Poor Big Bird! Like a canary in a coal mine, this feathered icon took a toxic hit last week when 967,000 Sesame Street and Nickelodeon toys were recalled due to lead paint. Suddenly, these trusted educational brands were associated with a heavy metal that can cause learning disabilities. According to Herbert L. Needleman, M.D., professor at the University of Pittsburgh Medical School and top researcher into the developmental and behavioral harm caused by lead exposure, lead remains the number one environmental health threat to children in this country, despite its removal from gasoline and house paint over twenty years ago. Made in China between April 19 and July 6, 2007, more than 300,000 of the lead-painted Mattel/ Fisher Price toys were sold to U.S. consumers. For a list of recalled items, go to http://www.cpsc.gov/, the website of the Consumer Products Safety Commission. For photos of all the offenders, see Mattel's site, http://www.mattel.com/. Fisher Price’s hotline, 800-916-4498, provides info as well. You can return a recalled item for a voucher that will get you a substitute toy of the same price. This is small compensation to parents, burdened with taking the toys away and the hassle of mailing them. It’s small consolation to children, who, on top of being inadequately protected by government and industry, may be disillusioned to learn that Giggle Grabber Elmo, as well as various Big Bird, Ernie, Oscar or Cookie items, could hurt them. This, on the heels of the mid-June recall of 1.5 million Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends trains and accessories by RC2 Corp, and 17.9 pieces of leaded children’s jewelry and charms recalled since 2005, may make parents wonder--with good reason--if any toy is safe. “My children don’t have any Fisher Price toys, but I wonder about all kinds of toys made in China, like some other baby toys we have,” says Ethan Won, father of three young children in Honolulu. His first job after art school at the Rhode Island School of Design was in toy manufacture, Ethan says. “And the paint on the Chinese-made miniature cars my older boys play with is always chipping off and taking bits of the soft metal, and it looks like lead, which makes sense because the forms have to be stamped out of a soft material like that,” he adds. Time to grab those giggles elsewhere! Below are some safer alternatives for children under three, who are most likely to put toys in their mouths and thus ingest lead. The following toys are also PVC-free and therefore free of phthalates, the hormone-disrupting chemicals used to soften this brittle plastic. Some PVC children’s products can also contain lead. Lead- and Phthalate-Free Toys Instead of the Sesame Street Shape Sorter, which is being recalled, give a Wooden Shape Sorter Puzzle, $22.95, or Wagon, $54.95, both made in Germany. Slightly older tots may like the challenge of a rubberwood Shape-Matching Puzzle, made in Thailand of fast-growing rubberwood, $19.95. All from The Playstore, http://www.playstoretoys.com/ Instead of lead-contaminated Elmo Stacking Rings, why not the charming new Witty Worm Stacker, crowned by a smiling antenna’ed head, in rubberwood from Rosie’s Hippo, http://rosiehippo.com/ ? The wooden Rainbow Stacking Tower with waterbased stains has triangle-shaped pieces, $29 from Nunoorganic, http://www.nunoorganic.com/. Classic wooden doughnuts fit on a Rocky Color Cone, $18.95 from Holgate Toys, http://www.holgatetoy.com/,which uses Forest Stewardship Council certified wood when it can. To console a child who’s had to surrender a Big Bird Collectible figurine, present an irresistible Bird Family Pull Toy with 3 bright birds in nontoxic colors and rubberwood, $29.95 and new from Rosie’s Hippo, above. While children who want to make a joyous sound had better not try it on the lead-painted Elmo Saxophone, they might enjoy a 4-tone train whistle, made in the U.S. from pine wood, $5.20 at http://www.mapleandmarks.com/, or a Hohner harmonica, made in Germany, $18.95, from Rosie’s Hippo. Adorable and affordable wooden trains, made in Vermont, include zoo animal, construction and emergency vehicle sets, $19 and up at Maple Landmarks, above. Before the Thomas train sets, there were (and still are) Brio wooden sets with nontoxic paint. Very pricey, but hey, they’re heirlooms, and a few go a long way. Cute wooden animals, too. http://www.briotoys.com/ For plastic toys comparable to the recalled Fisher Prices, see http://www.mrtoys.com/chicco-toys/ Other Tips: Avoid toys made in China as much as possible, unless the toy company can assure you that they do regular lead tests independently of their Chinese contractor, and/or the CPSC implements stricter regulations. Ideally, companies will provide independent third-party certification of lead-free composition for every toy. For a Toy Report Card that lists PVC-free manufacturers, see www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/2003-toy-report-card Why buy toys at all? In summer you and the children can play outside, skipping stones on the water, making leaf and gourd boats, paper airplanes, twig teepees, sand castles or clothespin dolls, collecting shells or interesting pebbles, watching birds, or blowing bubbles.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Bye-Bye, BPA
BPA/ Phthalate-Free Shopping List
Part One: Drinking Bottles
It’s hot! Time to hydrate. And while you’re at it, every time you refill a reusable water bottle, rather than buy disposables, you’re helping the Earth’s health, too. If all Americans did so, we’d save the estimated 16 million barrels of oil used to make the bottled-water containers we bought last year. This from the August Harper’s Index, (http://www.harpers.org/), which also notes that twice as much water was used to make the containers as was drunk from them.
Choose the right reusable bottle, and you won’t get bit by the chemicals that can leach from some plastics in these sizzling dog days.
Bisphenol-A (BPA) has been found to cause developmental harm in animals, and there’s preliminary evidence of reproductive harm in women. And, while a family of plasticizers known as phthalates has long been linked to cancer and hormone disruption in lab animals, studies in 2005 and 2006 show some connection to genital abnormalities and lower testosterone in infant boys. This inspired a worried phone call from my brother Ethan Won, father of three young boys, ages 5 months, 4 and 6 years. “I’ve been hearing about all these chemicals coming out of plastics. Some plastics smell really bad, especially in the heat,” says Ethan, who lives in Honolulu, Hawaii. “And what about when we warm the baby’s bottle?”
A good question, as many clear plastic baby bottles, along with some of those pretty Nalgene Lexan bottles in transparent jellybean colors, are made of polycarbonate (recycling code #7) plastic, which has been found to leach BPA when heated, worn or scratched. “We always want kids’ products to be safe in any way they’re used,” says Sonya Lunder, M.D., a scientist with the Environmental Working Group (http://www.ewg.org/), which encourages consumers to seek alternatives to polycarbonate bottles, especially for babies and children.As Greenerpenny reader Bridget Collins writes,“I am very interested in shopping for products that do not contain BPAs. My kids are active and use water bottles several times a day!”
