You see, in that same year, deep in the Cascade mountains (in the Pacific NorthWest) a single hunter made an unfortunate notch in history by killing the last known Grizzly Bear to walk that vast landscape - bigger than YellowStone National Park.
In the decades that followed, scientists have looked for evidence of big Grizz’s return, but alas, nothing.
Thankfully though, in those ensuing decades (while the Maple Leafs lost game after game after game) our perception of apex predators like the Grizzly Bear, Wolves and Sharks has gradually changed from one of fear, to one of respect.
When wolves were reintroduced to YellowStone, they shifted the grazing habits of their primary food source - Elk - thereby making room on the riverbanks for new vegetation to grow, such as aspen and willow, which in turn led to a resurgence in the Beaver population (not to mention songbirds) and if you’ve been paying close attention, you’ll remember Beavers play a crucial role in mitigating the impacts of wildfires.
So are you ready for the good news???? This summer, in a cross border connection, the US is penning a deal to bring Grizzlies back to the Cascades by relocating some young females from Canada (BC to be exact) and Montanna.
Like Wolves, Grizzlies play a crucial role in shaping the land and our love of and connection to nature. Here are 4 ways they help:
So what will prevent this from happening? One of the biggest threats to the Grizzly’s return is local ranchers, who fear the Bears will prey on their stock, even though Grizzly Bears eat a mostly plant based diet.
But just like the Maple Leafs - who showed a glimmer of success this year by winning the first round of the playoffs - if we continue to spread knowledge, compassion and understanding, the Grizzly Bear can, and will, make a comeback that we can all benefit from.
Hooray to our great Grizzly friend, and hooray to conservationist efforts to keep these great predators in the hearts and minds of change makers.
If you’d like to help us, help our planet on the comeback trail to less plastic and emissions, please, CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR SHOP.
(SIDEBAR: Did you know, over 30% of our revenue goes right back into product development?)
P.S. Sorry (not sorry) to all the Maple Leafs fans on this list… sometimes, when the emperor’s nude, someone has to call it out or things just get weird.
]]>Did you know that lavender has powerful properties beyond its sweet and smoothing scent? You probably already understood, at least anecdotally, that this flowering plant in the mint family has a calming effect and that cultures from around the world have used the plant as a wellness aid. It continues to be one of the go-to essential oils for all sorts of ailments.
In the last decade, there has been more and more research on the benefits of lavender. Here’s what some scientists had to say.
1. It could slow your roll.
Tiffany Field, a researcher at the University of Miami School of Medicine has studied lavender and its effects on relaxation. She found it “to slow down heart rate, slow blood pressure, and put you in a parasympathetic state, which is a relaxed state.”
2. It may help you sleep.
If lavender puts you in a deep state of relaxation, then it follows that it can help you catch some ZZZs more easily. Vahid Mohsenin, Director of the Yale Center for Sleep Medicine in Connecticut says that “human studies provide evidence to the idea that lavender facilitates restful sleep.” In one study, 31 men and women had their sleep cycles monitored with brain scans. Those who inhaled lavender had increased levels of slow-wave sleep. The group reported feeling more energy the next morning.
3. It could combat the fungus among us.
A preliminary study looking to show how lavender essential oil can be an anti-fungal and antibacterial agent has shown promise. Professor Lígia Salgueiro from the University of Coimbra in Portugal said that lavender “shows wide-spectrum anti-fungal activity and is highly potent.”
4. It might protect your brain.
Dr Sandra El Hajj, a specialist in preventative health, says that “Lavender is deemed to be on of the best treatments for neurological disorders due to its content of linalool, linalyl acetate, 1,8-cineole B-ocimene, terpinen-4-ol and camphor." Though further studies need to be completed, growing evidence supports lavender oil as a helpful treatment for neurological disorders including autism, ADD, and epilepsy to name a few.
5. It could make you do a happy dance when washing your dishes.
OK, so there are no scientists who have studied this claim, at least not yet. But we assure you that the etee Dish Soap Concentrate—now in a new Lavender Lime scent!—will elevate your dishwashing experience.
