Goal For The Green

Did you know that 2 out of 3 Americans Are Concerned With Toxins Found in Common Household Products?
Seventh Generation and Breast Cancer Fund Joined Together recently, to Discuss the Importance of Removing Toxins From Our Lives. This post, is a continuation of the recent study and it’s findings.

Seventh Generation INC (Photo credit: stan)

Education Needed and Transparency Demanded on Ingredients in Common Products

The study indicates that half of all Americans (50%) are unaware that many personal care, household cleaning, laundry and baby care products contain petroleum-based ingredients otherwise known as petro-chemicals. When provided with a list of chemicals in these products, 61% reported that they are “likely” or “very likely” to seek bio-based products the next time they shop.

In addition, 58% of respondents indicated that they “feel personally responsible to change their daily habits and purchase practices to positively impact the environment.” In fact, 58% of the respondents reported that they are “actively searching for greener (more energy-efficient, natural, and sustainable, etc.) products these days.”

“It’s time that the consumer products companies lift the veil that has shrouded most ingredients in mystery, allaying unwarranted concern for some, and providing a sound basis for stronger consumer action on others,” said Seventh Generation CEO John Replogle. “There’s no reason they can’t. Seventh Generation has been providing products that supply peace of mind for 25 years.”

Focus on ingredients in everyday household cleaners and personal care products, has increased significantly in recent years. In fact, just last month (September), Johnson and Johnson announced plans to remove carcinogens and other toxic chemicals from its personal care products by 2015.

Just recently, the American Cleaning Institute(R) launched a Cleaning Product Ingredient Inventory, that catalogs 900+ ingredients used in the U.S. cleaning products market (including soaps, detergents, and general cleaning products used in household, commercial, industrial and institutional settings).

The study has a margin of error of 3%.

On September 19th,  Green-living guru Sara Snow, moderated a session on Livestream with Deepak Chopra, Seventh Generation and Breast Cancer Fund Individuals interested in learning more about this topic.

These experts  discussed the findings of the new study, and explored the significance of the USDA Certified Bio-based label, as a credible way for consumers to make conscious choices about the products they bring into their homes.

About Seventh Generation

Seventh Generation, is committed to being the most trusted brand of household and personal care products for your living home. Our products are healthy solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets and people within your home — and for the community and environment outside of it. Seventh Generation, also offers baby products that are safe for your children and the planet. The company derives its name from the Great Law of the Iroquois Confederacy that states, “In our every deliberation, we must consider the impact of our decisions on the next seven generations.” Every time you use a Seventh Generation product, you are making a difference by saving natural resources, reducing pollution, and making the world a better place for this and the next seven generations.

For information on Seventh Generation cleaning, paper, baby and feminine personal care products,  or to find store locations that carry their products, and explore the company’s website visit www.seventhgeneration.com.

Did you know that 2 out of 3 Americans Are Concerned With Toxins Found in Common Household Products?
Seventh Generation and Breast Cancer Fund Joined Together to Discuss the Importance of Removing Toxins From Our Lives.  I want to share this news in light of the fact that October is Brest Cancer Awareness Month, and this is news you should know.

I'm getting plants - yah to less toxins and bad EMF! (Photo credit: Tricia Wang 王圣捷)

According to a recent study, with findings released in BURLINGTON, VT by Marketwire – on September 19, 2012 – Nearly two-thirds of all Americans (64%) say they are “concerned” or “very concerned” about potentially harmful chemicals and petroleum-based ingredients found in everyday personal care, household cleaning, laundry and baby care products, according to the study.

Top concerns of petroleum-based products are “long term health effects” (75%) and “absorption through the skin” (71%). Concerns were similar across age, gender and other demographic categories.
Commissioned by Seventh Generation, a leading maker of renewable household and personal  care products, the study questioned 1,000 Americans to gauge awareness, attitudes and concerns about ingredients found in products they use daily, for themselves and for children.

“The level of concern voiced by the American public represents a mandate for immediate, sweeping systemic change,” said Seventh Generation CEO John Replogle. “It’s a big issue with consumers. And, it’s getting bigger.”

