What We Take For Granted!

[terdancam]

I`m a big fan of BOGOFs in supermarkets (who wouldn`t be?), but a chance comment i heard a few weeks back has just changed my whole approach to buying shampoos, soaps etc.

Now i like the herbal essences, H&S, sanex etc just like everybody else, but i did a web search on the ingredients, particularly SLS and glycol, and i was staggered.

To highlight this:

My Sis-in-law works for a product display firm and so we get free products.

Recently we got some american kiddie toothpaste, complete with cartoon Dinosaur picture and bubblegum flavour----nothing remarkable about that. However look on the back and SLS is listed, along with a prominent warning from the Poison Control Center!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :duh: :duh:

Now because me and my kids suffer from eczema/asthma, the application of industrial degreasers that are classed as poisons, and the use of antifreeze that you use in shampoo, yet should wipe off the car paintwork( ), is quite frankly, startling!!!!!

It is amazing what you just don`t think about when you trust a supermarket/advertising/companies to sell you a product!!!

Scary Scary Stuff

[lexus boy]

I think people get scared too easily these days.

Everything has a certain amount of hazard, but a big fuss is made of tiny things, and everything seems to cause cancer these days. Fact i stats are made to show whatever you want, you just have to be selective with them.

No1 used to worry about things like this 5/10 years ago.

[terdancam]

or, conversley, people know a lot more nowadays because of things such as the internet which wasn`t around to the same extent 5-10years ago.

Granted, everything from a-z seems to be bad for you, but then i suppose you have to think how far removed those things are from a basic, natural order.

For instance skydiving is pretty hazardous, but chucking yourself off high heights hasn`t really changed from ape days! But brushing your teeth with antifreeze that you're not even supposed to get on your paintwork is a different matter.

And the argument thats theres not enough SLS in shampoo to hurt you is a valid point--if thats the only product it was in and you only used it once a week. Note that NO usage tests are ever done IN CONJUNCTION with other products!

SO if you use shower gel, shampoo, shaving foam, after shave, deodorant, toothpaste, mouthwash, handsoap, washing powder in a day youve suddenly multiplied your exposure by a factor of 9!!!

And besides, you`re probably thinking that you could be killed by a bus tomorrow, and that avoiding these issues disassociates yourself from the eco-cardigan brigade and those are valid points.

But are you really not bothered about giving your kids antifreeze on the basis that multibillion dollar corps are selling it to you, therefore it must be ok.

THe reasons caustic soda is used in soap is because it solidifies it, therefore making it easy to ship and its cheaper than the natural supply---the fact that it burns skin has no bearing (!).

All i`m saying is that because of this internet/information explosion over the past few years, i`ve changed from blindly accepting the spoon feeding of companies that make stupefying amounts of money to actually checking things out that they`re peddling.

I give you possibly the best example of this, even though it isn`t eco specific.

Remember George Ratner and the jewelry fiasco?

Well instead of body decoration, think petrochemicals!!!!

Puts a whole different slant on things

[lexus boy]

some fair points there.

But i think a little bit of exposure to everything is good, as the body can learn to protect itself. If you overprotect yourself there will be no evolution.

[Mr Morse]

All the health safety warnings - it's all happened as a result of the USA's No.1 export - Litigation Culture!

[terdancam]

Although ambulance chasing is abhorent, and a lot of court cases have been astronomically ridiculous, a proportionately greater good has come out of court cases.

Unfortunately peoples perceptions are completely skewed by the few cases that the Sun delights in!! :D

People falling over because they`re too stupid should be thrown out, but corporate culpability over issues such as manslaughter due to cost cutting is a different matter for example.

As for evolution, and the chemical biologists amongst us (!) will agree, evolution is a long term process over hundreds of thousands of years to natural occurence or requirement. You cannot expect 3 generations to develop an immunity to heavy metals or antifreeze on ingestion or absorption.

THe ultra hygiene mentality is something i completely disagree with, as this leads to "reverse-evolution". Suffice to say my kids get dirty and not decontaminated!

But i can`t reasonably be expected to subject my children to exposure to what are actually classified as commercial contaminants and poisons on the hopeful assumption that they or their kids will develop an immunity!! :D

And its nice to see some people thinking about this and opening their eyes to some non-advertised issues!!