Guyana Offers a Model to Save Rain Forest

In Guyana, where pristine rain forest still covers 75 percent of the land, and barely 750,000 people live in a country roughly the size of Britain, a young economist-turned-president is pushing a development model based on conservation that has earned his government international recognition in the United Nations talks on a climate treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol.

Faced with the possibility of climate change, the international community is starting to talk about paying for the carbon storage that living forests provide. Growing trees store carbon dioxide, but 13 million hectares, or 32 million acres, of forest are razed each year, accounting for a significant portion of annual greenhouse gas emissions, according to scientists and other experts who met for climate talks last month in Barcelona.

Guyana’s minister of foreign affairs, Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett, said that the world’s growing motivation to tackle climate change could mean sustainable economic opportunity for her country as well as a cost-effective investment for the world.

“The fastest way of reducing carbon emissions is keeping the forest standing,” she said in an interview here in September, ahead of this month’s Copenhagen conference on climate change. “All of the other measures we could take would take technology, time. But this we can do immediately. We just stop. We just stop cutting.”

That recognition, and advances in satellite imaging and carbon measurements over the past decade, have made a proposal for forest preservation, known as Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation, or REDD, an important part of the climate treaty talks.

Guyana argues that forest conservation is critically important. If incentives are aimed only at encouraging countries with high deforestation, like its neighbor Brazil, to curtail logging, timber clearance will simply migrate from protected to unprotected countries, it says.

Pursuing that concept, President Bharrat Jagdeo last year commissioned the international management consulting firm McKinsey to help calculate deforestation’s economic value to his nation — that is, the amount Guyana could earn by selling its forests for timber and using the land for agriculture. After all, said Mr. Jagdeo, a former finance minister who studied economics in Moscow, deforestation is not a result of irrationality or ignorance; people get economic benefits when they log and farm. For preservation to work, “the incentives must be at a level that will outcompete alternative activities,” he said in an interview.

Critics protest that the value calculated by McKinsey — $580 million annually over 25 years — amounts to blackmail. But Ian Craddock, a British expatriate who runs an adventure tourism company in Guyana, disagrees.

“Guyana is a small, impoverished country that’s trying to develop itself,” he said. “And if the Western world isn’t going to protect the rain forest and start coughing up money to countries like Guyana, then they’re going to have to start using their resources. Just like England did for thousands of years, just like the States is doing and Canada is doing. You can’t be hypocrites about it.”

If you want to help save rain forest acres, please consider supporting our efforts at Save Your World. All profit from the Save Your Rainforest Wristband goes to save acres of rainforest in Guyana through the support of leasing a 200,000 acre rainforest located along the Essequibo River. Just $10 buys you 2 wristbands and 2 acres of rainforest for 1 year.

To read the complete article Click Here

Excerpts of an Article from the New York Times Global Business Section
By ERICA GIES
Published: December 8, 2009

Where in the World is Richard Rice?

Dick is in Flores, Guatemala attending a Conservation International meeting. This city is the nearest town to Tikal. Tikal is one of the world´s coolest Mayan ruins and certainly the best known in Guatemala. Here you can see Dick in the forefront of Temple I, the Temple of the Jaguar is in the background; located in Tikal’s Great Plaza.

Saturday he spent the morning at Tikal and the afternoon at a community called Uaxactun deep in the rainforest of the Maya Biosphere Reserve (MBR). Together with the forest in adjacent Mexico and Belize, this is the largest contiguous tract of rainforest outside of the Amazon and the heart of the last stronghold of the jaguar among other creatures.

These corn doll’s were made by women from Uaxactun (wa-shock-toon) using dried corn husks, fungi, and flowers from the rainforest. CSP has entered into a conservation agreement with the village of Uaxactun which is directly north of Tikal National Park and south of Mirador National Park. The community has lived in the region since the turn of the century and currently have a 25-year lease to harvest timber and non-timber forest products. They have agreed to forego almost all logging and other destructive activities in exchange for funding provided under the agreement. That funding will support education and other benefits including a price premium for Xate (palm fronds harvested on a sustainable basis which are exported to the U.S. and Europe for use in floral arrangements.

