There are many reasons to use plants as medicines.  For example, despite many drugs having their origins in plant life, pharmaceutical giants are huge polluters, not just from the processes of the factories, but the secondary pollution caused by the patients themselves when medications pass through their body into the ecosystem.  Sewerage treatment works clean up as much of this as they can but there are many chemicals that slip through the net and circulate back into our reservoirs, plant and animal life, finally passing back into our bodies in the form of drinking water.  Now we find CODEX Alimentarius creeping upon us, likely to undermine the choices of those of us who prefer to use herbal remedies.  We do not know for sure what the wider implications will be but it seems likely that many of the herbal remedies we have all had access to, being removed entirely (due to their safety and efficiency not having been “scientifically” proven, often despite a history of folk usage), or simply price increases where the expensive procedure of proving and registering has been undertaken. It seems there has never been a more important time to take care of our aches, pains, sniffs, cuts, bruises and coughs at home with locally growing plants.

I have worked with plants for over 10 years now, I have observed how individual plants support each other in subtle but effective ways, allowing for complex interdependent communities to develop.  Over the years I have become more and more entranced by plant life as I began to understand our place within the Earth community.  I have studied the healing properties of plants with some very diverse teachers from Amazonian Shamans, Kenyan medicine men to classically trained British medical herbalists.  What amazes me is that so many plants have medicinal properties.  They are all around us, in our back gardens, vegetable plots, meadows, along riverbanks, I believe it is time to rediscover natures sweet and subtle medicines that are being offered for free.

I have just written my first book entitled The Medicine Garden, within which I have provided information on over 130 commonly found garden plants, weeds, fruits, vegetables and trees.  It provides a simple guide to harvesting, storing and using the featured plants, giving easy instructions on how to make your own remedies including salves, tinctures and syrups.  It is time to honour the Earth, not just by consuming less and buying organic, but by accepting her generous healing gifts.  Every time you make your own remedy you are avoiding the problems of packaging disposal as natural remedies come in their own compostable body, and are equally avoiding excreting concentrated amounts of polluting chemicals into the Earth.

It is available from online bookshops, the publisher www.goodlifepress.co.uk or from my site where you can read more about my work www.gatewaystoeden.com

Article by Rachel Corby
Author of The Medicine Garden

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral that has many useful properties when incorporated into building materials. With a high resistance to heat and fire, it makes an excellent insulator. It’s also lightweight, durable and flexible, and can even be woven into cloth or spun into yarn. For these reasons, asbestos has been widely used in many industries. Although it has been highly regulated by the EPA, asbestos can still be found in many common places. You may have heard of asbestos abatement projects occurring in your community – these are attempts to remove asbestos in the safest way possible. Asbestos is a much talked-about topic, especially in the United States, the UK, and Australia.

Asbestos, however, has a fatal flaw: it’s carcinogenic. When the raw asbestos materials, or products containing it, are damaged or disturbed, it releases into the surrounding air microscopic fibers which are harmful to humans. These fibers can be inhaled, and once inside the body they cause cells to replicate erratically and uncontrollably, leading to a rare form of cancer known as mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma strikes relatively few patients, but it is a terminal cancer with no known cure. One of the most devastating aspects of this disease is that it has a latency period of up to 50 years, meaning that people can have mesothelioma and not know it for decades.

Since asbestos is a mineral, the areas around asbestos and related mineral mines can be contaminated with the airborne fibers, and may lead to mesothelioma diagnoses in residents. There have been a remarkable number of cases diagnosed in the residents of the Libby, Montana area, where chemical giant W.R. Grace ran a large vermiculite mine for many years. Concentrations of asbestos particulate in areas that are not near mines are very low, however.

Anyone who works with asbestos should take safety precautions, such as wearing protective clothes and using respirators. And anyone who has previously been exposed to asbestos, either through their workplace or environmentally, needs to inform their doctor of that fact and schedule regular physical exams. Mesothelioma, like most cancers, can be more successfully treated the earlier it is diagnosed.

Homes and buildings built before the 1980s are at a much greater risk for containing asbestos. If you are worried about your possible risk, consider getting your air quality tested by a professional service, or finding a company who can test for asbestos specifically. If you’re remodeling your home soon, you’ll need to make sure any asbestos-containing materials are removed properly – it can actually be illegal to do it yourself. Invest in eco-friendly building materials and insulation. Not only will you be safe from asbestos, you’ll be helping the environment as well.

