Reformulated Tide and Other Changemaker Stories

Lori's Tide Petition Brings Change

Last February my friend Lori who blogs at Groovy Green Livin started a petition asking Proctor & Gamble, the makers of Tide to remove the cancer-causing chemical 1,4-dioxane from its laundry detergents. The petition went viral and garnered almost 80,000 signatures. Less than a year later, Proctor & Gamble has agreed to reformulate Tide products to reduce levels of 1,4 dioxane to below 25 parts per million!

This is such an excellent example of how a regular person can be a changemaker by simply reaching out and sharing an idea with their community. It can be as easy as starting a petition or organizing a group in your neighborhood. It can be as simple as educating your friends through Facebook and Twitter. It can be as big or as small as you want it to be.

Other Changemakers I Know

Lori isn't the only changemaker I know. I am honored to know many other bloggers and activists who have gone the extra mile to make change happen. Here are just a few examples:

Diane from Big Green Purse - Back before "going green" was at all trendy, Diane wrote a comprehensive guide to using your spending power to create a cleaner, greener world. Her book Big Green Purse is still popular today. Diane is a tireless advocate for the environment with speaking gigs all around the country and the world!

Harriet from Climate Mama - A champion for mobilizing action around climate change and other environmental issues, Harriet was even arrested at the White House during a protest against the Keystone Tar Sands Pipeline. Talk about an Eco Warrior!!

Beth from My Plastic Free Life - Tired of having to toss the plastic filters for her Brita water pitcher, Beth started a "Take Back the Filter" campaign and eventually convinced Brita's parent company, Clorox to team start a recycling program for filters.

Tamara - Director and Executive Producer of the MisLEAD Movie - After her young children experienced lead poisoning during a home renovation, Tamara started on a mission to educate people about the hidden epidemic of childhood lead poisoning and the importance of lead-safe work practices in home and building renovations.

Are you ready to spearhead a change in your community? TakePart has a helpful toolkit and some inspirational changemaker stories to set you off on the right foot! For more about this program, check out my previous post Do You Want to Be a Changemaker?

Do you have any changemaker stories to share?

(Disclosure: This is part of a sponsored campaign through Linqia and Participant Media.)

Image credit: lusterbr via flickr

Comments

[Lori Popkewitz Alper]

Thank you so much for sharing the great news about Tide's willingness to reformulate their laundry detergents to remove a cancer causing chemical. I'm honored to be listed among the other incredible woman, Diane, Harriet, Tamara and Beth. You are on that list too Micaela! Together our voices can and will make a difference!

[Maria Smith]

That is very cool of her to get Tide to change, even just to try! If everyone does their part, it makes a difference. Does switching to green cleaning count? :)

[Micaela]

You are very welcome Lori - the Tide formula change is a BIG win!!

 

[Micaela]

Marie - yes of course switching to green cleaning counts! Every little thing you do helps both your family and the planet! :)

[Tiffany C]

Great list of change makers. I am so super duper proud of Lori. She is such a rock star! I will not have to check out Tamara, thanks for the heads up!

[Lindsay Dahl]

This is so exciting and encouraging to see bloggers changing the world! I'm inspired to work with you all everyday!

[Micaela]

Thanks Lindsay! We are always happy to support Safer Chemicals Healthy Families too! :)

[Micaela]

You bet Tiffany! Tamara's movie is really excellent. I saw a rough cut recently and learned a TON about lead that I didn't already know.

[Types of Cancer]

Thanks Lindsay! We are always happy to support Safer Chemicals Healthy Families too! :)