Oil... EVERYWHERE!

Oil, oil everywhere ... in the home!

Friday, 04 June 2010 16:12

MNN.COM› MNN BLOGGERS Oil, oil everywhere ... in the home With the Gulf oil spill in the headlines, it's time to consider all the petroleum-based products you have around the house and how you can avoid them. Thu, May 27 2010 at 8:55 AM EST Read more: GREEN PRODUCTS, HOME IMPROVEMENT, OIL SPILL, TOXINS & CHEMICALS Photo: Jack Black's Stunt Double/Flickr With all eyes still (particularly today) on the economically and environmentally nightmarish situation in the Gulf of Mexico, our pals over at GOOD took the time to publish a quick but crucial reminder detailing Things You Didn’t Know Where Made of Oil — And How to Avoid Them. The actions and associated products on the list may be old news for some, but as GOOD points out, all of the oil spilling into the Gulf isn’t just used to power your car: 20 of the 42 gallons of oil in a single barrel goes to gasoline and the rest is used in more than 6,000 consumer products. Many, if not most, of them can be found throughout the home. So, as a refresher course on how to put a plug in your own petroleum reliance, here’s a look at some of the household product tips that made GOOD’s oily avoidance list followed by related links written by yours truly and some of my fellow MNN bloggers. Swap out your candles (and surfboard wax) • Are soy candles really 'better'? • DIY soy candles • Eco-friendly candles for your holiday table • The greasiest candle on the market Paint with awareness • Benjamin Moore paints the town green • Consumer Reports: Low-VOC paints perform just as well • Giving green paints new meaning • Add your voice to fighting toxic VOCs Choose natural fibers • Hitting the green sheets • Hitting the green sheets: '10 edition • Give your bed a green upgrade • Pillow talk • How to get a natural night's sleep • The comfiest throwdown in town Take another look at the products in your bathroom • Mercury among the big losers at the Toxies • What's so eco-unfriendly about antiperspirant? • Take an organic shower • Save green with SEED's green soap and lotion • Back to basics: Dr. Bronner's Classic Liquid Soaps • Backs to basics: Kirk's Original Coco Castile Bar Soap • Captain Can Check out your cleaning products, too. • Back to basics: Heinz Distilled White Vinegar • Back to basics: Arm & Hammer Baking Soda • Back to basics: ReaLemon • The spring purge: Triclosan • The spring purge: Oven cleaners • The spring purge: Toilet bowl cleaner • Martha Stewart Comes Clean • What health hazards lurk in your cleaning products? • A very special green home invasion • How to make green cleaning supplies • Sinister Singing suds Via [GOOD] MNN homepage photo: lucato/iStockphoto