutritional regiment.
My husband, who has relied on pain pills for several years to function, is taking fewer because of the resveratrol in Vivix. We didn't believe it would help as much as it has. I should have known my favorite green cleaning company wouldn't guarantee anything 100% if it didn't really work.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products, Healthy and Green
Safer & Healthier Products, Green Cleaning Saturdays
Saturday is it a day of rest or is it a day filled with ball practice or games, catching up on laundry, sleeping in, shopping, or doing housework?
For those of you doing laundry and housework, I want to share the "real dirt" on getting things clean:
In the 15 minutes you spend cleaning the shower with a product containing butyl cellosolve you are exposed to 3 times the recommended limit for exposure to this dangerous chemical which causes tissue damage from inhalation.
90% of poisonings in the America happen in homes.
Indoor air is 2-5 times more polluted than outdoor air.
Annually most households produce 20 lbs. of hazardous toxic waste.
Why bring this up? Every Saturday you clean house, you probably use the toxic waste and expose yourself and your children to the poisonous dangerous chemicals. You pollute your air with the chemical fumes, which some believe have led to the alarming asthma rates in recent years. How do you know if you are exposing yourself to the horrible butyl cellosolve? Look here for yourself. The government website allows you to put in the name of the product and search the ingredients and any associated warnings. You will be amazed. Don't just take my word for it.
Are there alternatives. Cheaper, healthier, safer alternatives which perform as well or better than what you're using now. But again, don't take my word for it, they come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. I'm proud to have found the Shaklee company. They were green before it was the popular thing to do. Because of my health, I have made a lot of my own cleaners and tried a lot of the brands out there before I found these. I was a tough sell. Now I'm sold, they work, they're safe, and if I can use them, you can. Because as my husband says, "I'm allergic to everything." All I know is they have made my Saturdays so much easier, safer, and cheaper. Plus, I've decided to share them with others now because the Shaklee products are so good. Just like I've told my family to quit breathing those fumes, I'm now telling others. Especially young mothers, please don't make the same mistakes I did. Quit exposing yourself and your children to all those harmful fumes. Live healthier, use the green cleaning products and start today! Enjoy your Saturdays.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products Make Short Work of Fireplace Doors
With temperatures and windchills the lowest in over a decade tonight in central Iowa, lots of fireplaces will be roaring! Brings to mind the terrible job of cleaning the glass fireplace doors. I used to struggle to get the burned on gunk off the doors so they would look halfway decent. The products and fumes I'd have going, I'd have to open the windows every time I cleaned the lousy thing.
Well for all you who struggle, the problem is solved with a green solution! Safe, effective, non-toxic cleaning products will cut through that heavy burned on layer of creosote and smoke to reveal clean glass. Independent Shaklee Distributors have been providing families with safe, non-toxic cleaners for over 40 years. The Basic H2 sprayed on your fireplace glass followed by Scour Off will clean your doors without all the harmful fumes. Get your green cleaning products today so when the fireplace is quiet and the weather warms, you'll be prepared.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
A Little Help to be Healthy & Fit for the New Year
It's that time of the year when we all think about losing weight. It's very hard to do. I know, I've done it over, and over, and over.
Now there's help. It's eaier, you're not starved, it's good for you, and you get great results. Watch for yourself. Lose those inches with a pinch.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products, Weight Loss
Winds of Change
We've had unseasonably warm weather in central Iowa recently, almost spring! But we're not completely fooled, timing is everything. This afternoon the wind is sounding more wintry.
The wind is a funny thing isn't it. It brings to mind warm breezes or cold, blizzard conditions, depending on the timing. In my travels I've seen old dilapidated windmills long forgotten by time and most recently new wind turbines, a renewed hope for energy self-sufficiency. It's all a matter of timing.
As people become more in tune with nature, the time is right for change in our lives. Changes toward energy efficiency and toward more healthy living. Each winter we try to run through the list of 101 Easy Ways to Save Energy. One of my favorite tips: Install a water-saving shower head. Don't worry - it won't reduce your water pressure. A family of four, each taking a five-minute shower a day, can save $250 a year in water heating costs by switching to a low-flow shower head. We went a step further and installed a chlorine filtering water-saving shower head. Your skin will love you for this. Your skin is the biggest organ and absorbs more chlorine than you would ever imagine. You can save money and help your skin too.
If it's time for you to make changes and become a little greener in your home, check out the energy saving tips. You may also look for ways to live healthier just by changing a few simple green cleaning products around your home.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Winter Weather
Winter weather is bearing down on central Iowa, wind, freezing rain, snow. It's a terrible time for exposed skin. Which makes me think it's time to talk a little about moisturizers.
Everyone knows moisturizers protect and enhance the look and feel of our skin, but are they harming as well as moisturizing? As long as manufacturers don't make drug claims, there are no government regulations on the potions and lotions in the United States. You have to read the labels.
What should you look for to make an informed choice? Chemicals to watch out for include: coal tar dyes, sodium lauryl sulfate, DEA, propylene glycol, parabens, petroleum distillates (naphthas) hydroquinone, synthetic fragrance (phalates), and formaldehyde-donating preservatives such as quaternium-15 and imidazolidinyl urea.
There are companies producing good lines for our skin. You have to do your homework. In recent years they have become easier to find, thank goodness. I like the line produced by my favorite green cleaning products company. They have developed a line scientifically formulated to improve your skin and leave out all the nasty stuff. It is truly the best I have found, you should check it out here too. Burt's Bees, Jason's and Origins are also some of my favorites.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Christmas Candy Memories
Do you have a whole cupboard of plastic containers that fall out at you when you open the cupboard? They just never stay organized. It seems everyone has the same problem. I used to as well, until a few years ago. In fact, my son marks the anniversary by reminding me what a mess I made. Christmas candy reminds him every year!
You see I had tolled in the kitchen for days making fudges, divinity, peanut brittle, cookies and everyone's favorite Christmas goodies. They were in all kinds of plastic containers, the expensive kind and the cheapies. But the containers were taking over the kitchen waiting to be put on nice display dishes and taken to friends and family. So I stashed them in the oven to get them out of the way. Big mistake. I accidentally turned on the oven and forgot to unload it. The smell and mess of melting plastic is a Christmas memory my son won't let me forget! The oven had to be scraped out.
Since the meltdown, I have been much more cautious about what type of plastics I bring into our home. I know many of the plastics, especially when heated, even normally, aren't that good for us. You can see for yourself at the National Geographic's site thegreenguide.com It is a terrific source to let you know which plastic products are safer than others. We've also elected to reheat items in the microwave using glass containers.
In the long run using the glass containers has been better for us in several ways. No more avalanches of plastic containers when you open the cupboard. No more plastics leaching into the food in the microwave. I believe it's even cheaper. You just don't need all that plastic stuff.
Instead of using the cling wrap, I have a clear domed lid I keep handy to put over things in the microwave. If we forget and the microwave gets messy, my favorite green cleaning products make easy work of the cleanup.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Air Quality and Our Children's Future
Recently air quality has been in the news in Iowa. A USA Today study found that 224 of the 1,785 Iowa schools studied ranked in the top 10% of the most toxic outdoor air nationally according to 2005 data. Just more than half of Iowa schools ranked in the top 50% nationally.
School officials, Iowa Department of National Resources and county health officials are working to confirm whether emissions reported in the 2005 study are accurate. Some problems with the data for two central iowa schools has been identified. USA Today worked with University of Massachusetts-Amhers officials to develop a ranking model for the air quality based on EPA-endorsed ranking models used by large companies required to report emissions data.
The chemicals included in the air quality study were weighted based on their relative toxicity. What has been newsworthy is the modeling used showed eight Iowa schools which had predicted toxicity levels higher than those found at an Ohio school which was eventually closed because of the toxic air outside. An Ohio EPA investigation found chemical exposures measured at that school posed a cancer risk 50 times greater than what was deemed acceptable.
The portion of the news reports which bothered me the most were the comments referring to previous concerns about air quality. State task forces have previously decided routine air testing wasn't worth the money in Iowa because little evidence showed the state had a problem serious enough to warrant the expensive testing. However, they did note that they do more monitoring than surrounding states. The reports have also been filled with questions about the quality of the data, the monitoring techniques, and the potential changes since the 2005 reporting. Reassurances have also been forthcoming from schools indicating children will be safe and monitoring will be improved.
My ire rises when excuses are made and feet are drug when protecting children is involved. Nothing can help stop the looming health crisis more than returning to a more healthy environment, air, water, and food. That's the big reason I've partnered with the nation's number one nutrition company, which also happens to be the first company to be climate neutral. They believe the same way I do, what is good for nature, is good for us.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products for a Healthier World
I chose this video to include today because it about says it all for me. I hope you take a minute to watch. It's produced by one of my favorite organizations, Healthy Child Healthy World. I wish every family would review their website for the wealth of information presented.
If you believe it's time to make small changes to improve the health of your family, contact me. I can help. I'm passionate about helping others live healthier and safer lives in our toxic environment.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Hard Water and Green Cleaning Products
We live in an area with extremely hard water. Therefore, we have used a water conditioning system in our home for years. We know the damage the hard water can cause to water heaters, ice makers, etc. The last few days the water softener has not been working correctly. We have certainly noticed the difference.
I am so thankful for my green cleaning products that take away all that lime scale so easily. My All Purpose H and Scrub make it so easy to get the shower doors sparkling once the water softener is back up and running. I can clean with no harmful fumes and no dangers to my skin. Can you say that about your lime scale removers?
Traditionally tub and tile cleaners, all-purpose cleaners, cleaning wipes, floor polish, degreasers, rug shampoos, toilet bowl cleaners, and window cleaners generally contain butyl cellosolve. A person who spends 15 minutes cleaning scale off their shower walls could inhale three times the acute exposure limit of butyl cellosolve. What's the problem? Butyl cellosolve can cause irritation and tissue damage from inhalation.
You've probably experienced the overwhelming odors associated with some of these cleaners. You feel like you truly need to come outside for air. Now you know why. Isn't it wonderful the toxic waste we use to "clean" our homes with?
I'd recommend you look into replacing your toxic cleaners right away before any further irritation may occur to you or your children. My favorite green cleaning products are great value, safe to use, non-toxic, highly concentrated, and generally cheaper to use than most traditional brands.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products
Green is everywhere this time of year! Green gifts, concern about money, being frugal and environmentally conscious have been big news topics lately. Perfect for my home-based business!
I always enjoy passing along information I run across. The Los Angeles Times article discussed how companies have focused on making green cleaning products, construction products, and home furnishings to meet consumer demand for healthier items.
The article discussed the benefits for businesses and individuals who choose to go green. It focused in on the Johns Manville Company which learned after being bankrupted by asbestos toxicity issues. The building materials company which is now under new ownership, now produces formaldehyde free building products which are much healthier for its employees, the environment, and consumers.
It also included a chart showing the numerous items throughout our homes and the risks to our health associated with the chemicals often found in the conventional products. Also listed were the top ten chemicals produced in the United States, several of which are found in fertilizers.
The article is eye-opening. I encourage you to take a few moments and read it here when you get a chance. You will be impressed once again by the safety and longevity of my favorite green cleaning products company.
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Mother Nature & Your Health
As I sit here and watch the deer from my office window roam through the yard in the fresh snow, I'm reminded of a special book for children which talks about how the animals prepare for winter by fattening up. Thank goodness, it's not one of the things I try to do each fall.
It is easy though to pack on a few extra pounds being couped up in the colder climates, with the extra parties, holiday foods, and special gatherings. If you struggle like so many of us, my favorite green company also has a superb full line of weight loss products. There's no reason to plump up like the deer and wait out the winter, we can continue to lose through the cold weather and be ready for bathing suit season next summer!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Safe and Green, the Choice is Yours
Mixed in yesterday's newspaper with all the Black Friday ads was a disturbing article about melamine in baby food. Not the scare in China, a report of action taken by the Consumers Union and the Illinois Attorney General demanding that the FDA recall products right here. Products which the FDA contends have extremely low levels of contamination of melamine which do not present a health danger. Of course, the product manufacturers insist the products are safe. Confusion sets in because the FDA's statements have been misleading and were not disclosed only after requests by the Associated Press.
As one who is very sensitive to chemicals and lots of things that don't bother others, I take these kind of reports very seriously. Children are our most precious gift. Their bodies are developing and are very sensitive as well. I believe personally nothing should adversely contaminate what they are fed, what they breathe, what they wear or where they are placed.
Purity and concern are some of the reasons I have partnered with a company I work from home with. The company believes and puts their reputation on the line behind only the highest quality products. One example which stuck in my mind when I was introduced to the company talked about a processing procedure which tested natural ingredients frequently. Pure ingredients were sent to a processor. However, the end ingredients were found to be contaminated with lead and deemed unsuitable. My company's representatives went to the processing plant and determined that in pressing the flowers to derive the end ingredients, little balls were used which contained lead. Some of the lead had inadvertently gotten into the final product and had contaminated the product, rendering it unsafe for use by my company. Once the processing procedures were changed, no more lead contaminated the product, and the company's finished product was once again suitable for use. It is this devotion to purity and concern for the customer's well-being which clinched my loyalty.
Not only does my company make some of the finest green cleaning products available, they are a leading nutritional supplement company, a leader in weight-loss products, personal care items, and in groundbreaking anti-aging products. Products tried and true for over 50 years with a 100% satisfaction guarantee backing them up. You'll never read about my favorite company in the newspaper because of contamination issues. Which type of company should meet the needs of your family?
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Cold Weather and Green Cleaning Products
It's that time of year again in our part of the world where the windows are closed, heat sources are on and the air inside is stuck for the most part. Once again, it's time to talk about indoor air quality. As you know, it's a real factor with tighter built homes and all the things we bring into our homes...chemicals, furnishings, clothing, finishes, office products, etc. The air inside can be far more polluted than outdoor air.
What do you do to help the indoor air quality in frigid temperatures? First and foremost is try to use green cleaning products and healthy items around your home to minimize the pollutants inside. Leave shoes and other items at the doorway to minimize tracking pollutants throughout the house. Use indoor plants to help clean the air. Clean furnace filters routinely.
Should you consider portable room purifiers? Really do your homework first. There are basically two types of portable air purifiers: ionizing air cleaners and mechanical filtration.
According to Consumer Reports, many ionizing air cleaners, including some of the best known, are capable of producing ozone at levels that exceed the EPA's safe limits. The ozone units can cause coughing, wheezing, allergic reactions, chest pain or lung damage for some people. They give airborne particles an electrical charge which causes some pollutants to settle on the lower surfaces of a room. These units must be used carefully.
Mechanical filters like HEPA (high-efficiency particulate air) filters are another option. These are basically like single room versions of the furnace filters with the air being passed through. They are effective if the filter is clean. Filters can be expensive to replace. Generally they use a lot of energy, especially as they try to pull air through clogged filters. The units must be maintained regularly.
Electrostatic whole house furnace filters are yet another option for those in homes. A more costly option which allows for a collector plate to trap pollution on an electrically charged plate. When clean, the system stops most particles from entering the furnace and keeps the air in your home clean.
Products we bring into our homes affect us for a long time. For example, we purchased a new chair (because we couldn't find a suitable used one) in August. After a couple days sitting out in the sun, it came in the house with the windows all open. Thank goodness the windows could be open well into October. I still do not sit in the recliner because it still gives me a slight headache.
The best solution for your home's indoor air I believe is good management. Be mindful, remember clean has no smell, fake scents usually are not good for you and new product smells are not good for you. Protect your home as you would your child.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Morning Rituals
We have a new morning ritual here, something we're very excited about. Something I have high hopes for. Something I know is going to change our future. Let me share a little bit about this new item from my favorite green cleaning product company. Although it's not a cleaning product, it's clearly a favorite.
Let me share with you a little bit about it...
Find out more at Healthy And Green For Your Future.
Green Holiday Shopping and Green Cleaning Products
As you begin holiday shopping, I encourage you to think green! You know there is a lot of talk out there about "natural" fabrics in clothing. I urge you to pay close attention. I agree, a lot of fabrics are made from cotton, a natural fiber. The problem is that the conventional production of cotton plants is anything but natural. Cotton is grown on only 10 percent of the world's farmland, yet it accounts for 25 percent of the world's insecticide usage. Some of those chemicals are on the EPA's list as some of the most dangerous.
Fabric finishes are another consideration. When you look at new clothes in the store, children's clothes as well as adult's, you notice they're crisp and appear just ironed. In fact they appear almost stiff. If you smell them, you don't smell cotton, you smell chemical fabric finish. It's sprayed on by the manufacturer to make the garments look good on display and to make it look sturdier than they actually are. More often than not what is included in the spray is formaldehyde a known allergen, respiratory and skin irritant, chemical sensitizer, neurotoxin, and carcinogen. Yet it's the most common fabric finish. If the fabric contains polyester you can expect to add benzene and ethylene glycol to the fabric finishing too. Sounds wonderful doesn't it? Isn't that just what you want next to your baby?
Oh yes but you wash it out...no, these finishes are made to last. Some of it washes out, but much of it is glued to the fabric to help it maintain its appearance.
Research studies have shown babies and children absorb such chemicals through their skin much more easily and to a greater effect than adults. Which brings me back to holiday shopping. If you have precious little ones of your own, don't you want as much distance as possible between them and harmful chemicals? I would hope so. Organic cotton clothing is available and there are other fabrics that are safer for your children and for you. If you haven't looked at organic, healthy clothing options, you will be amazed at their feel.
