Living Cruelty Free

Ah, the monthly wrap up. How has February gone by so quickly?

This month I blogged about a number of cruelty-free cosmetic/household products:

Juice Organics (4/5 stars) — Nourishing Cleanser, Vitamin Antioxidant Serum, and SPF 30 Light Tint Moisturizer

Biokleen Dishwasher Detergent (5/5 stars)

John Paul Pet (Paul Mitchell) Tooth and Gum Wipes (4/5 stars)

Cruelty-free Shopping, Anyone?

I mentioned an anti-animal testing petitition:

Mars, Inc. Tortures Animals

I mentioned a humane farming petition and a list of 100% vegetarian cheeses:

Humane Farming: You Can Petition to Put the California Prevent Farm Animal Cruelty Initiative on the Ballot at Your Local Whole Foods

100% Vegetarian Cheeses

And finally, I asked for advice about what to do if you suspect an animal sanctuary of selling animals to animal testing facilities that will abuse them:

Advice Needed: What Do You Do if You Suspect a Sanctuary of Selling Rescued Animals to an Animal-Testing Facility?

You know how I always write these humane farming posts and I encourage people to buy humanely farmed products despite the fact that the animals that produce them are usually slaughtered when they’re still pretty young, have their babies taken away from them when they’re only a few days old, and live less than pleasant lives all around? The reason I encourage people to buy these products even though they are the products of less than ideal conditions for animals, is that they aren’t supporting the torture and abuse that goes on at factory farms. (Seriously — even if you’re a carnivore — please don’t support factory farming. It’s akin to animal abuse.)

Well, I have FINALLY found one farm that not only doesn’t factory-farm abuse its animals, but it doesn’t do any of that other unpleasant stuff either. Yes! It has eggs produced by rescued hens. You can buy these eggs guilt-free! (Other than the fact that they’re full of cholesterol and a vegan diet would probably actually let you live a lot longer.) Can you imagine? These hens live out their full 9 years instead of the 2 or 3 even the most humane farms provide (some apparently live up to 25 years). You’re doing a good deed just by buying these eggs!

Where, you might ask, do these hens reside? Apparently, in Santa Cruz at Black Hen Farm. And where can you buy these guiltless eggs? At the Los Gatos Farmers market on Sunday from 9:30am-1pm in downtown Los Gatos, and at the Santa Cruz downtown farmers market on Wednesday in downtown Santa Cruz from 3pm-6:30pm.

I so have to go buy some of these eggs! Seriously. Unfortunately I live a heck of a long way away from Santa Cruz (well, 2 hours, really), so it’s a real hassle to me to go all the way there. But I definitely will at some point in the next few months, because I have to buy a lot of eggs to make food for my dog. Black Hen Farm has an interesting article on how to freeze eggs (along with other interesting bits of information about eggs), which I may try out:

Freezing Eggs

Poultry lay more eggs in the spring and summer than they do in fall
and winter. Some people choose to freeze eggs in ice cube trays for
use at those times. You can place the cubes in resealable plastic
freezer bags and store them for up to 1 year at 0 degrees F. As
needed, remove a few cubes, thaw in the refrigerator, and use
immediately.

To prepare whole eggs or yolks, put the egg yolks and whites, or just
the yolks, into a bowl and stir gently with a fork just to break up the
yolks but not incorporate air. To prevent them from getting lumpy, you
can add 1/2 tsp salt for savoury dishes OR 1Tb sugar or corn syrup
for sweet dishes per cup of eggs. Whites can be frozen without
stirring or adding salt or sugar.

1 whole egg = 3 Tb
1 yolk = 1 Tb
1 white = 2 Tb

I’ve never frozen eggs before — it honestly never occurred to me to even try, which is crazy because there’s nothing I hate more than buying eggs and then having them go bad in the fridge. Plus it’s not like my dog cares that any eggs might taste slightly weird because they’ve been frozen. She eats absolutely any food I give her as fast as possible without tasting it.

Anyway, I strongly urge anyone in the Santa Cruz area to support Black Hen Farm. It sounds like a great farm!

Here is some information taken directly from Black Hen Farm’s front page:

Black Hen Farms FAQ:

Where do your eggs come from?

It is estimated that over 90% of the eggs produced in the US come
from hens confined to tiny cages with no more space than a piece of
paper for each hen. In their natural environment, hens like to run,
take dust baths in the dirt, sunbathe, hunt for bugs and worms, and
interact with each other. They are very active and can’t wait to be let
out of their chicken house in the morning.

Our chickens have the good life:

