Last Updated on January 24, 2024
In 2022 alone, petroleum jelly sales accumulated to $131 million dollars in revenue. You can find it in practically every grocery store. Many dermatologists recommend it for skincare and eczema.
But what exactly is petroleum jelly and is it good for our health? Or the environment?
If you’re interested in living a zero waste, plastic-free lifestyle, you may want to avoid petroleum jelly simply because it’s packaged in a plastic container. But packaging alone is not the only thing to consider when making a purchase: Ingredients matter too.
And, in this case, petroleum itself is a byproduct of the fossil fuel industry.
This fact, however, doesn’t necessarily mean petroleum jelly is outright bad. It’s history, uses and benefits are complex.
Let’s dive into what petroleum jelly is, how it came to be, and what you need to know about it. I’ve also included some more eco-friendly and natural alternatives you can use instead.
what is petroleum jelly made of?
Petroleum jelly is made of refined crude oil. Lets discuss what that means.
First off, crude oil must be extracted from the earth (often unsustainably) and then refined into a wide array of petroleum products such as gasoline, jet fuels, etc.
According to the Department of Energy, crude oil itself is a mix of hydrocarbons, (molecules of carbon and hydrogen) formed from the decomposition of carbon-based plant and animal organisms that accumulated in ancient seabed and lakes, buried under high pressures and high temperatures for millions of years.
Aka, crude oil is a fossil fuel.
Now, how does this become crude oil become petroleum jelly?
Manufacturers refine the material into a semi-solid, mostly odorless product. They do this through distilling and filtering it so they can remove undesirable impurities.
is vaseline and petroleum jelly the same thing?
Vaseline and petroleum jelly are often referred to interchangeably, but it’s important to note they’re not exactly the same thing.
Vaseline is a brand that dates back to1859 when a chemist named Sir Augustus Chesebrough visited oil rigs in Pennsylvania to research what materials could be obtained from fuel.
About ten years later, in 1870, Chesebrough launched his business, Vaseline. He patented the refining process (filtration) of petroleum to make Vaseline.
But there’s a bit of history not many are aware of: Chesebrough was not the first to discover petroleum jelly. Native American tribes from Pennsylvania were.
They even developed the know-how to refine and process it before Chesebrough or anyone else. This is because the oil pits in Pennsylvania belonged to the Native Americans, and they developed surface seeps of petroleum which they cultivated for medicinal purposes.
Since Vaseline’s launch, many other brands have also started producing their own version of petroleum jelly.
So, it’s important to note when we talk about “petroleum jelly” we are not only limiting it to Vaseline’s product.
is petroleum jelly safe on skin?
Petroleum jelly is said to be safe on skin by most dermatologists.
It’s an occlusive moisturizer, meaning it seals moisture into the skin. It creates a barrier that prevents water from leaving the skin and thus helps the skin retain moisture.
Petroleum jelly is most commonly used to:
- Heal minor scrapes and burns
- Moisturize face, hands and more
- Soothe skin and relieve dryness/chapped skin
- Prevent chafing
- Prevent diaper rash
However, petroleum jelly should only be used externally. Do not eat or insert petroleum jelly internally.
Especially avoid using petroleum jelly as a lubricant. According to Reuters, a study of 141 women found that 17 percent used petroleum jelly internally and 40 percent of them tested positive for bacterial vaginosis.
While many people recommend using it for chapped lips, you may want to air on the side of caution and avoid doing so simply because it’s easy to accidentally ingest petroleum jelly when it’s on your lips.
Very rarely, some individuals may have petroleum jelly allergies and should avoid using petroleum jelly. Always consult a medical professional if you have concerns.
is petroleum jelly all natural?
Just because something comes from the Earth does not mean it’s necessarily safe. For example, many people argue “natural gas” is good simply because it has the word natural in it – but it is still a fossil fuel which contributes to climate change.
In a similar way, petroleum jelly is not exactly all natural because it must be refined multiple times to become safe to use. Plus, it is derived from fossil fuels, which are harming our planet.
Vaseline in particular is also not cruelty-free. If you didn’t know, Vaseline is owned by Unilever. Both Unilever and Vaseline state they don’t test their products on animals, but they do allow their ingredient suppliers or government authorities to test on animals where required by law.
Cruelty-free companies have a policy where if the law requires them to test on animals, they will refuse to sell their products under those conditions. Since Vaseline and Unilever aren’t doing this, their products cannot be considered cruelty-free.
