These days, however, we better understand the dangers of getting too much sun especially in light of the environmental damage that has been done to the planet. It is more important than ever that you protect yourself while outside and wear sunscreen. Unfortunately, this is where things start getting a little complicated. Not all sunscreens are alike. In fact, there is a very real difference between regular sunblock and all natural sunscreen.

Protect Yourself from Sun Damage

Many of the sunscreens available on store shelves actually contain toxic ingredients that can instigate health problems. For example, parabens, which is found in a number of cosmetics, have been flagged as endocrine disruptors that can cause reproductive and developmental problems. In addition to the potential personal health problems these products can cause, the toxins contained in store shelf sunscreen finds its way into waterways and have contributed to hormonal disruptions in fish and other sea animals.

The answer, of course, is to switch to natural sunscreen products. But this is not a silver bullet by any means. Even all-natural sunscreen products contain some toxins although the instance of them is severely reduced. A good way to find the best natural sunscreen for you and your little ones is to visit the Skin Deep Cosmetics Database.

This database lists almost all of the sunblocks on the market and rates them according to their toxicity and possible side effects. Among some of the best include Karen’s Botanicals and Kabana Skin Care Green Screen Organic Sunscreen. You can find these great products and more at My Green Mall which contains thousands of eco-friendly products that keep you and your family healthy.
Besides making good use of natural safe sunscreen, here are few tips for protecting yourself when you go out in the sun:

* Wear sun protective clothes such as hats and long sleeves that block the harmful rays of the sun. Companies, such as Solar Eclipse and Solartex, actually make clothing using fabrics that screen out harmful UV rays.

* Avoid being out in the sun during peak hours when the radiation is at its worst. Generally between 10am and 2pm you’ll want to stay indoors if you can.

* Use natural methods to handle sunburns such as using aloe vera gel to calm burned skin.

* Keep skin healthy by drinking lots of water and eating red, green, and yellow vegetable. Healthy skin can recover from damage a lot better than skin starving for nutrients.

There are many things you can do to help yourself and the environment. Using natural sunscreen is just the start. To maximize your green living, read other articles on the site about living greener, visit my green mall to start switching over to healthier organic products, or learn about building a profitable environmentally-friendly business.

(photo credit: Photos 8)

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These things worry me as an adult, so I know they are particularly scary to children who are old enough to understand but are too young to put things in proper perspective. This is especially worrisome if kids are watching the news or listening to adults who watch the news. As we all know mainstream media tends to emphasize the negative as well as blow things out of proportion because that’s what gets them the ratings.

As parents raising green kids, we want them to learn how to be good conservators of the Earth. At the same time, we want them to be kids and not worry about such serious issues until they are older. To offset the influence of the world around them, here are a few tips for talking to your kids about the environment.

Discuss Values

Possibly the single best thing you can do to teach a kid about the environment is to talk them about the family’s values regarding it. Values help kids understand what is right and wrong as well as provide them with a tool they can use to make decisions. For example, talking to kids about the value of recycling will help them to choose to recycle whenever they can.

Remember, instilling values is just as much about what you do as what you say. Kids actually learn more by observing your actions than they do by listening to your words. Therefore, you want to make sure you are always living the values you are trying to teach your children.

Focus On What They Can Do

Part of the issue with kids hearing about environmental problems is that it leaves them with the same questions we have as adults: What can I do about it? And, like adults, if kids are not able to answer this question they may feel helpless and eventually hopeless.

To prevent this, take every opportunity to tie their green activities to helping the bigger issue. If they are concerned about pollution, talk them about how reusing clothes or containers prevents unnecessary waste and cuts down on pollution. This will help them feel like they are making a difference with each positive action they take.

Listen to Their Concerns

Kids have very active imaginations and can come up with some pretty wild scenarios based on tiny tidbits they overheard or observed. Their classmate Billy didn’t put his soda can into the recycle bin. As a result, the ice at the North Pole is going to melt overnight and the polar bears and penguins are going to be homeless. Not to mention the fact that Santa Claus won’t have any place to build his toys so Christmas is going to suck this year. Yeah.

It can be tempting to laugh something like that off as the product of an overactive imagination. However, to your child, their imaginings are very real. Listen to their concerns and then do your best to reassure them that one soda can is not going to be the death of the polar bears, penguins or Christmas forever.

Talking to kids about the environment can be a challenge. What are some things you have done to teach your kids about global warming or other green issues?

I’ve also found that letting my kids help in my green business helps teach them the eco-friendly values I want them to have. For information on building a green business of your own, visit my 24 hour Business Tour or contact me directly.

(photo credit: photos8)

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But underneath these sometimes impossible to believe claims lay a hidden cost that the manufacturers and marketers don’t want you to know about. The true cost of the everyday personal care products you enjoy go far beyond what is listed on their price tag. In actuality, you are taking years off your life every time you wash your hair, brush your teeth, or put on hand lotion purchased from mainstream beauty companies. The truth that they are trying desperately to hide is that many of the products on the shelves contain dangerous chemicals that are toxic to your body.

For example, Sodium Lauryl Sulfate and Sodium Laureth Sulfate are surfactants found in just about every cleaning product you can think of from dish soap to shampoo. Its job is to break down the surface tension of water which helps to create lather as well as break down oils. This common product has been implicated in aggravating and maybe even causing some diseases like cancer. In high enough doses, it can cause mutations at the genetic level in both animals and humans.

