Seventh Generation Blog

On Valentine's Day, Help Women In Need

sheila.B — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

As part of our annual giving program, Seventh Generation is working this Valentine's Day with SHE, a non-profit organization that helps women in developing countries start their own businesses manufacturing affordable sanitary pads. In many of the countries where SHE operates, women and girls lose up to 50 days of work or school a year because they don't have access to sanitary pads. SHE's approach creates a sustainable local supply of pads made from banana fibers, a renewable resource, and builds a lasting economic opportunity for women trying to lift their families out of poverty.

Donate $10 to SHE now through the end of April, and Seventh Generation will donate a pack of sanitary pads to the Committee on Temporary Shelter (COTS), an organization in our hometown of Burlington, VT that provides temporary housing and other services to women and families in need.

On Valentines' Day (and every other day) let's join together to help women and others who need our support! Click here to donate.

Green Cleaning For Valentine's Day

momgoesgreen — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Lately, my hostess gift of choice has been a big, recycled tote filled with natural cleaning products. It definitely stands out on front hallway tables, a giant proclaiming its presence among all the festively-wrapped bottles of wine and boxes of candy. After a bit of a rocky start -- the first time I tried it I definitely got a raised eyebrow as my hostess tried to figure out whether this was commentary on the cleanliness of her home -- my gift of green cleaning has become a coveted bring-along.

Often, it leads to a few minutes in the kitchen (I don't know about you, but I find everyone tends to congregate in the kitchen, at least during cocktail hour) spent talking about the cleaning products we use. I know I've gotten a few of my friends to switch from their conventional cleaners to green cleaners. But a few people I know won't even consider changing. Even though they acknowledge that the chemicals in their cleaners might include toxins, they just can't give up the products their moms used when they were growing up. When I run into someone like this, my plan is to wear them down with information about why green products are so much better for the environment. (Think natural vs. chemical, and do you really want your children to be around chemicals?).

Valentine's Day is coming up, and I was spurred to write this piece after I read a blog post about getting Seventh Generation for Christmas by Nation member abbybrooks. I want the conversation about green cleaning to continue, so all of the Valentine's Day gifts I plan to give -- to my mother and mother-in-law, to my son's piano teacher , to a good friend who is pregnant with her first child -- will include green cleaning products. And probably a little chocolate, too.

What do you plan to give for Valentine's Day? And what would you like to receive?

Make A Clean Sweep

Christopher Miller — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:33:51 -0500

Our good friends at WAGES (Women's Action to Gain Economic Security) have put together a short (we promise!) quiz on green cleaning. Test your green cleaning street cred here.

The folks at WAGES know green cleaning. The group sets up cooperatively-owned residential cleaning businesses that use all natural, non-toxic cleaning products.

Not only does WAGES provide a service that protects planet home, the organization also creates secure jobs for women. The women who do the cleaning are owners of the businesses. Their pay is higher, and they have health insurance and paid vacation days, benefits that are almost unheard of in the residential cleaning business. As well, they spend their days using products that are free of chemicals toxins.

After you've taken the quiz, check out the new WAGES website, which offers lots of great information on green cleaning. If you live in or around San Francisco, give them a call for a free estimate. We encourage everyone to support their work with a tax deductible contribution. It’s an amazing organization that has a transformational impact on women’s lives, and Seventh Generation is proud to support their work.

We hope you will join us.

Burn Calories While Cleaning

Francineinthe206 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Housecleaning is a chore few of us look forward to, and my feeling is I should get more out of it than a clean living space. I should get...exercise.

Remember that Billy Idol song, "Dancing With Myself"? I dance with my vacuum cleaner. I have to get inspired to do more than just a quick surface cleaning, so I cut myself a deal: "If you sweep and vacuum the whole upstairs, you can listen to the Ramones -- LOUD -- while you're doing it."

According to Livestrong.com, a person who weighs 145 pounds will burn 165 calories vacuuming for an hour. My house doesn't have enough space to burn off a full 165 calories, so I'll settle for the 35+ calories I burn taking a pretty thorough run through the upstairs. Next week, I plan to add to the workout by doing a few deep knee bends (hey, all the better to see the spots I've missed) and rocking out when I hear "Judy is a Punk" over the whine of the vacuum cleaner. The week after, I plan to get the attachment hose out and go on a corner-cobweb hunt, the few extra minutes of arms raised over my head helping to burn even more calories.