In the area, you can actually see jaguars from time to time but they pretty much keep to themselves and aren´t really a danger. There are a few animals though that are less retiring that you really need to watch out for including a 12 foot crocodile that hangs out near the shore in the lake next to the hotel.

Signing off for now, Dick will be returning home, but as his quest for conservation continues, we will let you know -- Where in the World is Richard Rice, Chief Conservation Officer for Save Your World.

Seasons Greetings!

Best wishes for a GREEN holiday season!

Thank you for all of your support in 2009!

Have a Prosperous, Peaceful and Joyous New Year!

1 PRODUCT = 1 ACRE OF RAINFOREST SAVED FOR 1 YEAR

Where in the World is Richard Rice?

Richard Rice, PhD, Chief Conservation Officer for Save Your World is attending Conservation International's (CI’s) Conservation Stewards Program (CSP) Learning Network meeting; an annual event in which CSP partners from around the world get together to compare experiences and discuss issues related to implementing conservation agreements.

The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) is a five year initiative testing the use of conservation agreements as a tool to conserve biodiversity and improve the quality of life for local communities. CI is currently implementing conservation agreements in seventeen countries around the world.

CSP proposes a systematic way of implementing conservation agreements. Thus a “model” has been designed to structure this systematic approach. CSP’s model uses a step-by-step approach that provides guidance to practitioners who use conservation agreements. It is the soul of the program and the organizing principle of our Learning Network.

There are approximately 60 people from maybe a dozen countries including China, Cambodia, India, Guatemala, Peru, Columbia, Ecuador, South Africa, Madagascar, and the U.S. We hope to partner with CSP in Guyana and perhaps other sites. There is lots of support and enthusiasm for the idea of a future Save Your World Foundation.

Look for more information in the future postings regarding the Save Your World Foundation.

Australia shipping alert over massive iceberg

SYDNEY (AFP) – Australian authorities Friday issued a shipping alert over a gigantic iceberg that is gradually approaching the country's southwest coast.

The Bureau of Meteorology said the once-in-a-century cliff of ice, which dislodged from Antarctica about a decade ago before drifting north, was being monitored using satellites.

"Mariners are advised that at 1200 GMT on December 9, an iceberg approximately 1,700 kilometres (1,054 miles) south-southwest of the West Australian coast was observed," it said, giving the iceberg's coordinates.

"The iceberg is 140 square kilometres in area -- 19 kilometres long by eight kilometres wide."

Experts believe the iceberg -- known as B17B -- is likely to break up as it enters warmer waters nearer Australia, creating hundreds of smaller icebergs in a hazard to passing ships.

"It's still 1,700 kilometres away, so it's quite a long way away, it's not really on our doorstep yet but it's been heading steadily towards us," glaciologist Neal Young said Thursday.

Young earlier told AFP that an iceberg of that size had probably not been seen in the area since the days when 19th century clipper sailing ships plied the trade route between Britain and Australia.

The iceberg has been floating around Antarctica since shearing off the icey continent but had lately begun heading north because of ocean currents and weather conditions.

Its discovery comes after two other large icebergs were spotted further east, off Australia's Macquarie Island, followed by more than 100 smaller chunks heading towards New Zealand.

Young described the icebergs as uncommon, but said they could become more frequent if sea temperatures rise through global warming.

Study: Chemicals, Pollutants Found in Newborns

San Francisco Chronicle, Peter Fimrite Published December 3, 2009

Chemicals from cosmetics, perfumes and other fragrances were detected along with dozens of other industrial compounds in the umbilical cords of African American, Asian and Latino infants in the United States, according to a national study released Wednesday. Laboratory tests paid for by the nonprofit Environmental Working Group and Rachel's Network found 232 chemicals and pollutants in the umbilical cords of the 10 babies tested in five states between December 2007 and June 2008.

