Community Blog

Why don't organic sunscreens have the UVA star rating?

Sun, 03 Jul 2016 16:55:41 +0000

Now the sun is out we have been receiving lots of questions about why our organic sunscreens don't have the UVA star rating system widely found on conventional sunscreen brands. There's no need to worry, these products do still protect against UVA rays and UVB too, but it's a complex area. Read on and we'll try to help make things clearer.

>" src="http://www.soorganic.com/media/wysiwyg/blog2015/UVA-symbol.png " alt="Learn more about Organic Sun Protection >>" />

It is important that sunscreens protect against both UVB and UVA radiation to give protection from the burning (UVB) & the cancer causing / ageing (UVA) rays. The cosmetics industry considers that the UVA protection of a product should be in relation to its SPF. This means that that the level of UVA protection provided by a product is at least 1/3 ratio of its SPF.

The star rating system was created by Boots and is only licensed to brands that are stocked by Boots in exchange for a license fee and is therefore not something that the organic brands can take part in. That is why you don't see the stars on their packaging. There is a very telling article about this here.

The industry wide symbol for UVA protection in a sunscreen product is a small circle with the word UVA inside it.

We have obtained statements from our 3 main sunscreens brands regarding their UVA rating and these are as follows:

>" src="http://www.soorganic.com/media/wysiwyg/blog2015/spf30blog.jpg " alt="Learn more about Organic Sun Protection >>" />

Lovea: “The Lovea sunscreens have the highest possible rating for UVA protection. This is because the UV screening ingredients are made up entirely of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Both these ingredients offer the highest possible protection from UVA & UVB.”

Lavera: “Our UVA filter is a 1:3 ratio, so for every 3 UVB rays the sun product protects you from it will also protect you against 1 UVA ray. There is also a UVA logo on the front of the sun product to show that it protects against UVA as well.”

Green People: “Our UVA protection is equivalent to 3 stars but unlike the conventional brands our products are packed with great ingredients and help sensitive skin. They are extremely well tolerated by eczema & allergy sufferers too.

Under testing our SPF30 sun lotions filtered out 81.6% of UVA rays and gave a UVA/UVB ratio in excess of 0.60 of the claimed SPF level which is the standard set in the EU Recommendations.
SPF15 filtered out 78.2% of UVA rays under testing. Because the SPF is lower, this still exceeded the 0.60 ratio and came in at 3-Star protection under the Boots system”

The advice in the media is to look for the highest SPF possible to protect ourselves and our families. But many people are surprised to find that an SPF50 does not in fact offer double the sun protection of an SPF25. The reality is that an SPF30 sunscreen already offers 97% protection against UVB rays, moving up to an SPF50 only offers 98% just 1% more.

For some people wearing a high factor such as an SPF50 gives a false sense of security and tempts them to reapply less often and stay in the sun longer than is really sensible. Something they won’t do if they are wearing a lower SPF.

Staying out too long without reapplying seriously increases the risk of UVA sun damage because in order to achieve efficacy of the UVA protection the most important thing you can do is reapply frequently and liberally no matter how high the SPF factor.

We highly recommend the sunscreens we stock at So Organic and we use them on ourselves and our children. If you need any advice or help in choosing the right product please don’t hesitate to get in touch or call us on 020 8465 5600.

Community Conscious with Shared Adventures

Mon, 30 Aug 2010 10:26:18 +0000

Staring out the window to a small green garden abundant with life in the middle of Santa Cruz I wonder what it must be like to live in this cute flat for one. Six small birds to each seed house, two six foot tall, orange flowering aloe vera plants, hydrangeas, a meandering possum, a skunk on a jolly jaunt, a weeping willow look-alike tree and an array of other Californian greens I’m unfamiliar with, it’s a small garden of Eden amongst many, I suspect, in this part of the world. But there’s a few things in this Santa Cruzian flat that are a little out of the ordinary.

Look a little closer and you’ll notice low door knobs on all the cupboards and a bicycle-like contraption. Foster Andersen has been a quadriplegic for over 30 years. He had a motorcycle accident at age 17, suffering spinal cord injury that has left him temporarily bound to a wheelchair since. I write temporarily because Foster is no average person. You name it he's done it, from skydiving, bungee jumping out of a hot air balloon, canoeing, scuba diving, kayaking, sailing, rock climbing... the list goes on.