Once you have made the choice, be sure to keep the nasty chemicals out of the laundry too. Choose green cleaning and laundry products to maintain the safety of their clothing. You'll be so glad you made the healthy choice this holiday.
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Green Cleaning Products in the Kitchen
In what sometimes seems like a previous life, we owned and operated a restaurant. I recall going to a State of Iowa food safety class and having the food inspectors show "horror" films on places we didn't want to aspire to be like. They also showed us well-run kitchens and places which received excellent scores. Explanations for the differences were part of the training.
Some of their comments have stuck with me over the years and I'd like to share. "You can't prepare food or wash dishes in a dirty sink." The risks for cross-contamination in your sink and on your countertops can be very high. We learned poultry juices can easily contaminate vegetables or other meats. It can happen so easily. Your meat wrapper leaks on the countertop, you toss it in the sink, wipe off the counter with the sponge and toss it in the sink. You put the chicken in the oven and then toss the wrapper. You rinse the sponge out and get to work on the salad. You lay the head of lettuce on the counter. The cross contamination just happened. Yes you wiped the counter off, but did you get all the germs? And what about the sponge? When was the last time it was washed or sanitized? It brings back the point, "You can't prepare food or wash dishes in a dirty sink." (Or countertop).
What DO you do? My favorite is a little disinfecting wipe or a quick spritz of sanitizing spray just to assure my countertops and sinks are clean and safe. I tossed all the sponges years ago too, and prefer to use dish cloths which are tossed in the laundry daily. No need to spread the contamination around for days.
What DON'T you do? Use bleach. There's no reason to use the number one cause of accidental poisonings. No need to risk inhaling all those dangerous fumes or risk ruining your clothing. Green cleaning products are available which make using toxic bleach unnecessary.
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Green Cleaning Products and Brain Power
Do you ever have days when your mind runs 900 miles a minute? I do all the time and my husband thinks it will be worn out way too soon. Sometimes it just won't shut off. It's always been like this for me. Even if I'm just thinking about my next green cleaning project. Sometimes I ask him, "What are you thinking about?" And he will reply, "Nothing." I think he really means it and I'm in shock.
I don't work that way. Maybe it's part of my personality or just the female species, I don't know. I can't remember when I wasn't a mother or a wife, so I don't recall if it was always this way, but I know as a working mother it had to be. Then as a stay-at-home mother it certainly had to be to keep ahead of the kids. As a business owner and entrepreneur I always had to keep ahead of employees and customers, not to mention the home and family.
I do know now, after having been through the medical trials and tribulations with my chemical sensitivities, I appreciate my mind so much more. I even enjoy the racing. You see, I know what certain chemicals do for my body. Yesterday I was innocently exposed to a high VOC wood finish in a large area. I needed to be at an event. The smell was atrocious to me, yet some of the others didn't smell anything. After about half an hour, my mind was foggy and I wasn't thinking clearly, I'm not sure I would have driven home alone. We won't mention what it does to my intestinal tract, nor how I feel today. The point is, my mind can come back and race again, hallelujah! I just try harder to educate others to minimize the damage to my system and others' by using lower VOC products.
Paints, cleaning products, office products, flooring, and other common household products often contain more toxins than outdoor air. The EPA studies indicate toxic levels are often times two to five times higher in indoor air than outdoor air. Choose green cleaning products, low or no VOC paint products, healthier choices in furnishings and clothing. Make healthier choices for your family and for their brains. Children especially deserve every opportunity to grow up with the safest, healthiest environments possible.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
How Do You Define Green?
How do you define Green? With all the recent emphasis on natural products and all things green, sometimes I wonder if we're all on the same page or if it really matters?
I know what I think of as green. To me green brings to mind things that are safe for me, children, and pets. Green reminds me to conserve nature's resources either by recycling, making fewer trips in the most economical way, and conserving water and energy. Green also brings to mind how we try to consume. We have learned organic purchases are better choices for our bodies, natural fibers are healthier and more comfortable to wear (and they don't have to be new), everything we purchase should have a purpose and a disposal plan.
I know for our household it's taken a period of time to get our definition of green to this point. I actually feel guilty if I throw a can or jar in the garbage. A few years ago I'd have thought that was nuts. So I know there are different levels of green. We are all somewhere along the scale. What's wonderful is the scale is including so many people and there is room for everyone to grow. I'm so thrilled others are taking baby steps toward going green while others are making huge commitments and living off the grid. I applaud each and every one. It takes so many working together to achieve the goals of preserving our planet.
If you'd like to take other steps to go green in your household, visit Live Green For Your Future.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products and Car Care
We had a beautiful day in central Iowa today, way above normal temperatures and we were all thankful! It was a great day to get outdoors and escape the candidate's calls and commercials when my work in the office was done.
I decided to clean out the truck before it gets cold and icky. Living on gravel gets really gross in the cars. I have to brag though. I used my favorite green cleaning product to do the entire job. I washed the windows, cleaned the coffee stains off the carpet, and washed the outside of the truck all with my All Purpose H cleaner. It was so much cheaper than using all that stuff we used to use. Two drops in 16 ounces to do the windows. A teaspoon in a gallon to do everything else, wow. What surprised me was how the water just sheeted off. No spots, no drying, it was great. Made that black truck shine easily. Fooled my husband into thinking I'd really dried it and worked hard. I'm not that crazy, it is gravel!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Ditch the Air Fresheners
Several years ago I had a friend with a new baby. I dropped by to visit and was barely able to go into their home. It smelled wonderful, but the air freshener scents lingering in their home and I didn't get along. They knew I was coming and had unplugged their plug-in air fresheners because they knew about my sensitivities.
What resulted was a learning experience. Their newborn had been experience breathing issues, constant stuffiness, irritability. It made sense to me, I suggested they not plug their air fresheners back in because they could be part of the problem.
Air fresheners and room deodorizers do smell wonderful, but at a price. Their toxins can include naphthalene, terpenes, and dichlorobenzene, among others. Some dichlorobenzenes have been shown to reduce lung function and are ossible carcinogens. Some plug-in air fresheners contain chemicals that react with ozone to create formaldehyde, a carcinogen and respiratory irritant. Many air fresheners also include phthalates.
I know all those big words and things are easy to read right over. But if you look them up you can see they can be dangerous. I never would have believed it until I figured it out for myself. I can be in a room, one that I've been in many times before without any problems, and if there is a plug-in air freshener put nearby I will react. How? I will start to sweat or flush, my thinking gets confused, I get irritable, I have a hard time focusing, my legs will feel like something is crawling on me, I can't sit still. Yes, I know I am extreme. But what about children? I have seen teacher after teacher have these things in classrooms. Do I act that different from some ADHD kids?
Many of the chemicals in air fresheners are neurotoxins. I react to those before the breathing issues. For many others, it's reversed. Do they still smell good? Hardly.
Now you know why I have such a hard time watching commercials for the latest greatest plug-in or watching people buy these. Remember, clean has no smell. Open a window!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Product Think About Aerosol Alternatives
Green Cleaning Products get me all excited. If you've read any of my other posts, you know it's because I've tried so many poor performing ones, I'm excited now to have ones that really work and are safe. As I walk through the grocery store it's almost all I can do to keep quiet when I see people buying some of the conventional, harmful products. So let me sound off here, one more time.
Aerosols. Lots of household products come in aerosol form. You know, the air fresheners, window and counter cleaners, hair spray, furniture polish and more. What they spray (sometimes propelled by butane) can include formaldehyde, phenols, toluene, and phthalates, among other toxins or carcinogens. Many of these aerosols can and do cause skin, eye and throat irritation and may also damage your lungs.
So next time you pick up that aerosol can, please think about your options. Is there a safer alternative available?
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Dusting with Green Cleaning Products
Don't you just love to dust? Neither do I, but living on gravel, it has to be done. We always had to do it as little girls around home. It was one of those Saturday chores. We always had to use the Lemon scented spray. If I only knew then what I know now.
Furniture comes from the craftsman or factory with a wonderful finish. The sprays or wax we put on them doesn't penetrate the finish. It only puts on a toxic topcoat of petroleum distillates, nitrobenzene, ammonia, naptha, and/or phenols. Check the labels, you can see for yourself.
Green Cleaning Products are available that can keep those toxic products out of your home and off your beautiful furniture. For your new furniture, try the super concentrated All Purpose H. It will clean your furniture safely and gently. For antique furniture you can make your own polish with a half a cup of white vinegar and a teaspoon of olive oil. All non-toxic alternatives for a healthier way to dust. You can go http://live.greenforyourfuture.com">green for your future!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Sniffles, Flu & Green Cleaning Products
With cooler weather coming to central Iowa, more people are coming down with the sniffles. We're exposed to millions of bacteria and viruses constantly. In fact, trillions of them live on our bodies. Our immune system is designed to cope with germs and dispose of t them. We need a healthy home, green cleaning products, the best nutrition, and good handwashing practices to stay healthy.
If you've heard the news they've talked about increasing rates of infections in hospitals and medical facilities in the last few years. The same things can happen in your home. But the soap industry got the message and rushed forth with antibacterial soaps and sanitizers. Sounds like a good thing right? Maybe not. Triclosan is one of most common antibacterial ingredients in these products and it's known to cause a wide range or health problems ranging from skin irritation to allergies. It stays in the environment for a long time and can break down into dioxin in surface water. Some research also suggests that triclosan also creates resistance in bacteria. Great isn't it? Trying to kill bacteria on the skin may make the bacteria stronger in the long run. Sometimes when we overuse the antibacterial and antimicrobial soaps, the germs get smarter and become resistant to the chemicals we use to fight against them. That isn't good for anyone.
So what should we do to protect ourself from the invaders that aren't good for us as cold and flu season approach? Remember when your mother told you to wash your hands before you ate, after using the restroom, and after contact with others? Seems like she had it right. She also was right when she told us to spend a little time and do a good job. Turns out using warm water, a pH balanced cleanser that contains no phosphates or triclosan and is safe and healthy for your hands and your family's hands will do the trick. If it just happens to be in a refillable, recyclable container that's even better. Worried they'll get too dry? The hand cleaner made by my favorite green cleaning product company has got wheat germ oil and soy to condition those hands so they stay soft through all that winter hand washing.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products & SIDS
When our children were young, I had a friend who lost a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). It was devastating for them and for the community. Each time there is new information about this dreadful syndrome, I always take note and have formed my own opinions over the years as well. Much of what I have gleaned made me take note of the news report I heard yesterday. I believe not only good air quality and ventilation is important for infant's and children's sleeping areas, but also healthy and safe laundry products used to wash their bedding as well as green cleaning products for a safe home.
The newscast alluded to a report released on October 6, 2008, in the
Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals, reporting findings that using a fan while an infant is sleeping in a room with inadequate ventilation can decrease the risk of that infant dying of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Sudden infant death syndrome, sometimes called crib death, describes the unexpected, unexplained death of an apparently health infant. In the United States, between the years of 1992 and 2003, the incidence of SIDS decreased by 56%, according to the article. Largely, experts attribute this to the increased employment of the supine sleeping position, with the infant sleeping on its back with its head facing up, following the introduction of the "Back to Sleep" campaign in 1994. This decrease has become less pronounced in recent years. The authors note that this indicates a need for further research in SIDS prevention: "Although caretakers should continue to be encouraged to place infants on their backs to sleep, other potentially modifiable risk factors in the sleep environment should be examined to promote further decline in the rate of SIDS."
Room ventilation has been associated with SIDS in previous studies, but this factor has not been paid significant attention in research. By limiting ventilation, carbon dioxide might pool around the infant's nose and mouth, and this would increase the likelihood of rebreathing. It is possible that allowing air to move in the room could potentially reduce SIDS risk.
Information taken from interviews with mothers of 185 infants who had died of SIDS, and the mothers of 312 randomly selected infants from the same county, with the same maternal race/ethnicity, and age was reviewed to further research the connection. In the interviews, mothers answered questions about fan use, pacifier use, the status of nearby windows on the night of the infant's last sleep, location of the room, sleep location, number and type of covers, the bedding used , and the temperature of the room.
Several trends were identified in the infants who died from SIDS in comparison with infants who do not. For example, more were placed on their stomachs or sides to sleep, more did not use a pacifier, more were found with bedding or clothing covering the head, more slept on a soft surface, and more shared the bed with someone who was not a parent. For both groups of children, the use of soft bedding underneath the infant and the room temperature were similar.
Notably, having a fan running during the sleep was associated with a 72% decrease in SIDS deaths in comparison to sleeping in a room without a fan. This was especially true for the use of fans when the room temperature was higher, and when the room was about 69° Fahrenheit, fan use decreased SIDS deaths by 94%. This was also true for infants who slept on their sides, shared a bed with someone other than their parents, or did not use a pacifier.
Don't you want your child or grandchild sleeping in the safest environment possible? We all do. Please place them on their backs in a well ventilated sleeping area. Also be sure the clothing and bedding isn't filled with toxic chemicals and laundry agents. Little lungs and bodies absorb so much more than we do. Safe products are available for your family at Live Green For Your Future.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Making Scents of Green Cleaning Products
I usually avoid convenience stores and try to avoid public restrooms whenever possible. Why you might ask? Because tiny droplets of fragrance chemicals (designed to be very volatile and long lasting) are constantly being released into the air from people's fragranced products and air fresheners. The fragrance oil droplets floating in the air adhere to every surface they contact, including people, furnishings and food. That's why when I go into convenience stores which are notorious around here for using pine-cleaners routinely and stout air fresheners in restrooms, I come away with the smells on my clothing, in my hair, and on my skin. I can't get away from the smells and I can end up sick. Yes I am extreme, but you can notice it too.
Fragrances are dispensed using ventilation systems and individual dispensers in public areas, such as offices, stores, restaurants, hotels, airports, hospitals, airplanes, restrooms, etc. Fragrances are designed to:
Cover up poor air quality and insufficient fresh air ventilation. Covering odors, cigarette smoke, exhaust, pesticides, mold, chemicals outgassing from furniture, carpet, equipment, cleaning products, and more.
Change the mood and behavior of people. Thereby increasing sales, relax the public in potentially stressful situations, and disguise unpleasant odors making visitors feel more comfortable.
Add a scent to the air making customers feel more welcome in shopping malls and places where they smell food or floral scents.
Advertising creates the illusion fragranced products make consumers happy, physically more attractive, popular, clean and fresh, better parents, and great housekeepers.
But to deliberately expose the public to fragrance chemicals, with the intent to alter their mood and manipulate their behavior and health, without their informed consent, is unethical. Second-hand fragrance chemical exposure is just like second-hand smoke. You are exposed to toxins without your consent.
It's another reason why we must be vigilant around our homes to use green cleaning products and realize that green has no real smell. Clean is just clean, it isn't pine or lemon fresh. It isn't the mountain fresh scent in the soap or the scent of the dryer sheets. Many of those are cover-ups for the petroleum distillates hiding in the chemically laden products we bring home to clean with.
As we prepare for cooler weather and closing up the house a little more, it's more important than ever to be sure the air inside is safe for you, your family, and your pets. Live Green For Your Future for a healthy tomorrow.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
A Poison Kiss?
Have you ever put on lipstick and wondered why it smells like you just sharpened a pencil? And where does that lipstick go? Do we eat it or does it just absorb through our skin?
Independent laboratory testing initiated by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics in 2007 found that lipsticks from top brands contain lead. Two-thirds of the 33 samples we tested contained detectable levels of lead; of those, half were above the lead limit for lead in candy. Lead is a potent neurotoxin and linked to numerous other health and reproductive problemsand it doesn't belong in lipstick.
It's no wonder I'm very, very picky about my cosmetics as well as my green cleaning products. There are safe alternatives available. I depend on one company devoted to healthier customers and a safer planet. See for yourself.
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Green Cleaning Product Favorites
I've referred to it before, but since it appeared in my email box yesterday as a reminder from iVillage, I'll remind you again. A very special book just came out by TODAY Show contributor Sloan Barnett, Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet.
One of the reasons I'm so excited about this book is because Sloan Barnett is excited about the same company I am. She values the green cleaning products and has included them in her new book as some of her favorite products for your home.
Catch her on the TODAY Show with green living tips and be sure to try her favorite products for your home. You can find them as we Live Green for Your Future.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Going Green and Aging Healthy
Ever have a fat day? I'm certainly familiar with that feeling. It's been something I've fought forever. I think all women can relate. But as I age, I'm finding more friends struggling with Type 2 Diabetes. It's an epidemic sweeping the nation. One of the most recent nutritional breakthroughs by my favorite green cleaning company repairs and protects the DNA. The newest product has been shown to have dramatic results for people with adult onset diabetes.
People I was talking to this morning were also talking about sleeping better, having more energy, having their age spots fading, and having less joint pain and stiffness. All these things because of one Concentrated Anti-Aging Tonic. This Tonic is a revolutionary breakthrough in the fight against cellular aging. Developed after years of research by the number one natural nutrition company in the U.S., it is the world's best anti-aging supplement. In laboratory studies, the Concentrated Anti-Aging Tonic ingredients have been shown to impact the four key mechanisms of cellular aging.
