I remember the Campbell’s soup jingle all too well- remember  “soup is good food”? Well it turns out that Campbell’s soup doesn’t really fall into the “good food” catagory–it’s cans are laden with bisphenol A (BPA).  In September of 2011 a report was released by the Breast Cancer Fund that found Campell’s soup to have some of the highest BPA levels among a variety of canned foods it tested. Campbell’s Disney Princess and Toy Story soups tested the highest.

BPA is a nasty chemical

According to the Breast Cancer Fund-

Exposure to BPA, used to make the epoxy-resin linings of metal food cans, has been linked in lab studies to breast and prostate cancer, infertility, early puberty in girls, type-2 diabetes, obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Childhood exposure is of concern because this endocrine-disrupting chemical can affect children’s hormonal systems during development and set the stage for later‐life diseases.

Bye bye BPA

After months of pressure from many concerned parents and other advocacy groups, including Healthy Child Healthy World, Campbell’s Soup Company announced that it will phase out the use of the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in its can linings.

Campbell’s made the first move, just as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is about to decide by the end of March whether to ban the chemical’s use in all food and beverage packaging.

Once again, the US is lagging behind

The United States is so far behind on the BPA issue (and many other issues like artificial food dye and flame retardant in your soda). Canada, the European Union and Turkey have banned BPA in baby bottles. Japan has replaced BPA in all can liners. France voted in late February to uphold a ban on the use of BPA in all packaged foods.

Alternatives to BPA can be just as scary

While it’s a fantastic first step, we aren’t home free yet. Campbell’s didn’t give a timeline or identify what alternative can-lining materials it will use.

For years many of us have been purchasing products labeled BPA free thinking we were safe. A study was released where more than 450 plastic products, including many labeled BPA free, were tested. They found that more than 90 percent of the plastics (even those that were BPA free) released chemicals that mimic estrogen (the same claims against BPA).  They found that sometimes the BPA free products released chemicals having more estrogen activity than BPA-containing products.

What’s the solution?

Campbell’s has taken the lead and hopefully many other food and beverage manufacturers follow. Gretchen Lee Salter, Policy Manager at the Breast Cancer Fund said “To truly be an industry leader, the company (Campbell’s) now needs to fully disclose the timeline for the phase-out and the alternatives that will be used.”

Salter goes on to say:

Consumers aren’t just concerned about BPA. They are becoming increasingly savvy about the chemicals used in their food packaging and are demanding transparency from manufacturers. We want to make sure that any alternatives that are being used are actually safer for consumers, and the best way to ensure that safety is through full disclosure.

Take Action

Our voices have been heard. We CAN make a difference by signing petitions and banding together on issues that affect us all.

HERE’s a petition you can sign asking Campbell’s to tell us more about their plans to phase out BPA. Thanks to Alicia from The Soft Landing for sharing the petition with me.

What do you do to avoid BPA?

[Photo used under Creative Commons from Antonio CE/Flickr]

Every week I’m amazed by the variety of headlines that pass by my desk. This week was no different. Here are a few headlines that caught my attention:

• There was a lot of buzz surrounding opening day of The Lorax movie. The movie opens today-Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!
• There was also great information on how to avoid artificial flavors in your food.
• We found out that Walmart will be selling Monsanto GMO corn starting this summer.
• My friend Anna over at Green Talk started a petition asking the FDA and the EU to institute strict guidelines regarding arsenic in rice. Please take a few seconds to sign Anna’s petition.
• The beauty of Julianne Moore’s gorgeous clean air gardens (which happen to be right in New York City) helped to ground me and put some perspective on the larger issues facing us these days.

A Few Recipes to Try

Stephanie from Good Girl Gone Green shared an awesome recipe for an  Almond Cup Smoothie. Amy from The Healthy Apple has a fantastic recipe for Arugula Salad with Moroccan Mint Brussels Sprouts ,which is dairy and gluten free. Anything with brussels sprouts catches my attention.

How Safe are Your Pots and Pans?

