Ways To Go Green and Create A Safer Home

Happy Earth Day- What Can You Do?

2010-04-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Something easy you can do to help the earth on Earth Day…

Ever complain about all the mail that clogs up your mail box? Want to know what you can do about it? Now you can easily reduce the amount of mail you get AND help out mother nature!
Choose to get your statements online!

Simple, right?! That it is.

Right now, every bill you pay (with few exceptions) can be delivered and paid online. You can reduce the amount of paper and postage that you use every month.

What does this mean for you? Less waste and save money…

Go to your bill bucket right now and count how many bills you are going to pay by mail this month. If you have bills like me, it will be between 8-10 at least. From your mortgage to utility bills to credit cards, etc. You get the picture. If you paid your bills online you would literally save 44 cents in postage costs per bill. That $4.40 if you pay 10 bills. That is $50.00 per year.
If you have your bills sent to you online, then that is 10 bills you do not have in your mailbox. Think of the convenience: you can check your bills online from anywhere. You don’t need to wait until you get home from vacation to find out that your children have been speaking to a friend in Europe all summer long.

I did this experiment last year to find out how much waste I would save when I went to online bills and bill payment. I literally had 2 full trash bags full of paper. That is 2 full trash bags per year that every household can save from going into landfills. Think of what can be accomplished if every person just changed 2 bills to online statements!

Imagine the possibilities…

You can do your part and save money too, hey it does not get any better than that…

Household Cleaners: What is in our homes...

2010-03-10T16:31:00.000-08:00

On a typical cleaning day in a typical Canadian home, levels of chemicals in the indoor air can be hundreds, even thousands of times higher than the outdoor air in the most polluted of cities. In fact, indoor air pollution levels would be high enough to trigger an inspection by health and safety authorities in any workplace setting. (The Nature of Things, CBC-TV 2002). Many chemicals contained in household cleaning products are the same as those used in industrial settings. Many scientists are now becoming concerned that long-term low-level exposure to chemicals may be just as dangerous as short-term high-dose exposures. They also worry that we do not understand the impact of exposure to the cocktail of chemicals found in household air and dust. Testing for human health effects is normally done on single chemicals. But in the real world, we are all exposed to a variety of chemicals every single day.

Prior to WWII most household cleaning tasks were accomplished using relatively safe ingredients commonly found in most homes. With the proliferation of petroleum-based chemicals after the war, corporations began to manufacture ready-made cleaning products. Today, most people are accustomed to buying a wide range of products custom-designed for the many surfaces, materials and rooms in their homes.

Most cleaning chores can be easily handled without these toxic products. Everyday ingredients like baking soda, vinegar, salt, lemon juice, vegetable oil, soap, borax, hydrogen peroxide and washing soda can do the job as they did in olden days. Consumer demand and recognition of the hazards of many chemical ingredients are leading more companies to manufacture less toxic cleaning products.

The ingredients contained in conventional petrochemical-based cleaning products are not usually listed on labels. Many, but not all, less-toxic products will have ingredients listed on their labels. Following is a list of some of the most common toxic chemicals found in household cleaning products; however there are many others.

Common Hazardous Ingredients in Cleaning Products

Acetone - A neurotoxin, acetone may cause liver and kidney damage, and damage to the developing fetus. It is a skin and eye irritant. Found in spot treatment cleaners, mark and scuff removers, and other products.

Aerosol products- Aerosol propellants may contain propane, formaldehyde, a carcinogen, neurotoxin and central nervous system depressant, methylene chloride, a carcinogen, neurotoxin and reproductive toxin, and nitrous oxide . Products applied with aeresol sprays are broken into minute particles, which can be more deeply inhaled than larger particles, which may increase their toxic effect.

Ammonia - Undiluted, ammonia is a severe eye and respiratory irritant that can cause severe burning pain, and corrosive damage including chemical burns, cataracts and corneal damage. It can also cause kidney and liver damage. Repeated or prolonged exposure to vapours can result in bronchitis and pneumonia. Found in a wide range of cleaning products. Ammonia will react with bleach to form poisonous chlorine gas that can cause burning and watering of eyes, as well as burning of the nose and mouth.

Bleach: see sodium hypochlorite

Diethanolamine (DEA) - Listed as a suspected carcinogen by the State of California, this chemical is a skin and respiratory toxicant and a severe eye irritant. Used in a wide range of household cleaning products.

D-limonene - This chemical is produced by cold-pressing orange peels. The extracted oil is 90% d-limonene. It is a sensitizer, a neurotoxin, a moderate eye and skin irritant, and can trigger respiratory distress when vapours are inhaled by some sensitive individuals. There is some evidence of carcinogenicity. D-limonene is the active ingredient in some insecticides. It is used as a solvent in many all-purpose cleaning products, especially 'citrus' and 'orange' cleaners. Also listed on labels as citrus oil and orange oil.

Ethoxylated nonyl phenol - Nonyl phenols are hormone disruptors and some contain traces of ethylene oxide, a known human carcinogen. They are eye and skin irritants. Used in laundry detergents and other cleaning products.

Formaldehyde - In lab tests, formaldehyde has caused cancer and damaged DNA. Formaldehyde is also a sensitizer, with the potential to cause asthma. Several laboratory studies have shown it to be a central nervous system depressant. Exposure to formaldehyde may cause joint pain, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness and loss of sleep. While formaldehyde naturally occurs in the human body in minute amounts, it is estimated that 20 per cent of people exposed to it will experience an allergic reaction. Used in a wide range of products, including some furniture polishes. Formaldehyde may be released by other chemicals, eg.quaternary 15.

Fragrance - Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to 4,000 separate ingredients, most of which are synthetic. Many compounds in fragrance are human toxins and suspected or proven carcinogens. In 1989, the US National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health evaluated 2,983 fragrance chemicals for health effects. They identified 884 of them as toxic substances. Synthetic fragrances are known to trigger asthma attacks. The US Environmental Protection Agency found that 100% of perfumes contain toluene, which can cause liver, kidney and brain damage as well as damage to a developing fetus. Symptoms reported to the FDA from fragrance exposure have included headaches, dizziness, rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and allergic skin irritation. Clinical observations by medical doctors have shown that exposure to fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, irritability, inability to cope, and other behavioral changes. Fragrance is a common skin irritant.

Methylene chloride - Methylene chloride is a carcinogen, a neurotoxin and a reproductive toxin. On inhalation, it can cause liver and brain damage, irregular heartbeat, and even heart attack. It is a severe skin and moderate eye irritant. Used in stain removers.

Monoethanolamine - This chemical may cause liver, kidney and reproductive damage, as well as depression of the central nervous system. Inhalation of high concentrations - when cleaning an oven for example - can cause dizziness or even coma. The chemical can also be absorbed through the skin. It is a moderate skin irritant, and a severe eye irritant. Found in many cleaning products, including oven cleaners, tub and tile cleaners, laundry pre-soaks, floor strippers and carpet cleaners.

Morpholine - This corrosive ingredient can severely irritate and burn skin and eyes, and can even cause blindness if splashed in eyes. It can cause liver and kidney damage, and long-term exposure can result in bronchitis. It reacts with nitrites (added as a preservative in some products, or present as a contaminant) to form carcinogenic nitrosomines. Morpholine is a moderate to severe eye, skin and mucous membrane irritant. Used as a solvent in a number of cleaning products, including some furniture polishes and abrasive cleansers.

Naphthalene - This registered pesticide is listed as a suspected carcinogen in California and is most commonly found in mothballs, and some other pest repellants, as well as in deodorizers. As a reproductive toxin, it is transported across the placenta and can cause blood damage. It can cause liver and kidney damage, and corneal damage and cataracts. Skin exposure is especially dangerous to newborns.

Parabens - Parabens are hormone disruptors. Widely used in cleaning products as preservatives, paraben is usually preceded by the prefixes methyl-, ethyl-, butyl-, or propyl. Parabens may cause contact dermatitis in some individuals

Paradichlorobenzene - This highly volatile registered pesticide is in the same chemical class as DDT. It is a suspected carcinogen, and may cause lung, liver and kidney damage. It is used in mothballs and some washroom deodorizers and urinal blocks.

Phosphoric acid - Extremely corrosive, it can severely irritate and burn the skin and eyes. Breathing vapours can make the lungs ache, and it may be toxic to the central nervous system. Found in some liquid dishwasher detergents, metal polishes, some disinfectants, and bathroom cleaners, especially those that remove lime and mildew.

Sodium dichloroisocyanurate dihydrate - This corrosive chemical is a severe eye, skin and respiratory irritant. It may cause liver and gastrointestinal damage, and may be toxic to the central nervous system. It will react with bleach to form poisonous chlorine gas that can cause burning and watering of eyes, as well as burning of the nose and mouth. It is found in some toilet bowl cleaners and deodorizers, as well as industrial detergents and some institutional dishwashing detergents.

Sodium hypochlorite (bleach) - A corrosive chemical, sodium hypochlorite is an eye, skin and respiratory irritant, as well as a sensitizer. It is especially hazardous to people with heart conditions or asthma, and can be fatal if swallowed. It may be a neurotoxin and toxic to the liver. Found in a wide range of household cleaners.

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate - Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is used as a lathering agent. This chemical is a known skin irritant. It also enhances the allergic response to other toxins and allergens. The U.S. government has warned manufacturers of unacceptable levels of dioxin formation in some products containing this ingredient. SLS can react with other ingredients to form cancer-causing nitrosamines

Toluene - Exposure to toluene may cause liver, kidney and brain damage. It is also a reproductive toxin which can damage a developing fetus.

Turpentine - This chemical can cause allergic sensitization, and kidney, bladder and central nervous system damage. It is an eye irritant. Found in specialty solvent cleaners, furniture polish and shoe products.

Xylene - Xylene has significant neurotoxic effects, including loss of memory. High exposure can lead to loss of consciousness and even death. It may damage liver, kidneys and the developing fetus. It is a severe eye and moderate skin irritant. Used in some spot removers, floor polishes, ironing aids and other products.

