It’s been almost two months since that fated explosion off the coast of Louisiana, but the horrors of the BP spill are relentless. Predictably, the conversation around our nation’s “oil addiction” is getting louder as Obama tries to rally for clean energy. It’s hard not to feel a bit cynical about this—as in, where the eff was this conversation on March 31, when the president reversed the ban on offshore drilling. But it’s more productive to just seize the opportunity and talk about ways to reduce consumption. So here goes.

Did you know that most of your cosmetics probably contain petroleum-based ingredients? It’s not to take anything away from cars—driving less and using public transport more is one of the most effective ways for individuals to reduce their impact. But your carbon faceprint is probably way larger than you think, as this Huffington Post piece also points out.

Unless you’re really picky about your clean products, everything from your lip gloss to your face cream and concealer contain some version of oil. It’s just one more reason—health being the obvious other—to start making the switch to clean beauty. And of course, to read our book when it comes out in July: our guides will feature a wide array of petroleum-free products that you’ll love.

Meanwhile, if you’re looking for ways to boycott BP in particular, check out this recent post from our friends at Eco Stiletto.

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