Dear Shaw's: Bring Back Seventh Generation!

On a quick stop at our small Shaw's this week, I wandered the aisles, looking for Seventh Generation dishwasher detergent.  I can't always go to the co-op, because sometimes there are things I need for the family from a regular grocery store.  But this time, I clearly made the wrong choice. With small kids (and company on the way), I am not interested in the stopping at both stores.

There, in the cleaning aisle, full of chemical scents, the Seventh Generation dishwasher detergent is gone. A lovely Vermont company, whose products are gone from a small Vermont grocery store.  What gives?

I asked the manager, and she said that the corporate office is limiting the choices of the individual stores.  She told me they stopped selling Seventh Generation!  There is NO eco-friendly choice for dishwashing detergent in the whole store now.  I told her (politely) that I will not to come to the store anymore, and she agreed that getting rid of Vermont and green products is a problem.  She said they don't listen to the managers requests, and that they make decisions about what to sell based on the larger cities and don't consider the needs of individual stores.  But doesn't everyone need an eco-friendly option available?  And in our area, many people are making an effort to live more sustainably.

I left a comment on the Shaw's site, and will be contacting Seventh Generation shortly.  I need to visit the local farm stand and the co-op instead!   And Shaw's needs to think more locally and environmentally-- in every store.


PS- I just heard back from Shaw's corporate headquarters and they told me definitively they won't be selling Seventh Generation dishwashing detergent anymore.  So much for listening to the customer.  I'm off now to get in touch with Seventh Generation about this!  Maybe they will have better luck with Shaw's.  As for me, next time I'm heading to the co-op!

Is Eco-Friendly Clothing the Right Choice for Your Family?

(Here's a guest post from Amelia who guest blogs over at My Dog Ate My Blog.  Eco-friendly clothing is an area where I could really improve.  We do well with reuse-- but our newer clothes mostly aren't eco-friendly.  I'll be checking out these sites.  Thanks for the post!  I know I would REALLY like the dress pictured here-- maybe a bit longer. )

When my friend first told me he purchased a shirt made of bamboo, I laughed at him, joking about this unusual new addition to his wardrobe. Little did I know, however, that eco-friendly clothing such as my friend’s bamboo t-shirt are slowly but steadily transforming the clothing market. Many sustainable clothing alternatives exist, from basics made of organic cotton to bamboo or hemp attire. Not only are these clothes good for the planet, but you can find affordable -- and often fashionable -- options as well. This means that green garments can replace your old unsustainable clothes…without draining your pocketbook at the same time. 

Clothes made of eco-friendly fibers like organic cotton, hemp, or bamboo are made with few or no pesticides. If you’re looking for basics like t-shirts, blouses, stockings, or sweaters, many options are available that are made of organic cotton. Likewise, if you need new gloves, jackets, shoes, or sandals, accessories like these can be made from hemp. For those chilly winter days, jackets, vests, and pullovers made of recycled polyester are an excellent eco-friendly alternative. As you can see, there are plenty of ways to shift your fashion into eco-friendly mode. 

When it comes to natural and organic fibers, bamboo is usually praised above others due to its incredibly soft texture, often compared to that of silk. People appreciate the way bamboo clothing flows and drapes so easily over their bodies; many enjoy that it even has a sheen to it -- a natural sheen, of course! It is an especially great fiber to wear in hot weather, for it won’t stick to your body, leaving you odor-free, cooler, and overall, quite content. If you’re traveling, bamboo clothes are especially convenient since they are so lightweight. In addition to these aesthetic and practical benefits, bamboo possesses a vast array of environmentally friendly attributes. Not only does this plant grow quickly, but it requires no pesticides or herbicides and needs limited water. It is also quite hearty and tough when it comes to surviving droughts, floods, and other extreme conditions.

Eco-friendly clothes range in price, but fortunately, there definitely are basic, affordable pieces out there. For instance, a women’s bamboo tank top from GreenEarth Bamboo is $26; a men’s bamboo/organic cotton t-shirt is $23 from Organic Bamboo Clothing. Even women’s hand-dyed bamboo scarves cost $20 from Organic Bamboo Clothing, a price comparable to many non-eco-friendly scarves. Some pricier attractions do exist, such as an $85 pair of women’s bamboo wide-leg pants from GreenEarth Bamboo, or from the Territory Ahead, an organic cotton long shawl cardigan colored with eco-friendly dyes for $129. Generally, if you’re looking for more trendy clothes and accessories, be prepared to spend a bit more. However, it is clear that bamboo basics can affordably weave their way into your closet. Bamboo clothes even exist for infants and kids, so the whole family can dress in sustainable outfits.

I highly recommend that you investigate the many eco-friendly clothing options that exist today. Then, hopefully, you can discover some styles, prices, colors, or fibers that please you. Since the green market does indeed offer affordable clothes, it is worth your time and money to begin shifting at least parts of your wardrobe towards these eco-friendly alternatives. Plus, many of these sustainable clothes are made here in the United States; the popular brand American Apparel, for instance, opened a new sustainable line of styles that use only organic cotton. Below, we have compiled a short list of eco-friendly clothing companies for you to explore. Browse their websites and order online, or find their stores located across the country.

