Common Objections to Buying Green Products

Common Objections to Buying Green Products

These are the most common objections I hear from people about why they do not want to change from buying household cleaning products.

~Natural doesn’t work as well
~It is too expensive.
~I can buy it easier at the grocery store.
~I don’t believe these other products are harmful.

While there are some of the natural products that don’t work well and may be expensive, this is not true for all products. And while you may find it is easier for you to pick up products from the store, there is a hidden cost of doing so which includes extra fuel consumption and more money spent per usage so there is more spent over the long term. (See the previous blog on How Can Cleaning Products Make a Difference in the Environment.) For those who don’t believe that products made from chlorine and ammonia and similar chemicals are not harmful, they need to check out more of the statistics on illness and death caused by these chemicals.

Now you don’t have to choose between doing good for the planet and doing good for yourself. Shaklee’s Get Clean products meet all the requirements to create a safe environment and to be economical too.

Here are the reasons why:

1. Safe for you, your pets, and the planet!
.No harmful ingredients, fragrances, or artificial ingredients have ever been put in Shaklee products
.Quality control checks before and after processing ingredients to ensure pure ingredients and cleanliness of processing
.Scientifically proven to work
.Made from corn and coconut sources
.Green Seal and Kosher Seal
.Concentrated, no water added
.Environmentally packaged

2. Shaklee Corp., a Company with a Proven Reputation and Who Walks their Talk
.Basic H was first Earth Day product
.Used by many environmentalists such as Will Steger and Jacques Cousteau
.Endorsed by many famous people, such as Oprah Winfrey
.First company to receive the Climate Neutral Award (for offsetting carbon footprint to zero.)
.Winner of the Stevie Award for Environmental Responsibility
.Each year sale of product eliminates more than 23 million pounds of greenhouse emissions and prevented more than 10 million pounds of landfill waste compared to conventional ready-to-use household cleaners

3. Using Shaklee’s Get Clean Products Saves You $$$$
· Products are concentrated, no water or fillers added. There is a significant reduction in cost per load. Basic H2 is the most economical products.

Basic-H2 (Member price: $10.35)
Dilute 2-3 drops in spray bottle, 1 quart Basic-H2 makes 758 bottles of window
cleaner (758x$3 = $2,274)
Dilute ¼ cup in spray bottle for general cleaning; 1 quart Basic-H2 makes 60
bottles of general cleaner (60x$3 = $180)
· Shaklee offers bonus/rebate programs which can relate to offsetting all your costs for all the products you purchase every month! You could save $1,000 a year or more by switching brands and participating in this program.

Best way to get started: Get Clean Starter Kit – (contains one of each product)
Save $3,400 over conventional products
Will keep 108 pounds of packaging waste out of landfills and eliminate 248 pounds of greenhouse gases (equivalent of planting 10 trees)

Now wouldn’t you like to use products that give you this type of results and to support a company that has gone to this type of effort to walk their talk?

Check out more about the Shaklee Difference: http://www.shaktv.com/Difference/difference.htm

How to Purchase
Get Clean is not sold in stores, but can be purchased by going to:
www.bonnienicholls.myshaklee.com
Become a member to receive 15% price difference and other benefits offered by Shaklee.
For an appointment to take a closer look at products, contact:
Bonnie bonsbiz@aol.com
For more information on meetings:
http://vitamin.meetup.com/28/ (Slim Up & Be Healthy Meetup)

How Can Cleaning Your Home or Office Make a Difference to the Environment?

How Can Cleaning Your Home or Office Make a Difference to the Environment?

A major positive impact to improving the environment can be done by doing something very simple: replace the cleaning products in your home with non-toxic products and from a company that implements best green practices.

Here are the reasons why:
1. Products may contain harmful chemicals such as: Chlorine, Ammonia,
Formaldehyde, Hydrochloric Acid, Fragrances (and another 81,000 registered as
harmful ingredients!)
Look for:
· products made from natural ingredients
· Look for Green Seal or Kosher Seal
· Check out products and ingredients on http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/ingredients.htm

2. Bottles Fill up Landfills or Costs Fuel to Recycle
Use concentrated products that require fewer purchases and buy in the large size.
Use products that have creative re-use functions.

3. Indirect Energy use is 60% of the energy we consume.
Energy and natural resources are consumed to make the products that we
purchase and when they are shipped to warehouses and stores to sit in a display. 60% of our

carbon footprint is related to purchasing our products. In addition, most products are

diluted up to 80% with water. It costs more fuel to pack and ship water.

Look for:
· Concentrated product that contain no added water
· Purchase from a “direct sales” company (ships to you direct)
· Purchase from a company that follows environmental “best practices” and thus monitors their

carbon footprint.