A 30-day supply Concentrated Anti-Aging Tonic delivers the equivalent amount of resveratrol found in 3,000 glasses of red wine, and its ingredients have been shown in laboratory studies to be 10x more powerful in slowing a key mechanism of aging than resveratrol alone.
So if you have fat days, sluggish days, or are hurting. Maybe it's time to drink your way to better health...a teaspoon at a time!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Anti-Aging
Fall Is In the Air and the Water
Cooler weather is hitting central Iowa today and Fall is in the air. It's truly one of my favorite times of the year, the colors here burst and the changing fields and colors are truly dramatic. The crispness to the air in the mornings and evenings and warm sunny days are part of Mother Nature's scene change as well. Getting us acclimated to what is ahead of us. I know many people don't experience these seasonal changes in southern and western climates, but for those of us who do, it's a special time of year.
We don't worry about raking leaves like some people do. Here we let them blow. But others in more contained yards have to rake and compost. Some still burn, much to my dismay. Because when they burn, me and so many others afflicted with asthma, allergies and other sensitivities are driven indoors. Thank goodness for air purifiers.
One of the other dramatic changes we notice each fall is quality of our water. Because the water shed is so affected by falling leaves decomposing, chemical water treatment levels increase. We notice a change in the water each fall. When we had our own well, it got a more "earthy" smell to the water. Now that we have rural water, we notice a more "chlorine" smell. Chlorine serves it's purpose but my body doesn't tolerate it well and I'm so thankful for filtration products.
To find out about the quality of your drinking water, you can check the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) website www.epa.gov. By typing in your zip code you can get a list of facilities in your area that are releasing pollutants, and see how near these disposal locations are to places you frequent. You can also see how your town's watershed rates on a scale from one to five (from better water quality to serious problems). This may indicate the degree of challenges that you municipal water supplier is facing delivering the tap water to your home. Whether your facility faces seasonal changes like those in our area or whether your facilities are faced with changes based on industrial areas.
Experts also worry about the effects tap water may have on children, who drink more water than adults relative to their body size and therefore may be more vulnerable to waterborne contaminants. A 1997 study by the Harvard School of Public Health found a 10 percent increase in gastrointestinal emergency visits for children between the ages of 3 and 15 within four days after significant increases in water cloudiness, even though testing indicated the water was well within safety standards.
When I think of pure water, I think of clear running mountain streams high in the mountains coming from snow melt. But a 1998 study showed that unusually high amounts of industrial chemicals, pesticides and organochlorine compounds can be found in even the most remote mountain areas...areas that are typically thought of as "pristine." Researchers found that snow pack at more than 6,500 feet above sea level had 10 to 100 times more chemical contamination than snow at lower altitudes.
So what are we supposed to do? Take control over the one thing that your body cannot live without. Make sure you and your family are getting the best quality water you can. Look for fully certified NSF (formerly the National Sanitation Foundation) products. NSF is an internationally recognized nonprofit testing and certification organization.
Full certification by NSF includes an evaluation of the materials used in producing the water filtration products so nothing harmful is added to the water. Testing is also performed to the American National Standards Institute guidelines. Assure that product literature and claims are fairly represented and not misleading.
The company I trust for my green cleaning products has air and water filtration products that are top rate and meet NSF standards. They are also guaranteed by a company in business for over 50 years, dedicated to helping people achieve good health. Helping you Live Green For Your Future!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Lawn Applications & Green Cleaning Products
It's that time of year again when I have to be extremely careful where I go. The lawn "care" companies are so busy applying chemicals to yards I have to avoid them like the plague. Just yesterday I made a quick stop at a house in town and about gagged running ten feet to the door. I knew the lawn rangers were around somewhere but I couldn't see them, my body could just feel them. Sure enough as I turned the corner about a block away there he was spraying a yard. It shouldn't be a big deal right? Many people spray their yards and think nothing about it, they just look forward to the lush turf and no weeds. Then why do I choke, get headaches, an upset stomach, retain fluid like crazy and hurt so badly for the next several days? And I was a block away! Imagine what a sensitive child or pet would endure on that lawn.
If you've never given much thought to chemical applications in the spring and fall I implore you to stop and think about it. Here is a link to an excellent article describing the ingredients and their effects on some people's bodies. I'm not the only one and there are getting to be more and more people having trouble with all the chemicals in our society. Educate yourself.
We used to spray the yard too. It used to be perfect. My husband would still like for it to be. My son is a golf course superintendent and likes the perfect turf too. But they know with me around we go organic or if they have to spray something, it has to be very, very safe. There are options. Integrated pest management, sensible mowing, watering, and aeration help truly care for the lawn.
Now you know a little bit more about why I feel so strongly about living green. For me it's become a way of life out of necessity. I also believe in turning obstacles into opportunities. So I share my experiences and try to help you along the way. One of the ways is by sharing some of the best green cleaning products I have found. Check them out, you'll be glad you did.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Clean Your Carpet with Green Cleaning Products
Sometimes aren't you glad when the weekend is over and you can get back to normal to rest?
This weekend I cleaned carpet, does that tell you why I'm enjoying a more normal day today? It's a big job. Not one that I do very often.
We don't have much carpet at our house because of my allergies. But what we do have is getting old and I vaccuum it very frequently and try to preserve it. Because I know there will be no new carpet in this house, too many chemicals. Just imagine what is behind that new carpet smell. You can read more about what's lurking in your carpet fibers here. It will really give you something to think about the next time your baby or pets cruise around on the new carpet.
Cleaning the carpet has been a bit of an issue here too. I can't tolerate the cleaning company's chemical potions. This weekend though I used my favorite All Purpose Green Cleaner in a carpet cleaner and the results were amazing. No harsh chemicals, no dangerous fumes and no worries about how it would affect us. Just cleaner carpet and a healthier home. Isn't that what we all want?
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Healthy Redecorating Tips
Today I want to share with you my excitement and hopefully a little education too. You see several years ago when we first had to learn to live with my chemical sensitivities I really had to work at finding products that were healthy and safe. I'm so excited now because as a society we have come so far from that point. Mainstream stores are carrying a better selection of healthy choices in foods, household items, clothing, and green cleaning products. Granted you have to be very careful with your choices to be certain the selections you make really are healthier and not just copycats jumping on the green bandwagon. But, healthy choices are so much more readily available.
I look at this time each day to share a little bit of information. My hope is that no one should be forced to make the changes that we did because of health reasons. It is my hope that you choose to make changes before your health is so effected.
One of the reasons I'm so excited today is that after many, many years of not being able to really do much redecorating in our home because of the VOC issues in paints, we are finally making several changes and it's so much fun! Seriously, we haven't painted anything or changed anything for over 10 years because of all this. But now no and low VOC paints and finishes are more widely available and more moderately priced. Yes, there have been some around for several years, but color selections were limited and expensive.
It's not just chemically sensitive people that should be using these products either. Anyone interested in healthier homes, better air quality, and being healthy should use these products. Families with children, pregnant women, elderly, allergies, asthma, compromised immune systems, all should definitely be using these low or no VOC finishes.
What do VOC's do? Cause eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system. Some organics can cause cancer in animals; some are suspected or known to cause cancer in humans. Key signs or symptoms associated with exposure to VOCs include conjunctival irritation, nose and throat discomfort, headache, allergic skin reaction, dyspnea, declines in serum cholinesterase levels, nausea, emesis, epistaxis, fatigue, dizziness.
The ability of organic chemicals to cause health effects varies greatly from those that are highly toxic, to those with no known health effect. As with other pollutants, the extent and nature of the health effect will depend on many factors including level of exposure and length of time exposed. Eye and respiratory tract irritation, headaches, dizziness, visual disorders, and memory impairment are among the immediate symptoms that some people have experienced soon after exposure to some organics. At present, not much is known about what health effects occur from the levels of organics usually found in homes. Many organic compounds are known to cause cancer in animals; some are suspected of causing, or are known to cause, cancer in humans. For more information on health effects, see EPA's Substance Registry System on VOCs.
Studies have found that levels of several organics average 2 to 5 times higher indoors than outdoors. During and for several hours immediately after certain activities, such as paint stripping, levels may be 1,000 times background outdoor levels. That's why they always recommend using finishes with adequate ventilation.
So as I get finished up here, I'm headed back outside to put the finishing touches on some end tables. I still prefer working outside, even with the no VOC products, because I can be messy. Another beautiful thing about some of these finishes--because they are water based they clean up with soap and water. It's amazing!
So if you're ready to do some redecorating, think twice. Remember too VOCs are in lots of household products too. Especially cleaning products. So if it's time to replace yours with healthier green cleaning products, try my favorites and live green for your future.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Growing or Aging
When we're children, we often think that someone who is only a year older than we are is a "LOT" older. On the other hand, someone who is my age (I turned half a century this year), may feel that people who are 10 years either side of me are "about the same age."
But, what is old?
There are two ways of aging: chronologically and biologically.
Chronological: there's nothing we can do about this one. Your chronological age starts when you're born and keeps going until your ticker stops ticking. We are what we are.
Biological: this is one we have a great deal of control over, despite our genetic makeup. This is largely a result of our lifestyle and our environment. Some of us look "younger" than our chronological age, and some of us look "older" than our chronological age (but, you've got to admit this is largely a subjective evaluation).
The signs of aging begin when we stop growing. For most of us, that's at approximately age 20. Scientists can identify four areas of cellular breakdown and aging in people this young. What can you do about it? Can you really keep from turning into your mother or father? Check out the new anti-aging breakthrough.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products, Anti-Aging
Tips From a Friend--Green Cleaning Products and More
What if your best friend gave you information that could
protect you and your family, and save you money, and help the
planet. Then imagine you were given clear, simple choices, small
changes that could have a big impact on your life. You'd pay attention wouldn't you?
Well, think of Today show contributor Sloan Barnett as that friend.
A mother of three, a dedicated consumer advocate, Sloan gives us a
fast, simple, down-to earth primer on the ways our homes are making
us sick, and what we can all do to transform them into the safe
sanctuaries we want and need them to be.
Sloan exposes the toxic truth behind the household products we use
every day -- from laundry detergent to toothpaste to lipstick. She
explains how these and other seemingly benign stuff can harm us and
our children. She offers an array of alternatives, and inspires us
to see that we're never helpless: Every day, we have the power to
make better, smarter, safer choices.
Packed with common sense, product picks and practical tips,
Green Goes With Everything is for everyone who wants to live a
healthier life. Look for this book in stores Sept. 23rd. Or order your copy hereand have it sent directly to you.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Going Green and Eating Healthier
Going Green not only is good for the planet but is so good for you too. Do you try to eat a natural diet? Do you use reusable grocery bags? Do you plan meals ahead to save time and money? Do you cook enough to have leftovers for quick time and money saving meals? Eating healthy and planning for a healthy lifestyle can save you money too. It's just another way to live green. I've talked before about economical green cleaning products and how much healthier they are for your home and the planet. All just a natural part of our lifestyle and I hope yours.
We often hear that changing our eating habits will help us improve our health and I know it does. Food in its natural for is often less calorie-dense than processed food. It usually has more nutrition and is more dense and often more fiber filled. All good things for our bodies. Also less processing, less packaging, less transportation those are all good things when you look at the big picture too.
How do you go about making the switch to a more healthy-whole food approach? Now is the perfect time to give it a try. With gardens and farmers markets producing so much, try buying local. Eat foods that are in season. Make it a goal to try one new thing a month or a week; however adventurous you may be. You could be surprised. If you don't know how to fix a new vegetable, ask the grower. People at farmer's markets are always willing to share tips with you. It can be a little scary, but it can be so worth it too! I've found wonderful new foods by experimenting. We've also had some recipes that never make it back for an encore, but you never know until you try.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Indoor Air Quality and Green Cleaning Products
Because of my multiple chemical sensitivities we live a green lifestyle. Having this obstacle forced upon us has led us to find wonderful things. Things we may not have chosen but now truly appreciate like my green cleaning products, the differences in organic foods, and bamboo sheets and socks, just to name a few. But some of our trickiest searches have been for home furnishings. We recycle, re-purpose, re-upholster, and refinish quite often. Off-gassing at our home is taken seriously, here's why.
Formaldehyde is a chemical used widely by industry to manufacture building materials and numerous office and household products. It is also a by-product of combustion and certain decay and other natural processes.
Formaldehyde has been classified as a known carcinogen by the State of California (Prop 65) and the World Health Organization (International Agency for Research on Cancer). It also has a range of other heatlh effects including being a bronchial irritant and asthma trigger and is connected to multiple chemical sensitivity. Europe and Japan have established strong standards to reduce, or in Japan's case, virtually eliminate the use of formaldehyde and its emission into buildings from some of the building materials that emit the most into our buildings.
The California Air Resources Board established new regulations in April 2007 to regulate formaldehyde emissions from composite wood products, including particle board, MDF (medium density fiberboard), and interior plywood. The two step process set limits on emissions for products manufactured after January 1, 2009 that will be roughly equivalent to the majority of the European and Japanese standards and will exceed them with stricter limits in 2010 (and 2012 for some products). These standards will not eliminate the addition of formaldehyde during product manufacture, but will make formaldehyde free alternatives much more competitive.
Composite wood products made using adhesives that contain urea-formaldehyde (UF) resins are likely the most significant source in the home according to the EPA. Wood products made for indoor use include: particleboard (used as sub-flooring and shelving and in cabinetry and furniture); hardwood plywood paneling (used for decorative wall covering and used in cabinets and furniture); and medium density fiberboard (used for drawer fronts, cabinets, and furniture tops). Medium density fiberboards generally contain the most resin of all wood products and therefore are the biggest emitters.
Other sources of formaldehyde in the home also can include smoking, clothes, upholstery and draperies (it is used for fabric treatments such as permanent press), glues, paints and other coatings, fiberglass insulation, other household products, and the use of un-vented, fuel-burning appliances, like gas stoves or kerosene space heaters. (source EPA website on Sources of Indoor Air Pollution - Formaldehyde)
Other composite wood products, such as softwood plywood and flake or oriented strandboard (OS), are produced for exterior construction use and contain the dark, or red/black-colored phenol-formaldehyde (PF) resin. As the name implies, formaldehyde is present in this type of resin also, but composite woods that contain PF resin generally emit formaldehyde at considerably lower rates than those containing UF resin.
The most widely used completely formaldehyde-free alternative resins are MDI (methylene diphenyl isocyanate) and PVA (polyvinyl acetate). Despite its name, PVA is not closely related to PVC. Without chlorine in its molecule it avoids many of the worst problems that PVC has in its lifecycle (see HBN fact sheet Sorting Out the Vinyls).
Nonetheless, while better for the user with lower emissions, both of these resins, like formaldehyde, are derived from fossil fuels and hence still have toxic chemical problems associated with their manufacture. For an analysis of the current resin binder alternatives used in lieu of formaldehyde for MDF, particleboard, and wheatboard, see Alternative Resin Binders for Particleboard, Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF), and Wheatboard. HBN encourages manufacturers to continue to explore seek safer green chemistry alternatives. Most promising alternative is the soy based adhesive Columbia Forest Products has developed for plywood called PureBond - a non toxic, renewable, and cost neutral alternative.
So as you purchase things, think carefully about what you're bringing into your home. All the little choices make a big difference. Indoor air quality does matter. From your furnishings to your green cleaning products, live green for your future.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products Help with Wallpaper Removal
It's been a disaster at our house lately. You'd think a little painting project wouldn't have the potential to tear up an entire house, but one thing leads to another and another and before you know it the mess is everywhere. At least that's how it's worked around here lately. You see with my chemical sensitivities, we don't just paint every day. We are very careful and use only no VOC paints, so it's been a while since we painted. So once we get in the mood, watch out. We like to change things, we just haven't in a while and now that the kids are all gone, we're making some changes around the house.
One of the changes I was dreading was removing a wallpaper border. Thoughts of painting the room and having to scrape and sand and all the mess that was going to be involved pushed painting the bedroom to the back burner for quite some time. We decided it was finally time to tackle it and I found handy tip to share with you. My All Purpose H green cleaning product that I use for cleaning almost everything has yet another tremendous use. Because it has the tendency to make water wetter, in my layman's terms, it really makes soaking the wallpaper off the walls a breeze. Just a couple teaspoons in a gallon of warm water, a wet rag and we were off to the races! Really, had I known it would come off in sheets like that I would have painted much earlier. My husband and I were amazed at how easy the wallpaper border came down after having hung there for the last 10 years. There was no sanding, no need for the razor blades or the friend's steamer I had tentatively made arrangements to borrow. Just a little soaking, wait a few minutes and it all peeled off in sheets.
So next time you have a wallpaper removal project, get your All Purpose H and don't despair. It's the best friend of do-it-yourselfers.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products Value
Do you just assume all that stuff in the "healthy" section of the grocery store is more expensive? I know my husband always did. That was before we had to start shopping there. Sometimes he's right, sometimes wrong. The point is, you can't always tell unless you do the math can you?
One place that always hits the budget is the cleaning product aisle. They are always so expensive. It seems like you don't get much when you head down those aisles. We quit making those aisles years ago for health reasons but the dollar savings followed too.
Some of the most expensive things you buy are to keep your home clean aren't even that healthy. Window cleaners often have harsh chemicals which can trigger asthma and other health issues for some people. Alternatives are available and are effective. Some green cleaning products are economical, some are not.
