Clean Living

Keeping your house clean without comprising your health sounds like a paradox. The truth is, many household products contain chemicals that may prove harmful to you and your family in the long term. Just taking out dirt and grime is no longer enough, especially if the cleansing materials used are toxic. Siblings Troy Bernardo, Candy Reyes and Krie Lopez started out looking for a project that would help in the rehabilitation of people in need, patterning their ideas after the Delancey Street Foundation which is a self-sustainable rehabilitation program. “I began researching on self-sustained programs, or termed recently as “social entrepreneurship,” and I particularly liked Delancey explains Krie “they took in the bottom 2 percent of the society—drug addicts, excons, homeless, etc.—and they provided them with jobs that educated and empowered them and later on placed them back into mainstream society. The income from the businesses they worked for in turn sustained the whole program. I actually went to visit the foundation two years ago, and this prompted me to start something here.”

What was started was Messy Bessy an earth friendly, non-toxic and biodegradable line of household cleaning products. They are manufactured in one of the homes of the Virlanie Foundation. Specifically Elizabeth home—which is the home of formerly abused girls. “Messy Bessy is a private corporation, but it’s actually run like a non-profit. The primary objective of the company is to personally develop the disadvantaged young adults who are trained and employed by the company. Secondary is to help create safer and “greener” homes” continues Krie.

Earth and human friendly are the strong points of the products and there are even refills available as well as returned bottle discounts so recycling is also encouraged. The most popular products are the Eucalyptus All Purpose Scrub, Orange Blossom Surface Cleaner and the Disinfectant Aroma Spray. The siblings also promote a shift in consciousness so people become more sensitive to their environment. “It would be best to get people out of the old, conventional way of doing things such as buying things regardless of how these products harm them or the environment. We can do our part by bringing Messy Bessy to major retailers, giving people the option. In the meantime, though, while that hasn’t happened yet, people may want to explore other ways to do their groceries. For example, visit outdoor markets, patronize small businesses, support organic growers, bring your own shopping bags, choose to buy products from local companies that contribute to society,” adds Troy.

All in all, earth friendly is not just about where you live, it’s about how you live and how you affect those who live around you.

Messy Bessy is part of a project called HOUSE: Helping Ourselves through Sustainable Enterprises. For orders and inquiries: messybessycleaners@gmail.com or call 0917-8303003 or visit www.messybessy.multiply.com

Interiority Complex 

By Katrina A. Holigores
Philippine Daily Inquirer

Last updated 17:15:00 04/25/2008