		They are fed organic feed containing a variety of grains, legumes,
		and flax (for Omega 3), and fresh locally grown organic produce and weeds, as well as herbal supplements and lactobaccillus (yogurt cultures). They drink purified water from our 140-foot well. We are not close to any large commercial farms that might have pesticide or manure run-off. We think a varied diet for the birds is better than a feed that is just corn, soy, and a vitamin supplement, which is commonly used by large operations.
		They have lots of outdoor space to roam in and bugs to eat. Many
		egg-laying hens are never able to experience their natural behavior of scratching in the dirt and laying in the sun. We provide at least 10 square feet per standard size bird, or at least 4.5 square feet per small bird, and most have much more space. With this much space, we have no problems with cannibalism and do not trim beaks or remove rooster spurs.
		They are protected from predators, but no predators are killed.
		Some free-range operations have high predator losses or kill wildlife instead of keeping them out of the chicken run. We don’t clear large tracts of land for rotational grazing systems or introduce non-native forage but preserve our forested land for wildlife and native plant habitat. We often see coyotes, bobcats, foxes, raccoons, skunks, hawks, and owls, and even heard some mountain lions, but they can’t hurt the poultry.
		They receive care when they are sick or hurt, from our
		experienced chicken keepers, our farm poultry vet, or avian vets that we use in emergencies. Some operations simply kill a sick or hurt chicken - or do nothing.
		They receive antibiotics only if they are sick. Some operations give
		antibiotics as a normal part of their feed, or kill or sell an animal that becomes ill, as organic standards do not allow antibiotic use. Our birds stay healthy naturally with good living conditions, feed, and holistic supplements, and rarely need any medication.
		They are allowed to live out their full lives. Most operations kill
		hens after 1.5 to 2 years when they begin to lay fewer eggs. A chicken’s lifespan can be 25 years or even more.
		Most of the chickens on the farm were rescued, such as from a
		commercial egg farm, our local community, or animal control.
		Our farm has roosters. Most egg-laying facilities have no place for
		roosters. Almost all roosters that end up at animal control are euthanized.
		We let the hens take a break from egg laying. Some operations
		force hens to lay through the winter by providing extra light to trigger egg production. Research has shown that extra light causes reproductive cancer in hens.
		Although Asian bird flu has not arrived to our area, we are
		prepared. Our birds live in insulated housing and spacious runs that meet UC Davis and DEFRA guidelines for preventing contagious disease, such as bird flu, salmonella, and others. We periodically test the birds for contagious disease and parasites to make sure they are free of them. We quarantine all new birds.
		Compost for fertilizing farm plants and trees is produced on the
		farm. We don’t bring in manure from external sources, which in some cases has been implicated in the spread of bird flu. We don’t use fertilizer from factory farms. Instead, we periodically remove the mulch from the bird runs and bedding from the housing and use this as the basis for our compost process. The bedding in our bird housing is changed frequently so there is no offensive odor or conditions that promote disease. Some operations clean the housing only once or twice a year, or when they replace their flocks, and subject birds to dangerous molds, dust, and concentrated pathogens and ammonia.
		Our ducks have water to swim in. We have a large stock tank for
		the ducks and use the water for irrigating fruit trees, so no water is wasted. Some operations don’t supply water for waterfowl or dump it into waterways.

(The other no-kill farms I’ve blogged about are Happytown Dairy (Lawrence, Kansas), and Fias Co Farm (Tennessee).  Another one I haven’t blogged about but have been meaning to is The Farm at Mollie’s Branch (Todd, NC))

I just love John Paul Pet Tooth & Gum wipes — I assume anyone who’s ever tried to brush a dog’s set of teeth would really, really like these. Basically they improve upon the basic design of most dog toothbrushes by embracing the fact that when you’re trying to brush a dog’s teeth the dog will squirm away from you, clench its teeth, and generally make things as difficult as possible. Which is why those stupid dog toothbrushes that fit on your finger or look like a normal human toothbrush are so pointless and ineffective. They ignore the fact that you are going to have to get dog slobber on at least two, if not three of your fingers at some point. Yes, it’s disgusting, but true. If you want to keep your dog’s teeth clean, these basically handkerchief sized wipes are absolutely perfect for it. You are protecting your fingers from dog saliva. I don’t know about you, but I REALLY appreciate that. So I highly recommend these. They are SO MUCH MORE convenient than those usual dog toothbrushes. And they’ll keep your dog’s breath smelling a LOT better than not brushing them at all.

The only reason I’m not giving these 5/5 stars is because they are a little flimsy — they tend to break pretty quickly (or maybe my dog’s teeth are just too sharp for them). I really wish they wouldn’t break quite so quickly. Also they’re not that environmentally friendly — you’re basically just filling up landfills when you throw these away (though it is kind of nice just throwing them away once I’ve brushed my dog’s teeth and they’ve become gross).

(John Paul Pet products are a line of pet products run by John Paul DeJoria, a cofounder of Paul Mitchell, Inc. Paul Mitchell products are 100%-animal testing free, but they are neither organic nor vegan/vegetarian according to their website, though I’ve read a few blogs that suggest that Paul Mitchell products are vegan/vegetarian — if you have any information on this, could you please drop me a line?)

John Paul Pet Tooth & Gum Wipes are available for $11.99 (45 ct) from EntirelyPets.com.

Ingredients: Water, Propylene, Sodium Bicarbonate, Polysorbate, Phenochem, Mint Fragrance

I recently received an email asking for advice about a sanctuary that is suspected of selling rescued feral cats to an animal-testing organization. Unfortunately I really don’t know how to go about determining whether sanctuaries do that sort of thing. My first thought was — maybe contact PETA? Or Iamscruelty.com? But I figure maybe some of you out there might have better ideas? Here is the letter — please comment if you have any advice for that sort of thing, or email me and I’ll forward your email. (And isn’t it wonderful that people like J. volunteer to rescue feral cats? I’ve always wanted to do that but I know I’d just take the cats home with me.)

Here is the letter:

Dear Emily:

I am writing you because I am in need of direction. For the past several years, I have been volunteering for several wonderful feline rescue organizations. Recently, a fellow volunteer had rescued a large number of feral cats from a construction site. Once cats had been tested, spayed, and neutered, the volunteer found a registered, non-profit animal sanctuary that was willing to take these animals in and care for them for life. This sanctuary asked for a fee for taking the cats.

Several weeks later, the volunteer checked on the status of these rescued cats and found that they were no longer at the sanctuary and no good reason was given as to their whereabouts. It was also noticed that no other cats were seen at the sanctuary as well.

It has since come to our attention that this “sanctuary” may have been soliciting animals to care for, and then selling them for animal testing. One of the institutions that this organization may be selling to is Hill’s Science Diet.

I am trying to find proof that would tie this sanctuary to any organization that buys animals for testing and I am unsure as to where to start or who to contact. If you know of any organizations that would be able to assist me, I would be very grateful.

Thank you,

J.

I went shopping a few days ago (it was so much fun. I bought way too much stuff) — and I noticed some cruelty-free items at Sephora, Pure Beauty, and Nordstrom Rack:

Sephora still has Urban Decay and Too Faced cosmetics, but it also has put in (or I just noticed) a L’Occitane rack and a Juice Beauty rack. All of these are CCIC approved and 100% cruelty-free! Isn’t that nice?

Pure Beauty has a huge display of Dermalogica products — I had no idea I could just drop by there and buy anything Dermalogica I want — and a Paul Mitchell rack as well.