In an indepenent study conducted in Georgia, four popular window cleaners were priced to give folks a cost comparison:
It is easy to see why my green cleaning product favorite, the ">Super Concentrated All Purpose H, saves money. Besides being free of the harsh chemicals, it's a great value. It not only does windows, but just about everything else around the house.
Next time you need to shop, think first. Think safety, think value, think GREEN for your future.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Your Immune System
With kids going back to school, the pollen season hitting its prime, and cooler weather around the corner, I thought it was time to acquaint you with a few of my other favorite things. In addition to trusting a company devoted to helping people and nature for over 50 years for my green cleaning products, I trust them for nutritional support as well. Which is why now is the perfect time for me to tell you about a special product only they have available.
What if you could boost your body's own immune system naturally? Something that would continually fight off allergens, toxins, viruses, and all those pollutants and irritants that attack your immune system daily.
Every day you breathe, eat, touch, and share millions of dangerous microbes.
The scientific and medical communities have identified interferon as critical to
healthy immune function. Dr. Kojima, the world renowned immunologist who discovered interferon
in 1954, spent 40 years searching for a natural interferon booster. The result of Dr. Kojima's work is the
proprietary botanical blend in what I call my Immune-Booster, the ONLY dietary supplement in the U.S. created by the discoverer of interferon that naturally increases the production of interferon in the body. The formula for my Immune-Booster is proven by four published human clinical studies.
The formula in Immune-Booster naturally activates the production of your bodys own interferon. With its patented combination of four plant extracts, it invigorates your natural immune system and increases your resistance safely and naturally. Which is why this fall is the perfect time to mention it to you and see if it isn't time for you to begin to live green for your future.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products, Immune
Fresh Air & Green Cleaning Products
According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, indoor air quality is one of the top five environmental health concerns. Given that people spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, it's important to do what you can to reduce indoor air pollution. Poor air quality can sneak up on your without you even realizing it.
We all need to consider what we bring into our homes. Leave shoes tainted with pesticides, oil, and the like at the door instead of throughout the house. Re-purpose furniture instead of buying formaldehyde filled fiberboard furnishings that offgas. Paint with no or low-VOC products. Clean with safe ">green cleaning products. Keep humidity at moderate levels to deter mold growth.
One of the simplest things you can do is open a window. Even if it's blazing hot out, I like to open a window in the cooler mornings and just get a little fresh air in for a little bit. Just to "air things out" and turn over the air.
If it's chilly outside, you should still open a window for even five minutes a day to significantly decrease the concentrations of indoor air pollutants in your home. Most home heating and cooling systems, including forced air heating systems, do not mechanically bring fresh air into the house. So, open a window and start breathing cleaner air.
While we're on the topic of cleaner indoor air, a study conducted in late 1980s, by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) resulted in excellent news for homeowners and office workers everywhere. The study concluded that common house plants such as bamboo palms and spider plants not only make indoor spaces more attractive, they also help to purify the air!
In the study NASA and ALCA tested primarily for three chemicals: Formaldehyde, Benzene, and Trichloroethylene. Formaldehyde is used in many building materials including particle board and foam insulations. Additionally, many cleaning products contain this chemical. Benzene is a common solvent found in oils and paints. Trichloroethylene is used in paints, adhesives, inks, and varnishes.
While NASA found that some of the plants were better than others for absorbing these common pollutants, all of the plants had properties that were useful in improving overall indoor air quality. NASA also noted that some plants are better than others in treating certain chemicals. For example, English ivy, gerbera daisies, pot mums, peace lily, bamboo palm, and Mother-in-law's Tongue were found to be the best plants for treating air contaminated with Benzene. The peace lily, gerbera daisy, and bamboo palm were very effective in treating Trichloroethylene. Additionally, NASA found that the bamboo palm, Mother-in-law's tongue, dracaena warneckei, peace lily, dracaena marginata, golden pathos, and green spider plant worked well for filtering Formaldehyde. After conducting the study, NASA and ALCA came up with a list of the most effective plants for treating indoor air pollution.
The recommended plants can be found below. Note that all the plants in the list are easily available from your local nursery.
Another solution many people have turned to is filtering their indoor air. I know we have had to because of my allergies. It has made a huge difference especially at certain times. I even have travel-size air purification units I take with me everywhere because of my unique situation.
So as I get ready to go water plants, think about what's in your home, consider your air filtration needs and pull open a window!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Product Fabric Softener Alternatives
Have you ever run to the dryer and found out you forgot to add the fabric softener? Maybe you were doing your family a favor. Although they may make your clothes feel soft and smell fresh, fabric softener and dryer sheets are some of the most toxic products around. Chances are that the staggering 99.8 percent of Americans who use common commercial detergents, fabric softeners, bleaches, and stain removers would think twice if they knew they contained chemicals that could cause cancer and brain damage.
Here is a list of just some of the chemicals found in fabric softeners and dryer sheets:
So how could products with pretty names like Soft Ocean Mist, Summer Orchard and April Fresh be so dangerous?
The chemicals in fabric softeners are pungent and strong smelling -- so strong that they require the use of these heavy fragrances (think 50 times as much fragrance) just to cover up the smells. Furthermore, synthetic fabrics, which are the reason fabric softeners were created in the first place, do not smell good either when heated in a dryer or heated by our bodies ... hence the need for even more hefty fragrances.
Are "Soft" Clothes Worth It? Not to me.
Fabric softeners are made to stay in your clothing for long periods of time. As such, chemicals are slowly released either into the air for you to inhale or onto your skin for you to absorb. Dryer sheets are particularly noxious because they are heated in the dryer and the chemicals are released through dryer vents and out into the environment. Health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include:
Central nervous system disorders
Don't wrap your family in chemical-coated fabric-softened clothing or towels!
Soften Your Clothes Safely With These Tips
Even if you don't feel the effects of these chemicals today, they can affect you gradually over time, and children, whose systems are still developing, are particularly at risk. There's really no reason to expose yourself to these risky chemicals when natural alternatives exist. Not only are they safer for you, your family and the environment, but they're much more economical too:
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Flouride, Not Your Dentists' Point of View
I've been spending a lot of time at the dentist recently. Unfortunately I broke a tooth and have to have some extensive work done. Ahh the joys of popcorn! But anyway, it made me think to share something with you, something I learned several years ago on my journey to clean up our home environment.
Once I found that chemicals were causing my body so much trouble I had to learn as much as I could to help myself. One of the things I discovered was the another point of view on flouride. Let me show you in this brief video by award-winning journalist Christopher Bryson, a former producer at the BBC, discussing his book, "The Fluoride Deception".
I have also read Randall Fitzgerald's, "The Hundred-Year Lie" which also outlines the usage of flouride and the numerous physical risks and studies associated with its use.
Needless to say, we use water filtration systems and use organic toothpaste without flouride. You have to make the choice for yourself and your family. I am thankful we have so many resources and the internet available now to help us find the information. Not all of us are scientists or researchers, but we can Google! Making the best choices in your green cleaning products, water and air filtration systems, nutritional supplements, and diet we can all make great strides toward a less toxic life!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Your Eco-Footprint and Green Cleaning Products
Today is a beautiful day in central Iowa. I've used my green cleaning products for a quick refresher around the house. I've been out picking things in the garden and have made fresh apple cobbler for dinner this evening.
As thankful as I am to have room to roam in the country, I appreciate city lifestyles as well. I think we all have to do our part to protect our planet.
So as I get ready to head back outside, I found a fun little website I want to share with you. It helps us all think about how we live and our how our lifestyle affects the planet. Go ahead, take the eco-footprint quiz, see how well you do.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products & Better Health for a Longer Life
A few days ago I mentioned an exciting big announcement by the company I depend on for my green cleaning products and so much more. The Shaklee Corporation has been producing extremely high quality nutritional products for over 50 years. They have always been concerned about protecting health, that is one of the reasons I trust them for my green cleaning products.
Their latest product goes farther than just protecting our health or just another supplement. It's a patent pending breakthrough. Watch the quick video, it says it all.
If you're concerned about keeping toxins out of your home, surely you want to make sure your body is kept free and protected too. You have to see this, it's going to lengthen lives and change our future! You need to be healthy and green for your future!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products, Anti-Aging
Why Green Cleaning Products?
If you're not in the mood to read, take a quick look about how to have a healthier home and why I keep trying to educate others about my favorite green cleaning products.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Back To School with Green Cleaning Products
As I sat and looked at the morning paper, it's filled with tips and ads for back-to-school. Our children are grown, but I know lots of little ones will be heading out the door next week and back to school here.
Let me share a little bit more about me. After leaving full-time employment and not fully realizing what exactly was going on with my health, I helped out as a substitute secretary and substitute associate at our local school. I thoroughly enjoyed filling in, although the job didn't like me too much. I now know I am so sensitive to chemicals, the cleaning products and air quality in the schools was not good for my health. I had to quit subbing because I couldn't make it through the day without health problems. Sometimes they were so severe, I had to leave after only a short time there.
I have visited with school staff about my concerns and hope changes have been made. But as school begins, I always wonder if enough is being done to protect our youngsters.
Green cleaning products are available that are safe for your children in your home, their day cares and schools. Healthyschools.org is one place I have referred others to as an informational source.
Because while no one in school should be exposed to dangerous chemicals, children are especially vulnerable to environmental health hazards.
Medical research shows that childrens organ systems are still developing. They
proportionally eat, drink, and breathe more per pound of body weight than adults. Their behavior exposes them to more environmental threats and
they are least able to identify or protect themselves from hazards. Air pollutants can cause respiratory ailments such as nasal congestion, shortness of breath, wheezing or worsening of asthma, nosebleeds, a cough, or other symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes, headaches or dizziness, fatigue,
nausea, rashes, fever, muscle aches and more.
I know I personally even had to even quit attending meetings that were held in our high school library. After about an hour, my face and neck would flush, I would get very hot, I would get itchy, and had a tendency to blurt out things without thinking things through. Things I would ordinarily not say. I am effected neurologically by the various chemicals. Following the intitial outbursts and flushing, I get intestinal problems and the muscle aches and fatigue that lasts for days. I rarely go to school events indoors. I know I am very sensitive, but what about the children? They are more sensitive than adults. I wonder how many diagnosed children act like I do.
These guidelines are suggested by Healthyschools.org for schools to follow in their quest for healthier, green cleaning:
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
If you are concerned about your school or day care, share this information.
And as always, be sure you have a good start at home with your green cleaning products so you can live green for your future and the future of your children.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products and Anti-Aging! What a Company...
The same company that I trust for my green cleaning products has just announced an exciting new product I have to mention. I think you will be hearing a lot about it in the near future, not to mention hearing more about the company as they get ready to expand into China.
The same company that has been producing the wonderful green cleaning products and nutritional supplements for over 50 years just announced a huge breakthrough in anti-aging. We've all heard the about studies of red wine and it's health benefits.
If you are interested in anti-oxidants and their powerful effects on your health, you can't miss out on this new super anti-aging formula. In laboratory studies, the ingredients have been shown to impact the four key mechanisms of cellular aging. A 30-day supply delivers the equivalent amount of resveratrol found in 3,000 glasses of red wine, and the key ingredients in this compound are 10x more powerful in slowing a key mechanism of aging than resveratrol alone.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products, Anti-Aging
Not Your Mother's Green Cleaning Products
Do you ever wonder if you really need to look further than the grocery store shelves for green cleaning products? Most people trust the big companies. If you are serious about having safe, effective, green cleaning products in your home. You need to do your homework.
For example, Proctor and Gamble's new line of Pure Essentials might be "naturally inspired," but apparently P&Gs intent is to cloak the entire brand in a green guise. Essentials packaging replaces Tides dazzling, industrial-strength hues with an earth-tone tan and images of aloe and citrus. Scents including Waterlily and Jasmine, Rose & Violet, Vanilla & Lavender tempt consumers with "natural"- sounding appeal. P&G is too clever to positively assert the use of natural ingredients in Pure Essentials. To the contrary, according to the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for Tide Pure Essentials Detergents, the products are identical to conventional Tide!
So, just how environmentally impure are Pure Essentials? According to Debra Lynn Dadd, a green product advocate for over a decade, "Tide Pure Essentials are similar to Tide Simple Pleasures that is, a petrochemical detergent with some natural fragrances.."
On closer inspection, Pure Essentials:
These chemicals have some less-than-wonderful, short-term exposure effects:
Tide Pure Essentials MSDS indicates that the products concentrations of ethanolamine range from 0.5%-5%. Is that level high enough to be considered corrosive? To get a definitive answer, youd need data on consumer usage, exposure, the size of the room that the washing machine is in, etc. Regardless of the concentration, ethanolamine does not belong in a product that implies that its "natural" and seeks to attract consumers who are trying to do the right thing for their families and the environment.
Procter and Gamble does deserves credit for reducing the packaging materials for products like Tide Coldwater, which also cuts energy consumption by not requiring hot water. Like most big companies, their efforts around sustainability might generously be described as still a work in progress. But think about it: last year, the consumer-products giant racked up more than $68 billion in revenues. Wouldn't it be nice if the company your mother always trusted could help change entire industries and authentically champion sustainability instead of leaving us so confused.
I'm thankful I have found effective, economical green cleaning products that I can trust and safely use. Sorry Mom, no more Tide for me. It's made me sick for years.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products and Chlorine
I never gave much thought about all the chlorine we come in contact with every day until I learned why I was having hot flashes. Are you aware how much your skin absorbs daily? Showering or bathing would cause me to severely sweat. Drinking tap water all day I was having hot flashes, although the doctors told me I was not really having hot flashes, yet they could clearly see I was in my 20s. Amazingly how much better I felt when I made changes with filtration and switched to green cleaning products. I always just thought you only used bleach when you wanted to whiten something, boy was I naive.
Because I have such a sensitivity to chlorine, I don't swim in pools, don't bathe or shower without filters, don't drink water without filtration, and certainly can't use bleach-laden cleaning products, I'm always interested in learning what's being studied about the effects of this chemical. What I found recently I thought I'd share.
On a talk by Bill Morrissey, Clorox's vice president of sustainability, at the recent "Sustainable Brands" conference in Monterey, California. Morrissey told the audience of 600 people that the environmental community has misunderstood the wonders and safety of chlorine. His description would lead one to believe that chlorine is one of the worlds most benign chemicals. I know otherwise as do many, many others. Do a little research folks.
A headline in the U.K.'s Daily Mail this summer reads, "Chlorine doubles the rate of birth defects." The article goes on to report, "Pregnant women living in areas where tap water is heavily disinfected with chlorine nearly double their risk of having children with heart problems, a cleft palate, or major brain defects, a new study has found. "Scientists say expectant mothers can expose themselves to the higher risk by drinking the water, taking a bath or shower, or even by standing close to a boiling kettle. The danger comes from chemical by-products in chlorinated water known as trihalomethanes, or THMs, which can be absorbed through the skin. They can then pass into the womb. "Earlier studies linked chlorinated water to an increased risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, birth defects and bladder cancer. But this is the first time that the risk has been narrowed down to specific birth defects."
The journal, Environmental Health, published the full study. I encourage you to look it over. It appears to be very impartial.
One reason I point this out is that you are exposed to chlorine so frequently without even realizing it. Opening your dishwasher is another time you get that blast unless you are using safe, green cleaning products. Laundry care is not the only time you need to be careful with bleaching products. Chlorine is everywhere. There are alternatives. Safe green cleaning products as well as water filtration products are available to protect you and your family.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
"Blind Men" Green Cleaning Product Performance Test
I have had a house full of company this past week which meant the washer and dishwasher got an extra workout. Our family jumped from two to seven and the dishwasher seemed to be always running.
My husband was putting dishes away one time and wondered what happened to the dishes. Many of them had to be re-washed. I got a kick out of it. He actually noticed!
My son-in-law had loaded the dishwasher and started it while we were out. Bless his heart he was trying, but when we came back he said he had a terrible time finding the dish washing "stuff" it was clear in the back under the sink. Yeah because I don't use that one any more, it doesn't work and I just haven't gotten rid of it. It was one of those other off-brand green cleaning products I tried and used for a while till I found something much better.
The problem my son-in-law was having was packaging. He was looking for the big plastic bottle or the box. Mine comes in a little bag. More concentrated, less waste. I had plenty, he just didn't look at the good green cleaning products.
Nothing like a blind "men" in the house test to prove the performance of my Concentrated Dishwasher Detergent.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Iowa State Fair and Green Cleaning Products for You
My family and I spent the entire day at the Iowa State Fair yesterday. In fact we were part of a world record setting group of 8,400 people who all ate corn dogs at the same time. It's just one of the many special events our state fair organizes which propel it to top ranking in the nation. Really, I think it made somebody's bucket list of the top 100 things to do in the US.
As we perused the displays and advertisers wares I noticed more and more green products for the home, everything from reflecting insulation blankets for attics, recycling-reuse home centers, wind energy displays, recycling displays for children, insulation, windows, organic producers, cleaning systems, and the list went on and on. It seems everyone had a special green twist. Some were even giving away reusable shopping bags instead of the old standby plastic ones.
Of course, having been forced into the green lifestyle many years ago, I am thrilled that people are finally catching on and educating consumers regarding the options available. I have done my own homework and made choices for my family over the years. Part of why I write is to help you make better choices for your family and help you live green for your future.
