Household Supplies, Cosmetics, and Toiletries
What else is going green? If you think that green living pertains only to foods, conserving gasoline and electricity, and some household detergents, you might be very surprised to find that enterprising manufacturers have gone beyond the conventional consumer products to supply the marketplace with everything environmentally sound—and usually vegetarian friendly—from insect repellants to lipsticks to non-GMO seeds. Even baby clothes made from natural organic cottons are available, as are picnic supplies, clothing, and furniture polish, all of which are kind to the environment and are humanely manufactured.
What is a GMO?
A GMO is a genetically modified organism, which means for plants that their genetic makeup, or DNA, has been modified with genetic engineering techniques. While that may increase crop yield and some disease resistance, it also alters nature and has an unknown impact on agriculture and human health. See Chapter 10 to learn about non-GMO soy products.
The British and Australians seem savvier than Americans when it comes to shopping for vegetarian/vegan/environmentally free goods. Several groups such as England’s The Vegetarian Society and Australia’s the Vegetarian Network Victoria offer consumers leads to finding the best all-veg products. But Americans are catching up -- look for goods and sources at:
Reading Labels
Labels on food products give you needed information about what you are buying. But the same can be said of labels on nonfood products, such as household supplies, cosmetics, and even toiletries. Look for goods that are labeled saying that they are produced without any animal by-products, are safe for the environment, and that may state “cruelty free.” If you are not sure what to look for, check out the Vegetarian Resource Group.