While it doesn’t accumulate in our bodies,“with BPA detected in about 95% of people in a recent CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control] test, we can assume that most of the American population has daily exposure,” Lunder says. These chemicals may also play a role in the development of obesity and diabetes, according to a 2006 Spanish study of BPA and a March, 2007 article on phthalates in Environmental Health Perspectives. Even if fat is “contagious,” as raised by a study in the New England Journal of Medicine last week, it’s far less extreme to drop risky plastics than an overweight friend.
Below are the safest, greenest and most affordable reusable bottles we could find. Pennypinchers, rejoice: In addition to keeping disposables out of landfills, and conserving the tons of carbon dioxide otherwise released in shipping, bypassing bottled water can save each of us about $1,400 a year, by the estimate of New York City officials.
Top Pick: Stainless Steel
Go plastic- and petrochemical- free with 100% stainless steel, the most recycled metal.
Perfect for kids or those of us who feel oppressed by heavy totes, Klean Kanteen’s lightweight, 12 oz volume stainless bottles are the same size as soda cans; caps have a stainless interior and non-leaching polypropylene (#5) top. From $13.95 to $22.95 for a 40-ouncer. For better totability, order a loop cap with a hole in it, or neoprene insulating sling or sleeve that snaps around pack straps, bike or stroller bars. At http://www.kleankanteen.com/
Slightly cheaper stainless bottles are $11.95 for 27 oz or $19.95 for 40 oz from http://www.greenfeet.com,/ which also sells Klean Kanteens.
Thermos 18 oz. stainless steel Hydration Bottle with stainless interior and exterior vacuum insulation walls; $17 at http://www.thermos.com/; insulated sleeves also sold.
Preferable Plastics
You can identify better plastics by the recycling code numbers stamped in them. Look for reusable bottles made of:
#2 (HDPE, high-density polyethylene, the most widely recyclable)
#4 (LDPE, low-density polyethylene) or
#5 (PP, polypropylene).
These plastics have not been found to release BPA or phthalates.
On the other hand, most single-use water bottles are made of #1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE). These bottles, if old, reused or heated, may release two phthalates: Di(2-ethylhexyl adipate), or DEHA, and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), which are possible human carcinogens, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And, although this plastic is easily recyclable, about 90% of the PET water bottles sold each year wind up in landfills. After all, they’re made to be tossed!
Top Plastic Picks:
Nalgene HDPE #2 Loop-Top Bottle, 16 oz, $4.99, http://nalgene-outdoor.com/store/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=6
Tupperware for Keeps:
For Kids: Tupperware’s polypropylene #5 bottles include colorful Thirstbreak Tumblers with straps, 14 oz, $13.50, or 32 oz On-the-Go version for $13, featuring Tinkerbell; an On-the-Go featuring Shrek, for $13.50.
Ideal for picnics or back-to-school: #5 lunch sets of sealed tumbler and sandwich box feature the Little Mermaid, Dora the Explorer and Diego, $16.
For Babies: Pooh meal set with sealable sippy cup, bowl and snack cup, $17.
For Commuters: 24-oz insulated (double-wall) Tumbler with Drip-less Straw Seal, $19.95, or Commuter Mug with swivel-open sipper cap, 16 oz., $18.50.
All at http://www.tupperware.com/
Easiest to Grab and Go: Rubbermaid’s Polypropylene #5 Chug Sports Bottle, about $3.99 for 20 oz size, widely sold at supermarkets, drugs and home improvement stores or http://brands.hardwarestore.com/196-1453-rubbermaid.aspx or http://www.amazon.com/.
Sigg Aluminum Bottles
No doubt about it, these lined aluminum bottles are light, beautiful and strong. And doubts about possible BPA leaching from Sigg’s patented epoxy linings have been laid to rest by tests commissioned by the company in May, 2007. After water was heated in the bottles for 3 days, no detectable residues of BPA were found, and EWG, as of this writing, has agreed to remove from its website its warnings about Sigg.
Available in 4 colors, the .6 liter Traveler Classic is $18, and .3 liter Travelers or children’s bottles picturing friendly mammals, dinosaurs, vehicles and the sun, are $15.95, with some NOW ON SALE for $10.95; patterned .4 liter kids’ versions cost $17.95, all at http://www.reusablebags.com/
Given the environmental ravages caused by the mining of bauxite for aluminum, however, and the 75% more energy consumed in the production of aluminum, according to the Worldwatch Institute, from raw materials as opposed to recycled metal, reusable bottles could be a lot greener if they were made from post-consumer-recycled stock.
BPA-free Baby Bottles
Glass
Evenflo Glass Baby Bottles, 4 or 8 oz., three for $8 at http://www.ingeling.com/
made of opaque colored #4 LDPE
Bornfree Glass Baby Bottles, 9 oz, two for $19.99 or four for $37.99 at http://www.newbornfree.com/
Non-Polycarbonate Plastic
Medela breastmilk storage and feeding set, white #5 PP, four bottles, $18.99 at http://www.target.com/
Gerber Fashion Tints, #5 PP in opaque colors, 9 oz, three-pack for $4.99 at http://www.thebabyoutlet.com/
Bornfree Polyamide (PA) plastic baby bottles, 9 oz, six for $57.99, eight for $77.99, both sets include nipples and a free trainer cup, http://www.newbornfree.com/
Bottle Brushes
Tip: In a pinch, you can always use a chopstick, tip of a long-handled spoon or a twig to work in a sponge, dish cloth–or the hem of your t-shirt.
Twister baby bottle brush with soft, non-scratching sponge, $10 at http://www.newbornfree.com/
Natural coir (coconut fiber) brush on a long wooden handle, best for glass or unlined stainless (might scratch plastic or epoxy linings); $2.95 at
http://store.greenfeet.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=6005-01073-0000
Classic Baby Bottle & Nipple Brush Set from Evenflo, $1.98 at http://www.netkidswear.com/nipbotbrus.html
Coming Next: List #2, Food Storage
Please share this info with interested friends, and send them to http://www.greenerpenny.com/
Thanks,
Mindy
Part One: Drinking Bottles
It’s hot! Time to hydrate. And while you’re at it, every time you refill a reusable water bottle, rather than buy disposables, you’re helping the Earth’s health, too. If all Americans did so, we’d save the estimated 16 million barrels of oil used to make the bottled-water containers we bought last year. This from the August Harper’s Index, (http://www.harpers.org/), which also notes that twice as much water was used to make the containers as was drunk from them.
