What Is Aging You? Discover The Missing Link To Amazing Health!

April Green Challenge

Make your own household cleaning products
http://www.aboutmyplanet.com/daily-green-tips/cleaning-products

Many commercial cleaning products are packed with chemicals that are harmful to our bodies and the ocean. Using only lemon, baking soda, and vinegar, you can clean almost anything in your home while saving money, your health, and the environment!

Lemon
Lemons are acidic, so using lemons adds antibacterial and antiseptic properties and is also a natural bleaching agent. Use it for:
dissolving soap scum and hard water deposits;
cleaning and shining brass and copper with lemon juice (a lemon cut in half and dipped in salt is good for cleaning spots off copper fixtures);
freshening the drain and kitchen by putting a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal;
bleaching away stains by pouring lemon juice on white linens and clothes and allowing them to dry in the sun.
Vinegar
Vinegar is a natural disinfectant and deodorizer and is a great all-purpose cleaner (on anything but marble). The strong smell will disappear when it dries.
Mix one part water to one part vinegar for an all-purpose cleaner that you can use on the stove, appliances, counter tops, and stone and brick surfaces.
Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle instead of fabric softener.
Pour vinegar around the inside rim of the toilet bowl and scrub to get rid of rings.
Mop the floor in the bathroom with vinegar diluted with water.
Add a couple of teaspoons to a spray bottle filled with water for window cleaner.
Baking soda
Baking soda is abrasive cleanser that is excellent at dissolving dirt, mildew, grease, and even wax. It also acts as a natural deodorizer.
As a paste, baking soda is great for removing dirt and grime.
Mix 4 tablespoons baking soda with 1 quart warm water and shake to make a great all-purpose spray you can use on anything from the bathtub to the fridge.
Add 1/2 cup of baking soda to the rinse cycle instead of fabric softeners, as well as help remove odors from clothes.
Wet stains on the oven and then shake baking soda over them; scrub with steel wool and watch even old rust stains disappear.
Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odor.
Sprinkle it on your carpet before vacuuming to eliminate food and pet odors.
Neutralize food and cat litter odors by sprinkling it at the bottom of the garbage and litter box.
Use it to clean and polish metals and plastics.
Combination power
Lemon juice mixed with vinegar or baking soda makes a great cleaning paste.
A lemon cut in half and sprinkled with baking soda makes a great abrasive cleaner you can use to scrub stubborn dishes, surfaces, and stains
Pour ½ cup baking soda down drain, add ½ cup white vinegar, and cover the drain. Wait 15 minutes and then pour 1 gallon of hot water down the drain to get rid of build up.
Make a super toilet cleaner with ¼ cup baking soda and 1 cup vinegar. Pour it into toilet and let sit for five minutes before scrubbing with a brush.
Mix 1 1/2 tablespoons of baking soda with 2 tablespoons of Borax to replace automatic dishwasher detergent.
One cup olive oil blended with ½ cup lemon juice makes furniture polish for your hardwood furniture

