Why you should get involved:

• 33 years ago Congress passed that nation’s chemical regulatory law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TCSA). To date the Environmental Protection Agency has tested just 200 of the more than 80,000 chemical compounds developed for products used in the home.
• Right now, EPA does not even have the authority to gather (or demand) the information it needs to evaluate a chemical’s risk.
• No-one; not product manufacturers nor the EPA are required by law to prove a chemical’s safety as a condition of use.
• 1.25 million kids younger than six years of age are unintentionally poisoned in the home each year by things like cosmetics and personal care products, cleaning substances, pain relievers and cough and cold medicines (American Association of Poison Control Centers) that contain harmful chemicals.
• Studies by the Environmental Working Group show that nearly 200 industrial chemicals and pollutants have been found in the umbilical cord blood of newborns.
• Your friends and family don’t know how dangerous chemicals are. Recent studies show that most people think toxic cleaners are pretty darn safe.
• Why should your kids be exposed to dangerous chemicals in basic household items?

How you can help…

• Visit Million Baby Crawl and create a crawler that represents why you want chemical reform. The Million Baby Crawl will help to present the Kids Safe Chemical Act to Washington by collecting signatures from Americans who support toxic chemical reform.
• Post about the Million Baby Crawl at your own blog.
• Follow the Million Baby Crawl discussion on Twitter #mbcrawl.

Hopefully the end result of your support will be the Kids Safe Chemical Act, which will require chemical manufacturers to conduct safety testing before a chemical is used in products.

Post from: Blisstree

The Million Baby Crawl

BASICS:

Seventh Generation is arguably one of the most well-known green companies around. They were one of the first self-declared “socially responsible” companies and have been around for 20 years. The company makes a slew of products, some that are very green and some that could be greener, but all in all, they offer some great product choices for green households in various categories…

• Laundry Products
• Dishwashing Products
• Household Cleaners
• Household Paper & Supplies
• Products for Baby
• Feminine Care

ECO-PERKS OF SEVENTH GENERATION:

• Seventh Generation notes that they’re committed to helping consumers make informed choices and I’d say that they’re doing a good job in this area. They fully disclose all ingredients at their website and on their packaging plus offer MSDS sheets. If you want to know what’s in your Seventh Generation cleaner, they make it ultra easy to find out, unlike some eco-companies.
• Some of their packaging is made with recycled content (2 bottles (18%) are 75% PCR; remainder are 25% PCR; 1/3 of our boxes are 100% PCR; remainder are 30–40% PCR). Almost all their packaging is easily recycled and they disclose when it’s not.
• They donate 10% of profits to non-profit community, environmental, health, and responsible business organizations working for positive change.
• They recently eliminated synthetics in all fragrances.
• They make non-toxic products with zero chlorine bleach, phosphates, dyes, NTA or EDTA.
• Because the company makes recycled paper  products and less toxic goods, the company helps to save scads of trees, water, petroleum, and energy yearly.
• No animal testing.
• They have green corporate office policies in place – for example using recycle paper and recycling.
• Also, this is an eco-company that works. For example, while there are plenty of eco-companies around, but they’re only as good as their outreach to consumers. You can easily find Seventh Generation products at just about any store and in online shops. They promote their products and have actually built up a brand, which is something I wish more green companies would work on, because if consumers can’t locate products, if they can’t learn more about a company then they won’t buy those products, they’ll maybe buy other more toxic products. They’re also affordable and offer coupons often.

COMPANY NEGATIVES:

• They make disposable diapers that do not biodegrade. They also make diapers with SAP which is a questionable green debate right now – i.e. it could be ok, but maybe not. Their baby wipes also do not biodegrade.
• There’s non-biodegradable synthetic polymer in their auto dish powder and gel.
• Their new labels on cleaners rock – info wise. However, all of them peel off right away and then leave a lame sticky area on the back of the bottle. Annoying.
• While their cleaners are less toxic than many conventional cleaners out there, you’ve still got that new bottle to recycle. It’s still more eco-friendly to make your own cleaners, although, of course some people will always want to simply purchase cleaning supplies.
• They use plastic backing on their feminine care products; which yes, is made out of oil.
• Some cleaning products could be improved – for example, I’ve tried a few green dishwasher detergents that clean better than Seventh Generation’s brand.

OVERALL:

It’s hard to give a company a full on green rating, because I’m just one green girl with one opinion, but overall, I’d give them a…

3.5 out of 5 little trees. They’re a fairly good green company with many products that work well, a few that don’t and they could make some eco-improvements. However, I do love their disclosures and the fact that they’re continually setting and meeting new eco-goals. Stick around for some product specific reviews coming up.

