The Chemicals Between Us

The annual Organic Top 40 is Ode's international selection of sustainable products and honest companies. This year's overview is specially devoted to those that seek to limit our exposure to chemicals. This Organic Top 40 is far from complete-and that's good news. Fortunately, it's impossible to provide information on all the options that exist out there for avoiding superfluous chemicals. This overview, compiled in cooperation with The Green Guide (www.thegreenguide.com), is intended to inspire you by making you aware of the many products being manufactured around the world in the fight for a toxin-free body. It is meant to encourage you to look for and find more examples, both close to home and on the Internet. We have left food off this list, since otherwise it would be too long. But it's certain that choosing to eat organic foods is the best way of all to make sure chemicals stay outside your body.

[Examples I know:]

Living room
DVD player
Sony

Sony's DVP-NS955V DVD player isn't quite edible, but it's close. More than fifty percent of the machine's plastic parts are made of plant-based materials. Sony is taking steps to reduce and replace the use of toxic substances (also see box "Cleaning up its acts"). www.sony.net

Kitchen
Detergents
Ecover
These natural cleaners hygienically take care of whatever's dirty. All their products contain no petrochemical based ingredients, leave no residue of unnecessary chemicals in the house or body, biodegrade easily and make a minimum impact on aquatic life. Ecover, based in Belgium, is one of the world's most widely known producers of green household products. www.ecover.com

Home office

Computers
Fujitsu-Siemens
Fujitsu-Siemens' Esprimo range uses fewer toxic materials than the average computer to meet the European Union's 2006 Reduction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS) law. This means that these desktops contain no lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavelent chromium, PBBs and PBDEs. www.fujitsu-siemens.com
Panasonic
The notebook computers in Panasonic's Toughbook T2 line have a lead-free solder, recyclable magnesium alloy case and reduced flame-retardants. www.panasonic.com

Scanners and printers

Hewlett-Packard
Hewlett-Packard offers the HP ScanJet 4070 Photosmart Scanner: no glue, no paint, and no embedded metal fasteners, and 100% post consumer recycled plastic. And there's the HP Deskjet 6540 Printer: no paint or plating; easy disassembly for recycling. www.hp.com

Mobile phones

Sony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson's new phones-the W800 and the K750- include circuit boards, chargers, housing and plastics that are all free of brominated flame retardants, use lead-free components, and feature plastic with no lead and chromium, as well as nickel-free surfaces and corrosion protection free of hexavalent chromium. Moreover, all new phones including charger and other accessories as well several of the phones launched previously are free of brominated flame retardants in the printed circuit boards and product housing. www.sonyericsson.com

MP3 players
Apple
Whether you chose the shuffle, the mini, or the standard, recyclable Apple iPods come with rechargeable batteries. www.apple.com
Creative
Creative Zen Micro 6GB MP3 player, holds up to 3,000 songs and comes with a removable and rechargeable battery. www.creative.com

Wardrobe

Shoes
Birkenstock
Birkenstock's foot beds are made out of recycled cork from the bottling industry that is blended with natural latex. Moreover, worn soles can be sent back for a tune-up. www.birkenstock.com
Nike Considered
Nike Considered shoes are made out of PVC-free leather, cotton and hemp. The shoes contain no chemical adhesives and are vegetable tanned. www.niketown.com

Bathroom
Cosmetics
Weleda
Weleda cosmetics are carefully produced from choice natural materials. They are particularly gentle to the skin, containing no synthetic preserving agents nor colouring, or flavouring. Weleda's shaving cream, for example contains goat's milk and almond extract, combined with pansy extract care for sensitive skin. Ideal for the face and body. www.weleda.com

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