Living Cruelty-Free: Seventh Generation

Last time I talked about Method products which are definitely some of my favorite Cruelty-Free products.  Today, I want to share Seventh Generation, which is another favorite brand of mine.

I actually don't use this  hand soap at home but we do use it at work and it works really well.  We get a lot of dirt and grime on our hands if it's raining and this hand soap gets it right off. 

I don't really know what to say about the toilet paper.  I'm not picky when it comes to TP ... it works fine and isn't flakey.

We don't have much wood furniture but what we do have, I use this product to clean.  It does just as good a job as pledge or any other wood cleaner.  I've been using it for a few weeks now and love it.

I love these dish washer packs.  Josh bought the first ones we used in our house which were not cruelty-free and they sucked.  Half the time they didn't work and would still be in the dispenser thingy when the cycle was done.  I got fed up and switched to these and have not had any issues since.  Also, my glass comes out streak free, so I am one happy camper.

I love Seventh Generation Laundry detergent!  I think it smells amazing and does a great job of getting clothes clean.  Any detergent that can get Josh's disgusting work clothes clean gets and A+ from me!

Again, these are just the products that I have used and have had a good experience with.  Seventh Generation has so many products that I'm probably forgetting some that I've used.  They have tons of cleaning products, baby care products (which friends have used and loved), and beauty products.  This is another brand that I know target sells, so it's definitely not hard to find.  It is also in the local grocery stores here in MD so I'm sure it is in local grocery stores elsewhere.

If you need more convincing to shop cruelty-free, check out the latest Beagle Freedom Project rescue:

Living Cruelty-Free: Method

The first Cruelty-Free product line I want to talk about is Method.  Method is by far my favorite for cleaning products. I think I have tried just about every single one of their products and have not been disappointed by any.

I love the All-Purpose cleaner.  I mainly use it on my kitchen and bathroom counters and it works great and smells great.  It works wonders for getting out stains when husbands leave drinks in paper cups which then leak all over the counter.  I used the French Lavender.

I've just started using this bathroom cleaner for the shower.  While it smells good and does pretty good on surface "grime", it does require a bit more elbow grease than I'm used to to get out the stuff that's in there pretty good.  Josh is usually very dirty when he comes home from work, so it is a lot of work to get the shower clean.  Unfortunately, this is the best Cruelty-Free shower cleaner that I have found, so elbow grease it is.  I need the workout anyway.

I LOVE this stuff!!  We don't do a lot of dishes that can't go in the dishwasher but the ones that can't are usually the dirtiest for some reason.  Just one or two pumps of this dish soap and you're good to go!  I have never used anything better!  I use the Fresh Currant and it smells amazing!  We haven't used the dishwasher soap yet, but I plan to try it after my Seventh Generation stuff runs out.

Josh loves the hand soap!  They sell gel and foaming soap and we have tried both.  We have the gel in one bathroom and the foaming in the other and love them both.  Josh won't let me buy and other brand of hand soap.  As I said before, he comes home from work pretty dirty but if it's just his hands, he uses this gel hand soap and the dirt comes off so easy.  I am a fan of foaming soap, and Method's is amazing.  Josh likes the juicy pear gel soap and I love the seasonal caramel foaming soap.

I like the laundry detergent (Lavender and Cedar) and I think it does a good job and smells great, but there is a different brand that I prefer to go with.   However, I wouldn't discount Method's laundry detergent, it does do a good job and I love the bottles it comes in, they're much lighter and easier to use than most containers.

I also just bought Method body wash yesterday and can't wait to try it! 

These are the Method products that I have used and have had a good experience with.  Method has tons of other products that I just haven't gotten to try yet such as the air freshener (which I plan to try next time I'm at the store), fabric softener, baby laundry detergent, toilet bowl cleaner, body wash, and more!  So, be sure to check for Method products next time you're at the store.  I know that Target sells them, so they're not hard to find and they are definitely not expensive!

Living Cruelty-Free: An Introduction

A while ago I talked about a few passions of mine - one being animal rights.  I haven't talked much about it on here but it's such a big part of what I believe in that I feel like I should share more about it and try to educate others who love animals the way that I do.  I feel that if by doing these posts, I've convinced just one person to be a more humane consumer, I've succeeded.

Recently, I have been a lot more careful about the products that I buy so that I know I'm not supporting businesses that still test on animals.  It is UNREAL how many companies still test their products on animals.  A few of these products really surprised me and a few were hard to give up,  but looking at the sweet faces of all of the animals I'm in contact with on a daily basis, makes it so much easier.

