DANIEL GOLEMAN:
"...The riddle of the chariot comes from the 5th century, from an obscure text in India.....It poses the question: where is the chariot? Is it in its wheel? In the frame? In the rods that connect it to the horse? It's not in any one of those. It is an aggregate of parts.A very interest discussion on the importance of knowing the "true costs" of the products we buy. But how can we tell what products are "safe" or have the smallest impact on people and the environment?
"And the metaphor here is that any product is not a single thing here. It has a back story. It's an aggregate. It's an assembly. And that assembly includes the impacts along the way. So we've got to expand our thinking about the stuff we buy. Because it has a history that could be better going into the future if we vote with our dollars. And that's another metaphor I'd like to put out. Is that it's like an election, folks, you know. Do you want the...pricy one with the chemicals of concern?
"Or do you want the one that's actually cheaper as it happens, and that you know is safe for your family. And if you do, and, as you say, if you have a broader moral vision, do you want to let other people know? Do you want to make the company know, so that by the time your grandchildren are buying it, it's a safer product."
Fortunately, Mr. Goleman pointed to 2 excellent (and easy to navigate) online resources to help you quickly find the better products!
http://www.goodguide.com/ (easy ratings guide to find the preferable products)
and
http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ (what potentially dangerous chemicals are in your cosmetics?)
Hat tip to Greg Gangi, of UNC's Institute for the Environment, for pointing this out!