My ongoing search for non-toxic pots and pans continues.  There are many different types of cookware to choose from, however not all pots and pans are created equal. Some materials used to make pots and pans shouldn’t come in contact with food.  If you are trying to create a greener and cleaner kitchen there are a few types of cookware that should be avoided. Also pay close attention to the safety of your cooking utensils. Continue reading HERE.

Tell Tide to Take the Cancer Causing Chemicals Out of Their Detergent

Last I checked we had 1,882 signatures on our petition asking Tide to remove 1,4-dioxane (a known cancer-causing chemical) out of its detergent! That’s amazing.Thanks to everyone who has taken a few seconds and added their name to the list. If you would like to sign the PETITION please click HERE.

Pin of the Week

Pinterest continues to be my new playground. I’m thrilled to see so many of you have joined me. This week my favorite pin led me to this article on 7 Ways to Clean with Castile Soap. Dr. Bronner’s has been a staple in our house for a long time.

Giveaway

If you’re interested in testing out mineral makeup, don’t forget to enter the great giveaway from Style Essentials. The products are non-toxic, green and without harmful chemicals.

Are you heading to see The Lorax this weekend? Let me know what you think. Have a groovy green weekend!

[Photo used under Creative Commons from NW Newsflash/Flickr]

*There is an affiliate link in this post. Anything purchased through it will put a few pennies in my pocket. Thanks!

Happy Friday, my groovy green friends! Can you tell I’m already hoping for spring? This week was another busy one at Groovy Green Livin. Here are a few highlights:

Green Your Workout

Did you ever stop to think how your workout could have an impact on the environment? Well, it can. Thankfully there are several ways we can lessen our eco-impact, while keeping our workout routine intact. Click HERE to read more.

How to Treat a Cold the Natural Way

Colds and flu run rampant this time of year. Noses are dripping, throats are hurting and coughs and sneezes can be heard in homes around the world. Thankfully there are a few simple tips that will ease your symptoms and help strengthen your immune system the natural way. Click HERE to read more.

Mom Talk Radio Show

I had the honor of joining host Maria Bailey on her Mom Talk Radio show. During the show we talked about how to have an eco-friendly Valentine’s Day. We also hit some of my favorite topics: how to live a green and a non-toxic life.  Click HERE to listen to the February 12, 2012 show. My piece is called ‘Moms Roundtable” and can be found near the end of the segment.

Tide: Get Cancer-Causing Chemicals Out of Laundry Detergent

If you haven’t heard, it turns out that Tide Free & Gentle® isn’t so gentle. A report recently released by Women’s Voices for Earth, Dirty Secrets: What’s Hiding in Your Cleaning Products? found high levels of the cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane in the detergent. 1,4-dioxane doesn’t appear on the product label or on the product website, so consumers have no way of knowing it’s even there.

With the help of Healthy Child Healthy World and  Women’s Voices for the Earth I put together a petition asking Procter & Gamble (makers of Tide) to strip this harmful cancer-causing chemical out of Tide Free & Gentle®!

Lisa from Retro Housewife Goes Green and Stephanie from Good Girl Gone Green both shared posts on this petition. Jenn Savedge from The Green Parent just shared a post on this too. Thank you Stephanie, Jenn and Lisa!

Last count we had over 600 signatures. If you haven’t already done so, please join in and SIGN THE PETITION. Better yet, sign the petition and then share it with your friends!

Pin of the week on Pinterest

This pin got a lot of action. It received likes and repins, too many to count. It just confirms my suspicion that we all have a new obsession with coconut oil. The pin originated from Delicious Obsessions and is called “52 Uses for Coconut Oil-The Simple, The Strange, and The Downright Odd!

This coming is a school vacation week for us so I will be spending more time with my family and writing less. I hope to get a few posts out, but we shall see!

Have a groovy green weekend. Do you have President’s Day off?

[Photo used under Creative Commons from D. Sharon Pruitt/Flickr]

I hope everyone has had a wonderful week. Valentine’s Day is sneaking up on us and I’m predicting lots of sugary treats in my kid’s futures next week.

