If consumers are forced to carry the burden of proof, in that, it is now blatantly obvious that some of the chemicals used in the manufacture of personal care products are causing some of us to become ill and disrupting our lives, then couldn't our governments just do the humane thing and pass laws (in the US and in Australia) making it mandatory for companies to apply the … [Read more...] about The Story of Cosmetics
Chemical sensitivities
Moulds
(This poem, published previously, on The Labyrinth of Chemical Sensitivities, was recently workshopped in my Poetry 1 class at Victoria University, St Albans Campus, Victoria, Australia, under the bright shining poetry light of one teacher, Tracey Rolfe (you can visit her awesome blog here). This here is the latest version. Please feel free to leave your thoughts or comments in … [Read more...] about Moulds
Moulds and Mattresses
This is a photo of the floor in the bedroom where I was sleeping. Right outside this room, on the outside of the house is a tap, which I thought must have a leaky pipe. So I called in the experts. The guy who owns the house had a look and said it does not appear to have a leak. So, then a builder guy came to the house, had a look and said that before the house was built … [Read more...] about Moulds and Mattresses
Safe Cosmetics Australia
If, like me, you're the type of person who finds that the scent of perfume hints at toxicity in the air, then you'll be ecstatic to find Australia now has its own national accreditation for toxic-free products, which means safer products for us. (Note that I said 'safer' because for some chemically sensitive people, there are not many products that are actually safe—there … [Read more...] about Safe Cosmetics Australia
Choose Friendships Over Fragrances
Often, asking someone to forgo using his or her fragrance products (such as perfume, aftershave, washing powder, or hairspray) can be awkward. You just don't know how that person will react. I've had all sorts of responses, from kind acceptance of my request, to utter outrage—stemming from their perception of 'my' breaching of ‘their’ human rights. (Like breathing air … [Read more...] about Choose Friendships Over Fragrances