'Not a surprise'

"It is not a surprise because studies for many years have shown synthetic and industrial chemicals in humans, but it is particularly concerning that the developing fetus is being exposed," said Megan Schwarzman, a family physician at San Francisco General Hospital and a research scientist in environmental public health at UC Berkeley.

"This is a particularly vulnerable time, and there is no reason for the chemicals to be there." It was the 11th time the working group has conducted laboratory tests of human blood for chemicals in household and industrial products. Overall, the working group, which focuses on environmental health issues, found 414 chemicals and pollutants in 186 people of all ages and races, including Caucasians. The latest study was the first time newborns of minority mothers were exclusively tested.

Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/12/03/MN5I1ATVS2.DTL&type=health#ixzz0ZFEUDVN8

Green Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Still looking for great gift ideas? For a sustainable holiday filled with cheer, fill your stockings with green gifts this year! Going green this holiday season means giving environmentally thoughtful stocking stuffers that will help your friends and loved ones live more eco-friendly lifestyles.

Here are some of our favorite Save Your World small gifts that are big on giving and small in size - all of which help save the rainforest AND fit perfectly in a stocking!

2009 Beauty Award winning Save Your Lips Lip Balm - just $3.98!

Made with natural ingredients that are rich in moisturizing properties like coconut, safflower oil and mango butter, this formula includes antioxidants such as Vitamin A, C and E for added protection for your lips. Cruelty-free and no parabens.
Available in Green Tea, Grapefruit Mango and Pure (unflavored).

Save Your Rainforest Wristband - set of 2 just $10.00!
Made from 100% high quality, earth-friendly silicone. The wristbands are designed at 8" to fit all shapes and sizes. Stylish and charitable - 100% of the profits goes toward saving your rainforest. Each wristband sold saves 1 acre of rainforest for 1 year!
_______________________________________________________

Browse our website to check out our Falling Prices section for
Special Sale Prices on great stocking sized items!

Save 66% off, while supplies last!
Use discount code: BOOGREEN at checkout and SAVE!
Minimum order of $10.00 required. Shipping charges apply.

• 4 oz. Save Your Hair Shampoo, Conditioner or Save Your Skin Shower Gel
• 4.25 oz. Save Your Skin Bar Soap

Still looking for more? Check out all of our Holiday gift giving ideas!

From our families to yours - have a happy, healthy and GREEN holiday!

Save Your World Eco-Holiday Ideas

It is hard to believe that the holidays are fast approaching again! When planning the "holiday budget" it is never too early to start thinking about eco-friendly gifts for the conservationist in your life. But it can be exhausting to careen madly around a shopping mall desperately purchasing scads of possibly useless stuff. Save Your World can help you with your quest for a greener holiday! Gift giving should never be stressful to think about, in fact getting and giving gifts can be a lot of fun, especially when any product you purchase from Save Your World saves 1 acre of rainforest for 1 year!

Save Your World Gift Baskets make the perfect gift!

The Happy Holidays Ultimate Gift Bag
(Available in Rainforest, Regal Blossom and Oasis Fruit)

Includes:
12 oz. bottles of body lotion, shower gel, shampoo and conditioner with pumps!
Four, 4.25 oz. soap bars and samplers to give you a taste of our heavenly aromas.
Four, Save Your Rainforest wristbands

Happy Holidays Variety Pak Gift Bag
Includes:
8 oz. bottles of shower gel and body lotion
Three, 2 oz. soap bars and samplers
Three, Save Your Rainforest wristbands

Visit our website for more gift bag options and take a look at all our Holiday eco-friendly gift giving ideas!

Of course the holidays are much more than giving gifts. Spending time with friends and family is the best gift of all. When entertaining your loved ones try to make your celebrations as environmentally friendly as possible. There are so many simple things that you can do to help the environment but here are just a few quick tips that can make your holidays a little greener!

Bright idea: Holiday Lights
Deck the halls and boughs with the latest in energy-saving light: LED string lights. They use much less electricity and last longer than conventional ones.