What's so impressive is that he did it all after his accident, wheelchair bound... until he gets in that parachute of course. 15 years ago Foster started the not-for-profit organisation, Shared Adventures, which is dedicated to improving the quality of life of people living with disabilities. It's based on the belief that 'recreation, fun, challenge and access to the outdoors are an essential part of a healthy and fulfilling life'. Foster trained as a computer graphic engineer however spends most of his time working on the events hosted by Shared Adventures. Day at the Beach and Day in the Sky are two of the annual highlights. In addition to the list of things Foster himself has done, the organisation offers a whole range of activities for people with disabilities including camping, horse riding, sailing, flying planes and plenty of social gatherings like the Halloween Dance Party, Frozen Yoghurt Sketch Circle and Bowling by the Boardwalk to get the local community involved. He's also the regular Santa Cruz'ian celebrity. Take one look at his office wall and you'll see articles that span the state, all featuring Foster's achievements from his early 20's until now. He is without a doubt one of the most inspirational people I've ever met and... if one can be so bold... one of those 'ideal' members of society that we would do well to follow his example by for living a full and giving life. For more information on Foster and Shared Adventures visit www.sharedadventures.org

Hacienda Tres Rios – The Newest 5 Star Eco Resort in Mexico

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 09:36:31 +0000

It’s a fairly accurate assumption these days to say that most corners of the world have been touched by the eco effect. Whether you agree, disagree or choose to ignore what´s happening to our planet you´ve at least heard about it in some shape or form. Mexico is no different. The latest in eco developments is underway in the hotel resort paradise of Cancun.

Phase one of this beautiful 5 star resort is already complete so bookings are being snapped up before you can say ‘may I have an organic margarita por favour?’ Why? Well to begin with it is the epitome of luxury and in the location to boot situated 30 minutes drive from Cancun on a clear tranquil beach amongst jungle and ancient Mayan ruins.

I was lucky enough to take a tour of the first complete part of the resort the Hacienda Tres Rios and it lived up to all expectations.

As you enter the resort you are greeted by a beautiful light reception, with stylish Mexican décor and white baby grand piano. Being a 5 star hotel you can dine or receive room service 24/7. With twelve restaurants in total in the Hacienda alone you will not be stuck for choice. There is also a business theatre, patisserie, theatre, spa, gym (including top rate yoga classes) and equestrian and polo centre. The resort covers 150 acres of land. It has 18 rivers (filled with fish) in total with three main ones that snake around the resort and lead into the ocean. You can take a kayak or canoe out for the day and paddle around these beautiful rivers and also get a unique view of the resort. The forest has a number of exotic wildlife like the toucan, cougar, peacock, parrots, flamingos, deer and monkeys. The long-term vision of Tres Ríos includes a marina and yacht club, a convention centre, an equestrian centre, and a fully developed nature park. But how is it eco friendly? The buildings are quite discreet and are only up to three stories high. The rest rooms use ocean water cleaned by one of the local native plants that is able to extract naturally the salt from the water to clean it for usage. Thought the soil is too sandy to grow their own produce on site (explains why the coconuts are only small) the resort does buy local and their meat, I´m told, is organic. The resort is one of the only in Cancun that does not use plastic straws or cups which are excessively used in the hotel filled region.

The ecology mission of Tres Ríos is “to be the leading model for sustainable luxury tourism in the Mexican Caribbean, to guarantee the enduring, intelligent and responsible use of the property’s jungle, mangrove, dune and marine ecosystems and to guarantee the long-term preservation of the ecosystems’ environmental functions, flora and fauna.” One of the wonderful things they´ve done for the region already is reforest 10,000m2 of mangrove, planting more than 50,000 mangrove trees of three varieties. The developers of this plush resort last year donated all of their profits for October to the second biggest killer in Mexico, Breast Cancer. I’m not sure if they advertised the slip slop slap sunscreen to their sunbathing guests but it’s a good start isn’t it? On arrival you can request at the concierge a tour of all the eco features of the resort so that you know exactly what your eco heart and green dollars are buying. For more information about the hotel visit www.haciendatresrios.com

Electric Bicycles Are Better For the Planet?

