Lauren Daniels Green Reviews

Green Bee Reviewed: Dapple® Green. Clean. Baby-Safe. Home Care Products

2011-05-28T00:51:00.000-07:00

The results are in and the "Green Bees" have spoken!!

“Dapple is a line of natural-based cleaning products for households with children. Dapple products are baby-safe and baby-specific-using ingredients found in nature that are also proven to tackle unique baby cleaning challenges, from dried milk on bottles to sticky fingerprints on toys.”

Green Bee Cherisse of XOXO Pro Cosmetics writes;

           Thank you for letting me use your products!
           The product that I used was Dapple Baby Laundry Detergent.
           I loved the light fresh scent and it cleaned my sons clothes really well.
           I would definitely get this over using non Eco-friendly products!
           Out of a scale 1-5, I would rate this a 5 because it cleans exceptionally well

and I love the light fresh scent. I would definitely buy this again.

           Thanks,

           Cherisse

____________________________

Green Bee Ania of The Lauren Daniels Co. writes;

I used the Dapple Baby Laundry Detergent to clean my family's clothes. It has a great scent and it is an effective laundry detergent. It is comparable to Proctor & Gamble's Dreft but it does not have the chemicals and perfumes Dreft has. I suggest you review the ingredients that is in Dreft so that you can see the list of chemicals for yourself (Click here). I would purchase this product again and I would give it a score of 4. I would not hesitate to purchase their other products based on the performance of the detergent.

Ingredients / Contains:
Purified water, baking soda from natural ore, cleaners derived from fruits, tree oils and glucose.

          Green Bee Audria writes;

         Which product did you test? I tested the Dapple Toy & Surface Cleaner.

          Did the product work better, the same, or worst than the product that
          you would normally purchase? It worked about the same as the other product I use.

          Was the product effective at performing its task? Yes.

          Did the scent of the product make you cough, sneeze, or choke? No.

          Did the product feel harsh to your skin or the object that you were
          cleaning? No.

          Would you purchase this product again? Yes

          Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other
          products from Caldrea or Dapple? Sure

         How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5? If one is low and 5 is high, I would rate
          it about at 4.

Ingredients / Contains:
Two naturally derived cleaning agents, fruit derived buffer, two natural preservatives, Lavender essential oil, purified water, biodegradable fabric.

More Dapple Product Reviews Coming Soon...

May/June Campaign: Free Full Size Biokleen Products

2011-05-16T21:27:00.000-07:00

Products Just In! Need "Green Bees" to test them. Make sure you get yours today.

Send us an email to info@bylaurendaniels.com with the subject line, "May/June Campaign" and become a friend/follower on Facebook, Twitter, and/or this blog. Find us on Facebook, type "Lauren Daniels Assistant Services". On Twitter, type "LaurenDanielsCo".

What a LYE: Household Bleach and Hair Relaxers

2011-03-31T20:06:00.000-07:00

What does household bleach and hair relaxers have in common? Well, I guess I gave the answer away in the title, but if you still do not know the answer is LYE. Lye is the common name for sodium hydroxide so I will be using them interchangeably. This chemical can be found in most household cleaners, all stripping agents, pool chlorinators, and hair and body cosmetics.

Lye has been used for hundreds of years and in the begin humans made it out of wood ash and water. According to references on Ehow.com, “It is theorized that tribal people could have discovered this solution by washing cooking supplies which were laden with animal fat and cooking ash in water, inadvertently making the first soaps.” But for the sake of “progress”, lye was later made with all man-made materials and no longer all natural.

We all use or have used products containing lye without considering the affects it has on our body and our environment. Bleach is one of the most used products in households and most of us know that bleach is powerful enough to discolor and burn a hole in our clothes. “Household bleach and pool chlorinator solutions are typically stabilized by a significant concentration of lye…as part of the manufacturing reaction. Skin contact will produce caustic irritation or burns due to defatting and saponification of skin oils and destruction of tissue. The slippery feel of bleach on skin is due to this process,” based on references on Wikipedia.

I must tell you that researching the affects of lye was a daunting task because there are very little studies on lye. The studies that I did come across stated that small amounts of lye or sodium hydroxide did not seem to show any affects on humans. But think about it for a moment, there are thousands and thousands of chemicals that we use that the general public is not aware of. Some of the chemicals that we all know are harmful are continuously used on our bodies and in our homes. So I am no longer surprised by the lack of research on chemicals like sodium hydroxide. Why spend the money on research when consumers choose to not research what they purchase or demand that changes are made to the products that we use? You know what people say, ignorance is bliss.

Lye is used in cosmetic products as well. One of those products is hair relaxers. “With a pH of about 12, similar to that of household ammonia or soap, chemical relaxers are among the most caustic cosmetic products on the market”, according to the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit environmental organization. “Along with hair dyes, hair straighteners [hair relaxers] are the source of more complaints to the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Cosmetics and Colors than almost any other product.

I am guilty. I paid people to put hair relaxers in my hair for fifteen years. I remember my scalp being burnt so bad, that I my husband thought I had small rocks in my hair. When I told him that my scalp was burnt from the chemicals that made my hair look flowing and beautiful, he thought I was crazy and urged me to go to the hospital. What can I say, you live and you learn.