And best of all, Nordstrom Rack had some discounted Paul Mitchell products — the detangler, shampoo 1 and shampoo 2, and some conditioners. (I can’t remember what prices those were, so I am unable to check whether those were a good deal compared to internet pricing.) There was also some Dermalogica resurfacing something — unfortunately it was locked up in the expensive toiletries case and I couldn’t see what price it was going for. But if you’re interested in that sort of thing, stop by your nearest Nordstrom Rack see if they are stocking it there and pick some up! (And then write to me and tell me if you liked it or not.)

I picked up a container of Biokleen dishwasher detergent the last time I was at the store. So far, it’s been a pretty good dishwasher detergent — things get clean anyway (disclaimer: I have a fairly new high-tech dishwasher so this may not work as well for you if you have a crummy dishwasher. But then, as I know too well, if you have a crummy dishwasher the best dishwasher detergent may not be good enough).

So far, I like the fact that the Biokleen detergent is concentrated, so it comes in a fairly small bottle that’s easy to lift. I kind of wish it had a pouring spout thing — I always have to hunt around for a spoon or try to pour some out into the dishwasher, which is difficult to do without getting dishwashing powder all over the place. I also wish it came in a snazzier container — it’s a perfectly functional container, but it isn’t cool the way Method packaging is cool.

I feel like I’m not giving a very positive review of this, but really, I use it and it works, and that’s good enough for me. I’ve almost used up an entire container, and am not unhappy. It’s just hard for me to write a really glowing review of something as boring as dishwasher detergent. If environmental-friendliness sways you, this detergent contains no phosphates, chlorine, ammonia, petroleum solvents, alcohol, butyl, glycol ether, SLS or SLES, EDTA, DEA, SARA Title III, CA 65, or EPA priority pollutants, and no materials listed by the ACGIH as hazardous. It also has grapefruit seed and orange peel extract, comes in a recyclable container, has no negative effects on rivers, streams, plants or wildlife, is kind to those with chemical sensitivities and allergies, has no artificial fragrance, colors or preservatives, is biodegradable and ozone safe. (I’m not sure who would win in a pro-environment contest between Biokleen and Seventh Generation — they both seem very environmentally friendly.)

I will say though that Biokleen looks like a great company — they just won an award for pollution prevention and sustainable practices, and they make a ton of cleaning products: laundry detergents, chlorine-free bleach, dishwashing soap, produce wash, dishwasher powder, dishwasher gel, all purpose cleaner and degreaser, stain and odor eliminator, glass cleaner, soy cream cleaner, soy toilet scrub, citrus soy solvent for removing gum/wax/adhesives/tar, soy lube (really), and a variety of products for professional cleaners — carpet cleaner, fiber glow powder, traffic lane cleaner, bonnet cleaner and rug shampoo, paint oil gum remover, laundry powders, kitchen cleaners, etc. If you’re wondering if you can buy Biokleen products at a store near you, they have a store locator — click here.

Biokleen Automatic Dish Powder (32 oz — 64 loads) is available for $8.50 from Goodhumans.com.

Ingredients: Natural oxygen bleach (sodium percarbonate), vegetable fiber, natural anti-corrosive agents, grapefruit seed and orange peel extracts, soda ash, sodium citrate and readily biodegradable nonionic surfactants.

Biokleen FAQ:

Why Biokleen?

Our everyday cleaning choices affect our health, the health of our families, and the health of our planet. Biokleen products are concentrated in order to leave the smallest footprint on the environment.

Do any of the Biokleen products contain chlorine bleach, optical brighteners, phosphates, or Sodium Laurel/Laureth Sulfates (SLS/SLES’s)?
All Biokleen products are free of chlorine, optical brighteners, phosphates and SLS/SLES ingredients.

What is a Surfactant?
Surfactants are conditioners that reduce the surface tension of water, allowing a surface to wet quickly so soil can be loosened and removed. The surfactants used in Biokleen products are vegetable-based—we do NOT use Sodium Laurel or Sodium Laureth Sulfate surfactants (SLS/SLES).

What is Linear Sulfonate?
Linear Sulfonate is a propriety blend of vegetable based surfactants.

Are Biokleen products safe for people with allergies and chemical sensitivities?
Yes, Biokleen products are highly recommended because we use the safest, highest quality ingredients without using common allergens, asthmagens, synthetic fragrances, and artificial dies. The Free & Clear Products are recommended for those who prefer unscented products to products with even natural fragrances.

Do any Biokleen products contain gluten, dairy or nut ingredients?
All Biokleen products are gluten-free, dairy-free and, aside from coconut-based surfactants, do not contain any nut-based ingredients.

Does Biokleen test any of the products on animals or contain any animal-based ingredients?
No. As a matter of fact, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) include Biokleen in their approved products listing!

Is Biokleen safe to use in septic systems?
Yes! Biokleen products do not contain any Chlorine Bleach, or Phosphates or other harmful elements that would damage septic systems.

Is Biokleen’s packaging recyclable?
Yes! Biokleen products also use recycled content wherever possible. Check with your local recycling agency to see what they currently accept. If they need to expand their recycling capabilities, by all means start a community effort to initiate needed changes!

LAUNDRY

Can Biokleen laundry products be used in High Efficiency or “front loading” machines?

Absolutely! Both our Laundry Powders and Laundry Liquids are recommended for HE/front loaders. When using our Powders and liquids follow the HE instructions listed. If your product does not have the new label, be sure to use only HALF, if not less, of the recommended amount for a normal load of laundry.

What is the active ingredient in the Oxygen Bleach Plus and how is it safer than traditional chlorine bleach?
The primary active ingredient in Biokleen’s Oxygen Bleach Plus is sodium per carbonate. It dissolves into water rapidly and provides powerful stain removal, cleaning, bleaching and deodorizing functions. It helps soften water and reduces the need for fabric softeners and works in cold and hot water. When it breaks down, it turns into oxygen, water and natural soda ash, making it environmentally friendly. Traditional chlorine bleach is not only caustic and poisonous, it is not biodegradable and its use releases harmful contaminants into our environment.