Choose the right reusable bottle, and you won’t get bit by the chemicals that can leach from some plastics in these sizzling dog days.
Bisphenol-A (BPA) has been found to cause developmental harm in animals, and there’s preliminary evidence of reproductive harm in women. And, while a family of plasticizers known as phthalates has long been linked to cancer and hormone disruption in lab animals, studies in 2005 and 2006 show some connection to genital abnormalities and lower testosterone in infant boys. This inspired a worried phone call from my brother Ethan Won, father of three young boys, ages 5 months, 4 and 6 years. “I’ve been hearing about all these chemicals coming out of plastics. Some plastics smell really bad, especially in the heat,” says Ethan, who lives in Honolulu, Hawaii. “And what about when we warm the baby’s bottle?”
A good question, as many clear plastic baby bottles, along with some of those pretty Nalgene Lexan bottles in transparent jellybean colors, are made of polycarbonate (recycling code #7) plastic, which has been found to leach BPA when heated, worn or scratched. “We always want kids’ products to be safe in any way they’re used,” says Sonya Lunder, M.D., a scientist with the Environmental Working Group (http://www.ewg.org/), which encourages consumers to seek alternatives to polycarbonate bottles, especially for babies and children.As Greenerpenny reader Bridget Collins writes,“I am very interested in shopping for products that do not contain BPAs. My kids are active and use water bottles several times a day!”
While it doesn’t accumulate in our bodies,“with BPA detected in about 95% of people in a recent CDC [U.S. Centers for Disease Control] test, we can assume that most of the American population has daily exposure,” Lunder says. These chemicals may also play a role in the development of obesity and diabetes, according to a 2006 Spanish study of BPA and a March, 2007 article on phthalates in Environmental Health Perspectives. Even if fat is “contagious,” as raised by a study in the New England Journal of Medicine last week, it’s far less extreme to drop risky plastics than an overweight friend.
Below are the safest, greenest and most affordable reusable bottles we could find. Pennypinchers, rejoice: In addition to keeping disposables out of landfills, and conserving the tons of carbon dioxide otherwise released in shipping, bypassing bottled water can save each of us about $1,400 a year, by the estimate of New York City officials.
Top Pick: Stainless Steel
Go plastic- and petrochemical- free with 100% stainless steel, the most recycled metal.
Perfect for kids or those of us who feel oppressed by heavy totes, Klean Kanteen’s lightweight, 12 oz volume stainless bottles are the same size as soda cans; caps have a stainless interior and non-leaching polypropylene (#5) top. From $13.95 to $22.95 for a 40-ouncer. For better totability, order a loop cap with a hole in it, or neoprene insulating sling or sleeve that snaps around pack straps, bike or stroller bars. At http://www.kleankanteen.com/
Slightly cheaper stainless bottles are $11.95 for 27 oz or $19.95 for 40 oz from http://www.greenfeet.com,/ which also sells Klean Kanteens.
Thermos 18 oz. stainless steel Hydration Bottle with stainless interior and exterior vacuum insulation walls; $17 at http://www.thermos.com/; insulated sleeves also sold.
Preferable Plastics
You can identify better plastics by the recycling code numbers stamped in them. Look for reusable bottles made of:
#2 (HDPE, high-density polyethylene, the most widely recyclable)
#4 (LDPE, low-density polyethylene) or
#5 (PP, polypropylene).
These plastics have not been found to release BPA or phthalates.
On the other hand, most single-use water bottles are made of #1 polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE). These bottles, if old, reused or heated, may release two phthalates: Di(2-ethylhexyl adipate), or DEHA, and benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP), which are possible human carcinogens, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And, although this plastic is easily recyclable, about 90% of the PET water bottles sold each year wind up in landfills. After all, they’re made to be tossed!
Top Plastic Picks:
Nalgene HDPE #2 Loop-Top Bottle, 16 oz, $4.99, http://nalgene-outdoor.com/store/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=6
Tupperware for Keeps:
For Kids: Tupperware’s polypropylene #5 bottles include colorful Thirstbreak Tumblers with straps, 14 oz, $13.50, or 32 oz On-the-Go version for $13, featuring Tinkerbell; an On-the-Go featuring Shrek, for $13.50.
Ideal for picnics or back-to-school: #5 lunch sets of sealed tumbler and sandwich box feature the Little Mermaid, Dora the Explorer and Diego, $16.
For Babies: Pooh meal set with sealable sippy cup, bowl and snack cup, $17.
For Commuters: 24-oz insulated (double-wall) Tumbler with Drip-less Straw Seal, $19.95, or Commuter Mug with swivel-open sipper cap, 16 oz., $18.50.
All at http://www.tupperware.com/
Easiest to Grab and Go: Rubbermaid’s Polypropylene #5 Chug Sports Bottle, about $3.99 for 20 oz size, widely sold at supermarkets, drugs and home improvement stores or http://brands.hardwarestore.com/196-1453-rubbermaid.aspx or http://www.amazon.com/.
Sigg Aluminum Bottles
No doubt about it, these lined aluminum bottles are light, beautiful and strong. And doubts about possible BPA leaching from Sigg’s patented epoxy linings have been laid to rest by tests commissioned by the company in May, 2007. After water was heated in the bottles for 3 days, no detectable residues of BPA were found, and EWG, as of this writing, has agreed to remove from its website its warnings about Sigg.
Available in 4 colors, the .6 liter Traveler Classic is $18, and .3 liter Travelers or children’s bottles picturing friendly mammals, dinosaurs, vehicles and the sun, are $15.95, with some NOW ON SALE for $10.95; patterned .4 liter kids’ versions cost $17.95, all at http://www.reusablebags.com/
Given the environmental ravages caused by the mining of bauxite for aluminum, however, and the 75% more energy consumed in the production of aluminum, according to the Worldwatch Institute, from raw materials as opposed to recycled metal, reusable bottles could be a lot greener if they were made from post-consumer-recycled stock.
