Accidentally Green

Making Healthy Decisions That Honor God and Happen to Help the Environment

Creating a Healthy and Safe Nursery

Good news for new parents! Healthy Child Healthy World recently released a free 40-page PDF magazine, “Easy Steps for a Healthy and Safe Nursery.” Boy, do I wish I would have had this booklet when I was pregnant. Simple explanations about children’s health – and why pollutants are especially harmful to them – and the rise of childhood diseases are included. The publication also addresses problems and solutions to baby care, baby gear, and nursery furnishings and décor. My favorite ... Read more

The Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Triclosan Challenge

If you read yesterday’s post, I Avoid Triclosan. Do You? you may already be guessing what this week’s Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Challenge is. This week’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to check all your personal care products for Triclosan. Be sure to check your: Toothpaste, Face wash, Body soap, Liquid hand soap, Deodorant, Shaving gel, Mouthwash, “Antibacterial” cosmetics. If you have more time and ... Read more

I Avoid Triclosan. Do You?

As a way to get back to the basics of Accidentally Green, I’ve been addressing ingredients in personal care products this month. We’ve talked about dental products and hair products. Triclosan is an antibacterial ingredient found in all kinds of personal care products – yet its hazardous to your health. If you haven’t been mindful of your shopping habits, chances are there are some products with Triclosan in your home. I know it was true of my home before I turned accidentally green. I ... Read more

The Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Hairbrush Challenge

We’ve been talking about hair products a lot (shampoo, styling products and dyes) – but what about the tools you use to style your hair? If you use brushes, combs, or picks, they can get dirty with styling products, skin cells, dust, and other debris very quickly. Instead of styling your hair with filthy instruments, clean them quickly and easily. This week’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to cull and clean your hair styling tools. First things ... Read more

The Ugly Truth About Artificial Hair Color

Two years ago, I wrote about how toxic many artificial hair dyes were. At the time, many shampoos and hair styling products also were made with less than desirable ingredients. When I recently discovered that shampoos and hair products have changed (many are now safe!) I had high hopes for hair dyes. Big mistake. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but hair dyes are still one of the most toxic personal care products on the market. You can check out the Environmental Working ... Read more

The Reduce, Reuse & Recycle Shampoo Challenge

Earlier this week I shared a lot of information about shampoos – the good and the bad. And yesterday I confessed how I had been using a moderately hazardous “natural” shampoo without even knowing its dangers. I’ve done my due diligence this week. I’ve checked my hair products with the Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Safety Database and gotten rid of hazardous products. Now it’s your turn. This week’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to dig ... Read more

My Own Shampoo Shocker

This may be a Works for Me Wednesday post, but today I’m sharing something that doesn’t work for me. As I researched products for Monday’s shampoo blog post, I was shocked. One of the shampoos, rated a 6 (moderate hazard), was in my shower at that very moment. Now, if I would have checked the list five years ago, I wouldn’t have been surprised to find a moderate hazard in my home. But this was an “organic” product. I thought I had done my research. I thought I was buying safe ... Read more

Finding Safe Styling Products May Be Easier Than You Think

A few months ago I decided to start changing my hairstyle in attempt to straighten my always curly hair. When I went to the store to look for some new styling products, I was shocked to find lots of “natural” options. Immediately I wondered exactly how “natural” – and safe – they were. After researching Environmental Working Group’s Cosmetics Database, I discovered that many hair products are now safe. (The Garnier Fructis Style Pure Clean Smoothing Cream that I chose is actually rated ... Read more

Bubbling With Good and Bad Shampoo News

As I begin a two-week series on hair products, I have some good news and some bad news. I’ll share the bad news first, just to get it over with – and maybe the good news can be savored. Bad news The Environmental Working Group analyzed 1,512 different shampoos in their Cosmetics Database. Many were deemed as High Hazards. Four, in fact, were given a 10 ranking – the most dangerous rating of all. Shampoos classified as High Hazards are made with these hazardous ingredients: Parabens, ... Read more

The Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Dental Care Challenge

Starting today, the Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Challenge will be posted on Thursday each week. This week I’ve covered many kinds of dental care products – toothpaste, mouthwash, toothbrushes and dental floss. This week’s Reduce, Reuse and Recycle Challenge, if you choose to accept it, is to get into your medicine cabinet and check out your dental products. Have you bought toothpastes that include triclosan? Please pitch them and purchase a safer toothpaste. Does your mouthwash ... Read more

My Family’s Toothbrush and Floss Choices

My family’s been using safe toothpaste for about five years, but I never thought about our toothbrushes or dental floss until writing a post last September. Because I haven’t been picky, we’ve used many brands of plastic toothbrushes throughout the years. However, many plastic toothbrushes are made with BPA – a toxin I’d like to avoid. I am NOT interested in toothbrushes made with wooden handles and pig’s hair bristles. I do not want to chew on a wooden Neem stick. And I don’t even ... Read more

Avoiding Two Ingredients in Mouthwash

For more than three decades I thought that every personal care product sold was safe. Then I discovered many toxic products are sold every day. At that point, my Accidentally Green journey began and I started questioning everything. I began assuming that all personal care products must be dangerous just because some were. I really need to avoid going to such extremes. As I pointed out yesterday, many safe toothpastes are sold. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised to learn that according ... Read more

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