What is the difference between the All Temperature Laundry Powder and the Premium Laundry Powder?
Although the All Temperature Laundry Powder is a very effective and a popular choice, the Premium Laundry Powder contains enzymes cultures, extra oxygen bleach and is a bit more concentrated for heavily soiled clothing. Premium Laundry Powder is highly recommended for cloth diapers and our fellow gardeners!

Which Biokleen Laundry product is recommended for homes with hard water?
All of the Biokleen liquid and powder laundry products perform well in many different water conditions, including hard water. Supplement with Biokleen Oxygen Bleach Plus as needed.

How do I clean my heavily soiled cloth diapers?
Remove excess waste; apply Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator full strength to stained area and let sit for 10 minutes or more. Launder in hot water with Premium Plus Laundry Powder.

BAC-OUT STAIN & ODOR ELIMINATOR

Do I need to dilute the Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator before using this product?
Whether or not the Bac-Out needs to be diluted really depends on what it’s being used for. It is concentrated; meaning a small amount of product can be very effective. In most cases, it is used full-strength; this includes treating organic stains on laundry and carpet, cleaning sink/bathtub drains and garbage disposals, and treating other targeted cleaning issues. For projects where diluting might be more appropriate (such as general deodorizing, supplemental cleaning in the bathroom or kitchen, diaper soak pails, etc.) add ¼ cup of Bac-Out to each gallon of water.

Is Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator safe to use on wool rugs?
Yes! However, as with any fabric, check for colorfastness.

KITCHEN

Can the Hand Dish Soap be used in an Automatic Dishwasher?
No, the Automatic Dish Powders and Automatic Dish Gel are specifically manufactured to work in Automatic Dishwashers, and the Hand Dish Soap is formulated for hand-washing dishes.

After running my dishwasher, I sometimes notice a white, powdery residue on my dishes. What is causing this?
There’s a good chance too much product is being used. Run the rinse cycle to remove excess product and simply reduce the amount used next time. If the issue is hard water, try using 2 tablespoons of white vinegar as a rinse aid.

Which Automatic Dish product is recommended for homes with hard water?
Sometimes minerals in hard water can interfere with how powders dissolve, so we offer a couple of suggestions. If your dishwasher has two soap cups, distribute your Automatic Dish Powder between them and use a rinse aid (1-2 tablespoons of white vinegar can be substituted for a commercial rinse aid). Or you can use our NEW Automatic Dish Gel!

Can I dilute Biokleen’s Produce Wash?
It depends on what’s being cleaned. For produce with “nooks and crannies” like broccoli and lettuce, or that is small like grapes and berries, it’s recommended to use a soak method. Add 1 tablespoon of produce wash to each 16 oz. of water and let soak for two minutes before rinsing. A direct method works well for larger, single items with “smooth” surfaces such as apples, oranges, melons, potatoes, etc. Apply Produce Wash full strength, scrub with a vegetable brush or rub with your hands, and let sit for a minute before rinsing. This method also works great for cleaning cutting boards, hands, food containers, poultry, eggs and more!

GENERAL CLEANING & SOY BLENDS

What is the difference between the All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate and the All Purpose Spray & Wipe?
While the All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate can be diluted accordingly to suit your cleaning needs, the All Purpose Spray & Wipe is already diluted and ready-to-use and is packaged in a 32oz spray bottle. The Spray & Wipe’s formula has been adjusted to provide you with an effective cleaner that wipes clean and requires no rinsing.

What is the difference between the Soy Cream Cleaner and the All Purpose Cleaner Concentrate?
While both products are versatile and can be used for many cleaning projects, the Soy Cream Cleaner is more appropriate for situations where a scrubbing texture is needed, such as removing build-up in bathtubs and sinks. The Soy Cream Cleaner has a creamy texture with volcanic perlite micro-scrubbers in it. It’s ready-to-use and does not require dilution.

What is the difference between the Soy Cream Cleaner and the Soy Toilet Scrub?
Both products contain Grapefruit Seed Extract (GSE), are ready-to-use and have a creamy texture with volcanic perlite micro-scrubbers in them. The Soy Cream Cleaner contains lime peel extract which is great for an added cleaning boost and the Soy Toilet Scrub contains essential mint oil which is a terrific natural deodorizer.

Can the Soy Cream Cleaner be used on a ceramic stovetop?
Yes, gently rub the product on and do not scrub vigorously. We also recommend that a soft sponge or rag be used.

Which Biokleen product should be used on my countertops?
The All Purpose Spray & Wipe and All Purpose Cleaner and Degreaser diluted per instructions are generally safe for all water-safe surfaces, like laminate (Formica), Corian (Solid Surface), Natural Stone (Granite, marble), and cultured marble.

Can I use the All Purpose Cleaner to wash a car?
Yes, dilute the product 2 tablespoons to one gallon of water.

Can the Soy Lube SL-100 or Citrus Soy Solvent be used on a greasy clothing stain?
No, Soy Lube is a household lubricant and Citrus Soy Solvent is a product used for removing things such as gum, tar, ink, etc. Both of these products could leave an oily residue on clothing. The best way to remove an oily stain is to apply a very small amount of the All-Purpose Cleaner to stain, blot with a rag, rinse and launder as usual.

Can the Soy Lube SL-100 be used for heavy duty/industrial lubrication needs?
Yes, the Soy Lube’s bio-based formula not only lubricates longer and penetrates better than most petroleum based lubricants; it is a much more environmentally responsible product, as it is non-toxic and made from renewable resources.

CARPET CLEANING & INDUSTRIAL USE

Can Biokleen products be used in a personal carpet cleaner?
For personal carpet cleaners, Biokleen has a NEW Carpet & Rug Shampoo available in some markets. First, pre-treat heavily-soiled areas. For organic stains (food, beverage, pet) use Biokleen’s Bac-Out Stain & Odor Eliminator. To pre-treat other soiled spots such as high-traffic areas, we recommend our All Purpose Spray & Wipe. After pre-treating the areas, let the product sit for 15 minutes before shampooing/extracting. For help locating the Carpet & Rug Shampoo, contact us at (800) 477-0188 or sales@biokleenhome.com.