BPA-free Baby Bottles
Glass
Evenflo Glass Baby Bottles, 4 or 8 oz., three for $8 at http://www.ingeling.com/
made of opaque colored #4 LDPE
Bornfree Glass Baby Bottles, 9 oz, two for $19.99 or four for $37.99 at http://www.newbornfree.com/
Non-Polycarbonate Plastic
Medela breastmilk storage and feeding set, white #5 PP, four bottles, $18.99 at http://www.target.com/
Gerber Fashion Tints, #5 PP in opaque colors, 9 oz, three-pack for $4.99 at http://www.thebabyoutlet.com/
Bornfree Polyamide (PA) plastic baby bottles, 9 oz, six for $57.99, eight for $77.99, both sets include nipples and a free trainer cup, http://www.newbornfree.com/
Bottle Brushes
Tip: In a pinch, you can always use a chopstick, tip of a long-handled spoon or a twig to work in a sponge, dish cloth–or the hem of your t-shirt.
Twister baby bottle brush with soft, non-scratching sponge, $10 at http://www.newbornfree.com/
Natural coir (coconut fiber) brush on a long wooden handle, best for glass or unlined stainless (might scratch plastic or epoxy linings); $2.95 at
http://store.greenfeet.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=6005-01073-0000
Classic Baby Bottle & Nipple Brush Set from Evenflo, $1.98 at http://www.netkidswear.com/nipbotbrus.html
Coming Next: List #2, Food Storage
Please share this info with interested friends, and send them to http://www.greenerpenny.com/
Thanks,
Mindy
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
Greenmarket Summer Dessert
Red, White and Blueberry Dessert
It’s the season to buy local strawberries and blueberries, fresh from the farm, at greenmarkets. Buying locally grown food also helps reduce emissions of the global warming gas carbon dioxide (CO2)—and air pollution—released by jets and trucks that transport food long distances. Shipping 30 pounds of groceries cross-country consumes about a gallon of gas and releases almost 20 lbs. of CO2.
Find a farmers’ market near you at http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm. If you’ve got room, freeze berries whole, and you can enjoy these colorful local treats in winter, too.
I made these quick, easy blueberry muffins for breakfast, and later that day the Green Man brought home a quart of succulent strawberries from the farmers’ market. After dinner, the muffins had a second act as strawberry shortcakes with whipped cream.
Blueberry Muffins
--adapted from the Mark Twain Library Cook Book, Mark Twain Library Association, Redding, CT, 1988.
1 and ¾ cups all-purpose unbleached flour
¼ cup raw demerara or turbinado sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg, well-beaten
¾ cup milk
scant 3 tablespoons butter
1 generous cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
Let butter soften at room temp; blend in sugar, egg and milk. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, then fold into butter mixture, stirring quickly until just moistened. Add blueberries. Fill greased muffin pan 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Yield: 12 muffins.
Correction for yesterday’s blog: For correct urls, plus prices for beach bags, plse go to http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2007/07/bird-friendly-beach-bags.html.
It’s the season to buy local strawberries and blueberries, fresh from the farm, at greenmarkets. Buying locally grown food also helps reduce emissions of the global warming gas carbon dioxide (CO2)—and air pollution—released by jets and trucks that transport food long distances. Shipping 30 pounds of groceries cross-country consumes about a gallon of gas and releases almost 20 lbs. of CO2.
Find a farmers’ market near you at http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/map.htm. If you’ve got room, freeze berries whole, and you can enjoy these colorful local treats in winter, too.
I made these quick, easy blueberry muffins for breakfast, and later that day the Green Man brought home a quart of succulent strawberries from the farmers’ market. After dinner, the muffins had a second act as strawberry shortcakes with whipped cream.
Blueberry Muffins
--adapted from the Mark Twain Library Cook Book, Mark Twain Library Association, Redding, CT, 1988.
1 and ¾ cups all-purpose unbleached flour
¼ cup raw demerara or turbinado sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg, well-beaten
¾ cup milk
scant 3 tablespoons butter
1 generous cup fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
Let butter soften at room temp; blend in sugar, egg and milk. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients, then fold into butter mixture, stirring quickly until just moistened. Add blueberries. Fill greased muffin pan 2/3 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Yield: 12 muffins.
Correction for yesterday’s blog: For correct urls, plus prices for beach bags, plse go to http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2007/07/bird-friendly-beach-bags.html.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Bird-friendly Beach Bags
Dig it, Beach Birds!
Wherever you beach it, you can leave a smaller dent on the Earth with these greener bags:
Organic Cotton Beach Totes (Organic agriculture keeps synthetic pesticides and fertilizers out of our fresh water and our seas):
Cuteness with a Conscience: Volcom organic cotton Chirp Tote, natural color silkscreened with baby blue bird, with outer pocket, $23.99 at http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/prod/detail/0,,4176098,00.html or www.dogfunk.com, 1-877-DOG-FUNK.
Make a Statement with a capacious organic cotton bag that says “Clean Your Beach” in pink. With nautical rope handles, #23.99,from Roxy, http://www.hsssurf.com/detail.aspx?ID=7701,1-800-620-2951.
If the bag moves you, learn about your local beaches and how to ensure cleaner conditions, at www.surfrider.com/stateofthebeach
Recycled Tote:
Gecko Traders Recycled Wave Tote, made from reused rice and feed sacks, in choice of 3 bright colors (love the fish in orange/pink). $35.95, from Cambodia, Fair Trade Federation certified http://www.reusablebags.com/store/gecko-traders-recycled-wave-tote-p-739.html?osCsid=7ee4d7a35eed47643537bdd38b5cbc7d, 888-707-3873
Top Totable: Chemical-free Sunscreen. Don’t forget it!
Talk about adding insult to injury: If hormone-disrupting phthalates also cause proliferation of fat cells, as recent research suggests (http://thegreenguide.com/doc/121/fat), I really don’t want them in my sunblock, or anything else that goes on my thighs!
Rule to Remember: Avoid products with ingredients lists including the general disclaimer “Fragrance (Parfum),” without specifying that it’s made of natural plant essential oils. Phthalates are widely used in synthetic fragrances.
Choose a least-toxic sunscreen from our list at http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2007/06/top-ten-green-sunscreens.html. Or grab one of the following phthalate- and paraben-free best picks at your drugstore.