Top three reasons to Join

3 Reasons Why Spring 2009 Is aGREAT Time to Join Shaklee!REASON #1 —Join Free with 50 PV from April 1, 2009 to May 15, 2009Spring is here, and our Join Free with 50 PV promotion has sprung! It starts on April 1,2009 and runs through May 15, 2009! After you join, there will be many opportunities toshare this great promotion:Earth Day Meetings • In-Home Presentations • Woman to Woman events • Your “Grand Opening”• After your Spring Cleaning with Get Clean™ • Whenever you present Shaklee to anyone new!This incredible offer waives the $19.95 fee—more affordable to join! Every new personyou sponsor with 50 PV earns you 1 point toward the Dream 2009 Incentive Trip. Pointsearned after June 30, 2009 will be applied to the 2010 Incentive Trip. Jump-start yourincentive trip qualification!REASON #2 —The Power of 10!It’s a great time to be NEW in Shaklee! If you join Shakleebetween April 1, 2009 to July 31, 2009, you are eligibleto earn $100 for each 10 personal sponsoring points youearn in your first 90 days in Shaklee.How you earn personal sponsoring points:a) 5 Points—Sponsor a $299 GOLD Ambassadorb) 2 Points—Sponsor a Distributor w/100PVc) 1 Point—Sponsor a Member or Distributor w/50PVd) AutoShip Bonus Point—Through June 30, 2009, you earn double the sponsoringpoints earned on any new Member, Distributor, or GOLD Ambassador if they maintain anAutoShip order of at least 100 PV for 3 months.For complete details about the Shaklee Dream 2009 trip, talk to the person who gaveyou this flyer.REASON #3 — A Personal Website FOR SIX MONTHS When You Join as aGOLD Ambassador!From April 1, 2009 to May 15, 2009, when you join as a GOLD Ambassador,you get all the benefits of being a GOLD Ambassador…• 15% Product Discount (on SRP)• New Distributor Welcome Kit ($39 value)• Global Ambassador Status ($99 value)• FREE Product Coupon with your next order of 100 PV/IPV (a $93.25 SRP value ifredeemed for Shaklee Vitalizer™)• Up to 125 PV and up to 140 Tru-Infinity™ PV (IPV) on select PAKs• An additional 10% off on select AutoShip offers, plus loyalty rewards in the form of $10product coupons, redeemable for products valued at up to $93.25 SRP.• To offset the carbon emissions of shipping the PAK, Shaklee will plant 5 trees!• One Mission Product Action Kit (PAK) of Your Choice!PLUS…A Personal Website FOR SIX MONTHS (a $119.70 value)

Kimberly Langert Has Gone GREEN
http://www.shaklee.net/green_like_me

Cancer Update from John's-Hopkins

Bottled water in your car is very dangerous! On the Ellen show, Sheryl Crow said this is what caused her breast cancer. It has been identified as the most common cause of the high levels of dioxin in breast cancer tissue. Sheryl Crow's oncologist told her: women should not drink bottled water that has been left in a car. The heat reacts with the chemicals in the plastic of the bottle which releases dioxin into the water. Dioxin is a toxin increasingly found in breast cancer tissue. So please be careful and do not drink bottled water that has been left in a car. Pass this on to all the women in your life. This information is the kind we need to know that just might save us! Use a stainless steel canteen or a glass bottle instead of plastic!

LET EVERYONE WHO HAS A WIFE / GIRLFRIEND / DAUGHTER KNOW PLEASE!

This information is also being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center .
No plastic containers in microwave.
No water bottles in freezer
No plastic wrap in microwave.

A dioxin chemical causes cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.
Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital , was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers... This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat,=2 0and plastic releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body... Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.. You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons... Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran wrap, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead. This is an article that should be sent To anyone important in Your life!

Some many resources

http://www.greencleancare.com

Jason at Green Clean, carpet care and restoration.

check this out for an all natural alternative to the chemical cleaners.

Custom Reusable Bags

Get your company logos, family name or something Randommly fun printed.



Get 100% reusable grocery bags Or recycled grocery bags
BagsontheRun is also highly committed to developing high quality recycled and reusable grocery bags. All the bags are 100% recyclable. For more details, visit our reusable grocery bag store.

Discount on wholesale reusable bags or wholesale shopping bags
Get discount on wholesale reusable bags including wholesale recycled shopping bags and wholesale reusable grocery bags. For more details, visit our wholesale reusable bag store. BagsontheRun also prints customized logos for bulk orders.

Go green today - Try eco friendly bags
When you order from us, you get the best quality, heavy duty, non woven polypropylene fabric. Don't settle for inferior, low-quality reusable bags. Look for the BagsOnTheRun "Going Green Guy"!

http://www.bagsontherun.com/

Go green and save trees! Go responsible, protect earth, protect yourself AND YOUR FAMILIES!
Also consumers prefer environment friendly responsible companies.
It's healthy too.
Green bags or eco friendly bags are durable and stylish too. A green bag in hand is a green style statement.
More about our green bags ....
Green bag can hold more shopping than a plastic bag, up to 22lbs.
100% recyclable. Fully eco friendly bags.
Recycled or Reusable shopping bags are with wider handles and easier on hands.
Washable.
Large selection of colors.