How can I have my carpets professionally cleaned using Biokleen’s carpet cleaning line?
Biokleen offers an incredibly effective, non-toxic line of professional-strength carpet cleaning products. More and more carpet cleaning services are “going green” and Biokleen’s line is definitely the front-runner. We are currently compiling a nation-wide list of carpet cleaners who use Biokleen products and it should be available soon on our website. In the interim, call us at (800) 477-0188 and we can help you locate someone near you. If there isn’t a carpet cleaner near you who uses Biokleen, by all means refer them to us!

I am a professional carpet cleaner and would like to use Biokleen’s professional product line. Where can I get it?
We are currently compiling a nation-wide list of industrial distributors who carry Biokleen products and it should be posted shortly. In the interim, please contact us directly at (800) 477-0188 or sales@biokleenhome.com for assistance.

Where can I find Biokleen products for my janitorial/general cleaning service?
We are currently compiling a nation-wide list of industrial distributors who carry Biokleen products and it should be posted shortly. In the interim, please contact us directly at (800) 477-0188 or sales@biokleenhome.com for assistance.

In addition to carpet cleaners and janitorial/cleaning services, what other professionals use Biokleen products?
Word is spreading fast about Biokleen: not only are they “green” cleaning products, but they work incredibly well—good enough for countless industrial and professional uses. Just to name a few: restaurants, hotels, national parks, universities and schools, cloth diaper and laundering services, medical and research laboratories, car detailing services, massage and aesthetician professionals, yoga studios and more. Would you like to learn more about incorporating Biokleen into your own business? Contact us at (800) 477-0188 or sales@biokleenhome.com and we’ll help you!

You know how I wrote a while ago about the petition to put a cruelty-free farming initiative on the California ballot? (For those of you who live in states that don’t have initiatives, initiatives provide a way for state residents to force a public vote on a proposed statute or law (Wikipedia). In states that allow initiatives, anyone can make the entire state vote on an issue by bringing in a petition that has been signed by a certain minimum number of registered voters (650,000 signatures? something like that). It bypasses political parties — there have been conservative and liberal issues brought to public vote by initiatives.)

Well, I’ve been going to Whole Foods since I first wrote about the petition pretty regularly, but in the past three months I haven’t seen a single clipboard-carrying petition person there. I was not accosted even once by someone with a clipboard asking me to sign a petition while I’m trying to decide whether I want to buy organic or conventional cherries (answer: it’s always good to make sure you know that you’re buying the ten-dollar six-ounce container of organic cherries instead of figuring that out after you’ve paid for them and are confused as to why your bill is so high).

That was up until a few weeks ago. I was in line, waiting to buy groceries, and I noticed this little sign by the checkout counter asking me if I’d like to sign the farm animal cruelty-prevention petition. Of course I was dying to sign the farm animal cruelty prevention petition, so I went over to the customer service booth and the Whole Foods employee there found a petition for me to sign, and I’m very happy to say I’ve actually signed it! I’m doing my part for sows who are stuck in gestational crates!

I’m still amazed that I had to seek out a petition. It seems like I spend most of my time at the produce department at Whole Foods trying to keep under the petition peoples’ radar, and if I’m unfortunate enough to see one headed towards me I drop whatever I’m holding and walk away as fast as possible. But the one time they have a petition I expressly want to sign, they’re nowhere to be seen.

If you’re at all interested in signing the cruelty-prevention petition, I encourage you to go to Whole Foods or wherever your local petition people hang out and ask to sign that petition. Unfortunately, the Humane California website doesn’t list the locations where you can go to sign petitions (or I just can’t find it — is it somewhere there on the site? I can only find a part about how to sign up to be a petition collector. I really don’t want to do that. Admirable as I think that might be.) But Whole Foods is probably your best bet, or if you don’t live near a Whole Foods, wherever you normally try to avoid people asking you to sign petitions is probably a good idea. The signatures all need to be in by February 22nd, and it looks like they haven’t received 650,000 yet, so please consider signing the petition . . .

An alert commenter (Hi Dinesh!) left a comment with a list of cheeses that use microbial or vegetable rennet (instead of using rennet from chopped up calves’ stomachs, apparently). I thought I’d post them here so everyone can see them. Unfortunately these cheese are not guaranteed to come from dairy farms that don’t sell their nonproductive cows to slaughter, or separate calves from mothers, etc., (Dinesh is still working on that — and I am REALLY LOOKING FORWARD to it!). Unfortunately none of them are French or Swiss either, which would be nice because cows there are more likely to be pasture-raised. However, these cheeses all use microbial or vegetable rennet (and I am excited to read that apparently microbial/vegetable rennet will become more popular among dairies in the future since biotechnology is making it cheaper every year!):

Dinesh commented:

I have been a vegetarian all my life, and spent countless hours researching this type of thing. Insofar as cheeses, here is a list I have compiled of cheeses that use microbial or vegetable rennet. It has been a while since I have called to confirm whether these things are still the case, but if they haven’t changed their practices, it should remain true. I suspect more cheeses will be using non-animal rennet in the future because biotechnology of this sort is getting cheaper every year, and it is now probably cheaper to use microbial rennet than the fourth bovine rumen. Anyway…the list (and BTW, I love Land ‘O Lakes bulk mozzarella-check your supermarket deli):

Sargento
All Sargento Snacks natural cheese sticks and cubes
Don’t buy Asiago, Provolone, Jarlsberg, Romano.

Land O’Lakes
Can buy Cheddar, Mozzarella, Colby, and Monterey Jack
Cheddar-any cheddar - mild medium sharp and extra sharp yellow and white
mozzarella
colby and colby jack
munster
swiss
monterrey jack
pepper jack

Avoid provolone, processed cheese (like individually wrapped american cheese)
Per website and phone conversation on 12/29/2005

Cabot
All cheeses.

Organic Valley
We do use a lipase enzyme derived from calf stomach in creating the flavor profile for our Blue Cheese Crumbles, making this and the Romano in our Italian 4-Cheese Blend our two non-vegetarian cheeses.

Kraft
IF ENZYME IS LISTED IN THE INGREDIENT LINE: we will list microbial enzyme if microbial and/or lipase if derived from calf and/or kid and/or lamb. The product contains Chymosin which is a microbiologically produced coagulating enzyme. This enzyme (Chymosin) is not derived from any animal source.

