Comments on: Great “green-ifying” with the GoodGuide http://www.momgoesgreen.com/great-%e2%80%9cgreen-ifying%e2%80%9d-with-the-goodguide/ A Mom's Journey To Green Living Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:33:17 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jodie http://www.momgoesgreen.com/great-%e2%80%9cgreen-ifying%e2%80%9d-with-the-goodguide/comment-page-1/#comment-787 Jodie Fri, 31 Oct 2008 18:27:22 +0000 http://www.momgoesgreen.com/?p=568#comment-787 Doreen, thanks for getting resources like GoodGuide and Skin Deep out to your readers. Judging by Tiffany's comment, they are an informed and engaged bunch! Skin Deep is an excellent resource. So excellent, in fact, that GoodGuide has partnered with them on some data. If you dig into our ratings, you will see that EWG is cited many times for its contributions. Our ratings are a composite score of the health, social and environmental performance of products and their parent companies. We draw research from hundreds of data partners and evaluate these products on over 140 different criteria. It is our aim to be transparent in our ratings, so you can click on any score to see why it rates as it does and where that data comes from. We have no incentive to greenwash, as we are in no way connected to the companies we rate. Our goal is to get scientific information out to the public so that we can all make more informed choices when we shop. And we are committed to correcting any inaccuracies in our system if you have evidence of such. Keep an eye out for other product categories, and please write to us if you discover any mistakes as we are still in beta and constantly improving our data and our system. Jodies last blog post..<a href="http://blog.goodguide.com/2008/10/17/voting-with-your-dollars" rel="nofollow">Voting With Your Dollars</a> Doreen, thanks for getting resources like GoodGuide and Skin Deep out to your readers. Judging by Tiffany’s comment, they are an informed and engaged bunch! Skin Deep is an excellent resource. So excellent, in fact, that GoodGuide has partnered with them on some data. If you dig into our ratings, you will see that EWG is cited many times for its contributions. Our ratings are a composite score of the health, social and environmental performance of products and their parent companies. We draw research from hundreds of data partners and evaluate these products on over 140 different criteria. It is our aim to be transparent in our ratings, so you can click on any score to see why it rates as it does and where that data comes from. We have no incentive to greenwash, as we are in no way connected to the companies we rate. Our goal is to get scientific information out to the public so that we can all make more informed choices when we shop. And we are committed to correcting any inaccuracies in our system if you have evidence of such. Keep an eye out for other product categories, and please write to us if you discover any mistakes as we are still in beta and constantly improving our data and our system.

Jodies last blog post..Voting With Your Dollars

]]> By: Doreen http://www.momgoesgreen.com/great-%e2%80%9cgreen-ifying%e2%80%9d-with-the-goodguide/comment-page-1/#comment-658 Doreen Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:57:37 +0000 http://www.momgoesgreen.com/?p=568#comment-658 LIsa - thanks for visiting and for your input... and obviously your passion for safe products! I think we're all on the same page there! Please, always feel free to share any and all information. LIsa – thanks for visiting and for your input… and obviously your passion for safe products! I think we’re all on the same page there! Please, always feel free to share any and all information.

]]> By: Lisa@EWG http://www.momgoesgreen.com/great-%e2%80%9cgreen-ifying%e2%80%9d-with-the-goodguide/comment-page-1/#comment-655 Lisa@EWG Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:46:58 +0000 http://www.momgoesgreen.com/?p=568#comment-655 I agree that these searchable guides are a terrific resource for busy parents who seek safe products for our kids (like me!). As the online parent organizer for EWG, I am of course partial to our searchable database that Tiffany so kindly mentioned, Skin Deep. We also have a For Parents page with resources on the topics we research, if that seems handy (www.ewg.org/forparents). Doreen, if you're interested in learning more about and from EWG, I'd love to hear from you. Thanks, Lisa PS - We have a badge for Skin Deep if it seems handy: http://www.ewg.org/actioncenter I agree that these searchable guides are a terrific resource for busy parents who seek safe products for our kids (like me!). As the online parent organizer for EWG, I am of course partial to our searchable database that Tiffany so kindly mentioned, Skin Deep. We also have a For Parents page with resources on the topics we research, if that seems handy (www.ewg.org/forparents). Doreen, if you’re interested in learning more about and from EWG, I’d love to hear from you. Thanks, Lisa

PS – We have a badge for Skin Deep if it seems handy: http://www.ewg.org/actioncenter