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:00:52 +0000

The things you learn in a hotel lobby can be quite educational – a mix of people from all over the world are collectively sure to have a wealth of information to share, particularly about eco issues in these eco conscious days. I’ve recently met a few such people interested in all things environmentally friendly, one being eco activist Pat from Canada. Pat started an electric bicycle company called Pedaless and also works with the Electrical Vehicle Council of Ottawa (EVCO). Pat was telling me how there have been studies done that prove electric bikes are more beneficial for the environment than your regular push bike when you look at the energy used of each. When you measure the amount of food fuel you require for a 1 hour ride (think of the amount of energy required to grow and transport the food to you) compared to the amount of electricity, which can be gained from renewable sources the electric bicycle comes out on top. Some of the other advantages of an electric bike include not needing to buy petrol any longer, you do not require a license or insurance to ride one, you can beat the traffic and those hefty parking fees, it produces zero emissions, it’s legal to ride one on the street and the bike path, and it´s much easier to ride up those steep hills (think of what a joy riding through Greenwich or Hampstead Health parks would be!). It’s also very cheap to run at about CAD$0.15/100Km. Pat also told me that he helped the EVCO push through a policy to allow electric bicycles to be ridden on the roads. Unfortunately the same has not been granted for home built electric cars yet but they are working on it. If you´re interested in finding out more information about the electric bicycle or want some inspiration to build your own visit www.pedaless.ca or the EVCO visit www.euco.ca. Personally I prefer the sweaty exercise … and if I want to keep it as eco friendly as possible perhaps I should just not eat that piece of chocolate cake afterwards!

Educating Eco Tourism Via the Ultra Green Race

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 10:49:23 +0000

You´ll need a big eco heart to run this race… a 100km ultra-marathon set on the volcanic island of Ometepe in Nicaragua. This new running event is organized by eco warrior Josue Stephens to promote the eco-tourism projects on the island. With so many forest regions in this part of the world that have been taken advantage of by foreign investors building infrastructure to meet the demands of travellers wanting to experience a piece of untainted wild, places like Ometepe are being tainted beyond repair. But Stephens is having none of it – he´s making clear it´s all about prevention through education. The aim of the race (other than to exhaust the fearless runners who dare to attempt this great feat) is to raise awareness about how to ‘maintain trail, keep people from cutting too many trails, and prevent erosion’ says Stephens. They’re also planning to demonstrate proper waste management to the island’s municipalities. As far as the community of Omeltepe is concerned the locals will provide the resourced needed for the race including aid stations, safety guides, food, medical care and lodging. Traverse Trail Running, which Stephens co-founded, will be fundraising for the race to help buy running shoes for the local children who want to compete in the min version of the race – the Calzado para Ometepe 5km and 10km. For mid-range runners there’s also a 25km and 50km option and a 2-3 runners relay for the 100km. If you´re a runner of any level the race of Ometepe is a treat to experience. Set in the dense jungle forests of Nicaragua the challenge of climbing two volcanoes by foot is sure to be nothing short of spectacular. Stephens says that if it rains runners face trudging through mud and water up to their knees. They battle temperatures that range between 65-95 degrees F, bugs, roots and steep, single track accents and descents. It’s no wonder Stephens and locals want to keep this beautiful place safe. The race will also raise awareness about illegal poaching in the two volcanic national parks that the event is being held in. For more information visit www.fuegoyagua.org