Can buy Kraft Singles process cheese food (website)
Philadelphia Cream Cheese (third party website)
Neufchatel Cheese (third party website)
Natural Swiss (phone conversation with Kraft on 03/31/05 and email 03/31/05)
Grated Parmesan may have animal source-check label-lipase has animal source (phone conversation with Kraft on 03/31/05 and email 03/31/05)
Microbial enzymes are listed as such. (phone conversation with Kraft on 03/31/05)

Check the following:

Brunkow Cheese Cooperative www.thecheeseman.com 888-376-3430
All cheeses, I think, but should check again.

Stella 800-558-7315
Mozzarella
Provolone
Parmesan
Ricotta
String cheese

Frigo
Mozzarella

Giant
Cheese made by Pauly
County Line: Old World Swiss, Colby, Monterrey Jack
Cream Cheese
Natural Swiss Slices
Natural Muenster slices
Biery cheese
Chunk Cheese: New York Sharp, Wisconsin Cheddar, Longhorn, Swiss, Danish Havarti, Monterrey Jack, Pepper Jack

Sargento
Pepper
Muenster
Cheddar

Mid American Farms
Parmesan
Mozzarella
Cheddar

Boar’s Head: Phone conversation at 1635 on 21 May 2007
Don’t buy these: Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, Feta, Picante slicing Provolone, Aged Provolone (Precut), Asiago, Para-frier, Provolone, Smoked Gruyere, Parmesano Regiano, Grana Padano, Peckerino, Gouda, Edam, Fontina.

Can buy these: Colby Jack, Colby Longhorne, White and Yellow American, Canadian Cheddar, Baby Swiss, Bleu Cheese, Butter Kase, Cream Cheese, Double Gloucester, Gold Label Swiss, Gorgonzola, regular Greuyere, Havarti, Dill, Jalapeno, horseradish cheddar, muzzarela, muenster

Have you ever wanted to sign a petition against a company that tests on animals from your computer (I myself hate mailing anything — you have to find stamps and take letters to the mail box — it’s so much easier if you can just email, isn’t it?)?

Anyway, Glen Venezio (Hi Glen!) has started a great petition over at thepetitionsite.com against Mars, Inc. Apparently, Mars, Inc. conducts a lot of inhumane tests on animals. So, if you’re interested, drop by the anti-Mars Inc. petition and sign up! Here’s the petition overview, the entire petition, and here’s the letter. The petition will eventually go out to hundreds of Mars executives and some Mars family members. They’ve got 983 signatures and they need 10,000 — so your vote will count!

PETA has a webpage devoted to the atrocities that Mars, Inc. commits — if you would like to see exactly what kind of inhumane testing Mars is involved in, check it out — it’s very informative.

If you’re interested in boycotting Mars for testing on animals — here are the candies it makes:

• M&M’S
• SNICKERS
• SKITTLES
• MILKY WAY
• STARBURST
• THREE MUSKETEERS
• TWIX
• DOVE
• M-AZING
• COCOAVIA
• ETHEL M
• LUCAS
• MUNCH

And here’s the list of other products that Mars, Inc. owns (Wikipedia):

• AquaDrops
• Aquarium Pharmaceuticals (recently renamed to Mars Fish Care)
• Bounty
• Celebrations
• Cesar (Dog Food
• Fling
• Flyte
• Galaxy
• Greenies
• Kudos
• Lockets
• Malteser
• M-Azing
• Medi-Cal (Prescription Pet Food)
• Minstrels
• Nutro
• Pedigree
• Pill Pockets
• Revels
• Royal Canin (Pet Food)
• Schmackos
• Sheba (cat food)
• Techni-Cal
• Topic
• Tracker
• Whiskas

I’m not going to have any trouble giving up any of those except for Twixes (for myself) and Greenies (for my dog). I’m really addicted to Twixes — luckily I only eat them around Halloween, so I’m safe till next October. I think I’ll stick with Hershey’s products for candy from now on (apparently Hershey’s has pledged to never test on animals). I’m a little concerned though that Mars owns Greenies — I always buy them for my dog for long car rides, and they really help keep her occupied. If you have any recommendation for breath-freshening dog treats that will occupy a dog for at least fifteen minutes, please drop me a line!

Here is an abbreviated version of the petition. The first part is very unpleasant to read — if you don’t like to read details of horrific animal experiments, I suggest you skip to the end. (If you’d like to read the whole petition in its entirety — it’s quite interesting and includes updates on Pamela Anderson writing to Mars to end animal testing, PETA demonstrating against Mars, Mars obfuscating the issue by claiming that it doesn’t really test on animals, its subsidiary does — click here).

The Petition:

Tell Mars Inc., to stop testing on animals!

Got a sweet tooth? Think twice before picking up a Mars candy bar! You should know that candymaker Mars, Inc., creator of M&M’s, Snickers, Twix, Dove, Three Musketeers, Starburst, Skittles, and other candies, funds deadly animal tests, even though there are more reliable human studies and not one of the tests is required by law.

Mars recently funded a deadly experiment on rats to determine the effects of chocolate ingredients on their blood vessels. Experimenters force-fed the rats by shoving plastic tubes down their throats and then cut open the rats’ legs to expose an artery, which was clamped shut to block blood flow. After the experiment, the animals were killed. Mars has also funded cruel experiments in which mice were fed a candy ingredient and forced to swim in a pool of a water mixed with white paint. The mice had to find a hidden platform to avoid drowning, only to be killed and dissected later on. In yet another experiment supported by Mars, rats were fed cocoa and anesthetized with carbon dioxide so that their blood could be collected by injecting a needle directly into their hearts, which can lead to internal bleeding and other deadly complications.

Mars’ top competitor, Hershey’s, has pledged not to fund or conduct experiments on animals.

Mars is also apparently lying to the public, claiming that it doesn’t fund cruel animal tests, even though PETA has uncovered a history of such experiments.

