Eco Friendly House And Garden

Trying alternative remedies to cure a medical problem can be better for you - and the environment!

If you regularly get pain, either as headaches, leg pain or whatever else, you can find that you need to constantly keep a supply of painkillers in your home and sometimes even carry them with you all the time - just in case!

Well, it is possible that an alternative remedy could get rid of your dependency on traditional tablets, caplets and dis-solvable potions - and save all those chemicals from being made, transported, packaged and disposed of.

Why Alternative?
Not everyone believes that alternative remedies such as acupuncture, hypnotherapy and homoeopathy will help them with their issues - but they never really give them a chance.

Mainly, people assume that these alternative treatment will be too expensive  - but many do not really compare this one-off cost with the amount they spend on tablets over a period of months and how much time they lose from work or play while being in pain in the first place!

There are also those people who listen to their friends without getting all the best information or not thinking properly. 

For example, person A may well be able to get rid of headaches with just paracetamol, where as their friend, person B, needs something stronger.  So if person B gets a headache and person A gives them a paracetamol - it ‘won’t work’.

Then when person C gets a headache and wants to buy paracetamol - their friend - person B - will tell them not to buy them as they ‘don’t work’ and the ‘myth’ moves on through the population.

It’s the same with alternative remedies.  One person didn’t get the result they wanted, or didn’t follow the practitioners advice and so pass on the opinion that it ‘doesn’t work’ - possibly preventing them and their friends and colleagues from ending their own  pain or discomfort naturally, and so leaving them dependant on medication.

Other Benefits:
Not only could it leave you pain free and a lot happier, curing illnesses with alternative remedies has many other benefits to the person involved and the environment too!

Firstly, this type of treatment usually involves a holistic approach, which means that everything about the patient is treated rather than just the actual pain.  This means that other lifestyle and dietary issues are addressed to get to the cause of the pain.

Imagine if your headaches were caused by too much cheese but you didn’t know this.  And the directions on a packet of Anadin certainly won’t consider the cause of the headache, so you will just keep taking tablets.

But, cut out the cheese and cut out the pain completely!  No tablets needed!

And, if the tablets aren’t needed, then you won’t be needing all their packaging either.  So not need to throw away the plastic, and recycle the cardboard everytime.  And if you don’t need them then the store needs to order less and all the way back to the raw ingredients there will be less - total impact reduction!

And one more And - if people are less reliant on curing common ailments with tablets, maybe pharmaceutical companies can start spending their research money on more important illness and diseases rather than just tablets for headaches and cream for itchy skin!

Planning to lose weight and give up smoking - 2 perfect eco friendly resolutions!

Every New Year there are thousands of people vowing to give up smoking and lose weight for the new year - so why not do it for real this time rather than just putting in a little bit of effort in front of the friends!

We know the reason we manage to eat a bit healthier in January is because we have eaten so much junk over the winter that we would rather not face another strawberry trifle or fried leftovers! 

And the symbolic start of the new year makes us decide that it’s a good time to be a bit healthier - but when you go back to work and the month end bills start to come through after the longest month of the year - it virtually always has 5 Fridays - you are stressed enough to just keep on smoking!

So why not make these 2 count seriously towards your new eco friendly lifestyle for 2010.

Losing Weight:
This has 2 sides to it’s eco benefit; eating less and exercising more, so lets look at these in detail.

Eating Less - we all know that we buy, cook and eat much more food than we need - and much of the food isn’t nutritious enough to make a difference.  So by restricting your meal size and number of meals, you can reduce the pressure on farmers and local stores to grow so much in the first place.

The food has to be grown and transported to the stores too which uses valuable energy and petrol or gas as well.  In a larger scale example the advantages become clear: if the average person buys 20 sprouts from the store, and a lorry from the farm can only fit in 1000 sprouts in it’s hopper - that means one journey feeds 50 families. 