Baby Avalon Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18, www.avalonorganics.com
California Baby SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick, www.drugstore.com
Jason’s Natural Earth’s Best SPF 30+, price reduced now at www.drugstore.com
The companies above have signed the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) pledge to remove phthalates, parabens and other toxic ingredients from their products. See www.safecosmetics.org. Dr. Haushka, below, has not signed the CSC pledge because “We have already met, and surpassed their standards,” says Michelle Van Landingham, the company’s ingredients representative, explaining that the signatories have promised to phase out toxins but some are still in the process of doing so. “We’ll sign when the CSC adds a preface stating that a lot of the companies have met the standards,” Van Landingham says.
Which leads us to recommend an evergreen favorite: Dr. Hauschka Sunscreen Lotion SPF 15, www.drhauscha.com.
Speaking of recommendations, please send your friends to www.greenerpenny.com! And keep sending your great questions.
Happy Fourth!
Mindy
Caution: When considering a new product, try a test sample first to make sure the feel and fragrance don’t irritate.
Wherever you beach it, you can leave a smaller dent on the Earth with these greener bags:
Organic Cotton Beach Totes (Organic agriculture keeps synthetic pesticides and fertilizers out of our fresh water and our seas):
Cuteness with a Conscience: Volcom organic cotton Chirp Tote, natural color silkscreened with baby blue bird, with outer pocket, $23.99 at http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/prod/detail/0,,4176098,00.html or www.dogfunk.com, 1-877-DOG-FUNK.
Make a Statement with a capacious organic cotton bag that says “Clean Your Beach” in pink. With nautical rope handles, #23.99,from Roxy, http://www.hsssurf.com/detail.aspx?ID=7701,1-800-620-2951.
If the bag moves you, learn about your local beaches and how to ensure cleaner conditions, at www.surfrider.com/stateofthebeach
Recycled Tote:
Gecko Traders Recycled Wave Tote, made from reused rice and feed sacks, in choice of 3 bright colors (love the fish in orange/pink). $35.95, from Cambodia, Fair Trade Federation certified http://www.reusablebags.com/store/gecko-traders-recycled-wave-tote-p-739.html?osCsid=7ee4d7a35eed47643537bdd38b5cbc7d, 888-707-3873
Top Totable: Chemical-free Sunscreen. Don’t forget it!
Talk about adding insult to injury: If hormone-disrupting phthalates also cause proliferation of fat cells, as recent research suggests (http://thegreenguide.com/doc/121/fat), I really don’t want them in my sunblock, or anything else that goes on my thighs!
Rule to Remember: Avoid products with ingredients lists including the general disclaimer “Fragrance (Parfum),” without specifying that it’s made of natural plant essential oils. Phthalates are widely used in synthetic fragrances.
Choose a least-toxic sunscreen from our list at http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2007/06/top-ten-green-sunscreens.html. Or grab one of the following phthalate- and paraben-free best picks at your drugstore.
Baby Avalon Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18, www.avalonorganics.com
California Baby SPF 30+ Sunblock Stick, www.drugstore.com
Jason’s Natural Earth’s Best SPF 30+, price reduced now at www.drugstore.com
The companies above have signed the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (CSC) pledge to remove phthalates, parabens and other toxic ingredients from their products. See www.safecosmetics.org. Dr. Haushka, below, has not signed the CSC pledge because “We have already met, and surpassed their standards,” says Michelle Van Landingham, the company’s ingredients representative, explaining that the signatories have promised to phase out toxins but some are still in the process of doing so. “We’ll sign when the CSC adds a preface stating that a lot of the companies have met the standards,” Van Landingham says.
Which leads us to recommend an evergreen favorite: Dr. Hauschka Sunscreen Lotion SPF 15, www.drhauscha.com.
Speaking of recommendations, please send your friends to www.greenerpenny.com! And keep sending your great questions.
Happy Fourth!
Mindy
Caution: When considering a new product, try a test sample first to make sure the feel and fragrance don’t irritate.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Solstice Tips
Summer Stoke
Happy Solstice: The sunrise at Stonehenge this morning was welcomed by 24,000 revelers. Summer officially begins on June 21st, the longest day of the year, which also happens to be International Surfing Day. Double stoke!
Here are some tips for a greener summer out of doors.
Treat yourself to a little something in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified or reclaimed wood.
In addition to the sun, Druids worshipped the mighty forest, which provided them with wood for shelter, fuel and food. Trees also counteract global warming by storing carbon. The Amazon rainforest alone sequesters 70 billion tons of CO2, or 10% of the world’s carbon, an amount equivalent to total emissions of this greenhouse gas over the past 11 years, according to the Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts. When trees are cut and burned, their stored CO2 is released.
FSC’s chain-of-custody verification process allows every piece of lumber or furniture to be traced back to its source in well-managed forests, which are selectively harvested with the goal of forest preservation. Given recent reports of how illegally logged Indonesian and Burmese wood gets filtered through China and sold in the U.S. and Europe, supporting work like FSC’s is crucial.
Greenerpenny’s Sustainable Wood Choices:
New River’s square outdoor table, pleasing in its simplicity, made from FSC-certified jatoba hardwood (Brazilian cherry),with a linseed oil waterproof finish, $89 from www.125west.com/new_river_outdoor_tables.html. Check out their FSC-certified Adirondack chairs, dining tables and benches, too.
Support your back—and standing forests—on a sweetly angled chair made from recycled oak wine barrel staves. It folds flat, too. $149 from www.vivaterra.com.
Save Your Skin
As longer days can mean more exposure to UV rays, beachgoers should wear sunblock and cover up as much as possible.
In the water and out, Xcel’s UV 50+ poly/spandex surf shirts provide protection with long or short sleeves, in solids or tropical prints, for Men, Women, Kids and Toddlers (find dealers in your zip code at www.xcelwetsuits.com). In tropic conditions, you’ll stay cooler in this Hawaiian company’s sleeveless mesh with a UV 25+ rating, but note, you’ll only be protected half as long. For more cover-ups, see http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2007/05/chemical-free-sun-coverups.html.
For Greenerpenny’s Top Ten Least-Toxic Sunscreens, go to http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2007/06/top-ten-green-sunscreens.html).
