Think Pink Thursday - Giveaway - HARMONY ART ORGANIC DESIGN

Think Pink Thursday - Giveaway

11/4/2010

October was breast cancer awareness month. I know I am a few days late but wanted to pass on this information (recently posted on Grist) about preventing breast cancer. To me, prevention makes the most sense. If there are known causes, by all means let's stop our exposure to those things! Ask Umbra's post identifies these things to avoid:

No vinyl, that’s final!: Avoid it in shower curtains, notebooks, hot pants, etc. That "new" smell is phthalates, a hormone disruptor. Phthalates can be found in perfume, lotion, toys, and beyond. Check personal care products on the Environmental Working Group Skin Deep Database to ensure they’re phthalate-free.

Triclosan in antibacterial soap, I say nope!: Concerns have been raised over the discovery of triclosan in breast milk and waterways. Avoid antibacterial soap and hand sanitizers with triclosan, a suspected hormone disruptor. Use plain soap and water instead.

Stay away from Bisphenol-A (BPA)!: This endocrine disruptor can be found in canned food linings, on receipt paper, and in a variety of plastics.

Beware of parabens: They are used as a preservative in many products and are also a hormone disruptor. To avoid using parabens and other questionable chemicals, look up products on the Skin Deep Database. Make sure to check the labels on cosmetic products such as cosmetics, hair dye, fragrance, shampoo, and sunscreen.

Be a breath of fresh air: Improve your indoor air quality. Avoid conventional paints, off-gassing items, dioxins from dry cleaning, cleaning products with unlabeled ingredients. Use no VOC paint, try eco-friendlier wet cleaning and try making your own cleaning products with vinegar and baking soda instead.

For more information visit the full Ask Umbra post on Grist.

GIVEAWAY!!!!
In honor of this important topic, I am giving away of 2 yards of solid pastel pink organic sateen OR 2 yards of Pink Moon 2nds (also organic cotton sateen) to 2 people who post on this entry about some way they are helping prevent breast cancer in their own lives or the lives of others. They will be selected at random one week from today.

I would love a cure, but in the meantime let's stop the nonsense and avoid these known causes.

16 Comments

Laura link

11/5/2010 07:19:24 am

Hi Harmony,

here in Canada the David Suzuki Foundation just launched a campaign about "The Dirty Dozen", a compilation of 12 toxins linked to environmental concerns, including cancer, which are commonly found in our cosmetics, shampoos, deodorants, handsoaps, etc. Last week I took this list and went through all of these items our family uses and went into town to pick up replacement items, with my list in hand of toxins to avoid.

Do you know what I find most disturbing is that the items that are marketed to our kids (Disney Princess, Dora, etc.) are actually the worst products out there for containing these ingredients. That makes me mad.

You can read more about the Dirty Dozen here:

http://www.davidsuzuki.org/issues/health/science/toxics/what-you-need-to-know-about-toxics-in-your-cosmetic-products/

teresa Van Hatten-Granath link

11/5/2010 10:05:03 am

I try to keep that stuff away from me and my kids as much as possible. I have tried to get rid of most of the plastic food storage in my kitchen. ugh

Also, my maternal grandmother died of breast cancer at age 45 and my mother of ovarian cancer at 65. sigh

Keep up the great work Harm. T

maureen soch

11/5/2010 10:17:18 am

first time visiting your site, love the photo and like the info you are sharing...i have been telling people for three years to stop buying antibacterial soap, i wont let them use it at work in the kitchen or bathroom and none allowed in my home...i get so angry that just because it was getting into our lakes and waterways it was ok but now that they can link it to health concerns people are getting on to it...why cant they just ban these chemicals...why leave it up to the consumer who is subject to immense marketing misinformation...