Like etee’s entire line of Dish Soap Concentrates, each biodegradable pod is filled with 100% plant-based ingredients. No SLS. No phthalates. No sulphites. No sulphates. No synthetics. No colorants. No artificial fragrance. NO PLASTIC.
All you get is planet-friendly, grim-busting concentrate that—when mixed with water—will give you a wonderful whiff when you wash. How’s that for awesome?
Yours in lavender and other good stuff,
Chantal and the whole crew at etee.
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My family—two adults and a kid—love to do backcountry trips and after many years of following leave-no-tracers—and much trial and error—we’ve managed to whittle down our waste to almost nothing. Here’s how we do it.
1. Think Reusable Everything
Reusable water bottles, stainless steel food containers, beeswax wraps, food bags—all these things make it easy for us to bring what we need without creating any waste. With two females in our family, we also bring our own Kula Cloths, reusable antimicrobial pee cloths!
2. Go Bulk
Prepping properly can make the difference between a trip with lots of garbage or none at all.
The best tip I was ever given was to head to the bulk food store with my reusable bags. We pick up the usual suspects like trail mix, candy, oats, pasta. I’ll also bring my glass jars to fill with ingredients so I can make some pre-cooked meals to take along. I like to store things like chili or hearty soup in Stasher bags. At dinnertime, I can just drop them in boiling water to heat up our meal!
3. Ditch the Plastic
If you’re already packing reusable items and prepping meals and snacks ahead of time, you’re halfway to having a plastic-free outdoor experience. Personal toiletries are where things can get tricky. Luckily, things like shampoo bars, lip balms, toothpaste, and even toothbrushes exist in no-waste, no-plastic versions. So you can still keep yourself clean while keeping the environment ‘clean’ too.
If you’re planning any outdoor adventures this summer (or any kind of trip for that matter), you might want to look into etee’s Get Outside Sale. They have a smorgasbord of plastic-free items that are super convenient, super light, super practical for any kind of travel. And best of all, they’re all plastic-free!
]]>In the last few days, I’ve been basking in all the expressions of love and gratitude that come along every year for Mother’s Day. And that got me thinking about the mother of all mothers, the one that has been venerated and celebrated since the dawn of time for being an unstoppable force: Mother Nature.
For as far as recorded history goes, storytelling has been a way to simplify otherwise complex ideas and as a result, every ancient culture has had their own Mother Nature, their own guiding force of creation.
To wit: In Greek Mythology, Mother Nature is known and worshipped as Gaia (or Gaea), the goddess of earth who created herself out of primordial chaos. (Sheesh, that sounds familiar!) From Gaia, everything came to life including the gods, the mortal beings, and all living things. In Ancient Roman mythology, Tellus Mater (or Terra Mater) was considered one of the 12 agricultural deities. In parts of South America where the entire Inca economy was based on agriculture, Pachamama was worshipped as the feminine soul of nature and provider of everything. In Buddhist mythology, Phra Mae Thorani—the literal translation of Mother Earth— appeared as a serpent-like guardian of the crops (and of Buddha himself).
Though we continue to celebrate our own mother’s with fierce aplomb every year, I think it’s sad that we no longer worship mythological deities depicting Mother Nature anymore. Nonetheless, she is honoured across the globe through science, research, and activism. And we’re seeing more and more action to protect the planet every day.
To say thank you for YOUR continued commitment to protecting our main mama, we’re offering 10% off all your favourite etee products.
Keep on lovin'
Chantal and the whole crew at etee
Did you know that sustainable investing smashed records in 2020?
Against all odds, $20.9 billion was invested in the first six months of 2020. That was close to equaling the amount of new money invested in ALL of 2019.
It’s comforting to know more and more people are investing in companies that recognize the true value of people and the planet. And companies that solve the world’s biggest problems are also best positioned for growth and by default, healthy returns! Let’s just say it’s win win on all fronts!
