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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
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 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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
Let me share with you a little bit about it...
Find out more at Healthy And Green For Your Future.
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 problems—and 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 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
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
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
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
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 body’s 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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 children’s 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
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
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&G’s intent is to cloak the entire brand in a green guise. Essentials’ packaging replaces Tide’s 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, you’d 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 it’s "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
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
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 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 advertiser’s 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 don’t 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 can’t 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, I’d say we’re becoming more aware of our surroundings and maybe caring a little more. I’m rejoicing and hoping you take a step to live green for your future.
Tags: Peggy Fogle, Green Cleaning Products 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
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
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 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
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
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
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
You don't even need all those expensi
3. Winter Weather
4. Christmas Candy Memories
5. Air Quality and Our Children's Future
6. Green Cleaning Products for a Healthier World
7. Hard Water and Green Cleaning Products
8. Green Cleaning Products
9. Mother Nature & Your Health
10. 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.
11. 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.
12. 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.
13. Green Holiday Shopping and Green Cleaning Products
14. Green Cleaning Products in the Kitchen
15. 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.
16. 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?
17. Green Cleaning Products and Car Care
18. Ditch the Air Fresheners
19. 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.
20. Dusting with Green Cleaning Products
21. Sniffles, Flu & Green Cleaning Products
22. Green Cleaning Products & SIDS
23. 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.
24. 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?
25. Green Cleaning Product Favorites
26. 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.
27. 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.
28. 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.
29. Clean Your Carpet with Green Cleaning Products
30. Healthy Redecorating Tips
31. 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."
32. 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?
33. Going Green and Eating Healthier
34. Indoor Air Quality and Green Cleaning Products
35. Green Cleaning Products Help with Wallpaper Removal
36. Green Cleaning Products Value
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.
37. Your Immune System
38. Fresh Air & Green Cleaning Products
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
39. Green Cleaning Product Fabric Softener Alternatives
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.
40. Flouride, Not Your Dentists' Point of View
41. Your Eco-Footprint and Green Cleaning Products
42. 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.
43. Why Green Cleaning Products?
44. Back To School with Green Cleaning Products
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.
45. Green Cleaning Products and Anti-Aging! What a Company...
46. Not Your Mother's Green Cleaning Products
provide only limited ingredient disclosure,
don’t disclose whether the products use natural essential oils exclusively, or use only minimal amounts of essential oils (augmented by synthetic scents),
and don’t disclose whether the ingredients are plant-based or petrochemicals.
But, according to P&G’s 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."
47. Green Cleaning Products and Chlorine
48. "Blind Men" Green Cleaning Product Performance Test
49. Iowa State Fair and Green Cleaning Products for You
50. Green Cleaning Products & Poison Ivy
51. Green Cleaning Products for Building Green TV
52. Green Cleaning Products New vs. Original
53. How Much Water is in Your Green Cleaning Product
54. Green Cleaning Products To Your Door
55. 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.
56. Green Cleaning Products Convert
57. 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!