Kristen

11/5/2010 10:30:17 am

I am glad that I read this. I honestly have never heard anything about antibacterial soap being linked to breast cancer. I will be going through my house to remove these known links. My Aunt died of breast cancer twelve years ago. I will be glad when we can one day find a cure.

cindy barriga

11/5/2010 12:00:16 pm

I am a giver, I buy all products that give a bit of their revenue to the Susan G. Koman fund each year. I donate whenever any one runs, walks and collects for breast cancer cures. I may not be a lot but each penny will help in the long run. :D

Carol link

11/5/2010 10:42:33 pm

WOW.. I had no clue about antibacterial soap. Thanks for the information. I will be removing antibacterial soap from our shopping list. This last time I didn't get the antibacterial soap because my twin daughters (4 1/2 yrs) are starting to use "adult" soap. I'm going to go look at the ingredients of the new soap but I know it's not antibacterial.

Thanks agian for this information. My maternal grandmother died from cancer and we believe it started in her breast and my mother had breast cancer too. I started mamograms early because of family history.

Hopefully one day soon a cure will be found.

carol

maplecreekracing(at)comcast(dot)net

Anna

11/6/2010 11:32:03 am

My immediate family and I do avoid (or try to) all the things you listed. I guess my next step is education of extended family and friends who don't even have these things on their radar. Thanks!

Kristy

11/6/2010 11:54:13 pm

As a whole, our family tries to avoid plastic, especially when associated with our food/water. We use alternatives such as glass and stainless steel containers. Our children will even smell toys and such at the store and say "Is this the poison plastic mom?" since as you noted, that smell is clearly notable when present. If it is, they put it back on the shelf, without me even suggesting. I love that even they get it!

Thanks for the other info you shared, the antibacterial soap is a new one for me, and I'm grateful to learn more!

Alicia link

11/8/2010 12:06:58 am

I make my husbands lunch everyday with reusable bags (Snack-Taxi's). I am excited, because I have gotten other people in his office thinking about ways to reduce their one time use products! This year, for all those random emergency gifts that I keep around to have a gift when I need it, I am putting together "green kits" with reusable bags, water bottles etc. I think its a great way to help people kick start their own "green activity"

Beatrix link

11/8/2010 01:22:08 am

Hello,
I came over from "The Green Bag Lady". Thank you for hosting this wonderful giveaway and the fabulous link and information about how we can avoid certain products and help ourselfs and others in that way.
I am donating every year to our local 3-day walk in support of finding a cure for breast cancer.

Zee

11/8/2010 04:10:37 am

I eat mostly organic foods and never ever use anything with parabens, BPA, pthalates or anything I deem gross or unnessecary! Picky, yes, expensive, a little, but aren't I worth it?

stardove link

11/8/2010 04:44:56 am

Aloha~
we live off the grid and are in the process of creating an organic farm.we do our very best to only eat organic food,we are raising cows so we can give our kids hormone free,organic milk.I sew sustainable fiber products.we don't use commercial soaps,detergents,body products etc.I breastfed all 4 of my kids til they were over two(last one til he was 3).I don't wear underwire bras.Avoid plastics etc etc. I also want to focus on prevention as well!Thanks for raising awareness harmony!
@Laura-I totally agree!!it is just sickening that the most toxic harmful crap is targeting our precious children!

Stacy link

11/8/2010 04:53:05 am

I too came over from the green bag lady. I am starting to make the reusable bags to sell at my farmer's markets and craft fairs as I know it's better for the environment and the better it is available the better it will be for our children and their children! I have been going through all our stuff and as we can afford to replace the plastic, it goes out and reusable things come back in their place!

Jasmine Belflower

11/8/2010 05:03:37 am

For my daughter--because everything changed for me once I had a tiny little human to care for! No shampoo, only organic castille soaps, glass bottles (no BPA and better for our world in general), as many organics as we can afford but ESPECIALLY milk and milk products...

Lori link

11/8/2010 10:00:10 am

I didnt know about a lot of that stuff from the list. Goodness! I have a lot to learn. I guess there is about to be a big learning curve for me to help myself and my daughters.

mb link

11/9/2010 07:13:02 am

totally tmi here... but i have been making a conscious effort to not wear a bra! sounds loony probably, but i read in katie singer's wonderful book the garden of fertility, that bras increase cancer risk... one small thing i can do for myself! :) i like your list- most definitely all things i avoid! but it's so great to read a nice succinct summary...

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Think Pink Thursday - Giveaway

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