Krissah Thompson, a Washington Post staff writer, reported “the emphasis on natural ingredients in hair products is growing. But there are no regulatory standards for labeling a personal-care product "organic" or "natural," a term that is even more ambiguous. “It's a trend that's been under way for a number of years, to be more natural and green and sustainable and all the things that seem to be popular now, and the move is mostly driven by consumer demand, said John Bailey, the chief scientist at the Personal Care Products Council, a trade group. "The cosmetics industry has always been good at responding to what consumers want."”

For the past seven years, Sean Gray, senior analyst for the Environmental Working Group, has been part of the team producing EWG’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. He stated “almost every product the non informed consumer uses—from your morning shower, to every time you wash your hands, to the time you wash your face at night and even in brushing your teeth—you can be exposed again and again. We’re seeing all these phenomena, like earlier puberty in girls and later puberty in boys, increased type 2 diabetes—which could be weight-related or environment-related—even an increase in juvenile type 1 diabetes, more birth defects. These things and others could indeed be related to all the parabens we are literally bathed in on a daily basis. That’s hard because we don’t have the studies yet to prove that they’re as bad as everyone in the environmental [advocacy] world believes them to be. The early data looks pretty bad, and it could be a lot worse.”

I am writing this post while washing clothes without the use of bleach. I stop using bleach so I can decrease the amount of lye I use on my body and my environment. The last time I purchased bleach was three months ago and my whites are not as bright as they were before, so I started to research bleach alternatives. Most often oxygen bleach is recommended. There are several different kinds of oxygen bleach. The author of the blog the Pink and Green – Going Green with Six Daughters does an excellent job at breaking down the differences.

The Lauren Daniels May/June Campaign will feature ecoSTORE USA’s household products, which consist of oxygen bleach named Pure Oxygen Whitener. Like all oxygen bleach, Pure Oxygen Whitener, contains sodium percarbonate. To make sodium percarbonate, you must use treated natural soda ash or mix natural borax with peroxide, which can occur naturally in nature. The author of the blog the Pink and Green – Going Green with Six Daughters also did a great job of listing the advantages and disadvantages of using oxygen bleach as a cleaning, brightening agent:

Advantages Oxygen Bleaches
• Better long term shelf stability than liquid hydrogen peroxide products
• Acts as a disinfectant on both bacteria and viruses likely to be encountered in the home
• Brightens fabrics
• Oxygen bleaches can be mixed or used with other household cleaners
• Non-toxic to animals, plants and humans
• Very environmentally friendly as they break down into natural soda ash and/or borax after the oxygen is released

Disadvantages of Oxygen Bleaches
• Oxygen bleaching products can cost more to use than standard cleaning products
•They take time to dissolve in water
• While very effective, oxygen bleaches can take longer to work
• They are not suited for some finer grades of silk or wool

Now the hair relaxers – STAY AWAY. Hair relaxer with or without lye is bad for your hair and for your health. I stopped paying for someone to put lye in my head. I have let my natural curls shine though with the use of natural products like henna and bentonite clay. So, I have caught on to the lye and my hair, my body, my clothes, and my environment is better for it.

Disclose.tv - Sodium Hydroxide Hair Perm Danger Video

Resources:
(Image) http://www.mysafetysign.com/Safety-Signs/Hazard-Sodium-Hydroxide-Sign/Related-Products-S-0360.aspx
(Image) http://www.sciencephoto.com/images/download_lo_res.html?id=773350148
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_hypochlorite
http://www.ehow.com/facts_7504645_history-lye.html
http://www.ewg.org/news/gray-area-sean-gray-ewg-ingredients
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002487.htm
http://www.inchem.org/documents/pims/chemical/pim495.htm#SubSectionTitle:1.4.2
http://lisarussell.org/Earth/category/cleaning-products/
(Video)http://www.disclose.tv/action/viewvideo/47609/Sodium_Hydroxide_Hair_Perm_Danger/

Eating Healthy is "Green" Too: One Veggie Recipe Equals Spaghetti w/ Meat Sauce

2011-03-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

This recipe is Part 2 of the Eating Healthy is "Green" Too: One Veggie Recipe Equals Four Meat Dishes (Part I) series. This is a recipe for spaghetti with a meat sauce that is full of veggies without anyone even knowing that the veggies are there. :)

1 jar of the Lauren Daniels "No Worries" Veggie Base
1 box of Thin Spaghetti Noodles (cooked, please follow the instructions on the box)
1 package of Publix Green Wise Italian turket sausage (or your favorite sausage or ground beef)
1 jar of Newman's Own Sockarooni Sauce (or your favorite spaghetti sauce)
1 organic Onion (cropped)
1 organic Bell Pepper (cropped)
2 tbs of Olive Oil
Italian Seasoning (optional)
Black pepper (optional)

1. Squeeze the sausage out of the casing into a bowl.

2. Pour 1/2 of the "No Worries" Veggie Base over the sausage.

3. Using your hands, mix the sausage and the "No Worries" Veggie Base together.

Note: You are done mixing when you no longer see the "No Worries" Veggie Base
and it is completely incorporated with the sausage. The objective is to add as much of the "No Worries" Veggie Base into the mixture without the sausage becoming completely watery so you can add more. The meat should basically still have its normal consistency.

