What I use in my home for cleaning & personal care products

07 May 2013 Leave a comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Resources

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I’ve been asked to provide examples of what I use in my home for some of the major categories, so here’s an overview. Of course not everything that works for me will work as well for you. We all have different hair/skin/water/expectations that play a role in our product satisfaction. I consider myself a product minimalist. If you are looking for something not on this list, let me know, I likely have a safe recommendation to offer! I originally shared this way back in May of 2013. My product choices have definitely shifted over the years, and you’ll see below that I use a lot of Poofy Organics. I truly believe them to be the safest products on the market, AND they work very well, which can’t always be said for all natural/organic products….

All-purpose cleaner: We all have to clean our homes, from stove-tops, to floors of all types, here is my favorite:

I’m a huge fan of Poofy Organics all-purpose concentrate. I truly use it for everything! This tiny $25 bottle makes ~16 refills of the 16 oz spray bottle! That makes it super economical, and super eco-friendly!  Available in Sprinted Mint, or I’ve switched to Medieval blend, which has germ-killing EO’s in it. Also available in a 16 oz, pre-diluted, spray bottle for $10: Link to the concentrate: https://ecofriendlyusa.poofyorganics.com/products/1907-medieval-blend-all-purpose-soap-concentrate-organic.aspx

MAMA SUDS: I’ve also heard from many who love Mama Suds all-purpose spray, I’ve not tried it myself, but the ingredients are safe! https://www.mamasuds.com/products/all-purpose-cleaner

In the past I’ve used orange peel-infused vinegar: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=494009793947999&set=a.494009763948002.128085.397517646930548&type=3&theater

A thread on the numerous uses for both white & apple cider vinegar: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=630823000266677&set=a.599365280079116.149826.397517646930548&type=3&theater

And don’t forget about hydrogen peroxide, it’s a powerful cleanser & germ-killer, and more & more is my go-to! http://www.stopthestomachflu.com/hydrogen-peroxide-experiments

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Laundry: I used EcoNuts  for my 4 years of cloth diapering, never had a diaper rash once in either of my kids, never had to strip diapers once either! And I’ve used wool dryer balls for many years now: https://www.facebook.com/notes/eco-friendly-babyfamily-products-made-in-the-usa/truly-natural-laundry-solutions-soap-nuts-wool-dryer-balls/556789574336687

I do feel soap nuts did an excellent job on our diapers, but our regular laundry is a challenge. We’re a super outdoorsy family, lots of time playing in dirt for the kids, chainsawing piles of wood for my Hubby…. We’ve used, and been happy with, Molly’s Suds, for many years now! We have a 10 year old, top-loading washer.  https://www.mollyssuds.com/

Mama Suds offers a liquid laundry detergent that many find to work well too. She offer a 16 oz sample size, enough for several loads, so I say give it a try as well!

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Dish  soap:  After years of looking for the perfect, safe, effective dish soap, Poofy really is the only one I can recommend… No, it is not cheap. But yes, it absolutely is the safest I’ve found on the market, and it really works too, which is why I can recommend it! https://ecofriendlyusa.poofyorganics.com/products/1911-citrus-punch-dishwashing-liquid.aspx

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 Dishwasher: I can only recommend 2 safe options for this category: MamaSuds (powder) & Better Life (gel). MamaSuds seems to have about a 50/50 satisfaction rate in those who’ve  reported back to me after they’ve tried it. The great news is, she offers samples for just $5 which gets you a few loads! So I highly recommend giving it a try before committing to a full size bag. I’m having the best results with Better Life myself. We have hard, non-softened, well water & I started having issues with MamaSuds coming out pretty grimy, that’s not happening with Better Life! I have found the best prices from Vitacost, although some of you may be lucky enough to find this locally.