If you call their Consumer Care hotline in the USA at 1-800-627-7852 (Mars’ consumer hotline calls in the US are handled by the outsourced company TeleRX Marketing Inc. in Pennsylvania), they have a recorded message that says Mars does not conduct or fund any animal experimentation. If you speak to a Mars representative, they will read you the same statement. This has already been exposed in the media as a falsehood, with the University of California confirming in a statement to Reuters (see link below) that they are currently conducting animal research for Mars Inc. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has been asked to investigate Mars’ false claims; that Mars is apparently deceiving consumers with their policy statement saying they do not conduct or fund animal experimentation, when it is clear from news media and published articles in scientific journals that they do.

Tell Mars why you are opposed to animal testing and if you no longer wish to purchase their products in light of this news.

Web references to this issue can be found at:

http://marscandykills.com/

http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSN1433837420071214 ( [actress] Pamela Anderson slams Mars over animal cruelty )

http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSN0731748320071208 ( PETA boycotting Mars candy co. over animal cruelty )

http://www.confectionerynews.com/news/ng.asp?n=82017-mars-peta-animal-testing ( Mars angers activists over animal testing )

http://www.nutraingredients.com/news/ng.asp?id=77026-mars-epicatechin-memory

Other references from scientific journals that confirm that Mars Inc. indeed funds animal experimentation can be found at:

*Elizabeth Paisley et al., “Temporal-Regulation of Serum Lipids and Stearoyl CoA Desaturase and Lipoprotein Lipase mRNA in BALB/cHnn Mice,” Journal of Nutrition (1996) 126.11: 2730-2737.
*Timothy Orozco et al., “Chronic consumption of a flavanol- and procyanindin-rich diet is associated with reduced levels of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine in rat testes,” Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry (2003) 14: 104-10.

*Francene Steinberg et al., “Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Improves Growth and Reproductive Performance in Mice Fed Chemically Defined Diets,” Experimental Biology and Medicine (2003) 228: 160-66.

*Henriette van Praag I et al., “Plant-derived flavanol (-)epicatechin enhances angiogenesis and retention of spatial memory in mice.” Journal of Neuroscience (2007) 27: 5869-5878.

More info on Mars-funded experiments:

Not one of Mars’ experiments on animals is required by law. Even so, Mars has paid experimenters to kill untold numbers of animals in tests:

Mars recently funded an experiment on rats at the University of California, San Francisco, to determine the effect of chocolate ingredients on the animals’ blood vessels, even though the experimenter admitted that studies have already been done using humans. Experimenters force-fed the rats by shoving plastic tubes down their throats and then cut open the rats’ legs to expose an artery, which was clamped shut to block blood flow. After the experiment, the animals were killed.

Mars funded a deadly experiment on mice that was published in a 2007 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience in which mice were fed flavanols (phytochemicals that are found in chocolate) and forced to swim in a pool of water mixed with white paint to hide a submerged platform, which the mice had to find in order to avoid drowning, only to be killed and dissected later on.

In one experiment supported by Mars and conducted by the current Mars, Inc., endowed chair in developmental nutrition at the University of California, Davis, rats were fed cocoa and anesthesized with carbon dioxide so that blood could be collected by a needle injected directly into the heart— a procedure criticized by U.S. Department of Agriculture researcher Dr. William T. Golde, who notes: “This is not a simple method……. Missing the heart or passing the needle completely through the heart could lead to undetected internal bleeding or other complications.”

Mars supported a cruel experiment to learn how a chocolate ingredient called PQQ affects metabolism by cramming baby mice into 200-milliliter Plexiglas metabolic chambers–around half the size of a 12-ounce soda can– and then submerging the chamber for nearly five hours in a chilled water bath, inducing labored breathing in the distressed mice. Experimenters then shoved tubes down the mice’s throats every day for 10 days to force-feed them the PQQ, after which they were killed and cut up for analysis.

Mars funded a test in which experimenters forced rabbits to eat a high-cholesterol diet with varying amounts of cocoa, then cut out and examined tissue from the rabbits’ primary blood vessel to the heart to determine the effect of cocoa on rabbits’ muscle tissue.

Mars supported a test in which experimenters attached plastic tubes to arteries in guinea pigs’ necks and injected cocoa ingredients into their jugular veins to examine the effect of cocoa ingredients on their blood pressure.

Note: Most of the information here is from PETA’s site on this issue at http://marscandykills.com/ I have made this petition in order to help publicize this important issue and to spread public awareness, as well as to share with Mars Inc. what consumers have to say, since they obviously do not seem to be listening too closely to consumer concerns since this issue hit the media some months ago. Mars Inc.’s mission statement/company philosophy, which is called “The Five Principles”, speaks of such things as high standards of “honesty and integrity”, the “company’s ethical responsibility”, and the “bond of trust, respect, and honesty that we share with ….. our consumers.” They also say in the same mission statement, and verbally repeat it often in media interviews, that “the consumer is our boss.” Let’s hope that all of their corporate values will shine through when dealing with this issue of animal testing that has obviously upset so many consumers.

—————————————————————————————————————————–

PETITION TEXT:

Please Stop Funding Unnecessary and Cruel Experiments on Animals!

I was shocked to learn that Mars is still funding deadly animal tests even though the tests are not required by law, more reliable human studies could be used instead, and your chief competitor, Hershey’s, refuses to test its products on animals. Please follow Hershey’s lead by promising not to fund or conduct experiments on animals.

Unless I hear that Mars has ended all support for animal tests, I will be buying my candy from a more compassionate company and will encourage my friends and family to do the same.

Numerous people have recommended Juice Organics to me — it’s 100% cruelty-free, it’s vegetarian and it’s organic. (It would be the trifecta if it were vegan instead of vegetarian — I’m not sure why Juice Organics hasn’t gone vegan.) It’s made by the same people who make the Juice Beauty line — it’s just better priced, less concentrated, has fewer age-defying ingredients, and is made with only 5 organic juices instead of 26. Juice Organics is really much better priced than Juice Beauty — 6 ounces of the Juice Organics Nourishing Cleanser is $9.99, whereas 6 ounces of the Juice Beauty Cleansing Gel is more than double the price at $22.00.

