The Story of Cosmetics: “N-Nitrosoethanolmaine?”

Here’s a post which arrived in our inbox from the Story of Stuff Project, a project of Tides:

Remember ‘Toxics In, Toxics Out’?

In The Story of Stuff, Annie explained that as long as we keep putting toxic chemicals into our production system, we’ll keep bringing toxic stuff into our homes, workplaces, and schools. Which means we’ll keep getting toxics in us.

We’re revisiting ‘Toxics In, Toxics Out’ on July 21st with the release of The Story of Cosmetics, which exposes the $50 billion cosmetics industry’s use of toxic chemicals in everything from lipstick to baby shampoo-even chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects. Yuck!

You can help spread the word about the movie by forwarding the 30-second teaser to your friends, family, neighbors and colleagues.

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo5SZXiyAV8

The truth is, for way too long the onus has been on you and me to figure out if a product is safe, whether it’s shampoo, or a kid’s toy or that new laptop. Isn’t it time we put the onus back where it belongs: on the companies who make this stuff?

One major step in that direction is legislation introduced this spring that would overhaul America’s chemical laws for the first time in over 30 years. Not surprisingly, the chemical companies are hard at work to weaken the proposed laws-they’d rather we just trust them-so its vital that you show your support for the legislation in our Campaign Corner today.

Make sure you check out the rest of the offerings from this month’s newsletter-including Allison Cook’s report from the frontlines of the green chemistry movement-and then jump in however you can!

Thanks for everything you do to make the world a better place.