Celebrate Earth Day!

Earth Day is tomorrow! Do you know how you are going to make a difference?

The first Earth Day was held April 22, 1970 and was the brainchild of Senator Gaylord Nelson who was trouble by the fact that the state of the environment was simply a "non-issue." The idea was inspired by anti-Vietnam demonstrations that were being held all over the country. He thought, "why not organize a huge grassroots protest over what was happening to our environment?" The idea started at a grassroots level and then ignited! There was such a positive response for having an outlet for environmental concerns. I am so thankful to the senator for his pioneer role in the age of environmental awareness. May we all have the spirit of a pioneer in making this world a cleaner, safer, more beautiful place to live.

There are so many ways that you can celebrate Earth Day with your family tomorrow. Des Moines is marking this Earth Day in many ways including:

• My favorite idea is downtown Des Moines' "Trash Bash". Volunteer to join a team and help pick up trash from the downtown area. After the clean-up, there will be music at the Simon Estes amphitheater and prizes will be given away for such categories as: Most Unique piece of trash. More into can be found HERE

• DART Buses will be offering FREE rides all day Friday in order to encourage people to leave their cars at home. Carpooling, riding the bus, biking and walking are all ways we can reduce gas consumption and carbon monoxide pollution. 
• The Des Moines Botanical Center will have FREE admission for the entire day.  
• The Science Center of Iowa will hold an Earth Day Film Festival featuring the IMAX films: Born to be Wild, Tornado Alley, and Wild Ocean. See all three films and save $3!
• Polk County Conservation Board is hosting an Earth Day/Arbor Day Tree Planting. You can help conservation staff plant trees at Easter Lake Park. You will learn proper tree planting techniques and get to actually plant some trees yourself!

There are just a few of the things you and your family can get involved with tomorrow to celebrate Earth Day 2011! So go on and give your mother a big hug! (Mother Earth, that is!)

Your Words Wednesday

 

What is your favorite summer memory from childhood?

New Series | What's in your: fabric softener

We're all accustomed to reading the labels on our food. We strive to avoid high fructose corn syrup, and wrinkle our noses at the words "hydrogenated" or "modified".  But have you checked out the labels on your cleaning products? More so, are you reading the warnings attached to those cleaning products?  

In this new series, my hope is to make you aware of toxins that are in some of the bottles and sprays you may have locked under your sink. Sure, we lock these up to prevent major consumption by our toddlers. But you might be surprised to learn that after common usage, a lemon scent isn't the only thing these cleaners are leaving behind.

Bounce Dryer Sheets: Outdoor Fresh

Most people I know love the smell of clothes fresh out of a dryer. To me, it is second only to clothes straight off a clothes line. So imagine my disappointment when I decided to research what was actually in my current fabric softener sheets. A study was done in December 2010 by Kansas State University and the University of Illinois department of entomology, to determine the validity of an urban "myth"- that fabric softener sheets can be used as insect repellent. They proceeded to steam a single Bounce "Outdoor Fresh" Dryer sheet, and revealed the following list of questionable ingredients:

(Sorted from highest concentration to lowest)

• Linalool - In studies, this chemical caused loss of muscle coordination, nervous system and brain disorders and depression
• Benzyl Acetate - An industrial strength solvent that has been linked to cancer of the pancreas
• Beta-Citronella - a chemical perfume that is used to repel insects
• Hedione - a chemical perfume that is toxic to insects

But not all dryer sheets are made equal. Here are some other common toxins found in fabric softeners, including sheets, liquid and bar forms.

