The Greening of Sin

Greenwashing involves making misleading claims about the eco-friendliness of a product or service. Learn how to spot and avoid being conned by greenwashing through a paper titled "The Six Sins of Greenwashing" published on the website of environmental marketing firm Terrachoice.

Interfaith Power and Light is a religious response to global warming with chapters in 25 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.htm

Enjoy discounts on energy saving products at http://www.shopipl.org/

A message from the National Council of Churches (USA)

New Education Resource to Heal Earth, Body, and Spirit!
The choices we make for our families and the way we care for God’s Earth are intricately related to human health and the health of all creation. Today, pollutants and toxic chemicals contaminate our water, our land, our personal care products, and our children’s toys. These contaminants are linked to health conditions ranging from asthma to cancer. Children, women, communities of color, and low-income communities are particularly vulnerable.
Download a copy of the new environmental health resource from the National Council of Churches Eco-Justice Program, Mindful Living: Human Health, Pollution, and Toxics, to learn how to maintain the sanctity of our bodily temples and ensure that health of God’s good Earth. This resource is full of youth and adult study ideas, sermon starters, worship materials, and more! Learn more about the NCC environmental health initiative or download a copy of Mindful Living at www.nccecojustice.org/mindful_living.html.
Interfaith Power and Light is a religious response to global warming with chapters in 25 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.htm
Enjoy discounts on energy saving products at http://www.shopipl.org/

Toxic Beauty

You are probably somewhat aware of potentially dangerous chemicals and how to avoid them when you clean your home, but what about the chemicals you use to clean and beautify yourself? Alternet is featuring an interview with author Stacy Malkan (excerpted below), who provocatively compares toxins in personal care products to global warming. Think this doesn't apply to you if you are a man? Think again--men are exposed to these chemicals through shampoo, deodorant, shaving cream, after shave, etc.

Carcinogens in cosmetics? Petrochemicals in perfume? If only this were an urban legend. Unfortunately, it's a toxic reality, and it's showing up in our bodies.
In 2004, scientists found pesticides in the blood of newborn babies. A year later, researchers discovered perchlorate, a component of rocket fuel, in human breast milk. Today, people are testing positive for a litany of hazardous substances from flame retardants to phthalates to lead.
In her new book, Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry, Stacy Malkan exposes the toxic chemicals that lurk, often unlabeled, in the personal care products that millions of American women, men and children use every day.
AlterNet spoke with Malkan about these toxins and her five-year effort with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to get the beauty industry to remove them from its products.
Heather Gehlert: There are so many environmental issues you could've written a book about. Why cosmetics?
Stacy Malkan: I think cosmetics is something that we're all intimately connected to. They're products that we use every day, and so I think it's a good first place to start asking questions. What kinds of products are we bringing into our homes? What kinds of companies are we giving our money to?
It has something pretty interesting in common with global warming too.
It does. I think of it as global poisoning. I think that the ubiquitous contamination of the human species with toxic chemicals is a symptom of the same problem (as global warming), which is an economy that's based on outdated technologies of petrochemicals -- petroleum. So many of the products we're applying to our faces and putting in our hair come from oil. They're byproducts of oil.

Interfaith Power and Light is a religious response to global warming with chapters in 25 states and Greater Washington, D.C. Find a link to your local chapter at http://www.theregenerationproject.org/State.htmEnjoy discounts on energy saving products at http://www.shopipl.org/

The Greening of Apple

Apple has pledged to improve its record on environmental issues following an award-winning lobbying campaign by Greenpeace, which wants the company to go even further, according to the Guardian.
Steve Jobs, chief executive, announced yesterday that the technology giant is taking steps to stop using toxic chemicals in its computers, displays and iPods.
By 2008, it will have completely removed arsenic from all its displays, and stopped using flame-retardant chemicals and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in any products. It also pledged to stop using mercury in its monitor backlighting, when this becomes "technically and economically feasible".

IREJN is Connecticut's Interfaith Power and Light. Visit us at www.irejn.org.