Sources:
The Safe Shoppers Bible, David Steinman & Samuel Epstein
Cleaners and Toxins, Labour Environmental Alliance Society, Vancouver BC
Home Safe Home, Debra Lynn Dadd, Tarcher Inc, 1997 includes hundreds of "make your own" recipes.
Non-toxic, Natural and Earth Wise, Debra Lynn Dadd, Tarcher Inc, 1990, includes many "make your own" recipes.
Less Toxic Alternatives, Carolyn Gorman with Marie Hyde, Optimum Publishing, 2002 , emphasis on the needs of the chemically sensitive

This article posted here

The Church Saves The Planet!

2010-02-16T22:22:00.000-08:00

It's about time!

This Wednesday will be celebrated by Billions of Christians worldwide as the begining of the season of Lent. The 40 days leading up to the resurrection of Jesus Christ on Easter Sunday.

Just in time for this next season, the Washington Office of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), along with the National Council of Churches, has offered the “2010 Lenten Journey on Climate Justice.” This weekly devotional series will focus on the effects of climate change on health, economics, development, migration, and food security, with a special focus on climate justice for Holy Week. The series is intended as a supplement to last year’s "Creation Waits with Eager Longing" worship resources.

This series is intended for all people to look at what they can do to help God's creation thrive. It is afterall, all of our responsibilty to help the earth flourish by doing whatever we can NOT to poison it. So go ahead and take a look at what is suggesated. Don't feel overwhelmed if you cannot do everything, just do something.

Have a Great Day! Happy Lent...

SOLAR POWER - Safe and Effective!

2010-01-24T17:28:00.000-08:00

You have definitely seen them. Solar panels on the roof tops of you neighbors home. This was a rarity 20 years ago, but is now taking the country by storm. You have seen this technology on other things as well, in fact I was introduced to solar technology through a calculator.

My first solar powered calculator was in my possession over 15 years ago. As long as you were in direct light, did not even need to be sunlight, it would work. No more dead batteries to worry about. The only down side, no light and it would not work. Solar has come a long way. In fact the solar panels on one's home is so technologically advanced that the power from the sun is stored in cells until it is needed. This can definitely same you a ton of money every year on electrical bills. Some estimates run as high as several thousand, depending on how much you actually pay now.

It's a good thing you will save a ton, because the price tag is not cheap for the panels. If you want solar power to run your average size home, lets say 1500 sq ft, then expect to shell out between 15-20k to get yourself fully functional. The good thing is that you do not have to go all or nothing. There are kits you can purchase that will allow you to get in slowly and step by step switch over various tasks.

The bottom line is that with time and new technology solar power is getting cheaper and who knows, in the next 10 years you may see everyone with solar power in there homes.

Homes are not the only thing going solar, however. You can get many regular items that will run on solar power. You can get solar powered cell phone chargers, solar powered bicycle lights, solar powered watches, etc. The list seems to be endless. If it uses a battery or electricity, it may be able to be powered with solar.

The great thing about solar is that it is a clean alternative to batteries and electricity. Make it an option for you whenever you are looking to buy something. It may well be worth it in the end.

10 Affordable Ways to Make Your Home Safer and Healthier

2010-01-11T23:35:00.000-08:00

By Jeanie Lerche Davis
WebMD Feature provided in collaboration with Healthy Child Healthy World

Making your home healthier and greener doesn’t have to be expensive, or overwhelming. Just a few changes can improve the health of your home, everyone in it -- and the planet it sits on.

Some of these are easy fixes. Others challenge us to re-examine a lifetime of habits.

Avoiding or limiting exposure to toxic chemicals is at the top of every parent’s list. “Toxic chemicals are everywhere, so exposure is really difficult to avoid," says Sonya Lunder, MPH, a senior researcher with Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization that researches environmental issues. "But there are things people can do to be proactive."

Among the key toxins are lead and pesticides. Studies have linked overexposure to lead and pesticides with brain and central nervous system damage, behavior problems, asthma, cancer, and more.

So how can you cut down your exposure to these chemicals and other potential household risks? Here are the top 10 suggestions from WebMD's experts. (And in some cases, you'll even save money!)

1. Get house dust under control.

House dust aggravates allergies. It also contains more hazardous chemicals than you might think, including lead, fire retardants, pesticides, and other chemicals.

"It's nothing you can afford to take lightly," Lunder tells WebMD. "Even if these chemicals were used decades earlier in your home, they can still accumulate in your house dust today."

The solutions: The best -- and most expensive -- option is to replace wall-to-wall carpeting (a collector for dust and allergens) with wood, cork, tile, or non-vinyl linoleum. But if that’s not economically feasible, some old-fashioned elbow grease can help. Vacuum frequently -- meticulously getting into corners, along the floorboards, and moving furniture to get those dust bunnies.

Make sure your vacuum has strong suction and a HEPA filter so that dust and dirt go into the bag.

Vacuum at least two times each week.
Clean the vacuum bag and filter every time, so dust isn't spewed back into the air.

2. Kick nicotine addiction.

If you're still a smoker, it's time to kick it.

An estimated 40% of America's children are exposed to secondhand smoke at home -- and it's the biggest trigger of asthma in those children, says Philip Landrigan, MD, director of the Children's Environmental Health Center at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City.

And it’s an expensive habit. "You can save a lot of money if you're not smoking, not to speak of future health costs for you and your family," he tells WebMD.

A doctor, nurse, or mental health professional can help you tailor an approach to quitting smoking that best suits your needs. Set a quit date and stick to it.

3. Get your home tested.

Both lead paint and radon are serious hazards you can't afford to ignore. Lead poisoning is known to cause brain damage in a developing fetus and in young children if not treated. Radon is a cancer-causing radioactive gas.

The main source of lead is old paint and dust that forms when paint chips and erodes, Landrigan explains. Lead paint can be a problem in any home built before 1978, when lead paint was banned.

"In tough economic times, we have to make wise decisions with our money -- and a lead test is one of those," says Landrigan. "Lead poisoning is tragic, and it happens too often. We're not just talking about the big cities. Older homes everywhere may have lead paint."

Check with your local health department about lead paint testing. A lab test of a paint chip runs from $20 to $50 per sample. You can also hire a certified professional to test your home, which will cost more.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has a safety alert on its web site about lead-based paint testing. It offers guidelines on reducing your exposure -- like covering walls with gypsum wallboard.

Colorless and odorless, radon gas comes from the natural breakdown of the soil and rock underneath your home. Any home can have a radon gas problem -- whether it's old or new, well-sealed or drafty, whether it has a basement or not.

Breathing air containing radon gas can cause lung cancer. In fact, it’s the second leading cause of lung cancer, after smoking. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, your risk of lung cancer is especially high.

You can buy a $20 home radon test kit at most hardware and home stores.
For more information, check the EPA's web site for "A Citizen's Guide to Radon."

4. Ditch pesticides.

Pesticides kill roaches, mice, ants, and lawn pests. But overexposure and chronic small exposures may put children at risk of a range of health problems, including asthma, learning disabilities, and problems with brain development.

These chemicals are expensive, too. "These pesticides are not cheap," says Landrigan. "You can easily spend a hundred bucks on one Saturday morning on them."

The problem is, "people don't see the damage the chemicals are doing to themselves and to their child," he tells WebMD. "It's silent, but nevertheless real damage."

Save money and promote health by focusing on prevention. Simple steps can keep roaches away -- like washing dishes very carefully, cleaning up all food residue, keeping food packages and containers tightly closed, and sealing any cracks that are a point of entry into your home. Landrigan has tested these methods in New York City apartment buildings, where roaches can seem firmly entrenched. "It's basic stuff, but it works," he says.

Instead of spraying herbicides on your lawn, "don't be so worried about weeds," says Landrigan. "Get used to a little imperfection. Rather than spraying, your time is better spent burning calories -- pulling weeds," he says.

You can learn about non-chemical, commonsense ways of reducing indoor and lawn/garden pests -- a concept called Integrated Pest Management. Look for the EPA's on-line booklet: "Citizen's Guide to Pest Control and Pesticide Safety."

5. Be careful with plastic bottles and canned foods.

The safety of bisphenol A, a chemical found in polycarbonate plastics, is still being debated. These plastics are used in some water bottles and baby bottles.

Bisphenol A is also used in epoxy resins that line metal products like canned foods.

The FDA and the American Chemistry Council say bisphenol A is safe for use. However, another government report -- the National Toxicology Report -- found concern about effects on the brain, prostate gland, and behavior in fetuses, infants, and children. And one study found that adults with high levels of BPA in their urine were more likely to have a history of heart disease or diabetes, compared to people with low levels of BPA.

What can you do to limit exposure to BPA?

Look for safer water or baby bottles -- either tempered glass bottles or plastic bottles made of cloudy plastics like polyethelene or polypropylene (recycling symbols 1, 2 or 5) are generally safe. Avoid those marked with a "7" or "PC."
Don't microwave plastic food containers. Heat can break down plastic fibers.
Don't microwave with cling wraps. Put food in a glass or ceramic dish and then cover with waxed paper or paper towels.
Eat fewer canned foods.
Use glass and ceramic containers to store or microwave foods.

6. Filter your tap water.

Filtered tap water may be a better choice of drinking water than bottled water. In a recent study, the Environmental Working Group tested 10 best-selling brands of bottled water. Researchers found mixtures of 38 contaminants, including bacteria, fertilizer, and industrial chemicals -- all at levels similar to those found in tap water.

Here's the catch: Tap water is regulated by the EPA, which requires yearly public reports identifying the contaminants found in local water sources. But bottled water is regulated by the FDA, which has no such requirement.

"But even if you live in a place where drinking water is considered good, there can still be trace amounts of chemicals that may be toxic," says Baker. Although your local water company filters tap water, it still comes through with contaminants -- including lead, chlorine, E. coli, pesticides. Simply filtering your tap water can remove lots of these pollutants.

A simple pitcher-type water filter may be all you need for very drinkable water, Baker advises. There are also filters that attach to a faucet or to the plumbing system. Consumer Reports has published a review of 27 water filters.

Filtering your tap water "is an easy thing to do -- you don't have to invest a lot of money in it," she says. "You just change the filters regularly. It's a 'better safe than sorry' approach." You’ll also cut down on waste in landfills by not buying – and then tossing – plastic bottles.

7. Temper the Teflon.

If you've got pots and pans with Teflon coating -- or other nonstick cookware – make sure you use them wisely. Perfluorinated (PFCs) chemicals are used to make these nonstick coatings, and the chemicals can accumulate in the body. The EPA lists PFOA (one type of PFCs used in Teflon) as a "likely human carcinogen," although there’s no evidence that Teflon-coated pans cause cancer.