Check out the Climate Neutral Award program: http://www.climateneutral.com/recognition.html
Find out more about the various socially responsible and environmental programs that are done by Shaklee Corporation such as Will Steger/s Expeditions and A Million Dreams, A Milltion Trees campaign, and others. http://www.shaklee.net/bonnienicholls/aboutCitizenPartnersEnv

4. Pollution of our Water and Destruction of Our Environment

Household waste is a major source of landfill waste and toxins in our water system.
When we use toxic chemicals to clean our house it pollutes the air we breathe, is
absorbed through our skin, and pollutes the water system which eventually affects our
oceans and our coral reefs and other natural resources.
http://www.broward.org/knowtheflow/welcome.htm This is a great resource for

understanding about water conservation called Know the Flow.

Replace your cleaning products with non-toxic choices such as Get Clean by Shaklee. http://www.shaklee.net/bonnienicholls/prodHou
They are safe for you, good for the planet, and saves you money.
Also, for more information read the next blog on Common Objections to Buying Natural or Organic Products.

How and Why of Going Green

The “How and Why” of Going Green

Today there is a growing awareness about the need to become “Green.” However, many people are still unaware of what they should do to really make a difference. This is the first of a series of Green Blogs that will share some significant information that will help you to be aware of the situation and how to implement some of the Green Best Practices that are practical and affordable.

Why should we be concerned about implementing Green Best Practices in our homes and in our community? There are 3 reasons.

1. Reduce the Effects of Global Warming. While there is some controversy over whether or not the fuel we consume contributes to Global Warming, or if we can still reduce enough to make a difference will yet to be determined. However, is the statistics of the changes that are occuring to our planet is alarming. For most people, they would prefer to err on the side of reducing one’s carbon footprint rather than wishing later that we had taken action when we could.
2. Improve the Quality of our Natural Resources. Our natural resources are depleted. We do not have clean air, clean water, clean soil. We have too few trees, too few native plants, and too few animals in their natural habitat.
3. Improve Our Health Today We have seen an increase in the number of health ailments directly related to our unclean environment today. There is an increase in asthma, allergies, cancer, attention deficit disorder and other physical and emotional difficulties. These have been associated with the chemicals and toxins in our food, products we use, and our lack of a natural environment.

What are some things we should do? There are 4 types of changes we need to make:
1. Use less fuel and utilize alternative energy sources. While you may not be able to afford a hybrid car, you can do other things to reduce your fuel consumption such as, drive less, use a bicycle or a motor scooter. Replace appliances with solar or energy efficient brands. Turn off the lights in your home and use cfl’s.
2. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Theese actions need to be done in order. The first thing is that we want to use less and consume less. This reduces the amount of products in our landfills. Landfills are one the biggest sources of green house gas that affects the environment and a source of toxins in our water and soil. The most important items that need to be reduced are plastic grocery bags, plastic water bottles, and product packaging.
3. Use Product from Natural and Sustainable Sources Most popular would be bamboo or corn instead of wood from trees or plastics. Our food, household products, and personal care products should also not contain artificial ingredients, colors and artificial fragrances. Products can receive a seal of certification that their ingredients are natural and there are websites that will tell you about the ingredients of the products. http://householdproducts.niim.nih.gov/ingredients.htm
4. Purchase from Green Companies. It is popular today to let others know you are a “green” company. However, there continues to be those who are misinformed about what being green means and thus may be “greenwashing.” See: www.terrachoice.com/sixsinsofgreenwashing It is up to you the consumer to know some of the criteria for choosing a green company. Here are two questions to ask:

Do they have a green product or service? This would be something that has a
direct impact on reducing greenhouse gases, part of the reduce, re-use, recycle
process, or reduces the effect on our natural resources. Scientific studies also should indicate that they have done their homework and their product is effective.

Do they implement best green practices in their organization?
For example, while a real estate person may not have a green product or service,
but as a company they implement best practices. Among other things, they would decide to
not use disposable cups, plates, and other such items.

There are organizations that are recognizing other organizations for following best
practices. A couple examples would be the Climate Neutral Award, the Stevie
Award, or FGBC (Florida Green Building Council). But most importantly, you can
check out an organization’s website for more information about what they are doing
to implement Best Green Practices. This is usually found under a link from the
home webpage to information about the company.

Going Green is a Win-Win situation. It helps to reduce Global warming, protect our natural resources, makes us more healthy, and is good for the economy. Knowing some of the best practices and making a commitment to implementing some changes can make a difference.

To find out more details, please continue on with the next blog in this Green series:
How Can Cleaning Your Home or Office Make a Difference to the Environment?