]]> By: Doreen http://www.momgoesgreen.com/great-%e2%80%9cgreen-ifying%e2%80%9d-with-the-goodguide/comment-page-1/#comment-617 Doreen Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:48:32 +0000 http://www.momgoesgreen.com/?p=568#comment-617 Tiffany - well, that's a bit bothersome. The things I looked up seemed fairly accurate from what I already knew of the products. I truly hope this isn't a case of greenwashing because it sounds like it could be a really valuable resource since it includes so many categories of products. And thanks for pointing out Skin Deep for me - I admit, I've never heard of it, but it's bookmarked now! Tiffany – well, that’s a bit bothersome. The things I looked up seemed fairly accurate from what I already knew of the products. I truly hope this isn’t a case of greenwashing because it sounds like it could be a really valuable resource since it includes so many categories of products. And thanks for pointing out Skin Deep for me – I admit, I’ve never heard of it, but it’s bookmarked now!

]]> By: Tiffany Bjorlie http://www.momgoesgreen.com/great-%e2%80%9cgreen-ifying%e2%80%9d-with-the-goodguide/comment-page-1/#comment-591 Tiffany Bjorlie Thu, 25 Sep 2008 15:34:41 +0000 http://www.momgoesgreen.com/?p=568#comment-591 Dark Green Fabric Softener By the way, a fantastic natural fabric softener and deodorizer is vinegar and it is by far the most economical. Just put 1/2 to 1 cup in your rinse cycle and it gets rid of static, freshens clothes (no they do not end up smelling like vinegar), reduces wrinkles, softens fabrics, and cleans your washing machine! Dark Green Fabric Softener

By the way, a fantastic natural fabric softener and deodorizer is vinegar and it is by far the most economical. Just put 1/2 to 1 cup in your rinse cycle and it gets rid of static, freshens clothes (no they do not end up smelling like vinegar), reduces wrinkles, softens fabrics, and cleans your washing machine!

]]> By: Tiffany Bjorlie http://www.momgoesgreen.com/great-%e2%80%9cgreen-ifying%e2%80%9d-with-the-goodguide/comment-page-1/#comment-588 Tiffany Bjorlie Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:17:14 +0000 http://www.momgoesgreen.com/?p=568#comment-588 Environmental Working Group's Skin Deep Database has been doing this for personal care products for years, and, from what I have seen in the Good Guide, much more thoroughly. I think there is some greenwashing going on with the Good Guide. My first shock came when I saw Snuggle Fabric Softener Sheets given an excellent health rating. Dryer sheets contain a host of chemicals, including phthalates (many of which were recently banned in the Product Safety Reform act for use in products intended for children under 12). Check out National Geographic's Green Guide on Dryer Sheets http://thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=78&sec=2 Here’s some of what can be typically found in dryer sheets and what these chemicals have been linked to: * Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer * Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant * Ethanol: On the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders * Limonene: Suspected Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant, Immunotoxicant, Kidney Toxicant, Neurotoxicant, Respiratory Toxicant, and Skin or Sense Organ Toxicant * A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage * Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list * Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders * Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic * Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders * Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled Health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include: * Central nervous system disorders * Headaches * Nausea * Vomiting * Dizziness * Blood pressure reduction * Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract * Pancreatic cancer Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Database has been doing this for personal care products for years, and, from what I have seen in the Good Guide, much more thoroughly. I think there is some greenwashing going on with the Good Guide. My first shock came when I saw Snuggle Fabric Softener Sheets given an excellent health rating. Dryer sheets contain a host of chemicals, including phthalates (many of which were recently banned in the Product Safety Reform act for use in products intended for children under 12). Check out National Geographic’s Green Guide on Dryer Sheets http://thegreenguide.com/reports/product.mhtml?id=78&sec=2

Here’s some of what can be typically found in dryer sheets and what these chemicals have been linked to:

* Benzyl acetate: Linked to pancreatic cancer
* Benzyl Alcohol: Upper respiratory tract irritant
* Ethanol: On the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list and can cause central nervous system disorders
* Limonene: Suspected Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant, Immunotoxicant,
Kidney Toxicant, Neurotoxicant, Respiratory Toxicant, and Skin or Sense Organ Toxicant
* A-Terpineol: Can cause respiratory problems, including fatal edema, and central nervous system damage
* Ethyl Acetate: A narcotic on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list
* Camphor: Causes central nervous system disorders
* Chloroform: Neurotoxic, anesthetic and carcinogenic
* Linalool: A narcotic that causes central nervous system disorders
* Pentane: A chemical known to be harmful if inhaled

Health effects from being exposed to the chemicals in fabric softeners include:

* Central nervous system disorders
* Headaches
* Nausea
* Vomiting
* Dizziness
* Blood pressure reduction
* Irritation to skin, mucus membranes and respiratory tract
* Pancreatic cancer

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