Some of the easiest choices you can make can have a huge impact on your home, health and budget. The weird little light bulbs, CFLs, save your electric bill dramatically. In addition you dont have to change them nearly as often. Yes initially they do cost more, but the savings in the long run are enormous especially if you figure in all the intangibles. The things you cant see like the benefits to our planet if we all change to them, the less energy we would all consume, the fewer old-style bulbs produced and all that entails, shipping, packaging, etc. It all adds up.
Another of the simple choices I know make an enormous impact on our health, because they have on mine, is food choices. Pesticides and insecticides are so prevalent in our food system, making a few organic choices makes a huge difference. Do a web search and just seek out the top ten highest sprayed fruits and vegetables. If you just switch over to organics on those items, you will spend a little more, but will do you and your family a world of good.
The other area where you can make a major impact in your efforts to go green is with your cleaning. Excellent green cleaning products are available. Some have been around for over 40 years and have a well-respected reputation. People who are around cleaning products the most, usually women and children, have had a large increase in asthma and respiratory issues in the last 20 years. Is it just a coincidence?
Based on the level of green interest I witnessed at the fair yesterday, Id say were becoming more aware of our surroundings and maybe caring a little more. Im rejoicing and hoping you take a step to live green for your future.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products & Poison Ivy
I've been telling you about one of my favorite green cleaning products, All Purpose H and some of it's common uses. We love it around our house for so many reasons, it's so concentrated and economical to use. It can be mixed to use on the windows and leaves no streaking. It's great for the bathroom, tile, kitchen, floors, car, and I could go on and on.
But today I have to share my husband's favorite use for All Purpose H. Let me first start with the whole story. He has been cutting brush lately, cleaning out along fence rows and around the property. He detests poison ivy, but it loves him. He can get it I swear just by looking at the stuff.
He's tried all kinds of herbal products to prevent the oil in the poison ivy from getting to his skin and bothering him and he always showers immediately after coming in the house to try to prevent the rash. He usually ends up with a terrible case of poison ivy somewhere though.
Lately he's found relief. He uses a little drop of the All Purpose H to thoroughly wash his skin where he has been in contact with the poison ivy. Followed by a shower and miraculously, no poison ivy. It's worked for him the last two weeks while he's been on a roll clearing fence rows. He has no poison ivy and that's almost a miracle at our house. So he's really a believer in the power of All Purpose H, not just for all our green cleaning needs, but for poison ivy prevention.
The cleaning and degreasing power of this product is proven over and over on greasy grills, driveways, floors, and now poison ivy oils. How's that for green cleaning products?
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products for Building Green TV
Building Green TV checked with Sloan Barnett, Today Show green contributor, about green cleaning products for their green home. She talked about protecting her family's health in this video. Isn't that what we all want?
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products New vs. Original
Seventy-one percent of U.S. companies have adopted a green design approach when it comes to their products, and 83 percent say they factor environmental matters into their strategic decisions, according to the "How Mature Is the Green Supply Chain? report by BearingPoint, a management-and-technology consulting firm.
The recently released report, based on a survey of more than 600 professionals from companies in a variety of business sectors, looked at how companies are reacting to the growing green awareness in this country and abroad. It's no surprise that companies are trying to capitalize on the increasing consumer knowledge of things green by introducing claimed eco-friendly products, including household cleaners.
Hold on a minute, one of my green cleaning products, All Purpose H, was originally introduced in 1960. This biodegradable all purpose cleaner has been used in healthy homes for nearly 50 years. Way before the others were going green or capitalizing on the trend. The company has always believed that if you follow the laws of nature you'll never go wrong. They take stringent measures to keep out pesticides, contaminants and other toxins that simply don't belong in the products and never test on animals. The company was the first in the world to be certified Climate Neutral, which means it operates with a net zero impact on the earth. The world headquarters campus is a renowned model for environmental responsibility. Recycling is a high priority as well and is reflected not only in the packaging but by their use of over one ton of recycled cardboard daily. Do you suppose they are capitalizing on the increasing consumer knowledge of things green? No, they are walking the walk. The green cleaning products available at live.green foryourfuture.com are the real deal, green before green was trendy.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
How Much Water is in Your Green Cleaning Product
How much of what you buy at the store is water? Not the bottled drinking kind, but the added kind.
Did you know when you buy many common cleaners a lot of what you're buying is water, added water? Companies add water to make their products look bigger, so you will purchase more of them and their profits will increase. It's true of multi-purpose cleaners, window cleaners, and laundry products.
The green cleaning products I prefer, the All Purpose H, the Super Concentrated Dishwashing Liquid, the Laundry Concentrate and Softener, have no added water. They are all concentrated products that you add water to at home. Adding your water saves you money, saves packaging, and saves shipping, which we all know right now costs a fortune. Just because the bottles are smaller, don't think that the power isn't in there. Ounce for ounce, there's a whole lot more cleaning in the smaller bottles and a whole lot more bang for your buck.
Besides having fewer toxic chemicals and being packaged so eco-friendly, these green cleaning products are tough on dirt. You don't have to sacrifice clean to cut down on the packaging and waste. You can have it all with green cleaning products--great cleaning power, minimal packaging, less impact on our planet, and a great value for your dollar. Isn't it time you live green for your future?
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products To Your Door
When you hear the words "green cleaning products," what comes to mind? Seventh Generation? Ecover? Method? Clorox? Or do you consider a direct sales company of natural nutrition and personal care products and environmentally friendly household cleaners?
*In 1960, Dr. Forrest Shaklee's company strived to "follow the laws of nature and you'll never go wrong," and introduced All Purpose H, one of the first nontoxic, biodegradable green cleaning products. It is highly concentrated, so it requires far less packaging than rival products.
*In the 1970s, the company removed phosphates from its laundry detergents, even as other manufacturers fought state and local bans on the chemicals. Many detergents today still contain phosphates, which can lead to buildup of foul-smelling algae in lakes and rivers.
*In 2000, before General Electric created "Ecomagination" or Wal-Mart embraced sustainability, the company went "carbon neutral" and offset its greenhouse gas emissions. The company built windmills and solar panels to generate emissions-free energy.
On a more global scale, the company partners with the 2004 Nobel Peace laureate, Dr. Wangari Maathai, and her grass roots group, called the Green Belt Movement. The company is backing Maathai's efforts to plant 1 billion trees around the world, using its distributors to spread the word. More than half of the company's distributors work outside the United States, most in Asia.
Daniel Esty, a Yale professor and co-author of "Green to Gold," speaks very highly about our company's innovation and how sound environmental practices are creating value for the company and independent business owners.
Isn't it time you think about living green for your future and making the switch to a leader in green cleaning products?
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products for Your Dishwasher
I have to share a little bit about another of my favorite green cleaning products, one that I was thrilled to find. Because of my sensitivities washing dishes in the dishwasher was a challenge. Are you aware of all the chlorine in most dishwashing detergents? I am and had trouble using them. I was always washing dishes by hand too because the harsh chemicals and abrasives in commercial dishwashing detergents etched the glasses. So if I wanted the glasses to stay nice, I had to handwash the "good" glasses.
I had tried all kinds of dishwashing detergents from the health food store. Nothing seemed to satisfy us. The glasses were foggy or you about had to wash the dishes first before they would get clean.
With my green dishwashing concentrate I now have something that truly works! You don't have to wash the dishes before you put them in, you don't even have to rinse them if you don't want to. It doesn't etch the glasses, it doesn't have the chlorine, no phosphates to clog the rivers and streams, and it uses biodegradable surfactants. It's gentle on your dishes and just leaves a sparkle, no film.
It's so concentrated you use one little pouch of the green dishwashing concentrate for 48 loads, the same as two and a half boxes of Cascade's 45 oz. box. Making for even better performance at a better price. Less packaging is better for our environment too. Good deal all the way around.
You too should live green for your future, the choices are so much better!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products Convert
I admit I'm old fashioned. I never thought I'd ever really need cleaning wipes that come in the pop-top containers and reminded me of baby wipes. I thought it was wasteful when you could always use a cloth and wash it and reuse it. But wow, I tried them and sometimes, they are really handy. I don't feel so wasteful either because the green cleaning products I use offer recyclable wipes. Are yours?
I can clean up my desk and the keyboard on my trusty computer, without all the spray or bulky rags and when finished toss it in the recycling pile. They get a real workout in the bathroom, the car, and all over the kitchen. They are even sturdy enough for the outdoor furniture. All because the All Purpose H cleaner is so versatile it cleans everything. I can even use them on the bathroom mirror if I polish them with a dry cloth afterwards. Then proceed to clean the rest of the bathroom with the same wipe. It's perfect for that quick 10 minute little freshen up that's needed between deep cleanings.
These wipes are large, sturdy 7" x 8" wipes made from sustainable ingredients derived from natural sources like coconut. They are biodegradable and contain no phosphates or dyes. They cut through dirt, grease and grime and leave no residue, streaks or smears. They even help prevent fogging.
The best part about the All Purpose H wipes is what they don't have in my opinion. They don't have hormone disruptors, neurotoxins, nasal, respiratory, eye or skin irritants. These green cleaning products leave all those chemicals out which can cause damage to liver and kidneys.
The All Purpose H wipes are fragrance free, mild on your hands, contain no chlorine bleach, and are ph balanced. They are tough on grease and have out performed some of the best selling competitors products in independent testing. They are also backed by a satisfaction guarantee and a company with over 50 years of working towards helping customers become healthier. Making them the most reputable green cleaning products available. See for yourself at live.greenforyourfuture.com
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Summer Fun and Green Cleaning Products?
I don't know about where you live, but here in Central Iowa it's blazing hot. Especially when you live on gravel and it's hot, a fun chore around here can be washing the car. The cars are always dirty and the hose is always a great way to cool off. Wash the car, get the kids involved!
You don't even need all those expensive car care items from the store. Just a little All Purpose H will do the car, the windows and the inside of the car. Oh the power of concentration! See for yourself how much fun green cleaning products and a dirty car can be.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Biodegradable: A Green Cleaning Product Legacy
Today I visited with a woman about my life and my work from home. As we were comparing notes, I told her I had found wonderful green cleaning products which were safe for me to use, even with all of my sensitivities. The products are produced by a company focused on helping people and our planet. As I was telling her about the items, she began to laugh. She told me that years and years ago she was introduced to these green cleaning products and that was the first time she had ever heard the term "biodegradable". She told me they were green before green was cool. What a testimony!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Make the Green Leap Try Green Cleaning Products and the Basics First
Despite our best intentions, sometimes trying to go green can fill people with the same kind of dread usually reserved for starting a new diet. How far do you have to go? Is it expensive? And is all this effort really going to make a difference? Faced with an arm-length list of questions, it can be tempting to dump your newly created pile of recyclables in the nearest trash can. But dont. You can get the straight-up answers on how to live a realistic eco-friendly life.
The answers on the label. If it says earth-safe, cruelty-free, or natural, you should be skeptical until you read the ingredients, says Diane MacEachern, author of Big Green Purse. These terms arent verified, so any company can use them. Look for products that have a label that proves the claim is certified by a third-party organization: Common ones include Energy Star for appliances, the Leaping Bunny for cosmetics and personal-care products, and USDA/Organic for foods. If the product isnt certified, check its ingredients. Products that contain ingredients with recognizable names (instead of hard-to-pronounce chemical compounds) are probably better for the earth than their counterparts, suggests MacEachern. You can find products like this at live.greenforyourfuture.com
In addition, try to go green with products your family consumes regularly, recommends Sophie Uliano, author of Gorgeously Green. In general, the best things to buy green are household cleaners, baby food, dairy products, meat, poultry, and rice and corn products. And since apples, strawberries, peaches, spinach, green beans, and potatoes tend to be heavily treated with pesticides, Uliano recommends purchasing organic versions whenever possible.
So if you're thinking about going green, take the basic steps. Make the choice and as you need to replace items, make healthier, green choices. Little by little, it will become a habit you will feel good about.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products: Common Scents
For years I have been educating my friends and family about scented products and some of their dangers. All because I cope daily with the dramatic effects of chemicals and my body. When I first began telling people what was wrong with me years ago they looked at me like I was an alien. Now as more and more people are becoming informed about the chemicals in our society, Im not seen quite as much as a freak as I once was. I truly enjoy seeing mainstream media articles about the subject. I think it is our obligation to educate others and help prevent illness in our children. I do not want others to learn too late like I did. I also think our environment will benefit if we get back to the way nature intended.
This is one of the primary reasons I have been focusing on green cleaning products. Safe, effective products are available, you just have to be very careful and do your homework.
Today my husband was reading the morning paper and came across an article on the front page of one of our newspapers sections. Which I have included for your information. I was tickled to see that what I have been telling people for years was again verified by someone with a whole lot more education than I have. Yet another reason to go green and switch to green cleaning products.
Common Scents Contain Toxins
The fumes that waft from top-selling air fresheners and laundry products contain dozens of chemicals, including several classified as toxic or hazardous, according to a University of Washington study published today.
By Sandi Doughton
The fumes that waft from top-selling air fresheners and laundry products contain dozens of chemicals, including several classified as toxic or hazardous, says a University of Washington study published today.
None of the chemicals was listed on product labels, nor does the federal government require companies to disclose ingredients in fragrances, said study author Anne Steinemann.
"I was surprised by both the number and the potential toxicity of the chemicals that were found," said Steinemann, a professor of civil and environmental engineering and public affairs.
The health effects of the chemicals are unclear, but Steinemann launched her analysis after years of fielding complaints from people who said air fresheners and other household products made them dizzy, left them short of breath or caused headaches, seizures or asthma attacks.
"After you hear about a hundred of these stories, you realize there's something going on," she said.
The report is the latest in a string of unsavory news reports about consumer products, from the presence of lead in children's toys to the discovery of hormone-disrupting compounds in plastics and baby lotions.
Steinemann's study focused on six widely used products: dryer sheets, fabric softener, laundry detergent, a liquid spray air freshener, a plug-in air freshener, and a solid disc deodorizer used in commercial-airplane toilets. A contract laboratory sealed each product inside a container, then used two types of instruments to identify chemicals emitted into the air.
Collectively, the six products gave off nearly 100 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including acetone the eye-stinging ingredient in nail-polish remover and paint thinner. (VOCs are compounds that vaporize easily, like paint and gasoline fumes. Many VOCs are know to be harmful.)
The study didn't report the levels of individual chemicals, but all six of the products emitted at least one substance the federal government classifies as toxic or hazardous.
Among them are three chemicals the Environmental Protection Agency considers "hazardous air pollutants" with no safe exposure levels: acetaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, both likely human carcinogens; and methyl chloride, which has been linked to liver, kidney and nervous-system damage in animals.
A spokeswoman for the Fragrance Materials Association of the United States, an industry group, said all ingredients are tested for safety and the results reviewed by independent scientists.
"We are certain that, when used in compliance with standards, these fragrance ingredients are safe and can be used ... with confidence," Cathy Cook said in a written statement.
For most healthy adults, slight exposure to toxic or hazardous chemicals is probably not much of a health concern, said Lance Wallace, a retired EPA scientist who is collaborating with Steinemann. But up to 30 percent of people are sensitive to perfumes and other fragrances, he pointed out.
Studies in Denmark and the U.S. have confirmed that even healthy male college students report headaches, eye irritation and other effects when exposed to a mix of volatile organic compounds.
When Steinemann and a colleague surveyed more than 2,000 people in 2004 and 2005, they found 20 percent were in some way sickened by air fresheners. For those with asthma, the figures were nearly twice as high: Up to 37 percent reported headaches or trouble breathing.
Studies conducted by the industry-funded Research Institute for Fragrance Materials have generally reported few health effects.
Children are more sensitive to chemical exposure than adults, said Steve Gilbert, founder of Toxipedia.org, a clearinghouse on toxic chemicals. And people are usually exposed to a stew of substances, which may interact in unknown ways.
"At the very minimum, we should have a right to know what is in these products," said Gilbert, a Seattle toxicologist who was not involved in the study.
Manufacturers are not required to list the ingredients used in air fresheners, laundry products or most other consumer products, Steinemann said in her study, published in the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review.
"There needs to be more testing of these products and greater disclosure ... so that people know what they're being exposed to," she said.
Steinemann wouldn't name the specific products tested, partly out of fear of industry lawsuits. She also said it would be unfair to single out specific companies at this point. A larger analysis, which looked at 25 different products, found many other brands contain similar chemicals. The second study is under review and will be published next year.
Her advice for people who want to reduce their exposure is to avoid use of air fresheners and buy fragrance-free laundry products.
But even that's no guarantee, she pointed out. Some products marketed as "unscented" or "fragrance-free" actually contain the same chemicals as scented products with the addition of a "masking fragrance" that cancels out the smell.
And many products labeled "natural" or "organic" also contain some of the same chemicals.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products: Make the Switch
If you think of your home as a haven from pollution, I've got some bummer news. Levels of pollutants in indoor air can be from two to more than 100 times higher than outdoors, according to the U.S. EPA. That indoor pollution is due in large part to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that evaporate, or "offgas," from home decorating and cleaning products.