4. Put the sausage and "No Worries" Veggie Base mixture aside.

5. Turn the stove on medium heat and put the olive oil in a 12" iron skillet.

6. Once the oil is hot, put the onions and bell pepper in the skillet and sauté.

7. Put the sausage and "No Worries" Veggie Base mixture into the skillet.

Note: The objective is to have crumbles of sausage so you must let the sausage cook for two minute then stir/chop with a fork for a minute. Do this until the sausage is brown and it is done. NOTICE that you can not tell that the veggies are in there!!! No one will ever know. ;)

8. (Optional) Drain the remaining liquid from the sausage.

9. Pour the spaghettil sauce into the skillet with the sausage. Mix well.

10. Let the meat sauce heat up.

You are ready to serve your meat sauce with your cooked spaghetti noodles.

Tell me what you think. I will post pics of this recipe next time I make spaghetti.

Enjoy!

Resources:
(Image) http://www.lunchtruckparts.com/main%20mobile%20food.htm

Eating Healthy is "Green" Too: One Veggie Recipe Equals Four Meat Dishes (Part I)

2011-03-12T00:46:00.000-08:00

You want your family to eat healthier, right? But they only want to eat meat. Well,
let them eat MEAT. They will never know that they are also eating two servings of
vegetables at the same time. Sounds impossible? Well, do they like spaghetti, meat
loaf, hamburgers, or stuffed shells? If the answer is yes, then it is very possible
for them to eat these favorite meat dishes and eat the vegetables that you want them to eat.

Review the recipe below and see how I take the impossible and turn it in to a possible
task:

Lauren Daniels "No Worries" Veggie Base
2 Organic Carrots (chopped)
2 tbs Minced Garlic
1 Organic Tomato (cut in four pieces)
1 Organic Onion   (yellow or white, cut in four pieces)
1 Organic Zucchini (cut in half)
1 Organic Squash   (cut in half)
1/2 Organic Bell Pepper (cut in four pieces)
1/2 Organic Red Bell Pepper    (cut in four pieces)
1/2 Organic Yellow Bell Pepper (cut in four pieces)
1/2 Organic Poblano Pepper (cut in four pieces)
1/2 carton of Organic Baby Portabella Mushrooms (washed)
1 cup of Vegetable Broth

Using a VitaMix Blender, I did the following:

1. Put all of the ingredients in the blender.
2. Blend until smooth.

Note: It should have the consistency of a creamy soup.

The Lauren Daniels "No Worries" Veggie Base is the basis for making a wonderful meat spaghetti sauce, meat loaf, hamburgers, and stuffed shells.

I will post the recipes for all 4 meat dishes in a 4 part series, so stay tuned.

Makes 1 jar of Lauren Daniels "No Worries Veggie Base.

Note: Let's REUSE (as in REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, RENEW) and pour the base in an old spaghetti jar.

Dapple Giveaway: Celebs Got "Dappled" and You Can Too for Free!

2011-03-08T18:17:00.000-08:00

Six times a year, The Lauren Daniels Company has a campaign that analyzes a company that makes "green", natural, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and/or organic products. For the March/April 2011 Campaign, we are going to analyze and test...***drum roll***...Caldrea and Dapple, http://www.caldrea.com and http://www.dapplebaby.com.

Our goal is to test their home care products, but other reviews about their products are welcomed. Send us an email to info@bylaurendaniels.com with the subject line, "March/April Campaign" and become a friend/follower on Facebook, Twitter, and/or this blog. Find us on Facebook, type "Lauren Daniels Assistant Services". On Twitter, type "LaurenDanielsCo". As always, I am taking suggestions for the next campaign.

Strange Fruit: A Reason to Stop using Plastic Bags #4, #5 and #6

2011-03-05T07:54:00.000-08:00

These trees should be called "Bag Ladies" because that are collecting all of our plastic bags.

Listed below is information from an organization called "Earth Resource Foundation", http://www.earthresource.org/; they list why plastic bags are a problem plus a list of solutions:

The problem
Plastic bags are:

Made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource.
A serious litter problem since they are lightweight and hard to contain (blow around).
Non-biodegradable, breaking into smaller particles BUT never fully disappearing.
Mistaken for food by marine animals (particularly sea turtles).
One of the most numerous items of litter along with cigarette butts and Styrofoam.
A major part of waste in our landfills.

"I'm the problem, I'm the solution"

The solution

Bring your own cloth [or burlap (jute)] bag.
Ask for paper bag (holds 5 to 6 times more than a plastic bag).
Ask your merchant to promote cloth bags (charge for plastic or provide incentives for cloth).
Encourage development of bags made from natural products such as cornstarch and soy.
Write your elected officials regarding the hazards of plastic bags.
Participate in a community/beach cleanup.

It's a global thing!

Other countries are ahead of the United States in finding ways to reduce the impact of plastic bags on the environment!

Bangladesh: Polythene plastic bags have been banned completely - the government is promoting bags made of jute, a natural fiber.

Ireland: Individual consumers are required to pay a 15c tax per plastic bag - this has resulted in an estimated 90% reduction in plastic bag use in the first year.

The European Union: Member countries require manufacturers/producers of plastic bags and other plastic waste to take them back and recycle them.

Taiwan and South Africa:Both countries prohibit the thinner plastic bags - this encourages people to bring their own bags since retailers can't afford to provide the more expensive, thicker plastic bags for free.

