Norwex Movement

On the Mission: Amy speaks with Brad Parks, Conservation Education Director, Washed Ashore

Amy Cadora — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 11:00:39 +0000

Norwex Learning Network · On the Mission, Episode 17: Brad Parks and Washed Ashore

Today Norwex® Chief Brand and Mission Officer Amy Cadora talks with Washed Ashore Conservation Education Director Brad Parks.

Washed Ashore is a nonprofit studio that has been making art to raise awareness about plastic pollution in our oceans. Since 2010, Washed Ashore has collected about 35 tons of garbage from Oregon beaches to create 86 eye-opening sculptures (and counting)!

Learn about the fascinating history of Washed Ashore and how a journey that started with founder Angela Haseltine Pozzi is now making a difference worldwide.

Brad shares the story of Washed Ashore’s art-centered mission and gives some tips on how we can take action to protect our waterways and oceans from plastic pollution.

Learn where you can see exhibits of these charismatic sea creatures and how Washed Ashore may be coming to a community near you.

Did you know?

Our first collaboration with Washed Ashore, Nora the Leaping Salmon, has now been viewed by more than 4 million people in North America.
Our latest collaboration, a 7-foot-tall male pot-bellied Seahorse, will be revealed at our National Conference 2022 in Grapevine, Texas.
Male seahorses carry the babies of the species, delivering 300–700 little seahorses after about a month of pregnancy.

Want to learn more?

Follow Washed Ashore on social media and discover how you can spread the word about reducing plastic in your circle of influence. Challenge yourself to reduce plastic in new ways!

Please share this podcast with anyone you know who’s interested in reducing plastic. Remind them that they too can make a difference!

On the Mission: Amy speaks with Dr. John Ryan, Chief Strategy Officer & Director, Allergy Standards

Amy Cadora — Tue, 21 Jun 2022 11:00:11 +0000

Norwex Learning Network · On the Mission, Episode 16: John Ryan

Welcome to the latest On the Mission podcast. Today we hear from Dr. John Ryan, Chief Strategy Officer & Director of Allergy Standards Limited. Dr. Ryan is a highly experienced sustainability professional, Vice Chair of the Respiratory Wellness Initiative with the Global Wellness Institute and a member of the American Cleaning Institute Future Leaders External Stakeholders Panel.

Listen in as Dr. Ryan provides valuable insights about respiratory allergies, including:

• Common causes and triggers.
• How to reduce allergens in your home.
• Valuable resources for dealing with allergies, like those at www.allergystandards.com, www.aafa.org and others.

Want to Learn More?

Check out our blog How to Fight Allergies the Natural Way for easy tips to get relief.

Please share this podcast with anyone you know who might be dealing with seasonal allergies. With every share, you’re making a difference!

On the Mission: Amy speaks with Paul Kuhar, Champion Waste and Recycling

Amy Cadora — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 11:00:05 +0000

Norwex Learning Network · On the Mission, Episode 15: Paul Kuhar

It’s my pleasure and privilege to share our enlightening podcast with recycling advocate Paul Kuhar, Vice President of Champion Waste and Recycling Services. His small family company has become an industry innovator in North Texas, changing the landscape of how waste and recyclable materials are serviced and processed. Paul gives insights about what can and can’t be recycled as well as best practices depending on programs available in your area.

Among Paul’s recommendations: Be proactive. “Find out where your stuff is going, see if you can get a tour, understand the process. Knowledge is power,” he told us. “I think seeing how recycling is done and the true impact of your efforts is a pivotal thing for a lot of people.”

Paul also talks about his relationship with Norwex® as well as new technology and the future of recycling.

Want to Learn More?

Check out our blog 7 Earth Day Ideas You Can Do Now and Practice Year-Round for easy-to-implement ways to live more sustainably 365 days a year.

Please share these podcasts with anyone you know who wants to know more about recycling. With every share, you’re making a difference!

7 Earth Day Ideas You Can Do Now and Practice Year-Round

Amy Cadora — Tue, 12 Apr 2022 11:00:28 +0000

More than a billion people in 190 countries will be celebrating Earth Day on April 22, making it the largest secular observation in the world. Now in its 52^nd year, the annual event is more than just a reminder to live more sustainably. It’s a call to action, motivating us to be mindful of our impact on the environment. For 2022, the theme is “Invest In Our Planet”—a virtuous, yet very doable goal when you break it down into smaller, achievable tasks.

