A Better Way To Clean

In the New York Times Magazine article Why Bother?  http://www.michaelpollan.com/article.php?id=92 Michael Pollan is “looking for a few good reasons to go green”. He posits that while doing anything on a personal level to “go green” seems a bit like a drop in an ocean, we should do it anyway because a few people moving in the same direction can start a revolution. He arrives at the conclusion that “Going personally green is a bet, nothing more or less, though it’s one we probably all should make, even if the odds of it paying off aren’t great”.

Finding proof of the payoff helps inspire us to take action and provides another “good reason to go green”. So, here’s a little proof!   

Take the five Swedish authorities who in 2000 encouraged retailers and consumers to avoid the routine use of triclosan http://abetterwaytoclean.com/?p=39 . A 2007 Australian study found that triclosan concentrations were two times higher in Australians’ blood serum than in Swedish subjects’ blood plasma.  This study indicates that reducing the use of triclosan in consumer products has a dramatic effect on the presence of the chemical in the blood of the people who live in the region where use was diminished.

Ready to start a revolution? Let’s bother…

I sat down with Mandy Aftel, a pioneer who is reintroducing modern culture to natural perfuming, and got a glimpse of the world through her eyes.  Well, perhaps more accurately her nose.

Question:  What are the benefits of essential oils?

Mandy: Essential oils have been used in most civilizations from the beginning of time, with the exception of the last 100 years. Experiencing essential oils is the same as walking in a garden or eating a good meal - great for body, mind & spirit; pure and natural. They are a connection to the essence of the natural world. And the aesthetic (of natural scents) are drop dead gorgeous – nothing synthetic approximates naturals. They’re amazing, just beautiful.

Question: What is your approach when you scent CleanWell Products?

Mandy: To walk the line of both the familiar and the more beautiful.  Striving to create the most gorgeous versions of things.  Creating a beautiful daily experience – beauty in the commonplace, in the daily ritual of cleaning our hands.

Question: How would you describe the custom scents you created for CleanWell foaming hand washes?

Mandy:

Orange Vanilla: Happy quality, bright, fresh. Creamy orange, bright vanilla. Creamsicle-like.

Lavender: Fresh, soft herbal richness. Deep calming, rich, round and voluptuous. More like the floral part of lavender, less like the leaves. Softer, richer, deeper.

Ginger Bergamot: Freshness of ginger, a tiny bit sweet, soft, citrus. Like when you use fresh ginger root in cooking – delicate.

Now, awaken your nose.  Go smell some soap with synthetic fragrance; these are easy to find, the ingredients will list a very nondescript “fragrance”. And then try some of Mandy’s handiwork. I’d love to hear if you’re ready to go back 100 years to the future.

It’s Earth Day and I’ve got water on my mind.

The reason I’m thinking about water is we seem to continue to abuse it. Whether it’s the discovery of pharmaceuticals in our drinking water or toxic chemicals like Triclosan or just running the tap for too long.

This precious natural resource that covers 70% of the planet should be top of mind on Earth Day.

Check out 100 ways to save water where you live.

When you’ve got a message that you feel is important to share, one that can have a very positive net impact, then it is worth the challenge to figure out how to get that message out with as minimal a footprint as possible. There is much innovation and improvement needed in this area but there are some great solutions that offer measurable benefits over the status quo.

Shifting as much communication as possible to digital means is a good way to go but there are those times when printed materials are needed. We work with a jewel of a company based in Berkeley California - Greener Printer. Going beyond the step of simply selecting any recycled stock, they only use high post-consumer recycled content, unbleached, non-chlorine papers from New Leaf Papers. Additionally, Greener Printer is 100% wind powered via Renewable Energy Credits (REC’s). You can read more about this progressive company in articles written by Joel Makower for Grist.org, Warren McClaren for treehugger.com, and me (Holly Bornstein) “Green Printing 101” for green@work magazine.

There are other green printers noted in these articles such as Quad/Graphics – if anyone out there wants to make the switch, simply reference the points provided in “Green Printing 101” to help in your printer evaluation process. And as consumers we should all start expecting and requesting the same production standards in the papers, cards, etc. that we buy from our local stores!