Resources:
http://www.earthresource.org/campaigns/capp/capp-sea-turtles.html

Green Bee Reviewed: J.R. Watkins Naturals Home Care Products

2011-03-02T21:58:00.000-08:00

The results are in and the "Green Bees" have spoken!!

"Nestled in the Mississippi River Bluff town of Winona, MN., Watkins has been America's pioneer in natural living since 1868. As America's original natural apothecary manufacturer, Watkins uses only the finest natural ingredients in its diverse lines of personal care, home care, remedies, and organic flavorings."

All Purpose Cleaners

Green Bee Jenn writes;

I would like to provide feedback for a product I have been using: J.R. Watkins Lavender Natural All Purpose Cleaner. I typically use your everyday all purpose cleaner but I liked this product better because it does not smell of strong chemicals. It smelled great. The product did a great job cleaning and was not harsh on my countertops and appliances. I would definitely purchase this product again and recommend it.

____________________________

Green Bee Ania of The Lauren Daniels Co. writes;

I use the J.R. Watkins Orange Citrus Natural All Purpose Cleaner in my home as well as clients’ homes. Not only does this cleaner has a great scent; it does not make me cough and I do not have to fan out any fumes before I clean my bathroom. This point is very important to me because my son has breathing problems and the fumes would always get to him. Before my search of finding natural but effective household cleaners, I would have to put him down for his nap, close his door, and open his window before I could begin cleaning the upstairs bathroom. I will be purchasing this product again and after reading the other reviews from the “Green Bees”, I will be purchasing other J.R. Watkins’s products as well.

Ingredients / Contains:
water (aqua), ethanol (corn derived / issu du maïs), decyl glucoside (plant-derived surfactant / agent de surface issu de plantes), cocamidopropyl betaine (plant-derived surfactant / agent de surface issu de plantes), glutamic acid N, N-diacetic acid tetrasodium salt (naturally-derived biodegradable chelate /chélate biodégradable dérivé naturellement), preservative / agent de conservation, fragrance (contains natural oils / contient d'huiles naturelles), citric acid (food-grade / de q ualité alimentaire)

Bathroom Cleaners

Green Bee Karin of Prospect Images writes;

I tested the J.R. Watkins Toilet Bowl Cleanser. I normally use bleach, pour it in the toilet and leave. I was surprised that this product actually cleaned the toilet, the only difference is I had to scrub. :)...Call me lazy...It was definitely effective, I was actually surprised the toilet bowl was white. There were no odors, fumes or any discomfort caused by this product…Never touched the product since it had a perfectly shaped nozzle to squeeze the contents into the toilet bowl without having to come in contact with the product.

Would you purchase this product again? DEFINITELY....PLEASANTLY SHOCKED WITH THIS PRODUCT...ESPECIALLY FOR CLEANING A TOILET...

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other
products from J.R. Watkins? Totally opened to the idea of trying other J.R. Watkin products.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5? I would rate this product a 5 for sure.

Ingredients / Contains:
water (aqua), decyl glucoside (plant-derived surfactant / agent de surface issu de plantes), glutamic acid N, N-diacetic acid tetrasodium salt (naturally-derived biodegradable chelate / chélate biodégradable dérivé naturellement), ethanol (corn derived / issu du maïs), cocamidopropyl betaine (plant-derived surfactant / agent de surface issu de plantes), sodium citrate (natural sequesterant / agent séquestrant naturel), preservative / agent de conservation, fragrance (contains natural oils / contient d'huiles naturelles), citric acid (food-grade / de qualité alimentaire), tea tree oil / huile de melaleuca

____________________________

Green Bee Denaya writes;

I tested the Watkins Tub and Tile Cleaner and the all natural Laundry Detergent. I believe both products worked better than the products I normally purchase. The detergent didn’t have the harsh chemical smell I usually encounter and I was able to use less in each load of clothes, unlike my normal purchase, and still have my clothes smelling fresh and looking clean. The tub and tile cleaner didn’t have the harsh chemical smell as well and I only needed a few sprays to get the tub clean.

Both products were effective at performing its task beyond my expectations. I truly thought that natural products needed harsh chemicals to get the job done, but I was truly mistaken. I used less and still was able to get the same or better effect.

Neither of the products made me cough, sneeze or choke. Usually I’m holding my breath when I use a cleaning product to make sure the smell doesn’t affect me. I didn’t have to worry with these products. I was still able to use it and breathe freely and neither of the products was harsh to my skin and there was no leftover residue in the tub after cleaning.

Would you purchase this product again?

I would definitely purchase these products again. It saved me money because I didn’t have to use a large amount of the products for it to be effective and I didn’t have to worry about any harsh chemicals.

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other products from J.R. Watkins?

I would love to try other Watkins products.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5?

Both are a 5

Ingredients / Contains:
Water, citric acid (natural chelate), coconut alcohol ethoxylate (plant-derived cleaner), cocopolyglycoside (plant-derived cleaner), xanthan gum (natural thickener), lemon fragrance (contains lemon oil), preservative

Dish Soap

Green Bee Lynn writes;

I tested the J.R. Watkins Natural Aloe & Green Tea Liquid Dish Soap. This Dish
soap is really thick and has a beautiful scent. It works as well as the Dish
Washing Liquid I currently use. It seemed very effective at cleaning dishes.
The Aloe & Green Tea scent was very nice but I was slightly disappointed to read
on J.R. Watkins’ website that they do use a small amount of synthetic fragrance
in their Aloe & Green Tea products. I would have preferred it if they had used
a natural fragrance. I didn’t have any adverse reactions to the scent. I use
rubber gloves when washing dishes and did not notice this product being harsh to
my skin. I would definitely recommend this product to others. The total cost
to receive (including shipping) would be a factor in purchasing this product
again. I would be more willing to purchase additional products from J.R.
Watkins based on the performance of this product. I would rate it a 5. It
performed as it was supposed to with a really delightful scent.