Clean a Beach
To celebrate International Surfing Day, help clean a beach. Go to www.intlsurfingday.com for events and ideas. Safety tip: Do keep your toddler from eating sand; researchers at the University of Minnesota have found that E.coli bacteria in beach sand can contribute to gastrointestinal illness.
Please send your friends to www.greenerpenny.com
Thanks,
Mindy
Happy Solstice: The sunrise at Stonehenge this morning was welcomed by 24,000 revelers. Summer officially begins on June 21st, the longest day of the year, which also happens to be International Surfing Day. Double stoke!
Here are some tips for a greener summer out of doors.
Treat yourself to a little something in Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)-certified or reclaimed wood.
In addition to the sun, Druids worshipped the mighty forest, which provided them with wood for shelter, fuel and food. Trees also counteract global warming by storing carbon. The Amazon rainforest alone sequesters 70 billion tons of CO2, or 10% of the world’s carbon, an amount equivalent to total emissions of this greenhouse gas over the past 11 years, according to the Woods Hole Research Center in Massachusetts. When trees are cut and burned, their stored CO2 is released.
FSC’s chain-of-custody verification process allows every piece of lumber or furniture to be traced back to its source in well-managed forests, which are selectively harvested with the goal of forest preservation. Given recent reports of how illegally logged Indonesian and Burmese wood gets filtered through China and sold in the U.S. and Europe, supporting work like FSC’s is crucial.
Greenerpenny’s Sustainable Wood Choices:
New River’s square outdoor table, pleasing in its simplicity, made from FSC-certified jatoba hardwood (Brazilian cherry),with a linseed oil waterproof finish, $89 from www.125west.com/new_river_outdoor_tables.html. Check out their FSC-certified Adirondack chairs, dining tables and benches, too.
Support your back—and standing forests—on a sweetly angled chair made from recycled oak wine barrel staves. It folds flat, too. $149 from www.vivaterra.com.
Save Your Skin
As longer days can mean more exposure to UV rays, beachgoers should wear sunblock and cover up as much as possible.
In the water and out, Xcel’s UV 50+ poly/spandex surf shirts provide protection with long or short sleeves, in solids or tropical prints, for Men, Women, Kids and Toddlers (find dealers in your zip code at www.xcelwetsuits.com). In tropic conditions, you’ll stay cooler in this Hawaiian company’s sleeveless mesh with a UV 25+ rating, but note, you’ll only be protected half as long. For more cover-ups, see http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2007/05/chemical-free-sun-coverups.html.
For Greenerpenny’s Top Ten Least-Toxic Sunscreens, go to http://greenerpenny.blogspot.com/2007/06/top-ten-green-sunscreens.html).
Clean a Beach
To celebrate International Surfing Day, help clean a beach. Go to www.intlsurfingday.com for events and ideas. Safety tip: Do keep your toddler from eating sand; researchers at the University of Minnesota have found that E.coli bacteria in beach sand can contribute to gastrointestinal illness.
Please send your friends to www.greenerpenny.com
Thanks,
Mindy
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Sheets, Unfinished
A reader asks, “Where can I get organic cotton sheets that are also free of chemical finishes?” A smart question, as the “certified organic” label applies only to farming, not processing, standards. Thus it’s possible that sheets and pillowcases, virtuously grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, might yet have been bleached with chlorine, dyed with heavy metal or synthetic colors that pollute waterways, and wrinkle-treated with formaldehyde, a skin and eye irritant.
The following sheets and pillowcases will help keep tears off your pillow while being kinder to the Earth:
New from Pottery Barn, The Naturals Collection 100% organic cotton sheet sets ($189 Q, incl 2 cases) are unbleached and free of conventional chemical finishes. They look and feel lovely, as I learned firsthand today in their Chelsea, New York store; to order at www.potterybarn.com (check out their organic children’s bedding, too) or through Pottery Barn Bed and Bath catalogs, printed exclusively paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Extra E-credit!
Native Organic Cotton Homewares’ 100% organic cotton sheet sets are also certified as adhering to the fiber processing standards of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), which prohibit chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, some azo chemical dyes, and plastisols (vinyl coatings). $160 for a Q set, at www.nativeorganic.com.
Deep Pockets for Those Without
For those (like me) who blench at the high price of organic sheet sets and use a comforter in lieu of a top sheet, Coyuchi provides a welcome alternative. They sell a Q fitted organic cotton sheet for $68, a pair of standard pillowcases for $26. And, their processing is non-chlorine-bleached and nearly chemical-free, using low-impact dyes that don’t run off into waterways as much as conventional types do. Their fitted organic crib sheet is $29, at www.coyuchi.com.
While not certified organic, Bed Bath & Beyond’s “400 Natural” and “600 Natural” sheet sets (the numbers refer to thread counts) tempted me with their lack of formaldehyde, chlorine bleach, synthetic dyes/fixatives, at a reasonable price ($80 Q for the “400,” with a generous 18” mattress pocket depth). BB & B also sells very nice “Simply Organic” cotton sheet sets, some colors now on sale ($49); now, if they could only combine the two…at www.bedbathandbeyond.com.
Please share www.greenerpenny.com with your friends, and keep sending me your ideas and questions.
Thanks,
Mindy
A reader asks, “Where can I get organic cotton sheets that are also free of chemical finishes?” A smart question, as the “certified organic” label applies only to farming, not processing, standards. Thus it’s possible that sheets and pillowcases, virtuously grown without synthetic pesticides or fertilizers, might yet have been bleached with chlorine, dyed with heavy metal or synthetic colors that pollute waterways, and wrinkle-treated with formaldehyde, a skin and eye irritant.
The following sheets and pillowcases will help keep tears off your pillow while being kinder to the Earth:
New from Pottery Barn, The Naturals Collection 100% organic cotton sheet sets ($189 Q, incl 2 cases) are unbleached and free of conventional chemical finishes. They look and feel lovely, as I learned firsthand today in their Chelsea, New York store; to order at www.potterybarn.com (check out their organic children’s bedding, too) or through Pottery Barn Bed and Bath catalogs, printed exclusively paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Extra E-credit!
Native Organic Cotton Homewares’ 100% organic cotton sheet sets are also certified as adhering to the fiber processing standards of the Organic Trade Association (OTA), which prohibit chlorine bleach, formaldehyde, some azo chemical dyes, and plastisols (vinyl coatings). $160 for a Q set, at www.nativeorganic.com.
