Like the one likely to marr the reputation of legitimate personal care products manufactures who take care in using safe, organic ingredients in light of the recent news of false organic claims by some companies.

In case you haven’t heard the latest news about personal care products that is sure to have your freshly shampooed hair stand on end, I’ll fill you in. That shampoo you just used–you know, the organic one you paid $3 more for because it’s healthier for you, the environment, and supports companies doing the right thing–well, turns out that it isn’t, it doesn’t, and they don’t. About the only truth therein is that you paid more than you should have for a product that claimed to do something it doesn’t, be safer than it is.

So, what’s a busy, environmentally concerned, health-conscious parent to do? First, check out the list of companies falsely using the term organic on its labels so that you know which products to avoid. Then, tell the CEO of Hain–one leading natural personal care products companies falsely using organic claims–to stop greenwashing!

Since last week was full of celebrations in honor of Memorial Day, and the “unofficial beginning of summer” (although you’d never know it from where I’m sitting; it hailed this morning), you might have missed another cause for celebration: The passage of AB 1319 last week by the California State Assembly. The bill, once passed through the Senate and signed by the Governor, would limit the amount of BPA allowed to be used in containers marketed for use by children under age three.

While this is indeed a cause for celebration, it might be a bit premature to break out the good bubbly. The bill just squeaked through the Assembly and now must make its way through the gauntlet of the Senate, where we suspect, it may encounter a fair amount of push-back. Read the rest of this entry →