However, there are sustainable, cruelty-free alternatives to petroleum jelly to consider using.
natural alternatives to petroleum jelly
If you’ve decided to avoid or swap out petroleum jelly, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite alternatives. If you prefer DIYs, you could also try making homemade lotion.
Each of these moisturizers gets the Going Zero Waste seal of approval. Several of these brands are packaged plastic free, and utilize organic ingredients.
I’ve gone ahead and highlighted some key features of each brand, but it isn’t an exhaustive list. Be sure to check out their websites for more information.
1. waxelene
- All-over, multi-purpose ointment
- Made from USDA-certified organic ingredients like beeswax, soy oil, and rosemary
- Cruelty-free and hypoallergenic
- Ointment comes in reusable/recyclable glass jar
- 2% of sales go to removing ocean plastics from the environment
/ SHOP WAXELENE /
2. jao’s goe oil
- All over body oil
- Made from 28 naturally derived plant, fruit and flower oils and butters
- Long lasting (a little goes a long way)
- Plastic-free aluminum tube
3. ecoroots everything balm
- All over body moisturizer
- Made with organic botanical ingredients
- Vegan + cruelty-free
- Packaged in a recyclable/reusable glass jar
- Palm-oil Free, paraben-free, phthalates-free
4. dr. bronner’s organic magic balm
- All over body balm
- Unscented + arnica-menthol options
- Made from certified organic and fair trade ingredients
- Packaged in a 2 oz reusable/recyclable tin
So, what are your thoughts on petroleum jelly? Would you switch to a more eco-friendly alternative? Let me know in the comments.
The post What is Petroleum Jelly? Is It Sustainable? appeared first on Going Zero Waste.
Thoreau wrote in Walden that “Time is but the stream I go a-fishing in,” which reminds us that life is short and nature fills it beautifully. What are you looking for that can’t be found during an afternoon in nature?
Earth911 inspirations. Post them, share your desire to help people think of the planet first, every day. Click the poster to get a larger image.
The post Earth911 Inspiration: Time Is but the Stream appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/inspire/earth911-inspiration-time-is-but-the-stream/
Green Living
Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action
Turn back the clock with this classic interview that will get you ready for Spring yard care planning. A lawn may be beautiful but it can take a heavy toll on the environment, accounting for between 30% and 60% of residential water use in the United States. Rob Moir, Ph.D., is president and executive director of the Ocean River Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts. ORI works with residential lawn owners to heal damaged ecosystems by restoring coastal areas to lessen the destructive impacts of climate change. The benefits of a natural lawn reach far beyond reduced local water pollution, eliminating chemicals that can contribute to cancers, diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other cellular diseases. Natural lawns are also better for local pollinators and store much more carbon than heavily fertilized lawns. If you considered removing your lawn to play a part in the battle against climate change, this interview may change your mind — a healthy lawn is a powerful carbon sink.
The Ocean River Institute is recruiting Massachusetts communities, town by town, to take a pledge to follow natural lawn practices in the Healthy Soils for Climate Restoration Challenge. You don’t need to live in Massachusetts to participate and learn about the alternatives to the traditional, chemical-intensive lawn practices that use Roundup, a source of glyphosates that kills soil-dwelling fungi and local pollinators, and fast-acting nitrogen fertilizers. You can learn more about the Ocean River Institute at www.oceanriver.org.
Rob has contributed many articles about climate change and the history of environmental change since this interview, including:
- Finding a Northwest Passage to the Sea
- Turning the Tide—How Land and Water Shape Our Climate Future
- Learning from Captain Scoresby’s Ten-gallon Fir-Cask
- Earth Savvy?
- Let the Ground Keep Falling Rainwater
- The Sultans of Swag Versus Looking at Clouds from Both Sides Now
- Subscribe to Sustainability in Your Ear on iTunes and Apple Podcasts.
- Follow Sustainability in Your Ear on Spreaker, iHeartRadio, or YouTube
Editor’s Note: This episode originally aired on May 30, 2022.
The post Classic Sustainability In Your Ear: The Ocean River Institute’s Natural Lawn Challenge for Climate Action appeared first on Earth911.
https://earth911.com/podcast/earth911-podcast-the-ocean-river-institutes-natural-lawn-challenge-for-climate-action/
Choosing your perfect gown can be one of the most exciting decisions for your special day, but for the eco fashionista, it can be a challenge to find a dress that fits your values and style — but these brands have exceptional sustainable wedding dresses you’ll swoon over!
Using earth-minded materials like hemp, cruelty-free peace silk, deadstock recycled fabrics and vintage lace, and producing consciously, either in small batches or handcrafting each individual piece made-to-order, the brands below meet high standards for transparency, ecological sustainability, and fair labor.