Deep Pockets for Those Without
For those (like me) who blench at the high price of organic sheet sets and use a comforter in lieu of a top sheet, Coyuchi provides a welcome alternative. They sell a Q fitted organic cotton sheet for $68, a pair of standard pillowcases for $26. And, their processing is non-chlorine-bleached and nearly chemical-free, using low-impact dyes that don’t run off into waterways as much as conventional types do. Their fitted organic crib sheet is $29, at www.coyuchi.com.
While not certified organic, Bed Bath & Beyond’s “400 Natural” and “600 Natural” sheet sets (the numbers refer to thread counts) tempted me with their lack of formaldehyde, chlorine bleach, synthetic dyes/fixatives, at a reasonable price ($80 Q for the “400,” with a generous 18” mattress pocket depth). BB & B also sells very nice “Simply Organic” cotton sheet sets, some colors now on sale ($49); now, if they could only combine the two…at www.bedbathandbeyond.com.
Please share www.greenerpenny.com with your friends, and keep sending me your ideas and questions.
Thanks,
Mindy
Monday, June 11, 2007
Top Green Sunscreens for 2009
Here’s Greenerpenny’s newly updated, 2009 Sun Products Short List of least-toxic, full-spectrum UV blockers.
The products on this list are free of benzophenone-3 (BP-3), homosalate, octinoxate, octyl-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, padimate-O, parsol 1789 (avobenzone) and 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor, all of which have been linked to allergic reactions, hormone disruption, damage to skin cell DNA, or the growth of cancer cells in lab tests.
A particular baddie, BP-3, has been implicated in the feminization of male ocean fish and promoting disease in corals as well as hormone disruption in lab tests, and is widely present in the bodies of the American population. I recommend the following physical sunblocks, based on the minerals titanium dioxide (Ti02) or zinc oxide (ZO), which coat the skin’s surface like, well, white plaster. The controversy: To make mineral sunblocks transparent and smoother to apply, some manufacturers use microscopic nanoparticles of TiO2 or ZO. that could conceivably penetrate skin, causing DNA damage. Nicknamed “Trojan horses” because they can carry toxic substances into cells, nanoparticles of titanium dioxide have been found to damage brain cells in lab tests. However, The Environmental Working Group and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Skin Deep database (cosmeticsdatabase.com) advises that the sunblocking effectiveness of TiO2 and ZO outweighs the risks of nano, at least so far as we currently know.
Buyer Beware: Watch out for sunscreens that call themselves organic and even, sometimes, use some certified organic plant oils, but have toxic chemicals as active ingredients! Ditto products advertised as "mineral" but which also contain oxybenzone/benzophenone-3 and other synthetic agents.
Sunblock Titans
The following products * use only Titanium Dioxide and/or Zinc Oxide as active ingredients, and are full-spectrum (designed to block both UVA and UVB rays). They also contain no parabens, which are also suspected hormone disrupting chemicals.
1. Alba Botanica Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18, albabotanica.com
2. Avalon Baby Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18, avalonorganics.com
3. Badger Sunblocks, badger.com
4. Burt’s Bees Chemical Free Sunscreen soothes and moisturizes skin with hemp seed and calendula oils. www.burtsbees.com
5. California Baby SPF 30+, face stick or lotion, californiababy.com. A GreenerPenny top pick!
6. Ecolani SPF 15, evo.com
7. Epicuren Zinc Oxide Sunscreen, skincarelab.com
8. Jason Natural Cosmetics Earth’s Best Organic Sunblock, Chemical Free SPF 30+, drugstore.com. A fave of all Green Guide alumni.
9. Lavera Sunscreen Neutral SPF 40, lavera-usa.com
10. Nature's Gate Mineral Kids' Block
11. Neutrogena Sensitive Skin SPF 60 and Sunblock Stick are definitely nano-ized, but also very highly rated for protectiveness by EWG.
12. Tru Kid Sunny Days Mineral Water Resistant Sunscreen, rated highly effective by EWG.
13. UV Natural Sunscreen, Sport, SPF 30, at amazon.com. Stays on, but feels sticky greasy.
To round out a baker's dozen, any beach bag ought to contain Zinc Oxide Ointment, straight from the tube, at drugstores everywhere. Truly drop-dead white pasty, but can't be beat for cheap. I dot it on my sun spots for reverse freckles.
Next Best:
The following sunscreens use only mineral active ingredients, but contain parabens. They are also very effective, which is why I recommend them.
Solar Protection Formula SPF 58 allover lotion and TiZO3 Solar Protection Facial, nicely tinted, SPF 40. A new discovery, I used it on my face on a windy surf session in midday Hawaiian sun, and remained untouched by rays. Plus, it's totally matte and non-greasy, and with the tint, it works as makeup!
For the workaday world (if you don't work on the beach):
Clinique City Block non-greasy cream is lightly tinted and all the "foundation" most anyone needs.
For a pure mineral powder that blocks sun:
Peter Thomas Roth Mineral SPF 30 (they also make a moisturizer with sun protection).
Almost pure: I can't help but love my Physicians Formula Solar Powder SPF 20 Bronzer for touch-ups during a sunny day, and hope they'll remove those parabens. Can't hurt to ask!
*Note: Buy the specific product listed, or read labels. Some of these companies use synthetic chemicals in other sunblock products, including some for kids!
Also hot off the presses, Environmental Working Group's 2009 Sunscreen Guide rates specific sunblocks' effectiveness against UVA and UVB rays. They've looked at hundreds of products, and only 1 out of 10 offeres full protection, EWG says! Find out which, here.
What's safest, of course, is staying out of the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. But when the surf is perfect at 11:30, you gotta go. Go coated, and reapply frequently. If you're worried about nano, which manufacturers aren't required to disclose on ingredients lists, choose the opaque instead of transparent mineral products. I do. And here's a secret: On my face, I cover my ghostly white Ninja block with something tinted and stay-on, like:
Shiseido Very Water Resistant Sunscreen Stick Foundation. It's mostly mineral, with a little chemical, but at least it's not resting directly on my skin.
Surfers swear by Vertra for its stay-on waterproof power. Again, I'd layer it over a preferred nontoxic base like California Baby No Fragrance Face & Body.
