10
Natural Soaps That are Good for Animals, the Environment, and You
We purchase numerous products, such as
anti-bacterial hand soap, on a regular basis. Why? Because we are also told via
extremely expensive marketing campaigns that they are essential to effectively cleanse our skin of dirt and protect us from
bacteria. Soap isn’t just soap anymore; it has to be antibacterial, antifungal
and anti-everything else. In killing bacteria, however, these products are also
killing the environment, and negatively impacting our health.
What is the problem?
If we checked the ingredients list of a regular bottle of soap,
we would see a long list of harmful chemicals. These toxins include sodium laureth sulphate, methylisothiazolinone and triclosan, as well as various parabens, petrochemicals andureas.
One of the most common antibacterial ingredients to be found in
soap is triclosan, and resembles the plastic additive
bisphenol A (BPA) as well as dioxins. It poses a risk to our health, as well as
others, and is linked to allergies, breast cancer, and endocrine disruption. It
can also affect the hormonal system, including that of marine life. Other
antibacterial ingredients include triclobanand methylisothiazolinone (MIT), which is chemically
similar to Agent Orange – a nerve agent used in the Vietnam War – and linked to
nerve cell death!
Several petroleum products such as mineral oils, paraffin (wax), and petrolatum are also found in soap. These coat the
skin, causing a build-up of toxins, cellular development to slow down, and a
disruption to hormones. Then there are ureas, such as diazolidinyl urea, which act as a preservative but release formaldehyde and
are therefore carcinogenic.
Parabens, such as methylparaben
and propylparaben, are used for
their antibacterial, antifungal, and preservative properties, and are some of
the most harmful ingredients. In addition to being considered carcinogenic,
they’re also endocrine disruptors. In combination with these other
chemicals, sodium laurel, sodium laureth sulphate, or lauryl sulfate (SLS) – also known
as sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) –
turns into nitrosamine, which is a potent carcinogen.
From an environmental perspective, when we imagine that millions
of people use soap each day, there are a lot of toxic
chemicals building up in the water that feeds rivers, lakes, and oceans. So
many of these ingredients have the potential to harm the environment, and have
in some instances been proven to cause birth defects and liver damage in
animals.
As if all of this wasn’t enough, there are the innocent beings
that all of these soaps are tested on. If we think it hurts getting soap in our
eyes, imagine how painful it is for the millions of animals who are restrained
while substances are administered orally, applied to the eyes or skin, inhaled
through a mask or in an inhalation chamber, and injected. These barbaric experimentsare
conducted on each individual ingredient, as well as the final product, causing
an excruciatingamount
of pain, with some animals dying during the process.
10 BETTER OPTIONS FOR CLEAN
HANDS
By far the cheapest and easiest way to keep clean is to wash
thoroughly with a traditional soap and water. When selecting which soap to get,
it is worth looking for a plant-based product and one in bar form. Soap bars
are more environmentally friendly, due to both the ingredients and
minimal packaging.
The easiest
way to find something cruelty-free, eco-friendly, and natural is to check the
ingredients! If you’re unsure about whether something is safe, consult the
Environmental Working Group’s database, Skin Deep. It provides listings of almost every
ingredient and product available, grading each one on a scale of zero to ten
dependent upon how toxic it is.
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