At Norwex®, our global Mission is to improve quality of life by radically reducing chemicals in our homes. From reducing plastic, single-use disposables and harmful toxins to using recycled microfiber yarn in many of our products, our commitment to keeping both our families and our world safer remains front and center.

There are many things we can do to make every day Earth Day.

Start with the tried and true. For example, recycle, drive less, forego bottled water and avoid single-use disposables. You can check out other articles in my blog, plus follow me on social media for even more tips and ideas. But read on for seven lesser-known ways to help you live more sustainably—including some that might surprise you.

1. Rethink your eating habits.

Did you know that making a single quarter-pound hamburger requires over 460 gallons of water? (That’s the equivalent of 27 showers!) Beef production also requires 160 times more land and produces 11 times more greenhouse gases than staple plant-based foods such as potatoes, wheat and rice.

Even small swaps can have a big impact. If every person in the United States gave up meat and dairy products on one or more days a week, we would save the environment thousands of tons of CO₂ emissions. Also patronize local farmers markets. Because food has to travel a shorter distance to get to you, it’s one more way to reduce your carbon footprint.

We also hear a lot about eating organic. While the benefits could fill a blog of its own, suffice it to say it’s healthier for you and the planet thanks to farming methods free from synthetic pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers and GMOs.

And to eat more sustainably wherever you are, check out the website Eat Well, featuring more than 25,000 hand-picked restaurants, farms, markets and other sources of local food.

Finally, no matter where you’re shopping, always BYOB (bring your own bag!). Numbers best tell the story. Every year, people living in the U.S. use 100 billion plastic bags of all shapes and sizes (Canadians use up to 15 billion). There’s more: It takes 500+ years for a plastic bag to degrade in a landfill.

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2. Order responsibly.

Whenever possible, say no to: plastic straws (in the U.S. alone, 500 million are used every day), Styrofoam® and other disposable plastic containers. Also forego plastic cutlery. In addition to being one of the most deadly items for birds, seas turtles and mammals who mistake it for food, the shape and size make it difficult or even impossible to recycle.

You get extra points for walking to pick up your order. And be sure to rinse paper takeout containers and remove the bottoms from greasy pizza boxes before tossing them in the recycling bin.

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3. Cut down on food waste.

USDA estimates show a whopping 30% to 40% of our food supply ends up as waste. And consider this eye-opening stat: just 25% of the food thrown away worldwide could feed all 795 million undernourished people in the world. The problem is so widespread that there’s actually a Stop Food Waste Day (April 27) geared to igniting change.

Check out the Stop Food Waste website for a wealth of creative ideas, including global recipe challenge winners. And to help prevent overbuying for a dinner party, the Guest-Imator is an ingenious calculator that estimates how much food you’ll need to keep guests “full and happy.”

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Silicone Food Storage Containers

4. Be aware of plastic in toothpaste and other personal care products.

You read that right. Many conventional brands contain microplastic ingredients, dangerous to both your health and the environment. Hardly visible to the naked eye, they flow straight from the bathroom drain into the sewer system where they’re almost impossible to remove.

Rest assured, Norwex follows the strictest standards for safety and product integrity. More than 2,700 substances are banned from our development process to ensure no harmful substances go on (or in) your body.

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5. Up your energy efficiency.

Use LED bulbs instead of incandescents. They typically use about 75% less energy and last up to 35 times longer. Also consider switching to renewable energy. With more companies offering cleaner, planet-friendly alternatives, 2022 is expected to be a record year for making the switchover from fossil fuels, according to Forbes.

6. Do a clean sweep of your cleaning supplies.

Just by using our EnviroCloth®—which removes up to 99% of bacteria from surfaces using water alone when following proper care and use instructions—you can eliminate 53 chemicals that may be in your home.* At the same time, reusable Norwex Microfiber replaces wasteful (and pricey!) single-use disposables such as paper towels, floor pads and wipes.

But why stop there? Norwex plant-, mineral- and enzyme-powered cleaners provide superlative results without any of the toxic ingredients found in many conventional brands.

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7. Remember: Quality and sustainability go hand-in-hand.

When you make a purchase, think carefully about quality and longevity, both short- and long-term. Norwex Microfiber, for example, comes with our two-year warranty.