[For more sustainable wedding dresses, check out this guide to secondhand wedding dress sites!]
Note that the guide contains affiliate links. As always, we only feature brands that meet strict criteria for sustainability we love, that we think you’ll love too!
1. Christy Dawn
Dreamy dress brand Christy Dawn does not disappoint with their romantic bridal collection! Each piece is more swoon-worthy than the next.
Their three sustainable bridal gowns are made from regenerative silk charmeuse —sourced through BOMBYX, an innovative silk producer using best practices — and colored in a beautiful pearl silk with non-toxic dyes. Each dress is ethically cut and sewn by makers in Los Angeles earning living wages, as with the rest of Christy Dawn’s collections.
The Britta Dress and Fitzgerald Dress are 1920s inspired while the Athena Dress is a more modern (but equally romantic) option. All of these dresses are made-to-order with an estimated timeline of 4 weeks.
Conscious Qualities: Regenerative silk and organic non-toxic dyes, ethically made-to-order in Los Angeles
Price Range: $2,500 – $3,000
Size Range: XS – XL
2. Pure Magnolia
Blending the traditional with the modern, Pure Magnolia designs classic-inspired sustainable wedding dresses with contemporary touches. And each dress is made in their Canadian studio by seamstresses earning fair wages from eco-fabrics, such as organic cotton and hemp silk.
The brand sources recycled fabrics whenever possible as well, and recycles their scrap fabric through FABCYCLE.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, locally and fairly made, recycles scrap fabrics
Price Range: $845 – $3,300 CAD
Size Range: 0 – 28
3. Lost in Paris
Lost in Paris crafts each of their creatively designed bohemian-inspired gowns ethically in their Sydney, Australia studio. Unconventional yet undeniably striking, Lost in Paris’ dresses are made from vintage lace and cotton.
Investing in a dress from Lost in Paris is seamless — the brand offers at-home sample try-ons, offers train and sleeve adjustments on several styles, ships their dresses worldwide for free, and even accepts returns. Oh, and, if one of their ready-made sizes doesn’t work for you, you can get a dress designed to your measurements.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses vintage lace, locally made
Price Range: $950 – $3900 AUD
Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing options
For More Slow Fashion Content:
4. Wear Your Love
Wear Your Love creates feminine, effortless dresses in their Northern California studio that are — in contrast to the majority of wedding dresses on the market — actually comfortable! The brand’s free-spirited designs are made with soft, earth-minded fabrics like organic cotton and each dress is made to order for each bride to their exact measurements.
There are also customizations available for each eco-friendly wedding dress such as train or no train, skirt or sleeve linings, back coverage, skirt style, and more.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model, locally and transparently made
Price Range: $680 – $1,700
Size Range: N/A; dresses are made to your measurements
5. Larimeloom
Based in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Larimeloom crafts exceptional custom-made dresses by hand in their atelier. The brand creates comfortable minimalist dresses from durable natural fabrics and colors them with natural or non-toxic dyes.
Larimeloom has also implemented zero waste design techniques, cutting their patterns strategically in order to minimize fabric waste.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, zero-waste designs, natural fabrics and dyes
Price Range: 650€ – 2,650€
Size Range: XS – XL
6. Sister Organics
Sourcing quality earth-friendly natural fabrics like organic hemp and cotton, Sister Organics creates classic, eco-friendly wedding dresses for UK-based brides.
Each dress is made to order in England, so you can select a pre-defined size, customize the length of a size, or get an entirely different dress made for your measurements.
Conscious Qualities: Eco-friendly fabrics, made-to-order model
Price Range: £125 – £390
Size Range: XXS – XXL + custom sizing
7. Indiebride London
Indiebride’s vintage-inspired sustainable wedding dresses are delicate and romantic yet free-spirited, offering a unique collection for the bride that wants to skip the conventional wedding gown and choose a piece that fits their individual style.
The brand’s conscious wedding dresses are handmade in London using majority natural fibers and can be altered or customized to your specifications.
Conscious Qualities: Made-to-order model, uses many natural fabrics, locally made
Price Range: £1,200 – £1,700
Size Range: 8 – 16 (UK sizes)
More Resources For Your Eco Wedding:
10 Secondhand Wedding Dress Sites for the Eco Bride
7 Ethical Lab-Grown Diamond Engagement and Wedding Rings
17 Brands with Conscious Dresses (great options for bridesmaid dresses in here!)
The post 7 Best Sustainable Wedding Dresses for Your Special Day appeared first on Conscious Life & Style.
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