DuPont and other companies have agreed, in response to government pressure, to eliminate use of PFOA by 2015. In the meantime, you can switch to other cookware now: stainless steel, anodized aluminum, copper-coated pans, cast iron, or enamel-coated iron. Silicone baking molds are also safe to use.

If you can’t do without your nonstick cookware – or if it’s too expensive to replace right away -- then follow safe cooking practices. Don’t preheat pans on high, and use the lowest temperature you can to cook food.

Two other places you'll find PFCs – in grease-resistant food packaging and as a stain-protection treatment. Reducing greasy packaged foods and fast foods in your diet (like microwave popcorn, French fries, and pizza) not only lowers your exposure, it’s also good for your heart.

If it's time to replace a big-ticket item like a sofa, say no to stain-protection treatments, advises Baker. "These add-ons cost money, and the health implications are not really known."

8. Wash your hands.

We hear this during cold and flu season -- frequent hand-washing keeps germs from getting passed around. But for young children, hand-washing is a good habit that can keep them from ingesting toxins like fire retardants in house dust. What your vacuum doesn't pick up, a toddler's hands will.

"Hand-washing may be boring, but it's really key to keeping stuff on a child's hands from getting into their mouths," says Lunder.

Another tip: Skip antibacterial soap, because some researchers believe that the quest for hyper-cleanliness may have led to weakened immune systems, and possibly to more cases of asthma and allergies. It’s also been speculated that these products may contribute to bacteria-resistant "super germs."

In fact, new research has also shown that triclosan -- the main ingredient in antibacterial soap, deodorants, toothpaste, mouthwash, cosmetics, fabrics and plastic kitchenware -- has the potential to affect sex hormones and interfere with the nervous system.

And studies show regular soap and water works just as well for killing germs. It’s about the process, not the product. Moisten hands, rub thoroughly with soap (getting backs of hands, between fingers, and around nail beds), and rinse. Singing the ABC’s while you do it will ensure you do it for an adequate amount of time (20 seconds). Be sure adults in your house wash their hands frequently, especially after coming indoors. Ask visitors to do the same.

9. Use non-toxic cleaning products.

The conventional cleaning supplies under your sink -- with their "warning" and "poison" labels -- contain a potent mix of chemicals.

"If you've ever mopped with ammonia, you know how your lungs constrict," says Lunder. "These chemicals have a very powerful effect on kids with asthma. You're polluting the indoor air when you don't need to." When washed down the drain, they also pollute rivers and lakes.

Look for "green" cleaners that don't contain chlorine or ammonia. Choose ones that say "petroleum-free," "biodegradable," or "phosphate-free."

Or make a cleaner yourself.

Home-brew suggestions:

Use vinegar instead of bleach, baking soda to scrub your tiles, and hydrogen peroxide to remove stains.
Vinegar also removes grease and soap buildup.
Need a window cleaner? Try diluted lemon juice or vinegar. Use borax to inhibit mold growth, boost the cleaning power of soap or detergent, remove stains -- even kill cockroaches, when sugar is mixed in.

10. Eat organic, eat healthy.

When you eat organic food, you ingest fewer pesticides. You’re also helping protect the environment.

More pluses: Research shows that some organic food is more nutritious – organic fruits and vegetables have 25% higher levels of many nutrients than conventional produce.

However, organic produce can be 20% more expensive than conventional. Organic meats and dairy products might be three times the cost of conventional items.

Cut the cost of eating organic foods by:

Buying in-season produce, which is plentiful and often cheaper at your local farmer's market.
Selectively buy the produce that absorbs the most pesticide if not organic -- like berries, which soak up more pesticides than other fruit. You don't really need organic bananas, since they're protected by a peel.
Buy organic for the foods you eat most often.

If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, aim for good health in the kitchen:

Getting plenty of omega-3 fats – like those from fatty fish and walnuts -- when breastfeeding seems to protect the fetus' brain development from toxins, Lunder says. (Note: Some fish are high in contaminants like mercury or PCBs that can harm child development. Select safer seafoods, such as shrimp, canned light tuna, and salmon.)
Iodine also helps offset negative effects from fire retardants, she adds. That's easy with a prenatal vitamin with iodine.

You could even try the taste of edible flowers -- like those that grow in your lawn, when you quit using pesticides. "Dandelions are salad in France," Landrigan says.

Merry Christmas!

2009-12-25T06:20:00.000-08:00

I hope all is well with you and yours this holiday season.

The most important things in life are your family and loved ones. The best thing you can give them this season is a healthy home and a healthy YOU! It will all start with that person looking back at you in the mirror.

When you are cleaning up from all the holiday parties, meals and guests make it a goal to get rid of all those unhealthy cleaning products in your home. If you take one room at a time it will not seem so daunting a task. The easiest place to start is the kitchen, since that gets the most dirty during the holidays. Go ahead, take a look under the sink and see what you can find. Chances are you can find plenty of bad chemicals that you can replace with safe products that do just as good a job for you.

If we all do our part then this world will be a healthier place for everyone.

Have a great holiday season!!!

How to have a 'green' Christmas

2009-12-16T09:54:00.000-08:00

An excellent article I found at: http://www.eartheasy.com/give_sustainchristmas.htm -you can see the full article there...

During the season of celebration we need to show extra care for the environment.

Christmas does not have to be a burden on the environment. With a little effort and imagination, we can reduce the environmental impact of the holiday season.
Here are some ideas to help celebrate the season while caring for the earth.

Buy Less

Some holiday gifts fill a practical need and need to be bought new. But many gifts are really gestures of thoughtfulness. You can give more while spending less.
• Not all gifts have to be store-bought. You can give more while spending less. you can give gifts that are personal and unique. Here's a page with some ideas: Tips for sustainable giving
• Simplify the 'gift-go-round'. Feeling overwhelmed by a gift list that's just too long? Here's an idea to help shorten your list and simplify the family gift-giving ritual:

Before the holiday season begins (Thanksgiving is a good time because the extended family is often together), put the names of all adult family members on separate slips of paper and put the slips in a hat. Take turns picking one name per adult - the name you pick is your gift recipient. Keep your chosen pick a secret, to help maintain an element of surprise.

Your gift list for the adults in your family has just been shortened to one! You can now focus on a special gift for the person whose name you picked, without the dificulty and expense of finding just the right gift for everyone.

If the family's not together on Thanksgiving, ask Grandma or someone else in the family to pick the names from the hat for everyone, by proxy. It works just as well. An agreed on spending limit will also help everyone from feeling they have to go overboard with a fabulous gift for the person whose name they chose.

Buy Smart - think 'green'

• look for locally made gifts - many gifts in today's marketplace come from halfway around the world, and the impact of transportation contributes significantly to greenhouse emissions and global warming. Local craft fairs and artisan shops are a good source for gifts that come without the added costs of transportation.
• choose gifts made from recycled sources - many individuals and small businesses have developed great products using recycled materials. Supporting these businesses helps reduce the waste stream while promoting the concept of making best use of available materials. Here are some examples for you to consider: Gifts from recycled materials
• give 'battery-free' gifts - According to the EPA, about 40% of all battery sales occur during the holiday season. Discarded batteries are an environmental hazard. Even rechargeable batteries find their way into the waste stream eventually. Here are a few examples of gifts that have less of an impact on the environment: Naturally-powered toys
• avoid children's toys that promote violence - there is too much violence in the world, and the new wave of video games for children is disturbing. Remember the theme of Christmas is "Peace of Earth". There are many toys and games that are fun, and nurture childrens creativity and sense of active play. Here are some examples: Educational toys and games
• 're-gifting' is OK - there is much discussion about etiquette behind the trend to 're-gift', that is, to pass on a gift you received but do not need. What's to discuss? Re-gifting makes perfect sense. If you receive something you really don't need, look for ways you can reuse this gift by passing it on to someone who can use it. Of course, re-gifting needs to be done with care so as not to offend the original giver, but keeping a gift you don't need is wasteful.

"A great way to teach children the spirit of giving (and simplifying) during the holidays is to ask them to pick 3 toys that they don't play with very much, and donate them to a homeless shelter, domestic violence shelter etc. I saw children bring toys in to the shelter I worked at year after year - it was a wonderful experience for everyone!" ........Lauren, New Hampshire

How to Go Green: Thanksgiving Day

2009-11-20T18:25:00.000-08:00

[by Rachel Sarnoff]

With all the planning, cooking, and cleaning, the last thing you want to think about is greening your Thanksgiving, right? But this is the perfect time to reflect and reassess your holiday preparations with a nod to sustainability.

It's not as hard as you might think: Do you typically put a wreath on your door and a cut flower arrangement on your table? Try buying organic, or better yet, find living succulent wreaths for both. Is your centerpiece a turkey? Find a heritage breed, or consider a vegetarian alternative. Find out how to shop your local farmers' markets for your feast, and find recycled elements for your holiday decor.

We've broken it down to make Thanksgiving an easy, eco-friendly, and fun holiday for all involved. Follow our countdown and you can make an easy transition to a more sustainable holiday tradition. With extensive tips on menu planning, decorating, shopping, cleaning and more, we've got you covered from now 'til leftovers.

There can you find an heirloom turkey? Where are cranberries grown? How much food do Americans normally waste? We've got the answers and lots more questions about Thanksgiving in our quiz: Do You Give Thanks With Minimal Impact? Click on over to get started and learn tons of great green knowledge along the way.

full article:

http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/thanksgiving-day/

Hair Coloring

2009-11-01T18:21:00.000-08:00

Here are some tips for safer hair coloring products. They are not all perfect, but a good place to start. The main problem with hair dyes are ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, PPD (p-phenylenediamine), diaminobenzene and coal tar.

Developing safer hair coloring has been a challenge. We’ve given a range of products here. The safest ones are the all natural products, though they tend to not last as long. The products that many find give the best results still have small amounts of some toxic ingredients, but much less than the usual. PPD and peroxide are needed to open and penetrate the hair shaft and produce permanent color. Be wary of permanent products without them as they may rely on toxic ingredients such as mercury or lead.