After I read about the rise of sustainable investing, I became interested in the reasons behind it. Here are a few of the more interesting observations I gleaned:
That last point is significant, wouldn’t you say? We know you get it—after all, you do read our emails :)
In honour of all the encouragement you give this plastic-free company, we’d like to give you a special 🌎 Earth Day Offer 🌎. That means up to 70% OFF ALL OUR PRODUCTS!
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Contact dermatitis on your scalp. Maybe you’ve heard of this before? Maybe you’re experiencing it now? It’s a condition that manifests itself as an itchy, dry, red scalp, sometimes even blisters! It’s caused by an allergic reaction to a substance—like your shampoo. And it’s actually more common than we realize.
Fact: The signs of an allergy (or irritant reaction, for that matter) to shampoo can present like dandruff or psoriasis.
Fact: Contact dermatitis doesn’t happen immediately. It can take months, even years, for the exposure to build until blammo—you present with symptoms.
Fact: Synthetic fragrances are the leading cause of irritation and contact dermatitis in beauty products, including shampoo. (The worst part is that the FDA doesn’t require companies to be transparent about fragrance ingredients so you really have no idea what’s in your shampoo!)
Fact: The dyes and colours in shampoo come from petroleum or coal-tar sources. Though they are definitely more tightly regulated than fragrances, they can contribute to allergic reactions and other harmful health effects.
Fact: Sulfates, one of the usual (and unhealthy) suspects in the beauty world can contribute to contact dermatitis too.
So what’s the solution? etee just released one!
After hearing from customers about reactions to a range of ingredients, etee took their beloved shampoo bar and reformulated it. Say hello to the fresh Nudie Pants Shampoo Bar! It’s free from plastic, scents, dyes, and sulfates but is still full of plant-based lathering goodness! And, as always, it won’t leave behind that sticky-icky residue that other shampoos do.
Are you ready for a stripped-down experience?
Thanks for reading!
Chantal and the whole crew at etee
]]>There was a time when powder laundry detergents were kind of sucky. Are you old enough to remember that? Ahem, I am. The old school powders didn’t quite dissolve and you’d end up with a clump mess on your clothes.
But times—and powders—have changed! Hear me out.
1. Powders are more effective
Because powder detergents like the one made by etee have better cleaning mechanisms—thanks to biodegradable surfactants—they can get your clothes brighter and fresher.
2. Powders are more stable
Powders are more stable than their counterparts which means they keep their cleaning power longer. Liquids—which are made up of 70 to 80% percent water, get even further diluted when added to a wash cycle.
3. Powders don’t leave residue
You might notice that liquid detergents can leave a film or residue on your clothing, especially on sports apparel. That traps odour-causing bacteria and body oils in the folds and crooks of your fabric. Gross, right? Powder detergents don’t do that.
4. Powders lead to less waste
The cardboard boxes or paper-based bags used to package your powders are either biodegradable or easily recyclable. You could argue that the plastic bottles for liquid are also recyclable but we all know that plastic are the least recycle containers. (To make matters worse, because liquids are made mostly of water, they’re bulkier and heavier to transport. That means more greenhouse gas emissions!)
5. Powders don’t use preservatives
Since liquid detergents are composed of mostly water, manufacturers have to add preservatives to extend their shelf life. The reverse is true of powders. No water = no preservatives!
6. Powders have a longer shelf life
Powders last forever and will never go rancid. Liquids? Even with preservatives, they can go off because of their water content.
7. Powders are less expensive
Because it’s more complicated to build a liquid detergent, that process leads to higher prices. Powders, on the other hand, are simple to produce and perfect for the thrift hound.
But wait! I’ve heard that some etee customers have commented about the higher price per load for the powder detergent. Well, that’s not true anymore.
It turns out that folks used less—a teaspoon of detergent instead of a tablespoon—and got the same results: clean clothes. etee tested that out just to make sure and guess what? It worked!
To further the savings, etee also dropped the price of their powders to get the cost down to as little as $.17 per load. So grab your savings—and your cleaning power, folks!