We get to meet a lot of amazing people through the work we’re doing at CleanWell. One of those individuals is Patti Wood http://www.grassrootsinfo.org/ourstory.html , a tireless dynamo who founded Grass Roots Environmental Education http://www.grassrootsinfo.org/ and the ChildSafe School program . Her core message resonated with me immediately, that children are the most vulnerable to environmental toxins. She effectively drove this idea home visually by having children dress in adult business suits at one of her press events.

Appropriate hand hygiene with safe, non toxic products is a current focus for Patti’s organization. There’s a variety of information provided on their site including how to become a ChildSafe Advocate http://www.grassrootsinfo.org/advocate.html to improve the schools in your area.

Antibiotic resistance is the normal and inevitable result of antibiotic use. The question is not if it will occur but when it will appear and how fast it will spread.

Although there is still much that remains unknown about MRSA and other superbugs, there is general consensus among microbiologists that the emergence of MRSA and other antibiotic resistant bacteria is the normal and inevitable outcome of the use and overuse of antibiotics.  Everything in nature wears out with use and antibiotics are no different – it is only a matter of time. Stated simply; the likelihood of resistance to any antibiotic increases with time and widespread use.    Once resistant bacteria emerge, continued antibiotic use actually clears the field of competition and accelerates the spread into the community.  This brings us all one step closer to the very real possibility that patients with previously treatable infections will die for lack of effective antibiotics. 

It would be a mistake to think of antibiotic resistance as someone else’s problem.   Resistance is a global problem and we all have an interest in protecting the antibiotics that are still effective.  We have just witnessed how swiftly MRSA emerged from hospitals to the community and spread rapidly across borders and oceans.  The important lesson here it is that antibiotics are lifesaving, absolutely necessary, very expensive to develop, and under the best of circumstances will have a limited useful lifetime.    It is reckless and short-sighted to carelessly overuse and squander any of these potentially lifesaving medications especially when we have precious few replacements in the pipeline.   

The prudent course of action would be to regard the news about MRSA as Mother Nature giving us fair warning.    (We are getting quite a few of these recently.) It would be a good time to step back and look critically at our current use of antibiotics and rethink the ways that we use these valuable and limited medical resources in the future.  To start with, we can probably all agree that the highest priority should be the treatment of serious or life threatening infections.  After this it gets murky since most uses of antibiotics are driven by economic forces, short-sighted self interest, and the practical limitations of local healthcare.  Antibiotics are often over prescribed by physicians, inappropriately used to treat misdiagnosed viral illnesses, and are also misused by patients in countries where powerful antibiotics are sold without a prescription.  Then there is the massive use of antibiotics as “growth supplements” in animal feed as part of our industrialized food supply.  Just to name a few.

Despite the fact that we all share a common interest in forestalling the emergence of resistant superbugs and maintaining an arsenal of safe and effective antibiotics to fight life threatening infections, the economics and high cost of developing and marketing antibiotics are at odds with achieving these goals.   Nevertheless, reaching a consensus on the appropriate uses of antibiotics and then implementing a global antibiotic policy promises to be one of the most challenging and important public health issues.   Most of the population alive today has no memory of life in the pre-antibiotic era and take the availability of antibiotics for granted. As the media spreads fear and concern about MRSA and other antibiotic resistant superbugs, we are being reminded how much we have to lose and that we all have been given another chance to learn from past mistakes.   

Next post - Lessons Learned from the Resistance

Dear Dr. Larry:

Am I  “Momzilla” for having people wash their hands before holding my newborn?

Sincerely, Brand New Mom in California

Dear Brand New Mom:

You are certainly not a “momzilla” for worrying about the health of your newborn. After all, your concern is an expression of normal maternal instincts to protect your child from illness and harm. Within reason, you have every right to expect friends and family to respect your decisions. That said it is not uncommon for those we love to question our decision making, especially when it concerns controversial or topical issues about health. This is what is known as a teachable moment and as a new mother you can count on many more of these. Your inquiry indicates that you prefer to make informed decisions. This will serve you well in the coming years.

As for whether it is appropriate to politely insist that everyone wash his or her hands before interacting with your baby, you should feel comfortable holding your guests to the same standard of good hygiene that you practice yourself.  This is especially the case of anyone who has been sick or has had illness in their household or if they have been playing with the family pet. On the other hand, most of us can imagine circumstances under which it is both reasonable and expedient to make an exception. For example, if you need a hand with the baby and the only soap and water nearby is in a questionable public restroom, you might suggest the judicious use of a hand sanitizer is a sensible alternative. Of course, in your own home where you have clean and well stocked hand washing facilities you can and should  have no qualms about politely but firmly holding the line on hygiene.