Since many salons have not embraced safe hair coloring yet, we encourage you to see if they will use one of these products. Sometimes, something just needs to be brought to attention before it catches on…

Aveda
Aveda uses green tea extract as the oxidizer in their hair colorings. Colors vary from 93% to 99% naturally derived. You can visit one of their salons. Or if you are diligent, and knowledgeable, about salon hair color, you can order products on line.

Color Me Natural (Aubrey Organics)
This is a natural indigo, dark brown, henna based product.

EcoColors
EcoColors has a salon in Atlanta, but you can also buy their product online. They have low PPD, low ammonia and some peroxide. They also have a salon locator on their web site.

Herbatint (Herbavita)
You can buy this in many stores and it is a no ammonia, no alcohol, low peroxide and low PPD permanent dye. There is also a semi-permanent line that is PPD and peroxide free.

John Masters Organics Salon
New York City salon that uses only ammonia-free herbal and clay based products. Does not offer perms, relaxers or bleaches.

Light Mountain Natural Hair Color
This is a semipermanent henna product.

Naturcolor
This is ammonia free and low PPD permanent and semipermanent color.

Naturtint
Available in stores and online. It has no ammonia and is permanent.

Rainbow Henna
This is 100% organic and comes in a variety of colors. It is semipermanent and lasts up to about six weeks.

Surya Henna
Semipermanent Henna.

Susan Henry’s Natural Color Process
Ammonia free permanent hair colors. Available online.

Tocco Magico
This is an Italian product that is available in salons only.

Vegetal Color (Herbavita)
These colors have no ammonia, PPD or peroxide and are semipermanent, lasting only five to six washes.

Henna for Hair
A wesite community of henna users with real life pictures of results and do-it-yourself mixes.

FDA Ignores BPA in Plastics Link to Diabetes, Heart Disease and Liver Problems

2009-10-14T17:58:00.000-07:00

I found this article dated 9-17-2008 and thought I should post it here

On the heels of a Bisphenol-A study in humans showing possible links to diabetes, heart disease and liver abnormalities, the FDA reaffirms that it thinks BPA in products is just fine.

The study was published in JAMA today (here’s a link to the whole study), the same day that the FDA met to further discuss whether or not BPA in food packaging and bottles is safe.

What this study did was look at some of the health problems that have already been linked with BPA in animal studies to see if the same health problems have any correlation with BPA levels in people. In animal studies, problems have turned up such as liver enzyme abnormalities and oxidative stress, lipid accumulation, pancreatic B-cell function (which can influence insulin and diabetes) and obesity. Then they looked for those types of links, as well as heart disease, in people.

What they found was that those folks who had the highest BPA levels were 2.4 times more likely to have diabetes. Those with high BPA levels were 3 times more likely to have heart disease. And, three types of elevated liver enzymes were seen when BPA was higher.

But they didn’t look at infants and children. From past study, we know that they are the ones most likely to have the highest levels of toxins in general and be at the highest risk for toxicity. They only looked at people 18-74 years old.

The actual BPA exposure levels were below what is considered safe, so the study points to low levels as potentially being a problem. We’ve seen that in animal studies as well. That is especially something that industry doesn’t want to hear. Industry likes to say there is not enough of a toxin in products to cause a problem. But that’s not what we’ve been seeing in animal studies and that’s not what we are seeing in this study.

Just last month, the FDA stated that BPA in food packaging and bottles is safe. This study challenges that view. Actually, that view was also challenged by the National Toxicology Program which is another federal agency. They determined there was “some concern” that BPA could cause developmental problems in the brain and hormone systems of infants and children.

So, what to do?

Bisphenol A is found in polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. For instance, some plastic bottles with the number 7. It’s also found in the lining of canned goods. These are things that we have a choice in when purchasing.

Luckily, manufacturers are producing more alternative products. So, rather than wait for more evidence on the subject, it is becoming easier to be a proactive shopper now. The precautionary principle in action. And also, industry response to public demand. That’s why Nalgene has phased out BPA in their water bottles.

Never put anything hot in plastic containers. Say no to #7. Use #2 plastics that are HDPE (high density poly ethylene). Another option is polypropylene which is #5.

Of course, there is always good old glass.

http://gogreenlivehealthy.com/

Top Green Back to School Tips

2009-09-15T17:56:00.000-07:00

Get off to a Good Green Start
Before hitting the malls or online shops in search of green back to school gear, plan out your day (and your year) at school, and ask yourself some questions. Are you really going to ride your bike enough to warrant buying a new set of wheels? Are you going to be diligent enough about bringing your lunch each day (or most days) to require a new lunchbox or other reusable vessel? Do you really need a new ruler (the measurements haven't changed over the summer, you know) or a package of 68 pens? Make a list of what you absolutely know you need, what you think you might need, and what you want, and carefully consider which items go in which section of the list. Once your list is made, it's time to...
Take Inventory and Avoid Duplicates
Once you've gotten in green back to school mode, most of us will be faced with the reality that getting ready to go back to school requires stuff -- school supplies, clothes, backpacks, etc. -- but it doesn't always require new stuff. Take a careful inventory of what you already have that can be used again -- think more durable items, like clothes and shoes -- and what's still waiting to be used for the first time -- extra packs of pencils, notebooks, etc. Avoid last-minute impulse purchases by making a list of what you need (and sticking to it!) before you head to the store. Following these steps will save materials as well as your dollars.
Find Green Clothes
Almost half of the money spent on back to school shopping goes to buying clothes, but new threads don't have to come with sticker shock. Hand-me-downs are a great place to get started, and thrift stores and events like Swap-o-Rama-Rama can be a fun (and cheap!) way to send your kiddies back to school in low-impact duds. Style-conscious teens can find gently used (but still ultra-hip) clothes at stores like Buffalo Exchange. If these options are exhausted before your list is done, and you have to buy new, go for well-made, high-quality choices made from more sustainable fabrics like organic cotton or bamboo rather than disposable fashion that'll wear out (and wear down the planet's resources) before spring graduation.
Write this Down: Choose Greener Pens and Pencils
Believe it or not, writing implement technology has improved since we were trudging uphill (both ways!) in the snow to get to school. The days of package upon package of disposable pen and pencil are gone, replaced by biodegradable pencils, refillable pens, and recycled versions of both. Once you have greener options in hand, encourage your youngsters to hang on to each pencil 'til it wears down to the nub, and to each pen as long as possible. The Green Office has a handful of handy kits that'll cover most bases from kids in kindergarten through eighth grade.
Don't be a Paper Pusher
Although many kids are internet masters, e-mailing homework is uncommon in most K-12 schools, where paper is still king -- for taking notes, writing papers, and making airplanes. But that doesn't mean that you or your child can't take steps to cut down your paper consumption. Buy products with the highest percentage of post-consumer recycled content possible, that is processed chlorine free (PCF), such as New Leaf Paper for printers, and Mead Recycled Notebooks for use in school; learn more about paper options on TreeHugger. Next, use these products to their maximum efficiency by printing on both sides of the paper, using paper already printed on one side for drafts (or better yet editing all drafts in the computer itself), and filling notebooks from cover to cover before purchasing a new one. And it never hurts to ask teachers if you can email in your work.
Beware the Miscellaneous Supply Overload
Bigger items, like backpacks, and stuff that doesn't get used every day, like glue sticks, colored pencils, and markers, are still necessary in many cases, but, because they either last longer (in the case of backpacks) or usually don't get used every day (with things like art supplies) you don't need them in the larger quantities typical of printer paper, pencils, and pens. Don't be tempted by the better deal on a dozen bottles of glue if you know you'll only need three bottles between now and next spring. If it doesn't have to come out of the backpack every day (or it is a backpack), think twice about loading up at the beginning of the year. See TreeHugger's back-to-school advice for more supply-related tips.
Think Outside the Lunch-Box
Don't brown bag it; instead opt for a washable, reusable container to tote your lunch too and fro. Just make sure to avoid vinyl lunch boxes which have been shown to contain harmful levels of lead. Instead, invest in a PVC-free, thermally insulated lunch bag, one made from recycled juice boxes or from organic cotton and keep lunches cool by freezing water or juice in a reusable container and putting it in the bag. Instead of using baggies and plastic wrap for sandwiches and snacks, use reusable plastic containers or an easy to clean Wrap-n-Mat. The Laptop Lunch box system is also a solid choice for reusable lunch-packing, and includes individuals containers and beverage holders. For other beverages, beware of plastic bottles which may contain Bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical. Instead go with metal ones such as Klean Kanteen or Sigg which come in kid-friendly sizes and designs.
Don't Start a Food Fight
When it comes to the actual food that goes in the lunch box. Make extra for dinner the night before, leftovers make great lunches. Pack healthy green lunches kids will want to eat, and get them involved in choosing lunch ingredients, since they'll be less likely to pitch stuff they want to eat. Forget the mini-packs of Cheetos and Doritos; apples, oranges, bananas, and other fruit are heathful, waste-free snackables that come with their own compostable wrapping. And, don't forget: Kids need snacks as well as lunch. Try homemade granola bars (see the recipe in the Getting Techie section) rather than individually wrapped purchased bars. Or send them with fruit or vegetable sticks and a couple of slices of cheese.
Walking, Biking, Busing: Green Transportation to School
Going green while getting back and forth to school offers a familiar refrain: human power -- walking or biking -- is best; riding the bus is next; driving alone is last. Events like Walk to School Month and activities like the Walking Bus are making it easier and safer for kids to get to school under their own power; if you don't live close enough to walk, and finding a safe bike route to school is a green way to go, too. Beyond that, even though most school buses get single-digit miles per gallon, they can also hold upwards of 60 or 70 youngsters, making them a cleaner option than single-occupancy cars (Plenty did the math for a single-occupancy hybrid car vs. a bus, and the bus won). If walking, biking, or busing aren't in the cards, be sure to divide the ride and start a parent carpool.
Do This Stuff All Year
Greening your back to school experience is a great way to start the year, and a great way to make progress toward a sustainable lifestyle, but there's no reason to stop after the year has just started. Apply the lessons you've learned preparing to go back to school to other parts of your non-scholastic life, and, when it comes time to re-supply, follow the tips to stay prepared, organized, and green.

Excerpt taken from http://planetgreen.discovery.com/go-green/green-back-school/green-school-tips.html

Be Safe Even When Dealing With Rodents

2009-09-06T17:30:00.000-07:00

So many products out there can get rid of your rodent problem, but what are they doing to you or your pets. The can harm your small children and pets. It is important that you look at what you are using to get rid of rodents, it could get rid of much more (and not in a good way).

