There are certain topics I never thought I’d be talking about to my friends/family, let alone hundreds of thousands of strangers… but just like everybody poops, we all sweat too!

How often do you take a look at what’s inside of the personal care products (deodorants, soaps, toothpastes, lotions, etc.) that you use on a daily basis?

With three billion toys purchased in 2014 alone, the challenges of what to do with damaged or unwanted toys are greater than ever. Unusable toys that aren’t fit for donating can now find a new home other than a landfill.

Article discussing TerraCycle's growing brigades, with a focus on the Oral Care brigades. ASDA final

I am happy to announce that I am part of the Tom’s of Maine Goodness Circle. When I was asked to become a member of the Goodness Circle I was thrilled. As a mom I am very concerned about the every day products that my family uses. Slowly but surely I am replacing every day items with ones that are better for them and/or better for our environment. Tom’s of Maine products are made no artificial ingredients, no artificial colors, no artificial preservatives, no artificial flavors, no animal ingredients and no synthetic fragrances. Unlike other companies, Tom’s of Maine not only lists the ingredients found in their products but also the purpose the ingredient serves and where they get the ingredients from. That way if you have a question about what an ingredient is and why it’s needed in the product you are using you can quickly and easily look it up on the Tom’s of Maine site. In addition to making more natural products, Tom’s of Maine also cares about our environment. They use as little packaging as possible. They even work with TerraCycle. TerraCycle takes empty Tom’s of Maine bottles and boxes and recycles and repurposes them to keep them out of landfills and the ocean. You can learn more about it here - http://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/tom-s-of-maine-natural-care-brigade.

Tom’s of Maine is partnering with recycling and upcycling firm TerraCycle on the Tom’s of Maine Natural Care Brigade, a free collection program that enables consumers to keep packaging from all Tom’s of Maine products— and other brands—out of landfills. The Tom’s of Maine Natural Care Brigade accepts toothpaste tubes and caps, mouthwash bottles and caps, deodorant/antiperspirant containers, plastic soap wrappers and floss containers, regardless of brand. For each piece of packaging collected and sent in, the collector earns points that can be put toward charity gifts or converted to cash and paid to any school or non-profit organization. Any individual, family, group or school can join for free at TerraCycle.com and all shipping costs are pre-paid. In connection with the launch, the company has announced the Tom’s of Maine Less in Landfills Sweepstakes, through which Brigade participants can earn $1,000 for the non-profit or school of their choice. Through the Less in Landfills Sweepstakes, Tom’s of Maine Natural Care Brigade leaders have up to three chances to earn even more money for their school or charity. Each shipment from a Brigade location received before Nov. 30, 2012, will count as an entry into the sweepstakes to win $1,000, with a maximum three entries per Brigade location.