So if the weather cooperates, step one for green cleaners is: Open a window and let those pollutants out! Yet even in the spring and summer, when a vase of daffodils can fill a room with a lovely natural scent, many consumers stubbornly keep using synthetic room fresheners and fragranced cleaning products that are full of VOCs and other toxic chemicals. These can make our indoor air unhealthy, provoke skin, eye, and respiratory reactions, and harm the natural environment.
Take those so-called air fresheners. According to a study published in New Scientist in 1999, in homes where aerosol sprays and air fresheners were used frequently, mothers experienced 25 percent more headaches and were 19 percent more likely to suffer from depression, and infants under six months of age had 30 percent more ear infections and 22 percent higher incidence of diarrhea.
In choosing alternatives, you need to be alert to greenwashing. "Just because a product says it's natural doesn't mean it's nontoxic," says the CEO of Seventh Generation, which produces genuinely eco-friendly cleaning supplies and household products. The word "natural" is undefined and unregulated by the government and can be applied to just about anything under the sun -- including plastic, which comes from naturally occurring petroleum. Because no standards exist, claims such as "nontoxic," "eco-safe," and "environmentally friendly" are also meaningless, according to Consumers Reports' Eco-labels website.
Instead of being taken in by slogans, David Steinman, coauthor of The Safe Shopper's Bible, advises looking at labels for specific, eco-friendly ingredients that also perform effectively. These include grain alcohol instead of toxic butyl cellosolve as a solvent; coconut or other plant oils rather than petroleum in detergents; and plant-oil disinfectants such as eucalyptus, rosemary, or sage, rather than triclosan.
If you're in the mood to detoxify, getting rid of germs doesn't have to mean overkill: This is your home, not a hospital. In 2000, cleaning products were responsible for nearly 10 percent of all toxic exposures reported to the U.S. poison control centers, accounting for more than 206,000 calls, over half of which concerned children under the age of six. The most acutely or immediately hazardous cleaning products are corrosive drain cleaners, oven cleaners, acidic toilet-bowl cleaners, and anything containing chlorine or ammonia (which should never be combined).
Read on to get the dirt on various conventional products and ingredients and their eco-friendly alternatives. With a little effort, you can make your home a truly clean haven rather than a chemical storage tank.
Dish Detergents, Laundry Detergents, and All-Purpose Cleaners
Problems:
The fragrances in detergents and fabric softeners can contain phthalates, chemicals that have been linked to cancer and reproductive-system harm in animal lab tests. Fragrances may also trigger asthma and allergic reactions, with symptoms including skin and respiratory irritation, headaches, and watery eyes. Although phosphates, which choke waterways, are no longer used in most dish and laundry soaps, they can be found in dishwasher detergents. Phosphates are highly caustic and can be fatal if swallowed.
Other ingredients turn dangerous when combined: Diethanolamine and triethanolamine can react with nitrites (an often undisclosed preservative) to form carcinogenic nitrosamines.
Solutions:
To remove stains from clothing, try soaking fabrics in water mixed with borax, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, washing soda, or white vinegar. Or, look for "non-chlorine bleach" made from sodium percarbonate or sodium perborate available at live.greenforyourfuture.com.
Fabric can be softened by adding one-quarter cup of baking soda to the wash cycle; this recently worked on several pairs of catalog-bought cargo pants made of a cardboard-stiff cotton that literally scraped a teenager's skin. A quarter cup of white vinegar will also soften fabric, as well as eliminate cling. You can also find safe fabric softening products at live.greenforyourfuture.com.
Antibacterial Soaps and Cleansers, Bleach, Stain Removers, Disinfectants, Glass Cleaners, and Bathroom Scouring Powders (Whew!)
Problems
Chlorine bleach, a common disinfectant frequently found in scouring powders and cleaning solutions, is highly caustic, meaning it can burn skin and eyes -- plus it can be fatal if swallowed. When it travels from your drain into the natural world, it can create organochlorines, which are suspected carcinogens as well as reproductive, neurological, and immune-system toxins. And be warned: Bleach (also known as sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide) should never be mixed with any product containing ammonia or quaternium compounds. Doing so creates highly toxic chlorine gas. Many conventional scouring powders and cleaning solutions contain chlorine bleach.
Instead of using antibacterial soap, Karp recommends thorough hand-washing (about two minutes' worth) with plain soap and warm water.
The only foolproof way to kill food-borne pathogens such as salmonella or E coli is to use hot, soapy water to wash all cutting boards, dishes, knives, and surfaces that have touched raw meat or eggs.
Scrubbing sinks, tubs, and countertops with a paste of baking soda and water effectively removes dirt rings and some stains; if that doesn't work, my favorite is Scouring Paste available at live.greenforyourfuture.com.
For cleaning windows, fill your own spray bottle with water and either one-quarter cup white vinegar or one tablespoon lemon juice to cut grease. Safer commercial glass cleaners are made by Shaklee and available through your Independent Shaklee Distributor.
Drain, Oven, and Toilet-Bowl Cleaners
Problems
Solutions
Furniture and Metal Polishes
Problems
Solutions
As your grandmother probably knows, silver can be kept clean with toothpaste. Copper can be polished using a cloth dipped in white vinegar or lemon juice with salt dissolved in it; just rinse with water when you're done. You can shine your brass with a paste made from one teaspoon salt, one cup white vinegar, and one cup flour.
Air Fresheners and Other Perfumed Products.
Problems
Solutions
Finally,I cannot stress enough that you should avoid aerosol sprays in any product, as they disperse ingredients through the air and make them easy to inhale. Even nontoxic ingredients can irritate eyes, noses, and lungs. Carelessly shaken powders can also spread through the air and cause irritation.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Product Contents
Are you sure what you're cleaning house with is really safe for you?
What if you could find non-toxic, natural green cleaning products that dont contain any of these harmful ingredients:
What if those green cleaning products were delivered to your home, less expensive than those you purchase at the store, and more effective? Its a no brainer. Saving the earth and saving you money. Live.greenforyourfuture.com
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products: The "Dirt" on Alternatives
If youve been channel surfing recently, youve probably seen all kinds of do-it-yourself shows. From pimping your ride to building your own pool, it seems like you can make almost anything yourself these days. But what about green cleaning products? Its a fact that cleaning dirty surfaces in your home requires safe and effective household cleaning products. If you need something clean, chances are youll find a product that was specially formulated to get the job done.
The recent do-it-yourself trend is inspiring many people to brew at home, avoiding commercially made household cleaners in favor of home-brewed products that they believe are safer for the environment or less expensive. Everyone wants to save money, with gas and grocery prices soaring. Plus it feels good to do something healthy for the planet, but are homemade alternatives really the answer? Sometimes I'm not so sure.
An alternative cleaner is a cleaning product that is not commercially produced. Usually, these products are made at home using ingredients that are supposedly safer or more effective than the ones you find on store shelves. But, despite what you may have heard, safe and unsafe has more to do with how you use a product than what is in a product.
Some alternative cleaners use common household ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, or lemon juice. While vinegar and lemon juice certainly dont pose a threat to you or your family, these ingredients are not quite as effective as commercially produced cleaners or as convenient. First you have to mix your own concoction in an unmarked container versus using a ready-to-use product with use directions. Next the resulting mixture may produce an odor, require you to work harder or use more of the product to accomplish the same result as a commercially formulated product, and may leave a sticky residue behind. Your alternative product may be simpler but may not be as effective or as convenient as a commercial product.
Some other types of homebrewed cleaners can create potentially unsafe circumstances in your home. It is never a good idea to use commercially produced cleaners to create your own super cleaners. I have tried this and have learn from my mistakes! Even if you dozed a little during chemistry class, you probably remember learning about chemicals and their properties what they are made of, what they do, and how they react with other chemicals. You probably also recall being warned about unsafe combinations. The same goes for cleaning products. For example, if you mix a bleach-based cleaner with an acid-based cleaner (like tub and tile cleaner), you will create chlorine gas, which can make you sick or even kill you.
Commercial cleaners are made of many different chemicals, and experimenting with them should be left to the experts, who know whats safe to combine.
Lets compare the facts and see how commercial products and the alternatives measure up.
Commercial products are tested and created to meet strict government safety standards. Testing ensures that the chemicals are compatible and will remain stable over time.
Alternative cleaners are not tested or held to any standards. Even some of the most common home-made mixtures may not be stable for storage and could even become breeding grounds for bacteria. Even some common homemade mixtures can be unstable by releasing gas and building up pressure in a closed container.
Child-resistant packaging on commercially produced products helps protect your familys safety.
Home-brewed products are not stored in child resistant containers, posing an unintentional exposure hazard to young children. Natural ingredients like Borax have been suggested for all kinds of household cleaning purposes, but it can still be harmful if ingested.
Commercial products are manufactured with quality control procedures. That means that theyve been checked and double-checked for proper ingredients in correct amounts, and they are packaged in safe and appropriate containers.
Home-made mixtures are not quite as consistent. You may get a slightly different concoction and slightly different results every time.
Commercially formulated cleaners include clearly written instructions and detailed precautionary information for safe use. Warning labels let you know about potential hazards and how to avoid them.
Home-brewed cleaners, which are not professionally labeled, do not provide information about the product, its ingredients, or proper use and safety. Believe me, that magic marker you used to write on the bottle will run and it makes it hard to remember just what is in which bottle.
Commercial cleaners are tested to make sure that they are compatible with items in your home. They have also been tested to ensure that they are safe for the environment during use and disposal.
Untested homemade mixtures may have unforeseen consequences, such as damaging your kitchen counters or stripping the finish from your brand new wood floors. Mistakes can be costly! Their effect on the environment may be unknown.
Labels on commercial products include first aid and medical information. The ingredients in these products are well-known to poison control centers, which are therefore able to give sound treatment advice. They even include 1-800 numbers for accidental ingestion or misuse.
Unlabeled alternative products have no warnings or ingredient lists. Emergency treatment could be difficult, since poison control centers do not have product information ahead of time. Digging out your recipe while upset about an ill child could be a problem.
Commercial products are carefully tested and evaluated for their effectiveness. In addition, products designed to address health issues (like antimicrobials, and pest management products) are subject to strict government-imposed efficacy testing requirements.
Home brews are not evaluated by anyone, and are not as safely effective as commercial products. The lack of testing and standards can produce inferior results and even create unsafe conditions at home.
Many alternative cleaners are not as effective as store-bought cleaners, and some of them may become unstable over time. If you need a do-it-yourself project, try repainting a room in your house or building something in the backyard. Or you could always clean something. But remember that a healthy environment starts with responsible use of any product. If you want to go green, try the choice I have made after learning the hard way that home-brews aren't the best choice. Visit live.greenforyourfuture.com and get high-quality green cleaning products that are effective, safe, economical and healthy for your home and our world.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products: Why Alternatives?
Some of the worst culprits contributing to environmental pollution are found right under our noses. Petroleum-based household cleaners in particular can contribute to air and water pollution in our homes as well as during manufacture and disposal. Consumers are sometimes concerned about potential environmental and health problems stemming from their use as well. Alternatives to petroleum-based cleaners are available and are just as effective.
Vegetable-based detergents containing acetic or citric acids have been used for centuries and are based on renewable resources, can biodegrade quickly, and are gentle on the environment. In addition, consider using safe concentrated cleaning products (usually you need a fraction of the amount you would with other products). In addition, seek out bulk packaging that is environmentally sound and cost-effective.
A Google search will yield all kinds of green cleaning product information. You must be vigilant in making choices for your family.
Labels contain information on many different ingredients in the products we purchase to cleen our homes. Let this information guide you in your search for safe, effective, green cleaning products for your home.
Ammonia is toxic when inhaled in concentrated vapors and is considered a hazardous waste. Ammonia is found in all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners, laundry detergents, and metal polishes.
Chlorinated cleaners can be especially toxic. Some cleaners contain dioxin, a known carcinogen that can build up in the food chain is stored in fat, and is believed to affect the endocrine system. Chlorinated materials are used in bleach, dishwasher detergent, and toilet bowl cleaners.
Glycol ether is a central nervous system depressant and can poison the kidney or liver. It is often found in all-purpose cleaners and some laundry detergents.
Lye or Sodium Hydroxide is in most oven cleaners and is a corrosive poison and hazardous waste.
Oxalic acid is caustic and corrosive to skin and mucus membranes. It is commonly added to cleanser, toilet bowl cleaners and metal polishes.
Petroleum-based detergents contain neurotoxins and central nervous system depressants. Exotic sounding chemicals like nonyl phenol and alkyl phenol ethoxylates (APEs) are found in detergents, furniture polish, cosmetic and household cleaners, and contain environmental impurities that contribute to pollution.
Phosphates are added to dishwashing and laundry detergents because it acts as a water softener. Phosphates are released into the environment through waste water, and are not removed by sewage treatment systems. Phosphates can cause algae overgrowth and suffocation of aquatic life.
Safe, effective, nature-based green cleaning products are available. Products guaranteed by a company with a solid reputation for putting people's health first for over 50 years. See for yourself at live.greenforyourfuture.com
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products: Quiz
I've often talked about the need to use green cleaning products in your home. Green cleaning products are often times a better value, perform as well or better than conventional cleaners, and are a much healthier choice for you and your family. Cleaning products are just one of the ways we can go green and reduce the toxins in our everyday life.
Take this fun little quiz and learn more about other ways to reduce toxin risks.
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Clean Home, Healthy Home with Green Cleaning Products
A clean home is a healthy home. Weekly dusting and
vacuuming can help to elimate many health hazards
in the home.
When cleaning, pay particular attention to
areas where moisture and condensation collect, such
as under sinks, near toilets, and around bathtubs.
Reducing
clutter is also an important part of a maintaining
a clean house. Too much clutter allows dust to accumulate
and creates hiding spaces for
cockroaches and other pests. Mites,
molds, and other allergens can be
controlled through managing the
indoor environment, especially keeping
humidity under 50 percent. Some
ways to limit the growth of mold and
mildew in your home include: monthly
cleaning or replacing of your heating and air conditioning
filters, using dehumidifiers, keeping windows open when
outside conditions allow, and using fans to increase
ventilation.
Cleaning products themselves can contribute
to an unhealthy and unsafe home. Many household
cleaners may be poisonous to young children, even in
small quantities.
Green cleaning products are better choices to make your clean home even healthier.
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Green Cleaning Products: Smarter Choice for Your Laundry
We live in the Midwest and right now it feels downright tropical with all the heat and humidity. Some of the kids last night at a church softball game were playing and ended up really muddy and grass stained. Made me think back to the days when our son would come home smeared with grass stain and mud from four-wheeling or football. Oh those were the days of smelly laundry. I remember one time when he left his football practice gear in the trunk of his car from Thursday until late Sunday evening. Wow if that didn't take some airing out!
I remember struggling to get his baseball and football pants white. All that soaking and scrubbing. One mother recommended using dishwasher detergent, another had a different blend concocted, none of which were too healthy. Have you ever stood over dishwasher detergent and scrubbed football pants? The chlorine smell was horrible and unhealthy! I wish I had known then what I know now. I could have saved lots of time, energy, water, and money.
Green Cleaning Products are available now that are safer for the user and the environment. With the green cleaning products and laundry care items available at live.greenforyourfuture.com concentrated grass and mud don't stand a chance. The natural, non-toxic bidegradale surfactants in these concentrated, hypoallergenic laundry products perform better than leading brands in independent tests. The products are super-concentrated and available in minimal packaging to help save resources.
You can save money, clean healthier, get your kids' clothes whiter, and save our precious natural resources by making smart choices and switching to green cleaning products and laundry care for the things you have to do anyway.
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Green Cleaning Products: Green Seal
Founded in 1989, Green Seal provides science-based environmental certification standards that are credible, transparent, and essential in an increasingly educated and competitive marketplace. Their industry knowledge and standards help manufacturers, purchasers, and end users alike make responsible choices that positively impact business behavior and improve quality of life.
A 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization, Green Seal issued its first environmental standards in 1991-2, and the first product certifications were completed in 1992. They certify everything from green cleaning products, paper, to air chillers. Products with their seal can be found online and in stores like Office Depot, Whole Foods, and Lowes.
The Green Seal Certification Mark on a product means that it has been put through stringent evaluations to ensure its reduced impact on the environment and on human health. Learn more about Green Seal here. http://www.greenseal.org/about/index.cfm.
The All Purpose H Concentrated Cleaner I use and have touted for cleaning everything from windows to whitewalls has earned the Green Seal Certification Mark. Find out more about the safe, environmentally-friendly green cleaning products at live.greenforyourfuture.com.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products for the Laundry
Do you ever have clothes that get a spot on them and you treat them and it doesn't all come out, somebody throws it in the dryer without checking to be sure the spot is gone and then it's cooked in there for eternity? Maybe it only used to happen around here. But I hated it. It would always seem to happen to something I loved or hadn't worn very often.
It doesn't happen anymore! And I don't have a whole arsenal in the laundry room to handle it. I don't have to worry about checking to be sure the spot comes out. I just trust it will. Because my laundry spot treater is proven to be better at removing soil and stains than All Small & Mighty, Shout, and Spray & Wash. Better yet, it's the same stuff I use to wash the clothes with, no other products to buy or keep on hand. Just a dot on the spot, a little rub, and poof it's gone!