A Contrast of Modern Eco and Old Traditions in Guatemala

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 08:02:26 +0000

Guatemala is a place of many contrasts. In one day you can count a list of observations that are endless: the women carrying a basket on her head dressed in a modern polka dot dress and bright red stiletto shoes; a woman wearing traditional indigenous weaved skirt and shirt walking along the sidewalk chatting away on a mobile phone, a hummer driving down the old cobbled streets of the small rural town of Anitgua; the old man wearing shiny black banker shoes and a courier style jacket on a gleaming Harley Davidson and the most inconspicuous MacDonald’s I've ever seen with the exterior as humble as any street vendor but with an interior as glossy as any 5 star café (outdoor patio with quaint old water feature and all). What topped the list was sighting, at the end of the evening, when the cobbled streets were empty, a white stretch limo roll quietly down the road – all this in an old town surrounded by active volcanoes in the middle of Guatemala. I write this as I sit in one of the only ‘cafés’ in the rural town of San Juan, Comalapa in Guatemala called Café Chixot. I´ve ordered the first Mocha (with a slice of carrot cake!) I´ve seen in a month travelling though Central America: not in the big cities of Guatemala or Cuba but here in these ancient streets of Comalapa. But what is perhaps more surprising is that the eco word has appeared to reach these parts. 100% of the coffee in this wee oasis of a café, is sourced from local coffee bean growers and producers, as its tag line suggests: `!Mi café, tu café, nuestro café! (My café, your café, our café). On the back of its newly laminated paper menus is the café’s mission which goes something like this (if my semi-Spanish speaking travelling partners have translated correctly): to ensure the reforestation and eco production is carried out as an alternative way of taking care of and safeguarding economic activity for many families and small cultivators of coffee. One of the Long Way Home volunteers I´ve been working with has been helping to build a primary school out of old tyres, plastic bottles and earth filled sugar bags, told me that the word has already spread about this new eco method of building. Some of the locals, having seen or been a part of its construction have adopted a similar approach to re-using ´modern` synthetic materials to build with. A resourceful lot anyway, it´s no surprise the adoption rate has been so quick, particularly in a country that has taken on the technologies of the modern world (mobile phones and the internet are most prominent) so swiftly, even in the most remote and poorer rural areas. Let’s hope the positive influences from the west outweigh the negative for all we need is another mass produced line of chain stores on another same, same high street in the world!

Eco Building, A Long Way Home Style

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:56:28 +0000

Ask the question “how much money does it take to live a happy life?” and the majority of answers would look something like this: “enough to provide my loved ones with a comfortable home, wholesome food, a creative/peaceful play time and something to give back or donate to a charitable cause”. In essence we all know that money doesn´t equal happiness though it sure can help to ease a few worries in times of hardship. For some people, especially in the modernized western world, it takes a trip to an underprivileged, poverty stricken place to realise the elements that make for a happy life – gratitude for what we already have, for example. One of the quickest (though not always easiest) ways to do this is by volunteering in a foreign land that doesn´t have any of the mod cons one is used to. A good one that I´ve been working with is ‘A Long Way Home’ on their project in San Juan, Guatemala. The organization put its roots down here a few years ago with the intention to build a park and garden sanctuary for the local community. Once a piece of land that had virtually nothing but shrub on it, Parque Chimiya now has an organic vegetable garden, an organic compost heap, a sunflower garden, running water with pump, electricity, a volunteer house for 7 people with a small stove, a cold shower and compost toilet, a pine tree nursery nurturing tree for reforestation, a children´s playground, and a grassy football field for the local kids to play on. The not-for-profits current project is building a school for the local San Juan community which will eventually give 200 kids the opportunity to have a proper education. Many children here are lucky to finish 6th grade as they tend to leave early to help their families work the land in order to pay for food and other basic provisions. With this new school there will be more of an incentive for kids to stay longer and give children who may not have had the chance before to actually attend. This in itself is a wonderful contribution to the town. Another great aspect of this project is that the school is being built primarily from recycled and eco friendly materials. The school will consist of eight classrooms, four workshops, two storage rooms for trade classes, administration building, an eating hall, a recreational area and a garden. The pictures here show the workshop buildings which are three quarters of the way finished. The walls have been build using old tyres, ´cob´ mud, chicken wire and glass bottles. The walls will have a lime stone finish. The glass bottles in the roof act as colourful mini sun lights: a creative addition to what will be a mainly white exterior (though I´m sure the children will add plenty of bright light to the place. It’s wonderful to see the not-for-profits like Long Way Home having a long-term effect on these underprivileged parts of the world. Not only are they helping whole communities but they give volunteers who travel from the US, UK and the like, the comfort of knowing their work is making a real difference. If you’d like to learn more about Long Way Home and how you can contribute or donate visit www.longwayhomeinc.org

