This Earth Day, April 22, 2014 marks the five-year anniversary of Just Act Natural – the Fox Valley’s first eco-lifestyle store.
Just Act Natural, which opened in 2009, has seen the ups and downs due to the recession. “The fact that we’re still standing five years later says that we’re doing something right,” according to co-owner J.C. Paustian. “Our Earth Day opening went way beyond our expectations and our loyal customers have sustained us so far,” said J.C., who owns the store along with his wife, Dianne.
The premise behind the store is to offer all green, eco-friendly products under one roof. The store sells a variety of green goods like organic cotton t-shirts, reusable bags, natural body care, non-toxic cleaners, BPA-free kitchenware, stainless-steel and glass water bottles, safe toys and baby items, gifts and most recently they’ve have added a local food section.
“You can go into a grocery store, for example, and find a section of natural body care products and then you can go to a different store and find a water bottle and then maybe go online and find some organic cotton clothing, but it’s hard to find it all in one store,” J.C. said. “And that’s the idea of Just Act Natural – to find these different categories in one place.”
And, although the major retailers are starting to carry more eco-friendly merchandise, the Paustians challenge a shopper to find the personal, friendly service that they offer at their store. “If you’re lucky, you may get a big-box retailer worker to point you in the general vicinity of something you’re looking for,” J.C. added. “But here at our store you’re guaranteed one-on-one service along with plenty of product knowledge.”
The Paustians understand that green is the way to go these days and has become a buzz word the past few years, but they are also realistic in thinking that everyone cannot “go green” in a day’s time.
“We don’t expect people to wipe out their households and make the switch to all green products,” Dianne said. “I like to tell people to use up what you have and then switch one product at a time. Start with what goes on your skin first like lotions and cosmetics because that’s what gets absorbed the most,” Dianne continued. “After that, then move onto soaps, shampoos, laundry and cleaners.”
These first categories are extremely important because there is evidence out there that conventional body care products contain many known carcinogens and hazardous ingredients, the Paustians said. “Companies are allowed to use almost any ingredient they want to and our government does not require testing for safety on these nuclear bomb-looking recipes,” J.C. said.
The most valuable resource that the Paustians used in stocking their store with natural body care products was the Environmental Working Group’s website called the Skin Deep Cosmetic Database (www.ewg.org). It is a third-party, independent, non-profit company that devotes itself to providing information to the public about the hazards of the cosmetic and personal care products industries.
“If you only do one thing and even if you don’t visit our store,” J.C. said, “Everyone should spend 10 minutes on that Cosmetic Database website to read about the dangers of conventional body care products. You will be shocked.”
Just Act Natural is located at 129 E. College Avenue in Downtown Appleton. J.C. and Dianne can be reached at 920-574-2932 or info@justactnatural.com or visit their website at www.justactnatural.com.