I ordered a Juice Organics travel kit which was a really good deal — $10 from Amazon Prime — and tried out the nourishing cleanser, the vitamin antioxidant serum, and the SPF 30 Light Tint Moisturizer. I hate to buy full size bottles of products I’ll never use, so this was great for me.

My conclusions:

Juice Organics Nourishing Cleanser is a nice cleanser — it’s oil-based, so it is good to remove oil-based cosmetics from your skin, and it does gently clean without stripping your skin — in fact, it adds oil to your skin. It’s kind of like a very thin cold cream. I suspect if you’re a fan of the oil-cleansing-method this might work very well for you. It’s soap-free, and supposedly is made of white grape and apple juices, aloe vera, plant oils and vitamin antioxidants. Despite being oil-based, it does wash off my face pretty well — there’s only a mild oil residue, it doesn’t leave my face disgustingly greasy. (I suspect this might not work very well for people with really oily skin.)

Juice Organics Antioxidant Serum seemed just okay to me — supposedly it has age-defying antioxidants in a base of organic grape and orange juices to “revitalize, help smooth fine lines and help firm for radiant, ageless skin.” I didn’t see much effect, but I did find it a nice intermediate step before putting on the moisturizer — though I do think any sort of toner would have worked just as well.

Juice Organics SPF 30 Light Tint Moisturizer, however, is an excellent moisturizer with an organic white grape and pomegranate juice base with 10% titanium dioxide SPF. I really, really like this stuff — I think the idea of using tinted titanium dioxide as a sunscreen is a great idea — all the other mineral based sunscreens I’ve tried out have been awful because they use these brilliantly white minerals as the sunscreen without tinting them. I mean, I’m pretty pale but I still end up with bright white chalky streaks of titanium dioxide on my face from those things. Titanium dioxide is frequently used as a cosmetics base in nonsunscreen applications because it is brilliantly white — why anyone would think a mineral based sunscreen made of it is a good idea I do not know. So I think tinting titanium dioxide is a great idea — you get the skin cancer reducing benefits of titanium dioxide, without looking like you’ve smeared chalk all over your face. It’s the best of both worlds! (Plus titanium dioxide is a very long-lasting sunscreen, which is nice — unlike avobenzone which is only effective for 2 hours after you put it on, titanium dioxide is supposedly a good sunblock until you wash it off. If you hate to frequently reapply sunscreens, titanium dioxide is definitely a good way to go.)

I did have a little trouble putting on the SPF 30 Light Tint Moisturizer at first — I put it on way, way too thickly and ended up with an orange cast to my face. But now I spread it on very, very thinly and it blends right into my skintone and gives me a very slight evening out of my complexion (yay!). It doesn’t provide as flawless a finish as Earth’s Beauty powder foundation, but it’s a lot less trouble — with powder foundations I always manage to get powder all over the place, and I have to double check to make sure I’ve evenly powdered — this stuff is much less messy than powder, it blends in much more easily, and best of all, it does have a pretty matte effect once it goes on (though not as matte as a powder). (It’s very sheer — this would not be good for anyone who wants a lot of coverage.)

Overall, I really liked the way the cleanser, serum and moisturizer worked together. The pump packaging is very cute, easy to use, impossible to break a nail on, and pumps out exactly the amount of product you need. The scents were a little difficult for me to get used to at first — the cleanser and the serum smell kind of like fermented citrus fruit. But now I kind of like the way they smell — they smell kind of bright and citrusy to me now, and I’ve grown to like the lack of chemical fragrance. The moisturizer smells kind of like a mixture of kitchen spices to me — maybe allspice or cloves? That also took some getting used to but now I like it. I also appreciate the fact that all of these products are fairly concentrated — you really don’t need very much of any of them so I think they will last a long time.

However, I have had distinctly different experiences with these three products in the summer and winter. I started using the kit last November when it was still pretty warm here in the Bay Area, and the oil-based cleanser made my skin oily and the mineral-based spf moisturizer did not sink into my skin but stayed in a thin insulating layer on top of it — especially because I was applying it WAY too thickly — and the combination made me break out a little bit and become really sweaty every morning. So I was not happy, and was thinking of giving Juice Organics 3/5 stars at best. But I kept using the products and the weather suddenly became a lot colder, and miraculously my skin stopped breaking out and becoming sweaty and started looking great. Then I remembered that my skin usually goes from having oily patches and breakouts in the summer to having too-dry-skin in the winter, and realized that this oil-based insulating routine was great in the winter but bad in the summer.

Since then, I’ve ordered full size bottles of all the products and have been using them ever since — I like them a lot, I think they’re nicely moisturizing and skin-cancer-preventing and am ranking them at 4/5 stars. I actually think they are 5/5 star products for winter, but definitely not good products for summer unless you have really dry skin and do not live in a humid climate, so I’m compromising with 4/5 stars. In the summer I plan to switch back to the alba botanic sea moss line.

The Juice Organics trial and travel kit is available for $9.99 on Amazon (free shipping if you have Amazon prime). The regular sized cleanser, serum and moisturizer are available from the Juice Organics online store.

Juice Organics Nourishing Cleanser. Ingredients: Organic juices of vitis vinifera (white grape) juice, pyrus malus (apple) juice & aloe barbadensis leaf juice, organic botanical extracts of calendula officinalis flower & matricaria chamomilla flower, glycerin, organic plant oils of carthamus tinctorius (safflower) seed & helianthus annuus (sunflower), caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetearyl alcohol, cetearyl glucoside, sorbitan stearate, tocopheryl acetate & tocopherol (vitamin E), ascorbyl palmitate (vitamin C), tetrasodium edta, panthenol (vitamin B5), allantoin, phenoxyethanol, xanthan gum, benzyl alcohol, potassium sorbate, citric acid, limonene, linalool, citrus aurantium (sweet orange) & citrus aurantium (orange blossom) pure essential oils.

Vitamin Antioxidant Serum. Ingredients: Organic juices of vitis vinifera (white grape) juice, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) juice & aloe barbadensis leaf juice, glycerin, org