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Hair:  This is a very, very tough category. What works for one person does not always work for the next. It has been years since I used a conventional product for this category, so my hair has definitely “detoxed”. I currently wash my hair ~2x/week, and usually it’s with Poofy’s Mighty Mane. I say usually because sometimes I use salonsolids if I have it on hand, which you can read about below. The Mighty Mane line was actually developed with those suffering from hair loss in mind. But so many have found it to be the perfect every day, or a few times/week shampoo, as I have. Poofy also offers other shampoo’s, and you will find others who love those options: orange/lav is a very popular option, there’s also a dandruff shampoo, a 2-in-1, even a lice prevention option! This is in addition to the best-selling unscented baby shampoo (many adults who prefer no scent also use this!). I use a few spritzes of the Mighty Mane Leave-in Spray after my hair has towel-dried. In the winter months my hair & scalp tend to dry out a lot more, then I will use Poofy’s cream conditioner weekly, and just last winter started using the argan hair treatment on my scalp to help with dandruff, and it really worked well! https://ecofriendlyusa.poofyorganics.com/products/1293-mighty-mane-shampoo.aspx

salonsolids is another option that has worked very well for me. I absolutely LOVE the dedication to plastic-free with this option. It’s a powder that you mix with hot water. And it works very well with my hair too!  https://ecofriendlymamausa.com/2016/12/10/salonsolids-review/

Hair color: https://ecofriendlymamausa.com/2016/01/05/how-to-hennaindigo-your-hair/

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BABY SOAP/LOTION: I didn’t use any soap at all on my babes until they were several years old. Even now, at 5 & 7 years old, they rarely get soap. A warm bath & wash cloth really does clean them up properly. But since I get asked a lot about a safe, mild baby soap, I will recommend Poofy’s baby shampoo here. It is one of the most loved Poofy products! You will find it, as well as the unscented baby lotion, via this link: https://ecofriendlyusa.poofyorganics.com/category/154-organic-baby-products.aspx

Other options: Josiah’s Oils makes a ‘bare’ head-to-toe liquid soap. Dr. Bronners offers an unscented baby liquid.

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Other soap needs:  Poofy soap concentrate. Poofy offers many soap concentrates. 1 bottle of this makes numerous 8oz foaming pumps, making it both economical & eco-friendly, the best combo! https://ecofriendlyusa.poofyorganics.com/search.aspx?searchterms=concentrate

MamaSuds also makes a liquid castile that has very minimal ingredients & doesn’t include citric acid, so is even milder than Dr. Bronners- here’s my review of this product & her liquid laundry soap:

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Facial Moisturizer: I used Poofy’s Flawless Face Moisturizer as needed for several years. At night I would dab on the Vivid Eye Serum on top of it, a combo I was pretty happy with. I was also very proud that I got my Mom to switch to the Flawless Face Moisturizer after a lifetime of Clinique, Oil of Olay, etc. She absolutely loves the FF cream! Then Kristina came out with the Flawless Face Pm cream, and so many of us fell in love, my Mom included (I gifted it to her for her 60th B-day, then Mother’s Day, and will keep her stocked). The Pm cream is all I, and many others, use both day & night. It is not heavy, does not make my skin greasy, but takes care of any dry spots I have, and is really doing a great job combating my almost-40 fine lines & wrinkles under my eyes, on my forehead, and on my neck. I’m very, very happy with this cream & will never use anything else! The ingredients are superb & selected to target anti-aging: https://ecofriendlyusa.poofyorganics.com/products/1727-flawless-face-pm.aspx

Other options I’m aware of that are safe: MamaSuds age-defying, Josiah’s

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Toothpaste: I do make my own homemade paste, it’s a coconut oil base so it’s not tube-stable. It comes in a 4oz glass mason jar, just like my deodorant. I absolutely love it, so do my kids, and many others! But we’re also huge fans of variety so you will also find a tube of Poofy’s Cherry paste, and more than 1 flavor of Earthpaste in my bathroom!