There are many alternative methods to get rid of rodents as well as insects. Go ahead and try the many different non toxic traps on the market place. They do the job and are much safer than their toxic counterparts.

http://www.ecologycenter.org/factsheets/rodent_control.html

Find out more at the link above

Do Chemical Sunscreens Increase Cancer?

2009-08-11T17:29:00.000-07:00

http://www.skinbiology.com/toxicsunscreens.html

Worldwide, the greatest rise in melanoma has been experienced in countries where chemical sunscreens have been heavily promoted The rise in melanoma has been exceptionally high in Queensland, Australia where the medical establishment has vigorously promoted the use of sunscreens. Queensland now has more incidences of melanoma per capita than any other place on Earth. (Garland, Cedric F., et al. Could sunscreens increase melanoma risk? American Journal of Public Health, Vol. 82, No. 4, April 1992, pp. 614-15).

Dr. Gordon Ainsleigh in California believes that the use of sunscreens causes more cancer deaths than it prevents. He estimates that the 17% increase in breast cancer observed between 1981 and 1992 may be the result of the pervasive use of sunscreens over the past decade (Ainsleigh, H. Gordon. Beneficial effects of sun exposure on cancer mortality. Preventive Medicine, Vol. 22, February 1993, pp. 132-40). Recent studies have also shown a higher rate of melanoma among men who regularly use sunscreens and a higher rate of basal cell carcinoma among women using sunscreens (Garland, Cedric F. et al. Effect of sunscreens on UV radiation-induced enhancement of melanoma growth in mice. Journal of the National Cancer Institute, Vol. 86, No. 10, May 18, 1994, pp. 798-801 :Larsen, H.R. "Sunscreens: do they cause skin cancer." International Journal of Alternative & Complementary Medicine, 1994; 12(12): 17-19; Farmer K.C. & Naylor, M.F. "Sun exposure, sunscreens, and skin cancer prevention: a year-round concern." Ann Pharmacother, 1996; 30(6):662-73)

Drs. Cedric and Frank Garland of the University of California have pointed out that while sunscreens do protect against sunburn, there is no scientific proof that they protect against melanoma or basal cell carcinoma in humans (Garland, C.F., et al. "Could sunscreens increase melanoma risk?" American Journal of Public Health, 1992; 82(4): 614-615.) The Garlands believe that the increased use of chemical sunscreens is the primary cause of the skin cancer epidemic. There is, however, some evidence that regular use of sunscreens helps prevent the formation of actinic keratoses, the precursors of squamous cell carcinoma (Dover, Jeffrey S. & Arndt, Kenneth A. Dermatology. Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 271, No. 21, June 1, 1994, pp. 1662-63).

In February 1998, epidemiologist Marianne Berwick of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York presented a careful analysis of data on sunscreen use and skin cancer at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Sunscreens may not protect against skin cancer, including melanoma, she concluded. "We don't really know whether sunscreens prevent skin cancer," said Berwick. She looked first at four studies of squamous cell cancer, a cancer that appears on the head, neck, and arms but is usually not lethal. Two of the studies concluded that sunscreen protected against a skin condition thought to precede squamous cell cancer while two other studies reported that sunscreen did not shield people from this type of skin cancer. She then analyzed two studies of basal cell carcinoma, another nonlethal skin cancer that is the most common form of skin cancer and appears most frequently on the head, neck, and arms. Those two studies found that people who used sunscreen were more likely to develop basal cell cancer than people who did not. She then analyzed 10 studies of melanoma, the skin cancer is the most deadly. Melanoma often starts in or near moles on the skin. In five of the melanoma studies, people who used sunscreen were more likely than nonusers to develop melanoma. In three of the studies, there was no association between sunscreen use and melanoma. In the final two studies, people who used sunscreen seemed to be protected. (Source: Science News, Vol. 153, No. 23, June 6, 1998, p. 360).

"After examining the available epidemiological data and conducting our own large case-control population-based study, we have found no relationship between sunscreen use at any age and the development of melanoma skin cancer," said Dr. Berwick. Although sunscreens do prevent sunburn, Dr. Berwick concluded that sunburn itself is not the direct cause of cancer. Dr. Berwick objected to the universal blanket advice about using sunscreens during all time spent outdoors.

Dr. Berwick previously conducted a 1996 study that found no link between sunscreen use at any age and the development of melanoma. The same study also found no relationship between a history of sunburn and the development of melanoma. Berwick continued saying that the relationship between sunscreen use and the development of skin cancer is complicated by evidence that people who are sensitive to the sun engage in fewer activities in the bright sun and wear sunscreen when they do. But if these people develop melanoma, it may be because they are genetically susceptible and likely to develop skin cancer regardless of the amount of sunlight exposure or protection from sunscreen.

"Based on the evidence, we conclude that sunburn itself probably does not cause melanoma, but that it is an important sign of excessive sun exposure particularly among those who are genetically susceptible because of their skin-type," said Dr. Berwick. The melanoma risk for people with numerous moles was six times higher than that of someone with only a few moles. Persons most at risk for melanoma are those with red or blond hair and lighter colored eyes. Such light-skinned people have almost six times more melanoma than persons with darker skin. "The evidence indicates that chronic sun exposure may be protective for the development of melanoma because the skin has adapted to the sun, having become thicker as it has tanned. On the other hand, intermittent sun exposure appears to increase risk, making it much less protective," added Dr. Berwick. "People need to focus on their individual risk characteristics, such as their pigmentary phenotype, their family history, and the type and number of moles they have. I recommend that people avoid the sun when they are clearly at high risk and that they should enjoy a reasonable amount of outdoor activities with less anxiety when they are clearly at reduced risk," advised Dr. Berwick.

After Dr. Berwick's presentation of this data, the American Academy of Dermatology (ADA) issued a press release attacking her work. The then president of the ADA insulted her as a "number crunching scientist". But then, all scientists spend a lot of time crunching numbers.

Studies have found that the incidence of skin cancers has increased even as sunscreens have become popular among fair-skinned people. The establishment answer to this increase in the cancer rate is that wearing sunscreen makes people stay in the sun too long. A study by Drs. Mike Brown (Kate Law of the Cancer Research Campaign) Philippe Autier (European Institute of Oncology in Milan) reported that children using sunscreen returned from holiday with more skin moles - a possible sign of increased cancer risk. Some say that people who wore higher factor sunscreens tend to stay out in sunlight much longer, because they fell protected. However, others have pointed out that if sunscreen chemicals were protective, the factors of longer sun exposure would be somewhat countered by the sunscreen's supposed protective actions.

Sunscreen Chemicals May Generate Free Radicals Within Your Body

2009-07-25T17:25:00.000-07:00

Most chemical sunscreens contain, as UVA and UVB blockers, from 2 to 5% of compounds such avobenzone, benzophenone, ethylhexyl p-methoxycinnimate, 2-ethylhexyl salicylate, homosalate, octyl methoxycinnamate, oxybenzone (benzophenone-3) as the active ingredients.Benzophenone (and similar compounds) is one of the most powerful free radical generators known. It is used in industrial processes as a free radical generator to initiate chemical reactions. Benzophenone is activated by ultraviolet light energy that breaks benzophenone's double bond to produce two free radical sites. The free radicals then react with other molecules and produce damage to the fats, proteins, and DNA of the cells - the types of damage that produce skin aging and the development of cancer.

Adding to the problem is that large amounts of applied sunscreens can enter the bloodstream though your skin. In the 1970s, Prof. Howard Maibach warned that up to 35 percent of sunscreen applied to the skin can pass through the skin and enter the bloodstream but this had little effect on sunscreen promotion or safety testing. (Maibach, H. "NDELA-Percutaneous Penetration." FDA Contract 223-75-2340, May 19, 1978) The longer sunscreen chemicals are left on the skin, the greater the absorption into the body. (Bronaugh, R.L., et al. "The effect of cosmetic vehicles on the penetration of N-nitrosodiethanolamine through excised human skin, J Invest Dermatol; 1981; 76(2): 94-96.) This may be a factor in the large increases in cancer (breast, uterine, colon, prostate) observed in regions, such as Northern Australia, where the use of sunscreen chemicals has been heavily promoted by medical groups and the local governments.

Many sunscreens also contain triethanolamine, a compound that can cause the formation of cancer causing nitrosamines in products by combining with nitrite used as preservative and often not disclosed on sunscreen labels.

In March 1998, Dr. John Knowland of the University of Oxford reported studies showing that certain sunscreens containing PABA and its derivatives can damage DNA, at least in the test tube experiments. When a chemical sunscreen, Padimate-O, was added to DNA and the mixture exposed to the ultraviolet rays of sunlight, it was found that the sunscreen broke down in sunlight, releasing highly active agents that could damage DNA. It did not block out the UV, but instead absorbed energy. “It became excited and set off a chemical reaction that resulted in the generation of the dangerous free radicals and broken DNA strands that can lead to cancer,” he said and further commented that while it's too early to make blanket recommendations, “I would not use a product containing PABA, Padimate-O or other PABA derivatives.” Dr. Martin Rieger reported that PABA may play a role in DNA-dimer formation, a type of DNA damage that can induce carcinogenic changes.

The bottom line to help stay healthy is to know what you are putting on your skin. Skin absorbes anything you put on it and carries that into the blood stream. Do your research before putting anything on you that you may regret later.

Going Green in Your Home- 10 Tips

2009-07-10T22:25:00.000-07:00

The following are 10 easy and inexpensive thing you can do to create a greener home and get rid of the toxic chemicals that occupy space.

1. Open Windows and Doors to let in fresh air. Do this instead of air fresheners and avoid the toxic chemicals in the aerosol cans. Air fresheners don't really freshen the air, the chemicals they put into the air actually prevents us from smelling the odors that are still there!

2. Turn Down The Thermostat: Save money on your monthly heating bill. Each degree that you lower the temp. reduced the energy cost by 3%.

3. Reduce junk mail: Eliminate that junk mail. They say 100 million trees are destroyed each year to create junk mail. Reduce the unnecessary trash and save some trees.

4. Use energy efficient light bulbs: They last longer and reduce costs!

5. Turn off and Unplug unused appliance and electronics: Even when something in turned off energy is still being used when it is plugged into an outlet.