Article by Anna Clark
Asbestos.net

Recently the Canada’s Environment and Plastics Industry Council stated in a report that eco friendly reusable bags may “pose a public health risk.” The report was minor, and they did not suggest that reusable green bags shouldn’t be used. However, per the norm, special interest groups ranging from plastic manufacturers to lumber mills manipulated the store into something greater. They have begun promoting the report out of context to serve their interests. The Environment and Plastics Industry Council report is not a cause for concern in the least. Reusable green bags are a much better option to paper and plastic for a variety of reasons ranging from the environmental toll of disposable bags to saving for companies.

These interest groups, including plastics manufacturers and deforesters are irresponsibly further stoking germophobia caused by the swine flu. What they neglected to mention is that simply washing your reusable bag after it comes into contact with contaminants will avoid any and all issues. The lumber and plastics industries have resorted to fear mongering to protect their interests, and they are doing it in both an inappropriate and unethical fashion.

Reusable bags are no different than other improvements in consumer products throughout history. During the Second Industrial Revolution (1890s) terry cloth replaced linen as the primary material for bath towels. Users experienced a better, more pleasant experience all around. However, as any parent knows when they unpack their child’s summer camp luggage, towels must be washed. This has now become second nature, and most people wash and dry their towels regularly. This avoids mold, bacteria, and anything else that may be a cause for concern. Simply washing your green reusable bag after they come into contact with anything suspect will have the same effect and render the report’s concerns completely unfounded.

The benefits of reusable bags outweigh any and all concerns. Green bags are longer lasting and don’t fill landfills or destroy forests like their plastic and paper counterparts. At last count over 203 billion (nine zeroes), have been used this year. The effects of this are drastic and far reaching. First, the raw materials used in making disposable plastic bags include complex oils that can actually poison rivers and streams. Next, these plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photo degrade, which means while the molecules may get smaller and smaller they never actually leave the Earth.

The opposite is true of reusable bags. They are often made from RPET, which not only use recycled raw materials, but return harmlessly to the earth when you are done with them. Jason Tunick, of Factory Direct Promos, an industry leader in reusable eco friendly bags, says, “Businesses of all sizes should switch over to reusable bags today. The environmental toll taken by one time use bags is simply too great to go unchecked. Our bags are made from recyclable materials, are long lasting, and leave a drastically smaller footprint on the Earth. Not only that, we help strengthen our customers’ marketing messages as well.” His sentiments are echoed by others in the industry.

Reusable bags aren’t just great for the environment, they make economic sense too. Business owners have found that they can actually use green bags to entirely replace their plastic stock. The green bags are very affordable, and leave their customers promoting their marketing message for years to come. Don’t fall prey to the confusing message being sent by the special interest groups. Reusable bags are harmless, eco friendly, and the only alternative to disposable bags. Go green today!

Factory Direct Promos is a manufacturer of eco friendly products including reusable bags, RPET bags, hats, pens, and more. Take a look at www.factorydirectpromos.com today to see what they can do for you.

Written by Bobby Peck

Our global obsession with the Water we drink is not surprising given that water makes up over 60% of our body’s composition, it is vital to our life and health.

The marketing genius that led to the explosion of the bottled water market is now happily past its peak as we have become a bit more discerning and savvy about this bizarre ritual of buying our water.

We know that bottled water accounts for a huge carbon footprint, landfill problems and marine debris. And that plastic bottles contain BPA, linked to cancers, autism and genetic damage. The photo on the front of your bottled water may show glaciers and mountains but the reality of the source of the water and the actual purity of the water may be deceptive according to the Natural resources Defence Council (ref 1) In fact Pepsi’s Aquafina water, the No1 seller in the US, now must clearly show on their labels that their source is………tap water.

Canada has led the World in the total Ban on BPA from baby bottles/beverages, with Walmart and Toys R Us following suit. The National Childbirth Trust in the UK is demanding that all products containing BPA be clearly labelled. Are we finally reversing our love affair with buying plastic bottles?

