Over the past few years the air freshener industry has boomed. As TIME magazine noted, “Watch American television and you get the sense that America is obsessed with air freshener. Trigger-happy women routinely rush around the house armed with cans of the stuff, gleefully spraying running shoes, embarrassed dogs and cigar-smoke-laden furniture; whole families, it seems, are intoxicated by the fresh scent of Summer Breeze or Berry Burst.”
Careful What You Smell
What these commercials don’t tell you, and what some of you might already know, is that most air fresheners contain phthalates. Studies involving phthalates rat and human subjects have suggested that high exposures can cause cancer, developmental and sex-hormone abnormalities (including decreased testosterone and sperm levels and malformed sex organs) in infants, and can affect fertility.
n 2004, the European Union banned phthalates, as do 14 other countries. Unfortunately the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has no regulations on the use of phthalates, does not require the labeling of phthalate content on products and does not consider the quantities to which people are exposed to be harmful. But the first state bill to ban phthalates in children’s toys is currently sitting on California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk.
Keep Your Home Smelling Clean with Palo Santo
So what can you use to keep your home fresh and clean smelling? At EVOLVE we love using natural woods and incense. Most recently we’ve had Palo Santo wood in our shop. Palo Santo is a tree that grows on the coast of South America and is related to Frankincense, Myrrh and Copal.
Palo Santo is enjoyed by many for its energetically cleansing and healing properties similar to Sage and Cedar. Palo Santo is traditionally used for relieving common colds, flu symptoms, stress, asthma, headaches, anxiety, depression, inflammation, emotional pain and more. Palo Santo is easily wild harvested from tree branches and can be a sustainable resource if taken care of and harvested appropriately.
It is easy to use Palo Santo sticks, available at EVOLVE, by using a match or lighter to ignite the stick. Hold it at a 45 degree angle and let the flame burn for 30 seconds to one minute before blowing it out. Let it rest in a small glass or tray. The rich smell will leave your house smelling rich, warm and clear.