MORE LINKS:

• Follow Seventh Generation on Twitter.
• Join them on Facebook.
• Read their blog.
• Read their latest corporate responsibility report online (flash). You can also read this report in pdf.

Post from: Blisstree

Green Company Review: Seventh Generation

In order to educate women about this important topic, Seventh Generation has teamed up with the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund (OCRF) and has dedicated September 1st, 2009 as “Let’s Talk… Period” Day. The goal is to educate women about ovarian cancer and to raise funds that will support this education.

Head to the  “Let’s Talk… Period” Day website on September 1st (tomorrow) and register your email address. For each person who registers, Seventh Generation will make a $1 donation to the OCRF, with an overall donation of $22,000 representing the women that will be diagnosed this year. The website offers useful information on ovarian cancer signs, symptoms, risk factors and prevention, plus plenty of videos about healthier female care products.

As a thank you for logging in and participating, Seventh Generation will be giving each registrant a coupon for their organic cotton tampons that are not bleached with chlorine, free of rayon and don’t contain added perfumes or dyes. See the video below to find out what’s in most tampons…

Post from: Blisstree

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

A real water cup: Those flimsy little paper cups add up in a big way, both in your trash and with their impact (materials and energy used to make them). Use real cup, use the lid of your mouthwash, carry your reusable water bottle into the bathroom with you, or walk to the kitchen for a drink.

Recycled toilet paper: Seventh Generation notes that if everyone replaced one 12 pack of normal toilet paper with one 12 pack of recycled toilet paper we’d save about 1.3 billion gallons of water a year. Marcal, another recycled toilet paper manufacturer saves over 200,000 tons of paper (that might end up in landfills) by turning this paper into recycled toilet paper and other home paper products.

Refillable soap dispenser: A refillable soap pump is a must have. There are tons of problems with buying new plastic soap dispensers over and over. It costs more, you can’t recycle all the parts, and manufacturing these pumps is a waste of resources too.

A recycled toothbrush: One toothbrush in a landfill may not seem like much, but imagine what the pile looks like with just your city’s toothbrushes, now what about the whole world? That’s a whole lot of toothbrushes. Preserve makes recycled toothbrushes that can be recycled again after you use them.

A non-toxic shower curtain: Shower curtains and liners made of plastic contain PVC, a harmful chemical, plus to make matters worse hardly any PVC is recycled. You can buy PVC, eco-friendly shower curtains many places now.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Blisstree

Five Green Bathroom Accessories You Need

According to a recent Seventh Generation survey…

• “More than half of U.S. adults (58%) don’t always check the labels of cleaning products to determine if they contain ingredients that are harmful to their health.
• Sixty-seven percent (67%) of adults believe that companies are required to disclose all of the chemical ingredients contained in their products, which isn’t true.
• One third (33%) of parents believe the kitchen is potentially the most harmful area to their children, while some did not believe any room in their home is harmful to children (16%).
• Surprisingly, 70 percent of adults with kids under the age of six years that live in their household store their household cleaning products/solutions under the sink.”

The Seventh Generation survey actually had better results that the March 2008 Soap and Detergent Association (SDA) survey in honor of National Poison Prevention Week. In that survey over 80% of people felt that cleaners were safe. That’s shocking. Still, so long as anyone thinks that conventional cleaners are safe the numbers are still too high. Because of the survey Seventh Generation is guessing that you know someone whose under the sink cabinet is a toxic wasteland. This makeover is a chance for you to help detox a friend’s home AND win an eco-spa getaway to New York City for both of you!

It’s easy to enter…

1. Head to the Under the Sink Makeover contest site.
2. Tell Seventh Generation why your friend needs the makeover, in 250 words or less. Note: makeover nomination cannot be for self or family members.
3. Take a picture of what’s under your friend’s sink. Then upload your picture

One lucky grand prize winner will receive a package that includes:

• An in-home consultation for your friend with Dr. Alan Greene, a practicing pediatrician and specialist in green living (for the friend, but the winner can come too!)
• A one-year supply of Seventh Generation products (worth approx. $350) (for the winner AND friend)
• A trip to New York City for the winner AND friend, complete with: Round-Trip airfare to New York, a one-night stay at the W New York -Times Square hotel, a day of pampering at Manhattan’s Green Spa that will include a Body Polish, Wellness Massage, Ocean Vegan Spa Manicure/Pedicure, and a one hour make-up application and lesson.

Four other finalists and their friends will receive a Seventh Generation Living Home Starter Kit containing a variety of home-cleaning products for their own under the kitchen sink makeover, in addition to a luxurious Lavera home spa kit containing Lavera’s customer favorite BODY SPA shower gel, body scrub and bath salts, and premium LAVERÉ Anti-Aging body lotion to pamper themselves.