____________________________

Green Bee Kat writes;

Which product did you test?

J. R. Watkins Dish Soap/Orange Citrus scent

Did the product work better, the same, or worst than the product that
you would normally purchase?

We currently use Ultra Palmolive dish soap whose slogan is "tough on Grease, softer on hands." I felt that the JRW was effective in cleaning my dishes and cutting through grease. However, the soap suds quickly dispersed which is often an indicator (to me) that the water is dirty especially when adding additional water to the sink doesn't bring the suds back. I often found myself adding more of the JRW soap to get the suds going again. I found the JRW soap a bit harsh on my hands as compared to the Palmolive. I had to use lotion more frequently when washing the dishes with the JRW soap.

Was the product effective at performing its task? Yes

Did the scent of the product make you cough, sneeze, or choke?

The scent was what I liked the most about the product.

Did the product feel harsh to your skin or the object that you were cleaning? My hands were noticeably drier using the JRW soap.

Would you purchase this product again? Probably not the dish soap, but I would try some of the other products.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5? 4

____________________________

Green Bee Jamie writes;

Which product did you test? Lemon Dish Soap

Did the product work better, the same, or worst than the product that
you would normally purchase? It worked worse than my typical dish soap.

Was the product effective at performing its task? It cut the grease ok, but I feel that I had to constantly reapply the soap since the sud washed away easily. Since I used more, I would have to buy the product more often. So I would choose not to buy this product for the economical factor.

Did the scent of the product make you cough, sneeze, or choke? No

Did the product feel harsh to your skin or the object that you were
cleaning? It dried my hands a little.

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other
products from J.R. Watkins? Perhaps...maybe a counter spray next versus a soap product.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5? 3.

Ingredients / Contains:
water, sodium laureth sulfate (plant-derived surfactant), sodium chloride (salt), cocamidopropyl betaine (plant-derived surfactant), glycerine (humectant), fragrance (contains natural oils), citric acid (food grade), preservative

Laundry Detergent

Green Bee Denaya writes;

I tested the Watkins Tub and Tile Cleaner and the All Natural Laundry Detergent. I believe both products worked better than the products I normally purchase. The detergent didn’t have the harsh chemical smell I usually encounter and I was able to use less in each load of clothes, unlike my normal purchase, and still have my clothes smelling fresh and looking clean. The tub and tile cleaner didn’t have the harsh chemical smell as well and I only needed a few sprays to get the tub clean.

Would you purchase this product again?

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other products from J.R. Watkins?

I would love to try other Watkins products.

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5?

Both are a 5

Ingredients / Contains:
Sodium Sulfate (processing aid / additif technologique), Sodium Carbonate (natural water softener / adoucisseur d’eau naturel), Sodium Percarbonate (whitening agent /agent de blanchiment), Sodium Alkyl Aryl Sulfonate (cleaning agent /agent de nettoyage), Primary Linear Alcohol Ethoxylate (cleaning agent / agent de nettoyage)

Window Cleaners

Green Bee Heather writes;

Which product did you test? Glass Cleaner

Did the product work better, the same, or worst than the product that
you would normally purchase? Better

Was the product effective at performing its task? Yes

Did the scent of the product make you cough, sneeze, or choke? Definitely had a strong scent but wasn't unbearable

Did the product feel harsh to your skin or the object that you were
cleaning? No

Would you purchase this product again? Yes

Based on the performance of this product, would you like to try other
products from J.R. Watkins? Yes

How would you rate this product on a scale of 1-5?

5 being the best I would rate it 4

Ingredients / Contains:
Purified Water, Plant-Based Surfactant and Natural Lavender and Rosemary Oil.

March/April Campaign: Free Full Size Caldrea and Dapple Products

2011-02-28T19:55:00.000-08:00

Products Just In! Need "Green Bees" to test them. Make sure you get yours today.

And...

Send us an email to info@bylaurendaniels.com with the subject line, "March/April Campaign" and become a friend/follower on Facebook, Twitter, and/or this blog. Find us on Facebook, type "Lauren Daniels Assistant Services". On Twitter, type "LaurenDanielsCo".

March/April Campaign: Caldrea and Dapple Giveaway

2011-02-26T14:16:00.000-08:00

Would you like free, full size natural products? If so read below.

“Caldrea creates quality, earth-friendly products in our exclusive signature fragrances for cleaning your entire home. We use the finest plant-derived ingredients and essential oils to provide natural freshness and cleaning potency. No harsh chemicals, no harsh fragrances; a simple, stylish and fresh approach to cleaning in a fragrance collection of your own choosing.”

Look at what we are doing to ourselves: Plastic Waste

2011-02-18T22:22:00.000-08:00

Do we love plastic more than we love ourselves?