The Ecosystem Turning A Bad Shade of Green

Sun, 21 Feb 2010 09:39:47 +0000

Lake Atitlan is perhaps the most attractive tourist spot in the central American country of Guatemala. A major attraction because of its beauty, ecology, recreational activities and western accommodating facilities; nothing symbolizes luxury more for the weary traveller than a hot shower and clean sheets! Each town bordering the lake seems to cater to a different type of traveller or travelling objective. If you’re the kind of person who likes to experience the complete feel of a place, you best plan to stop off at each of them. San Pedro is where the majority of tourists go and is a bit of a backpackers party town; San Marcos is the self-healing Mecca of the bunch with yoga and meditation retreats, reiki and the like to manifest a bit of peace within; and Xela (pronounce Sheelah) and San Juan are where the eco warriors descend with a number of community projects underway to help the local peoples and preserve the natural environment surrounding them. Alas, it is the town of Xela and San Juan that are currently getting the best run for their money and time, in terms of looking after the beautiful Lake Atitlan. In the last month or so the water body has been taken over by unhealthy algae, which is producing bacteria that are suffocating everything that lives in the lake. The algae carpet has been fed by toxic pollutants such as chemical phosphates (like those found in unnatural laundry detergent) and synthetic compounds (like those found in sunscreens) as well as petrol residue from the motorised boats ferrying the thousands of tourists that visit the lake each year. The pollution has accumulated more rapidly in the last three decades due to the influx of tourists visiting and swimming in the lake. You see, it wasn’t until the 1980’s that locals started selling the land surrounding the lake to foreign visitors who swept in and built the infrastructure to attract travellers, like big hotels, restaurants, internet cafés etc, that are there today. If they could have predicted the impact this would have on their homes, perhaps the lake would not be in such trouble today? In the towns around the lake there is now a great divide between the indigenous Kechiquel people, who dwell higher up the hill, and those that live in the settlement and live clese to the lake shores within the ´tourist´ areas. The situation has become such that a Latvian woman I spoke to told me that the local indigenous people are embarrassed to spend time lower down in the township. A teacher at a local primary school, Yellanor had helped to organise a concert with the school to raise funds for the local community but the those that came down the hill stayed only a few minutes because they felt so uncomfortable: the divide between rich and poor was just to obvious. It´s not just the beauty of Lake Atitlan the Kechiquel are worried about being destroyed, it´s also their livelihoods. Each part of the lakes ecosystem is affected. The people and the local wildlife have nothing to fish if all the underwater life is dying. They rely on this to not only feed themselves but to sell to the restaurants and surrounding towns demanding fresh fish. The lake is also currently un-swimmable which means that tourists may stop coming to the area and hiring boats for transportation to other towns around the lake and partaking in recreational activities based on the water – another means of income lost. The situation has become so bad that in 2009, Lake Atitlan was named Threatened Lake of the Year by the Global Nature Fund. So, for the second time in the last 500 years the Kechiquel people of Guatemala are faced with a major threat to their culture as well as a devastating environmental collapse. It was not so long ago; in the 1500´s that the Conquistador (Spanish Conquerors) invaded the Mayan land with Catholicism here. As a consequence most of the indigenous people here are Evangelists and have lost much of their Mayan beliefs and traditions in the black whole of forgotten time. The Mayans have no written language so this loss is even greater despite some of the revealing archaeological finds on the continent. As all is passed down orally, all most of these people know of their history is of the time since the church arrived. However, from another source I´ve heard that the ancient Mayan ways are still practiced with ceremonies and rituals carried out regularly and in private, albeit amongst a minority. Now these ancient peoples face evolution of the ecological kind – a dark shade of eco green at that. The good new (finally!) is that there is help at hand. A group of expats are working at saving this beauty. A few individuals have come up with the beginning of a solution and have started to build a wetland to stop the eutrophication of the lake. So far, this has involved a huge earthmover, a whole lot of Quetzals and the support of the community – from the rich foreign land owners to the poorest of the poor, the local areneros. Though the lake is no longer being polluted by waste pipes upstream there is still a long way to go. The project involves cleaning about 70 litres of water a minute by way of nutrient retention, evaporation and absorption. A proper drainage system needs to be installed and that’s going to take a lot of resources to get Lake Atitlan clean again,. As for the local indigenous people, beyond helping to clean up someone else’s mess they could do with getting some help to buy back the fertile land of the lake shore. In this part of the world, it seems there’s always a project to start. If this is something you would be interested in doing, the following organisations may be able to help you out (of course you may have to visit this beautiful place to see what´s really needed... ho hum ;) www.burnerswithoutborders.org/ www.downtoearth.org/ www.greennewworld.org/