Imaginative wrapping: Think outside the box
When you think recycled, let your imagination roam beyond plain newsprint! Reuse old wrapping paper or put your gifts in reusable bags or boxes. Be creative about giving old materials new life. Use scraps of fabric, magazines, or calendars make great patchwork bags or collage wrapping paper.

Holiday table: Setting it earth-friendly
When selecting your flatware and cutlery, stick with the old fashioned kind. Use real plates, utensils and glasses. Paper disposable products may be more convenient, but they are not environmentally friendly at all. Additionally, try using cloth napkins instead of paper napkins. They not only look nicer and make a better presentation, but they can be easily washed and reused on your next occasion. Again, if you must use disposable products, look for goods made from recycled items that can be recycled or composted when used.

Save Your World Media Mentions week of November 15th, 2009

One of the great things about Save Your World is that our products and conservation mission speak to a wide variety of individuals. We touch a lot of people no matter the person's age, race or gender. Our company goal is one that many people are passionate about and as a bonus our products are organic and as natural as the rainforest we are trying to protect.

This week Save Your World was highlighted in Energy Times, Planet Green, Today's Black Woman and True Romance. If you routinely read or subscribe to one of the publications make sure to catch what they are saying about Save Your World. True Romance wrote a great article on eco-friendly gift giving ideas that highlight Save Your World. Check it out!

"Save Your World...a luxurious vegan line of certified organic hair and skincare is great. But Save Your World Skincare goes above and beyond the environmental-friendly norm. Their guarantee: For each product purchased, one entire acre of rainforest will be saved for one year. How it works: Product proceeds go into the Save Your World project, a partnership with Conservation International and the government of Guyana Forestry Commission. Annual royalties and fees are paid to the Guyana Forestry Commission in exchange for acreage. Rainforest habitat that would have been leased by mining or logging companies isn't. Trees that would have been cut down, animals that would have gone homeless aren't because of YOU! Besides all that wonderfulness, organic Yerba Mate and the highest quality of organic Aloe makes each shampoo, body wash, lotion, lip balm, and exfoliating soap luxurious. Shea butter, jojoba seed oil, avocado, carrot, cucumber, and ginseng extract conditions skin and hair. Fragrances like rainforest, pure mist and oasis fruit stay with you all day. Antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals replace parabens, dioxanes and sodium lauryl sulfates. The line is not tested on animals and comes in recyclable packaging. Shampoos and lotions are $9 for 8 oz. Purchase at Whole Foods Market or their website www.saveyourworld.com."

For other articles highlighting Save Your World this week, check out the PR section on our website to read about fun gift giving ideas:

Energy Times recommends our award winning Save Your Lips, Lip Balm.

Planet Green discusses our fantastic Bar Soaps that lather without the need for harsh chemicals and preservatives.

Today's Black Woman touches on how you can save 7 acres of rainforest and get the perfect gift of indulgence - the Ultimate Holiday Gift Bag.

Land Use Change an Overlooked Cause of Global Warming

ScienceDaily (Nov. 11, 2009) Georgia Tech City and Regional Planning Professor Brian Stone is publishing a paper in the December edition of Environmental Science and Technology that suggests policymakers need to address the influence of global deforestation and urbanization on climate change, in addition to greenhouse gas emissions.

According to Stone's paper, as the international community meets in Copenhagen in December to develop a new framework for responding to climate change, policymakers need to give serious consideration to broadening the range of management strategies beyond greenhouse gas reductions alone.

"Across the U.S. as a whole, approximately 50 percent of the warming that has occurred since 1950 is due to land use changes (usually in the form of clearing forest for crops or cities) rather than to the emission of greenhouse gases," said Stone. "Most large U.S. cities, including Atlanta, are warming at more than twice the rate of the planet as a whole -- a rate that is mostly attributable to land use change. As a result, emissions reduction programs -- like the cap and trade program under consideration by the U.S. Congress -- may not sufficiently slow climate change in large cities where most people live and where land use change is the dominant driver of warming."