There is some good news however as the task of ridding our world of plastic has just been made easier thanks to One Green Bottle (www.onegreenbottle.com), a brilliant new alternative to the endless use of harmful plastic bottles. Developed and marketed by a forward thinking eco-friendly company in East Sussex this stylish range of ‘Mudpuppy’ branded stainless steel bottles provide a real opportunity to change the way we consume water and drinks.

One Green Bottle has developed the BPA Free Mudpuppy range using ‘304’ grade stainless steel, which is recognised by the beverage and food industry for its hygienic benefits and non-toxic properties. Switching to a stainless steel drinks bottle which does not leach chemicals into the water eliminates the risks associated with BPA’s and you will immediately taste the difference. Stainless steel can also be used with just about any beverage, is durable and easy to clean. The payback for buying a Mudpuppy bottle is very short (less than a month), you are assured of being toxin free and can feel satisfied that you are doing your bit in reducing the devastating effect of plastic refuse on this planet.

In the US over 250,000 stainless steel bottles are sold every month. BPA Free drinking bottles by One Green Bottle have now launched in the UK for the first time. A great selection of stylish bottles ideal for use in the school, nursery, office, gym or on a picnic.

Heather Nicholson, director of One Green Bottle, explains the ethos behind the company. She says: “I was looking for a clean, odourless sports bottle for my son to take to school each day and I couldn’t get one in the UK. When I investigated plastics and the alternatives, I became determined to do something positive. Plastic is an overwhelming threat to our environment. As a reformed plastic bottle drinker, I’ve never felt better since I switched to stainless steel. It saves money, time and effort, tastes purer and I know it isn’t manufactured using harmful chemicals.”

Ms Nicholson says: “It’s a simple step to reduce plastic bottle usage and experience the benefits. Bisphenol A readily ‘leaches’ into the fluids contained in plastic bottles, and many parents will naturally want to ensure their kids are using safe drinking vessels. Furthermore, by using our bottles, children will understand the causal relationship between responsibility and the future of the planet. If each generation takes more care of the environment than its predecessors, our children and grandchildren will be the beneficiaries.”

Just One Green Bottle can keep heaps of plastic debris off our planet.

It takes just one green bottle to make a positive difference to your health, the planet and your bank balance. I’ll drink to that.

Heather Nicholson
One Green Bottle Ltd
www.onegreenbottle.com

When I first agreed to review Green Chic by Christie Matheson, I admit I was not prepared to be inspired.  Aside from the fact that the book arrived with another  unrequested book from the same publisher called  “Porn Stars Secrets of Sex”,  (note- bad practice for publicists)  the idea of combining the drive for style with earth friendly tips seemed dubious.    After all, it seems almost the purpose of fashion magazines to make us perpetual consumers.

Although I have never  been much on following the latest style trends , having a family and  raising children who need the newest flair  or ever lowering  waistline to their jeans  has made me a consistent if reluctant consumer over and over again.  Green Chic offers  well researched facts and suggestions  on everything  from home care, to transportation,  and  of course the fashionista staples of clothing, hair and makeup solutions.

What made me want to go back to Green Chic, was that Matheson, admits early on to being  a new environmentalist ,  and  she shares an  authentic journey of  transforming  her own life decisions based on her research.  I appreciated the places where she choose to  give up favorite fashion practices like nail polish as well as some that she couldn’t – deodorant.   Her honest  tone made the book  feel like a conversation I would have with a friend and not a preachy  list of “should do’s”.

Where her book made a real impact in my own life choices was when I read the chapter about giving up  shopping bags.   From Christie,  I learned that  worldwide,  we use and throw away over a trillion shopping bags- Here in the US  that translates to  an average household disposing of  1000 plastic bags in a year.  Most of these bags end up in landfills where they take hundreds of years to degrade  and  because of their petroleum base they release toxic chemicals into the air, ground and water.  Even worse many bags end up in streams and rivers where they poison hundreds of thousands of animals per year.  The ten billion paper bags we use in this country, requires fourteen million trees to be cut down.  This is a problem where individual choices can go a long way.   And it felt  like a transformation of sorts, the day I decided I wasn’t  going to use another  disposable bag-paper or plastic.  So even when I have to run out to retrieve the bags from the car,  the satisfaction of  making this small but powerful change is liberating.