6. Use less hot water: You can use low flow shower heads and faucets to reduce the amount of water that is used.

7. Use a Non Toxic Shower Curtain: Hemp is naturally resistant to bacteria and mold.

8. Reduce, Reuse and Recycle: Recycling is having a huge impact on the amount of trash going to the dumps.

9. Use a water filter instead of bottled water: filtered water is just as good if not better than bottled water.

10. Eat locally: eating items that are grown nearby saves transportation costs.

Kitchens Go Green

2009-06-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

You can make your kitchen lean and green. Taking care of the environment and also making a safe place to prepare your food and eat your meals.

Natural Make up

2009-05-20T17:19:00.000-07:00

The best way to protect yourself from the toxic effects of the make up you are putting on your face is to seek out make up without the toxins. The so-called natural make up is all the rage now and can be found at many different boutiques. One just has to search online for natural non toxic make up and find a good product to try.

No 2 products are the same and of course with anything else it would be smart to test it out on your face to see if it is a good compliment to your complexion.

With all the notiriety the toxic stuff is getting, most companies have started to offer natural alternatives.

Are Toxic Synthetic Chemicals Hiding in Your Makeup?

2009-05-01T17:14:00.000-07:00

http://www.health-report.co.uk/EWG_makeup_chemicals_summary.htm

Most consumers would be surprised to learn that the government does not require health studies or pre-market testing for cosmetics and other personal care products before they are sold. According to the government agency that regulates cosmetics, the FDA's Office of Cosmetics and Colors, "...a cosmetic manufacturer may use almost any raw material as a cosmetic ingredient and market the product without an approval from FDA" (FDA 1999).

The toxicity of product ingredients is scrutinized almost exclusively by a self-policing industry safety committee, the Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) panel. Because testing is voluntary and controlled by the manufacturers, many ingredients in cosmetics products are not safety tested at all. Environmental Working Group's analysis of industry and government sources shows that:

Eighty-nine (89) percent of 10,500 ingredients used in personal care products have not been evaluated for safety by the CIR, the FDA, nor any other publicly accountable institution (FDA 2000, CIR 2003).

The absence of government oversight for this $35 billion industry leads to companies routinely marketing products with ingredients that are poorly studied, not studied at all, or worse, known to pose potentially serious health risks.

The Environmental Working Group's (EWG's) six-month computer investigation into the health and safety assessments on more than 10,000 personal care product ingredients found major gaps in the regulatory safety net for these products. To help people use what we learned we developed an online rating system that ranks products on their potential health risks and the absence of basic safety evaluations. The core of the analysis compares ingredients in 7,500 personal care products against government, industry, and academic lists of known and suspected chemical health hazards.

Our analysis shows that ingredients in make up and cosmetics range from essentially harmless components like table salt and oatmeal, to chemicals known to cause cancer in humans. Notably, natural ingredients are no more likely to have been assessed for safety than synthetic chemicals. Individual ingredients vary tremendously in their ability to soak through the skin. Some absorb in only miniscule amounts, while others can quite easily penetrate the skin to the blood vessels below. Few individual ingredients pose excessive risks, but most people use many products in the course of a day, so it well may be that these risks are adding up.

A survey of 2,300 people conducted as part of this research effort shows that the average adult uses 9 personal care products each day, with 126 unique chemical ingredients. More than a quarter of all women and one of every 100 men use at least 15 products daily.

Little research is available to document the safety or health risks of low-dose repeated exposures to chemical mixtures like those in personal care products, but the absence of data should never be mistaken for proof of safety. The more we study low dose exposures, the more we understand that they can cause adverse effects ranging from the subtle and reversible, to effects that are more serious and permanent.

FIND MORE

Household Alternatives for Reducing Toxic Products in Your Home

2009-04-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

I found this posting on the State of Connecticut's Environmental Protection Website. It has some good info and a great interactive display HERE.

Are you interested in using products around your home that are safer for your family and the environment than many commercially available cleaners? You are not alone.

Hazardous chemicals can often be found in these common household products: drain cleaners, floor-care products, oven cleaners, window sprays, bathroom cleaners, furniture and metal polishes, pesticides and laundry products. You can learn to avoid these chemicals by reading the labels. Those labeled Danger or Poison are typically the most hazardous. Others may be labeled Caution or Warning because they are skin or eye irritants. Near these signal words will be a phrase that describes the nature of the hazard, such as "vapors harmful" or "extremely flammable".

Most products have environmentally friendly alternatives that are effective, less costly, and much safer for people, pets, and the natural world. Some are now available in stores, or you may also choose to make your own. Try these alternatives for some of the products you currently use or if you have other alternatives that work for you, please e-mail them to us.

So what else should I know about environmentally friendly alternatives? Be aware that some of the products may take longer to clean effectively or get rid of pests. You may have to let the product sit on the surface for longer than usual, apply more than once, or use more elbow grease. But by making your own products, you can save money and reduce the amount of hazardous chemicals that your family is exposed to. Be sure to label any containers carefully and store them out of the reach of children.

Where can I find the ingredients to make my own alternative cleaning products? You can find most of the items at your local grocery store. If you can't find them in your grocery store, try a health food store or the Internet.

What can I do with unwanted hazardous products? Hazardous products should not be disposed of in the trash, flushed down the toilet or sink drains, or poured into storm drains or onto the ground. If you have any hazardous products in your house and do not wish to use them up, bring them to a local household hazardous waste collection.

Toxic Products in the Home: Mislabeled

2009-03-25T16:39:00.000-07:00

Mislabeled Products Misstate Safety by Missing Toxic Ingredients

When it comes to the labels on potentially hazardous household products, finding a complete disclosure of all the ingredients they contain has always been a hit or miss proposition. Now a new study says it’s really mostly miss.

How much so? Researchers tested 40 products from lipstick to all-purpose cleaners and found that 34 of them contained highly dangerous toxins that were not listed on their labels.

For years, consumer and environmental health advocates have pointed out that regulatory loopholes permit manufacturers of many household products to avoid having to put a clear and complete listing of the ingredients their products contain on product labels.

For their part, companies have successfully lobbied to maintain this status quo, citing the importance of protecting trade secrets and other proprietary information concerning their products’ formulas.

The end result of the stalemate is that consumers often have little or no idea what hazards are hiding inside the products they use. Now a new study from the National Environmental Trust has found that those dangers are often greater than many may think.

To conduct its research, the organization contracted an independent lab and used federally approved testing methods to find out what was really inside 40 different household products.

The items tested for the study included various kinds of make-up, hair styling gels, soaps, furniture finishing products, and cleaning products, including disinfecting sprays and cleaners, and kitchen, toilet, and all-purpose cleaners.

To the organization’s surprise, laboratory results showed that 34 of the products, a stunning 85%, contained ether glycols, organic solvents, or phthalates even though no mention of any of these poisons was made on any of the products’ labels.

The toxins found can affect human health in a variety of ways. Glycol ethers, for example, can cause liver and kidney damage, as well as nervous disorders.

Many organic solvents are severe eye, skin, and mucous membrane irritants, and can damage the neurological system, liver, blood, lungs, and kidneys.

For their part, phthalates have been linked to everything from reproductive and developmental disorders to cancer. All three kinds of chemicals can produce negative health effects at low levels, especially if exposure to them is chronic, meaning it occurs repeatedly over time.

As part of the study, researchers also examined government data from the states of New Jersey and Massachusetts (two states that mandate the tracking of toxic chemicals) and found that a wide variety of household products contain carcinogenic substances, reproductive and developmental poisons, and neurotoxins.

Further, for every one pound of these compounds that is released into the air, water, or soil as manufacturing pollution, 42 pounds are put into consumer products and released at home during the use of those products.

The study paints a disquieting picture of household product safety and manufacturer disclosure, and its authors end by calling for comprehensive tracking initiatives and increased reporting, as well as a dramatic revision of regulations and a program to put non-toxic alternatives on a fast track.

For more information about the report, including a downloadable copy, visit

http://www.net.org/health/cabcon_report.vtml.

3 Homemade Natural Cleaning Products

2009-02-11T16:25:00.000-08:00

Using lemons, vinegar, and baking soda as natural cleaning products in your home.

One of my earliest memories is of my mother cleaning with what looked to me like cooking ingredients. She would be listening to the radio as she poured baking soda, lemon, and vinegar combinations on the surfaces of our home. Magically these natural cleaning products kept our home clean and smelling fresh, without stretching an already thin household budget. Here are a few basic household ingredients and items you can use to clean your home.

Vinegar

Vinegar naturally cleans like an all-purpose cleaner. Mix a solution of 1 part water to 1 part vinegar in a new store bought spray bottle and you have a solution that will clean most areas of your home. Vinegar is a great natural cleaning product as well as a disinfectant and deodorizer. Always test on an inconspicuous area. It is safe to use on most surfaces and has the added bonus of being incredibly cheap. Improperly diluted vinegar is acidic and can eat away at tile grout. Never use vinegar on marble surfaces. Don't worry about your home smelling like vinegar. The smell disappears when it dries. Here are some uses for vinegar in the rooms of your house. Use it in the…

Bathroom - Clean the bathtub, toilet, sink, and countertops. Use pure vinegar in the toilet bowl to get rid of rings. Flush the toilet to allow the water level to go down. Pour the undiluted vinegar around the inside of the rim. Scrub down the bowl. Mop the floor in the bathroom with a vinegar/water solution. The substance will also eat away the soap scum and hard water stains on your fixtures and tile. Make sure it is safe to use with your tile.
Kitchen- Clean the stovetop, appliances, countertops, and floor.
Laundry Room- Use vinegar as a natural fabric softener. This can be especially helpful for families who have sensitive skin. Add ½ cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle in place of store bought fabric softener. Vinegar has the added benefit of breaking down laundry detergent more effectively. (A plus when you have a family member whose skin detects every trace of detergent.)

Lemon Juice

Uses:

Lemon juice is another natural substance that can be used to clean your home. Lemon juice can be used to dissolve soap scum and hard water deposits. Lemon is a great substance to clean and shine brass and copper. Lemon juice can be mixed with vinegar and or baking soda to make cleaning pastes. Cut a lemon in half and sprinkle baking soda on the cut section. Use the lemon to scrub dishes, surfaces, and stains. Mix 1 cup olive oil with ½ cup lemon juice and you have a furniture polish for your hardwood furniture.