My paste info: https://ecofriendlymamausa.com/buying-clubdeomy-poofy-organics/eco-friendly-usa-homemade-toothpaste/

Poofy paste: 2 options, Cherry which is loved by many, and the Happy Teeth which many will say is ‘spicy’. It totally grew on me, and others will say the same. It leaves your mouth feeling clean & refreshed. But if you can’t handle spicy/hot, this might not be the paste for you. Poofy also offers a toothpowder which any LOVE! https://ecofriendlyusa.poofyorganics.com/search.aspx?searchterms=toothpaste

Earthpaste: My kids love Lemon, we always have a tube of that on hand, and I usually keep at least 2 other tubes in our rotation. They have a peppermint w/ activated charcoal option now, in addition to spearmint (w/o xylitol), wintergreen, cinnamon, and peppermint w/o charcoal too. They also now offer several toothpowders! https://www.earthpaste.com/

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Deodorant: I’ve made my own for almost 6 years now! But I do keep a stick of Poofy’s Jasmine Joy around as of late, the smell is soooooo good that I cannot resist!  Here’s the link to the recipe to make your own: https://ecofriendlymamausa.com/buying-clubdeomy-poofy-organics/homemade-deodorant-body-scrub-info/

Josiah’s

BlueEgg Farmstore

MamaSuds

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First Aid– I have a whole separate post on this! https://ecofriendlymamausa.com/2017/09/06/my-natural-remedy-collection/

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Facial Cleanser– Since I don’t wear make-up, I don’t have a nightly face wash routine. If my skin is oily I use Witchazel as an astringent, which I get from Mountain Rose Herbs. Poofy’s Flawless Face Cleanser is a great option, and you can dilute it 50/50 with distilled water in a foaming pump even! Poofy also offers a Zit Zapper line which includes a face wash. Josiah’s Oils offers an acne wash, and strawberry face wash too: https://www.josiahsoils.com/apps/search?q=face+wash

Sunscreen SPF – Is It Just a Numbers Game?

05 May 2013 Leave a comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Resources Tags: , ,

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Written by Jolene

Recommendations  The American Academy of Dermatology recommends that people use an SPF of 30 when going out into the sun for extended periods of time. For children or people with very sensitive skin, it is also recommended that on top of applying sunscreen often, you should also be using a physical barrier between you and the sun such at hats, sunglasses, shirts, etc. For how often you should reapply sunscreen you should refer to the instructions of the specific sunscreen you are using, but generally every 2-3 hours, after excessive sweating, or after swimming/towel drying. Since SPF is not a linear progression, meaning that 30 SPF does not offer double the protection that SPF15 does, when you start getting into higher SPF’s they are not worth the excessive cost that ‘promises’ you better protection. (See chart below) SPF Effectiveness When you look at a sunscreen’s SPF it is referring to the amount of protection you are going to receive from the sun’s UVB rays. The UVB rays are what causes people’s skin to burn (and suntan). Below is a simple guide to how effective each lower SPF category is in terms of blocking the sun’s UVB rays: · SPF 15, blocks 94% of the sun’s rays · SPF 30, blocks 97% of the sun’s rays · SPF 45, blocks 98% of the sun’s rays *Keep in mind that there is no sunscreen that blocks 100% of the sun’s rays. (Carpenter, Los Angeles Times)

Paying More for More “Relief” While it is not a substantial raise in cost for SPF 30 versus SPF 110 (yes that’s right Neutrogena makes an SPF 110!) it is something to consider when you are buying natural sunscreen without harmful chemicals versus one with cancer causing ingredients. Many people feel it is hard to shell out extra bucks for a natural sunscreen such as Badger Balm when it only has SPF’s of 30 and 34, when they can pay the same price if not less, for an SPF of 70-110. Be rest assured that since you only need the recommended amount of 30 SPF in order to protect yourself from UVB rays, do yourself the favor and spend the extra bucks knowing that you are not causing other problems to your family’s health. Even though Water Babies offers an SPF of 70 (and market to, well, babies/children) their ingredients are too disturbing to even think about using. Their EWG.org/skindeep rating is at a 7. This is because there is a moderate hazard of cancer (how ironic), and high hazards of allergies, immunotoxicity, endocrine disruptions, as well as high hazards of developmental and reproductive toxicities. Not something I would put on my baby, child, a pregnant mother, or anyone else for that matter. Water Babies are not the only brand that receives a high rating from the EWG for their dangerous ingredients used. The long list includes Neutrogena, Coppertone, Banana Boat, amongst many others, several who claim to be ‘natural’ and ‘safe’.