One that was hard for me was Giorgio Armani because Josh wears Code and I think it smells amazing but then I see photos like this and suddenly, it doesn't smell so good any more.

Yes, this is hard to look at but please don't just leave this page and ignore it because it's easier to do.  There are plenty of resources out there that provide the names of companies that still test on animals:

The Vegetarian Site is one that I've printed out and take with me when I go shopping.  You may look at the list and think that there are a lot of products on it that you use every day and that there is no way you can give them up.  But do me a favor and look at that sweet animal of yours and then back up at that picture above ... if that's not enough to change anyone's mind, I don't know what is.

If you want to ease your way into buying cruelty free products check out the Leaping Bunny.  The leaping bunny guide is a great place to start as it is a list of products that ARE NOT tested on animals.  The companies listed have a met the requirements of a rigorous, internationally-recognized cruelty-free standard.  And of course, there's an App for that!  Just look up leaping bunny on your Iphone/Android and it will help you with your shopping.  I use it every time I question a product!

Beagle Freedom Project also recently launched an App called Cruelty-Cutter.  It is $2.99 and totally worth it.  All you have to do is scan a product and it will tell you if a product is tested on animals or not.  You can even share these findings on Twitter and Facebook and earn "Doggie Dollars" which can be redeemed for discounts on cruelty-free products!

Also, some of the companies (but not all) have this logo on it to help shoppers recognize cruelty-free products:

Over the course of ... well, however long it takes, each Thursday I will be sharing products that I use that are cruelty free and that wont break the bank.  I plan to break these products up by company and share the products that I use as well as the products that leaping bunny provides on their site. 

As I said before, if one person takes this seriously I feel like my time writing these posts is well worth it.  

Oh, and if you still need more convincing, watch this video of rescued pups taking their first steps in grass ... ever.   They spent their ENTIRE lives in steel cages.    I ugly cried through 90% of this.

Is Ignorance Really Bliss?

I'm taking a break this week from my series on being a humane consumer to talk to y'all about another important topic.  Food safety.

A few weeks ago I began watching the documentary “Food Inc”.  This documentary really got m
e thinking about how ignorance is a really bad thing especially in situations like this.  Ignorance is affecting our ability to change things.

For example, the movie shows Wal Mart corporate employees working with Stoneyfield Organic – a brand I happen to love.  The employee said that Wal Mart began carrying some organic products based on consumer demands.  Consumers changed one of the largest corporations in the world.   We have the power to change things, but we also have to power to keep them the same.

The guy who founded Stoneyfield was often accused by his friends of selling out but explains that by getting his product on the shelf at a place like Wal Mart, more people are seeing it and getting educated.  He also said it proves that you can produce foods safely and organically and still do very well on the business end.   So more people are exposed to eating organically than if he just targeted health food stores.   I completely agree with his strategy.

This is why this next part really bothers the crap out of me.

When I put my initial reaction to the documentary on Facebook, a lot of people said they’d never watch it because they just don’t want to know.  I’m sorry, but that is the stupidest fucking thing I have ever heard!  Like, ever! 

Our government is basically supporting the poisoning of its citizens because of money, but you’d rather not know?  Let me know how you feel about that after you or a loved one contract E Coli form a burger you ate.   How are we, as consumers, supposed to affect change if we just ignore the issues because "the burgers just taste so good" or “it so cheap"?

This is a huge problem!  I wrote a seven page research paper in my research writing class about the effects of antibiotics in animals on our health and on the environment and let me tell you, it’s not pretty.  And this is just the tip of the iceberg as far as what’s wrong with the way food is produced.

I would rather know the gory details so that I can choose my food more wisely.  I would rather know what’s happening and make the choice not to support it.

The same goes for animal testing.  It’s not pretty, so people pretend it doesn’t exist so they can go on buying the $2.00 bottle of body wash and not feel guilty that some poor animal had to be tortured so they can be cheap.

Yes, I do spend a bit more money on food, toiletries, and cleaning products but I know what I’m putting on and in my body is safe and that animals were not abused in the making of the products.  I also know that my fruits and veggies are not filled with nasty pesticides or sprayed with gases.

Being ignorant is not a good thing.  Consumers have the power to affect change by what they buy and what they don’t buy.  If we support local non-factory farms over the products sold in stores or that we know are produced by factory farms, we can really change the food industry. 

However, if we do nothing, things will stay the same and we will continue to poison our bodies in the name of money, laziness and corporate greed.

Watch Food Inc. on Netflix and let me know your reaction.  I would love to know what others think about it.