CLICK HERE TO SAVE ON LAUNDRY DETERGENT
Yours in laundry,
Chantal
Lips are fragile. They’re thin skinned and lack stratum corneum (the outermost layer that protects the epidermis) so they’re more susceptible to damage from the elements. That means we need to protect them with safe and effective products.
In my early 20s, I started making my own lip balm. I wasn’t at all concerned about melting and mixing beeswax and petroleum jelly and slathering the concoction on my lips. (I mean, I grew up in a family that thought nothing of slathering on Vaseline to treat everything from diaper rashes to scrapes to dry skin.)
But then someone I knew told me that petroleum jelly is made from the residue that forms on oil rigs. Yuck. That propelled me to learn more about undesirable ingredients in lip balms. And here’s what I found.
Petroleum Jelly and Mineral Oil
Petroleum jelly and mineral oil are derived from oil refining and are often contaminated with things like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) and 1,4-dioxane, both probable carcinogens. Because both these products readily penetrate the skin, by using lip balms with these ingredients, you are inviting these contaminants into your body.
Humectants
Humectants—like glycerin and hyaluronic acid—aren’t great. They will pull moisture out of the skin, especially when it’s really dry out. That moisture that rises to the surface will evaporate, leaving you with ever drier lips. That said, if you choose a lip balm that also has shea butter or beeswax in it, that will act as a physical barrier to the moisture loss caused by humectants.
Parabens
Parabens—like methylparaben and butylparaben—can penetrate the skin and act like a very weak estrogen in the body. There is evidence that they can possibly turn on the growth of hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers. In fact, parabens have been found in breast tissue and tumours. Scarily, studies have shown that methylparaben may also diminish the effectiveness of the breast cancer drug Tamoxifen.
Synthetic Dyes and Colours
Synthetic colours—like FD&C Blue 1 and Red 33—often include things like coat tar and heavy metal salts that deposit toxins on your lips. You could experience skin sensitivity and irritation but worse still, animal studies are showing that almost all FD&C colours are carcinogenic.
Fragrance and Flavour
Unfortunately, there are no laws that require manufacturers to include the actual ingredients for fragrances and flavours. While these ingredients could be natural and safe, the reverse is also true. Without transparency, it’s best to avoid lip balms that might smell and taste good but have “hidden” chemicals.
Now that we have the list of ingredients to avoid, where do we turn for a badass balm?
I started using etee’s Jumbo Lip Balm a few months ago and my lips are hooked. It gives me tons of moisture—without the muck.
I love that the packaging is plastic-free but I really love the simple and safe ingredients:
💋 Organic coconut oil
💋 Organic cocoa butter
💋 Organic beeswax
💋 Essential oils
And now, there are two great flavours to choose from: Cocoa Mint and the just-launched Grapefruit.
I’m just waiting to get my order of the Grapefruit Jumbo Lip Balm so I can compare and contrast—and declare my favourite!
Pucker up!
Chantal
]]>Any time I’ve ever searched for green cleaning tips, vinegar ranks as the top miracle cleaner. Have you noticed that too? The blogs, newspaper articles, and magazines all say it’s the most versatile, accessible, and affordable cleaning product you can find. Mixed in with a little bit of water, it’s the A+ answer to gleaming glass, floors, bathrooms, and dishes! But is it really the answer to all my cleaning needs? Spoiler alert: The answer is ‘no’.
Before detergents came onto the scene in the 1950s, we used to clean with good old soap. But because the ol’ bar left residue behind, our cleaning routines included not only washing but rinsing too. We used water and vinegar—an acetic solution—because it made it easier to get rid of soap scum. And because this acetic solution made everything feel “squeaky clean”, the assumption was that vinegar made for a great cleaner. And that’s what started this new notion of using vinegar to get rid of grime.
Science tells us that vinegar can be useful for some things. But it also tells us that it can’t do everything we’ve been led to believe it can do.
Before we go any further, here’s a refresher on basic high-school science (I know I needed it!) and how it relates to cleaning.