Got a favorite product you want to vet? Search for it on EWG sunblock rating list (least toxic gets a 0 or 1, goes up to 10)
Sunblock removal tip: A good sunblock sticks to skin. When you want to take it off and let your pores breathe, try my surf buddy Cristal's tip: Organic virgin coconut oil, unrefined. Works like a dream, moisturizes your skin, and doesn't clog pores! From Spectrum Organics http://spectrumorganics.com/and other companies, sold at health food stores. Removes makeup, too, and a little bit on the hair relieves dry ends.
Like this blog? For regular seasonal green living and health tips, subscribe to my free weekly email newsletter by emailing Greenerpenny@gmail.com. Thanks!
The products on this list are free of benzophenone-3 (BP-3), homosalate, octinoxate, octyl-methoxycinnamate, octocrylene, padimate-O, parsol 1789 (avobenzone) and 4-methyl-benzylidene camphor, all of which have been linked to allergic reactions, hormone disruption, damage to skin cell DNA, or the growth of cancer cells in lab tests.
A particular baddie, BP-3, has been implicated in the feminization of male ocean fish and promoting disease in corals as well as hormone disruption in lab tests, and is widely present in the bodies of the American population. I recommend the following physical sunblocks, based on the minerals titanium dioxide (Ti02) or zinc oxide (ZO), which coat the skin’s surface like, well, white plaster. The controversy: To make mineral sunblocks transparent and smoother to apply, some manufacturers use microscopic nanoparticles of TiO2 or ZO. that could conceivably penetrate skin, causing DNA damage. Nicknamed “Trojan horses” because they can carry toxic substances into cells, nanoparticles of titanium dioxide have been found to damage brain cells in lab tests. However, The Environmental Working Group and Campaign for Safe Cosmetics Skin Deep database (cosmeticsdatabase.com) advises that the sunblocking effectiveness of TiO2 and ZO outweighs the risks of nano, at least so far as we currently know.
Buyer Beware: Watch out for sunscreens that call themselves organic and even, sometimes, use some certified organic plant oils, but have toxic chemicals as active ingredients! Ditto products advertised as "mineral" but which also contain oxybenzone/benzophenone-3 and other synthetic agents.
Sunblock Titans
The following products * use only Titanium Dioxide and/or Zinc Oxide as active ingredients, and are full-spectrum (designed to block both UVA and UVB rays). They also contain no parabens, which are also suspected hormone disrupting chemicals.
1. Alba Botanica Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18, albabotanica.com
2. Avalon Baby Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 18, avalonorganics.com
3. Badger Sunblocks, badger.com
4. Burt’s Bees Chemical Free Sunscreen soothes and moisturizes skin with hemp seed and calendula oils. www.burtsbees.com
5. California Baby SPF 30+, face stick or lotion, californiababy.com. A GreenerPenny top pick!
6. Ecolani SPF 15, evo.com
7. Epicuren Zinc Oxide Sunscreen, skincarelab.com
8. Jason Natural Cosmetics Earth’s Best Organic Sunblock, Chemical Free SPF 30+, drugstore.com. A fave of all Green Guide alumni.
9. Lavera Sunscreen Neutral SPF 40, lavera-usa.com
10. Nature's Gate Mineral Kids' Block
11. Neutrogena Sensitive Skin SPF 60 and Sunblock Stick are definitely nano-ized, but also very highly rated for protectiveness by EWG.
12. Tru Kid Sunny Days Mineral Water Resistant Sunscreen, rated highly effective by EWG.
13. UV Natural Sunscreen, Sport, SPF 30, at amazon.com. Stays on, but feels sticky greasy.
To round out a baker's dozen, any beach bag ought to contain Zinc Oxide Ointment, straight from the tube, at drugstores everywhere. Truly drop-dead white pasty, but can't be beat for cheap. I dot it on my sun spots for reverse freckles.
Next Best:
The following sunscreens use only mineral active ingredients, but contain parabens. They are also very effective, which is why I recommend them.
Solar Protection Formula SPF 58 allover lotion and TiZO3 Solar Protection Facial, nicely tinted, SPF 40. A new discovery, I used it on my face on a windy surf session in midday Hawaiian sun, and remained untouched by rays. Plus, it's totally matte and non-greasy, and with the tint, it works as makeup!
For the workaday world (if you don't work on the beach):
Clinique City Block non-greasy cream is lightly tinted and all the "foundation" most anyone needs.
For a pure mineral powder that blocks sun:
Peter Thomas Roth Mineral SPF 30 (they also make a moisturizer with sun protection).
Almost pure: I can't help but love my Physicians Formula Solar Powder SPF 20 Bronzer for touch-ups during a sunny day, and hope they'll remove those parabens. Can't hurt to ask!
*Note: Buy the specific product listed, or read labels. Some of these companies use synthetic chemicals in other sunblock products, including some for kids!
Also hot off the presses, Environmental Working Group's 2009 Sunscreen Guide rates specific sunblocks' effectiveness against UVA and UVB rays. They've looked at hundreds of products, and only 1 out of 10 offeres full protection, EWG says! Find out which, here.
What's safest, of course, is staying out of the sun, especially between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. But when the surf is perfect at 11:30, you gotta go. Go coated, and reapply frequently. If you're worried about nano, which manufacturers aren't required to disclose on ingredients lists, choose the opaque instead of transparent mineral products. I do. And here's a secret: On my face, I cover my ghostly white Ninja block with something tinted and stay-on, like:
Shiseido Very Water Resistant Sunscreen Stick Foundation. It's mostly mineral, with a little chemical, but at least it's not resting directly on my skin.
Surfers swear by Vertra for its stay-on waterproof power. Again, I'd layer it over a preferred nontoxic base like California Baby No Fragrance Face & Body.
Got a favorite product you want to vet? Search for it on EWG sunblock rating list (least toxic gets a 0 or 1, goes up to 10)
Sunblock removal tip: A good sunblock sticks to skin. When you want to take it off and let your pores breathe, try my surf buddy Cristal's tip: Organic virgin coconut oil, unrefined. Works like a dream, moisturizes your skin, and doesn't clog pores! From Spectrum Organics http://spectrumorganics.com/and other companies, sold at health food stores. Removes makeup, too, and a little bit on the hair relieves dry ends.
Like this blog? For regular seasonal green living and health tips, subscribe to my free weekly email newsletter by emailing Greenerpenny@gmail.com. Thanks!
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