Enter today and get a friend on his or her way to a greener cleaning experience.

Post from: Blisstree

Under the Sink Makeover Contest

They were chosen at random, and both ladies said they were trying to use products that were “more green” to clean their home. They aren’t alone! I think all of us are trying to do all we can to make the earth a cleaner place while still keeping our homes and lives in tip top shape.

The products they will receive include:

- A reusable Seventh Generation Tote
- A dishwashing cleaner
- A Spray Cleaner
- A recyclable paper product (tissue box or paper towels)
- Laundry detergent

Thanks again to Seventh Generation for their generous prize!

Image: sxc.hu.

Post from: Blisstree

Winners of the Seventh Generation Package

If you’re not interested in cutting down forests just to blow your nose, then Greenpeace’s Recycled Tissue and Toilet Paper Guide, can help you make smarter tissue choices. The credit card-sized shopping guide, can help you find greener household paper products, such as facial tissues, paper towels, toilet paper, and paper napkins.

In the guide Greenpeace gives a thumbs up to companies like Green Forest, Natural Value and Seventh Generation. Kleenex (manufactured by Kimberly–Clark) was given an “avoid” score along with Charmin and Angel Soft.

The products recommended in the paper guide must meet three important Greenpeace environmental benchmarks: “They are made from 100 percent recycled content, a minimum of which is 50 percent post-consumer recycled content; and are not bleached with chlorine or toxic chlorine compounds.”

Get the Greenpeace Recycled Tissue and Toilet Paper Guide.

Coming up later some Earth Day minded reading for you to enjoy.

[image via Greenpeace]

Post from: Blisstree

Recycled Tissue & Toilet Paper Guide

The average American home has 63 hazardous chemicals. This year, in honor of Earth Day, Seventh Generation invites Blisstree readers to take a walk on the green side of life and consider using natural ingredient based cleaners.

Seventh Generation will be giving two lucky Blisstree winners an “under the sink makeover” to get a clean sweep at living a greener, healthier lifestyle this spring. The giveaway will include a Seventh Generation tote bag filled with eco-friendly and family friendly cleaning supplies that are safe to use around children and pets while protecting the environment for generations to come. Seventh Generation wants to make sure everyone is a winner when it comes to protecting their health and invites you to join the Seventh Generation Nation for coupons to create your own Under the Sink Makeover and give your spring cleaning a fresh start this Earth Day.

The giveaway will include:
- A reusable Seventh Generation Tote
- A dishwashing cleaner
- A Spray Cleaner
- A recyclable paper product (tissue box or paper towels)
- Laundry detergent

I must say I’m very jealous that I can’t enter this one!

If you’d like to win. Leave a comment on this post by Wednesday, April 22nd (Earth Day!). I’ll choose two winners at random and announce them the next day. Good luck!

Image: Seventh Generation

Post from: Blisstree

Win an Under the Sink Makeover

The products were donated by PTPA Media, which stands for Parent-Tested, Parent-Approved, a company that provides parents with home and household products that have been reviewed by other parents. Check out their website and see what other products passed the test among parents.

Post from: Blisstree

Kids Health give-aways: Clean, green and parent-approved – winners

‘Sides, it’s Kids Health Notes’ First Anniversary last month, so I want to start the new year with cleaner, greener, and healthier families for our readers.

I’m giving away three products that have been parent-tested and parent-approved, so you know they really work.

• Universal Stone all-purpose cream based cleaner. It’s certified green and made in Europe.
• Seventh Generation cleaning products.
• Ringley Teether. This a wooden and organic cloth teething ring that parents and infants love!

So, who’s up for it? Here’s how to join.

Answer this in the comment: What is one household chore you really love to do?

• One entry per person per day.
• It’s open to residents of the US only.
• Contest ends 11:59 midnight EST on October 12, 2008 (Sunday). Three winners will be randomly chosen and announced via blog and email the week after.
• If a winner does not reply within 3 days, he/she forfeits her winnings and an alternate entry will be chosen.
• REMINDER #1 : In previous contests, I have had several winners forfeited for failure to reply to my emails.  Please make sure your settings don’t put my email into the junk folder, otherwise you’ll have no idea you won. Better yet, please check this blog for the winners’ list after the contest ends. Best bet, come back often and stay a reader!
• REMINDER #2: Only entries with legit answers will be included in the draw. There are good reasons I ask these questions in Kids Health Notes. Actually, only a few forget to answer the questions, but I really want to include all commenters into the contest, so just take note of that when you join. And as always, I appreciate the conversation. Have fun here!

UPDATE: This contest is now closed.

Post from: Blisstree

Kids Health give-aways: Clean, green and parent-approved