By Leah Karpus on August 4th, 2009
Don’t lose your good habits on vacation!
How can you be an eco-friendly traveller? Well, considering the immense amount of carbon emissions generated by air travel (hundreds of pounds of fuel per passenger), the term “eco-friendly traveller” may be a bit of an oxymoron. Still, when on vacation or on business abroad, the search for greener alternatives is not totally hopeless.
Before You Leave
- Packaging, Packaging, Packaging:
Unfortunately, all those cute, miniature-sized toothpastes, shampoos and conditioners create much more waste than regular or refill-sized packages. Instead, opt for products with less packaging, or bottles and boxes that can be re-used.
The Soap Works (http://puresoapworks.com/index.htm) has been making biodegradable, natural bar soaps with absolutely no packaging for 25 years. Their Shampoo & Conditioner bar is perfect for hair washing while travelling, the Carbolic bar repels mosquitoes and other pests, and the Tea Tree bar’s antiseptic properties make it perfect to clean minor cuts and scrapes.
Wysi Wipes (http://www.canawipe.com/home.html) are a great green alternative to pre-moistened cloths, for washing dishes while camping, removing make-up, or cleaning up spills. Rather than using one-time-use facial cleansing wipes that remain in a landfill forever, Wysi Wipes can be washed, re-used, and are eventually biodegradable. They start as tiny tablets that take up no room in a suitcase, but expand many times their original size after adding water.
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By Liz Thompson on May 22nd, 2009
It is definitely time to get the sunscreen out, but with so many chemical and not-so-natural versions on the market it can be very difficult to choose one that is safe. In the past natural sunscreen product manufacturers used zinc oxide to provide UV protection. And though it is safe and effective, it leaves behind that ghostly white skin we all wish to avoid. So the next scientific breakthrough was the use of nanotechnology, the creation of incredibly small particles — measured in nanometers (nm), or one-billionth of a meter. This took care of the white film, but recent evidence shows that these nanoparticles may pose risks to the environment. Not a great trade-off.
Not to despair, there are some terrific sunscreen products on the market that are safe, effective, free from nanos and leave your skin, well – skin colored. Vivesana is a new product line that presents major breakthroughs in organic sun care. The products are free from harmful synthetic ingredients, nanoparticles and even water, providing a stronger sun product.
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By Liz Thompson on March 26th, 2009
Sunscreen has been touted over the past few decades as an essential component in keeping our skin healthy and cancer-free. It is, of course, widely known now that prolonged exposure to the sun’s UV rays could be a common cause of skin cancer. Not to mention the other benefits of sunscreen, like its role in preventing the signs of premature aging. But scientists are now looking at sunscreen, rather some of its ingredients, as a potential threat to the environment.
Zinc oxide is a common and popular ingredient used in sunscreens to absorb or deflect damaging ultra violet (UV) rays. The complaint by users in the past has been the ghostly white appearance it leaves behind. The solution; make zinc oxide clear by shrinking it into tiny particles between one and 100 nanometers (a nanometer is roughly half the size of a strand of DNA). No more chalky white skin, but at what price?
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