Read Your Labels! What to Ingredients to Avoid

If most of your time shopping is spent reading labels, you're not alone. More and more moms are wising up and informing themselves about the beneficial and harmful effects ingredients in everyday products have on their families.

You do your homework. You read your labels. But do you know which ones you should be avoiding and why?

Pull out some of the things you already own at home: shampoo, sunscreen, toothpaste, hand soap... You've checked them before, but check them again. You might need to rethink your choices and find more healthy alternatives for you and your family.

Here are some of the worst offenders in ingredients, along with what they may be doing to you and your family:

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) - skin irritant with mutagenic effects

Parabens - causes breast cancer

Propylene Glycol - alters skin structure for other chemicals

Phthalates (aka: fragrance) - disrupts hormones; decreases sperm mobility; genital abnormalities in baby boys; linked to asthma and allergies

Petrolatum (aka: mineral oil, Vaseline) - banned in Europe, linked to breast cancer

Cocomide DEA/Lauramid DEA - human immune system toxicant

Diazolidinyl Urea - human carcinogen and nasopharyngeal cancer

Butyl Acetate - skin, eye, and lung irritant

Butylated Hydroxytoluene - human immune system toxicant and neurotoxin

Ethyl Acetate - linked to cancer, developmental and reproductive deformities; skin, eyes, and lung irritant

This short list, borrowed from the Environmental Working Group, is just the tip of the iceberg. To learn more about all the dangerous chemicals found in our everyday products - and why we should be avoiding them - go to www.ewg.org today.

2009 Most Fuel-Efficient Vehicles

Ranked by MPG (city)^*

Most Fuel Efficient Overall	MPG
	city	hwy
Honda Civic Hybrid 1.30L (4cyl), Auto-AV, 2WD, Gasoline	40	45
Small Cars
Honda Civic Hybrid 1.30L (4cyl), Auto-AV, 2WD, Gasoline	40	45
Volkswagen Jetta 2.00L (4cyl), Man-6, 2WD, diesel	30	41
Volkswagen Jetta 2.00L (4cyl), Auto-S6, 2WD, diesel	29	40
Toyota Yaris 1.50L (4cyl), Man-5, 2WD, Gasoline	29	36
Midsize Cars
Toyota Prius 1.50L (4cyl), Auto-AV, 2WD, Gasoline	48	45
Nissan Altima Hybrid 2.50L (4cyl), Auto-AV, 2WD, Gasoline	35	33
Toyota Camry Hybrid 2.40L (4cyl), Auto-AV, 2WD, Gasoline	33	34
Large Cars
Hyundai Sonata 2.40L (4cyl), Auto-L5, 2WD, Gasoline	22	32
Honda Accord 2.40L (4cyl), Man-5, 2WD, Gasoline	22	31
Hyundai Sonata 2.40L (4cyl), Man-5, 2WD, Gasoline	21	32
SUVs
Ford Escape Hybrid 2.50L (4cyl), Auto-AV, 2WD, Gasoline	34	31
Mazda Tribute Hybrid 2.50L (4cyl), Auto-AV, 2WD, Gasoline	34	31
Mercury Mariner Hybrid 2.50L (4cyl), Auto-AV, 2WD, Gasoline	34	31
Station Wagons
Volkswagen Jetta Wagon 2.00L (4cyl), Man-6, 2WD, diesel	30	41
Volkswagen Jetta Wagon 2.00L (4cyl), Auto-S6, 2WD, diesel	29	40
Honda Fit 1.50L (4cyl), Auto-L5, 2WD, Gasoline	28	35
Minivans
Mazda 5 2.30L (4cyl), Man-5, 2WD, Gasoline	22	28
Mazda 5 2.30L (4cyl), Auto-S5, 2WD, Gasoline	21	27
Chrysler Town & Country 4.00L (6cyl), Auto-L6, 2WD, Gasoline	17	25
Dodge Caravan 4.00L (6cyl), Auto-L6, 2WD, Gasoline	17	25
Honda Odyssey 3.50L (6cyl), Auto-L5, 2WD, Gasoline	17	25
Volkswagen Routan 4.00L (6cyl), Auto-L6, 2WD, Gasoline	17	25
Vans
Chevrolet Van 1500 4.30L (6cyl), Auto-L4, 2WD, Gasoline	15	20
GMC Savana 1500 4.30L (6cyl), Auto-L4, 2WD, Gasoline	15	20
Chevrolet Van 1500 5.30L (8cyl), Auto-L4, 2WD, Gasoline	14	18
Pickup Trucks
Ford Ranger 2.30L (4cyl), Man-5, 2WD, Gasoline	21	26
Mazda B2300 2.30L (4cyl), Man-5, 2WD, Gasoline	21	26
Chevrolet Silverado 15 Hybrid 6.00L (8cyl), Auto-AV, 2WD, Gasoline	21	22

* Rankings based on MPG (city). Vehicles with the same MPG (city) were then ranked by MPG (highway), and finally by unadjusted combined fuel economy. Because of this ranking method, the order of vehicles shown on this page may not exactly match those on the "See complete rankings" pages.

Source: EPA.gov/GreenVehicles and FuelEconomy.gov