But what if each of your 3 dinner guests only really eats 5 sprouts each and you throw the leftover 5 away?  That means that that lorry carried 250 sprouts for nothing.  And if people only brought what they actually ate - that original lorry could have fed nearly 67 families (17 more than before).

And who says we should be eating until we are stuffed anyway?  Buy less, eat less, waste less.

Exercising More- Clearly, if you are exercising more then you may well be walking or cycling a lot more than before - both of which have massive eco benefits.

By spending more time out of your car, you are saving on fuel and emissions - but you are also making your local area richer.  If you visit local parks and other amenities you are making them worth keeping and maintaining - and you could become involved in local projects.

And by taking a bit longer to get somewhere or exploring somewhere in closer detail you could become a bit more knowledgeable of local species and habitats - and even see places, buildings or wildlife that you haven’t seen before (as you fly at 50 mph down the link road!).

Also, more exercise will make you a healthier person, delaying the signs of aging and reducing your need for routine medications and treatments - all saving you and the community money and energy.  Which leads us on to the other resolution….

Stop Smoking:
Not only is smoking bad for your health on it’s own, it is also bad for your health in terms of the reduction in exercise your may well be having due to being so out of breath.  It has been scientifically proved that smoking causes lung damage - and your lungs are what helps you to be active and exercise more.

However, buying you cigarettes is a never-ending job.  Unless you are a very light smoker or stretch out your roll-ups beyond the meanest student - you will be having to visit a store several times a week.  Smokers never seem to buy them in bulk, they go back and forth all the time, just buying another 20. and I bet the don’t always walk there?

The packaging, the transport, the ingredients - all bad for the environment and your body.  So make an appointment with a hypnotist and get over it!

There are many other ways to help improve your eco friendly lifestyle - so maybe instead of New Year resolutions - have New Month resolutions where you can improve your lifestyle throughout the year!

With all this talk of climate change and preserving the rainforests - it’s time to get to grips with the facts!

And, to help you understand all the issues surrounding deforestation, climate change, CO2 emissions and what you can do to lessen the impact - the Princes Rainforests Project has produced a small, free, easy to read guide for everyone who is interested in learning more.

HRH The Prince of Wales heads up this booklet and it is supported by a host of other celebrities and ordinary people like you and me.

Why Care?
The Rainforests are a lifeline for our planet, not just for CO2 - although this can make a huge difference to the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

The forests absorb and emit moisture that can help cause rainfall in other parts of the Americas - including the plains of North America and the grasses of South America - which in turn feed the world and it’s animals.

The animals and plants that have evolved to live in these areas are also dependant on the forests for their very lives.  Medicinal plants are key to our search for cures and treatments and we could be losing them before we even find them!  And key wildlife can support all the other creatures that live in these delicate ecosystems.

Also, people depend on these areas for their livelihoods and survival.  Generations of native indian tribes have survived in harmony with the rainforests and their way of life is being destroyed by our way of life.

Why Are We Destroying It?
Unfortunately cutting down trees is no longer just about the trees, it’s about what makes more money for the person using the land.

If, for example, a field of trees are worth nothing to anyone apart from the odd free fruit you can eat.  Cutting the trees down to sell for wood could make a decent profit - but using that land for growing simple crops for yourself could make even more money. 

Selling that cleared land for cattle ranching though could make you a hefty sum, and selling it to large scale farmers for soya beans could make a small fortune.

And can we blame them for doing it?  No, if that was your land - and you needed to feed your family - what wouldn’t you do the same?  Everyone needs money - and why not get the most money you can for the same thing - after all, it’s just a field.

Is There A Solution?
There are many ways we can slow or stop this destruction, but it’s not going to be easy.

People are going to have to make an effort to change things and that includes you as an individual checking a few things when you shop, or maybe even being pro-active. A few ideas found in the booklet are as below:

1) Pay to keep trees standing by supporting a charity - and your support doesn’t have to be with money - your time can be just as important.

2) Stop the demand for rainforest products - check your sources for wood, paper and toiletries.