Bamboo Styles offers an extensive collection of bamboo clothes for men, women, and children -- as well as bamboo sheets and other household items. This family-owned, online store specializes in clothes made of viscose from bamboo and organic cotton. 

Juno and Jove: This company offers sustainable shopping for both men and women. If you’re looking for slightly more formal attire, with slightly higher prices, this is the place for you.

Natural High Lifestyle: Based in California, this activewear company’s sustainable clothes are made of bamboo, tencel, organic cotton, and vegetal leather. Refer to their website for a list of retail locations throughout the country that sell their brand.   

Nau: This Portland, Oregon, company makes sustainable “urban + outdoor apparel,” using natural, renewable fibers and recycled synthetic fabrics. They are devoted to sustainability, while bringing you aesthetically-pleasing clothes that you will want to wear year after year. 

The Territory Ahead: This company offers clothes suited for men and women who desire rustic, timeless attire made of organic fibers. About ten retail locations exist throughout the United States.

Sources Used

American Apparel Organics 

Earth Share

GreenEarth Bamboo

Organic Bamboo Clothing 

PRLog: Free Press Release 

Sustainablog.org

Amelia Von Wolffersdorff is a guest post blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on online schools for Guide to Online Schools.

Snack Taxis, Back to School Transitions, and Eco-Friendly School Supplies

In the spirit of eco-friendly back to school season, here is a new post on MightyNest about Snack Taxis (reusable fabric bags that hold sandwiches and snacks).  They are adorable, and super functional.  Check it out!

Texas Children's Hospital has some great resources for back to school and about children's health. Here's a good article about getting your school aged child on a good school sleep schedule, and another one about handling your child's anxiety about school. 

And for more great green back to school supplies, check out Kate's Caring Gifts.  I found eco-friendly hemp backpacks from Earth Diva,  Organic resusable lunch bags from Rebel's Green, and lots of great gear for packing no-waste lunches.  You'll even get 20 percent off all this good stuff with this code:  SCHOO0L2010 at checkout for a 20% discount on your entire order.

Findings Support Previous Studies Linking Hormone-Disrupting Chemicals to Early Puberty

(This is information about a study released last week linking chemical exposure and obesity with early puberty.  I've been wanting to write about this all week-- and now leave the analysis to Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families.  We've got to rally around protecting our children's bodies from being fundamentally altered by chemicals in everyday products).

A new study released yesterday in the journal Pediatrics found that girls are developing breasts earlier than ever, elevating their risk of breast cancer and other health problems. Exposure to chemicals that disrupt hormones, such as Bisphenol A (BPA), some preservatives, surfactants, and plastic additives may be among the contributing factors.

“Young girls are exposed to dozens of potentially toxic chemicals on a daily basis,” said Ted Schettler, M.D., M.P.H., Science Director for the Science and Environmental Health Network. “Some of these can mimic the natural hormone, estrogen. Although individually their estrogenic activity may be relatively weak, their effects are additive. In the aggregate they could be having significant health effects, including contributing to the early onset of breast development. We need a new law to evaluate chemicals and protect our children from harmful exposures.”

Under our current chemicals policy, the 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), toxic chemicals are virtually unregulated, without any requirement that chemicals be tested to assess their ability to disrupt hormones. However, there are bills pending in Congress right now — the Safe Chemicals Act in the Senate and the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act in the House — that would use new science to bring our chemicals policy up to date.

“Today’s study is just the latest evidence that unregulated chemicals are having a serious impact on our children’s health,” said Andy Igrejas, Director of the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition, which represents 250 environmental health groups working to overhaul TSCA. “Cracking down on those chemicals needs to move to the front burner for Congress and the President.”

According to the new study, conducted by researchers from the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and Kaiser Permanente in San Francisco, more than 1 in 10 girls have already begun developing breasts by the age of 8 — the first evidence of the start of puberty in many girls. This trend correlates with increasingly widespread exposures to endocrine disrupting compounds. Some chemicals, like BPA (a ubiquitous chemical used to make plastics and some food can linings), as well as some preservatives, surfactants, pesticides, and plastic additives, can mimic estrogen. Others, including phthalates, which are plasticizers used in many products including flooring, shower curtains, and personal care products, interfere with the male hormone, testosterone. Still others, including many commonly used flame retardants, interfere with thyroid hormones.

According to today’s release, obesity is another contributor to early puberty. Although obesity has long been attributed to excessive eating and too little exercise, a number of studies now show that chemical exposures can add to the risk. (More info on toxic chemicals and obesity can be found here: http://www.saferchemicals.org/resources/obesity.html)

The findings of the new study varied by race. Among 7-year-olds, about 10% of whites, 15% of Hispanics and 23% of blacks had some breast tissue. Among 8-year-olds, the numbers grew to 18% of whites, almost a third of Hispanics and half of blacks. The pending legislation to overhaul our national chemicals policy would take into consideration the increased exposure of communities of color to toxic chemicals. The new law would address “hot spots” — or neighborhoods located next to sources of intense pollution, like industrial plants, diesel refueling stations, and toxic waste dumps, generally located in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color — where there are greater rates of cancer, asthma, learning disabilities and other diseases.

More information can be found at www.saferchemicals.org.