• Alpha-Terpineol – This chemical has been linked to disorders of the brain and nervous system, loss of muscle control, depression, and headaches

• Benzyl alcohol – Linked to headaches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, depression, as well as disorders of the brain and nervous system

• Chloroform – Chloroform is on the Environmental Protection Agency’s Hazardous Waste list because it has been identified as a carcinogen and neurotoxin (toxic to the brain and nervous system)

• Ethanol – also on the EPA’s Hazardous Waste list for its ability to cause brain and nervous system disorder

• Ethyl Acetate – causes headaches and is on the EPA Hazardous Waste list

• Pentane – causes headaches, nausea, dizziness, fatigue, drowsiness, and depression

After my research, all I could think about was the amount of laundering I do to my children's clothes, mainly the cloths I used to wipe their faces and give them baths with. I envisioned the amount of harmful chemicals I was introducing into their delicate little bodies. No more! There is an all-natural solution. In fact, this solution not only protects your family, but it protects the environment and your pocketbook. My suggestion is to invest in some reusable dryer balls. They can be found anywhere. I even offer them in my store. They remove static, they soften your clothes, and even yield quicker drying times. All the while you will sleep easier, knowing you have taken one more step to protect your family.

Sources:
Schoffro Cook, Michelle. "8 Toxins Lurking in Your Fabric Softener". Healthy & Green Living. July 29, 2010. Web. April 10, 2011. <http://www.care2.com/greenliving/8-toxins-lurking-in-your-fabric-softener.html>
Scoggins, Holly. "Bounce- It's not just a fabric softening sheet". The Garden Professors. January 4, 2011. Web. April 10, 2011. <https://sharepoint.cahnrs.wsu.edu/blogs/urbanhort/archive/2011/01/04/bounce-%E2%80%93-it%E2%80%99s-not-just-a-fabric-softening-sheet-.aspx>

Mark your Calendars!

Beginning May 2, 2011 you will be able to order your favorite Norwex products directly from my website www.SpeersNorwex.com. This makes it so simple for you to keep yourself supplied at all times even if you can't make it to a Norwex party. I can take orders from anywhere in the United States and Canada and the products will be shipped directly to you from the company.

Remember that hosting a party is still the easiest way to get Norwex products (for free!) Most hostesses will receive approximately $250 in product from one party. What would you get with your $250 in free product?

So be prepared. The revolution is right around the corner.

Welcome to the revolution!

It is time for a change! No more doing things the way they have always been done. It is time to get our home and our family healthy and clean the natural way. The Norwex way. What is Norwex? Norwex is a company of cleaning products that's mission is to improve quality of life by radically reducing the use of chemicals in personal care and cleaning. Norwex is committed to promoting health and ecology by reducing the amount of household pollutants.

How do we do this?
Norwex has an antibacterial microfiber that is one of the most innovative microfiber products in the industry! Norwex has developed a unique technology that combines an antibacterial silver-based agent with our microfiber. The antibac agent is actually embedded inside the tiny microfiber. It inactivates the bacteria that it picks up in its fibers. It has successfully demonstrated its effectivness against many strains of pathogenic bacteria, yeast and viruses, such as:

• E Coli
• Klebsiella pneumoniae
• Proteus vulgaris
• Salmonella typhi
• Staphylococcus aureus
• Streptococcus faecalis
• Streptococcus pyogenes
• MRSA
• SARS coronavirus

What is microfiber?
Microfiber is a blend of polyester and polyamide. Norwex's innovative microfiber is 1/100th the size of a strand of a human hair. When this high-quality microfiber is combines with the right knitting process, it creates an extremely effective cleaning material. This material can hold up to seven times its weight in matter. Unlike many other types of cloth that smear dirt across the surface you are trying to clean, microfiber cloths produce and electrostatic charge that removes dirt, germs and bacteria, leaving a clean, polished surface.

What are the benefits of cleaning with microfiber?
Microfibercloths are environmentally friendly. They can reduce the consumption of cleaning chemicals in your home up to 90% while at the same time reducing your exposure to toxic fumes. This can make a big difference for anyone with allergies and chemical sensitivities.

In important areas of your home like the bathrooms and the kitchen, microfiber cloths may remove up to 99.9% of the bacteria from surfaces, resulting in a cleaner, healthier enviroment. Microfiber cloths are durable, and can withstand the rigors of everyday use.