What about clothes that have had those spots set in the dryer and been on the clothes for a while, no problem. I tested it myself. I had a favorite turquoise blouse with a grease spot prominently on the front. It had been washed and dried last summer without noticing the stain--before switching to my new green cleaning products. So I put a drop of my Super HE Compatible Liquid Laundry Concentrate on the spot, washed it with the regular load, dried it and figured it I'd see what happened. Out of the dryer I was amazed. The shirt is once again wearable. Can you do that?
Best of all I know my green cleaning products are made of natural, corn and coconut based cleaners with enzyme power boosters. All safe for me and my family!
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Green Cleaning Products: Green Goes With Everything
A woman after my own heart! I cant tell you how wonderful this video is. Make your home healthier today. Sit back, take a few minutes and watch.
Replace the toxic cleaners under your sink with Sloans favorite green cleaning products at live.greenforyourfuture.com
Tags: Green Cleaning Products, Peggy Fogle
Green Cleaning Products: One by One Making a Difference
Have you ever wondered if the little steps you take really make a difference? I imagine youve heard the story of the lady walking along the beach picking up starfish and throwing them back out into the ocean. When a gentleman comes by and makes a remark about her being crazy, didnt she know they were all going to die. Her reply is, Well that ones not. She chose to make a difference where she could, one by one.
We can all make a difference, one by one. One household at a time. One family at a time. There is compelling evidence that household cleaners can cause serious health problems for you and your children. Children are especially vulnerable as their bodies are growing and developing. Increased exposures to chemicals in our homes, daycares and schools may be the primary cause for the alarming raise in asthma sufferers. Childrens cancer rates have risen given researchers cause to look at environmental factors as triggers. Pregnant women and their developing child are extremely sensitive.
HealthyChild.org is a wonderful resource if you are trying to learn how to change your lifestyle and live a healthier life for you and your family.
One way we can each make a difference is by changing how we live. One by one, day by day, we can change the planet. Green cleaning products are now available that perform very well without all the negative implications. There is no reason to bring those nasty toxins into our homes. Were you aware the EPA estimates the average household has 20 lbs of hazardous waste in their home? You can change that figure. Clean house-literally. Get rid of those toxic products. Replace them with safe, healthy, economical, eco-friendly green cleaning products.
At live.greenforyourfuture.com you will find some of the best green cleaning products on the planet. They are backed by a company with over 50 years of experience helping people live a healthier and better life. The products are super concentrated and economical. Packaged in such a manner as to eliminate waste and save resources. And guaranteed to meet your satisfaction. Do something good for your family today, one by one we can change the planet!
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products: Educating Customers
Despite being one of Oprahs favorite things and getting lots of recent publicity, some of my favorite green cleaning products are still a secret to many people. Perhaps because the parent company buys no advertising and its products cannot be found in supermarkets. According to the Kline Group, 89% of cleaning products sold last year in the U.S. were bought in food stores and from mass merchandisers. So why on earth hasn't Roger Barnett moved away from the Mary Kay model and put his companys products on the shelves?
"We think that the most compelling way to get people to live a greener, healthier life is to help educate them," says Barnett. "There's not enough time in a 30-second TV ad to properly explain the need." Instead, 750,000 members and Shaklee Independent Distributors go into people's homes, talk about the toxic chemicals in regular cleaners and demonstrate how to use the companys nontoxic, super concentrated (using less packaging) productsin either Spanish or English. "Their selling model is to work on environmental education at the same time," says Yale's Esty. "It really is taking the whole commitment to reducing chemical exposure to a higher level."
For those who still can't quite shake the notion that a direct-selling party is incredibly uncool, there's the Internetboth for buying green cleaning products and for learning about them. "The next generation is the most networked generation in history," says Barnett, who is on Facebook. "They're constantly talking and referring. Our business model is not dependent on people gathering in a home to demonstrate it. It's dependent on people learning something they didn't know, having a positive experience with our products and then sharing that with their friends." No matter how famous or ordinary those friends are. Isnt it time you and your friends looked into living green for your future.
References: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products: Obstacles or Opportunities?
What events have shaped your life? The last couple of days my husband and I have spent a lot of time sitting around medical facilities. It's been a really pleasant week. Root canal and colonoscopy in two days. As you sit in medical waiting rooms you have lots of time on your hands to think. I've had more than my share of waiting room experiences, in fact some of them have shaped our lives to a great extent. As I was sitting this morning waiting for my husband's procedure, due partly because of the colon cancer that took the life of his sister at an early age, I thought back to waiting rooms and all the time we'd spent there in our 30+ years of marriage. We lost his sister early on, my parents way too early and we've both had major life-altering medical issues. We were very close to my parents and our children didn't get to experience grandparents after they were toddlers. My husband had back surgery and was retired from his job when our youngest child was in diapers. Our whole world changed at that point. Then my husband suffered a stroke about 20 years ago and thank goodness recovered fully. My husband saw the white light after his first knee replacement surgery. If you think we were comfortable when they had to do the second one, you're oh so wrong. Our world was rocked again when we had to make drastic lifestyle changes because of my health situation when our son was in high school. In each case, the obstacles presented seemed devastating at the time. Although each one forced us to make changes, often times drastic changes in our health and lifestyle choices.
We learned early on about the importance of diet, exercise, lifestyle choices and nutritional supplementation in relation to cancers, cardiovascular disease, stroke, arthritis, and joint health. We also learned through my medical diagnosis, the importance of living in a healthy environment.
So as I was sitting there waiting this morning I thought of how the obstacles often times have turned into opportunities. For example, had my husband not been retired we would not have opened our own business which was very good for our family and community. Had we not been made aware that life can be taken from you so quickly, we would not have learned to enjoy each moment and cherish the little things. Had I not become ill, I would not be as patient and tolerant as I have learned to be. We see things a little differently now. Nor did I appreciate recycling, re-using things for other purposes, and saving our resources quite like I do now. I have learned to appreciate nature's gifts even more and to wonder about the mess we make of things sometimes.
There's a little song the children at church sing about bullfrogs and butterflies being born again. I enjoy the catchy little tune and I can relate too. I feel like since the obstacles have been placed in our midst, opportunities have opened up and I've been born again too.
One reason connect with the bullfrogs and butterflies is because of the partnership I have with a wonderful company that believes in taking care of nature and people. Something I can truly relate to. And it all started for me because I was looking for green cleaning products. But there is so much more, a company with a wonderful reputation, over 50 years of experience, leading the market in health and wellness, and improving the planet. All things that are truly important to me. The people I have met involved with the company have led me to believe this is one of those times my obstacle really is an outstanding opportunity. One you should definitely look into and live green for your future. And the green cleaning products are fabulous!
References: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
How to Choose Green Cleaning Products
Cleaning your home is essential for maintaining a sanitary and pleasant environment. So the last thing you want to do is to introduce harmful chemicals in a place you are trying to make safer. Unfortunately, too often that is just what we do when we clean. With the influx of green cleaning products some cleaners may still contain ingredients that can be harmful to the environment after use and may also pose unnecessary health risks to your family. Furthermore, they may be packaged in a way that wastes resources and takes up valuable landfill space.
Below is a list of ingredients to look for and avoid, emphasizing those you can check on the product label right on the shelf. Many of the most important attributes, however, may not be apparent from the label and may require a further investigation, either a call ro the manufacturer or a check with the National Institutes of Health Household Products Database.
When shopping for green cleaning products look for:
1. Citrus- or hydrogen peroxide-based sanitizers or disinfectants rather than chlorine-based ones.
3. Product packaging that is minimal and recyclable.
4. Biodegradable products.
What to avoid in green cleaning products:
1. "Toxic" hazard warnings on label.
2. Disinfectants for most home uses.
3. Products containing potentially harmful but commonly-used ingredients such as alkylphenolethoxylates (APEs), certain glycol ethers (such as 2-butoxyethanol), or heavy metals (such as chromium or selenium).
4. Products with any significant amount of phosphate (above 0.5%).
5. Products with high levels of volatile organic compounds.
6. Products which contain a builder known as EDTA.
By selecting a green cleaner for your home, you are doing your part not only to safeguard your family and the environment, but also to signal to the market that green cleaning products are demanded and should be produced instead of more conventional ones.
Excellent safe green cleaning products can be found at live.greenforyourfuture.com
References: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products: Exciting Dishes, Laundry, Cleaning?
When was the last time you felt really good about cleaning house, doing laundry or doing dishes? Not real exciting stuff is it. Just the stuff that makes your world work on a daily basis. All the little things that just have to be done to function.
I always wanted those little elves like the shoemaker had to come in at night and do all the dishes, laundry and housework. But as often as my son had me read that book and as often as I told him I wanted those elves to come to our house and work tonight, they just never showed up. He didn't ever take the hint either! So laundry, dishes and housework just keep rolling around day after day. They're never-ending, thankless jobs.
I complained about doing the dishes as a young girl and my Dad reminded me how thankful I should be. Thankful I had dishes to do. He was a product of the Great Depression and had served in Korea and reminded me to count my blessings. So I just did the dishes. Still do and think of him from time to time, it was our job together some evenings.
Now as I do dishes by hand though, I am a thankful. I have found a way to turn these mundane, never-ending tasks into something good. Thank goodness for green cleaning products. Turn them into something good for our family. live.greenforyourfuture
References: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products: Facts
Just a few little facts to share with you today since I'm stuck inside. They are spraying fields here in Central Iowa today. Which to me is a big deal. Since I have become so sensitive to chemicals, pesticides, and insecticides, I have had to make changes to my lifestyle. Changes I wouldn't wish on anyone. So please be aware of a few things and take steps to help your family be healthier. You can make small changes today which will make a difference.
Labels: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products In the Bathroom
We built our home about ten years ago and I have to admit it, I love my big jacuzzi tub. I can almost nap in there and the kids love playing in it. But cleaning those things can be a real bear. Not to mention all the surrounding tile. It might not have been so bad had I not chosen a deep green glossy tile that shows every little splash and speck. I would dust it but avoided really cleaning it as often as I should have because of all the streaking left behind on the tile.
As beautiful as my bathroom is, you should have seen it when children finished "swimming" in my tub. The green tiled walls sprayed with bubbles would run and spot terribly and leave a soap scum reminder of all the fun had there!
Cleaning my relaxation spot and the kids' play area lately hasn't been such a stressor. Since I went green with my cleaning products and found All Purpose H concentrated cleaner I no longer have streaks! There's no filmy residue dulling those beautiful dark green tiles or gold fixtures. The white tub and surrounding tile sparkle.
The other advantage, I use the same All Purpose H concentrated green cleaning products diluted a little differently and the mirrors in the bathroom sparkle too. One product does so much for so little and with so little. Because of the power of concentration, I only use 1/4 tsp. of the concentrated cleaner in 16 oz. of water to use the All Purpose H cleaner all over the house. For a total cost of $0.05 per bottle.
It makes cleaning up after my little "swimmers" no big deal. So bring on the rubber ducks, the bubbles, the messes, and the green cleaning products. I know we're in for lots of safe cleaning at my house. The green cleaning products I prefer can be found at http://live.greenforyourfuture.com. They're safe, non-toxic, and a much healthier choice for you and your family. In addition, they're easy on your budget!
Save Some Green with Green Cleaning Products
I'm always looking for a good deal. Who isn't these days. One way I have found to save money is by switching to green cleaning products. Yes, green can be safer, healthier, and even cheaper if you know how to play your cards right.
One of my favorite products, and Oprah's too, is All Purpose H, a green concentrated cleaning product. The 16 oz. bottle sells for $11.95. But if you stick with me here, you will see what a bargain it is. In order to wash my windows using the All Purpose H green cleaner I use two drops, yes only two drops in 16 oounces of water. At that rate, my 16 oz. bottle of the All Purpose H concentrated green cleaner would make 5,704 bottles of the rival ready-to-use window cleaner. Which would bring the cost of cleaning my windows down to less than $0.01 per bottle. Clean windows for pennies.
Let's compare that to traditional cleaning products. I found regular old Windex for $3.11 for a 28 oz. bottle. One bottle for $3.11, would equal 311 bottles of my green All Purpose H concentrated cleaner. If you really want to get crazy, do that math on how much those 5,704 bottles of your Windex would cost you while I'm still on one bottle of my green cleaning products. That will truly blow you away.
In addition to being a better deal economically, this glass cleaner does not contain ammonia that can irritate your skin, eyes or respiratory system. Safer for you, your family and cheaper. Doesn't that make it a no brainer?
You can get your All Purpose H cleaner and other green cleaning products at http://live.greenforyourfuture.com
The Power of Concentration
Information on going green is everywhere. The small steps we can all take make a huge difference. We don't all have to switch to solar power for our homes or drive hybrid vehicles tomorrow to make an impact on our environment. If each of us makes small changes, big things will happen.
I never really gave much thought to the difference concentration makes in terms of energy savings in product delivery, packaging waste or greenhouse gases. I was probably like most of you, you go to the local store, get your window cleaning spray, bathroom cleaners, laundry detergent, etc. Bring all those plastic bottles home and use the stuff and toss it out. But as my life changed, habits have changed. I now know that tossing it "out" means all that stuff gets buried somewhere. Have you ever really seen the local landfill? I know why they call it solid waste now. It's a waste of stuff usually, a waste of land, and a waste in terms of resources.
Our concentrated Green Cleaning Products are designed to replace what you have in your home, eliminate 108 pounds of packaging waste from landfills and eliminate 248 pounds of greenhouse gas. Dr. Forrest Shaklee did not believe in shipping water years ago before green was cool. Concentration has been a key to these safe, effective green cleaning products for over 50 years. By reducing the water in products, fewer packaging materials are used, less space is needed to ship products and energy savings result. Fewer greenhouse gases are produced. All these little things like even making the dryer sheets recyclable make these green cleaning products a smart choice for your family and our planet. Not to mention your budget. Having the power of concentration work for you can be powerful! http://live.greenforyourfuture.com
Are You Living in a Toxic Home?
Most people would think that is a crazy thing to even ask. But is it? If you really do your research you will find that some of the changes in our homes since World War II may have done more harm than good. Following World War II there was a push to bring science to the home and create more products for every day households. Before then chances are your great, great grandmother didn't use bleach to clean or petroleum distillates to do laundry. She probably didn't use acids to descale showers or tubs. Nor did they use harsh abrasives in the oven or on the grill. They wouldn't have used pesticides on their food or called the bug man to take care of the critters like we do today. Convience, science, and working women were changing the face of America.
Now more than 150 chemicals found in the home are associated with allergies, birth defects, cancer, and psycological disorders. The dramatic increases in women's asthma rates over the past 10 years are believed to be due to women's longer exposure times to household chemicals. Ever wonder about the increase in childhood asthma or ADHD?
Did you know 90% of toxic hazards are caused by the inhalation of vapors and absorption of hazardous particles? Did you know the most common poisoning exposures for children are ingestion of household products such as cleaning substances. With Chlorine as the number one cause of childhood poisonings in the United States?
Isn't it time you made the change to Green Cleaning Products? The safety of you and your family is at stake.
Take the challenge, read the labels on your cleaning products. If you can't understand what is in there, look them up. You can Google them and get a pretty good idea what is lurking in your home. The average American home has 20 lbs. of toxic waste, with a lot of being in the form of cleaning products. Now how do we get clean using toxic waste?
Green Cleaning Products are the only way to go. Yes there are several alternatives, but having gone green several years ago, I can honestly say all are not created equal! You need to check out the products at http:live.greenforyourfuture.com to replace your household cleaners with safe, effective, green cleaning products.
All Purpose H Concentrate will clean everything from windows to woodwork, and you control the strength. The Scouring Paste works like your powdered stuff or your scrub gels without the bleach toxicity. The Sink Dishwashing Concentrate is so effective it has been tested by independent laboratories, and me, to be more effective than several widely marketed green alternatives. The laundry products are hypo-allergenic, HE compatible, and will not "take your breath away" if you have to pre-treat a stain. Natural enzymes and a highly concentrated formula get out the toughest dirt and to pre-treat you use a drop of the detergent. If you like dryer sheets, how about using these can be used and then added to your recycling papers.
It's cleaning you can feel good about and a less toxic environment for you and your family. These green products have a company's reputation standing behind them too. Over 50 years of research and history preserving our planet and guaranteeing your satisfaction. http://live.greenforyourfuture.com
One of the Best Green Cleaning Products Available
Green Cleaning Products seem to have flooded the market the past year or so. Since it has become "cool" to be green. But for some of us, green was a necessity long before it was cool or convenient. I am one who has struggled with migraine headaches, irritable bowel symptoms, incontinence, rashes, and other health issues for some time. Doctor after doctor recommended pill after pill and treatment after treatment. Until one night sitting at my son's football game, I couldn't make it up the bleachers by myself because I wasn't steady enough. I knew there must be a better way. I was tired of the medical merry-go-round. After a changing doctors, attitudes, and empowering myself, life began to change. After some help from friends, a lot of trial and error, and some great advice things have changed. It's been over nine years since our family went green.
Green to extreme, but my health improved slowly. For me drastic changes were necessary and I was amazed at what I learned. For someone who had learned to live with daily headaches and frequent trips to the hospital for shots to get rid of migraines that couldn't be stopped any other way, I rarely have one now. Green cleaning products, good nutrition and a healthy environment have made our home a safe place for me to live and work.
