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I am the founder of
Just Another Natural Nut Just Stand Out & Get Noticed the Green Goddess Campaign My name is April Anderson I am a mother of 3 a grandmother of 6 a toxic statistic an advocate for change HERE’S MY STORY |
It was the Spring of 2005. My cleaning business was successful and organically growing at a comfortable pace allowing me to continually add more staff every month and in 2005 my business employed 8 and had over 100 recurring clients.
All was good, yet it only took a moment to change my way of life.
THE MOMENT OF BEING IN CONTROL
I researched the product, talked with a professional and purchased the safety gear. I read the instructions and then read them again. I followed the instructions. I was in control!
THE MOMENT OF THE UNKNOWN
My client’s desire to make life easier for me created a toxic environment. What happened next was a battle between 2 products, my client's off the shelf and my industrial-strength mould remover (2 vastly different types of chlorine) and without realizing it, I was in the middle of the battle and I did not stand a chance. My saving grace ...... researching, talking with a professional, reading and following the directions. I had no skin showing, my eyes were protected and I wore a face mask. It saved my life! However, I came out of it with some chemical burns in my nasal passages and lungs, as my face mask did not keep out the toxic fumes, and lasting sensitivities to many synthetic and chlorine products. A little tidbit....you may ask why didn't I smell the chlorine bleach from the 'off the shelf' product the client sprayed? Fragrance (in the product) covered up the scent.
THE MOMENT OF FRUSTRATION
Believing the label, trusting the brand, being mislead and finally realizing it.After purchasing many off-the-shelf, commercially sold, distributor-only natural cleaning products I felt duped! Just because a label says it is 100% natural or certified organic doesn't mean it is. It only needs to have one ingredient that is for them to use those words. Derived doesn't mean from, it means copied from or in the 'natural' industry 'starting from'. Fragrance as an ingredient in a natural product is just wrong on so many levels.
Don't assume all products made by a company are natural just because they created a couple that are. If a product is certified 'eco' or 'green' it's not natural since there are no government regulations in the world of natural. Dawn, no matter what they say when they show you how it helps cute little animals, still has ingredients of great concern. Burt Bee's was bought out by Clorox. Have you been noticing changes in your Burt Bee's products, check the ingredients. Is there a creation date on your natural product? How about an expiry date? Why are brands not listing the ingredients anywhere?
THE MOMENT OF CHANGE
I no longer trusted so I needed to create
It all began in 2005 out of necessity because I couldn't find what I needed for my business to move forward using only natural products and closing the business was not an option. 10 years later my needs changed. It became important that the ingredients used to create natural products were sustainable, organic, fair trade and purchased locally (small businesses within Canada. No cross-border shopping). It became necessary, the containers and labels used left a smaller carbon footprint by following a zero-waste mandate. It became obvious, the only way I was going to be able to know for sure the products I was using were safe for me, my employees, my clients and the environment was to create them myself.
OVER THE YEARS
All was good, yet it only took a moment to change my way of life.
THE MOMENT OF BEING IN CONTROL
I researched the product, talked with a professional and purchased the safety gear. I read the instructions and then read them again. I followed the instructions. I was in control!
THE MOMENT OF THE UNKNOWN
My client’s desire to make life easier for me created a toxic environment. What happened next was a battle between 2 products, my client's off the shelf and my industrial-strength mould remover (2 vastly different types of chlorine) and without realizing it, I was in the middle of the battle and I did not stand a chance. My saving grace ...... researching, talking with a professional, reading and following the directions. I had no skin showing, my eyes were protected and I wore a face mask. It saved my life! However, I came out of it with some chemical burns in my nasal passages and lungs, as my face mask did not keep out the toxic fumes, and lasting sensitivities to many synthetic and chlorine products. A little tidbit....you may ask why didn't I smell the chlorine bleach from the 'off the shelf' product the client sprayed? Fragrance (in the product) covered up the scent.
THE MOMENT OF FRUSTRATION
Believing the label, trusting the brand, being mislead and finally realizing it.After purchasing many off-the-shelf, commercially sold, distributor-only natural cleaning products I felt duped! Just because a label says it is 100% natural or certified organic doesn't mean it is. It only needs to have one ingredient that is for them to use those words. Derived doesn't mean from, it means copied from or in the 'natural' industry 'starting from'. Fragrance as an ingredient in a natural product is just wrong on so many levels.
Don't assume all products made by a company are natural just because they created a couple that are. If a product is certified 'eco' or 'green' it's not natural since there are no government regulations in the world of natural. Dawn, no matter what they say when they show you how it helps cute little animals, still has ingredients of great concern. Burt Bee's was bought out by Clorox. Have you been noticing changes in your Burt Bee's products, check the ingredients. Is there a creation date on your natural product? How about an expiry date? Why are brands not listing the ingredients anywhere?
THE MOMENT OF CHANGE
I no longer trusted so I needed to create
It all began in 2005 out of necessity because I couldn't find what I needed for my business to move forward using only natural products and closing the business was not an option. 10 years later my needs changed. It became important that the ingredients used to create natural products were sustainable, organic, fair trade and purchased locally (small businesses within Canada. No cross-border shopping). It became necessary, the containers and labels used left a smaller carbon footprint by following a zero-waste mandate. It became obvious, the only way I was going to be able to know for sure the products I was using were safe for me, my employees, my clients and the environment was to create them myself.
OVER THE YEARS
- I have created the recipes for and handcrafted 100% natural cleaning products for the cleaning industry - 2005 to present day
- I have coached business owners in the residential cleaning industry throughout Canada and the U.S., locally Your House Fairies (Orillia), Spic and Span Residential (London), 3 Little Birds (Hamilton) - 2006 to present day
- I owned one of the first Eco residential cleaning businesses to use 100% natural products in London and area, Grimsby, Burlington and Hamilton – 2005 to 2014
- I ran an organic kitchen for a popular organic store in London ON 2014 to 2015
- I was in charge of the marketing for a popular organic store in London ON 2014 to 2015
- I was a volunteer Mentor with a worldwide organization helping cleaning professionals in the residential arena with starting or switching over to an Eco service 2006 -2016
- I owned Kampson's Collectibles in Belmont (store) and Harrietsville (online sales focusing on vinyl albums) - 2000-2003
- I worked in the restaurant industry from the back of the house (The Crock & Block) to server (Great West Steak House, Mother Tucker's and Black Angus to name a few) to Front of the House Manager (Boston Pizza and O'Tooles) in London - 1975 to 2001
- I advocated for the rights of employees in the restaurant industry when they were not aware of them - 1979 to 2001
- My very first paycheck job was at the Odeon Theatre in London - 1974 to 1975