Item Numero Uno - My daily face moisture lotion

I'm pleased to announce to myself that the first thing I put on my face in the morning only has a few potentially hazardous ingredients, putting it at the low end of the Moderately Hazardous category (a 3 out of 10). What's kind of sad is that a 3 is pretty good, comparatively speaking. While it's not the safest of its kind on the market, it's better than most, so I'm not sure if I'll change. Maybe I'll try one of the safer ones out there (Vanicream with SPF30 is supposedly a 1, making it almost as safe as you can get).

If you're interested in my daily moisture lotion with sunscreen (SPF30), this is it:

http://www.drugstore.com/qxp79531_333181_sespider/eucerin/extra_protective_moisture_lotion_spf_30.htm

I tried to paste a picture of it, but surprisingly, manufacturers don't seem interested in making it easy for you to rip out a pic of their product and post it on your blog.

A rogue faux journalist takes on Big Make-Up

OK, I realize they don't call themselves Big Make-Up. I just like how that sounds. Makes me giggle a little, and when dealing with something this enormous and depressing, a little giggle here and there is helpful. Anyway, the point of this entry is to explain my strategy for answering some key questions I have about what I've been reading in Exposed, particularly those related to my every day beauty routine. While I put a high priority on looking good, I'm not sure as I'm willing to kill myself to do it. So here goes.

Goal: To figure out which cosmetics and personal hygiene products are least hazardous.
Plan: Go to the Cosmetic Database and research every product I use to find its safety rating.

Goal: To find out what's keeping the make-up companies I use currently not using the safest ingredients from switching to safer ones (sure seems like an obvious change to make, from my non-business perspective).
Plan: To call and/or email every company I currently buy from and get a direct answer from somebody (I'm not kidding - this is the rogue part).

Goal: To learn about the potentially hazardous substances I can't seem to avoid because they even exist in the "natural" and "organic" product lines.
Plan: Lots of research.

Goal: To explain my findings to you, the reader.
Plan: To explain my findings to you, the reader.

JGM Book Club - Exposed Part I

"Trust no one." - Fox Mulder

At risk of sounding like I'm one renegade neuron away from wearing tinfoil on my head to stop the government from reading my thoughts: The government, I think, is out to kill us. Or perhaps more accurately, they aren't all that invested in preventing the premature death of American citizens. This book has left me a little speechless - which is saying something. I wish I knew where to begin, how to even discuss my reactions to the book so far. Instead, I think I'll talk about what I intend to do about it. I want this blog to be about more than pissing and moaning about what all is wrong with our government and the world in general. I want this to be about action.

As an avid consumer of cosmetics and hair products, this seems like an obvious place to start. I'm going to find out where the U.S. is at in terms of adopting the newer regulations now in place in the EU (discussed throughout the book), what is keeping us from benefiting from the safeguards protecting our friends across the pond, and how I can take matters into my own hands, purchase the best available products, and protect myself and my family from the chemical bath we are all taking every day.

In the meantime, I'd highly recommend checking out http://www.safecosmetics.org/ and http://www.cosmeticdatabase.com.

The JGM book club launch!

I've decided to pretend I have Oprah's following, and start my own online book club. After all, what is blogging if not an attempt to live out the fantasy of being the next Katie Couric, Oprah, or Anne Coulter (that last one was my attempt at a joke)? To be quite honest, I want to be a part of the green movement, not because it's trendy, not because everybody is doing it, but because it's no longer a choice. Everyone needs to acknowledge that we are not living in a sustainable world. And it's not just about saving the planet. If you focus on something that large, that intangible, it's way too easy to put it off for another day. It's not just a global issues, it's quite personal. Saving the planet is as much about saving the people in it as it is about preserving the ozone. And so far, the best book I have found to outline just how personal (and political) this issue has become is this one here:








http://www.amazon.com/Exposed-Chemistry-Everyday-Products-American/dp/1933392150/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1206466929&sr=8-1

And thus, I officially announce the launch of the JGM book club with the book Exposed, by Mark Schapiro. Schapiro is a journalist, and the book is written like a really long Newsweek article, investigative (vs. textbook-y) in nature, meant for the layperson, and fascinating in content. He does a remarkable job resisting the temptation to be polarizing, to take a biased stance against corporate America and the GOP. He presents both sides of the story beautifully, and I can barely put it down (but I have to because, well, I have a job and kids and all of that). I should say that he does not hesitate to make his pro-environmental stance known, but rather than being extreme or sensational, he basis his conclusions on a fairly thorough evaluation of the evidence on either side, while still leaving you enough unanswered questions to make your own conclusions.

Please, please, please consider reading this book. Get your friends involved, maybe ask your parents to join in, too. Even your teenager will find this a great lesson in what is going on in the world around us, behind the scenes of the biggest corporations in the world.

In the interest of pretending that a million of you are reading my blog and are going to rush out to your local library, Barnes and Noble, or Half-Price Books, I will say no more until later.

Quick resource tip

Before you buy anything - make-up, a vacuum cleaner, whatever - check out the Green Guide. Follow the link to Consumer Guide. Invaluable. Maybe the best website I've found so far for buying day-to-day goods.

www.thegreenguide.com

New topic for you to munch on

Sitting in your office, wanting to think about something more interesting than what's next on your Outlook calendar? Chew on this:

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/15635751/the_ethanol_scam_one_of_americas_biggest_political_boondoggles

Thoughts? Reactions?

Good intro article from Newsweek

Last week's edition of Newsweek had a good introductory article on Green Homebuilding. If you're thinking about it as an option for your home, or are just curious, this is a good article. It doesn't go into major depth or anything, but it's at least motivating, and definitely raises some questions, which I'll discuss momentarily. Here's a link to the article:

http://www.newsweek.com/id/120128

By the way, if anyone knows how I can legally post the entire article on my blog, please let me know. That way, you don't have to switch back and forth. While you read, I'll go get a glass of wine and some chocolate.
********

I'm back and feeling much better with my end-of-the-day treat. OK, so let's discuss some issues indirectly raised in this article. The first questions that come to mind are these: Why isn't this kind of building and remodeling standard? Why do we even have the choice of putting stuff in our homes that is full of toxins? Why aren't we all installing cabinets and countertops that are made with recycled materials? Why aren't we all buying water-saving showerheads? Why do we even have the option of toilettes that use a ton of water when there are toilettes available that barely use any water at all? In others words - why isn't this standard?

I asked my husband. His theory is that there isn't a clear and present "pain point." In other words, when we install our formeldahyde adhesive-covered countertops or paint our walls with fume-y paint, or step into our 9,000 gallon whirlpool tub, there is no obvious and immediate negative consequence (unless, I suppose, you drown in your unnecessarily large tub). That, and the message that this stuff is bad for you is still fairly quiet, and oft-disputed. Yes, I think my husband is onto something - human beings don't change unless there's a serious fire under their collective ass. There has to be a clear and present danger, and so far, we have yet to meet the critical mass of environmentally concerned asses to be making lasting, global changes in the way we live our lives. The demand for safe homes is increasing, and my hope is that by contributing to the call for change, I can inspire others to do the same, and we can become one giant ass calling for the elimination of unnecessary products that do way more harm than good.

Please, if you have any thoughts on the matter, post your comments, let's discuss amongst ourselves. Or just keep tuning in for more monologues on the topic, if that's more your thing.