Commercialism, Big Business, what is the world coming to?

Many of you know that I used to work for The Body Shop. Many of you also know about Dame Anita Roddick, founder or The Body Shop and her life-long focus on activism,natural skin care, environmentalism, fair- trade, recycling, refilling, no animal testing, etc. I loved working for such a family-friendly, personal, small, down-to earth, positive, company that was about things I could get behind.

What you may not know is that Anita passed away fairly recently. A shock to everyone. I hoped that her husband Gordon and daughters Sam and Justine would keep the company going in the direction Anita had always envisioned. Well! Imagine my dismay when I found out that not only is the Roddick family not running The Body Shop, but the company has been bought out by Loreal! A cosmetics company! ARRRRGGHHHHHH......i was speechless. Outraged really. How did this happen? I still cannot believe it. Though I no longer work for the company, I do still use their products: Brazil Nut body butter in the winter on my super sensitive skin, peppermint foot lotion on my tired feet, woody sandalwood oil in place of deoderant, hemp had creme.....I love those products. Needless to say, I will NOT be buying those beloved items from The Body Shop anymore. But most of all, it saddens me to think that all of Ms. Roddick's dedication and hard work has been sold! Gone... I have some books that Anita wrote and in all of them, her determination to stand alone from the cosmetics giants is voiced....her disdain for big business, or business in general....her vision to sell real products, not false promises to people for simply, cleaning, polishing and moisturizing their skin. What is Anita saying right now?

So, if that weren't bad enough, I have also come to find out that AVEDA, a company who I also believed in and who I thought stood for something...environmentalism, natural haircare and cosmetics, etc....has sold out to Estee Lauder! When I lived in St. Louis, I regularly went to an Aveda-concept salon for my haircare needs. Now, you all know that I now have dreadlocks and don't go to the salon, but still! I may not have them forever and I'd like to know that I could still buy shampoo that I believe in....... What is this world coming to?

Okay, so I needed to calm down. I made a cup of tea and while it was steeping, sat reading a magazine at the table. What did I come across? An article on how BURT'S BEES has sold out too! Guess who now owns burts? Clorox! Yeah, for real! A company that's been polluting the environment for years. I love my burt's bees lip balm...in honey, mint, and cranberry! I love my nutmeg lip shimmer, and my vitamin E face oil.....I love the shampoo bar....I could go on and on. I wanted to cry. I may have even shed a tear. "That's it!" I decided. If I can't rest assured knowing that Burt in his old overalls, worn hat and burly beard is not tending his bee hives in Maine to create my favorite lipbalm anymore....then, then, then....I'll make it myself! I'll post pictures when I actually do make a batch...but first, I need to use up all the Burt's in the house. I've decided I'm not even going to try and find a replacement product. I'm suddenly feeling bitter towards all companies. Time to look to local farmer's for beeswax and rely on myself to make my beauty necessities..

The final straw....TOM'S OF MAINE...yes, the toothpaste the children and I use. They've done it too, they've sold out. To whom, you ask? Colgate-Palmolive...I have no words. We may start brushing our teeth with Bronners. Mama Kim does it, her kids have adapted.....that or baking soda.......

What's the deal? Why can't our small, family owned and operated businesses thrive? Did they get money hungry and want some of the fame? Was it too much work? Didn't enough of us naturalists support them? I just don't understand.
I'm off to make another cup of tea, sustainably harvested from a local family and my friends, The Orners out at Quiet Creek Herb Farm and School of COuntry Living....a place I can feel good about.....by the way, I also get my handmade soap from Quiet Creek...and I just spoke with Claire, they have beeswax!

Please share your frustrations, let me know I'm not the only one affected by these things...anyone?