The bottom line: The longer stuff lasts, the less likely it will end up in a landfill. We’re talking furniture, clothing, even towels and bed linens.

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For updates on our Earth Day activities, follow me on social. Together, we can make a difference by incorporating simple changes into our daily routines—not just on one day, but on the other 364 days, too. What tips do you have for living a more sustainable lifestyle? Please share them in the comments below.

*Based on a comparison of Norwex Microfiber products in 18 retail brand cleaning products, 2020.

Sources:

The Norwex® 360 Product Safety Review: Ensuring the most effective cleaning and personal care products to keep your family safer.

Amy Cadora — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 11:00:00 +0000

At Norwex, our Mission for nearly three decades has been improving quality of life by radically reducing chemicals in our homes.

We accomplish this through our three-pronged product approach, including:

Our amazing microfiber (all you need is water, never any harmful “cleaning” chemicals).
Our second-to-none household products (plant- and enzyme-based, of course).
Our nourishing, hydrating personal care products (after all, shouldn’t what you put on your body be as good for you as what you put in it?).

But with all the different ingredients available for household and personal care products, how do our product team experts narrow them down to create the most optimal formulations? It’s a fascinating process and one we take very seriously.

Ingredient Selection

In addition to using existing, proven ingredients known to be safe and effective, we also search the globe for the most innovative, breakthrough discoveries in natural, plant-based ingredients. This continuing research helps ensure that we deliver only the cleanest, safest and most effective products available.

Product Development

Once ingredients are narrowed down, our incredibly strict product-development standards dictate that each one be put through what we call our Norwex 360 Product Safety Review, a robust ingredient and formula analysis pioneered and led by our own in-house Norwex Product Safety and Regulatory Team, of which each member is trained in toxicology.

To be included in a Norwex product formulation, each and every ingredient must first pass a series of complex and exacting steps and tests. Called the Norwex Ingredient Safety Funnel, this process ensures that while many ingredients may be considered, only the very safest and most effective will actually become a part of the final formula.

The Norwex Ingredient Safety Funnel

Effective Only the most effective ingredients in class and innovation are considered for our products.
Health & Environment Safe Starting with our No-No list, as well as an estimated 2,700 substances that Norwex bans, we conduct a further safety assessment of each potential ingredient, taking into consideration the hazard profile and toxicological end points data available.
Global Compliance We conduct a review against all global regulatory lists available, including those from the U.S. EPA and FDA, Health Canada, Australia/New Zealand, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the EU.
Quality Ingredients that make it through these reviews are further tested in finished product formulations for such attributes as clinical efficacy, irritation and allergy potential, and impurity testing as applicable, along with shelf-life and other quality testing.
Approved Finally, the elite few—the best of the best—earn their place in our trusted Norwex products.

Watch this Ask Amy video to learn more about how seriously we here at Norwex take our commitment to delivering products that are both incredibly safe as well as incredibly effective—and to help radically reduce the use of chemicals throughout all of our homes and on our bodies. After all, only the best ingredients are good enough for our own families, and only the best are good enough for yours.

At Norwex, product efficacy and safety go hand in hand. As our Founder, Bjørn Nicolaisen, has always said, “There is no compromise between success and doing it right.” We never stop evaluating, researching and innovating to bring you products you can trust. Have you tried Norwex? We’d love to hear your thoughts!

EDCs: The Health Risks and What You Can Do to Avoid Them

Amy Cadora — Tue, 22 Feb 2022 12:00:32 +0000

At January’s Norwex® Leadership Conference, I spoke about the risks chemicals pose to our health and the environment. Last week, in the first of a series highlighting this presentation, we showcased the widespread hazards of DDT and PFAS. In part two, we turn our focus to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, known to affect the human hormone system.

Our company commitment to “Cleaning without Chemicals” dates back to 1994, when Founder Bjørn Nicolaisen discovered a miraculous cloth that could clean safely using only microfiber and water. The rest is Norwex history, as our Mission evolved to its current rendition: Improving quality of life by radically reducing chemicals in our homes.

In part one of this series, I referenced “Body Burden”—the total amount of harmful chemicals found in our bodies. The hazards are real. Throughout our lifetime, an estimated 1,400 carcinogens can build up in our tissues, organs, blood and urine.

What are EDCs—and why should we be concerned?