The Wildish Natural Ways of the Agave Plant

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 08:10:49 +0000

There is a new natural sweetener on the loose in Europe. More than ever snack foods like muesli bars and health drinks found in health food shops are sweetened up with agave syrup. Now everything from blueberry daiquiris to chai maté tea and porridge are being made with the natural alternative to processed sugar cane (also see our raw chocolate recipe blog which uses agave). Now, if you travel to Mexico you will find that agave is used to tantalize your taste buds in a whole other way beyond the dessert variety. Mezcal, the main ingredient in Tequila is made from the green aloe vera look-a-like agave plant. It was in the 16th century that mescal originated in Mexico. Then it was called ´Vino Mezcal´, which means ´drink of the gods´. Greatly revered by the ancient ancestors of Mexico; the maguey plant, which is a type of agave, was seen as an extension of the goddess Mayahuel. The historical significance as well as the fact that it is widely grown throughout Mexico earned the country the prestigious ‘Designation of Origin’ award, a source of great pride for the country. You can find some of the biggest Agave plants in the Mexican state of Zacatecas. Here lies one of the largest producers of Mezcal – ‘Real de Jalpa’- who create, through traditional natural processes, the best Mezcal in Mexico. One place you´ll find a lot of Agave used is at the lively Mexican festivals. One of the biggest is the Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos or All Souls' Day) celebrations. This happens at the same time every year around Halloween and with a similar feel of skeleton, ghost and witchy decorations. This day is to remember and celebrate the lives of those who have passed on. Sweet treats sweetened with agave fill the streets with a sugary aroma, as does the agave based Tequila. Other than tasty treats you can also use the agave plant to do as the natives do and make nails, pens and string to sew with. The leaf has medicinal properties; when taken orally as a tea it is a useful diuretic and can treat constipation. The root can be used to treat arthritic joints. Be warned however, the juice from some species of agave can cause contact dermatitis including reddening and blistering so don´t be going and mixing it with any of your organic face creams!

Nayeli's Hot Mexican Punch

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:00:10 +0000

This is a deliciously exotic and original punch I helped make with a Mexican family I stayed within the beautiful quaint town of Guanjuato (it´s about a two hour drive north of Mexico City and absolutely worth the trek out there). New mum Nayeli explained to me the finer points of making this traditional punch. Mexican´s many make this for Christmas or Posada which is a time of celebration and many parties are thrown the week before Christmas. Nayeli says that if you smell it in the streets you know that Christmas is just around the corner. But it's a wonderful drink in any season. To make roughly 6-8 litres of punch combine in one or two large pots (terracotta Mexican bowls are preferable of course but you´ll achieve the same flavour with the trusty ol European variety): 2 sliced apples 2 oranges segmented 20 whole pitted prunes 6 small quartered guavas half a pineapple cut into 2cm cubes an 80cm length of sugar cane cut into 1cm x 20cm strips a handful of dried Jamaican flower petals (you can find these in specialty health food shops) 4 large peels pods of fresh tamarind 10 fresh halved tejocote (a native Mexican fruit similar to quince, which you can use instead) A handful of sultanas 2 handfuls of sugar 1 stick of cinnamon 4 litres of water Head for about 1 hour then taste to see if all the fruit flavours have combines and the sugar has dissolved. Pour into small terracotta cups and add the sugar cane sticks so that they stick out of the cup (a little like you’d pop a stick of celery in a Bloody Mary). Though pregnant with her second child and the fact that she has a generally displeased taste for alcohol (how very “un-Mexican” she says), Nayeli suggests adding rum for an even more warming effect on those cold winter days (it is the festive season after all!). You can also add pecan for a more nutty flavour. This is a great alternative to mulled wine though the flavour is very different you will certainly impress your winter party guests.