My favorite use for the fruit is to put a whole lemon peel through the garbage disposal. It freshens the drain and the kitchen. Orange peels can be used with the same results.

Baking Soda

Uses:

Baking soda can be used to scrub surfaces in much the same way as commercial abrasive cleansers. Baking soda is great as a deodorizer. Place a box in the refrigerator and freezer to absorb odors. Put it anywhere you need deodorizing action. Try these three kitchen ingredients as natural cleaning products in your home.

Article appeared on about.com

by Sarah Aguirre

Where to find good books on the dangers of toxins...

2009-01-03T15:38:00.000-08:00

Joseph Demasi

The key to protecting yourself is getting educated. You are doing that right now and another thing you can do is go down to your neighborhood book store and see what options they have. If you do not want to spend a lot of money you can search online for used books and there are any sites that cater to that, from online auction sites like Ebay to online resellers such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

If you would rather go on the real cheap, there is always your public library. The issue you may have there is that they do not usually carry multiples of books. The selection can be rather scant as well. Do you best and get those toxins out of your home...

Healthy Home Cleaning Habits

2008-11-01T15:32:00.000-07:00

There are many different ways you can make your home safer and less toxic:

Exchange Indoor Air
Many modern homes are so tight there's little new air coming in. Open the windows from time to time or run any installed exhaust fans. In cold weather, the most efficient way to exchange room air is to open the room wide - windows and doors, and let fresh air in quickly for about 5 minutes. The furnishings in the room, and the walls, act as 'heat sinks', and by exchanging air quickly, this heat is retained.
Minimize Dust
Remove clutter which collects dust, such as old newspapers and magazines. Try to initiate a 'no-shoes-indoors' policy. If you're building or remodelling a home, consider a central vacuum system; this eliminates the fine dust which portable vacuum cleaners recirculate.
Use Cellulose Sponges
Most household sponges are made of polyester or plastic which are slow to break down in landfills, and many are treated with triclosan, a chemical that can produce chloroform (a suspected carcinogen) when it interacts with the chlorine found in tap water. Instead try cellulose sponges, available at natural foods stores, which are biodegradable and will soak up spills faster since they're naturally more absorbent.
Keep Bedrooms Clean
Most time is spent in the bedrooms. Keep pets out of these rooms, especially if they spend time outdoors.
Use Gentle Cleaning Products
Of the various commercial home cleaning products, drain cleaners, toilet bowl cleaners and oven cleaners are the most toxic. Use the formulas described above or purchase 'green' commercial alternatives. Avoid products containing ammonia or chlorine, or petroleum-based chemicals; these contribute to respiratory irritation, headaches and other complaints.
Clean from the Top Down:
When house cleaning, save the floor or carpet for last. Allow time for the dust to settle before vacuuming.

Products derived from natural, nontoxic ingredients -- once seen as fringe -- are now mainstream.

2008-09-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

Originally published in the Los Angeles Times by Marla Cone

Innovations in designing green chemicals are emerging in nearly every U.S. industry, from plastics and pesticides to toys and nail polish.

At first, the experimental shampoo looked like a putrid salad dressing. Its oil and its water just couldn't get along. They separated in the bottle and, over time, the shampoo took on an ugly brown hue.

The team at Avalon Organics, based in Petaluma, was trying to make a line of hair, skin and bath products without toxic chemicals, using ingredients derived from plants, such as lavender and coconut.

"It was a disaster," said Morris Shriftman, the company's vice president at the time. "We thought we had failed."

In any recipe, whether for cake or shower gel, swapping out one ingredient for another can result in a complete flop. But the chemists working for Avalon Organics refused to give up. After years of tweaking recipes, at a cost exceeding $1 million, the company reinvented more than 150 products and came to lead a growing movement dubbed "consciousness in cosmetics."

"We accepted this stuff blindly for so long. Now we're asking questions, seeking information. The awareness that we're living in a chemical environment is finally taking hold," Shriftman said.

Innovations in designing green chemicals are emerging in nearly every U.S. industry, from plastics and pesticides to toys and nail polish. Some manufacturers of cosmetics, household cleaners and other consumer products are leading the charge, while others are lagging behind.

For decades, many manufacturers used the most powerful weapons in their chemical arsenals, with scant attention to where they wound up or what they might have been doing to people or the planet.

Now, in a fresh take on the pre-World War II slogan, "Better Living Through Chemistry," small chemical companies and giant corporations, including BASF and Rohm and Haas, are implementing the tenets of green chemistry, creating safer substances that won't seep into our bloodstream, endanger wildlife or pollute resources.

Once viewed as part of a fringe lifestyle, rooted in the hippie movement, natural and nontoxic are going mainstream. Driven by regulations, consumer demand, an eco-friendly business philosophy and fear of future lawsuits, large corporations, retailers and manufacturers are eliminating some chemicals, pulling products off shelves and redesigning others. The names are familiar: Wal-Mart, the Walt Disney Co., Ikea, Home Depot, Nalgene, Kaiser Permanente, Baxter HealthCare, Gerber, Clorox and Origins.

Yale University chemistry professor Paul Anastas, known as the father of green chemistry, said the movement is "not simply choosing the next, less-bad thing off the shelf. It's about designing something that is genuinely good.

"Green chemistry is not a theory," he said. "It's being demonstrated by companies over and over again."

Read entire article here

The Most Toxic Places in Your Home (Surprise: Your Lawn Is No. 1)

2008-07-07T15:28:00.000-07:00

By Alexandra Zissu at Health.com

Moments after my first attempt to get pregnant, I totally freaked out. I wasn’t nervous about the idea of being knocked up (whee!). Instead, I was worried because my home suddenly seemed overwhelmingly toxic, filled with chemicals that might harm my growing baby, her father, and me. Peeling paint above us. Bleach-scrub residue on our counters, sink, and tub. The plastic in my water bottle. The water in my water bottle. Roach bait. I spun around and around. How had I not noticed this before?

Google didn’t ease my anxiety—there I learned that less than 5 percent of the more than 80,000 chemicals introduced in the United States since World War II have been tested for their effects on human health and development—but a close friend did. She suggested that I take baby steps to make what’s inside my home as pure as the organic apples and pears in my fruit bowl. My anxiety ebbed as I swapped my most toxic home products for more natural versions. Pretty soon I’d replaced everything from my vinyl shower curtain to my bedding, and I’d written a book—The Complete Organic Pregnancy—with that friend, Deirdre Dolan. Since then, I’ve been guiding families (including my own, which now includes an organic 2-year-old), friends, and total strangers through similar transformations.

To give you the same advantage, here’s a cheat sheet to the most toxic zones around your home and how to detox them. If you feel overwhelmed, start small, says David O. Carpenter, MD, director of the Institute for Health and the Environment at the University at Albany, State University of New York:

“It’s only reasonable to do what you can to reduce exposure without compromising your whole standard of life.”

Here are some of the most toxic areas in your home:

Your Lush Lawn

Under the Kitchen Sink

Your Child’s Toy Box

Your Closet

That Half-renovated Rec Room

Your Bed

Your Cat’s Litter Box

Your Home Office

Additional reporting by Brittani Tingle.

Ten tips to creating a non-toxic home

2008-05-28T15:17:00.000-07:00

Originally posted Jun 16th 2006 2:22PM by Dalene Entenmann

As American consumers, I think we have been living with a false sense of security when it comes to the products we buy at the store. For decades, we have been sold smells like the real thing but it's not household cleaners that make everything in our home cleaner-than-clean, and have gone on the assumption that if the product is on the store shelf it must be safe.

However, independent investigations into chemical industry practices, and the government's current regulatory practices to insuring consumer safety, have revealed we have not been nearly as safe as once thought.

In the last 50 years, over 75,000 synthetic chemicals registered with the Environmental Protection Agency have been introduced into our daily life. Of those, few have been tested for safety, many have never been tested at all, and less than one percent have been classified as dangerous. In fact, until a synthetic chemical has caused damage and devastation to human life or the environment, is proven beyond a shadow of doubt to be dangerous, there is no precautionary restriction of use.

According to Coming Clean, it is bogus when the chemical industry says, "The doses of these toxins are so low that you'd have to drink 50,000 bathtubs to get a dose that caused any harm in animal studies."

Many of these chemicals might be safe, but if they are not tested, who knows? Depending on who is funding the study, if they are tested, in some cases, who can rely on the data? There are many ways you can create a non-toxic home environment. Here are ten tips to get you started:

Plastic wrap. Much of the plastic wrap on the market is made with plasticizers, PVC, and many foods wrapped in plastic absorb the cancer-causing chemicals found in plastic. You can substitute plastic with paper or reusable containers to preserve food.

Non-stick cookware. We have shared information on the dangers that Teflon and non-stick surfaces pose in increasing cancer risks. Swap out your non-stick cookware with heavy-duty stainless steel cookware. I found the thinner light-weight stainless steel pots and pans do not distribute heat as well.

Bug spray. Bug sprays are made with highly-toxic chemicals meant to kill bugs, but they can bring harm to people, especially children, and pets as well. According to experts, pesticides sprayed in cracks and around baseboards can vaporize and then settle on plastic toys and foam pillows. There are alternative pest control products that are less toxic.

Household cleaners. This is a big problem. Many of the common household cleaners include chemicals that can bring health hazards into the home. For safer alternatives, visit Alternatives to Chemicals.

Carpeting. Most synthetic carpeting contains formaldehyde. New carpeting can release this toxic chemical into the air for years. If you choose carpeting over wood flooring, make certain the company that manufactures the carpet is not using formaldehyde in its product. There are more green companies offering healthier products as a result of consumer's demand for safety and the elimination of chemicals known to pose a serious threat to health. When having the carpet installed, make sure the installers are not using glues known to be toxic.

Art supplies. Unfortunately, as much fun as it is to be creative, many commerically-made art and office supplies can contain a number of toxic chemicals. Check the labels before deciding which products to use.

Dust. According to experts, lead, pesticides, PCBs and other chemicals adhere to dust particles, which enter homes through windows or on the bottoms of shoes. A National Cancer Institute, NCI, study found residues of 34 toxic chemicals in household carpet dust. Simple solution? Take your shoes off before you enter the home.

