How fresh is your home?  Open a window before you read this article! 

Research by the University of Washington on 25 home "freshening" products, including air fresheners, laundry detergents, fabric softeners, soaps and lotions, revealed that they each emit up to 17 Volatile Organic Compounds.

VOCs contribute to respiratory, neurological and skin problems at low concentrations.  

The 25 products tested (many of them labelled "natural") were found to contain a total of 133 unique VOC's, many of them classified as toxic under US law. Acetaldehyde,1,4 dioxane,  formaldehyde, methylene chloride, limonene, ethanol and, acetone were all detected in varying strengths.
Worse yet, these VOC's were not listed on the label, and neither the FDA nor Health Canada require disclosure of these substances.
Our recommendations?  Dispose of these unsafe and unhealthy products without delay.  Keep your home well ventilated, use true natural alternatives such as baking soda, lemon juice and vinegar, and if you need something a little more aromatic, be sure to drop by The Good Planet Company!  Our products are guaranteed to be safe and free of VOCs! 
(Thanks to the folks at ecolife.ca for alerting us to this study) 

Amazing 33% OFF organic cotton bedding!

Here's something you don't see everyday!
All in-stock Coyuchi brand organic cotton sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers and sheet sets are priced at 33% OFF!  This is a never to be repeated offer, so why not treat yourself to a super quality, super luxurious sleep today?  

Healthy Child Healthy World empowers parents to protect children from harmful chemicals

GreenMuze.com also comes from Vancouver Island, and is a great resource for environmental topics.

What's new, what's returning?  

A quick glance around the store reveals tons of new products introduced during the past few weeks.
In our bed and bath area, we have beautiful new organic cotton cableknit throws from the people at Green Living Organics in six different designer shades.  

In our soap and lotion area, we have introduced the Gaia line to complement our Good Planet and Druide products.  

In our baby department we have some whimsical, 100% baby safe stainless steel plates and we are happy to announce the return of our Jane Goodall collection of stuffed toys!  

In our kitchen and garden area you'll find the Envirocycle composter, and in our housewares department, we have some useful, stylish new glass drinking bottles by Takeya.

That's only the tip of the iceberg... please drop by and see what else has arrived since you last shopped "the Planet"!  

New guidelines for sunscreen!        

The CBC recently reported  that after 30 years in bureaucratic limbo, the FDA has introduced stringent guidelines to ensure that the sunscreen you buy is actually protecting your skin. These new guidelines will be in force in the USA next year, and the Government of Canada is not far behind.

Here's what you need to know when shopping for sunscreen:

• Look for SPF 15 and above
• Look for "broad spectrum"  
• Look for "micronized" NOT "nano"
• Don't believe claims of "waterproof"

We are happy to report that our "Badger" brand meets and exceeds all of the new requirements, and even better yet, are endorsed by the Environmental Working Group in their Safe Cosmetics Database!