Household white vinegar is a moderately strong acid (about a 3 on the pH scale). It works well to clean alkaline stains and grime like hard water build-up and soap scum or acting as a rinsing aid from acid-resistant surfaces. (Notice the emphasis on the last part of that sentence? That’s because vinegar can do damage to lots of household surfaces including hardwood and vinyl floors or stone like marble, travertine and limestone.)
The point is that vinegar can’t actually clean a huge range of things like grease, ketchup, oils, coffee, face cream, and whatever else you’ve possibly spilled in your home. Think of it like this: you know how oil and vinegar in salad dressing don’t mix? This is because one is an acetic and one is an alkaline. The same thing applies when you try to use vinegar on greasy grime.
On the other hand, there are lots of types of stains, grime and dirt that are acidic in nature. That is why soap and detergent are so good at cleaning many of them, they are mild to moderate alkalies (8.1-11 on the pH scale).
Plus, soaps and detergents also contain surfactants, which mean they can also clean oily dirt well.
In addition, vinegar does not contain surfactants, so it cannot carry oil and grease away in the same way that soaps and detergents can.
I’m sure you’ve seen the many recipes for green cleaning that call for combining white vinegar and baking soda. The fizz is supposed to be an indication of the cleaning power of this mix. Truth is, when you combine vinegar (an acid) and baking soda (a base), the reaction results in basic salt water and neutralizes out any cleaning power. But it does make for an exciting science experiment for kids!
To actually clean your house, you need something that cleans a range of things—from acetic to alkaline. The etee All Purpose Cleaner is a good example of this. It has a mix of plant-based ingredients including surfactants—additives that are useful as detergents and degreasers—as well as acetic substances that bust up things like soap scum. In other words, APC is the best of both worlds.
More good news: To expand its line household cleaners, etee has just released its Window Cleaner Concentrate in their famous plastic-free pods. Unlike vinegar that can only clean alkaline grime like soap spatters and scum, this window cleaner is scientifically formulated to properly attack ALL types of grime on glass surfaces whether that be greasy hand prints, muddy paw prints, dirt and dust. As an added bonus, it releases a fresh and natural pepperminty scent!
Want to try it out?
Thanks to the pandemic, we’ve all gotten a crash course on the importance of keeping our household surfaces clean. And if that means ditching the vinegar for some REAL cleaning power, so be it!
Cleaning power to the people,
Chantal
Let’s talk about masks. I know that you know about their efficacy in helping prevent the spread of COVID 19 and the whole idea of “I protect you, you protect me”.
But there hasn’t really been much of a conversation about washing masks and filters. So let’s take a little look at that, shall we?
The answer is simple: After every use.
The purpose of wearing a mask is to prevent the virus from spreading, right? So, if there are virus particles on yours, wearing it—unwashed—completely defeats its purpose. So wash your mask daily to avoid buildup of bacteria on the cloth.
Some sources will tell you that you should use hot water and detergent to wash your mask but the truth is, the coronavirus can be broken down with soap and water, no matter the temperature of the water.
Need more reasons not to use hot water? Heat shrinks some natural fabrics, like cotton, and it can also speed up the wear of your mask, especially if it’s made of synthetic material.
When it comes to filters used in three-layer masks, you’ll need to wash these often as well, for the same reasons. If you’re using a filter made of cotton, polyester, nylon or silk, follow the same instructions as you would for your mask. However, if you’re using polypropylene fabric as your filter, you’ll want to add another step to your routine.
If you haven’t heard, non-woven polypropylene filters have risen to the top of the list of effective filters mainly because they hold an electrostatic charge. May Chu, an epidemiologist at the Colorado School of Public Health, explained that this “static cling” had the ability to trap incoming and outgoing droplets.
BUT, it's important to note that when you wash polypropylene, it loses its electrostatic charge. To recharge the fabric—and its effectiveness—make sure you iron it!
According to Rachel Graham, a virologist at the University of North Carolina, COVID-19 is considered an “enveloped” virus meaning that it has a barrier made up of oily lipids and proteins held together by surface tension. Laundry detergents are made up of surfactants, substances which have the power to bust up surface tension. More specifically, a surfactant molecule has one end that’s attracted to oil and grease; the other is attracted to water. The oil-loving end of the molecule wedges itself into the coronavirus’ envelope and breaks it apart. The rest gets washed away in the water. Laundry detergent for the win!
