Green Galore for St. Patrick’s Day at ConnectedGoods.com

As you may know, all of our handmade goat milk soaps are made with fair trade shea butter … making them a natural fit for the innovative and design-focused on-line store, Connected – Fair Trade Goods & Gifts!  This month Connected featured our Lemongrass goat milk soap as part of their “Green Galore for St. Patrick’s Day” homepage display (above).  We love the chartreuse color scheme and are pining after the hand-woven basket in particular!  We hope you have a fun and festive St. Patty’s day this year.  And perhaps in addition to wearing green accessories today, you might consider lathering up with one of our green-inspired soaps, including the Lemongrass, as well as the Spearmint and Wise Sage.

Green Goat Shares Green Back-to-School Basics with Recycled Paper!

Recycling and using recycled materials is important to us!  So, we package our soaps with 100% recycled paper and we do NOT use any plastic packaging for our soaps. The Green Goat  knows that recycled goods are also important to you in all parts of your life, so he looked at the basic back-to-school shopping list and navigated through “The Ultimate Green Store” to find green alternatives for you, or your kids.

1. Notebook: Environotes Recycled Notebook contains 30% post-consumer recycled materials and Environotes recycles 98% of their scrap materials from notebook production.

2. Pencils: EarthWrite Pencils contain 60% post-consumer waster and the casing is made from recycled newspaper.

3. Ruler: TreeSmart Recycled Newspaper Ruler is made with recycled newspaper and recycled plastic.

4. Binder: The cover of the Universal Eco-Friendly Round Ring Natural Kraft Binder is made from 100% recycled materials and is dye-free.

5. Backpack: The Solar Converter Bag allows you to charge your phone, ipod and camera on the go with the 4 watts of solar power generated from the solar panels.

Since having a green and healthy lifestyle is important to us, we do what we can to incorporate those values into our product line.  In addition to using recycled paper to package our soaps, we use fresh goat milk from our farm and herbs from our herb garden to make our wonderful goat milk soap. Using local ingredients helps to reduce our carbon footprint.  Also,  our goat milk facial cremes are made with 82% organic content and our lip balms are made with 76% organic content. To find out more about our mindful product line click here.

Picture credit: (1)gwsports.com (2)chivasskincare.com

Green Goat’s Kid Asks, “What Does It Mean To Be Green?”

What does it really mean to be green? Rana DiOrio, author and owner of Little Pickle Press, answers this question in her colorful children’s picture book titled What Does It Mean To Be Green?. The adorable illustrations done by Chris Blair paired with a meaningful message about protecting the earth makes this book a must read for kids (and parents).

Check out Little Pickle Press website to learn more about the author, the mission behind the stories, and watch a video about the book.

If you want to learn more about what we do here at Chivas to be green, you can check out “Our Values” page.

… And if you have children of your own, remember that our goat milk soaps are great for children with sensitive, eczema-prone skin.

Photo Credit: Chris Blair

Meet Our New Gang Of Gabbing Goats

We have seven new goats who will be gabbing it up on our blog (AKA cutesy names for our different blog columns)

To get to know them better, we asked each of them, “Which Chivas soap best describes you?”

• Gourmet Goat: She is our in-house chef. She is fascinated with creating and trying new recipes with goat milk – from homemade cheese to raw milk shakes. “The best soap that describes me would have to be Herb Garden goat milk soap. When I am not in the kitchen, I’m in my garden picking fresh herbs for my next recipe.  This soap uses some of my favorite herbs – basil, rosemary & fennel.”

• Gifting Goat: Consider her your personal shopper. She will offer you gift advice for your family and friends for all occasions.  (And you might find a little something for yourself too!) “If you’re giving a gift, your best bet is the Starter Kit which let’s someone new to Chivas try a little of everything – a goat milk soap, facial creme, lip balm and bath salt! ”

• Green Goat: He is focused on making the world a better place. He will update you on green living tips, ways to give back in your community and how to reduce your carbon footprint. “All the soaps are eco-friendly but if I had to pick a favorite, I’d say the Lemongrass goat milk soap. I love the outdoors and the tea tree and citronella essential oils in this soap naturally deter insects to keep me bug- free!”

