the ecomoderate

I’ve had this ridiculous amount of Softsoap for more than a year now and I finally finished it about a month ago. I thought for sure I was never going to get rid of the stuff. Every time I refilled my soap dispensers an overwhelming feeling of guilt poured over me. I knew it was not the best product for my family and guests to be using because of the chemicals it’s made with but being money conscious I couldn’t throw it out.

My neighbor has been using Nature’s Gate Organic Fruit Blend Liquid Soap for a while now and my husband asked me to give it a try, especially since he liked the scent of it. So out I trekked to the local Grocery Outlet and purchased 4 bottles of the stuff. I crossed my fingers and hoped it was a scent my family would grow to love. Sure enough, it was! We’ve been using the Persimmon & Rose Geranium Liquid Soap and Body Lotion for a month now and it’s been great! Even my two year old loves it! They have a light scent and are also free of parabens, alcohol, and colorants.

The products also come in other scents like Mandarin Orange & Patchouli, Lemongrass & Clary Sage, Asian Pear & Red Tea, and also Neroli Orange & Chocolate Mint.

Visit Nature’s Gate website for more products and a store location near you.

Used for decades in plastic production,  Pthalates are in hundreds of products we use for our children and homes and are known to have dangerous health effects.

There is significant scientific research showing that children ingest the toxins by simply chewing on a rubber duck or a teething ring.  And the chemicals are now thought to act as hormones (think estrogen mimickers) and cause reproductive problems.  They are also added in items like perfume/cologne to make the fragrance last longer and nail polish so your mani/pedi will last 4 weeks not 2.

The ban will take effect in six months in spite of the chemical industry’s desperate attempt to shut it down.  According to the The Washington Post, Exxon-Mobil alone spent a significant portion of its $22 million lobbying budget on the project.

Several large retailers such as Walmart, Toys R Us, and Babies R Us have already told suppliers that they will no longer carry pthalate containing products as of January 2009. However, many of the older products will still be on shelves for the holidays.