According to Stone's paper, as the international community meets in Copenhagen in December to develop a new framework for responding to climate change, policymakers need to give serious consideration to broadening the range of management strategies beyond greenhouse gas reductions alone.

"Treaty negotiators should formally recognize land use change as a key driver of warming," said Stone. "The role of land use in global warming is the most important climate-related story that has not been widely covered in the media."

Stone recommends slowing what he terms the "green loss effect" through the planting of millions of trees in urbanized areas and through the protection and regeneration of global forests outside of urbanized regions. Forested areas provide the combined benefits of directly cooling the atmosphere and of absorbing greenhouse gases, leading to additional cooling. Green architecture in cities, including green roofs and more highly reflective construction materials, would further contribute to a slowing of warming rates. Stone envisions local and state governments taking the lead in addressing the land use drivers of climate change, while the federal government takes the lead in implementing carbon reduction initiatives, like cap and trade programs.

"As we look to address the climate change issue from a land use perspective, there is a huge opportunity for local and state governments," said Stone. "Presently, local government capacity is largely unharnessed in climate management structures under consideration by the U.S. Congress. Yet local governments possess extensive powers to manage the land use activities in both the urban and rural areas."

Save Your World is a company dedicated to saving Earth's natural resources world wide through the support of Conservation Projects such as the 200,000 Acre Rainforest Conservation Concession in Guyuana. Save Your World's product pledge of "1 PRODUCT = 1 ACRE OF RAINFOREST SAVED FOR 1 YEAR" helps preserve areas from deforestation and maintain them in their pristine state.

Save Your World Media Mentions week of November 8th, 2009

Save Your World is highlighted weekly in many organic and environmental consumer magazines and blogs around the world.

This week, Amazing Wellness Magazine and Better Nutrition Magazine placed Save Your World product information articles in their November editions. You can find these free magazines at your local organic or health store!

Amazing Wellness and Better Nutrition features our Save Your Hair Color-Safe Shampoo and Conditioner products available in Rainforest, Oasis Fruit and Regal Blossom aromas.

This unique shampoo and conditioner formula is scented with pure natural essential oils. No harsh chemicals - just natural and organic ingredients such as nutrient-rich, organic yerba mate to strengthen and revitalize stressed-out tresses. This product also contains natural UV protection in the form of Titanium Dioxide to help reduce the fading impact of the sun on color-treated and natural hair.

Save Your World goes to extra lengths to ensure our products are made in an environmentally-sensitive manner and pledge that:

• Fair trade practices will always be our policy
• No animal by-products will ever be used
• No testing on animals will ever be done
• Raw materials will be biodegradable
• Packaging will be of recycled or recyclable materials
• Products are paraben-free, contain NO 1,4-Dioxane, or Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

For more media mentions or additional information about Save Your World products or our mission, visit our website at www.saveyourworld.com and find us on facebook at www.facebook.com/SaveYourWorld.

Brazil: Deforestation sees biggest drop in 20 yrs

BRASILIA, Brazil – Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon dropped nearly 46 percent from August 2008 to July 2009 — the biggest annual decline in two decades, the government said Thursday.

Analysis of satellite imagery by the National Institute for Space Research shows an estimated 7,008 square kilometers (2,705 square miles) of forest were cleared during the 12-month period, the lowest rate since the government started monitoring deforestation in 1988.

"The new deforestation data represents an extraordinary and significant reduction for Brazil," President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said in a statement.

The numbers have been falling since 2004, when they reached a peak of 27,000 square kilometers (10,425 square miles) cleared in one year, according to the space research institute.

The government credited its aggressive monitoring and enforcement measures for the drop, as well as its promotion of sustainable activities in the Amazon region, an area in northern Brazil the size of the U.S. west of the Mississippi River.

But Paulo Gustavo, environmental policy director of Conservation International, said a major factor is the drop in world prices for beef, soy and other products that drive people to clear land for agriculture in the rainforest.