Even something as innocuous sounding as mineral oil (otherwise known as baby oil) has been shown to clog pores as though the skin was covered in plastic and actually cause premature aging. These are just a few examples of personal care products that cause less than beautiful damage to the skin and body.

One claim that manufacturers and marketers try to use to confuse the issue is that their products are topical agents that are not ingested by the body. This is actually not true. You may not be able to see them with the naked eye (well maybe on your face) but your body is covered in pores. This is how your skin breathes and gets rid of some wastes. Anything that is put on the skin is eventually absorbed by the body and makes its way to your bloodstream where the dangerous toxins can cause damage to cells and internal organs.

The solution is to go green and switch to personal care products that are made from natural ingredients. For example, olive oil provides the same skin softening and moisture retaining benefits as mineral oil but nurtures the skin and body with needed vitamins and antioxidants to stay healthy.

The nice thing about switching to natural products is that a lot of times, if you are short on cash, you can make your own beauty products at home using items from your refrigerator and pantry. So not only will you be nurturing a healthier body you will also be helping the environment by cutting down on packaging waste.

In the next article, we are going to talk about some things you can do to begin switching over to natural personal care products. In the meantime, visit My Green Mall to find green beauty products made from organic ingredients that truly cares for your body as much as you do.

If you are an eco-entrepreneur and are interested in building a green business helping other people live green, save green and earn green, contact me to set up a free consultation where I will show you exactly what I do to earn steady income each month living green.

For additional reading:

Common Toxic Chemicals in Personal Care Products

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2. Take Military Showers – To cut back on you water consumption try to cut down on the length of time you are in the shower. The average person takes a 15 minute shower. At an average of 8 gallons per minute that equals 120 gallons of water. Even trimming off 5 minutes of shower time means a 30% reduction in water usage.

3. Reduce Meat Consumption – Raising livestock requires a good amount of resources and it is estimated that 80% of agriculture related greenhouse gasses can be attributed to waste produced by the animals. In fact, cutting out one pound of meat saves sixteen pounds of grain, 2000 gallons of water and one gallon of gasoline. But you don’t have to switch to a vegan diet. Even cutting meat out of 1-2 meals a week (about a 10% reduction) can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

4. Clothes Do a Double Take – Get into the habit of wearing clothes twice before throwing them into the washing machine. Unless you are especially active or prone to food related accidents, chances are you do not dirty your clothes up enough to warrant a trip the hamper. Save money on your laundry as well as wear and tear on clothes by getting twice the wear out of them before washing.

5. Go to the Library – This going green tip will help you reduce the clutter in your house, keep more money in your pocket and is kind to environment. Instead going to the bookstore and purchasing books, magazines and movies, check them out from the library. Honestly, how many times do you reread a book or watch the same movie? Most libraries will have all the latest titles so you can stay current and be green at the same time.

Once your family has gotten used to these going green tips then you can move on to more challenging changes such as carpooling and switching to a completely organic lifestyle. One way to show them that going green is good is by starting a home based business with an eco-conscious company committed to saving the environment. To learn how to earn green while going green visit RockYourBusinessOnline.com.

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“Bottled water is bad for the Earth.”

You look down the grocery aisle but quickly realize that the statement came, not from some militant environmentalist standing by, but from your eight year old who is staring at you with wide innocent eyes.

You ask them to explain what they are talking about and, to your surprise, you are given a litany of facts about how only 2 in 10 plastic bottles are ever recycled (the rest find homes in landfills) and how when plastic degrades, it leaches dangerous chemicals into the ground and water.

Needless to say you are shocked that you’ve just been schooled by your child on the environmental dangers of bottled water.

Think this scenario is farfetched? Think again. Children as young as 4 and 5 are now getting a green education as school teachers add environmental awareness to the program. A recent poll by book publishing company Scholastic showed that out of 2754 children a whopping 56% stated global warming as the issue most important to them.

Teaching kids to be green can be a challenge but with patience and a little creativity, you can raise environmentally aware children who care for the Earth.

Young Children

Young children may not be able to understand the environmental issues facing us today but even toddlers can learn some basic green habits. Start with recycling. For better or worse, children learn by watching what you do so let them observe you separating the trash into the different recycling containers. You can start with an explanation of the different types of materials and where they go. As they get older, you can further explain why it is important to recycle.

Another easy area to start instilling good green habits is teaching them how to conserve resources. Get them used to turning out lights when they leave a room. Make it a habit for them to fill a glass with water to use to rinse their mouth out after brushing their teeth rather than leave the faucet running.

Older Children

When children are old enough to start helping around the house, you can get them excited about being green with a little kitchen chemistry. Show them how to make an all purpose cleaning solution out of vinegar (50%) and water (50%). You can also make a furniture polish using 1 cup of olive oil and ½ cup of lemon juice. Something kids might find especially fun is to shred a whole lemon (or orange) peel in the garbage disposal to clean it.

Preteens and Teens

As children become increasing mobile and self-sufficient, you can encourage them to expand their green efforts beyond the home. Get them involved in local environmental projects such as planting trees and cleaning up local parks. For driving teens that may be looking to purchase their first car, steer them towards hybrid and electric cars as well as teach them the value of carpooling with friends.

It’s never too early or too late to start instilling good eco-friendly habits in kids. You can even show them how to run a green business with your own Earth-friendly company that earns you money while helping you save the environment. For more information on this groundbreaking opportunity, visit RockYourBusinessOnline.com.

(photo credit: D Sharon Pruitt)

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