The hormone system is responsible for sending vital information throughout our body and regulating most bodily functions. But both natural and man-made endocrine-disrupting chemicals have been linked with developmental, reproductive, brain, immune and other problems, according to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.

Common EDCs include:

Bisphenol A (BPA) and Bisphenol S (BPS) — found in many plastic products and food and beverage can linings.
Dioxins — a byproduct of some manufacturing processes, including herbicide production and paper bleaching.
Perchlorate — found in drinking water and fireworks.
Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) — used in industrial applications, including non-stick pans, paper and textile coatings.
Phthalates — added to fragrances to make them last longer; also used to make plastics more pliable (including some food packaging, cosmetics, toys, and medical devices).
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) — used to make flame retardants for household products.
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) — used to make electrical equipment like transformers.
Triclosan — sometimes found in antimicrobial and personal care products.

What we know: Contact of EDCs is thought to occur through diet, air, skin and water—in other words, what we eat, drink, breathe and touch. Yet of the nearly 85,000 man-made chemicals in the world, we still know very little about their impact on human health. And consider this eye-opening number: Close to 800 chemicals are known or suspected to be capable of interfering with hormone receptors, hormone synthesis or hormone conversion.

“Chemicals in our environment and unhealthy lifestyle practices in our modern world are disrupting our hormonal balance, causing various degrees of reproductive havoc,” according to Dr. Shanna Swan, a leading environmental and reproductive epidemiologist and professor of environmental science and public health at New York City’s Icahn School of Medicine.

Research showed that between 1964 and 2018, the global fertility rate fell from 5.06 births per woman to 2.4—at least part of the blame falling on chemicals found in plastics, cosmetics and pesticides. Another study found a major difference in sperm count between rural and urban areas, thought to be associated with alachlor, a popular weed killer used in the Midwest.

What Norwex is doing: True to our Mission, you won’t find harmful, hormone-disrupting chemicals in any of our products. Instead, we use plant-based ingredients and enzymes proven to be as safe as they are effective. There’s more:

The physical power of our exclusive microfiber provides an immaculate clean using water alone. And when you see the OKEO-TEX® label, you can be sure that every component—from yarn and dyes to trim and label—has been STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® certified free from harmful substances, often beyond national and international requirements.
Norwex offers solutions for even the toughest cleaning challenges, all without chemicals that jeopardize you and your family (including Mother Earth).
Many of our formulations have earned USDA’s Biobased Product Certification, a prestigious label given only to products containing a verified percentage of renewable biological ingredients.

What we all can do:

Be conscious of what’s in your cleaning products—and what’s not. Eliminating harmful chemicals from under our sinks is a starting point. Same goes for using safer, eco-friendly skin, hair and body care products.
Reduce the use of plastics. An easy swap: Replace plastic wrap and containers with our BPA-free Silicone Food Storage Containers. Also, when possible, cut back on single-use plastic water bottles.
Opt for fragrance-free or naturally scented products. A blend of essential oils, for example, gives our Lysere Nourishing Hair Care Collection its fresh-smelling scent.
Say “no can do” to canned foods. Linings are known to contain BPA, used by manufacturers to prevent corrosion.
Eat organic whenever possible. Certain pesticides have been directly linked to hormone disruption. Also consider how you prepare food. Some non-stick pots and pans also contain EDCs.
Consider filtered water for drinking or cooking. Check out the quality of water in your area through a reliable data base like EWG.
Be mindful of what products your kids use and play with. Many lotions and cosmetics geared toward children contain EDCs—not to mention skin irritants and other chemicals linked to cancer and asthma. As for toys, avoid those that contain BPA, a hormone disruptor used to make hard, clear plastics, and PVC, which contains phthalates and other hazardous toxins.

Making your home a Safe Haven creates a place where your body can rebuild, restore and rebound. Join us in our Mission to live healthier lives, now and in the future. In the comments below, let us know what you’re doing to help keep you and your family safe from exposure to harmful chemicals.

Resources:

Chemicals and Your Health: What You Don’t Know Can Hurt You

Amy Cadora — Tue, 15 Feb 2022 12:00:50 +0000

Every day, knowingly or not, we’re exposed to harmful chemicals. At last month’s Norwex® Leadership Conference, I again spoke about these chemicals’ risk to our health and our planet and provided some of the latest research. Now I’d like to share some of that information with you. Below is the first of a two-part series featuring highlights from my presentation.