• Gossip Goat: She loves to talk… and talk… and talk. She will update you on the latest Chivas news from the farm, newest trends and any other goat gossip. “Since I’m always out talking with everyone, I have to look my best. I rely on the Clear Complexion goat milk facial soap to keep my skin blemish free and red carpet ready.”

• Granny Goat: Every family has their matriarch and Granny Goat is ours! She will provide that motherly advice and wisdom we all need in our lives.  “My favorite soap is Orange Spice goat milk soap. It is so rich with the cocoa butter and it smells so wonderful. It always reminds me of Thanksgiving and spending time with my family.”

• GTD Goat: He is obsessed with GTD – “getting things done” – and wants to share everything he’s read up about or tried himself to get more organized, productive and efficient.  “I’m a minimalist so I like that all Chivas soaps are three-in-one; they’re good for body, hands and face.  For example, the Lavender Oatmeal goat milk soap has oatmeal (which is a gentle exfoliant for the face), lavender essential oil (which is a natural anti-septic for the hands) and fair trade shea butter (which keeps your body silky smooth).”

• Guru Goat: She is our natural skin care guru.  She knows everything about natural ingredients, DIY skin care recipes and beauty tips.  “So many people ask me for advice about how to treat their sensitive skin and I always recommend the Fragrance Free goat milk soap because it is the most gentle and nourishing.”

Chivas soap labels printed with non-toxic ink

Chivas Skin Care works with Los Angeles local Shalom Printing to print our goat milk soap labels on 100% recycled paper (FCC certified) using non-toxic ink.   If you are curious to learn the specifications for this ink, read more below.  While it’s not perfect, we think its a step in the right direction.  You can also learn more about our other environmental and social efforts here.

Environmental, Health and Safety Facts About Xerox Dry Ink Toner

• Xerox dry ink toner is non-toxic and does not generate hazardous waste. This is the result of careful selection of materials and control of the raw material ingredients.

• Chemical and dust emissions from Xerox machines are carefully controlled to very low levels that are well below regulatory requirements. Production equipment such as the Xerox iGen3TM Digital Production Press meet the same strict Xerox emissions limits as products designed for general office use.

• Prints made with the Xerox dry ink toners are readily recyclable using standard de-inking processes.

• Unlike some liquid ink technologies used in the industry today, with Xerox dry toners there is no use of petroleum distillates. Petroleum distillates are combustible, produce oil waste that needs to be carefully managed, and potentially contribute to volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions in the work environment.

• While Xerox dry ink toner is non-toxic, Xerox has not applied to the FDA for approval of its products for food applications.

• Sometimes customers wonder how our toners compare to vegetable based inks such as “soy inks”. The use of soy-based inks is desirable in traditional offset printing because, by substituting the soy oil for part of the petroleum oil, volatile organic emissions are reduced. In contrast, the Xerox production presses such as iGen3 use dry toners, not liquid inks. Toners are fine powders composed of plastics, colorants and small quantities of functional additives. Since Xerox toners are safe and non-toxic and because Xerox products are designed to adhere to strict emission standards, emissions of volatile organic compounds during printing should not be a concern (as it might be in offset printing and some digital liquid ink technologies).

• As for empty toner bottles and cartridges, Xerox provides a mechanism for customers to return the bottles for recycling via our Green World Alliance – see www.xerox.com/gwa.

• Xerox has also been recycling waste toner material for many years in two ways:
  • As part of the manufacturing process, toner that doesn’t meet the size specifications is recycled back into the toner making process.
  • Each year, over 1 million lbs of post consumer waste toner is returned to Xerox from selected products, where it is “recycled” back into the manufacturing process and is reused.

• Xerox’s advanced toner and solid inks further reduce the environmental impacts of printing:
  • Emulsion Aggregation toner found in many of our newer products are energy efficient in their manufacturing and during use, reducing the energy investment by 60-70% per page compared to conventional toner. This is achieved because, compared to conventional toner, more prints can be made per pound of EA toner, lower energy is needed to fuse the EA toner to the page and the EA toner manufacturing process is more energy efficient.
  • Solid ink products are cartridge-free and produce up to 90% less waste than comparable laser products.

For more information about Xerox’s environmental programs, visit www.xerox.com/environment
Xerox Environment, Health and Safety Contact 1-800-828-6571 Last revised October 20, 2008

What Does Social Activism have to do with Cosmetics?

