According to a study by researchers at the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG), triclosan has been:

* linked to cancer in lab animals

* targeted for removal from some stores in Europe for its health and environmental risks

* recommended against use at home by the American Medical Association

  Triclosan’s human health and environmental impacts are serious:

* It may disrupt the thyroid hormone system, which is essential for proper growth and development, particularly for brain growth in utero and during infancy.

* It breaks down into very toxic chemicals, including a form of dioxin; methyl triclosan, which is acutely toxic to aquatic life; and chloroform, a carcinogen formed when triclosan mixes with tap water that has been treated with chlorine.

* It pollutes the environment. Scientists surveying 85 U.S. rivers and streams found traces of triclosan in more than half. Studies done at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada show that triclosan exposure endangers frogs and other aquatic wildlife.

Even though there is no evidence that triclosan is keeping homes cleaner, the toxin is showing up in the most unlikely products: toothpaste, shower curtains, cutting boards, and mattresses as well as liquid hand soap, dishwashing detergent, and window cleaner. It is touted by leading brands like Softsoap, Dial and Bath & Body works. EWG’s research shows it is an ingredient in almost half of 259 hand soaps.

“It¹s time to ban triclosan from all personal care and household products,” says EWG Staff Scientists Rebecca Sutton, PhD.

Dr. Stuart Levy, director of the Center for Adaptation Genetics and Drug Resistance at the Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, says “No current data demonstrate any health benefits from having antibacterial-containing cleansers in a healthy household.”

The Environmental Protection Agency is trying to determine whether and how to regulate triclosan and other antibacterial agents. Their review could take months, even years.

In the meantime, here’s how you can protect yourself:

* Worry less about germs. Dr. Levy and other medical professionals note that people who are exposed to household germs usually develop stronger immune systems and are healthier overall. Aim to be clean, not germ-free.

* Read product labels. If you see the words “antibacterial,” “kills germs,” or “triclosan,” find an alternative.

* Talk to store managers. Tell them you’re refusing to buy antibacterial products because they threaten human health and the environment.

* Shift your spending to safe, eco-friendly cleansers:

*  Bon Ami

*  Baking soda, vinegar and water

*  Greenworks All Natural Cleaner

* Method Non-Toxic, Fragrance-Free All Surface Cleaner

For triclosan-free toothpaste, consider UltraBrite Advanced Whitening or Tom’s of Maine, both of which are available in most grocery and drug stores. For other alternatives, consult the Safe Cosmetics Data Base.

For liquid hand soap, try Kiss My Face Self-Foaming Soaps.

The post ANTIBACTERIAL SOAP IS TOXIC: Could harm fetus and infants; Pollutes breast milk appeared first on Big Green Purse.

  As news reports noted this morning, “The New York senator went from narrowly losing the women’s vote in Iowa to Barack Obama to swamping him in New Hampshire among females, 46 percent to 34 percent. Women had been the anchor of her support in national and regional polling for most of the past year, and she had seemed in danger of springing a leak in her major constituency. This was crucial, since females usually comprise more than half those who vote for Democrats across the country.”

I say, why stop at the voting booth? Harnessing their clout in the marketplace, women could become the most influential voice for environmental change in 2008 and beyond.

Women already spend $.85 of every dollar at the check-out counter. Just as they focused their votes in New Hampshire to send Hillary over the top, women who “vote with their dollars” to buy products and services that benefit the environment can create a groundswell of support for manufacturing that goes easy on the earth.

The New Hampshire primary has breathed new life not only into Hillary’s presidential bid. It has also cast a big bright spotlight on the power women have to create the world they want. From the ballot box to the cash register, from the presidency to the planet, women can be “the deciders” in more ways than one.

The post Women Are “The Deciders” appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Aurora Organic Dairy provides the organic milk Wal-Mart, Costco, Wild Oats, Trader Joe’s and Safeway sell under their own brand names. The dairy agreed to make major changes in the way it operates a Colorado facility and, reports Environmental News Service, stop posting the organic label to some of its milk after the U.S Department of Agriculture threatened to revoke its organic certification for not allowing its cows enough time at pasture. To continue operating as a certified organic dairy, Aurora must provide daily access to pasture during the growing season.

The USDA action was initiated in 2005 when the Wisconsin-based Cornucopia Institute, an advocate for family farms, claimed that Aurora Organic violated federal standards that require access to pasture for organic dairy cows at its Platteville, Colorado facility.  In the course of its investigation, the USDA also determined that animals were not being properly transitioned from traditional to organic practices, among other infractions.

Under the agreement it reached with the government, Aurora will not renew the organic certification for its Woodward, Colorado facility as it works to improve operations at Platteville. But for consumers, a bigger issue looms.

Demand for organic milk has never been higher. At the same time, consumer confidence in organic manufacturers is not rock solid, given scandals like these and the general belief many consumers have that “green” and organic products are not worth the extra money they cost.

When companies like Aurora intentionally undercut the standards they’re supposed to represent, they do a disservice to every other company trying to live up to that standard. They also send a message to shoppers that they can’t trust the marketplace – even though the marketplace is where shoppers can make the greatest difference in protecting the environment.

We expect more from organic companies like Aurora. We should get it. Until we do, thumbs down.

If you want to let Aurora Dairy know they need to earn back your trust, send a letter or make a call to Mark Retzloff, president and “chief organic officer.”

Mark Retzloff
Aurora Organic Dairy
1401 Walnut Street, Fifth Floor,
Boulder, CO 80302
720-564-6296

The post Aurora Dairy Undercuts Consumer Confidence appeared first on Big Green Purse.