3) Pay to visit that field of trees - if people pay to visit these rainforests while they are standing, they could be worth more than if they were farmed, remember it’s all about what makes the most money forthe people who live there!

4) Help get your voice heard by contacting the government to share your concerns, whether you do this alone or you associate yourself with a larger charity or organisation.

So, go to Rainforest SOS to get your guide and more information about getting your voice heard!

The RGS are hosting a fantastic EcoFair on the 5th and 6th of December in London.

They are bringing together some fantastic international eco friendly companies and charities to fill your day with excitement and fill your bags with great goodies!

Stalls include some of the old favourites like the RSPB selling wildlife gifts, memberships and information for your gardens and great days out and the CO-OP will be promoting their eco friendly and fair trade clothing ranges.

There are also products available from around the world, with alpaca clothing from Peru, ethical accessories from Nepal, hand-made silks from Cambodia and Luxury fabrics from India.

There are also creations from the UK, including recycled household goods, hand-made bespoke jewelry, fair trade organic babywear and luxurious oils and soaps.

There is also a free puppet show being performed at the show just after lunch time - called the Forest of Fables, and is performed using Japanese style puppets (made from recycled materials) to African music depicting well known Greek fables!

In addition, there is even a puppet making session beforehand - so your children can make their own recycled puppet like those from the show and learn how the show is put together - including a sneak preview at some of the songs - and they get to keep their puppet!

The whole show is free entry to all - with free fairtrade wine for all RGS members and guests - see the RGS website for more details……..

There has been more and more talk about reducing the amount of natural materials we use in everyday products like clothes and home furnishings - but they last a long time.

Why hasn’t there been more attention paid to disposable natural materials that only get the one use before being discarded - like feminine hygiene products.

There are a huge number of females on the planet that need to use these items every month, and for several days of every month. But we just use them for a few hours then throw them away.

Not only are tampons linked with serious and potentially fatal health issues, but they are also a great polluter with it’s links to chlorine bleaching and the whole products are also polluting in themselves when incinerated and with less-then-eco friendly (irresponsible) ‘owners’ flushing them down the toilet!

One recent quote from 2008 estimated that around 2.5 million tampons, 1.4 million sanitary towels and 700,000 pantyliners were being flushed sown into public waste water systems - which all needs to be cleaned up!

Personal Hygiene Problems.
Besides the fact that they are excessively packaged to keep them clean, they are sometimes also highly scented (wasteful and more noticeable to other females), with added gels or lubricants (often known pollutants or endocrine disruptors), added colourings (wasteful and possibly allergy-triggering), they also come in a range of different sizes and types that are really a waste of resources.

All this choice might make it seem a fairer choice for females - but isn’t it just a way for ladies to use the wrong product?

For example, a lady buying 1 box of tampons may buy the medium strength variety as a general ‘favourite’ for most of the cycle, but then towards the end of the cycle may need only the least strength variety - but will she go out to buy them separately? Probably not.

She will continue to use the same ones she already has in the bathroom, using more resources than she actually needs. However, as they are only a ‘disposible’ product some people don’t worry too much about something they have in excess.

It’s the same a those people who throw away the used plastic knives and forks after a garden party rather than wash them up and save for next time. They are made to be disposable, so you find yourself (and your guests) just throwing them away!

Now, I am not suggesting that you re-use disposable sanitary products in any way - but at least only use the smallest least-wasteful product for your needs. Or, find yourself a re-usable product that does the same thing!

Re-Usable Products.
You might be amazed at how many products are out there for sanitary protection - if only you could drag yourself away from the highly marketed products you repeatedly buy from your high street drug stores or super markets!

There are many companies that make washable sanitary towels out of terry cotton that are made in a variety of sizes. They are fully adjustable to make a perfect fit for everyone and are fully machine washable and tumble-drier friendly!

There are also washable sponges that work under the same principle as tampons, but are fully re-usable and therefore eco friendly!