Maskne is real, yo. In fact since all our mask-wearing started, dermatologists have reported a sharp uptick in acne mechanica, the kind of skin irritations triggered by heat, friction, and pressure against the skin.
The skin on the face is pretty sensitive so it only makes sense that wearing a mask all the time would lead to breakouts.
But there are a few ways to help prevent maskne.
So there you have it, washing your planet-friendly cloth masks and filters clean not only helps reduce the spread of COVID but also keeps your face free from maskne!
Keep it clean, kids,
Chantal
]]>I’ve reached a point in my life where I've dialed in my personal care products, most of them waste free. After much experimentation, my face, hair, teeth, and skin are happy with the products I use. And I can say that *most* of my household cleaners are where I want them to be too. Except, really, for one: the elusive hard working all-purpose cleaner. Either I don’t like the smell, the lack or cleaning power, or the fact that it comes in a big wasteful plastic bottle. Mostly, I don’t like the nasty ingredients.
I’m still learning about ingredients and how to interpret the labels on household cleaners. Big high fives to the Environmental Working Group’s website which makes it easy to do my research!
So today, I thought I’d share *some* of the vague terms I now know to look for (and the action I take when I see them). And...I’ll share some great news, too.
Word: “Antibacterial”.
That usually means the cleaner contains pesticides.These are often listed using the vague term “active ingredients”. Things like ADBAC, benzalkonium chloride, or triclosan are a no-no. And things with names ending in “...monium chloride” should be stricken off your list too.
Action: Avoid.
Word: “Biodegradable”.
The lowdown: This is a tricky one. Technically, true “biodegradable” ingredients break down into inert substances that don’t harm the environment. But since there are no regulations for the usage of the term, some cleaning supply manufacturers slap this on the label to appeal to green consumers.
Action: Be leery, study the ingredients and do your research.
Words: “Chlorine-free” or “Bleach Alternative”.
The lowdown: Here’s the thing. Chlorine bleach is nasty stuff that can increase the risk of developing respiratory problems including asthma. So being “chlorine-free” is a good thing. But the product might contain oxygen bleach, which is made of sodium percarbonate which is biodegradable (it decomposes into oxygen, water, and natural soda ash). Both types of bleach can be corrosive and irritating.
Action: Approach with caution. Check all ingredients and then make your decision on whether or not you think the product is safe.
Words: “Fragrance” or “Scented”
The lowdown: While a nice lemony scent is always nice, do you really need it? When you see “scented”, it usually means “chemical cocktail”. That smell could be made up of dozens of ingredients, some of which could cause allergic reactions or other nasty effects. Caveat: If the scent comes from essential oils, that’s safe.
Action: Avoid. Opt for unscented alternatives or products that use natural scents derived from essential oils.
Words: “Non-toxic”
The lowdown: Marketing term alert! The implication is that “non-toxic” products or ingredients won’t harm humans or the environment but in fact, there’s absolutely no standard definition for “non-toxic” in the cleaning industry or any regulations that limits the use of the term.
Action: Be aware. Study the ingredients to determine whether or not they are safe for you and your family.
Words: “Active ingredients”
The lowdown: This term usually indicates the use of antimicrobial pesticides like ADBAC or benzalkonium chloride. They’re added to the formulation to kill bacteria, viruses or mold.
Action: Avoid at all cost. These pesticides are hazardous chemicals and you don’t need them to clean your house!
Now that you know what to avoid, I thought you might be interested to find out that etee just recently launched their very own All-Purpose Cleaner!
Like all our products, it’s scientifically formulated, safe to you and the planet (you can check the label!), and comes in plastic-free packaging. Oh, let’s not forget the most important part: it cleans as effectively as the leading all-purpose cleaners.
Want to get your hands on it? I do!
Thanks for supporting our small business and joining us in keeping the planet clean!
Have a spritzy day,
Chantal