A truly powerful mission statement should achieve three goals: define a company’s purpose, articulate its strategic goals and motivate its workforce. For 28 years, our Norwex message has never wavered. Every effort, every innovation, shares a common goal: to keep our families and our environment safer.

Our Global Mission—to improve quality of life by radically reducing chemicals in our homes—has far-reaching ramifications, both today and for future generations.

Yet almost weekly, we see research indicating that many of the chemicals created to “improve” or “simplify” our lives can actually jeopardize our health and longevity. In fact, many of the labels on conventional household products completely ignore the potentially dangerous substances inside them. Should we be concerned? Unfortunately, the answer is yes.

As we’ve discussed before, “Body Burden” is a term used to describe the total amount, or burden, of harmful chemicals present in the body. Whether we inhale them, swallow them or absorb them through the skin, it’s like a chemical soup made from ingredients we breathe, eat and touch. Plus, there’s no clean slate. Even before birth, up to 232 chemicals can be found in infant cord blood.

It only increases from there. Throughout our lives, more than 1,400 chemicals and chemical groups can invade our bodies. The most unsettling part? They’re substances we’re exposed to on a daily basis.

The good news is any opportunity to reduce our exposure to harmful chemicals of any kind can have real health benefits. Read on for a closer look at some of the most critical challenges.

Challenge #1: Combinations of chemicals can have a detrimental effect on our health.

As important as it is to understand the impact individual chemicals have on our bodies, we must also be aware of what happens when these substances interact with one another.

The Halifax Project, a group of more than 300 cancer researchers from 31 countries, conducted research focusing on the possibility that complex mixtures of commonly encountered chemicals might be contributing to high incidences of cancer. Results showed that, while low-level exposure to the chemicals by themselves may not cause cancer, certain combinations of them could, highlighting again why it’s important to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals as much as possible.

Challenge #2: DDT

What it is: A chemical compound originally developed as an insecticide in the 1940s. In 1972, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a ban on DDT based on its adverse environmental effects and potential human health risks.

Much of the credit for the ban goes to marine scientist Rachel Carson. Her book, The Silent Spring, published in 1962, directly linked the declining songbird population to DDT found in insecticides and pesticides. While controversial at the time, Carson’s Congressional testimony actually triggered the creation of the EPA.

What we know: Because of its persistence in the environment, there is still concern over DDT’s long-term effects. Along with accumulating in fatty tissues, it has the ability to travel long distances in the upper atmosphere.

Why DDT continues to be a concern: New research shows DDT-related health problems have persisted across at least three generations, affecting even the granddaughters of women exposed to the chemical in the 1960s. And as recently as last year, the Los Angeles Times reported that decades ago DDT manufacturers sunk leaking barrels into the ocean off the California coast, contaminating fish and other sea life.

There’s more. DDT is still used in some malaria-ravaged countries. Plus, 50 years after being banned in the U.S., there are still toxic levels of DDT in the environment, including some Canadian lakes.

Challenge #3: PFAS

What they are: A group of “forever” chemicals used to make stain-resistant fabrics and carpets, water-repellant clothing, nonstick cookware and hundreds of other common products including artificial turf. They’re called “forever chemicals” because they don’t easily or quickly break down in the environment or in our bodies.

What we know: Compounds can seep into water from both factories and landfills. And because of their widespread use and persistence, PFAS are found in not only our water (probably the most significant source for the largest number of us), but also our food products, air and soil.

Why PFAS continue to be a concern: Researchers have found a probable link between low-level exposure to certain types of PFAS and health problems including cancer, hormone disruption, liver damage, developmental harm and immune system toxicity. Studies also show that climate change is potentially impacting the toxicity of existing chemical pollutants. For example, as temperatures and glacial melt increase, the forever chemicals that were previously locked within the glacier are once again being released into the water.

Fortunately, informed actions are helping to clean up some of our planet’s chemical burden, especially when it comes to our drinking water.

In October 2021, the EPA released a strategic roadmap to accelerate efforts to establish national drinking water standards for the two most notorious types of PFAS—PFOA and PFOS—by 2023. Time is of the essence. Environmental Working Group research uncovered 22 cancer-linked contaminants in tap water that could result in more than 100,000 cancer cases annually in the U.S. alone.
In March 2019, Health Canada set a new guideline for the maximum acceptable concentration of lead in drinking water, at half the previous amount.
Trichloroethylene—a chemical compound linked to a variety of cancers, fetal heart defects and Parkinson’s—is banned in Europe and has not been manufactured in Canada since 2003. Yet there’s work to be done. TCE, also known as “PERC,” is still present in about 30% of U.S. groundwater along with being used in industrial degreasing, dry cleaning and even such household products as cleaning wipes, lubricants and stain removers.

