Several months ago, Earth Friendly Products sent me their products to try out and  I’ve incorporated many of them into my daily routine.  The Dishmate Dish Washing Liquid is made with purified water, 100% natural anionic coconut kernel oil-based surfactant, salt, almond and cherry oil.  It comes in 4 scents – all created by essential oils – but I prefer the Free & Clear which is scent free.   It works just as well as any other dish washing liquid I’ve used and I’d buy it for regular use in our home.

I have mixed feelings about the Parsley Plus All Surface Cleaner.  It does work well on many surfaces. I’ve used it to clean my car, tables and granite countertops.  It doesn’t leave streaks on the dark countertops – something I can’t say about every green countertop cleaner I’ve used.  The parsley scent has grown on me.  At first, I was overwhelmed by it but now I’ve come to like the scent, it’s ‘fresh’ and it’s a nice change from the traditional lemon or orange scent.  The one thing I don’t like about this cleaner is how sudsy it is.  Even if I use just a little, it takes a lot of wiping and rinsing before all the suds are gone.  I don’t find this to be an issue with other cleaners I’ve used.

Earth Friendly Products has a laundry detergent specifically for babies. I don’t usually wash my kid’s laundry in separate ‘baby’ soap.  I always use a mild, non-toxic, eco-friendly laundry soap anyway so I feel safe washing my kids laundry with the same soap I use for the rest of the household laundry.  But, I know some moms use a conventional laundry detergent and then wash their children’s clothing in a safer, non-toxic detergent like Earth Friendly Products,  Baby Laundry Soap.  The liquid soap is lavender scented and I’d personally prefer a scent-free version since I’m not a big fan of scents for household products but it’s not overwhelming so if you don’t mind scented laundry soap then I wouldn’t pass this by.  I rarely use stain remover and wash almost everything in cold water so the  laundry detergent I  use has to do most of the heavy lifting.  The Baby Laundry Soap does not disappoint. I haven’t had to re-wash anything as it has easily removed spit up, poop, grass stains and marker.  If I did regularly use baby specific laundry detergent, I would use this product.

If you are looking for affordable, eco-friendly household products, give Earth Friendly Products a try.  They are easily found in local mass retailers and tend to run on the lower end of pricing for green cleaning products. For extra savings, print out coupons for $1 OFF most of their products..

Seventh Generation has a column called ‘Ask the Science Man’ and I often find answers to questions that have been lingering in my mind.  One of the most recent Q&A columns was about VOC emissions from paint, new carpet and cleaning supplies.  As a reminder, VOC (volatile organic compounds) are toxins that are emitted into your home from many products.  A huge concern is that not only are they emitted the instance they come into your home but they can constantly emit VOCs over time – some products emit VOCs into your home for up to 3 years!

Browse the archives to find answers to other burning questions such as non-toxic nail polish, SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) in products, plastic shower curtains and organic tampons.  If you don’t find the answer to the question on your mind, then Ask the Science Man yourself!

It’s hard to believe but on March 20, when the clock struck midnight, spring officially began in the Northern Hemisphere.

I don’t know about you but when spring arrives and the sun comes out – I want to open the windows, get some fresh air and clean like crazy. 

If you weren’t reading Mommy Goes Green last year, now is a great time to get caught up on the 8 week series we did on spring cleaning.  Click on the link for the week and you can find detailed information on cleaning the eco-friendly and non-toxic way. 

WEEK 1 – Green your cleaning products. 

WEEK 2 – Clean the oven, refrigerator, and dishwasher. 

WEEK 3 – Dust EVERYTHING. 

WEEK 4 – Clean your window treatments. 

WEEK 5 – Wash all your windows, inside and out.

WEEK 6 – Touch up scratched walls or old nail holes with non toxic, zero VOC paint. 

WEEK 7 – Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. 

WEEK 8 – Replace the air filter in your home.

Today, you can join the WORLD by taking part in Earth Hour.  At 8:30 pm (in whatever time zone you are in) – turn off your lights for just 1 HOUR.  Government facilities, national landmarks, museums, organizations and celebrities are all joining the movement for action on climate change. 

It’s one simple way to talk to your kids about the importance of taking care of the resources we have.  Make it fun by getting out flashlights to play hide and seek or board games.  My kids will be in bed by then so I plan to light some candles and have a glass of wine.  Aaaah.

Last night, I watched Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution with mixed emotions.  Jamie was in Huntington, West Virginia – the city named as the unhealthiest in America because over 50% of the occupants are obese.  During this episode, he visited an elementary school to prepare fresh food lunches and teach the children and parents about healthy eating habits.  

Jamie demonstrated to several children what is in “chicken” patties.  He took a whole chicken and cut off the breasts and wings.  Then he cut up the rest of the chicken – including skin, bones, and all the other yucky stuff – and put it in a food processor.  Once blended, he made a patty out of it and covered it in bread crumbs.  He then asked the children if they wanted to eat it and they all said YES.  It was disturbing.  ( “chicken” patties will never cross the threshhold of this house again )

He showed a classroom of first graders basic vegetables like potatoes and tomatoes and the children could not identify them. I was part angry ( with the parents ) and part sad ( for the kids ).

Jamie was required (by school guidelines) to have both rice and bread with the lunch he was serving the children – I’m not a nutritionist but doesn’t that seem a little unbalanced?