Resource:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-bassett/breaking-the-plastic-addi_b_781569.html

Van Jones: "Hug a Tree and a Child"

2011-02-15T19:16:00.000-08:00

Anthony Kapel "Van" Jones is an American environmental advocate, civil rights
activist, and attorney. He graduated from University of Tennessee at Martin and Yale
Law School. He was a self proclaimed radical in the 90's but in the past 15 years he
has became an advocate for "Green Jobs".

While on this quest of helping to change minds and hearts about our environment and economy, he wrote a book called "The Green Collar Economy" (my next read). He also was a major advocate for the Green Jobs Act, which George W. Bush signed into law in 2007. The Act was the first piece of federal legislation to codify the term "green jobs." Under the Obama administration, it has resulted in $500 million for green job training nationally.

He is also the founder of Green For All and according to the website, www.greenforall.org, it is a national organization working to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty. He was also the country's first green job czar, Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).

If I could interview Mr.Jones, I am sure that he would say that his proudest title is husband and father to Jana, Mattai, and Cabral. Today, Van Jones continues to advocate for "Green Jobs" for everyone and lectures on on all things "Green".

Check out his lecture on "The economic injustice of plastic". As I do with all important videos, I gave it a different title, "Hug a Tree and a Child". Those are the words from Mr.Jones himself.

Resources:
(Image) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-bassett/breaking-the-plastic-addi_b_781569.html
(Video) http://www.ted.com/talks/lang/eng/van_jones_the_economic_injustice_of_plastic.html
http://www.greenforall.org/
http://gawker.com/#!5352832/who-is-van-jones
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_Jones

Strange Fruit: A Reason to Stop using Plastic Bags #3

2011-02-14T19:37:00.000-08:00

Can you find the plastic bag?

Hint: It is not were it is suppose to be.

Powerhouses

2011-02-08T16:36:00.000-08:00

What is a powerhouse?
powerhouse [ˈpaʊəˌhaʊs]

1. (Engineering / Electrical Engineering) an electrical generating station or plant

2. Informal a forceful or powerful person or thing

We are all powerhouses in this "green" revolution. Let your voices be heard! We want a clean, sustainable energy source! We no longer want toxins/chemicals in our homes or our environment! We want fresh, nourishing food! We must educate our children so they will discover ways to reverse the damage we have caused!

Powerhouses! Let's keep the pressure on ourselves, our neighbors, our community, our employers, and our government!

Resources:

(Image) http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/11/powerhouse-solar-shingle-clever.php

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/powerhouses

Look at what we are doing to ourselves: Tire Waste

2011-02-07T18:09:00.000-08:00

We have to do better than this!!! Do you have any ideas on what can be done about tire waste? We must always think: Recycle, Reuse, Reduce and Educate.

Resource:
http://www.rodale.com/earthship-homes?page=0%2C2

Sports, Sports, Sports and "Green"

2011-02-06T00:44:00.000-08:00

Since we did not get any men to sign up to become a tester for our FREE, full size natural, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and/or organic products in the last campaign, I decided to post something that most of them really care about...SPORTS. Well, sports is going "Green" if you did not know. Super Bowl XLV is today, so I decided to focus on the stadium were the two deserving football franchises are playing.

Dallas Cowboys Stadium teamed up with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make this stadium the first to gain recognition in the EPA’s National Environmental Performance Track Program. This means that the Dallas stadium has to meet every goal of saving energy, water, reducing waste, and reducing their carbon footprint.

Arlington mayor Dr. Robert Cluck was quoted in the website, www.Arlington.org, as saying “A massive building like this ‘going green’ is huge news across the city, the nation and the world. If we can be successful here on this high-profile project, others should be successful, too. I’m more interested in cleaning the air. I want everybody to get the message that we’re environmentally sensitive and we can clean the air and prevent diseases that are occurring because of dirty air. This is a great step in the right direction.”

In the design of the stadium only, they installed a retractable roof that allows nature light to lighten the stadium during the day, so power for lights are not needed. They also installed a permeable pavement that absorbs rainwater and the grass filters the rainwater so there was no need for underground drainage underneath the parking lot.

"Cowboys owner Jerry Jones knew that “going green” to help the environment would cost him some “green” – as in money – in the construction costs. But it was a financial burden he was willing to bear. Now he’s realizing that spending money to “go green” will save him money in the future on energy and water costs.
“We’ve certainly in our design anticipated savings on water,” notes Jones. “We think we’ll save a million gallons there. We’re spending $1.2 billion total here, so a figure of 1% (extra cost) is meaningless, really. If you start early enough in the design with your architect and have that mentality thru construction, you can design towards these kinds of savings. I would think we really minimized our cost because we got on it so early.”"

To learn more about other franchises/stadiums and their "Green" initiatives go here.

Resources:
(Image) http://www.holamun2.com/news/versus/versus-pittsburgh-steelers-vs-green-bay-packers
http://www.arlington.org/sports_recreation/cowboys_football/onsite/goinggreen2
http://www.motherearthnews.com/healthy-people-healthy-planet/green-stadiums.aspx

Did you get your free stack of pancakes? These 10 Americans did. I know I received my share.

2011-02-05T07:10:00.000-08:00

Check out this video!!!

Updated: Kid-Safe Chemicals Act: 10 Americans @ Yahoo! Video

Leave your comments. :)
We will be looking more into this Act.

