Keep reading to get to a great giveaway!

Last week, Charlie and I had the pleasure of attending an informal lunch and learn hosted by Seventh Generation and Gill Deacon. This isn’t the first time I’ve written about Seventh Generation – we really are fans of their products and I’ve enjoyed having a relationship with the company through this blog (for example, we’ve been able to donate some of their diapers, and we also got to attend their screening of The Lorax – both excellent!).

Many Canadians know Gill Deacon through her CBC talk show or other media work – but more recently she has become known for her books about green living, like There’s Lead In Your Lipstick (affiliate link). Gill has extensively researched the chemicals and toxins that go in to everyday products that we use. It says a lot about Seventh Generation products if she has decided that they are good enough to endorse. No ‘green washing’ from them.

When you consider the amount toxins in our household and personal care products, that we expose ourselves and our children and our pets to — well, it can be completely overwhelming. The only way I can manage both the budgetary impact of going REALLY green and the inconvenience of seeking out not-the-usual brands is to look at it in terms of degrees of goodness. Not everything we buy is as good as Seventh Generation. But 98% plant-based is better than 0% plant-based, right? And yes there are some disposable diapers in this house, produced by a major leading diaper brand with bleach and who knows what other horrible things, but there are also cloth diapers. These are some ways to make some small steps. But Gill challenged us to take some bigger ones.

Gill was diagnosed with breast cancer while researching her latest book, and as she talked to us about some of the consumer choices that we make for our household goods, her words really resonated with me – particularly at a time when I am thinking about my uncle and his own cancer caused by intensive chemical exposure.

I can hear Gill every time I wash my hair or brush my teeth now – which is a good thing. There is definitely room for improvement in some of our choices, and perhaps yours, too. I’m going to make some changes, where I can find the room in the budget. Seventh Generation baby care and cleaning products can help with some of that as they are sold at major Canadian retailers – and their website often features high value coupons. You may also find some in magazines.

Here’s what else I learned from Gill:

Cosmetics:

• The products you apply on your face and body are actually going IN your body. This is called transdermal absorption and credible research is showing that the long-term accumulation of chemicals through our household and personal care products can lead to human health concerns.

•  Read your labels (turn that bottle/jar/box around and read it) and note that the fewer ingredients and non-synthetic ingredients are best.

Kitchen:

• After the Second World War as a result of government subsidies for the petroleum and chemical industries, petrochemicals began making their way into cleaning and household products.

• We can choose to support forward thinking companies like Seventh Generation who have proactively raised the standards of ingredient disclosure by voluntarily listing all product ingredients on labels and making Material Safety Data Sheets  available for anyone to read.

Laundry:

• Most conventional liquid laundry detergents contain an additive called optical brighteners. These optical brighteners trick our eyes into thinking clothes are whiter and brighter than they really are. But this artificial ‘glow’ has nothing to do with being clean, and the chemicals that create it can rub off on skin where they can cause a reaction in sunlight that looks like sunburn. It has been reported in medical literature and consumers with sensitive skin may be more susceptible (honestly, I find this horrifying!).

• Learn how to interpret the hazards of fragrance. Fragrance has caught a bad rap recently since companies are not required to list the ingredients that make up the scent of their product. However it is possible to have lovely smelling products that are safe to use and contain no petrochemical scent fixatives (phthalates). Seventh Generation products, including their new 4X laundry detergent which comes in a fully compostable container, are scented with essential oils and botanical extracts. So you get fresh and pleasant smelling clothing without any chemical residue or contamination of the water stream. (I am also horrified by a major leading laundry brand selling scent-boosting pellets. I want little or no scent on my laundry, thanks.)

Baby

• Baby’s sensitive skin actually comes equipped with plenty of natural oils built in, so babies need a lot less product than our mothers might have us believe (we don’t use oil or lotions or powder, just a little soap when he needs it).

• When it comes to diapers, an item that babies and toddlers wear almost 24 hours a day, look for diapers are chlorine-free, latex free as well as fragrance-free. Products like Seventh Generation offer a great line of hypoallergenic diapers and wipes for baby’s that are free of chlorine, fragrance and many other unnecessary ingredients that can irritate a baby’s sensitive skin (we’ve used them, and I recommend them if you can afford them).

Good news – Seventh Generation is going to provide one of my readers with a Spring Starter Cleaning Kit, chock full of their great products! Here’s how to enter the giveaway:

1. Head over to the Seventh Generation page on Facebook. Like it. Come back here and leave me a comment telling me you did it or that you already do like them, and what your Facebook user name is (you know we’re going to check that you really liked it!).
2. I’m not going to give you an extra entry for this, but if it won’t kill you, you could like my page on Facebook too!
3. Leave your comment before 10pm EST on Thursday May 31 2012.
4. Please be Canadian, and please make sure the comment contains a way for me to contact you if you win.
5. One entry per person.
6. Winner will be selected by random.org and notified soon after closing date.

Good luck!

Disclosure: I was provided with a lunch and learn opportunity by Seventh Generation and my own Spring Starter Cleaning Kit. I was not compensated in any other way. My views are my own. 

Update:

Out of 7 eligible entries, random.org selected…

Lucky number 7 – Lizz. I’ll be in touch. Thanks for playing.

Related posts:

1. Seventh Generation blog tour and giveaway (Canada only) (CLOSED)
2. Seventh Generation Diaper Donation Program
3. Green Works Home Cleaning Contest (Canada only) (CLOSED)
4. Mother’s Day gifting: Blurb books giveaway (Canada only) (CLOSED)
5. Mott’s Fruitsations: Face of Fruitsations Camera Giveaway (Canada only) (CLOSED)