Feeling free from any life habit inspires you to try out others and so the slow process of change which sustains itself  also inspires itself.    Christie’s also offers some great research for Bedroom accessories, which although it didn’t include my favorite love products, made a seriously good argument for organic cotton sheets.  Another shift I plan to investigate soon.  So even if you have never thought of yourself as fashion conscious ,  Green Chic is a great resource for  making informed and thoughtful choices on a  path to making your life greener and the world a little healthier.

See the following link to purchase. www.amazon.com/Green-Chic-Saving-Earth-Style/dp/1402210825

Enjoying an eco-lifestyle means living greener in all areas of your life. You may be taking environmentally friendly steps at home, but are you also doing it at work?

People spend almost 90% of their lives indoors, and for those people who work inside that equates to about 40 or more hours at your desk, office or cubicle. Whether you’re a student interning at a major corporation, a marketing associate making phone calls all day or an office assistant handling paperwork, you’re going to spend a majority of your time in one place all day.

So don’t you want your work space to be eco-friendly and energy efficient? It can be if you make some simple changes in your life.

1. Computer Conservation
For many people with desk jobs the computer is absolutely necessary to get things done. It is estimated that people waste over $1 billion in electricity every year just in computer use! To help conserve energy for your computer you can:

• Invest in an energy-saving computer, monitor and printer
• Switch to energy-saving settings
• Turn off your computer whenever you’re not using it
• Set it to sleep mode when you are away for short periods of time

2. Paperless is More
Do you really have to print out every email and handout? You can reduce paper waste by going paperless wherever possible. You can try to:

• Keep copies of important emails, files, manuals and more on your computer
• Don’t get any extra catalogues or magazines mailed to your office
• Get your check directly deposited instead of a waiting for a hard copy
• Send company updates through email instead of on paper
• Review any documents online instead of printing them out

3. Prioritize Your Paper Use
If you do use paper on a daily basis then you can make eco-friendly paper choices. Here are some things you can do:

• Buy recycled and chlorine-free paper
• Try paper made from organic products like bamboo, cotton or hemp
• Print on both sides of the paper
• Shred old paper to use as packing material
• Save and reuse old boxes
• Use old sheets of paper for scrap paper or note-taking

4. Recycle
There are many things in your office that you can recycle. If you don’t have a recycling station at work, start one on your own! You can get a few bins and post recycling guidelines above them. Some of them may include recycling:

• Paper products like copy paper, envelopes, magazines, etc.
• Cardboard boxes from shipped supplies
• Soda cans and plastic bottles
• Aluminum foil
• Plastic bags
• Ink cartridges

5. The Power of the Printer
The printer is one of the most used office items. Every day it cranks out tons of important faxes, emails and other documents. Here are some ways you make your printer use greener:

• Try not to print in color
• Use a printer that does double-sided copying
• Print in draft mode
• Use old paper with extra space to print small documents
• Recycle ink and toner cartridges

6. Air You Can Bare
It’s already bad enough that you have to worry about air pollution every time you walk outside, but it’s also a big priority when you work inside. Here are some ways that you can maintain a healthy air flow in your office:

• Use non-toxic cleaning products
• Open your windows to increase air flow
• Don’t smoke in or near the office
• Never bring any type of aerosol can to work
• Use an air purifier to get rid of contaminants

7. Travel with Care
The first part of your work day starts with you getting to work, and for many people that means driving. Cars emit tons of carbon dioxide gases into the air, contributing to global warming. Here are some things you can do for a green ride:

• Join a ride share group
• Take the train, bus or subway
• Ride a bike or walk if you live close enough
• Invest in a green car like a hybrid
• Reduce your travel by working from home whenever possible

8. Green Your Desk…Literally
Get a plant and place it on or near your desk. Or, even better, buy plants for all of your neighbors. They will not only see this as a friendly gesture, but they’ll also have cleaner air to breathe! Plants absorb indoor air pollution and increase the flow of oxygen, so get a green accessory to compliment your desk!