Resource:
http://www.ewg.org/kid-safe-chemicals-act-blog/kid-safe-chemicals-act-10-americans-video/

Strange Fruit: A Reason to Stop using Plastic Bags #2

2011-02-01T21:09:00.000-08:00

I saw this plastic bag on I-75/85 headed toward downtown Atlanta. Is this your plastic bag?

Eating Healthy is "Green" Too: Butter Beans, Kale, and Cilantro Soup

2011-02-01T20:47:00.000-08:00

Butter Beans, Kale, and Cilantro Soup

I created this recipe after my family got tired of eating a meal of speckled butter beans, kale, corn, and whatever meat I cooked last week. I did not want my wonderful organic vegetables that were delivered from Nature Delivered (http://ga.naturesgardendelivered.com/) to go to waste. Plus I cooked and seasoned them to perfection (my daugther's words not mine). I decided to put my VitaMix Blender to use and made a wonderfully unexpected, healthly, tasteful soup. I hope you enjoy as much as my family did!!!

1 1/2 cup of cooked Organic Speckled Butter Beans (seasoned to your liking)
1 cups of cooked Organic Kale (seasoned to your liking)
1/4 cup of Organic Cilantro
1 cup of Organic Carrots
1 tbs of Agave Nectar
1 cup of Vegetable Broth or Liquid from Kale
1 tbs of Earth Balance butter
1 cup of cooked Rice (I used the Lemon Grass and Coconut 90 minute Rice from Trader Joe's, but any rice would work.)
4 Organic Tomato Slices
Few Cilantro leaves for garnish

Using a VitaMix Blender, I did the following:

1. Put the butter beans, kale, cilantro, carrots, agave nectar, and broth (or kale liquid) in the blender.

Note: Add more liquid for your desired consistency.

2. Blend on High setting for 5 minutes until soup is warm.

3. Add butter

4. Blend for 2 more minutes.

5. Pour soup in the bowl, place 1-2 tbs of rice in the center of the bowl, place a tomato slice on the side, and place a cilantro leaf for a garnish.

Makes 4 cups of soup.

Strange Fruit: A Reason to Stop using Plastic Bags #1

2011-01-26T21:48:00.000-08:00

Last summer, NPR interviewed Kathy Fredrick, a blogger who chronicled the life of a plastic bag that was stuck in a tree outside her office building. She was so fascinated about the stuck plastic bag that she began throwing birthday parties in its honor. She also "interviewed" this plastic bag she named "Windy". Kathy's interview with NPR was fun and memorable, but there was an important message behind "Windy".

Recently, I started noticing that there are hundreds of “Windys" stuck in trees along my commute. Surely, we have all seen these strange fruit hanging from trees. We are the ones that use and discard the bags without any thought as to how it is affecting our environment. So, what are we doing about it?

Companies are now selling reusable bags to help us curtail our use of plastic bags. That is at least a start. Now, we just have to remember to use the bags and leave the plastic bags alone!

In the meantime, I have decided to keep track of all the plastic bags I see and post it to this blog. If you see a "Windy" hanging from a tree, please tell us where it is located and what you think we can do to remove the bags from the trees and off the ground.

Resource:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/06/14/127838433/-windy-a-plastic-bag-caught-in-a-tree-is-kathy-frederick-s-obsession

Growing Green ATL: GE Energy’s Grid IQ Experience Center

2011-01-21T23:31:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, General Electric (GE) showcased the GE Energy’s Grid IQ Experience Center in Atlanta, GA. This VIP event was only open to Georgia government officials, industry executives, academia, and the media, but it will be opened to the public in October 2011. This center will provide consumers, a world-class smart grid education.

Smart grid technology will allow us to save energy, reduce energy costs, and increase reliability. No more power outages? Well, less outages.
By having the center in Atlanta, we will see a boost to the local economy because the center comes with 400 new jobs. Atlanta will also become a major player in achieving green energy for the United States. Click here to learn more about smart grids.

GE Energy’s Grid IQ Experience Center
2018 Powers Ferry Rd., SE
Atlanta, Ga. 30339

Resources:
http://www.gereports.com/new-atlanta-smart-grid-hub-on-pace-for-400-jobs/
http://www.ajc.com/business/ge-opening-tourist-attraction-542894.html

"Green Bees" Selected for the J.R. Watkins January/February Giveaway

2011-01-21T21:07:00.000-08:00

First and foremost, I would like to welcome the two latest "Green Bees": Kat and Myriah!

If you did not send us an email to info@bylaurendaniels.com with the subject line, "January/February Campaign" and became a friend/follower on Facebook, Twitter, or this blog, then you are not to late to become a "Green Bee" for the next campaign.

**Still no men.** Here at The Lauren Daniels Company, we do not bite. We are just looking for individuals that are open to testing and reviewing "green", natural, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and/or organic products that are effective and FREE.

We will love to have you. And we are buzzing with excitement!

Toxic Chemicals in Pregnant Women: Is this a surprise to you?

2011-01-21T19:24:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, a study was released from the University of California, which found that 100% of the 268 pregnant women they tested all had toxins in their blood and urine. The researchers were surprised to find that some of the toxins were banned in the US over 40 years ago. As reported by Fox News, "This highlights the ability of some potentially harmful substances to endure in the environment and the human."

