On average, each person in the U.S. uses 1.6 plastic straws every day!!! Between the ages of 5-65, this means that about 38,000 straws are used per person. And that’s not counting the paper wrappers!! By now you may be tempted to order your next drink without a straw. But lets face it, those suckers are handy.
The environmental impact is disturbing. Plastic straws are one of the top 10 debris ingested by sea life.
Although many disposable drinking straws are produced with the intention of being recycled (#2 and #5 plastics), they are not. As they are not biodegradable , but photo-degradable, it can take these flimsy straws centuries to break down. In other words, “disposable straws” are not really “disposable”. The majority of them join other plastic products that saturate landfills, or are strewn along roads and beaches, harming wildlife, and ultimately harming us. Many of these straws contain BPA, a known endocrine disruptor. As animals ingest bits of plastic, the BPA accumulates through the food chain ending up on OUR dinner plates and ultimately in our bodies.
Thankfully, Norwex has come up with a solution. The Stainless Steel Drinking Straws are people- and wildlife-friendly, a long-lasting alternative to plastic straws. Their sleek and curved design fits most cups and bottles for easy drinking at home or on the go. The pack of 4 will allow you to keep some at home, work and in your car for those impulsive drive-thru days! This is an easy way to keep your family healthier our beaches/ landfills cleaner.
Straws were originally made from hollow stalks of rye grass.
The first straws used commercially were made from paper (which are still available).
Most plastic straws are also individually wrapped in paper, which equals more trash.
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Delores VandenBoogaard is an Independent Norwex Sales Consultant from Edmonton, Alberta Canada with customers and consultants throughout Canada and the United States including; New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, North West Territories and Ontario. She also has customers and team members in; Michigan, Texas, California, Massachusetts, Florida, Arizona, Missouri, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, Idaho, Washington, New Hampshire, Iowa and Maine.
Do you like systems and organization? I do! I encourage my customers to color-code the microfiber cloths in their home. When Norwex lovers are asked what is their favorite product, it is predominantly the EnviroCloth! This cloth literally cleans up everything and it works amazing… with only water, so there’s no harmful chemical residue left behind– just the real clean.
Since the cloths come in four colors, I have always color-coded our home and have taught my customers to do the same. It’s a simple system:
Redis our go-to kitchen-cloth. It’s used for 2-3 days to wipe down the: counters, stove, microwave, exterior of the fridge and interior plexiglass shelving, the table after each meal, finger prints on the dishwasher and watermarks on the facet and in the sink! This hard-working cloth absorbs spilled tomato sauce, burnt on food, spilled milk or grape juice. Because you cannot bleach your Norwex cloths, red is a great color to camouflage any accidental staining from your daily kitchen activities!
Blue is the designated color for any heavy cleaning project. It lives under the kitchen sink and is pulled out for, wiping the floor when unexpected spills happen, cleaning the very dirty patio furniture, wiping the BBQ or oven, detailing the car, or washing outdoor windows. This way, one cloth does all the extra dirty work, instead of potentially staining every cloth you own!
Greencloths are used to maintain our bathrooms. Years ago we would squeegee our shower, but inevitably the doors and walls still got very grungy. Now, after each shower we quickly wipe down the shower stall to prevent soap scum and mineral deposits. In 10 years since our family was first introduced to Norwex, we have not sprayed any toxic cleaning chemical in our shower. That said, I don’t expect my family to deep clean after each shower. So we do use DeScaler for maintaining the tub and floor weekly. One green EnviroCloth wipes up the shower walls, bathroom counter and mirror for a week. Take a cleaning moment and you won’t need a cleaning day!
Yellowcloths are used for cleaning the toilets. Norwex has an excellent cleaner for inside the toilets, but this cloth is used for detailing the porcelain and seat. It hangs on the plumbing under each bathroom sink. It’s always handy if needed.
Friday is Norwex laundry day at our home and with this cloth system it is very simple. After the cloths come out of the dryer, each cloth is put back where it belongs. Only the Red cloths are folded and returned to the kitchen drawer, the rest are all returned to be used as intended in their designated areas for another week… until they are laundered again.