9. Food For Thought
Everyone looks forward to their lunch break. If you manage to save money by not going out to eat every day then you probably pack your lunch. You can follow these lunch tips to have healthier eating habits:

• Pack your lunch in a reusable lunch bag or box
• If you bring your lunch in a paper or plastic bag, reuse or recycle them
• Use plastic containers and silverware that can be washed and used again
• Switch to organic food and drinks
• Drink from the fountain or a water filtration system instead of brining water bottles
• Recycle your soda cans, bottles and aluminum foil
• Use a washable napkin instead of paper towels
• Walk to a lunch eatery if you forgot to pack it

10. Spread the Word
The best way to stay involved in the green scene at work is to get others involved. Share your practices and wisdom with your boss and coworkers. You can do this by:

• Encouraging the office to join or start a recycling program
• Purchasing company carbon credits
• Buying eco-friendly office products
• Setting up a carpool calendar
• Getting everyone to pack their lunch and eat together

Your work environment has a great impact on your personal and professional happiness and your emotional stability. If you enjoy how greening your life makes you feel, then there’s no better place to keep the tradition alive than at work!

About the Author:
Trish Smith is a copywriter for Green Student U, a blog-style site that introduces today’s students to a wide variety of global environmental issues by recognizing college campus green initiatives and personal success stories, as well as how the world is being shaped by environmental reform.

Time flies! On March 20th it will officially be the start of spring, thus I thought it best to finally provide you all with a detailed update of my New Year Green Pledges which I first wrote about in the post titled Belated new year greetings and green pledges.

I would like to highlight that I am not like Mary Poppins (practically perfect in every way) so whilst I have worked very hard to fulfil my New Year Green Pledges there are areas in which I could perform better.  However as a vegan and activist, I agree with what Katleen Baum said in her recent GGG post with regards to vegans having to frequently defend themselves as they can be scrutinised and judged almost immediately as people like to try and trip you up to find a weakness or hypocrisy in your beliefs and actions.

Anyhow moving swiftly on please find below an update of my pledges, if you have any questions just ask and if you can offer me any constructive advice / support then please do!

Pledge 1 –  Buy no NEW clothes at all

I am proud to announce that I have not brought any clothes at all! I am however recycling an old chunky scarf by unravelling it and knitting a cardigan.

Pledge 2 – Make my vegan diet at least 80% organic, locally sourced and word free

This pledge got off to a pretty good start but then instead of bananas and tofu, it turned out that during February it was caffeine and dark organic chocolate that was my weakness. However I am back to being super healthy again and practically living off a large weekly organic fruit and veg box containing approximately 80% locally sourced food but with some items such as peppers coming from Spain or Italy and occasional fruit from further afar (but not air freighted).

However I can not live on fruit and veg alone as I would not get all my nutrients, so I have been supplementing my vegan diet with:

Nuts – predominantly:

Almonds (100g of Almonds contain 16.9g protein, 4.2mg iron, 250mg calcium, 20mg vitamin E, 3.1mg zinc and 0.92mg vitamin B2)

Walnuts (100g walnuts contain 10.6g protein and 2.4mg iron)

Almonds and Walnuts can be grown effectively in the UK. In fact through my local veg box scheme I recently purchased a large string bag full of shelled almonds, walnuts and hazelnuts (I am slightly allergic to hazelnuts so passed these onto family and friends)

When I purchase my next home (with the aim of hopefully staying there forever) I would like to plant a nut orchard comprising almonds, walnuts, sweet chestnut and also pine kernels which can be grown in the UK too.

For further information about growing nuts in the UK please click here.

Seeds – predominantly:

Pumpkin seeds (100g pumpkin seeds contain 29g protein, 11.2mg iron and 1144mg phosphorous )

Sunflower seeds (100g sunflower seeds contain 24g protein and 7.1mg iron and 120mg calcium.)

Flax seeds (100g flax seeds contain 18g protein, 255mg calcium, and 644mg phosphorus. Rich in Omega 3)

Again all of these can be grown in the UK, however I don’t think that the seeds I sourced are of the
UK variety. (if anyone knows of a supplier – please let me know)

Beans and Legumes – predominantly:

Lentils: I incorporate dried puy lentils into my cooking at least once a week and whilst they can be grown in the UK (though not guaranteed with success) the lentils that I purchased were of European origin. (Puy lentils are originally from France)

Dried beans are also included in my diet and it is quite easy to get UK sourced beans. You can make a range of interesting and exciting dishes with beans ranging from soups, pate’s, three bean chilli, Mexican wraps etc.