Some of the toxins they found include PCB's. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) do not occur in nature and it is completely man-made. Companies started making PCBs in 1929 and it was banned in the US in 1977 by the Environmental Protection Agency. According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, “PCBs break down very slowly and can be carried long distances in the air, in rivers, lakes and oceans. [They] build up over time in the fat of people and animals... [because they] can build-up in the food chain." This toxin is linked to cancer and other health problems. This is only one toxin but the researchers found 163 other toxic chemicals in their sample of pregnant women.

Fox News reported that the "researchers are still concerned about fetal harm due to the mothers exposure to multiple chemicals and how they might interact. Exposure to chemicals during fetal development may increase the risk of preterm birth and birth defects, childhood morbidity, and adult disease and mortality."

This study was published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, but are we really surprised by what they found. We should not be surprised at all. We cook our food in non-stick pots and pans that use man-made chemicals. We wash our eating utensils with chemicals. We wash our clothes in chemicals. We moisturize our skin with chemicals.

I have come to the conclusion that we are addicted to the chemicals that our parents and our grandparents used. For example, in college I moved into my first apartment, I thought the tub wasn’t clean unless I used Ajax (AJAX® Powder Cleanser), because that is what my mom used. Neither of us knew that Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonate, one of the main ingredients was a health hazard. The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services put this chemical on their hazardous substance fact sheet. This document states that this chemical can irritate the lungs and cause bronchitis. The document also states that Sodium Dodecyl Benzene Sulfonate has NOT been tested “for its ability to cause cancer...or [its] affect [on] reproduction. What also alarmed me was that this document was last modified in 2002.

The government has to do better than this! But we have to do better too. Some of us act as though people who use all natural or organic products are brainwashed and companies are making money off of us while laughing to the bank. Well, I do not know about you but I would rather pay for a product that has ingredients that were NOT man-made and toxic to me or the environment. In a discussion two years ago, a co-worker said that there are things in natural that is poisonous to us and our pets. I say yes, but I know better than to pay for poison. Do you? Look around your home and see how much poison you paid for.

I began writing a list of ways to decrease the amount of chemicals in your life but I decided that the “Walking with the Wise” blogger hit the nail on the head in her list:

1. Eat certified USDA organic certified foods. This will help limit consuming most genetically modified organisms (GMO’s), high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated/partially hydrogenated oils, artificial colors/flavors, pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, irradiation, and synthetic hormones. Also, seek out local farmers who use natural farming methods…or better yet, grow some food yourself!

2. Don’t put anything on your skin that you wouldn’t eat.  This means avoiding most conventional skin care and make-up products in the grocery stores.

3. Use natural laundry soaps ...and avoid conventional name brand varieties. You can also make your own soaps with borax, baking soda and castille soap.

4.  Stop cooking in the microwave (I have not stopped doing this myself.L)and using non-stick cookware. Teflon when heated creates a toxic gas and while convenient adds to the environmental body burden. Use stainless steel, cast iron, glass and stay away from cooking in plastic or using plastic unless it’s BPA (bisphenol A) free. Never cook in plastic as the petroleum byproducts can still leach into the foods.

5.  Avoid prescription drugs or try weaning off with the help of a physician (stopping cold turkey for many drugs can be dangerous). Look for natural replacements or nutraceuticals to begin healing the body by not masking symptoms. Course nothing beats a balanced low-sugar, nutrient dense diet, exercise, sunshine, adequate sleep and low stress for optimal health and prevention of drugs. Read the others here.

Not preaching, just saying.

Resources:

(Image) http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/sexuality_and_health/

http://www.fox21online.com/healthreport/banned-chemicals-found-pregnant-women

http://www.colgate.com/app/Colgate/US/HC/Products/HouseholdCleaners/Ajax/Product-Ingredients.cvsp

http://nj.gov/health/eoh/rtkweb/documents/fs/1698.pdf

http://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/eh/chemfs/fs/PCB.htm

http://homeschoolblogger.com/yahbless/

Welcome "Green Bees"

2011-01-18T19:04:00.000-08:00

Since the launch of the campaign, we have welcomed 7 eager and wonderful individuals to join the "Green Bee" team. I would like to welcome the following: Denaya, Tonie, Patrice, Jennifer, Lynn, Karin, and Audria.

Where are the men? I am not sure, but we are looking for three more individuals that are open to testing and reviewing "green", natural, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and/or organic products that are effective and FREE.

If you or someone you know ready for the assignment, then send us an email to info@bylaurendaniels.com with the subject line, "January/February Campaign" and become a friend/follower on Facebook, Twitter, or this blog. Find us on Facebook, type "Lauren Daniels Assistant Services". On Twitter, type "LaurenDanielsCo". Also let us know how you heard about us.

As always, I am taking suggestions for the next campaign. Right now I am thinking the Baumgartens Conserve Brand. What do you think? What products you have been dying to try?

"Green Bees"

2011-01-15T14:57:00.000-08:00

Sign up to become a "Green Bee". They are Lauren Daniels Green Review's official testers of our free full size "green", natural, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and/or organic products.

We are buzzing with excitement!!!

Send us an email to info@bylaurendaniels.com with the subject line, "January/February Campaign" and become a friend/follower on Facebook, Twitter, or this blog. Find us on Facebook, type "Lauren Daniels Assistant Services". On Twitter, type "LaurenDanielsCo".