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electric shaver
In honor of Father's Day, we offer this series about personal care for men. But you don't have to be a dad to keep an eco eye on your body - just a guy who wants to simplify, stay healthy, and tread a little more lightly on the planet.

Start with the shaver itself - electric, or blade?

An electric shaver uses electricity, but saves money on shaving cream, hot water, as much as $100/yr in throwaway blades, and even more cash when you factor in the cost of throw-away razors. Plus, an electric razor reduces the amount of trash you toss since you don't discard empty shaving cream cans every few weeks.

A straight razor saves electricity, but requires shaving cream or hot water, soap and a dish - - and maybe a lot of band- aids, depending on how skillfully you can pull what amounts to a sharp metal knife across your throat.

A disposable razor is, well, disposable. In fact, 2 billion disposable razors are sold every year in the U.S., most of them made from petroleum products that are already in short supply.

Unless you're traveling and left your reusable razor at home, skip the disposables in favor of a reusable option.

What we suggest (and granted, we only shave our legs and arm pits, not our rosy faces; we do wax our eyebrows, but we don't really recommend frequent and whole-face waxing for guys...)

* Rechargeable electric razor - Rechargeables can be expensive to purchase initially, but their long life usually warrants the up front cash outlay. If you recharge them using a solar charger, you reduce the amount of energy they use considerably. Unlike other models, the Braun Pulsonic Shaver contains no cadmium, lead or mercury in its components. Its Smart Plug technology has earned it an Energy Star rating for energy efficiency from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

* A straight razor uses no energy other than your own and will last as long as you keep it sharp. In place of shaving cream, many men use a shaving brush and soap in a jar, for a very low cost, low-tech, high eco approach.

* If you use a reusable razor but disposable blades, consider a Razor Saver. This little gadget sharpens blades so you can reuse one blade as many as 130 times.

If you absoslutely must use a disposable, choose one like Recycline. The handle is made from recycled plastic and can be recycled in any community that allows recycling for #5 plastics.

What about the shaving cream? Here's a list of several simple options.
crystal deodorant
Guys worry just as much as women do about B.O. Surprisingly, far less attention has been paid to "green" and healthy deodorants for the men in our lives than for ourselves. Safe deodorants are important regardless of gender. Parabens, a preservative used to keep some deodorants fresh, increasingly are showing up in breast tumor tissue. Synthetic fragrances, especially those in spray-on deodorants, can increase the incidence of acne, headaches, and respiratory problems. Aluminum, another ingredient common in conventional anti- perspirants, has been linked to Alzheimer's Disease and painful swelling (per an interview with senior analyst Sean Gray at Environm ental Working Group). Conventional deodorants may also contain phthalates, which are considered a reproductive toxin in the state of California.

Safer products for women have been around for years, primarily in response to strong female consumer demand. Guys can have a similar impact on manufacturers, by choosing the safest products available. These deodorant options, all of which are highly rated for health and safety by Environmental Working Group, are a good place to start:

Crystal deodorant - This clear, rock-like product (pictured here) uses mineral salts to reduce the bacteria that cause body odor. Just moisten the crystal and rub it under your arm; it dries immediately. Here's a product specifically for men. Added Benefit: the Crystal company is Environmental Working Group's top-rated natural or conventional deodorant. The company also supports "The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics" and pledges that any products it makes will "meet the standards and deadlines set by the European Union Directive 76/768/eeC to be free of chemicals that are known or strongly suspected of causing cancer, mutation or birth defects." Here's some additional useful background on crystal deodorants.

Tom's of Maine Unscented Deodorant stick: makes four different deodorants from ingredients like hops, chamomile, and lemongrass. Purchase the deodorant fragrance-free, or scented with calendula, woodspice, or honeysuckle rose. Tom's is available at most grocery and drug stores, including Rite Aid and Walgreens, but can also be purchased online.

Aubrey Organics uses herbal extracts and vitamin E in their Men's Stock Natural Dry Herbal Pine deodorant. The deodorant comes in spray form (but not an aerosol can) and can be purchased directly from the company's website as well as in natural foods and Whole Foods stores.

Want more information on safe personal care products? H ere you go.
men's lotion
When it comes to shampoos, soaps and lotions, guys need to pay attention to health, safety and environmental issues just as we girls do. In addition to harboring some of the same undesirable compounds found in deodorant or shaving cream, many name brand soaps and shampoos contain sodium laureth sulfate (SLS) or sodium lauryl ether sulfate (SLES), concoctions that can increase the frequency of canker sores and irritate the skin. Scientists are concerned that both SLS and SLES have been found to harbor very low levels of 1,4- dioxane, a human carcinogen.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration encourages manufacturers to remove 1,4-dioxane, but it is not required by law. So the way you spend your money is your first line of defense against products that could pose a threat. Using your consumer clout also sends a clear message to manufacturers to clean up the ingredients they want you to buy.

This link will quickly take you to a list of lotions, soaps and shampoos that, like the Aubrey Organics line, give men some greener, safer options to choose from - and dangle a bright green "carrot" in front of businesses to encourage them to be better.

Are you on Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter? If so, let's connect. I twitter@DianeMacEachern. I'm on both Facebook and LinkedIn at Diane MacEachern.

I also hope you'll join the Big Green Purse group on Facebook. By the way, if you want to pass this information along to a friend, just click on the Forward button right below my signature.

Talk to you again soon,

 Diane's Photo
Diane MacEachern
Big Green Purse

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