And where are they available?
Cleaning products (for home or laundry)
Personal care products (face and body)
Cosmetics
Clothing
More Pages:
- What are your favorite “green” products? (key word Obama)?
- Solar Products: What Is Your Favorite Brands Of Green Products? (6/25/2011)
- Solar Products: What Are Some Of Your Favorite Organic Or Green Products? (5/22/2011)
- Solar Products: Have You Tried Natural Cleaning (Green) Products? (9/18/2011)
- What are your favorites “green” products?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I must confess that I have not particularly migrated into the eco-friendly cleaning product since attempting the “environmentally responsible phosphate” based soaps of 30 plus years ago. (Turns out, phosphate is great for vegetation growth as promoted. Trouble is, it made for algae blooms that ultimately killed everything else in waterways.) I use bleach limitedly, somewhat regular hand dish soap, inexpensive shampoo (we use it for hand and shower soap too), somewhat regular laundry soap, ammonia, cleanser, and baking soda. I use the baking soda as a truly soft cleanser and to weaken the bonds of burnt on foods. Periodically, I use a Future/Future type product on some of my floors. Periodically, I use Simple Green. I have discovered that liquid, automatic dishwasher detergent makes for an excellent engine cleaner; it is certainly cheaper, has a healthier application method, does not require an aerosol can, and I suspect is chemically nicer for the environment. Periodically, I use rubbing alcohol for cleaning. I have always steered reasonably clear of scents in cleaning products; I allow their bad smell to tell me I’m becoming over exposed and/or under ventilated. VERY, very seldom I will break down and use some oven cleaner. In the mean time, I use baking soda, vinegar, a combination of the two, or liquid automatic dish washing detergent in my oven. I am on a septic tank and I use a pipe and tank enzyme periodically.
In the yard, I’m pretty organic with a fairly woodlands type landscape incorporating native and naturalizing vegetation. Within a year or two, each plant is pretty much on its own. – Periodically I will transplant but, it’s pretty much a yard of the right plant in the right spot; else, the natural selection process pretty much takes care of it. I do veggie pit and top dress with as many coffee grounds I can get my hands on. I do mulch with the readily available materials from the yard. I try to hold on to any fallen branches until at least the needles have fallen off; and I’ve even volunteered to take others wind falls, scattered them in my yard until the needles came off, and then transported to recycling. I do collect some of the area fall leaves and the combination along the road for the yard. I have volunteered to rake, collect, and take fallen leaves from others yards in the past. I did take several pickup trucks full of poultry area cleanings some years back. Last fall, I volunteered to take the pulp left over from an apple cider party; little did I know it would be a pickup truck full. But, for several years now I’ve had access to weed-free, horse stable, barn cleanings which I’ve used as mulch and to “make dirt” in multiple locations. I do use powdered root hormone sparingly and sprinkled directly onto the roots of transplants. I have used the oil only, dormant spray in the past. I have used soap solutions, pepper solutions, and onion solutions for aphids. Periodically, I’ll come across an Osmacoat type fertilizer which I’ll sparingly top dress a potted plant waiting transplant. I use bagged steer manure when transplanting and periodically as a top dressing. Periodically, I;ll come across some organic fertilizer which I’ll use sparingly as a spring top dressing. Periodically, I’ll do a spring top dressing of sparingly spread epsom salts. At the same time, I do not have a lawn nor a vegetable garden.
I have always had a like for 100% cotton, silk, and wool. I have actively moved towards actual wood products for 20 to 30 years now. I think that the only “fake wood” products I have in the house are the computer desks. Even so, the second one was purchased with the capability of being re-built in actual wood; we just haven’t gotten to that project yet. I am working on the plastic in the house and towards reducing much of it. I have little or no foam in the house.
My favorite non toxic cleaning products are baking soda, white vinegar and castillle soap. You can mix these 3 into a variety of recipes to clean almost everything. I do use ready made products for my machines, I am currently using Ecover brand dishwasher and laundry soap and both seem to be doing a great job. I use vinegar in my rinse cycle so I don’t need to use dryer sheets, but I added a couple of those laundry balls, just to make sure the static stays in check. The first 3 items are very inexpensive, the liquid soap is a little pricey, but a little goes a long way. I buy baking soda in bulk for about 60 cents a pound. It can also be used as a deodorizer.
I am also detoxing my beauty products and have found a few brands that I like, but I am still looking to reduce more chemicals. I use http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com to find out what is in my current products and any I want to try.
If you ever want to know what is in a cleaning product you can look up the MSDS (material safety data sheet) They don’t think they list every ingredient, but the list all the chemicals and their potential risks, or the fact that the risks are unknown, that’s a little scary.
Josie Maran Cosmetics, an all-natural and eco-friendly cosmetic line.
Im not a sucker who will pay more for a product that is more harmful to the environment and my family. For example WHS says use vinegar as a cleaner! Vinegar is a toxic acid that is much more harmful than all household cleaners (bleach is the exception). As far as the rest of your list there are no regulations as to what natural/organic/green means so in reality the manufacrorer can put anything in the product and tell you it is natural/green etc.
Ginney – Here is a definition for you since you dont know how to do research on your own! Also learn to read I did say BLEACH IS THE EXCEPTION!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar
“Vinegar is an acidic liquid processed from the fermentation of ethanol in a process that yields its key ingredient, acetic acid.”
“solutions above 10% need careful handling since they are corrosive and damaging to skin.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetic_acid
It can cause severe damage to the digestive system, and a potentially lethal change in the acidity of the blood.
And one last note about vinegar and sodium bi carb! Mix an acid and a base what do you get NOTHING! They neutralize each other and the result is WATER!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar
“When vinegar is added to sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), it produces a volatile mixture which rapidly decomposes into water, carbon dioxide and sodium ethanoate, which makes the reaction fizz. It is often used to illustrate typical acid-base reactions in school science experiments.”
cleaning products – baking soda, white vinegar, tea tree oil, Dr Bronner’s Soap
*****As far as the claim that “vinegar is toxic to the environment ” and cleaners like clorox etc are better this is FALSE- read here for more info http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/07/62_uses_for_vin.php white vinegar is a safe, non toxic, environmentally friendly alternative to many cleaners on the market.
personal care products – Dr Bronner’s soap, Tom’s of Maine, Herbal Magic Deodorant…..and if I could afford it – Aubrey Organics shampoos and conditioners – We use Nature’s Gate. Burt’s bees chapstick and creams
I purchase most of my personal care products through vitacost or at the local health food store
Cosmetics – I don’t wear make up…and yes, I am a woman!!
Clothing – I don’t wear a ton of organic clothing – however, I don’t generally buy new clothing either. I shop at thrift stores and yard sales, etc and reuse/recycle clothing.
When I do buy new stuff – I like these folks
http://www.earthcreations.net/
and these guys too
http://www.mountainsofthemoon.com/
For cleaning products, Seventh Generation. For clothing, try Gaiam.
I would advise against cosmetics as it is hard to make them safe. Anything you put on your skin is absorbed into your body. However, a good non-toxic and less wasteful deodorant is Lafe’s deodorant stone, made from potassium alum (and it actually controls odor).
http://www.seventhgeneration.com
http://www.gaiam.com
http://www.lafes.com