"The police control has improved a little, there has been success in controlling deforestation," Gustavo said. "But the main factor is the drop in commodity prices, which are the main factor in speeding up or slowing deforestation."

Satellite images from the space research institute have allowed government inspectors to increase enforcement, the government said.

The Brazilian Environment Institute reported confiscating about 230,000 cubic meters (8.1 million cubic feet) of wood, 414 trucks and tractors and 502,000 hectares (1.2 million acres) of land linked to illegal deforestation activities from August 2008 to July 2009. The government has also issued $1.6 billion in fines, the statement said.

Amazon deforestation causes 75 percent of Brazil's greenhouse gas emissions, according to the National Inventory of Greenhouse Gases.

By MARCO SIBAJA, Associated Press Writer

Save Your World is a company dedicated to saving Earth's natural resources world wide through the support of Conservation Projects such as the 200,000 Acre Rainforest Conservation Concession in Guyuana. Save Your World's product pledge of "1 PRODUCT = 1 ACRE OF RAINFOREST SAVED FOR 1 YEAR" helps preserve areas from deforestation and maintain them in their pristine state.

Dr. Dick Rice, PhD - Chief Conservation Officer for Save Your World Speaks in Monterey, CA

Dr. Dick Rice, PhD, Chief Conservation Officer for Save Your World was a recent guest speaker for two classes in Monterey, California on Monday November 2, 2010 at the Monterey Institute for International Studies (MIIS is a graduate school affiliated with Middlebury College), one at a class on conservation agreements, a subject that Dick is an expert in having created the World’s first conservation concession agreement, and one as a special speaker at the Environmental Speaker Series http://www.miis.edu/academics/programs/environmentalpolicy/speakers.

As Chief Conservation Officer for Save Your World, Dick advises Save Your World and encourages other companies regarding conservation opportunities around the world to further support conservation concessions and other initiatives to protect the environment worldwide.
Dicks Comments:

“In early December environment ministers and government officials from around the world will meet for two weeks in Copenhagen to try to iron out a successor to the Kyoto Protocol, the current global climate treaty. It is widely expected that the final treaty will include forest protection in the tropics as accepted tool for fighting climate change. That’s important since deforestation and other land uses account for about 20% of greenhouse gas emissions, more than the entire world transportation sector combined. Deforestation is also one of the primary causes of the global biodiversity crisis, with roughly 13 million ha, an area the size of Alabama cleared each year.

This issue is important to all of us since projects like the Guyana Conservation Concession could become candidates for funding as carbon offsets. Forest carbon projects are also expected to be allowed under climate legislation passed in the US (they are front and center in both the bill passed by the House of Representatives last summer and the current bill being considered by the Senate).

Conservation agreements are a great context for forest carbon projects because you have to have incentives in place to conserve the forest in order for an area to qualify for funding as a carbon offset and that is exactly what conservation agreements do. It can take an enormous amount of time and energy to put those agreements in place, so where they already exist, they are a precious commodity in terms of possible future carbon investments.”

Save Your World has a unique direct proposition to the consumer to provide them with the ability to fund Conservation projects directly through the purchase of Save Your World all natural and organic personal care products. There is no other company and very few other opportunities that allow consumer the means to directly impact their world in such a positive environmental way. Most initiatives support doing less harm rather than good. The Conservation projects that Save Your World is associated with are to provide direct contributions to saving pristine environments worldwide. The consumer benefits through the purchase of great environmentally safe products used every day and the environment is saved through the donations given for each product purchase and by no further damage to your world with harsh chemicals.

1 PRODUCT = 1 ACRE OF RAINFOREST SAVED FOR 1 YEAR

To learn more about the Conservation Concession and Save Your World products visit: http://store.saveyourworld.com/Learn-about-Save-Your-World-s-Conservation-Mission-s/19.htm

Save Your Lips® Lip Balm Take 1st Place

H20 Magazine Announced their 2009 Beauty Awards in their recent Fall 2009 Issue. For the 2nd year in a row Save Your World has finished in top spots for our products. This Year one of our newest product brands Save Your Lips® has won 1st place in the Beauty Awards Lip category.