A Side Note on UVB vs. UVA Because UVB rating (SPF) is simply not enough to look at anymore for proper cancer prevention, the FDA has revised their labeling as of recent (2011). Companies are now not allowed to solely put the SPF number, put waterproof, sunblock, prevent wrinkles, prevent cancer, or promise complete protection from the sun. They also must warn you if the SPF is under 15, and will recommend other sun protection methods to help protect you from the sun’s harmful rays. For a look at how the FDA has changed their labels please follow the link below. It shows an example of the 2011 Final Ruling on Labeling for the front and the back. Spring 2013 marks when companies are all supposed to have the new labeling on any sunscreens coming out for consumer purchase. The only exceptions will be sunscreens that were produced before the deadline and still happen to be on shelving. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/27/sunscreen-labels-fda/2113075/

SO, WHAT DO WE RECOMMEND: BADGER: They offer several to choose from. The one I’ve used is the Baby Cream: $15.99 for 2.9 oz tube, SPF 30. Active Sunscreen Ingredient: Non-Nano, Uncoated Zinc Oxide 18.75%. Other Sunscreen Ingredients: *Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, *Cera Alba (Organic Beeswax), CO2 Extracts of *Hippophae Rhamnoides (Organic Seabuckthorn), and *Calenduls Officinalis (Organic Calendula), *Anthemis Nobilis (Organic Chamomile) Essential Oil, and Tocopherol (Sunflower Vitamin E). * = Certified Organic.  Badger is available in many more food co-ops, pharmacies & stores, so for those of you who don’t like to order online this may something you like about this option. For those that like to use Amazon, here’s a link to the baby version, they offer many options! http://www.badgerbalm.com/c-47-kids-baby-sunscreens.aspx

POOFY ORGANICS: $16 for a 3.4oz tube, SPF 30, also available in stick form. Very similar to Badger, but the only complaint I’ve ever heard about Badger is it’s too thick & hard to rub in. Poofy’s is thinner & easier to apply. Ingredients: Organic Jojoba Oil, Organic Unrefined Shea Butter, Organic Beeswax, Organic Virgin Coconut Oil, Organic Camellia Oil, Organic Cocoa Butter, NON-NANO Zinc Oxide. It is also available in stick form You can purchase it through my affiliate link (became an affiliate 6/15/14, after recommending the products daily for a year+), I even offer 10% off your 1st order via a rebate after the order is placed (since I can’t create my own coupon code). https://ecofriendlyusa.poofyorganics.com/products/1475-the-sunscreen.aspx

Adding, Josiah’s Oils, Just Skin Food, Blue Egg Farmstore, Goddess Garden & Babo to the list, I will add a post for each as soon as I have time! **While these seem expensive, I had one tube of Badger last me all summer last year. Of course, covering up as much as possible is always the best sunscreen! My kids wear rashguard suits & hats, so they’re covered to their elbows & knees. That’s a lot less sunscreen to rub on vs if my girl was in a bikini…

Also, you may want to read this thought provoking article: http://theunboundedspirit.com/scientists-blow-the-lid-on-cancer-sunscreen-myth/

Lead in crockpots- a simple test can give you peace of mind!