Chickpeas have a major role in my diet as I absolutely love hummus! However in order to reduce packaging I have started to try and make my own from dried chickpeas, organic lemon and locally sourced garlic. Chickpeas are typically imported in from Asian countries however they are also grown commercially in Southern Europe too. However I am going to start reducing my hummus intake as I perhaps have rather a lot.

Grains, cereal etc – predominantly:

Oats (from Scotland), Wheat (from UK), Millet (not sure), Quinoa (Can be grown in Europe)Brown rice (the rice I got from the Co-Op said country of origin Italy – apparently Italy is the leading producer of rice in Europe)

Herbal tea:

Last year I harvested lots of herbs from my garden and when at home I enjoy pots of delicious herbal tea such as thyme, peppermint, rosemary, sage and also nettle (which is high in iron). At work I usually drink lots of tap water and also herbal infusions from teabags.

Pledge update – conclusive remarks

Whilst my diet is 100% vegan, at the moment it’s probably approximately 90% organic and only 60-70% locally sourced and word free. I don’t think that I will be able to have a 100% locally sourced healthy vegan diet until I am able to be more self sufficient and grow my own nuts and legumes.

Pledge 3 – Grow more vegetables, herbs and fruits

This is not convenient at the moment as I am about to begin the process of selling my house thus even if I sowed some vegetable seeds in my garden I may not be there to harvest them. However upon selling my house I will be completely downsizing and going to move from Nottingham to the South of England to live with my fiancé where we will be renting a bedroom from a live in land lady who also has another tenant (4 people in a 3 bed roomed houses is very eco friendly).

In order to achieve my pledge of growing more fruit and veg (and also because I love gardening) I will be putting my name down for an allotment plot as soon as possible.

Pledge 4 – Buy no presents – instead make them

Forgive me for I have sinned. The last two presents I gave were store brought (books and cd’s) as opposed to home made, my excuse – I was too busy studying. I promise to try harder.

Pledge 5 – Cycle instead of getting the bus

I have walked to work on a few occasions (1 hour 20 mins) however I have yet to get my bike out and cycle to work. After Easter I WILL start cycling to work again.

This is my final instalment of articles about our experiences at Make Hay of working to be a green and ethical company. This article is related to my previous posts where I talked about using ethical suppliers and encouraging others with your ethical policy.

Just to recap, the previous articles were:

Part 1 – Powered by the Wind
Part 2 – Waste? What Waste?
Part 3 – Be a Smart Consumer
Part 4 – Live your Policy

PART 5 – MAKE ETHICAL FRIENDS

Starting out with an ethical business was sometimes an isolating experience for us. At that time there was not the huge number of like-minded entrepreneurs around us and we were often told that what we were trying to do was a bad idea.

If it wasn’t for the enthusiasm of the people we met via green blogs, directories and networks life would have been much more difficult.

Making ethical business friends does not necessarily mean you are running an ethical business but it certainly motivates you to keep learning and working harder to improve. Seeing more and more new ethical businesses appear shows that the market is growing and consumers want more responsible services. I strongly believe that there’s power in unity and making links with these businesses allows us to share ideas, good practice and collectively raise the profile of ethical entrepreneurship. If, collectively, ethical businesses can influence business practice as a whole then eventually ethical business won’t be unusual or alternative but just the way things are done.

Community Working

Another way that we have made friends here at Make Hay is by getting involved in local community groups and activities.

Some businesses align themselves with a charity and donate a percentage of their profits to that charity. This can work well for larger companies but for small businesses like ours there is another, more creative way to provide useful, substantial support; and that is to volunteer your expertise.

We are actively involved with a few community groups in this way. For example, we provide free Green Hosting and voluntary web designs services to All Ours. This is grassroots service which holds social sessions and cooks healthy, organic meals for people experiencing mental ill health. For the Gedling Fairtrade Group we provide voluntary web services and work on the steering group to raise awareness of Fairtrade issues in the local area. Additionally, we are currently providing voluntary web design and consultancy to the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and have built them a brand new content managed site.

Whatever type of business you run it is highly likely that you have a product or service that you can donate to someone who needs it. You don’t have to have lots and lots of spare money (and most small businesses don’t) just be able to give up a little of your spare time.

Making friends with individuals and groups within your community allows you to make tangible changes by doing what you do best – your ethical business.

What do you do?