At my shows everyone laughs when I ask, “Now what would you be thinking if you found a yellow cloth on my counter when you come over for coffee?” : ) See… the system works! Everything stays where it belongs! Simplicity my friends!
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Delores VandenBoogaard is an Independent Norwex Sales Consultant from Edmonton, Alberta Canada with customers and consultants throughout Canada and the United States including; New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, North West Territories and Ontario. She also has customers and team members in; Michigan, Texas, California, Massachusetts, Florida, Arizona, Missouri, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, Idaho, Washington, New Hampshire, Iowa and Maine.
Every day I wake up to my dream job; I am so thankful for the incredible opportunities Norwex has provided me with. Being a part of the company has made saying “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”, 100% true. I LOVE the teaching and everyday learning Norwex has implemented into my life, as it is my privilege to help others, and make a difference in their lives. I am honored to be the Leader of The Solution Team of fabulous consultants across North America. Our team has been awarded as the Top Norwex Team, Nationally and Internationally multiple times since 2007.
My approach to success is simple.
Educating and inspiring consumers is a passion. You wouldn’t believe the number of people unaware that they have a choice to live a life without harmful household chemicals. It is my desire to teach them.
There is no better way to improve yourself than to help improve others. I happily mentor, coach and equip my fellow Norwex consultants with the tools they need to achieve their dreams and goals.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”(M. Meade.) Our team of health conscious consultants wanting to make a difference is ever growing. Join our Team!
Norwex has given me a career with a purpose, flexibility so life can have balance, and self-employment with an excellent income.
Norwex National Conference 2010
My Family:
I married my high school sweetheart two years after graduating high school. Doug and I were blessed with three amazing daughters. When our oldest daughter was born, she was diagnosed with a rare syndrome, preventing me from returning to my full time career. I embraced the stay-at-home mom lifestyle and enjoyed the gift of raising our girls. Finances were tight, as all one income families can attest. Shortly after, I started in the Direct Sales industry in 2001. It has provided our family with flexible hours and income ever since, so there has never been need for hired-care.
In 2013, I saw the influence my career had on my family. When my team was promoted to the first Norwex Black Jacket nationally, Norwex Head Office asked my husband and daughters to speak at the Corporate Celebration. It brought tears to my eyes as they shared what Norwex has meant to them over the years. Our youngest said she loved that her mom was able to attend all her field trips, and how family always came first. Our middle daughter expressed her gratitude for the part-time job and income she earned, as Norwex is our family business. She was also thankful that Norwex was positively affecting our environment for her and her family’s lives to come. As a teenager, she also expressed her appreciation and awe of the Norwex product line, as her skin is free from breakouts and acne. Our oldest told the room full of celebrators that Norwex taught her how to set goals. She had seen first hand how goal setting helped her mom to achieve her dreams. I am proud to share that she was the Valedictorian for her graduating class. My husband thanked me for giving our family time, and balance, all while running a successful business. He was grateful I had taught our girls a strong work ethic, determination, dedication, and the heart to help and serve others. Each of them have blessed me with their words; I will never forget that special evening!
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Delores VandenBoogaard is an Independent Norwex Sales Consultant from Edmonton, Alberta Canada with customers and consultants throughout Canada and the United States including; New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Quebec, British Columbia, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Prince Edward Island, North West Territories and Ontario. She also has customers and team members in; Michigan, Texas, California, Massachusetts, Florida, Arizona, Missouri, Colorado, North Carolina, South Carolina, Idaho, Washington, New Hampshire, Iowa and Maine.
Thankfully, Norwex has come up with a solution. The Stainless Steel Drinking Straws are people- and wildlife-friendly, a long-lasting alternative to plastic straws. Their sleek and curved design fits most cups and bottles for easy drinking at home or on the go. The pack of 4 will allow you to keep some at home, work and in your car for those impulsive drive-thru days! This is an easy way to keep your family healthier our beaches/ landfills cleaner.