There have been a lot of good green happenings on the web this week. Here are a few headlines that caught my attention:

Petition asking Tide to remove a cancer causing chemical from its detergent

A report recently released by Women’s Voices for Earth, Dirty Secrets: What’s Hiding in Your Cleaning Products? found high levels of the cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane in the detergent.

With the help of Healthy Child Healthy World, MomsRising and  Women’s Voices for the Earth I put together a petition asking Procter & Gamble (makers of Tide) to strip this harmful cancer-causing chemical out of Tide Free & Gentle®!

Please join me by signing the petition asking Procter & Gamble to take immediate action to remove 1,4-dioxane from Tide Free & Gentle® and any other Procter & Gamble products.

Lead in your lipstick

In 2007 the FDA began testing various lipsticks sold in the United States for lead. After testing over 400 brands, FDA scientists concluded that none of them contained unsafe levels of lead. In December 2011, the FDA updated its tests and posted the results on its website rather quietly. There are now two brands (Maybelline and L’Oreal) with lipsticks above California’s safe standard. These manufactures don’t actually use lead as an ingredient, the lead is considered an impurity. There are safe, non-toxic lipsticks out there. Make sure yours is one of them!

Too much Sodium

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) 9 out of 10 Americans eat too much sodium. Surprisingly, they found that bread and rolls were the top culprits rather than salty snacks.

Dandelions

Have you ever cooked with dandelions? When the weather warms up there is usually a field of dandelions on my front lawn. Jeff over at Sustainablog shares 7 Recipes for Dandelions. I might have to try a few when the sea of yellow weeds reappears.

A day in the life of an activist

Have you ever wondered what a day in the life of an activist mom fighting for climate change might be like? Harriet from Climate Mama shares a day in her life. I have to admit, I was exhausted just from reading her post.

Hopefully you’ve had a chance to check out my new addiction (maybe yours too?), Pinterest. Come on over and find me!

Have a groovy and green weekend! Any big plans?

[Photos used under creative commons from D. Sharon Pruitt and Vincent van der Heijden/Flickr]

Today’s the day. It’s time to join forces with  Women’s Voices for the Earth, MomsRising and Healthy Child Healthy World, to demand that Procter & Gamble (makers of Tide) strip a harmful cancer-causing chemical out of Tide Free & Gentle®.

Like many moms, my commitment to a greener lifestyle was strengthened after having children. I’m careful about what we eat, and am selective about products we use to keep our home clean.

It probably goes without saying that in a house full of boys, we do a lot of laundry. I know that some cleaning products are marketed as safe and healthy, but in truth, what’s in the bottle can hurt you.

For example, it turns out that Tide Free & Gentle® isn’t so gentle. A report recently released by Women’s Voices for Earth, Dirty Secrets: What’s Hiding in Your Cleaning Products? found high levels of the cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane in the detergent. 1,4-dioxane doesn’t appear on the product label or on the product website, so consumers have no way of knowing it’s even there.

This is especially concerning, because Tide Free & Gentle® is marketed to moms as a healthier choice for their children’s laundry. Infants and children are more vulnerable to chemical exposures, because their immune, neurological, and hormone systems are still developing.

1,4-dioxane is a known cancer-causing chemical, and has been linked in animal studies to increased risk of breast cancer.

Procter & Gamble (makers of Tide®) already have experience stripping 1,4 dioxane out of its products; in 2010, the company reformulated its Herbal Essences® shampoo to eliminate 1,4-dioxane. Unfortunately, Dirty Secrets test results show that the company has not chosen to make the same effort for its laundry detergent.

The Tide website says: Safety: The Most Important Ingredient in Tide®. If that’s true, then 1,4-dioxane should never have been in the product in the first place.

Please Sign the Petition

With the help of Healthy Child Healthy World, MomsRising and  Women’s Voices for the Earth I put together a petition asking Procter & Gamble (makers of Tide) to strip this harmful cancer-causing chemical out of Tide Free & Gentle®!

Please join me by signing the petition asking Procter & Gamble to take immediate action to remove 1,4-dioxane from Tide Free & Gentle® and any other Procter & Gamble products.

Together we can make change happen.

[Photo used under Creative Commons from Pixel Drip/Flickr