The Dirty Dozen

I started a Green Cleaning business a few months ago with no revenue! One ad in a small newspaper called The Sustainable Times out of Middleton, Wisconsin....which was given to me free because I deliver the Times once a month for George Zens, owner and writer extraordinaire.

Back to my point which is research on what is Green and what is not. Whole Foods keeps me on the safe track even though using inexpensive vinegar, baking soda, borax, and bon ami also keep me safe but don't smell as nice. Obviously I haven't learned how to use the essential oils yet.

Yesterday I was in the "Googling Mood" and found this video below, http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/player/environment/going-green-environment/green-home-makeover/personal-care-greenguide.html . A quick see and very informative I must say. Then I went to download the "Smart Shoppers Dirty Dozen Chemical in Cosmetics from TheGreenGuide as the lady in the video suggested and this is what is on the Foldover card:

12 ingredients to avoid in personal care products:

1- Antibacterials

2- Coal tar: FC&C Blue 1 and Green 3

3- Diethanolamine (DEA) ( I thought DEA was the Drug Enforcement Asses :-)

4- 1, 4 Dioxane

5- Formaldehyde (diazolidinyl urea and quaternium compounds)

6 - Lead and Mercury

7 - Nanoparticles (What the Chinese put in our Medicines I hear:-(

8- Parabens (methyl-, propyl-, butyl-, ethyl, isobutyl) That smell from lighters in the old days

9- Petroleum distillates

10-Phenylenediamine (PPD)

11- Hydroquinone

12- Fragrance (containing Phthalates)

Out of these twelve items I could probably locate two of these, as not having a serious Chemistry background, I have no idea what they are, with the exception of lead and mercury. You see I was going to give this little fold over card listing the above ingredients, to my clients letting them know how they have been slowly killing themselves their entire life, and actually thinking I am helping them! I am sure that will help my business.....not.

I am allergic to milk which meant reading labels. That took along time to learn but I know food labels very well now. This Green Guide will also take allot of time for the average human being to decipher. There must be an easier way? Yup, Whole Foods to start with. Let them decipher for you but make note you will pay for that service. I will continue to research and hopefully break down the ethyls, and phenyls, and quinones so we can better understand them. And maybe even find them on the labels. Not to mention I didn't mention cleaning products yet..... to be continued.

P.S. When I ran spellcheck on this posting, my new Vista Computer did not recognize most of the words in the 12 ingredients. In fact it told me to change Phthalates to Althletes!! And for some of the other words it said, "no suggestions." hummm