And finally, there is a new style of product known as ‘The Moon Cup’ or ‘The Keeper’ (depending on the material used) which is re-usable and contains no known harmful chemicals.

These small cups are designed to fit inside a female in the same way as a tampon, but instead of ‘absorbing’, they ‘collect’. Therefore, instead of throwing them away after use, you actually just empty them, rinse them clean, then re-use.

The savings are immense. Not only can they save on natural materials, chemicals, packaging, transport, and disposal - they will also save you money! Month after month, year after year!

Both the Keeper and the Moon Cup are both accredited by the Good Shopping Guide, whereas Always, Carefree and Tampax are brands that get the highest levels of criticism for their eco friendly attributes!

Thinking of getting married, but want to try the eco friendly alternatives?

Well, what better to start with first than the photographer?  Not only are they going to preserve your special day for eternity - but they are going to be using the most chemicals to do it!

Yes, all their shots might be digital now, but your printed album and their electrical equipment is going to contain an awful lot of resources.  So why not search for a green wedding photographer that can balance this side of the equation out by being eco friendly as well?

The Benefits Of Digital Photography:
Since the advent of digital cameras there is a lot less waste in the industry - particularly in terms of the chemicals used to process the pictures for you to see them and pick your favorites.

Today it is quite easy for anyone to view all their photographs immediately after taking them on the mini screen on the digital camera itself - or within a few minutes these can easily be downloaded onto a laptop, pc, Mac or even TV screen full size for everyone to see. 

This means that you only need to print out those you really like for your wedding album rather than waste ink, paper and electricity printing out dozens to make your selections from.

Digital cameras also offer the ability of the photographer to check to make sure that the important pictures are gotten right before you move away (something you just had to hope for before) and they can take many, many, many more pictures of your every move without ever having to stop to ‘change the film’!
 
Processing Your Pictures:
Before digital processing, your images would have had to have been developed using many different chemicals including animal-based celluloid, to allow you to see your images - but now it couldn’t be easier and more eco friendly, and many eco friendly companies send out a disc of images for you to browse through for this exact reason.

Many eco friendly photographers are also able to source very ethical and environmentally sensitive products to process your images for you - like recycled and reduced chemical paper - so you don’t need to worry about anything ‘green’ on your big day.

Is It A Green Wedding Photographer?
It is sometimes not clear which services are eco friendly as they want to be (ethically minded); which are eco friendly as they want you to think they are (green-washing) or those who only find eco friendly ‘benefits’ when they know that’s what you want them to be (liars).

However, there are some that stand out.  One wedding photographer in Nottingham, England I recently found actually has a page on their website detailing their ‘Green Pledge’ and detailing the changes they have made (including several of those mentioned above) and making your choice a lot easier. 

Pledges make a big differences as any other company can answer your questions with a green twist if they know that is what you want to hear - but by stating it for all to see - you can tell that they are proud of it!

They also include to buy up and preserve several acres of pristine rainforest for each couple - giving them the certificate or purchase as their wedding gift!  Imagine the feeling of knowing what a difference that could make bearing in mind you are going to have your pictures taken anyway. 

Why choose a wedding photographer that didn’t do that when you have the choice?

So if you want to learn more about Nottingham Weddings, then this is certainly one of the photography companies that should be on your short-list!

What Is Triclosan And Why Don’t Environmentalists Like It!

Triclosanis both an antibacterial and anti-fungal agent used in many everyday toiletries such as toothpaste and shaving creams - however, there are some serious health concerns regarding it.

It is also infused into household products like childrens toys, trash bags and kitchen utensils - so is therefore widespread in our lives and comes into contact with our hands and mouths on a daily basis.

So, What Is The Problem?
There is certain evidence that Triclosan can combine with chlorine in kitchen and bathroom tap water to create chloroform gas - which the EPA class as a human carcinogen. Also if sunlight is allowed to fall on Triclosan in water or on fabric it can convert itself into carcinogenic dioxins as well.