Yes I have made all my own cleaning products. You can too if you look on Google for recipes. It's time-consuming, some work, others don't, and just try to educate your family! And there are some instances you just need a little more power to really get the job done. I've tried all the brands from the health food stores. I can rate them by what works and what I'd never bring home again, especially at those prices. Now mind you, I'm not a neat freak. We live in the country, I would rather be doing anything than cleaning and my least favorite thing in the world to do is dust and fold laundry! I mean seriously, we live on gravel. But when I do put in the time, I'd like things to look like I did the job. That's why some of my favorite products now are also some of Oprah's favorite things too. The green cleaning products I use and recommend to my friends and family, and even give as gifts because I believe everyone should live in a healthy environment, can be found at http://live.greenforyourfutre.com
One of my very, very favorites is the Scouring Paste. It's the most awesome stuff! In these past years I've truly missed something that would really keep our shower doors looking new. You know the lime away scale stuff that takes your breath that I used to love to use years ago really works. But if you look at the label it has some dangerous stuff in there. No wonder you are to use it in a well-ventilated area and wear gloves. Now that I've found the best green cleaning products around, I can have new-looking shower doors and I can clean them myself without gloves, just a little on a rag--no gloves. No toxic fumes. Just a little hint of cherry bubble gum smell Scouring Paste and I'm on my way to new looking showers, sinks, tubs, stove tops, ovens, and anywhere you might need a little extra elbow grease. The Scouring Paste doesn't have that blast of powder to take your breath either like most of the powdered cleansers do when you scrub the sink. It's just a gentle little paste that does the job. And you don't lose half of it because it falls down, this stays where you want it because it's a paste. It's definitely one of the best green cleaning products on the market. And believe me, I've tried a lot of them over the years!
The Scouring Paste is just one of the fabulous green cleaning products available. Over 50 years of research and development has made these green cleaning products the best in the business, and that claim is supported by independent test results, not just me. Best wishes for a healthier life and a healthier home! http://live.greenforyourfuture.com
A Shower of Green Cleaning Products
Tis the season for showers in our neck of the woods. Not just because central Iowa has experienced the worst flooding we've seen in years. Showers in terms of weddings and babies!
Our son was married this summer and there were showers for the newlyweds. I made a big splash at one of the showers. You know the mother of the groom is supposed to wear beige and blend. Well this mother of the groom is green and everyone around here knows it. I've been green for years, not by choice originally, but because of health reasons it was forced upon us. But now thankfully we're way ahead of the green curve and are so much better off because of it. That's another story for another day.
At the shower, I gave my daughter-in-law a gift that will keep on giving. I gave her a basket full of green cleaning products to start off their new home right. You can get one too at http://live.greenforyourfuture.com. The kit has all the green cleaning products you need to get started keeping house or replace all the toxic stuff. It contains All Purpose H to clean just about everything from Appliances to Windows and Woodwork, Scouring Paste for times when you need a little extra elbow grease, sink dishwashing concentrate, HE compatible Concentrated laundry detergent, hypo-allergenic fabric softener and dryer sheets, microfiber cleaning cloths, spray bottles, and measuring accessories for the concentrated products.
My son and daughter-in-law won't be contributing the average 20 lbs. of hazardous waste most Americans contribute to landfills each year. Nor will they have to worry about the many toxic chemicals residing in most households. Do you really know what is in your home?
To find out whats lurking on
your shelves, go to the National
Institutes of Health Library of
Medicine Household Products
Database.
www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/ingredients.htm
You can search almost
any brand of cleaner you use, find
out whats in it, and uncover its
links to health effects. Or search
by chemical ingredients (see list
below for some examples) and
discover what brands contain it.
The information may shock you.
Chemical ingredients to look out for:
The best part of all is by the time we have grandchildren, I know my son and daughter-in-law will be used to using these safe, effective, green cleaning products and future little generations will be healthy! Isn't that what you want for your children and grandchildren? We think we're clean the floors and counters for the kids. But is what we're putting on them really safer? With these green cleaning products you can rest assured it is. They were developed with safety and nature in mind and your satisfaction is guaranteed! http://live.greenforyourfuture.com
Green Cleaning Products That Don't Take Your Breath Away
I love children and have always felt they need to get dirty in order to really have fun! Maybe that's because I was fortunate to live in a wooded area and enjoyed "getting down and dirty" as a child. Sometimes my "down and dirty" attitude can be tough for parents. Grass, mud, ink and art projects, and even chocolate have proved to be challenges in our household from time to time. Yes there are ways, you can grab the spray and toss it in the laundry. But don't you hate how it takes your breath away?
What if there were a healthier way for you and your family to get clean without the blast of toxic spray? Have you ever really looked at the labels on your laundry spot cleaners? Wouldn't you feel better if your family wasn't exposed to laundry treatments that were recommended for well-ventilated areas?
That's why I believe in green cleaning products. I believe you should be able to breathe freely in your home. Clean shouldn't take your breath away. Not in the laundry room, the bathroom or when you dust!
Did you know that nearly 1 in 8 school-aged children have asthma? This rate is rising most rapidly in pre-school aged children. Asthma is the leading cause of school absenteeism due to chronic illness.
Children face unique hazards from chemical exposures. They take in more chemicals relative to their body weight than adults in the food they eat and air they breathe. Their developing organ systems often make them more sensitive to toxic exposure. Fortunately, safer solutions exist to keep you and your children safe.
Today green cleaning products seem to be popping up everywhere. How do you know what works and what doesn't? What should you spend your money on if you're going to try something "different"? You need products backed by a company who has been devoted to nature and the environment for years. The green cleaning products I prefer, and Oprah prefers, are produced by a company with over 50 years experience. They have been tested by independent laboratories and have proven more effective than Seventh Generation and other popular varieties on the market now. I know from personal experience over the past ten years and having "tried them all", nothing outperforms these. If you're looking for a way to clean up your home and take a few steps towards going green. Green cleaning products are one of the easiest, most economical and biggest impacts you can have for your health and for the earth. Less packaging, fewer pollutants in our rivers and streams, fewer chemicals in our clothing, and better air in our homes.
Because I'm extremely sensitive to the chemicals our society is so permeated with, I have had to be very conscious of what we bring into our home and what goes into our laundry. Over 50 years and millions of dollars in research and development linking mother nature and effectiveness stand behind these green cleaning products. The laundry products are powerful, are available fragrance free, hypoallergenic, come highly concentrated and use minimal packaging. All things you'd expect from a good green cleaning product right? Well what makes these different? The guarantee. The company says that if for any reason a product is not satisfactory, return it to me or directly to the Corporation for exchange or full refund.
If our products are not the best they can be and the best you can buy what else matters? http://live.greenforyourfuture.com
References: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products
Green Cleaning Products Safe for you
Buy Green Cleaning Products Online
Green Cleaning Products
Buy Green Cleaning Products Online
I know when I walk by homes using strong laundry products and dryer sheets, my neurological system reacts.
I know the fragrance industry doesn't tell you what they put in your perfume, partly because it's toxic. I know because I can react with breathing difficulties, migraine headaches, gastrointestinal problems and confusion.
I know the chemicals in air fresheners are dangerous for us because they cause me to have a neurological reaction as well.
Windex 32 oz. size (one-fourth gallon), cost $3.19, making the cost per gallon $12.56
Glass Plus 32 oz. size (one-fourth gallon), cost $2.49 making the cost per gallon $9.96
Seventh Generation 32 oz. size (one-fourth gallon), cost $5.49 making the cost per gallon $21.96
Super Concentrated All Purpose H, 16 oz. (diluted to use as window cleaner makes 1456 gallons) costs $10.15, making a cost per gallon of less than 1 cent.
1. Philodendron scandens `oxycardium', heartleaf philodendron
2. Philodendron domesticum, elephant ear philodendron
3. Dracaena fragrans `Massangeana', cornstalk dracaena
4. Hedera helix, English ivy
5. Chlorophytum comosum, spider plant
6. Dracaena deremensis `Janet Craig', Janet Craig dracaena
7. Dracaena deremensis `Warneckii', Warneck dracaena
8. Ficus benjamina, weeping fig
9. Epipiremnum aureum, golden pothos
10. Spathiphyllum `Mauna Loa', peace lily
11. Philodendron selloum, selloum philodendron
12. Aglaonema modestum, Chinese evergreen
13. Chamaedorea sefritzii, bamboo or reed palm
14. Sansevieria trifasciata, snake plant
15. Dracaena marginata , red-edged dracaena
Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
Ethanol: On the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders
Limonene: Known carcinogen
A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA's Hazardous Waste list
Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled
Headaches
Nausea
Vomiting
Dizziness
Blood pressure reduction
Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract
Pancreatic cancer
Add a quarter cup of baking soda to wash cycle to soften fabric
Add a quarter cup of white vinegar to your wash to soften fabric and eliminate cling
Check out your local health food store for a natural fabric softener that uses a natural base like soy instead of chemicals or go to live.greenforyour future.com for safe, fragrance-free softening products that you can trust. Green cleaning products made by a company known for promoting healthier people and a healthier planet.
PROTECT HUMAN HEALTH
Choose products that:
�� Contain no known, probable or possible
carcinogens.
�� Have neutral pH. High pH= caustics; Low pH=
acids. Choose products with moderate pH (7).
�� Are non-irritating to eyes & skin. If irritation
information is not available, go back to neutral pH.
�� Have no short-term (acute) or long-term
(chronic) health hazards. Check the MSDS and
product label.
�� Are free of, or are low in, Volatile Organic
Compounds (VOCs). VOCs are organic
chemicals that evaporate easily. They contribute to
indoor air pollution and may cause headaches,
nausea, respiratory problems and may cause the
formation of ground level ozone/smog.
�� Use disinfectants only as required by state
health laws. Disinfectants are designed to kill
living organisms. They are rarely required.
�� Avoid fragrances (odors) and dyes.
�� Are non-flammable.
�� Are non-reactive. Mixing should not create toxic
gases, fire or other violent reactions.
�� Are not packaged in aerosol/spray cans. Instead
of pressurized propellants, they use pump-action
dispensers.
�� Provide dispensing systems that minimize
exposure to concentrated solutions. Dispensing
method should be designed to eliminate exposure to
the concentrated solution and reduce waste.
Choose products that:
�� Are biodegradable.
�� Contain no ozone-depleting chemicals such as
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and chlorinated solvents.
�� Are not disposed of as a hazardous waste.
�� Can be used for more than one task (multipurpose
cleaners) to reduce waste containers
and the need for use and storage of several
products.
�� Are made from or contain ingredients from renewable
resources such as corn (corn starch), coconut
oils and orange peels.
�� Are sold with reduced packaging for both the
product and shipping container.
�� Are packaged in a refillable or recyclable HPDE
or PET container. (Make sure the product meets
school or local recycling system requirements.
provide only limited ingredient disclosure,
dont disclose whether the products use natural essential oils exclusively, or use only minimal amounts of essential oils (augmented by synthetic scents),
and dont disclose whether the ingredients are plant-based or petrochemicals.
But, according to P&Gs MSDS, Tide Pure Essentials Detergents do include volatile organic chemicals such as ethanol and ethanolamine.
According to the International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre, ethanolamine is "corrosive to the respiratory tract, the skin and the eyes. The vapor is irritating to the eyes, the skin and the respiratory tract. The substance may cause effects on the central nervous system. Exposure could cause lowering of consciousness
Repeated or prolonged contact may cause skin sensitization."
Seattle Times
Most conventional dish and laundry detergents are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. Some detergents contain alkyphenol ethoxylates, which are suspected hormone disruptors that don't readily biodegrade and can threaten wildlife after they go down your drain. Ethoxylated alcohols in liquid detergents can contain carcinogenic 1,4-dioxane.
Use laundry soaps labeled "fragrance-free," advises Harvey Karp, a Los Angeles pediatrician and author of The Happiest Baby on the Block. If you want to use citrus-oil products, sniff-test a small amount from a few feet away, as these products can be irritating to allergic or sensitive individuals. Karp also advises choosing dish and laundry detergents and all-purpose cleaners that are plant-based (corn, palm kernel, or coconut oil).
Popular in liquid form, antibacterial soaps are helping to promote growth of resistant bacteria, according to a 2000 World Health Organization report.
The corrosive ingredients in these products can severely irritate eyes, skin, and the respiratory tract, and can be fatal if swallowed. Chemical drain cleaners are among the most dangerous of all cleaning products, containing sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite (bleach) that can permanently burn eyes and skin. In oven cleaners, lye and sodium hydroxide can burn skin, eyes, and the respiratory tract.
For drains, a plunger "snake" plumbing tool should first be used to bring up as much of the clog as possible, giving cleaning products room to work, or perhaps eliminating the need for them entirely. Eco-friendly drain cleaners use enzymes, rather than caustic chemicals, to dissolve obstructions. Don't forget to prevent future blockage with inexpensive metal or plastic drain screens, available at most home-improvement or hardware stores.
These are corrosive and may cause eye, skin, or respiratory tract irritation. They can also contain nerve-damaging petroleum distillates or formaldehyde, a carcinogen.
Polish furniture with a mixture of one teaspoon olive oil and one-half cup white vinegar, or look for solvent-free products that use mineral or plant oils.
Aerosol propellants contain flammable and nerve-damaging ingredients as well as tiny particles that can lodge in your lungs. Fragrances of all kinds can provoke allergic and asthmatic reactions.
If the air outside is clean, open your windows and ventilate the natural way. An open box of baking soda removes odors. (If you're feeling Martha Stewart-ish, you can decant it from the box into a pretty bowl.) Cedar blocks or sachets of dried flowers and herbs provide gentle scents -- but avoid any potpourri that lists unspecified "fragrance" on the label; this could mean synthetic chemicals, including phthalates. Look for products scented with essential plant oils, such as lemon, verbena, or lavender.
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Kerosene
Phenol
Cresol
Lye
Hydrochloric Acid
Sulfuric Acid
Sulfamic Acid
Petroleum Distillates
Ammonia
Sodium Hydroxide
Butyl Cellosolve
Phosphoric Acid
Formaldehyde
Morpholine
Generally, a citrus-based or hydrogen peroxide formula has less potential to harm the environment because chlorine can form organic compounds that are toxic even at low doses. The product label will list the active ingredient.
2. Cleaning products that can be diluted with cold water rather than hot water.
The energy required to heat water has significant environmental impacts in terms of use of fossil fuels, air and water pollution.
Some directions may not indicate water temperature to be used.
Unnecessary packaging wastes resources and fills up landfill space. Avoid multi-layer packaging.
The recyclability of a package is often indicated on the bottom of a bottle, with the chasing arrows symbol; plastics labeled 1 (PET) or 2 (HDPE) are recyclable in many areas, whereas 3 (PVC) is not.
Biodegradable products decompose in the environment. Products that do not biodegrade linger in the environment and may cause harm. Many manufacturers make the claim that their product is biodegradable, but some make no such claims.
If a product has such a warning, it can be very harmful to anyone who is exposed to it. By law, such a warning must appear on the product label.
In general, thorough cleaning will provide the necessary sanitation for most home situations. Situations involving those with compromised immune systems or baby-changing areas may require a sanitizer, in which case a benign formula should be used according to the instructions. Labels will indicate whether the product is registered as a disinfectant or sanitizer.
Although most household cleaners will not generally cause harm if used as recommended because of the low levels of exposure, the presence of potentially harmful ingredients may pose an unnecessary risk, especially to children. Some common cleaning ingredients may be possible endocrine disruptors or possible carcinogens.
Phosphates cause problems in water bodies, contaminating water and stressing aquatic life.
Volatile organic compounds (or VOCs) may contribute to outdoor air pollution and may cause respiratory distress or other illnesses indoors.
VOC level is unlikely to be indicated on product labels. But is available from the manufacturer. (Paints generally contain VOCs.)
EDTA has several unappealing properties in the environment, including not being biodegradable and taking up heavy metals.Product labels may or may not specify the ingredients. In case the label spells out the ingredients, EDTA stands for ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid.
FACTS: 81,000 chemicals have been registered with the EPA in the last 30 years. Fewer than 20% have been tested for toxicity.
90% of all poison exposures occur at home.
218,316 poison exposures in 2005 were from household cleaning products.
90% of our time is spent indoors and the EPA reports indoor air is polluted up to five times higher than outside air.
Indoor pollutants come from all sorts of chemicals we use to make our lives easier every day. Things like paints, carpets, furniture, household cleaners, personal care products, perfumes, among others.
EPA studies indicate elevated concentrations of household chemicals persist in the air. Long-term exposures to chemicals may be harmful to us and our families.
One of the best things you can do for your family is switch to green cleaning products. Some of the best and safest around can be found at http://live.greenforyourfuture.com. If I can use them safely, I trust they are good for your family too. They are backed by over 50 years of science and a company dedicated to helping you become healthier.
None of us need dangerous chemicals in our home where our children or grandchildren could accidentally become a statistic. Nor do we need to put our health at risk by cleaning the house. There's just no excuse. Green cleaning products have come so far and improved so much, you can't find anything safer or more effective. I guarantee it! So what are you waiting for, start today-and live green for your future.
Sodium hydroxide
Hydrochloric acid
Butyl cellosolve
(2-Butoxyethanol)
Formaldehyde
Bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
Ammonia
Sulfamic acid
Petroleum distillates
Sulfuric acid
Lye (potassium hydroxide)
Morpholine