We must also take personal action—you can make a big difference with just a few changes.

Water purification systems can remove a variety of impurities. Consumers can check a robust database of water quality measurements and source rankings for more information about what’s coming out of their taps and take action to make their water healthier.
Our own Norwex Water Filtration System helps reduce a variety of impurities in cooking and drinking water, including chlorine, copper, cadmium, mercury and lead as well as sediments, heavy metals, pesticides and herbicides. It also helps reduce the estimated 9 million tons of discarded plastic that flows into the world’s oceans every year.
Consider replacing any nonstick cookware that may contain PFAS and try to choose products and services (like dry cleaners) who refuse to use trichloroethylene.

In part two next week, we’ll look at some more chemicals that pose potential health risks plus more practical, easy-to-implement ways each of us can reduce these chemicals in our homes.

Our mission remains more relevant and important than ever. In the words of naturalist Jane Goodall: “What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” In the comments below, let us know what you’re doing to help reduce harmful chemicals in your home.

Resources:

A Go-To Guide for Planning and Planting a Home Garden

Amy Cadora — Tue, 08 Feb 2022 12:00:12 +0000

Home gardening is blossoming—literally. Look no further than results of a 2022 Gardening Insights Survey: 62% of respondents say they will be planting more in the coming year—for good reason. Spending time in the garden offers a multitude of benefits, from fostering feelings of well-being to creating a more beautiful outdoor space.

“There are certain very stabilizing forces in gardening that can ground us when we are feeling shaky, uncertain and terrified,” Joel Flagler, a professor of plant biology at Rutgers University, told Agweek Magazine. “It’s these predictable outcomes and predictable rhythms of the garden that are very comforting right now.”

For me, gardening provides an opportunity to grow fresh, healthy food in my own backyard. Organic produce not only tastes better, but it’s grown without harmful pesticides, herbicides or fertilizers. Better for you and the environment, too—paradigms of a Norwex® lifestyle.

There are also health benefits, physically and spiritually. Gardening is great exercise, which helps reduces stress, improve sleep and manage weight, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. And for many people, tending a garden is calming, uplifting, even therapeutic.

Need even more convincing? Growing some of your own fruits and vegetables not only saves money at the grocery store, but you’ll make fewer trips getting there. (Win, win.) Even just a few plants can be super affordable and provide several pounds of delicious produce over the course of a season.

Now that we’ve established the why, let’s look at the how. Starting a garden doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, just the opposite. The key is breaking it down into manageable steps.

If you’re new to gardening, begin with a smaller space. It will give you a chance to learn the basics, plus see how much time you want to commit to planting, watering and weeding.

Decide what you want to plant. Some people study magazines and catalogs for months, while others simply buy what wows them. Either way, it’s important to know what varieties will grow in your specific locale.

Choose vegetables and fruits you and your family enjoy—or are at least willing to try. Check seed packets and plant tags for characteristics—recommended growing conditions, heat- and cold-tolerance, yield and resistance to disease.

There are two main groups of plants: cool-season and warm-season.

Cool-season veggies grow best when the soil temperatures range been 40°F/4°C and 75°F/23°C.

40°F/4°C: Leafy greens (arugula, kale, lettuce and spinach), peas, radishes and parsnips.
50°F/10°C: Chinese cabbage, leeks, onions, Swiss chard and turnips.
60°F/15°C: Beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots and cauliflower.

Warm-season vegetables—tomatoes, peppers, corn and okra—are less hardy. Wait to plant at least two weeks after the average last frost date. Produce known to flourish in hot-weather climes includes artichokes, beans, cucumber, eggplant, melons, okra, peanuts, peppers, squash and sweet potatoes.

Prefer flowers? Choose between annuals that bloom most of the summer (but need to be replanted each spring) and perennials (which have a shorter bloom time but return year after year). Some easy-to-grow varieties include:

Annuals: Calendula, cosmos, geraniums, impatiens, marigolds, sunflowers and zinnias.
Perennials: Black-eyed Susans, daylilies, pansies, purple coneflowers and Russian sage.