Art supplies and Safety

Children's Health Environmental Coalition
HealtheHouse
www.checnet.org/HealtheHouse

What’s on the Label: Art and Hobby Supplies
by Allison Sloan

Children's Health Environmental Coalition



As they grow up, children typically use many different art supplies to explore their creativity. But art and hobby supplies can contain toxic ingredients, such as lead in ceramic glazes and solvents in glues. The hazards associated with such ingredients can be avoided if parents choose art supplies by reading labels carefully.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regulates art and craft supplies according to two laws:

Acute health hazards, or health effects that occur during or immediately after contact or use, are covered by the Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA). This law requires makers of art supplies and other potentially hazardous products to test and label products for acute health hazards, including illness or injury from touching, breathing, or swallowing a product, as well as whether it irritates the skin or is flammable or combustible.

Manufacturers of art supplies must test and label products for longterm health effects like cancer and brain damage under the Labeling of Hazardous Art Materials Act (LHAMA). LHAMA applies to paints, spray paints, solvents, crayons, colored pencils, glues, adhesives, putties and other products sold specifically for art, craft and model-construction purposes. It does not cover paints, adhesives, and solvents sold for household and construction uses.

Products that have been tested and labeled according to this law will state on the label the words: Conforms with ASTM D-4236.

Under LHAMA, schools cannot provide art supplies with a chronic-hazard warning label to children in grades six and younger. LHAMA gives CPSC the authority to bring legal action against schools that do not comply. The State of California has a List of Art and Craft Materials that May Not be Purchased for Use in Grades K-6. (The law does not forbid these products for use in grades 7-12, however.)
Though these rules appear to cover the bases when it comes to warning of potential hazards from art and hobby supplies, they leave out two important consumer protections.

These laws do not require that manufacturers list all ingredients.

There is also no registration or approval process for art supplies (like for drugs and pesticides) that would ensure government oversight. Therefore, there is no guarantee that the labels on art supplies are in full compliance with the law.
Independent Certification

In an effort to reassure consumers that their products are tested and labeled according to regulations, many manufacturers have sought certification by the Art & Creative Materials Institute (ACMI). Companies must pay a fee to become a member of ACMI, so it is a manufacturer-supported organization.

ACMI toxicology staff reviews their members’ product formulas and determines whether they have been adequately evaluated and labeled for acute and chronic health effects, in compliance with regulations, or whether additional tests and labels are needed. ACMI does not conduct any tests of its own, though it may recommend that the manufacturer contract a laboratory to do so. Note that ACMI does not publish or provide detailed information on its standards, which makes it difficult to assess how rigorous they are.

If a product fits the ACMI criteria, it receives one of two certification seals. Many art supplies on the market bear one of these labels:

AP — Approved Product indicates that ACMI has found that the product has “no materials in sufficient quantities to be toxic or injurious to humans or to cause acute or chronic health problems.”

The logo is round with the letters “AP” in the center. The logo is sometimes accompanied by the word “nontoxic”. The “AP” label is replacing the “AP Nontoxic,” “CP Nontoxic,” “CP,” and “HL/NT” (“Health Label/Nontoxic”) logos, which may remain on some older labels.

CL — Cautionary Label indicates that the product contains hazardous ingredients, but is fully tested and labeled in compliance with federal law. This seal does not appear on any children’s products.

The logo is an octagonal logo with “CL” in the center. This logo is replacing the “HL/CR” or “Health Label/Cautions Required,” seal.
While the ACMI seals are intended to make it easier for consumers to decipher labels and choose safer products, ACMI is occasionally more generous in granting “Approved Product” seals than some children’s health advocates prefer. For example:

ACMI certification does not guarantee that a product is completely free of toxic substances, even when the “AP” seal is accompanied by the word “nontoxic”. In fact, the only substances ACMI prohibits are radioactive elements and lead in children’s products, along with substances banned by FHSA. (Flake white lead ceramic glaze is permitted for adults).