As you may or may not know, Lauren is also a co-founder of and writer for http://www.yourdailythread.com/. Her most recent post regarding the dangers of commercial skin care certainly pertains to the issues that Chivas Skin Care “lobbies” around, so we thought it might interest you too!

What Does Social Activism have to do with Cosmetics?
January 21, 2009 Written by Lauren Johanson

As part of this week’s focus on social activism, today’s issue of Wellness & Beauty is about how to help make cosmetics safer. If you don’t know much about the dangers of commercial cosmetics, this might sound like a strange call to action. So here’s a quick review of common personal care ingredients that are known, or suspected to be, toxic:

• Mercury (often listed as “thimerosal”): possible human carcinogen and reproductive toxin. Found in some eye drops, ointments & mascaras.
• Placenta: Produces progesterone, estrogen and other hormones that can interfere with the body’s normal hormone functions and can lead to health problems like breast cancer. Found in some hair relaxers, moisturizers and toners.
• Lead Acetate: Known human reproductive and developmental toxin. Found in some hair dyes and cleansers.
• Petrochemicals (petrolatum, mineral oil and paraffin): May contain human carcinogens, as well as 1,4-Dioxane (which is not listed on ingredient labels). Found in some hair relaxers, anti-aging creams, foundation, lipsticks and more.
• Phthalates (such as dibutyl and diethylhexyl): Probable developmental toxins and endocrine disruptors. Found in some nail polishes, hair sprays and fragrances (which are then used in most other products like soaps, shampoos, etc.).

And here’s the logic for why you should care:

• The Government should be protecting us, but they’re not. The loopholes in federal law prevent the FDA from governing cosmetic safety. For example, the EU has banned 1,100 chemicals in cosmetics; the US has banned just 10.
• The beauty industry certainly isn’t. The $50-billion cosmetic industry lobbies AGAINST laws that would regulate chemical content.
• Therefore, we have to be informed and protect ourselves.
  
  (Information from “Unmasked: 10 Ugly Truths Behind the Myth of Cosmetics Safety”. You can download full brochure here.)

If this issue compels you to act, here are the ways that you can get involved:

• Get Educated: Sign up for the latest news on cosmetic safety via www.safecosmetics.org/join. And read “Want to learn more?” below.
• Get Shopping: The easiest thing to do is download the pocket size “Shopper’s Guide to Safe Cosmetics” and stick it in your wallet. Or you can browse the full Cosmetic Database here.
• Get Active: Tell your cosmetic companies that you want safer products. Each month The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics posts a new “Action Alert” where you can easily send a message to companies or agencies. This month “Ask Bath and Body Works to offer non-toxic kids body wash“
• Get Vocal: Talk to your friends about this issue. Download talking points here.
• Get Creative: Have fun making your own natural cosmetics. Click here to view DIY recipes. Or sign-up for one of my DIY skin care workshops right here in LA. If you’re interested, email me: Lauren@yourdailythread.com

Want to learn more? The easiest way to learn more is to visit http://www.safecosmetics.org/. You can also get a more in-depth analysis by reading “Not Just a Pretty Face: The Ugly Side of the Beauty Industry” by Stacy Malkan, the co-founder of The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. I am actually reading a signed copy of the book this month and will be bringing you a “book report” soon.

How did I get a signed copy of “Not Just a Pretty Face”? I was lucky to meet the author, Stacy Malkan, at last year’s “Beauty and Sustainability” event hosted by Opportunity Green at Lululemon in Beverly Hills. Stacy was a speaker on the panel discussion hosted by Rachelle Carson (actress & wife of “Green Guru” Ed Begley Jr.) and joined by Renata Helfman (owner of Vert, eco-friendly beauty boutique in Venice). The panel was preceded by complementary mini-facials from Jurlique, eyebrow shaping from Jenny Wax, mini-manicures, organic hors d’oeuvres, fine wines, gift bags and more. This event is just one example of the many events that go on all the time in L.A. They are generally open to the public and are a great way to meet people and learn more about sustainability. I believe that activism requires knowledge of the issue, passion for change, and the willingness to get involved. So, go on and get out there. You can learn about a slue of upcoming events at the ydt Events Calendar.