In fall 2009 the Canadian Medical Association asked the government to ban the use of Triclosan in household products because of this, and the UK followed a similar study agreeing that the creation of dioxins is of serious concern.

These dioxins are very chemically stable and therefore stay around for a long time in both the environment and in human bodies - in an effect called bio-accumulation. Basically dioxins in low levels are not a real problem to most healthy adults, but when you keep absorbing more and more dioxins, levels can get to more dangerous levels.

What Can They Do To Humans?
Taking the Dioxins first, some of these are highly toxic and have been proved to be very significant endocrine disruptors - basically they influence tissue function, metabolism and growth and development by the hormones.

Triclosan itself can reach high levels in the body with little understood effects and it is not uncommon to find traces of it in urine samples and (even worse) and apparently in 3 out of 5 samples of breast milk (in Sweden). What a start to life!

Apparently Triclosan is classified as a pesticide in come countries - which is a worry considering it’s in products that we wipe all over our bodies everyday including nearly half of all the soaps you find in the pharmacy or larger stores.

The most common types of soap to contain it are the ‘anti-bacterial’ soaps that seem ubiquitous in today’s society. It seems to fall on deaf ears that most of the ‘bad’ illnesses we are trying to avoid are actually viruses (swine flu and MRSA) so using these soaps will have no effect on them anyway!

Continued studies, on more than one occasion, have proved that using ordinary soaps is just as effective at keeping bacteria at bay anyway. And, the continued use of any anti-bacterial agent (just like penicillin) will render the bacteria resistant to it in the long run, as a result making them immune - and stronger!

Recent lab studies have worryingly proved that common bacteria such as E coli and Salmonella can become resistant to Triclosan (Yazdankhah et al., 2006), which could make our lives a whole lot more miserable!

Any Good News?
Well, yes depending on your stance. If short-term personal gain is your aim then they can be great! Just like all other polluting products.

If you want your products to ‘last a bit longer’ and to not go mouldy or fill with bacteria - then yes, Triclosan does the job. Other products can do it just as well - but Triclosan is more readily available at the moment.

It is sometimes also recommended as a toothpaste and mouth wash if you have dental problems - so you can gargle then spit it out (but you need to ignore the fact that it runs off into rivers and streams and accumulates there instead!).

Triclosanis also still an excellent anti-bacterial product in places where we aren’t using it willy-nilly and unnecessarily in basic ‘beautifying’ products. Triclosan will be fully able to protect healthcare workers treating overseas patients with contagious diseases - particularly during serious disease outbreaks.

It can really be a life-saver to medical professional and volunteers put in those circumstances. But. If the use of Triclosan is not tightly regulated to prevent over-use in world, one day it will no longer work.

In Summary:
There are many mainstream alternatives to Triclosan products and there is proof that it bio-accumulates in us, our children and our environment. It has been decided by governments that products containing it should be labelled as such to give you a choice.

There are also plenty of websites and blogs that name the products that contain it to help you make an informed choice next time you go to the store.

Is Your Favorite Supermarket Pulling It’s Eco Weight?

This month (August 2009) BBC Wildlife Magazine reviewed certain aspects of our favorite shops and rated them on the same criteria - and it made an interesting read.

For example- all 6 stores were rated on 8 hot environmental issues - giving them the chance to earn a total of 40 points.  The highest scoring store only got 29 of them - so that means that even the best performing eco friendly store was missing about 27% of the points - not so good really.

But then we sort of already know that supermarkets can’t ever really be ‘green’ anyway.

The Criteria:
There were 8 ways in which the stores were offered up to 5 points, these ranged from Air Miles through Fair Trade and on to highly contentious Palm Oil.

I will summarise each catagory mentioning the best and worst stores as judged by BBC Wildlife.

Air Miles:
Sainsbury’s came out worse here with only 2/5 as although they do source local food where possible they don’t label air-freighted foods.  However M&S do label their products - plus they also source all their in-season vegetables from farms in the UK.