Seriously – these children only had spoons to eat their lunch.  They didn’t even know how to eat with a knife and fork.  Is that unreasonable?  My 3 year old can use a fork and knife to eat.

The bottom line is that these problems are not just with one school, in one city in America.  It’s a problem in every school, in every city in America.  It’s also a problem in our homes.  It’s just easier to cook boxed, canned, and processed food.  Food isn’t given the priority that it should be and it’s making our bodies sick. 

I’m currently reading a book from Dr. Sears titled, ‘Nutrition Deficit Disorder’ (NDD), and it parallels the concepts in this show about the relationship between food and health in children.  It talks about the connection between NDD and all the other ‘D’ diseases like ADD, ADHD, and OCD.  I’m only a couple chapters in but I will definitely be sharing with you what I’m reading as I think you’ll be amazed at how much what you feed your children affects their ability to learn, control their behavior and overall health. 

I absolutely recommend you check out Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution – there are 4 more episodes so tune in Friday, April 2nd for the next one.

Here’s a great way to get your plants watered AND reuse empty wine bottles (or any long necked bottle).  Just put the Wine Bottle Plant Nanny stake into a container and insert the filled bottle of water.  Provides a steady supply of water as the plant needs it – perfect for those of us who forget to regularly water our plants!  Makes for a unique gift, too.

Stormwater drains are created to collect rain or melting soak that doesn’t soak into the ground.  Unfortunately, that water often collects other things while it flows down the road into the drain.  These pollutants include oil, leaves, chemicals like pesticides and fertilizers, and animal poop. 

Ever wonder what happens with water ( and pollutants ) that goes down the storm drain?  Do you assume it gets treated by the wastewater treatment plant?  Likely not!  It often goes directly into your local streams and rivers.

You can take several steps to make sure you don’t contribute to dirty waterways:

• sweep your driveway and sidewalk and then recycle or compost the debris – don’t hose it down as the water runs into the storm drain
• don’t wash your car at home – use a commercial car wash – they use water more efficiently and dispose of it properly
• wash tools and toys over a grass or dirt area so the water can soak into the ground
• don’t use chemical fertilizers or pesticides – use natural solutions
• clean up pet poop and put it in the trash
• if you drain or fill automobile fluids, make sure you catch it and dispose of it properly
• educate your kids – don’t let them throw things down the drains 

In my stocking this past Christmas, I received this Eco-First reusable coffee cup.  The problem?  I’ve never used it.  My husband claimed it for himself and has used it every day since.

The concept is self-explainable -  tote along your reusable coffee cup and forego the paper cup at your favorite coffee shop or at the office.  The Eco-First cup is heavily insulated to keep drinks warm and is BPA free.  It’s dishwasher and microwave safe – unlike other travel mugs.

WHERE TO BUY:  Available exclusively at Bed, Bath and Beyond in brown, pink and green. $7.99

Mineral makeup seems to have exploded in the last couple years but since I’m a little behind the times in the makeup department, it wasn’t in my makeup bag.  In fact, until several weeks ago, I hadn’t yet replaced most of my makeup with safer and chemical free products.  My favorite blush had “paraben” written all over the ingredient list, yet I hadn’t had time to find something new.

Mineral makeup was at the top of my “to try” list and then I read about a line of makeup created by Christopher Drummond Beauty.   One of the primary reasons I decided to test out the line was because the powders are free of titanium dioxide, bismuth oxychloride and zinc oxide – three ingredients found in many other mineral makeup lines and potentially irritating to your skin and even harmful.

Mineral makeup is exactly what it sounds like – comprised of finely ground minerals and free of perfume, talc, dyes and chemicals.  For instance, the Christopher Drummond foundation contains ingredients such as serecite, mica, organic cornstarch, and several organic essential oils.  

I typically do not have dry skin but on the first day I used the makeup, I happened to be getting over an allergic reaction to a face lotion I had used so my face had a small bumpy rash all over it, combined with a nice red glow.  Yah, it was pretty.  Fortunately, because mineral makeup is free of so many chemicals, it’s perfect for sensitive skin.  The makeup sat on top of the rash covering it up instead of highlighting it, like a cream based makeup would.  

I’m always nervous about picking new makeup colors without testing them out on my skin first – you never know what tone is going to match.  I have a favorite concealer I’ve used for years because the color matches my skin perfectly but I have to say that the Christopher Drummond concealer in ‘Light’ worked just as well.   Creamy but not cakey.  I don’t need any caked makeup under my tired eyes (my son is 9 weeks old and I’m tired). 

I used my EcoTools to apply the powdered makeup.  It’s a little tricky at first to get the application right as a little goes a LONG WAY!   I had to wash my face again after my first try with the blush – a LOT too much.  The Sateen Blush definitely added a light shimmer to my cheeks and I’ve found a new favorite Eyeshadow color.  Next time, I’ll definitely go with a lighter shade of  lipgloss (the Cinnamon was a little too dark for me), but I like that it’s free of petroleum, parabens, dyes and fragrance.

If you are looking to replace some of your makeup products with safer ones, I definitely recommend trying mineral makeup.  I’ve thrown out some of my old chemical filled makeup products and replaced them with the Christopher Drummond line.  Next up, I plan to try the bronzing powder.  I’m already dreaming about summer!

I have to mention that the packaging came with ‘green’ packing peanuts – I definitely appreciate it when a company takes an eco-friendly concept all the way!

WHERE TO BUY:   www.christopherdrummond.com