Well I’ve talked quite a lot about Make Hay and the things we do to be an ethical business but there is always room for improvement and new things to learn.

I’d love to find out about other business owners’ experiences (good or bad), practices and ideas. Contact me at Make Hay, I’ll look forward to hearing from you!

Do you know what is going on your face? Do you even stop to think about your morning ritual? Maybe you should. Everyone seems to have heard of lipsticks being tested for lead and mascara containing mercury. But what is the real harm of these chemicals and how prevalent are they?

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics recently tested a multitude of lipsticks on the current market for lead and found that 61 percent of lipsticks tested contained a detectable amount of this contaminant. Lead has been known to harm the developing brain of a child, and the government has already demanded its removal from gasoline and house paint, but not hair dye.

And that’s not all. Skin Deep (a thorough site that reviews all the harmful products in current cosmetics) found that when washing the mascara off your face every night, you may be washing a small dose of mercury right onto your eyes or face. Mercury in mascara has been known to damage brain function at low levels.

And this is just the makeup that you apply on a good day! What about the skincare products that you need to cleanse and refresh your face and body every morning and evening? Sodium laurel sulfate, found in common shampoos and cleansers can be potentially damaging, drying and cause irritation if left on the skin for prolonged periods of time. And parabens, which are the most commonly used preservatives in the United States have been known to cause skin irritations and rashes.

Luckily, there are brands out there trying to make a difference. These include Weleda, Burt’s Bees, Dr. Hauschka and Edelbio Skincare. Edelbio creates products that are Swiss-certified organic, dermatologist tested and safe for use on the most sensitive skin types, with no harmful chemicals. It’s nice to know that there are companies out there trying to positively change what we put on our skin. Now it’s up to us as consumers to start thinking about and buying products that are good for the environment and our bodies.

I have a cool job, or as my sixteen year old son would correct me, it is fresh… I get to imagine and  sell amazing love products.  My husband bought in to the concept because he of course gets to be the primary tester.  This is a real perk in a love products company.   I have learned a lot about product formulation and ingredients over the years,  but what I have learned about love and marriage has been even more inspiring. So here is the big key that I wish someone had told me years ago… the more you love your partner, the more loving they become.

I started Good Clean Love in search of healthy and clean products for myself.  Good love products should make touching, kissing and smelling each other better.  They should be made with natural ingredients that actually interact with your brain and don’t leave nasty and sticky residue on your skin. The products you use for love, should make you feel like you are loving yourself and as far as I am concerned that leaves petro- chemicals and parabens out of the mix.  Surprisingly over 90% of the OTC lubes available are made with chemicals designed first for cars or oven cleaner.  Many women have severe reactions to these products and because they are all made with the same base ingredients, many women come to the false conclusion that they don’t like sex.   (It’s the products…)

Using good love products that are made with natural ingredients should invite the healthy exploration of touch and scent that can often be a more easily understood form of communication.   Sometimes it is good to give our words and voices a rest and let our bodies lead us to the communicating and bonding that they carry inside.  In fact, after decades of marriage, I would say that it is through the physical conversations that I connect with my husband in ways that words can’t come close.  This connection is where sex is making love.

Scent is the most basic reflex we have when it comes to sexual attraction.  Try and imagine kissing someone who smells bad to you…. Love products that capitalize on true scent are actually waking up the limbic part of your brain, where memory, sexuality and emotion are conveniently stored.  The gentle nudge of scents gets that arousal mechanism going and after kissing and massaging with aphrodisiac scents, your imagination (which is a really important sex organ) lets loose.  Cleopatra knew this, she was known to make love on a bed of rose petals 10 inches deep.

Lubrication is at the core of good feelings in sexuality.  When you are young and fit, it is a natural mechanism that just happens, reminding you that you feel sexy.  As we age and experience more of life’s cycles (kids, nursing, illnesses and some medications) we often don’t get those messages from our body.  The cool thing, or well the fresh thing is this,  you can apply a good and natural lube to your body and wake up those arousal feelings yourself.  Your body can teach your brain at least as effectively as your brain teaching the body.   And face it,  any body part that is oiled, wet, slick and smooth is sexier than the same body part dry.

Dig into Valentines Day with your whole body and pay attention to the ingredients- your most sensitive tissue deserves healthy and green products too.