Being a Humane Consumer: Make-up

Today, I am going to share some makeup product lines that are cruelty-free.  Just as an FYI, I don't wear makeup at all due to my own personal opinions about health and chemicals, ect.  So, all the products I've listed here are just what I know people seem to like - I have no personal experience with them.

Urban Decay

 
Now Urban Decay is kind of tricky.  Technically Urban Decay products are cruelty-free, however I would not buy the product because the parent company test on animals.  So, even though this particular line is Cruelty-Free, the whole company is not ... if that makes sense.

Some others that I've heard of that are on the list are:

After Glow Cosmetics: Also Organic

Kiss My Face:  This is a fairly common brand that I've heard good things about

These are just a few that I've heard of that are on the leaping bunny list which you can check out here.

As I said before, I don't wear any makeup so I don't have personal experience with any of these.  Try any brand you think you'll like, but there are definitely a good bit of options for cosmetics. 

Being a Humane Consumer: No Good Products

Right now I am trying a few new haircare products that are Cruelty-Free and I want to be using them for at least two weeks before I review them, so this week instead of sharing Cruelty-Free products, I want to share some products that are definitely tested on animals and that are probably in your home right now!  

I think its just as important to know what products you should stay away from as it is to know what products are OK.   So, today I am going to share only a few of the many products to stay away from if you want to be Cruelty-Free - which is obviously the best way to be ;)

All of the companies listed above still test their products on animals.  Of course, they are not the only ones.  An unbelievable amount of companies do.  A good way to know right off the bat if a company is testing on animals is to find out if the product is SOLD in China.  China requires products sold in the country to be tested on animals.  Also, this is a very helpful list that I take with me when I shop: The Vegetarian Site.  

Being a Humane Consumer: The Kitchen

Today I'm going to share a few cruelty-free products that we have in our kitchen.  As I said last post, I love Method Home products and they have taken over my kitchen.

Method Dish Soap
I told you you'd be seeing Method around a lot.  Method is definitely my favorite dish soap.  This stuff smells great, is really good with breaking up grease, and you only need to use a small amount at a time.  I have used several different scents but my favorite is Fresh Currant.   This product is also biodegradable, so it's easier on the environment.  This product is found at target for 3.99 per bottle.

Method Kitchen Hand Wash
Another Method product for the win!  I love all of methods hand wash products!  My favorites are the foaming hand washes!  If it gets all the crap off Josh's hands after he gets home from work, it must be a beast!  And we've tried quite a few smells, including some of their seasonal ones, and LOVE them all!

Method also has dishwasher tabs but since we don't have a dishwasher, I've never used them.  Once we move I'll definitely be giving them a try.

Some other great Kitchen products listed on Leaping Bunny are:

Mrs. Meyers, Seventh Generation, Sound Earth, Greenwood Naturals, and Aspen Clean.  There are quite a few others listed but these are all of the ones I have experience with.

Also, check out this adorable video of BFP rescues seeing the grass for the first time!  P.S. Have a box of tissues ready!  I ugly cried, but this is exactly why I donate to them!

Being a Humane Consumer: The Laundry Room

I want to start this new series of mine by starting with the easiest products to find.   The laundry room products that are cruelty-free are so easy to find it's not even funny.

For Laundry Detergent I use Seventh Generation.  Not only is it cruelty free, but it's also better for the environment and for you.

I use blue eucalyptus and lavender laundry detergent.  What I love about Seventh Generation is that they are available at major retail stores such as Target and Wal Mart.  And guess what??  They are only a few cents to a dollar more expensive than Tide.  ALSO, they are 2X concentrated which means that you use less per load for the same result.  

Another that I use is Method Home.  I use this for a lot of things including Laundry Detergent.  I switch between Method and Seventh Generation depending on sales etc.  I love both products and both are cruelty free and environmentally friendly.   Method products are in the same price range as brands such as Tide and are also available at Target.   I use Lavender Cedar laundry detergent.

I love the method detergent because the bottles are light and all you have to do is squirt a few (2-6) pumps into the washing machine and you're done.  You hardly have to use any detergent and your clothes will smell great!  Oh, and the bottles are refillable!

My go-to for dryer sheets is Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day.   While I'm not a big fan of their laundry detergents, I love their dryer sheets!  They smell so good and are both cruelty-free and environmentally friendly.  All Mrs. Meyer's products are also found at Target!  I buy these in - you guessed it - Lavender!

 These are the products that I use, but all of these companies also produce fabric softener, stain remover ect.  All of which are cruelty-free with a  bonus of being environmentally friendly!

 All of these products are also available at Target!  Even I have a Target nearby and I live in the sticks, so these products are definitely accessible to just about everyone.