Chemicals in our Lives

This past weekend I had the pleasure to watch my girls participate in the Hereford High School production of "These Shining Lives".  It was a great play and very well done.  It tells the sad story of women who worked in a factory in the 1920's painting watches with radium that eventually lead to their illness and ultimate death.  The company knew of the danger they put these women in, but did nothing to help them.  Ultimately, their suffering changed the laws for factory workers.  The play told the story of how chemicals used by companies can be awful for those who come in contact with it.

Recently, I got involved with a great company that manufactures products that we use every day that do not use chemicals and do not test on animals.  Melaleuca (www.Melaleuca.com) provides more concentrated products that are comparably priced to normal department or grocery store products.  Instead of spending money on advertising, Melaleuca uses better ingredients and rewards its marketing executives for introducing people to the products and shopping with the company.  It has really made me think about what we put in and on our bodies and what we use in our homes.  Could the chemicals in cleaning products, shampoo's, detergent and lotions and make-up cause similar problems as the women faced in the play.

While I don't read every label, I feel better about what I am getting from Melaleuca than what is in a store.  I really started thinking about it as I was cleaning the house and needed to clean the stove.  Cleaning the stove always includes gloves, masks, fumes and the need to ventilate the kitchen.  With my new found appreciation for not wanting to put myself and family up to those issues, I decided to try and use some Melaleuca product to clean it.

It had probably been a year or so since the stove had been cleaned, it was in need of cleaning. So I got started using a product that was basically for cleaning counter tops, not stoves.  In a little more than 25 minutes the stove was in much better condition.  There were a few spots that I could not get out, but there were no fumes, I did not wear gloves or a mask and there was no reason to ventilate the room.  I was throughly impressed and thankful that I decided to try it and not by the chemically filled products most people use.  It made me feel that much better about my decision to start using Melaleuca products. I highly suggest anyone who has a concern about what is in the products we use to check out their research and information.

The girl's play reminded me of the dangers we face if we are not careful of what we use.  Clearly today's products are not as deadly as Radium, but they can be harmful just the same.  That is why many carry safety warnings, you won't find those on Melaleuca products.  Take the time to look into alternatives.  I would be happy to share more about my Melaleuca experience if you would like, just ask.  Hopefully we can avoid some of the future risks by being more informed.