On a quest for more tips about exercising while tidying up, I asked my sister, who runs a small housecleaning business, how she keeps from getting cleaning burnout. Since Michelle's still trying to lose those last few pounds of post-baby weight, she does her cleaning routine with 1-pound weights strapped around her ankles. Many of her clients have newer, sprawling homes where the carpet seems to go on forever. Michelle stays limber by stretching into each push with the vacuum. "Change hands!" she advises. "You'll be lopsided and sore if you don't switch off."

So next time you get out the vacuum, think of it as an exercise routine. Don't forget to take breaks, and to turn the music up loud.

photo: Evil Erin

The Five-Second Rule

BethArky — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 10:10:53 -0500

Seventh Generation recently launched its first TV commercial. It says:

We're Seventh Generation and we want to talk to you about a revolution.
People everywhere are saying "no" to hazardous chemicals and "yes" to a safe and naturally effective way to clean,
Where the five-second rule is extended,
And no one holds their breath while they're cleaning.
For over 20 years we've poured our hearts into this movement
And we're happy to see it's starting to catch on.
Seventh Generation, protecting Planet Home.

The company's "Protecting Planet Home" message is very clear. But the five-second rule reference really got my attention. In the commercial, a mom scoops a pacifier up off the floor and places it back in her baby's mouth, free of worry about toxins.

I'd never heard of this so-called rule until 2003. That's when Matthew, our little rug rat, arrived on the scene. Early on, when he would drop food on the floor, I'd snatch it up and toss it in the trash. Nothing tainted was going to pass between my sweet boy's lips. Other moms quickly showed me the error of my ways by introducing me to the fabled five seconds, a brief, imaginary loophole that allows one to retrieve edibles -- and more significantly to many, pacifiers -- as long as it's done within seconds of touchdown.

My son was a thumb man right from the start, so I never had to worry about dirty binkies. Instead, I would secretly breathe a sigh of relief as I watched others dive for the holy grail, then tear through drawers, cabinets, and diaper bags in a desperate hunt for a replacement. (On the other hand, I'm bracing for some gnarly orthodontic bills.)

But as Matthew and his playmates -- some of whom are young enough to still be firmly attached to their pacies -- continue their dropping ways, my circle has eased up on the five-second cutoff. (Be honest: Haven't you?) So I love the idea that cleaning green means extending that time limit.

Back in the day when my mom was a crazed housekeeper -- she was one of those women Betty Friedan described so perfectly with her revolutionary "Problem That Has No Name" -- she liked to say that her floor was clean enough to eat off. But now that I know just how toxic some of her cleaning products were, I realize that, despite her good intentions, Mom's "clean-enough-to-eat-off" floor was anything but.

For anyone wishing to keep their home environment as pristine as possible, a no-shoes rule can help. But I find it extremely comforting to know that when I clean green, I don't have to go into panic mode should Matthew drop a tidbit.

Who's with me in believing they can extend -- or, dare I say, abolish? -- the five-second rule by replacing their toxic cleaning products with natural ones?

Little Boys are Different

accidentallyonpurpose — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Seventh Generation Nation member accidentallyonpurpose writes about the process of bringing up her family green.

When my girls were toddlers, the floors in my house were clean -- kinda. I mean you occasionally got the crunchy sensation of a piece of oat cereal beneath your feet. But so what, right? I didn't obsess over it.

Fast forward a couple of years: My son, Cole, and his little boy antics, have brought the floor to the fore. He has forced me to re-think my notions of clean. When the girls were his age, they used the floor for walking. That's it. Back then I mopped regularly -- and by "regularly" I mean once a week or so with whatever fake pine-scented potion was handy. With Cole, I'm wiping up almost daily. And I'm using Seventh Generation's Multi-Surface Cleaner.

Why have I suddenly turned into this serious green housekeeper, you ask? Allow me to explain. You know how tots who are learning to walk trip up every so often? Well, dear little Cole -- who mastered his stride long ago -- falls ALL of the time, on purpose. In his 2-year-old brain, he has apparently conjured this stunt-double self image that prompts him to hurl his body to the floor about a dozen times a day. I'm not talking tantrums here -- although he certainly displays his share.

I'm saying that this child approaches the simple act of crossing the kitchen floor, let's say, with a level of energy most of us reserve for a thrill ride at Great Adventure. It goes something like this.