01 May 2013 3 Comments

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Resources Tags: , , ,

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I’ve read several articles on this topic & the original issue appears to have stemmed from a woman who went around at a state fair testing crock pots for lead & found several of them to indeed contain this toxin that we all want to avoid. From what I gathered, they were all the very cheap Rival brand. Hamilton Beach claims to be lead-free, and that happens to be what I have, but for extra peace of mind, I thought I’d spend the $10 on a lead test kit (First Alert Made in the USA!) at my local hardware store. When this issue has come up in the past many have stated that they were simply going to throw there’s away. Not only is that not eco-friendly, it’s not necessary- I highly encourage you to do this very simple test. The test kit says it will do 4 tests, but I did 3 and have enough solution for at least 3 more tests. First I did the simple swab test, and happened to have a chip on my handle which was perfect. Just dip the Q-tip in the solution, and rub the chipped area for 30 seconds, if any lead is present it will turn a shade of brown- mine stayed white (phew!). Then I did the more accurate leach test, which can determine PPM. You do a vinegar soak for 4 hours, put some of the vinegar in a test tube, dip the Q-tip in the solution & insert it into the vinegar solution. Depending on the shade of brown it turns it gives you an idea of PPM, again, mine stayed white. Then I turned my crock pot on high for 4 hours with vinegar in it, in case heating it caused something to be released. Again, it stayed white. So, for less than $10 I have the peace of mind that I am not contaminating my organic food & poisoning my family.

I LOVE my crock pot. I find it to be a HUGE time-saver. I love putting a meal together, walking away, and coming back to a delicious, effortless meal. Today I’ll be putting a local, organic, pork roast raised by my friends in, and can’t wait to enjoy it tonight. I have yet to find a Made in the USA crockpot, if anyone knows of one, please let me know!

Mine is model #33150. From Hamilton Beach’s FAQ page: “Hamilton Beach specifications applicable to all slow cookers and their components (including the earthenware crocks) prohibits the product from containing any measurable amounts of lead. Furthermore, the factories that manufacture the earthenware crocks for Hamilton Beach are certified ceramic production facilities whose ceramic ware is deemed to satisfy FDA heavy metal requirements. Hamilton Beach takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the earthenware crocks accompanying our slow cookers provide safe and satisfactory service to our consumers.” http://www.hamiltonbeach.com/faqs-slow-cookers.html

Organic Certification in Personal Care Products

30 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Eco-friendly living, Resources Tags: ,

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We’ve had the discussion on the Facebook page before, does certified organic matter to you, or is the use of organic ingredients enough? For me, the certification does matter, and this awesome interview with the owner of Poofy Organics helps shed light on the process. Many have commented that the certification is nothing more than a hefty payment to the USDA… It is SO much more than that, and I’ll gladly pay a bit extra for companies that are willing to jump through the hoops. Poofy Organics is not a large company by any means, they have 4 employees, Kristina the owner, and her mother being 2 (both pictured). I’m currently working on a review for several Poofy products, and I can tell you now that I LOVE every, single thing I’ve tried, and the ingredient labels are TRULY fabulous!
What does the certification process entail?
“What is the process for getting certified? Please be detailed as possible (paperwork, inspections, etc.)? First,  a company needs to fill out what seems like an eternity of  surveys/questionnaires.  The questions are extremely detailed down to  the most minute piece of information.  We were asked about our water  supply, how we clean & sanitize work stations, how we clean &  sanitize our equipment.  Meticulous records need to be maintained from  start to finish of ANY product being manufactured.  If a facility has  pests, only certain pesticides may be used.  Luckily, we have not had  that issue.  Back to keeping records, for instance, a record of each  ingredient we use is kept.  When we order an ingredient, it goes in our  record.  We need to list who the supplier is (and of course they must  already be certified as acceptable to use by the USDA certifying  company.  In our case, it is Baystate Certifying Company).  We need to  track what date the product was ordered and when it was received, who  received it, the lot # and where the ingredient was stored.  Another  record we keep is our manufacturing record.  On it, we list what product  we are making, the date it is being made, who is making it, ALL the  ingredients AND units of measurements for those ingredients, all lot  numbers associated with the ingredients and how many products were  yielded.  Then our products are assigned lot numbers.  It is quite a  process for every time a product is made, especially because Poofy  Organics has over 100 organic products.  it can become quite hectic!   Another record that is kept is the cleaning/sanitizing record.  Every  time a product is manufactured, we must document how we cleaned &  prepared the equipment and how it was purged. Lastly, we have a  cleaning/sanitizing record for our facility.  This includes when and how  we clean our floors, etc.