Animal Welfare:
An issue we all have an opinion on, but did you know that Asda and Tesco still sell eggs from battery-caged hens!  After all this time - people are still buying them from 2 of our largest stores - and they are still supplying them!

Climate Change:
When asked if they have specific targets for reducing carbon emissions M&S said that they are due to become carbon neutral by 2012 and has 4 eco-factories that currently save 50% of the standard energy needed elsewhere.  Asda however has said that they will try to cut their emissions by 10% but have set no dates at all!

Fair Trade:
Co-Op wins here as they were one of the first stores ever to convert to Fair Trade products in many different areas and are still one of the market leaders and currently has over 260 Fair Trade lines in their stores.  Morrisons however have just 10 Fair Trade Lines in their huge stores - and none of them are own-label!

Sustainable Fish:
Carrying a huge 56 lines of MSC labelled fish is Sainsbury’s who stock their own brands of MSC labelled foods - but Tesco filed to provide full details of MSC products, apart from the fact that their own-brand foods are not labelled as MSC certified.

GM Feeds:
Whether cattle are being fed GM feeds is also an area that concerns consumers, and as a result the M&S have made sure that all their own label meat and dairy is GM free - although they haven’t been labelled as such.  Generally all the other stores use GM feeds forr their meat and dairy products unless they are certified as Organic (meaning that they legally can’t be).

Organic Foods:
Over 70% of fruit and vegetables in M&S have an organic alternative as opposed to only 5% organic products in the Co-Op (only 22 lines).  How can we be making changes to our shopping habits if we aren’t being offered a suitable alternative?

Use Of Pesticides:
Asda & Morrisons declined to mention whether they still used hazardous chemicals to treat their food or areas in which food was stored - whereas the other stores have put limits or bans in place for some well known chemicals.

Palm Oil:
A hot topic at the moment - although Asda and Sainsbury’s are the only ones that have actually done something about it that they are advertising.  Morrisons says some products are but won’t tell consumers which products they are, M&S use 7 lines that should get certification soon but so far are not listed as sustainable and Tesco and Co-Op are ‘looking to switch’ but not for another 5 years or so!

Frightening stuff really - that we aren’t really pushing hard enough for these obvious changes to occur in our favorite stores.

We aren’t creating the demand needed to get a reaction out of these large companies.  Whether we are making the wrong choices in our shopping - or we are making incorrect decisions based on little or misleading information - something isn’t working.

So either we need to start paying more attention to our shopping habits and the effect they are having on the animals and countryside around us or we may as well waste all the effort that has gone into the changes that people have brought around already!

Whether you are buying crisps, pet food or office equipment - look for the logo!

The Ethical Accreditation Scheme has been running for many years, helping to identify the most ethical companies in all areas of the market.  All those who pass the basic criteria can then display the Good Shopping Guide Logo on their products and websites so that you know you are choosing from the best out there.

For example did you know something as simple as choosing Sainsbury’s over Spar or Teacher’s whisky over Bell’s could be affecting the environment and even peoples lives?

What Is The Scheme About?
The Ethical Company Organisation runs the UK’s leading ethical accreditation scheme to help identify companies and brands that are one step ahead of the competition in terms of their impact on the environment, animal welfare issues if applicable, human rights, responsible marketing and suppliers and their ethical investment policies - amongst other criteria.

The ’scoring’ takes into account many aspects of trade and staffing, and then allows for full accreditation if all categories are met.  It also allows for other companies to be listed as ‘almost there’ and those that are no good at all really!

The History Of Ethical Shopping.
In the past 2 decades - ethical shopping has come along in leaps and bounds.  People as consumers are actually asking where their ’stuff’ comes from.  And are finding out that Brother make more ethical products than Samsung or Xerox for example.  Where products are not that different in appearance of function - it’s good to know that your choice can help make a difference.

Picking one brand of toaster could help support the sale of armaments and abuses of human rights where as another could be preserving habitats and helping to encourage fair trade.  The difference to you could be just 50 pence, but the difference to the whole chain of people associated with the raw materials and production could mean life or death!

