back to the earth

I admit to watching some nighttime television. Reruns of Modern Family and Everyone Loves Raymond are my go-to for light-hearted viewing. Because of this it’s been difficult lately to not see the new Toyota commercial for Prius… the one that has Jason Mraz and Raining Jane’s ‘Back to the Earth’ intro — you know, the ‘doo doo’ song? It’s a catchy tune and I’ve been humming it all week. Little did I realize where this was leading.

After Nash, our family dog, licked my face last night when I’d just washed off my homemade face mask with yogurt, honey, and a few other ingredients from our refrigerator (recipe complements of my daughter, Cesca), I realized that if it’s not good for me to eat, it’s probably not good for me to put on my skin. Either way, both are consumption.

Which brought me full circle to yesterday’s post, and got me thinking….

There’s a huge demand driving the personal care and cosmetics industry, with a lot of livelihoods at stake. What alternatives do we have regarding our consumption of personal care products? I believe that it is us, as consumers, that can create a shift in not only the demand for more healthy, sustainable products, but in the consciousness regarding what we consume. In doing so, jobs won’t be lost, and the shift to healthier products will benefit everyone, including the planet. Surely can do a whole lot better than we are now.

I found a few links that provide info on the toxins in products we use daily. While it will take a few minutes to check out the labels of our shampoos and toothpaste, body lotions and face creams, the long term benefit over time far outweighs the initial investment. Knowledge is power and if we believe our votes don’t count, we are forgetting the vote we make every time we use our purchasing power. Eventually, more companies will create products that we as consumers want when no one is buying what is on the shelves. In the meantime, we can search out the independent producers or be adventurous and make some of our own.

For toxins, check out these links:

http://www.drfranklipman.com/what-chemicals-should-you-look-out-for-in-your-personal-care-products/

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/dirty-dozen-cosmetic-chemicals/

For alternatives, beginning with what we can make ourselves at home, here’s a few links:

http://www.thankyourbody.com/diy-all-natural-care-products/

http://wellnessmama.com/5801/diy-beauty-recipes/

In closing, I’ll leave you in the good hands of Jason Mraz and Raining Jane.