chemicals, chemicals everywhere

If you are new to this blog, this post needs a little introduction, so here you go:

Everybody knows somebody who gets a headache from perfume. The article I discuss below mentions that the author's fragrance testing made her cat sneeze. These reactions to synthetic fragrance are not at all uncommon, and people think they're harmless, but they are an indication of an inability to process synthetic chemicals, and trust me when I say you don't want to experiment with that kind of thing. Disability is not just about wheelchair ramps and Braille on ATMs.

Today I learned that marketing has glommed onto the idea of a company scent, so companies are spraying their lobbies with synthetic chemicals. Also, people with any degree of celebrity feel compelled to have their own chemical signature, so a chemical designer called Slatkin & Company designed some smelly, washable, resin beady-rock things for Elton John, which brings us to the quote of the day:

It is true that Mr. Slatkin’s rocks are not shy. I did not attempt a wash test. However, merely brushing the lid of their package caused an aroma transfer to my own digits, which, despite repeated hand-washings, remained stubbornly rock-redolent.

That, my friends, is why fragrance chemicals are so evil. Touch the wrong thing, and you can't wash it off.

Ok, now here's a short rant if my introduction wasn't enough:
I keep saying that obstacles to disabled people should be removed, so synthetic chemicals in public places should be banned. That means perfumes of any kind, right down to April Fresh laundry products. I want to be able to work, or heck, I'd settle for being able to shop safely, and frivolous, trendy, marketer-driven preferences are standing in my way.

So if you happen across any highly-scented lobbies, please say something to the management.