As a rule of thumb—green, we hope—look for seedlings and plants raised without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Your local farmers’ market is a great place to discover native varieties.

Knowing your Hardiness Zone is another valuable resource. Based on an area’s lowest average temperature, zones identify plants that will grow under specific conditions. In the United States, a number of information-packed websites provide further guidance. The Government of Canada offers similar plant hardiness maps based on USDA’s extreme-minimum-temperature approach.

When choosing a spot for your garden, there are two basic requirements: light and water.

All vegetation needs light to kick-start photosynthesis. You’ll want to select plants that can thrive in the amount of direct sun they’ll receive each per day—from full (six to eight hours) to partial or none.

Be sure to water frequently during the first few weeks. After plants are established, a thorough drenching several times a week will allow water to soak into the roots. If you’re not sure, feel the soil a few inches below the surface—if it feels dry, it’s time to water. Mornings are recommended to minimize evaporation.

Regular maintenance is important to help plants reach their full potential.

Weeds are inevitable—but that doesn’t mean you can’t safely control them. A layer of mulch applied early in the season is a far better choice than chemical herbicides which can harm soil—not to mention humans and animals.

Similarly, no garden is free of pests. But you can minimize their damage—and protect the environment—by controlling them organically. Safe deterrents include Bacillus thuringiensis (a naturally occurring bacteria), horticultural oils, insecticidal soaps, garlic and hot pepper sprays. Protective nets and row covers are also effective.

Still, not all bugs and critters are detrimental to gardens. Frogs, toads, lizards and beneficial insects are natural predators. And bees, birds and butterflies do more than add beauty—they also transfer pollen that generates the production of seeds and fruits.

Short on space? No problem.

Think height instead. Plant climbing vines on a fence, ivy over doorways or a trellis on the side of your home.
Plant blooms, greens, even fresh herbs in outdoor window boxes.
Attach a wall-mounted garden to porches or fences.

You may also want to look into community gardens—plots of land and green spaces, generally in urban areas, where people gather to grow fresh fruits and vegetables. Their popularity is soaring, thanks to rising foods costs and a greater appreciation for sustainable living and organic produce. The USDA website is a go-to for more information.

Yet another alternative is volunteering, a perfect match for many gardening enthusiasts. Many communities have special programs run by the Parks Department or local community colleges.

Enjoy the fruits of your labor. Experiment with delicious new recipes that feature freshly grown produce.

Wash first using our Fresh Produce Wash. In addition to removing any pesticides, fertilizer, dirt or microbes, it helps extend the life of your fruits and vegetables.
Our Veggie and Fruit Scrub Cloth has a rough side for scrubbing away wax and debris and a smooth side for polishing.
Store a full load of fresh fruits and veggies with no added plastic waste in our Reusable Produce Bags.
Slice, dice and chop on our durable, easy-clean Cutting Boards, now available in a new mini size.

Finally, relish the experience. Remember to stop and smell and the roses—or whatever it is you happen to be growing in your garden. What do you love most about planting? Let us know in the comments below.

Resources:

On The Mission: Amy speaks with Terry Collins, Ph.D., Director of the Carnegie Mellon Institute for Green Science

Amy Cadora — Tue, 01 Feb 2022 12:00:48 +0000

Norwex Learning Network · On the Mission, Episode 14: Dr. Terrence Collins

Welcome to my podcast with Terry Collins, Ph.D., Professor of Green Chemistry and Director of the Institute for Green Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Green chemistry is defined as “the design of chemical products and processes to reduce and eliminate the use and generation of hazardous substances.”

Listen as Dr. Collins shares some of the disturbing effects of hazardous chemicals like endocrine disruptors and provides some of the most important things you can do now to help reduce them in your home. Dr. Collins also shares why it will take all of us working together to help ensure green chemistry is embraced worldwide.

Want to learn more?

Check out my “On the Mission: Chemicals of Concern” video series—like this one on endocrine disrupting chemicals, or EDCs, and the impact they could be having on your family.

Please share these podcasts with anyone concerned about the effects of harmful chemicals in their homes. Then let us know your experiences in the comments below. With every share, you’re making a positive difference not just for you and your family, but for other families, too.