"Save Your Lips® moisturizing, nutrient-rich antioxidant lip balm is a special treat for your lips. This moisturizing but non-greasy lip balm protects your lips while also nourishing them with organic Aloe Vera and organic Yerba Mate. Cruelty-free, no parabens, just natural and organic ingredients"

Just one tube of this lip balm does so much for your lips but also for the environment because 1 acre of pristine rainforest is saved for 1 year with the purchase of this award winning lip balm.

Visit your local Vitamin Shoppe stores and find us near the register during the months of November, December and through January 2010. Or order online at www.saveyourworld.com.

Get a handful for stocking stuffers or to have in your car, at the office, in your purse and just about anywhere around the house. They come in three great flavors: Grapefruit-Mango, Green Tea or Pure (unflavored). These lip balm formulas also make a quick and convenient cuticle moisturizing stick.

To see the article in H20 magazine Click Here

Your Health and Safety: How Safe Are Your Cosmetics?

Whether it’s shampoo, body wash or moisturizer, cosmetic and personal care products are supposed to make us beautiful – to help us strike a balance between inner and outer beauty. But have you read the ingredients list on the label of your favorite shampoo or lotion? You might encounter chemical names like phthalates, triclosan, paraben or the ever-elusive term, “fragrance.” What are these substances and what are they doing on your skin?

Recent research shows us the links between common ingredients in commercial products and harmful side effects.

Watchdog groups such as the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and researchers at Vassar College are finding that common culprits causing illness are found in the following chemical groups: phthalates, triclosan, paraben and musks. Byproducts of these substances such as sodium laureth sulfate and 1,4-dioxide are suspected carcinogens.

In particular, teens have high incidences of chemical exposure since they tend to experiment with different kinds of cosmetics and personal care products. According to a recent report published by the EWG, 16 different chemicals were found in the blood and urine samples of 20 adolescent girls aged 14 to 19. Research links these chemicals to health effects such as cancer and hormone disruption.1

Many personal care products contain phthalates. What are they? Phthalates are agents that help deliver moisture and allow chemicals to absorb into the skin. They help bind fragrance in body care products. Phthalates are also used to soften plastics used for toys, disposable plastic bottles and containers and medical equipment. Side effects include kidney, lung and liver damage, and female reproductive illnesses such as the early onset of puberty in girls, polycystic ovarian disorder and infertility. Continued phthalate exposure can trigger miscarriage and could be a cause of birth defects. Studies show prolonged use of products containing phthalates can increase the risk of asthma, allergies and type-2 diabetes.2

There are phthalate-free body care alternatives available, so exposure to this chemical group can be avoided. Purchase products in safer recyclable plastic containers marked with the numbers 1, 2 and 5 and avoid those labeled 3, 6 and 7.3

In addition to phthalates, some personal care products may contain mercury, toluene, petroleum distillates, parabens and any number of other chemicals that can cause cancer, harm the reproductive system and retard human development.4

Triclosan is an antimicrobial agent used to kill bacteria on the skin and other surfaces. It is found in a variety of personal care products frequently used on a daily basis such as bar and liquid hand soaps and toothpaste. Despite its widespread use in these products, triclosan is no better at killing germs than regular soap and water. Long-term use of triclosan has been linked to thyroid disorders. Moreover, triclosan can form toxic byproducts in tap water, endangering not only the local water quality but also the environment at large. The run-off of triclosan into local lakes and streams poses a toxic threat to fish and other aquatic life. Exposure to this chemical is widespread, as it has been detected in the blood, breast-milk and urine of over 75% of the American population.5

Aside from triclosan, parabens are a group of artificial preservatives found in various cosmetic and body care products. Parabens are chemicals used to extend the shelf life of products such as moisturizers, shampoos, conditioners, sunscreens, deodorants, antiperspirants and mascaras because they inhibit the growth of bacteria and mold.