Me: "Cole, lunch is ready."

Him: "Arrrrrrrr (unintelligible yelling)!" Then he runs as fast as he can -- dives to the floor and slides about two feet toward his chair. "I going get you pea-butter san-ich!"

From what I'm told, that sort of display is pretty much standard for rambunctious little boys. The next part is where things get wacky. After his landing, one would think that his stunt has concluded. But, no-o-o-o. Once stationed just inches from said target -- in this case, the villainous "pea-butter san-ich" -- Cole proceeds to slither along the floor in a belly crawl motion like some stunt from of an action movie.

His face is seemingly glued to the floor's surface -- especially if he has recently come from a visit to Grandma's and feels the need to imitate Molly the Mutt and her neverending search for food scraps. Mere words cannot explain how this sweet, adorable little boy grosses me out on a daily basis. The more he senses my "yuk" threshold approaching, the further he is inclined to push. And I have to admit -- now, please don't repeat this: On more than one occasion, I have seen his tongue actually touch the floor!

He has learned that mommy finds this display "de-gustin." So after my loud shriek, he heads for the kitchen sink cabinet. So-called child safety latches have got nothing on him. He finds the Seventh Generation Cleaner and starts squirting it on the floor.

My friends and family find that cute. But I usually let out yet another howl, because as I try to tell him, "Money doesn't grow on trees."

Two things save me from a full-blown nervous breakdown. One is the non-toxic, non-chlorine, non-ammonia beauty of not worrying about what your child might be touching or breathing in.

Then, there are the wise words of my obstetrician. When I was in my ninth month, I brought my daughters to one of my last-trimester doctor visits. They had the day off from school and I figured, since they were six and eight at the time, a sonogram might be a cool "teachable moment." (I also had no child care lined up, but I digress). Anyhoo, after my OB showed the girls Cole's profile and such, they oooh'd and aaaahh'd then went into the waiting room with lollipops.

As she wiped the gel off my big, fat belly, the doctor smiled warmly and said, "I'm telling you this now, because I don't want you to think it's you after he's born."

I braced myself for the worst. She said, "Don't try to fix it. Just accept it: Boys do the dumbest stuff!"

Whew!

photo: Andy Todd

Protecting Planet Home: Cleaning Up Your Cleaners

the Inkslinger — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0500

So you've watched Seventh Generation's new television commercial, and have decided to replace all the toxic chemical cleaning products under your sink with natural versions. Getting rid of the old stuff is pretty easy. All you need is a big box or bag and a means of transportation.

Collect any cleaner that doesn't disclose all its ingredients or has hazardous ingredients. Put the box inside your car or in a bicycle bag. Head to your nearest hazardous waste collection site and drop off your old cleaners. That's it in a nontoxic nutshell.

You can find your nearest hazardous waste site by entering your zip code at Earth911 or by typing your city, state, and the term "hazardous waste" into the search box of an internet browser.

Different cities will have different schedules. Here in Burlington, VT, we can go to a local depot four days a week. In Thousand Oaks, California, on the other hand, there's a monthly collection day you sign up for in advance. Whatever you do, just don't pour anything down the drain. The reasons you don't want toxins in your home are the same reasons you don't want them floating around in the environment!

Testifying to get Toxic Chemicals out of Children's Products

7thDave — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 16:42:13 -0500

While we wait for introduction of federal legislation to reform the country's law regulating toxic chemicals (still expected very soon), a number of states have been taking action to protect children and others from exposure to harmful substances in products.

This week I had the opportunity to testify before the Vermont state legislature in support of a bill that would begin the process of getting toxic chemicals out of children's products sold in Vermont (pdf). Modeled in part after a landmark 2008 Maine law, the Vermont legislation would create a list of Chemicals of High Concern that have already been identified by credible governmental entities as causing cancer, birth defects, developmental problems, and other chronic effects, and would then give the state environmental agency authority to ban the sale of children's products containing any of them that are found in the bodies of people, or found to contaminate the home, wildlife, or the environment.

We think that this approach of taking action on chemicals that we already know pose these kinds of hazards is the right one. Unfortunately, the approach our laws have typically taken -- an approach that is also advocated by many in the cleaning products industry -- is that we should only take action on chemicals where we risk being exposed at levels that cause harm.