ACMI continues to certify PVC polymer clays as “Approved Products,” even after a 2002 study by the Vermont Public Interest Research Group found that molding this clay leaves residues of phthalates on children’s hands. (See Polymer Clays are a Handful of Phthalates and ACMI’s Response.) Phthalates, which soften plastic, have caused birth defects, reproductive problems and organ damage in laboratory tests on animals.

ACMI certification does not guarantee that a product has been tested for all contaminants. For instance, in 2000, an independent investigation by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer revealed that some crayons were contaminated with asbestos, even though ACMI had certified them as “nontoxic.”
What to Look for on Labels

Precautionary Labels and Health Warnings

Look for products labeled "low odor". There are now many art supplies, such as markers and pens, paint thinner and clear coatings, that are formulated to produce fewer fumes.

Look for the signal words, DANGER, WARNING, or CAUTION. For kids’ supplies, avoid products that bear any of these labels. Remember, the least hazardous products do not need a signal word.

Look for the words “Conforms to ASTM D-4236” on art supplies to ensure that the product is properly labeled for chronic health hazards. Please note, however, that “Conforms to ASTM D-4236” means only that a product is labeled sufficiently, not that it is safe to use. It is especially important that you find this phrase on products that do not bear one of the signal words listed above.

Look for warnings of specific health hazards. Warnings of acute hazards include “Harmful or fatal if swallowed” or “May cause skin irritation.” Labels for longterm health effects under ASTM D-4236 may warn of cancer, sterility, permanent eye damage, birth defects, allergic reactions, organ damage, or that exposure may be harmful if swallowed, by breathing vapors or dusts, or by skin contact. Any art product with these warnings shouldn’t be used by or around young children!

Avoid any product with the words "Keep out of the reach of children." If adults use such products in the home, be sure to store these in a safe place, preferably secured in high cabinets that children cannot open (by using locks or childproof door latches).

Avoid products with ACMI’s CL —Cautionary Label seal. The logo is an octagonal logo with “CL” in the center.
Ingredients

Look for specific ingredients, followed by their health effects, on the label or packaging. Though the law does not require that all ingredients be listed on art supply labels, it does require that specific harmful ingredients be identified, along with their specific health effects. Some of these chemicals are solvents that may be found in adhesives, spray paints, paint thinners, and paint removers.

Look for the VOC content, if indicated, in adhesives, paints, and other solvent-based products, and choose products with the lowest VOC. VOCs are volatile organic compounds — breathable gases that vaporize from products while they dry. See What’s on the Label: Paints, Finishes, Adhesives, and other Building Supplies (coming soon!) for more information.
Other Tips

Don’t rely solely on ACMI logos for help in choosing safer products for children. While ACMI logos can provide some guidance to parents, these logos are not a guarantee of safety.

Use products only as directed and ventilate well when using art supplies that produce fumes (VOCs).

Never transfer art materials out of the original container — you’ll lose valuable safety information.

Take extra care when buying or using foreign-made arts and crafts materials, regardless of what the label says. Other countries’ standards for the definition “nontoxic” may not take children’s special vulnerability into consideration.

Always supervise children while they are using art and craft supplies. Young children frequently put things in their mouths and are likely to paint or draw on themselves.

Don’t eat, drink or smoke while working with art and craft supplies.

After using art supplies, wash your child’s hands and your hands as well as the supplies themselves (brushes, surfaces, etc.).
Other Resources:
Art and Hobby Supplies, Washington Toxics Coalition (summary). You can purchase the full version (4 pages, $1.50) by writing WTC, 4649 Sunnyside Ave N, Suite 540, Seattle WA 98103. Ph: 206-632-1545.
Markers and Pens and the Pollutants They Emit, Aerias AQS IAQ Resource Center
List of Art and Craft Materials that May Not be Purchased for Use in Grades K-6. The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment put together this list to guide teachers and administrators in stocking their art rooms.

See Also:
Games, Arts & Crafts

Look for safer product alternatives in CHEC's Safer Products Store.




Original Date - 08/04/03 Last Updated - 09/03/04


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