So, you might ask, what are the potential risks associated with long-term exposure to parabens? Parabens have been known to cause allergic reactions and are known hormonal disruptors. In various studies performed in the EU and the US, parabens have been linked to incidences of breast cancer and estrogen disruption in women.

Parabens are also known contaminants. When parabens are combined with chlorinated tap water, paraben byproducts can form that create unsafe water known to kill aquatic life, in particular, coral.

The term “fragrance” conjures the fresh scent of fields of wildflowers, the crisp smell of clean linen, the deep, rich notes of cedar and sandalwood. But do you know the average perfume or cologne contains somewhere between 400 and 600 synthetic chemicals? Musks are the artificial chemicals used in products such as air fresheners, fabric softeners and personal care soaps and lotions. Long-term use of products containing musks can lead to hormone and reproductive disruption in women and can interfere with proper immune function.6

As with products containing no phthalates and triclosan, paraben-free and fragrance-free alternatives are available and switching to them can reduce long-term exposure. If fragrances appeal to you, look for products containing natural, essential oils instead of synthetic perfumes.

While the EU has banned the use of phthalates, paraben, triclosan and musk in commercial products, the use of these chemicals in cosmetics and body care products in the US lags behind and remains largely unchecked and unregulated. According to the EWG, the FDA has assessed for safety only 11% of the 10,500 ingredients found in hair and body care products.


If we used just one personal care product a day, we might not have to worry too much. But on a daily basis, Americans use an average of anywhere between 10 and 15 personal care products. Based on the EWG’s recent statistics, people apply an average of 126 to 178 different ingredients to their skin daily, making the cumulative impact of these chemicals particularly hazardous.7 Parents and teens should be especially careful in their selection and use of body care products to protect themselves against avoidable contaminants.

You can take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones from exposure to these chemicals. Here are some suggestions and resources to help you stay healthy and safe.

* Stay away from the “Dirty Dozen” in cosmetics and personal care products. In addition to the health concerns posed by the products discussed in this article, other additives pose similar health risks and should be avoided: coal tar, diethanolamine (DEA), formaldehyde, lead and mercury, nanoparticles, petroleum distillates, p-phenylenediamine and hydroquinone. See National Geographic’s “The Green Guide” for further information.

* Vote with your dollar. Carefully read the ingredient lists on product packaging to stay away from these chemicals. Suggest to your local pharmacy and supermarket that they carry more natural and organic personal care products or visit your local health food or natural product store to seek healthier alternatives.

* To learn more about cosmetic safety and the health concerns associated with certain ingredients in beauty care products, please consult the following resources:


o The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics (http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com")
o Environmental Working Group’s Shoppers’ Guide to Safe Cosmetics (http://www.ewg.org)
Environmental Risks and Breast Cancer Project from Vassar College (http://erbc.vassar.edu)
o National Geographic’s “The Green Guide” (http://www.thegreenguide.com)

References:
1 Rebecca Sutton, “Adolescent exposures to cosmetic chemicals of concern,” September 2008, Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org/reports/teens
2 Rebecca Sutton, “Adolescent exposures to cosmetic chemicals of concern,” September 2008, Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org/reports/teens
3 In addition to phthalates, containers using plastics labeled 3, 6 and 7 contain bisphenol-A (known as BPA). Long-term exposure to BPA has been linked to endocrine and hormonal disruption in laboratory animals. The use of BPA has rightly raised a good deal of controversy. It has been recently removed from many products such as baby and water bottles as a result of consumer action and activism. For further information, see http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/science/july-dec08/bpa_09-19.html
4 Personal Care - The World Women Want: http://www.theworldwomenwant.com/yourworld/care/
5 Rebecca Sutton, “Adolescent exposures to cosmetic chemicals of concern,” September 2008, Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org/reports/teens
6 Rebecca Sutton, “Adolescent exposures to cosmetic chemicals of concern,” September 2008, Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org/reports/teens
7 Rebecca Sutton, “Adolescent exposures to cosmetic chemicals of concern,” September 2008, Environmental Working Group, http://www.ewg.org/reports/teens