While this may sound reasonable, the problem with this risk-based approach is that it is next to impossible to develop such assessments with a high degree of certainty, particularly when you take into account the synergistic effects of the many chemicals we're exposed to at the same time. Furthermore, not everyone is affected the same way by toxic chemicals. Children, the sick, and the elderly may all be more vulnerable to some exposures, and we're learning that the timing of the exposure can be important too. Exposure to a few parts per billion of an endocrine disruptor during a particular moment during fetal development can have profound impacts, whereas at another time it would have no effect. And of course, the assumption that we can always know all of the routes of exposure that may occur during the manufacture, use, and disposal of a product is very questionable too.

It just makes much more sense to use a hazard-based approach: if you know a chemical poses a hazard, and you know that there is exposure, take preventive and precautionary action and don't use it in the first place.

Evidence of the failure of our laws to protect us was put into sharp focus in a report issued last week by the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition, our partners in the Million Baby Crawl. The Health Case for Reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act summarizes the documented rise in chronic disease over the past several decades and compiles peer reviewed studies estimating the portion attributable to toxic chemicals and the savings in the cost of health care that could be achieved by more effective laws.

Among the striking figures presented in the report are that:

Rates of leukemia, brain cancer, and other childhood cancers have increased by more than 20% since 1975
Breast cancer rates rose by 40% between '73 and '98, and while they have held steady since 2003, a woman's lifetime risk is 1 in 8, up from 1 in 10 in 1973
Asthma doubled between 1980 and 1995
Difficulty conceiving and maintaining a pregnancy affected 40% more women in 2002 than 1982, and doubled in younger women ages 18-25
Autism has increased more than 10-fold in last 15 years

According to the report, estimates of the incidence caused by toxic chemicals range from 1% of all chronic disease to 5% of childhood cancer, to 10% of diabetes, Parkinson's and neurodevelopmental deficits, to 30% of childhood asthma. Even if new laws to limit toxic chemical exposures reduce just 1/10 of 1% of the health care costs associated with these problems, it would save $5B/year nationally.

--Dave
Seventh Generation Corporate Consciousness

Seventh Generation Volunteers at Food Bank

Seventh Generation — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0500

More than two dozen Seventh Generation staffers recently spent a day at the Vermont Foodbank, an agency that connects 66,000 people to the charitable food system.

The team from Seventh Generation inspected, sorted, and packaged more than 7,000 pounds of food. A few of us also worked in the kitchen, learning from the Food Bank's chefs how to create ready-to-eat meals.

Demand is up at food banks across the nation, and we encourage you to give what you can.

To donate to Vermont Foodbank, click here.

To find other food banks across the country, click here.

Are School Buildings Healthy?

the Inkslinger — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:36:47 -0500

If you have kids, you know the importance of protecting planet home by avoiding toxic cleaners and other chemical products. There's just one hole in this theory: For much of the year, we send our children off to school buildings where the environment is less than healthy.

According to the Healthy Schools Network's recently released National Sick Schools 2009 Report (pdf), 57% of public schools have at least one unsatisfactory environmental factor. Some 55 million kids attend a public or private K-12 school where bad air quality, toxic chemicals and other unhealthy conditions are making them sick or handicapping their ability to learn. In many of these schools it's the chemicals doing this dirty work; toxic cleaners, floor waxes, pest control products, and other dangerous things we refuse to bring into our homes.

The good news is that educators are waking up and smelling the VOCs. More and more states are passing badly needed laws that require schools and other public buildings to use safe and healthy cleaning products. Ten states now encourage or insist upon the use of green cleaners in schools and five more are expected to debate the subject in 2010.

The push to detoxify our schools has received some predictable push-back. Some school administrators and purchasing departments complain that green cleaners cost too much or don't work as well. But these arguments for sticking with chemical cleaners are misguided. Green alternatives cost about the same as conventional chemical cleaners, and many work just as well. In any case, a small additional expense now seems a better choice than the catastrophic costs later of chronically ill kids, extra staff sick days, and all the other problems toxic environments can trigger. Any math teacher can tell you it's a no-brainer.

What schools and states need from parents is support. The job of greening our school environments will be a lot easier and will happen a lot faster if we voice our concern and insist on changes. So check the Healthy Schools Network for what we each can do to make sure that when our kids go to school they won't be learning about the dangers of chemical products the hard way. And join the Million Baby Crawl to help Seventh Generation convince lawmakers to support toxic chemical reform.