This Week:
Volume 21 Issue 22 - 2013-06-14

Green Light
Sunscreen

Volume 21 Issue 22 2013-06-14

Summer’s fast approaching, which means it’s time to look out for your skin. Protecting yourself from harmful UV rays is essential to good skin health, but many sunscreens on the market contain toxic chemicals that are damaging both to your health and to that of the planet.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to determine the safety of the sunscreen you’ve got in your cupboard. Advocacy organization Environmental Working Group (EWG) has just published its annual Sunscreen Guide, and it’s easy to use; just run a traditional search or scroll through brands and types. There are ratings for 1,800 sunscreens and SPF lip balms, moisturizers, and makeup.

You can also read their report to find more detailed information on their findings, and (for a small donation) download a summary to take with you when you go sunscreen shopping.

If all the information seems overwhelming, take it slow: this summary article is an excellent start.