1986 saw the boycott of General Electric for it’s involvement with nuclear weapons, 1989 saw Avon in the public eye for animal testing, then in the 1990’s Nestle were forced to rethink their Baby Milk marketing after the truth was exposed.  1994 saw the timber trade in the spotlight and France itself had to do some serious ‘fixing’ after it’s nuclear tests were thrown into the news during the following year.

Since then, there have been some serious changes in policy for most major areas like animal testing, the timber trade, marine and dolphin fishing, fair trade coffee and chocolate becoming mainstream and many many more - including the new palm oil certification.

Consumers want to know everything - and they know that they can make a change now.

Visit www.gooshing.co.uk for some information that can help you decide if Hula Hoops are a more ethically responsible choice than Pringles; whether your cooking oil manufacturer is supplying weapons to troubled countries or whether your sewing machine is harming animals!

Take a look……

I Checked My Own Toiletries Products To Prove I was Below Average……..

……and the results were a shock to me!

Now, I hardly use any toiletries on a daily basis.  By this I mean that I don’t wear perfume, style my hair or wear make-up every day.  It’s rare to do these things once a month even - but I was still amazed at my chemical usage!

After writing my recent article: 7 Tips For Eco Friendly Health & Beauty, I went to bed as usual and actually remembered to put some night cream on my face (not something I do every night - but that night, I looked at the ingredients:

41 there were in total!  In 1 tiny product.

That is almost unbelievable for what I thought was a simple anti-wrinkle face cream - so I took a good look at everything else toiletries-wise that I had used that day:

Shower Gel:             19
Anti-Perspirant        10
Dandruff Shampoo  35
Sore Neck Cream      13
Hand Soap               28
Night Cream             41

Total:                    136 ingredients!!!!!!

10 more than the average!  I dread to think what my friends use, what with nail varnish, make-up, hair care products, perfumes, body lotions, shaving creams and cleansing products!

Surely, we are just too accepting of the advertising or the packaging on the shelf.  Why have I never wondered why these products need so many components?

I have often wondered why the food I eat - like flavoured crisps or cakes - have so many added ingredients, but never my toiletries which ultimately enter my body through my skin.  And here I haven’t included toothpaste (16) and washing up liquid (10) or the washing powder I use that stays on my clothes (15) amongst others.

But do more eco-friendly products actually have less ingredients, the same number but ‘better’ ingredients, or just less and better ingredients?

The Competition:
Well, I had a peak at some eco friendly products to compare, and here are some of the results:

Ecover Washing Up Liquid: 10
Same number of ingredients but more plant-based ingredients.  But I suppose that even daffodils are toxic to humans, right?

The Body Shop eau de toilette: 5
One of these is water (aqua) anyway, but the first (and therefore the largest) ingredient is described as ‘ethanol which has been rendered toxic!’.  However, we know it wasn’t tested on animals!

Ethical Superstores Lavera Anti-Dandruff Shampoo: 23
Quite a few less, but still quite high I think.  It’s vegan friendly and has some organic ingredients.  All of the ingredients were either plant extracts or not on the ‘dangerous’ list when it comes to chemicals!

Neals Yard Night Cream: 17
Well, it hasn’t got the anti-aging claims of my current face cream - but then I still think I look wrinkly - so maybe it’s not worth all the extra chemicals anyway!  Most of these ingredients are known herbal ingredients to help with skin, etc.  It all looks very nice on the packaging!

Mine has many ingredients that I cannot pronounce and includes a muscle relaxant, several known irritants, an ingredient used in paint solvents, an ingredient used to repair roofs and make basketballs, a lubricating oil and a fuel additive!

Maybe I will think twice when I buy my replacement products!  And a future article will no doubt show my findings on which ingredients to avoid in your own toiletries and cosmetics!

What about you?  What’s your worst product in terms of number of ingredients!  Add up your normal days worth and let us know!