19 Norwex® Products Are Now USDA Certified Biobased!

Amy Cadora — Tue, 25 Jan 2022 12:00:42 +0000

Product safety and innovation have always been part of the Norwex DNA. For more than 27 years, it’s been our global Mission to improve quality of life by radically reducing chemicals in our homes.

It’s a commitment we don’t take lightly. To date, 19 of our formulations (and counting) have earned the United States Department of Agriculture’s Certified Biobased label—high-profile recognition given only to products that contain a USDA-verified amount of renewable biological ingredients.

What exactly are biobased products—and what benefits do they provide?

In the simplest of terms, biobased products are made from plants and other replenishable materials—which means they’re not only safer and better for the environment, but smart for business as well. Consider the benefits:

Biobased materials come from renewable sources and are often biodegradable and/or compostable, so they won’t spend hundreds of years in a landfill.
By replacing the need for many petroleum-based products, biobased alternatives reduce our dependence on fossil fuels, and that means less new carbon being released into the atmosphere.
Biobased products displace approximately 300 million gallons of petroleum every year—the equivalent of taking 200,000 cars off the road.
According to a 2019 update to a USDA report, the biobased product industry supported 4.6 million American jobs and contributed $470 billion to the U.S. economy.

What does it mean to get USDA certified—and why is that important?

The initiative itself—the USDA BioPreferred® program established in 2002 as part of the Farm Bill—was designed to provide useful information about the biobased content of a product. Consumers can rest assured knowing that any company awarded the rights to use the USDA certified label has submitted government-supported, third-party test evidence of the formulation’s percentage of renewable biological ingredients.

In fact, one of the original goals of the program remains as relevant today as it did 20 years ago: Helping people make educated decisions about the products they buy and use.

Take our new BioZyme® Dish Soap Concentrate, for example. Its groundbreaking, all-natural formula earned the USDA Biobased Product Certification at 100%—the highest possible rating.

It’s important to note different standards apply to different types of products. For certification, the USDA evaluates each of 139 categories in the context of essential ingredients necessary to achieve functionality along with industry-wide supply chain availability. Varying minimums of biobased content are required to receive certification. Case in point: Bathroom cleaners need to contain at least 74% biobased ingredients, while spot removers are required to have only 7%.

Of the 19 Norwex products with biobased certification, each not only exceeds USDA content requirements—they work without harmful chemicals. Good for you, and the planet, too.

In an earlier Norwex blog, we referred to our first set of certified products as “The Biobased Big Six.” (Percentages reflect the actual biobased content.)

Fresh Produce Wash, 99%
Liquid Laundry Detergent, 97%
Descaler, 86%
Mattress Cleaner, 54%
Microfiber Cleaner Laundry Booster, 53%
Carpet Stain Remover, 8%

We’re also proud to announce these newly certified products—many, existing biobased formulas you already feel good about using.

BioZyme Dish Soap Concentrate, 100%
Lysere Illuminating Oil, 100%
Lysere Probiotic Whitening Toothpaste, 99%
Body Balm, 98%
Natural Sunscreen Lip Balm (SPF 15), 97%
Lysere Moisture-Rich Body Lotion, 92%
Lysere Advanced Antioxidant Mouthwash, 90%
Dishwashing Liquid, 85%
Lysere Deep Conditioner & Mask, 81%
4-in-1 Kids Wash, 87%
All-Purpose Cream Cleaner, 78%
Lysere Nourishing Conditioner, 78%
Foaming Hand Wash, 72%

Also be on the lookout for Norwex products featuring the STANDARD 100 by OEKO-TEX® symbol. It’s your guarantee that every component—from yarns and dyes to trim and label—has been rigorously tested and certified free from harmful substances.

Plus, more of our 12-ounce household helpers are packaged in eco-friendly OceanBound plastic. Made of existing waste, it helps cut down the on the estimated 8 million tons of discarded plastic in danger of flowing into our oceans every year.

And here’s even more good news. Never run out of your favorite biobased products when you order them via our AutoShip & Save program. You’ll receive exactly what you need, when you need it, plus enjoy a 10% discount on all subsequent orders.

Simple. Safe. Smart. Sustainable. “Biobased products are widely known for having a substantially lower impact on the environment compared to petroleum-based and other non-biobased products,” according to Justin Maxson, USDA Deputy Under Secretary for Rural Development. Which products are you using to keep your family (including Mother Earth!) safer? Let us know in the comments below!

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