Anytime  a new product is created, we have to send an OPP- Organic Product  Profile to our certifying company.  On it, we need to list all the  ingredients, the supplier and the concentration of those ingredients.   Any non-organic ingredient that is allowed in the organic product (and  those are very few and minute percentages), needs to go through another  process which maintains that the ingredient has not been manufactured  using sewage sludge or ionizing radiation and has not been created using  GMOs (genetically modified organisms). An example of such an ingredient  would be baking soda.  Because baking soda cannot be found organically,  a company like Bob’s Red Mill is a staple for organic companies.  It  upholds the highest standards in the industry.

A  new product considered for certification also needs to go through a  rigorous “label” certification.  Even the labels have standards and  rules.  Each label is sent to the certificating agency to make sure it  is in compliance.

We  are inspected annually.  Each year a new application for certification  needs to be completed- some of the information is stored so it makes  things a bit easier.  During inspections, records are sifted through to  make sure all ingredients, products, manufacturing, labels and  cleaning/sanitizing is in compliance.  Batches are randomly picked to  make sure the ingredients and numbers add up to the number of units  sold.  It is quite a heavy-duty process.   It is often misunderstood  that once a company is certified, the job is over.  It is a CONSTANT  process- always keeping records, always turning in new documents.”

Here’s a link to the full interview, definitely worth a read: http://www.healthybeautyproject.com/beauty-space/understanding-organic-certification-poofy-organics/
Link to FB discussion on the topic, with some of my thoughts: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=653931904622453&id=397517646930548

Products that contain Triclosan, and why you should avoid them!

28 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Resources Tags: ,

If you are not yet aware of the potential dangers of triclosan, you should know that this antibacterial agent has been strongly linked to the following effects on human health:

* Abnormalities with the endocrine system, particularly with thyroid hormone signaling     * Weakening of the immune system     * Birth defects     * Uncontrolled cell growth     * Unhealthy weight loss

Although triclosan is best known for its presence in many brands of antibacterial soap, it is also found in a wide variety of personal care and household products. According to BeyondPesticides.org, triclosan is found in the following products:

HERE’S THE LINK to the entire list: http://drbenkim.com/articles/triclosan-products.htm

AND, here’s why EWG rates this a 7: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/search.php?query=triclosan&h=Search

Frequently Asked Questions

27 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Resources

Here are some Frequently Asked Question threads that I didn’t save in our FAQ album, but wished I had. Lots of great info below. If you have insight/feedback/comments to add, please do- the more the better:

Here’s our FB album with several additional threads: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.599365280079116.149826.397517646930548&type=3

Blentec vs. Vitamix: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=590844037597907&id=397517646930548&comment_id=7664075

Car seats: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=590725577609753&set=a.599365280079116.149826.397517646930548&type=3&theater

Ceramic cookware: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=637247772957533&id=397517646930548&comment_id=8011776&offset=0&total_comments=14&notif_t=feed_comment

Countertops: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=596095223739455&id=397517646930548&comment_id=7722997&notif_t=feed_comment

Diaper Rash Remedies: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=603568729658771&id=397517646930548&comment_id=7772728&notif_t=feed_comment

Dish soap recipes: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=630386893643621&id=397517646930548&reply_comment_id=7986018&comment_id=7985993

Disposable diapers: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=616137825068528&id=397517646930548&comment_id=7842453

Dr. Bronner’s as dish soap: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=597069223642055&id=397517646930548

Finger Paint Reviews & Recipes: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eco-friendly-babyfamily-products-MADE-in-the-USA/397517646930548?sk=messages_inbox&action=read&tid=id.513359968676335#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=614483015234009&id=397517646930548&notif_t=like

Healthy eating/what to avoid: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=645209102161400&id=397517646930548&comment_id=8073285&offset=0&total_comments=33

Independent OG stores/brands, mainly WI, but some national: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=596052130410431&id=397517646930548&ref=notif&notif_t=like

Make-up: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=592348804114097&id=397517646930548&comment_id=7680315&ref=notif&notif_t=feed_comment