Full results of the study were unveiled recently during a news conference and panel discussion featuring Deepak Chopra, Seventh Generation CEO John Replogle, and Breast Cancer Fund CEO, Jeanne Rizzo.

According to Deepak Chopra, M.D., a recognized expert in the field of wellness and sustainability, the study suggests Americans are undermining their wellness through daily exposure to toxins, found in products that we use daily. “The elimination of toxins awakens the capacity for renewal,” said Chopra.

So, how do we go about eliminating toxins from our lives?

Study Findings Show Toxic Concerns are High,and Biobased Awareness is Low.
The Study questioned respondents on an array of issues, including awareness of “biobased” products. These products are defined as “products made with renewable agricultural content such as plant, animal, marine or forestry materials.” The respondents were questioned about their attitudes toward the use of petroleum-based products, and petro-chemicals, found in many common consumer products.

According to the study, Americans are concerned about potentially harmful chemicals in their household cleaning (66%) and personal care products (65%), as well as laundry (63%) and baby care products (60%).  In this study, it is noted that percentages combine “concerned” and “very concerned” responses. Notice by the percentages, that more than half of the people questioned are quite concerned.

When asked specifically about petro-chemicals in personal care, home cleaning, laundry and baby care products, top concerns of “long-term health risks” (75%) and “absorption through the skin” (71%) were followed by “potential skin irritation” (69%), “inhaling toxins” and “negative impact on the environment” (both 60%). This also poses  health concerns that can no longer be overlooked.

In fact, more than half (54%) went so far as to agree that “brands should be required to post warning labels on their packages if their products contain petro-chemicals.” Nearly two-thirds (60%) reported that they are “likely” or “very likely” to seek bio-based products the next time they shop.

“This study shows that people understand what science is telling us — that exposure to toxic chemicals in our everyday products increases risk for many diseases, including breast cancer,” said Jeanne Rizzo, president and CEO, The Breast Cancer Fund. “As more and more people begin to connect the dots between toxic exposures and disease, they say, ‘Enough! No more toxic trespass! We want safer products!'”

This has become a critical issue, that many of us have not been aware of.  So, begin reading the labels on your soaps, shampoos and laundry detergents. It’s a matter of our health, our children’s health, and the health of our environment, for generations to come. Together we are working toward a better, safer and “greener” future for us all.

Guest Post by Amanda Green

In today’s world, the investment arena has changed drastically compared to what it was just a few years ago. While there are still plenty of people focusing on putting their money into traditional stocks and bonds, many other investors are looking for legitimate alternatives to put their money into. As some natural resources on the planet are becoming more scarce, investors are realizing the opportunity in front of them. Investing in natural resources is an endeavor unlike any other, and it has vast potential for everyone involved.

English: Natural Resources GIS (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Why Invest in Natural Resources

Investing in natural resources is a strategy that makes a lot of sense from a financial standpoint. When you put money into something that has a limited quantity, you know that the value of your investment will eventually increase. Many investors are putting money into precious metals like gold and silver because of the uncertainty in the fiat currency markets now. As governments continue to print paper money, the value of this currency continues to deflate. By putting money into gold, silver, and other precious metals, investors are hedging their bets.

In addition to investing in precious metals, many investors are also putting money into other natural resources like oil and natural gas. As the population on the planet increases, more people are going to be in need of these resources. This will lead the price to increase over time.

Ways to Invest

For those who are interested in investing in natural resources, there are a lot of different ways to do it. On Reed Cagle’s blog, he discusses a lot of different strategies that can be used by investors to profit from natural resources. For example, you could buy stocks of mining companies or of companies who drill for oil.

In addition to buying stocks of these companies, you could also trade futures contracts on them. When you trade futures contracts, you actually speculate on the prices of commodities themselves. Another option is to simply buy the commodities yourself. For example, you could buy gold or silver bullion and keep it.

Regardless of what strategy you employ, investing in natural resources carries with it a lot of promise. You are investing in tangible assets in limited quantities. This is quite different from putting money into theoretical assets like stocks or bonds. Just make sure that you do your homework before choosing which natural resources to invest in.