The Most Toxic Home Products

Oliver J. Chiang – Forbes

How everyday household products can harm you and your family.

You expect to find toxic chemicals in cleaning products and pesticides.  But you wouldn’t think toxins could be in your bed-or worse yet, your infant’s crib.

Unfortunately, harmful chemicals can be found in the foam in your bed and nursing pillows and in many more everyday products, including deodorants, air fresheners, plastic bottles and some posts and pans coated with Teflon.  Read More

Wisconsin becomes the third state to ban BPA use

Excerpts:

Jim Doyle, the Governor of Wisconsin signed a bill into law last Wednesday that bans BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups for children age 3 and under.  Wisconsin’s law follows bans that are in place in Minnesota, Connecticut, the city of Chicago and three counties in New York.  The law prohibits the manufacture and wholesale of BPA and requires products like baby bottles and cups to be labeled “BPA Free”

BPA was developed as a synthetic estrogen in the late 1800s.  Since the 1960s, it has been used to make hard, clear plastic.  BPA is used in thousands of household applications, including the lining of most food and beverage cans, many dental sealants, eyeglasses, CDs, DVDs and water bottles.

In increased number of studies have linked BPA to breast and prostate cancer, asthma, heart disease, diabetes, hyperactivity, sexual dysfunction and reproductive failure.

Read More

Are Clorox’s Bleach Products Green or Greenwashing?

Excerpts:

Has Clorox successfully bought off all online bleach naysayers in a bid to trick well intentioned consumers into believing that using bleach is perfectly peachy for people and Mother Nature?

Read More

Chemical Secrecy Keeps BPA in Food

Makers of canned foods are finding it difficult to determine whether certain chemicals, including BPA, are in the liners of cans they sell to millions of people every day.  Read more.

What’s really in your Shampoo?

Exerpts:

There are two types of ingredients in shampoo.  One type cleans your hair.  The other type stokes your emotions.  I’m holding a bottle of Pantene Pro V, one of the world’s most popular shampoos.  Of the 22 ingredients in this bottle of shampoo, three clean hair.  The rest are in the bottle not for the hair, but for the psychology of the person using the shampoo.  At least two-thirds of this bottle, by volume, was put there just to make me feel good.

In May, 2008, Jane Houlihan, director of research for Environmental Working Group, reported on the dangers of cosmetics and personal care products to a House subcommittee.  She believes that these products, including shampoo, are the biggest source of human exposure to dangerous chemicals.  according to Houlihan, “companies are free to use almost any ingredient they choose in personal care products, with no proof of safety required.”  Consumers are not properly warned of possible dangers because of a “lack of standards and labeling loopholes.”  Let’s just say that the less you hang out with any of these chemicals, the better off you are, we all are.

To read the full story:

http://www.salon.com/env/good_life/2009/08/13/shampoo/

Questions To Ask When Identifying Legitimate Work from Home Business Opportunities

Have you ever thought about investing in a home based business opportunity? Perhaps you’ve seen some of the ads:  “Moms Work from Home” or “Get in On the Ground Floor” or “Earn Six Figures from Home.” As work at home businesses become more and more popular, there are many things to consider in order not to be taken advantage of.  Legitimate home based business companies score high in four key areas: products, company, compensation and training and support systems.

The Products –

When evaluating whether the opportunity is legitimate, one of the most important things to consider is the product line.  To successfully grow your own home based business, you’re going to have to believe in the products and effectively promote them.  So ask yourself:

1)       Will you personally use the products?  If so, you’ll have real, personal experiences to share with your prospective customers.  You can even go one step further; would you buy these products if you weren’t working with this business opportunity?

2)       Are they high quality products?  If the answer is no, it will be very difficult to build a stable business, because repeat purchases are very important.

3)       Is the product line affordable?  If the average person can’t afford the products, the quality alone won’t be enough to attract long term customers.

Finally, if the products are consumable or necessity products that have to be purchased on a regular basis, you can develop a loyal base who will  purchase from you month after month versus you having to consistently work to find new customers.

The Company-

Next, take a good look at the company.  The failure rate of direct marketing companies is extremely high.  Over 90% go under within their first three years in business.  So before you sign up, find out:

1)       How long the company has been in business and if they’re still growing.  I wouldn’t recommend joining any organization that has been around less than 5 years.

2)       What type of awards have they received? Generally, if they have a positive rating from the Better Business Bureau the business model is viable.

3)       Does the company provide good customer service?  There should be a sound return policy that allows customers to receive a 100% money back guarantee if dissatisfied.

4)       Are they committed to their products?  The most successful home based business companies allow customers to order directly from the manufacturer and they ship the products directly to the customers.  Be leery of businesses that expect “distributors” to stock inventory, take orders, and make deliveries.

The Compensation Plan –

The next area to evaluate when selecting a legitimate business system is their compensation plan.  Keep in mind you will more than likely have to spend some money to make money with most businesses.  Find out –

1)       What is the initial investment and what are the ongoing financial requirements to remain active?  Start up cost should be minimal, ranging from $50 to $500.  And ongoing expenses should be reasonable.

2)       If the compensation plan is fair?  Is the income potential realistic?  Remember the old adage, “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

3)       Do they have part time business builders?  The majority of the people you will attract to your business will be customers and part-timers.  This group should be able to benefit from being in your organization.

4)       Are commissions and bonuses paid directly to you?  Some companies pay out to groups and allow them to disburse checks.  This is a big NO-NO.

The Training and Support –

Once you’ve found a home based business model with products you can believe in that’s run by a stable, long-term company with an ethical compensation plan, it’s important to ensure there is a good training platform and a support team in place to assist you.  The platform should be duplicative to follow.  It shouldn’t rely on hype or personality to be successful.

Many companies offer various types of support mechanisms –team meetings, websites, conference calls, videos, DVDs etc.  The training material should be affordable, if not free.

Lastly, you want to connect with a team that has good leadership.  Therefore, use your instincts and judgment to make the final decision.

Protect Yourself from Chemicals in Personal Care Products

Buyer Beware – Make Informed Purchase Decisions

Dangerous dosages of toxic chemicals have been found in many everyday products like shampoos, lotions, soaps …

The average consumer uses between five and twentyfive personal care products everyday.  Many of which have at least one chemical that has been linked to cancer and/or reproductive problems.  Any product that is used on the skin can be absorbed into the bloodstream and utlimately impact the organs.

Whenever possible, choose safe economical eco friendly alternatives