Play mats: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=635381313144179&id=397517646930548&comment_id=7994696

Potty training/cloth diapers: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Eco-friendly-babyfamily-products-MADE-in-the-USA/397517646930548?ref=hl#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=622797624402548&id=397517646930548

Shower curtains: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=644570602225250&id=397517646930548&comment_id=8068918&offset=0&total_comments=21

Soap Nuts: https://www.facebook.com/#!/permalink.php?story_fbid=612075308808113&id=397517646930548&comment_id=7820947

Even more about Soap Nuts: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=616421038373540&set=a.430947503587562.117422.397517646930548&type=1&theater

Sunscreen Homemade Recipe: https://www.facebook.com/notes/zippy-hippie-mama/homemade-sunblock/577611205611894

Toothpaste: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=599365476745763&set=a.599365280079116.149826.397517646930548&type=3&theater

Water filters: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=599044033444574&set=a.599365280079116.149826.397517646930548&type=3&theater

Importance of making/buying organic baby food

23 Apr 2013 Leave a comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Resources Tags: ,

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In case you have a shred of doubt on the importance of making your own baby food from organic produce, or at least buying organic jars, read what EWG found when they tested numerous jars of baby food!!
Pesticides in Baby Food
The USDA’s monitoring program tested about 585 samples each of green beans, pears and sweet potatoes processed as baby food, all purchased in American stores in 2011. These three types of baby food were tested in 2010 with generally similar findings.
Green beans canned for baby food tested positive for five pesticides, among them, the toxic organophosphates methamidophos and acephate. Methamidophos was found on 14.4 percent of samples and acephate on 12.6 percent. We are encouraged by EPA’s success in ending the use of these two chemicals for use on green beans. We urge EPA to continue to restrict these and other highly toxic chemicals from produce, particularly the foods most consumed by children. We urge USDA to continue to monitor green beans canned for baby food to ensure that any insecticides adopted as replacement do not pose similar health risks.
Pears processed for baby food showed 11 pesticides. Fully 94 percent of the pear samples tested positive for at least one pesticide residue, and 18 percent of the samples were tainted with 5 or more pesticides. The pesticide iprodione, which EPA has categorized as a probable human carcinogen, was detected on 16 baby food pear samples, or 2.7 percent of the samples in the latest round of testing. Iprodione is not registered with EPA for use on pears. Its presence on this popular baby food constitutes an apparent violation of FDA regulations and the federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The one bright spot was sweet potatoes processed as baby food. These showed virtually no detectable pesticide residues.
The extent of pesticide contamination of baby food documented by USDA highlights the need to accelerate testing of baby foods and for EPA to minimize the organophosphate pesticides exposures allowed for Americans, especially infants and children.
http://www.ewg.org/foodscores/products?category_group=Baby+Food
FB thread with comments/questions: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=650785464937097&id=397517646930548

Top 5 Toxic ingredients hiding in your deodorant

10 Apr 2013 2 Comments

by ecofriendlymamausa in Resources

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The best deodorant I’ve ever used= this simple, homemade recipe! I work in hot, humid greenhouses, and make it all day without reapplying. Even the “natural” deodorants still have undesirable ingredients, although not as bad as the mainstream ones. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=537190792963232&set=a.494009763948002.128085.397517646930548&type=3&theater.

Carrageenan Info

07 Apr 2013 1 Comment

by ecofriendlymamausa in Resources

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http://www.naturalnews.com/039384_organic_food_carrageenan_additive.html#ixzz2PP4FzVnU

Shopping Guide to avoid Carrageenan in organic foods: http://www.cornucopia.org/shopping-guide-to-avoiding-organic-foods-with-carrageenan/

What is Carrageenan? Food Additive and Aircraft De-Icer:  http://blog.nutri-living.com/?p=672

Does your coconut or almond milk contain a known carcinogen? http://www.happy-mothering.com/05/health-2/nutrition-health-2/carrageenen-carcinogen-coconut-almond-milk/

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