Keep in mind that with cold and flu season soon to be upon us it is a good idea to pay attention to what is “going around” and act accordingly. Although colds are normal and inevitable, with only a modest investment in hygiene you and your baby can manage the risk and perhaps avoid a few.

Enjoy your beautiful baby!

Tips for Keeping Kids – and Families — Healthier This Year

The new school year begins soon for many of our kids, some who may be exposed to something other than the usual reading, writing and arithmetic…. like runny noses, raspy coughs and respiratory illnesses!

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC):

• Children contract approximately 6-10 colds per year; adults get 2-4
• It is estimated public schools lose $30-$40 per day from their budget for each day a student is absent
• Teachers lose an average of 5.5 days per year due to contagious illnesses
• Every year, more than 165 million school days are lost due to illness. It is believed that a great number of these days could be reduced if children merely washed their hands properly and regularly

Studies show infectious illnesses can be reduced by up to 50 percent if we simply – and regularly – wash our hands properly with soap and water.

CleanWell’s five tips for keeping germs away:

1. Make hand washing fun! Liquid and bar soaps with high lather can provide all kinds of creative games at the sink and make kids want to wash more frequently and for (at least) the recommended duration of 20 seconds.
2. Teach hygienic habits. Educate children about the importance of cleaning their hands immediately after a sneeze or wet cough. A “Bless you” or “Gezundheit” means a trip to the sink or use of a sanitizer whether a tissue was used or not.
3. Keep kids home from school when they’re sick. Giving your child the chance to get well gives classmates a chance to stay well and not continually pass around the same bug. And returning to school recovered –fever-free for 24 hours - and strong means less likelihood they’ll get sick again as soon.
4. Routinely clean and disinfect. Using soap and water or child-safe cleaners, wash supplies, toys, and objects that regularly travel back and forth with your child to school.
5. Give them the tools to stay healthy. Pack your child’s backpack or lunchbox everyday with disposable tissues and CleanWell hand sanitizer spray or wipes. They may not use both as often as they should but if you don’t provide them, they can’t use them at all.

Household Hazards, a recent report from Women’s Voices for the Earth should be required reading for just about everyone who cares about the health and safety of themselves and their families. The Women’s Voices for the Earth (WVE), is a “national, women-centered environmental health and justice organization that works to eliminate or substantially reduce environmental toxics impacting human health and to increase women’s participation in environmental decision-making.” This report kicks off their “Safe Cleaning Products Initiative” and has already drawn well deserved national attention. We can only hope that it sparks a long overdue dialogue about the relationship between consumers, chemicals, and health.

The report calls attention to the fact that manufacturers of household cleaning products and cosmetics have no obligation to reveal most of the chemicals that are in the products that they sell. With very rare exceptions, there is simply no way to know exactly what you are buying. This leaves the consumer to trust that the manufacturer or perhaps the government has determined that the product is safe “for consumers who use them as directed.” But, this trust would be misplaced. This well referenced report summarizes the findings of studies implicating several of the chemicals commonly found in household cleaning products with an increased risk of asthma, infertility, and other health problems. They go on to challenge manufacturers to come clean and list their ingredients publically.

Apparently, the manufacturers and government regulators either don’t believe these findings, or that this is a problem. With rare exceptions, most manufacturers don’t and won’t list the ingredients in their products. The authors of this report requested full disclosure of ingredients from over 20 manufacturers and, thus far, have only heard back from 3. Two of those hid behind the concern that their proprietary formula is a valuable trade secret that must be protected (unlike your health). However, as one of the authors of this report pointed out, any competitor wanting to copy a specific product would simply have it analyzed. Another company responded that there isn’t enough room on the label to list all of the ingredients. I’m sure we would all be satisfied if they just listed them on their website.

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Every day there seem to be a few more cleaning and personal care products containing Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC) and closely related chemicals. In response to recent concerns about children ingesting alcohol based hand sanitizers a number of companies have been aggressively promoting hand sanitizers containing Benzalkonium Chloride as an alternative. Several have gone as far as marketing this synthetic biocide as “Natural.”

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