Toys. ToySafety.net offers information on the hidden dangers of potentially toxic chemicals in the toys we buy our kids. According to this organization, while the European Union has banned or imposed wide restrictions on the use of six phthalates in toys and childcare products, some manufacturers of children's products continue to use phthalates in toys for the U.S. market. Phthalates, a class of chemicals used to make a product pliable, has been linked to significant health problems and risks.

Mothballs. With the warmer seasons, winter clothing is stored. Often with mothballs. Mothballs produce toxic concentrations of a chemical known to be cancer causing. Use cedar chips and herbs to keep the clothes-munching moths away from your winter wools.

Plastic lawn furniture and garden hoses. Both can contain phthalates. The most commonly used phthalate, DEHP, is listed as a possible human carcinogen that can cause liver, kidney and reproductive damage in laboratory animals. Even touching PVC products with bare skin exposes users to phthalates.

For more tips on creating a safe non-toxic home, visit the PBS Trade Secrets: Bill Moyers website. Based on the investigative documentary exposing chemical industry insider secrets, it offers many resources for opting out of the chemical experiment we have all been living in.

Five Easy Ways to Go Green!

2008-04-04T14:09:00.000-07:00

April Feature

Going green doesn't need to be difficult or complicated. Even small steps count, and what you do every day can help keep your family and the planet healthy. Thanks to the thousands who have chosen Get Clean, look at the difference made over the past 12 months!

Kept 10,230,732 pounds of packaging waste out of landfills.
Eliminated 23,492,792 pounds of greenhouse gas.

In honor of Earth Day, here are some small steps for you that add up to a big impact.

1. Clean Up Your Cleaning Products

Some conventional cleaning products can contain questionable chemicals like phthalates, butyl cellosolve, sodium hydroxide, ammonia, or formaldehyde. Why would you endanger your health or the health of the planet with harsh chemicals and toxic substances when you can choose natural and healthier alternatives?

One option is to switch to Get CleanÂ®. Get Clean is offered by the Shaklee Corp and it gives you choices that are safe, nontoxic, and natural, and they work wonderfully. Many Get Clean products are formulated using sustainably sourced ingredients from natural sources, like activated enzymes or biodegradable cleaning agents derived from corn and coconuts. When you welcome Get Clean products into your home, you âre not exposing your family to many of the dangerous chemicals found in conventional cleaners.

There are a number of companies out there that offer safe alternatives and you can definitely search for them online.

2. Start Using your Dishwasher!

Using the dishwasher is actually better for the planet than washing dishes by hand. The average energy-efficient dishwasher uses just 4 gallons of water per cycle, saving nearly 5,000 gallons of water per year compared with hand washingâ€”as well as $40 in energy costs and 230 hours of washing time, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.Make sure to use a phosphate-free detergent. Phosphates spur algae blooms and are a major source of water pollution.

3. Ditch the Anti-bacterial Hand Soap

Triclosan, a common ingredient in antibacterial soap that kills microbes, ends up in our water sources and, at specific levels, is acutely and chronically toxic to aquatic life. Moreover, overuse of antibacterial and antimicrobial soap can help create antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which may weaken the effectiveness of currently useful antibiotics. Antibacterial soap doesn't offer any better protection against illness than vigorous hand washing with plain soap and warm water.
Look for something that is soap free, pH balanced, hypoallergenic, and has biodegradable surfactants.

4. Bring your own bag

Okay, we've all heard this one, but it's true. Neither paper nor plastic is the ideal choice. Paper is accepted in more recycling programs, but only approximately 20% is recycled, and most bags can end up in landfills. Plastic bags not only can take a thousand years to decompose and but use up nonrenewable resources. The best choice? Bring your own reusable bag. A sturdy, reusable one can take the place of hundreds or maybe even thousands of single-use bags over its lifetime.

5. Buy from Socially Responsible Companies

Use your consumer power to support companies that are environmentally responsible and offer products that are safe for you and the environment. Shaklee has a long history of environmental responsibility, including introducing one of the first biodegradable cleaners in 1960. Shaklee is the first company in the world to obtain Climate Neutralâ„¢ certification and totally offset its greenhouse gas emissions.

Who Is Really Watching Out For Us?

2008-02-24T17:13:00.000-08:00

Sometimes WhistleBlowers are not enough!
by Joseph Demasi

I received this information today and thought it was important enough to pass on. Monsanto is a major manufacturer: " Monsanto is a leading global provider of agricultural products and systems sold to farming concerns. Their leading products are the Roundup herbicide, DEKALB and Agrow seed products, and biotechnology traits. Products have also included Agent Orange (1) the now ubiquitous PCBs, DDT, recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone and Aspartame . The company's profits for fiscal year 2007 are $1.06 billion. Monsanto has 17,500 employees."

The Video on this page is not mearly about toxic milk it is much more than that. What you see should shock you to the core if you are at all concerned about toxins and their effect on your families and children. As I watched this video, I got increasingly upset. The big pctur here is that a multi-billion dollar corporation will do whatever it takes to make sure YOU and I are kept in the dark about what we should know- THIS EFFECTS THE HEALTH AND WELFARE OF US ALL! and it has dire implications. This goes to show you that even the "news" can be manipulated to one side or the other. If we cannot trust the Goverment to do it's job, we all thought that the news was the one place to get the real story. Unfortunately it looks like we are all on our own.

Do Not Mix Certain Plastic Bottles and Boiling Water

2008-01-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

By Joseph Demasi

I just saw a report on ABC NEWS about the dangers of pouring boiling water into some hard plastic bottles. THIS INCLUDES BABY BOTTLES!! We ae talking about hard plastic bottles that are the favorites of hikers and outdoor lovers. The hot water causes a controversial chemical, called bisphenol A (BPA), to be released into the liquid. In an article written for Natural Geographic Green Guide in May of 2006, Catherine Zandonella, M.P.H wrote "According to its critics, BPA mimics naturally occurring estrogen, a hormone that is part of the endocrine system, the body's finely tuned messaging service. "These hormones control the development of the brain, the reproductive system and many other systems in the developing fetus," says Frederick vom Saal, Ph.D., a developmental biologist at the University of Missouri. Endocrine-disrupting chemicals can duplicate, block or exaggerate hormonal responses. "The most harm is to the unborn or newborn child," vom Saal says.

Plastic water and baby bottles, food and beverage can linings and dental sealants are the most commonly encountered uses of this chemical. Unfortunately, it doesn't stay put. BPA has been found to leach from bottles into babies' milk or formula; it migrates from can liners into foods and soda and from epoxy resin-lined vats into wine; and it is found in the mouths of people who've recently had their teeth sealed. Ninety-five percent of Americans were found to have the chemical in their urine in a 2004 biomonitoring study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Plastics manufacturers do not deny that BPA is found widely in canned foods and beverages and is routinely ingested. They part ways with vom Saal and other scientists over the human health risks. The levels that leach into food are well below the safety thresholds set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the plastics industry website, Bisphenol-A.org, says the chemical is completely safe unless you ingest 1,300 pounds of canned and bottled food daily. In other words, even a canned-food addict will likely ingest 500 times less BPA than the danger level set by the EPA and 100 times less than the standard set by the European Commission Scientific Committee on Food. And common sense tells us that if higher doses are safe, then lower doses must be too, right?

Not necessarily, says vom Saal, who notes that these safety levels are based on 1980s toxicity studies in rats. In those studies, conducted at relatively high doses, the only sign of toxicity was reduced body weight. However, when it comes to hormone disruption, different doses can activate or suppress different genes, vom Saal explains. "That's why early toxicity studies found that the high doses were safe. The studies didn't look at the low doses that are now proving to cause a myriad of harmful effects in animals, including chromosomal damage in female egg cells and an increase in embryonic death in mice. A follow-up to this is a study indicating a relationship of BPA blood levels to miscarriages in Japanese women," he says. "

Bottom line- as with any chemical there are going to be differences of opinion. At PATH our position has always been better to err on the cautious side. When it comes to our family's health you can never be too careful! Education is the key- find out what you are bringing into your home and never take anything for granted. There are too many things that are unknown at this time.

Tests Reveal High Chemical Level In Kid's Bodies

2008-01-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

The following is an excerpt form a CNN story dated October 22, 2007 by Jordana Miller

The story
Michelle Hammond and Jeremiah Holland were intrigued when a friend at the Oakland Tribune asked them and their two young children to take part in a cutting-edge study to measure the industrial chemicals in their bodies.
"In the beginning, I wasn't worried at all; I was fascinated," Hammond, 37, recalled.
But that fascination soon changed to fear, as tests revealed that their children -- Rowan, then 18 months, and Mikaela, then 5 -- had chemical exposure levels up to seven times those of their parents.
"[Rowan's] been on this planet for 18 months, and he's loaded with a chemical I've never heard of," Holland, 37, said. "He had two to three times the level of flame retardants in his body that's been known to cause thyroid dysfunction in lab rats."
The technology to test for these flame retardants -- known as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) -- and other industrial chemicals is less than 10 years old. Environmentalists call it "body burden" testing, an allusion to the chemical "burden," or legacy of toxins, running through our bloodstream. Scientists refer to this testing as "biomonitoring." Read full article »

Viewing the entire article is recommended!

HOW SAFE ARE ANTI-BACTERIAL AGENTS

2007-12-21T17:16:00.001-08:00

by Joseph Demasi

These anti-bacterial agents are all the rage these days. Labels tout them as benefits of using the product. “Kills 99.9% of household germs” claims one label. But are they really necessary. Better yet, how safe are they for us, the user. In 2001 German environmental minister Jurgen Trittin called on consumers not to use cleaners containing anti-bacterial agents. Trittin said: “The use of …anti-bacterial cleaners in households is superfluous and risky” and he suggested that the industry added to germ hysteria by suggesting that we are all “surrounded by enemy germs which had to be fought aggressively”.

The environment ministry suggested that the “growth in the use of anti-bacterial cleaners was largely a ‘marketing trick’ and not the result of real product changes. Adding fuel to the fire, Professor Daschner, winner of a German environment award in 2000, claims that “tests on anti-bacterial washing up liquids had shown that they did not reduce the numbers of germs compared with regular washing up liquid.”

Triclosan is the latest rage in anti-bacterial chemicals. It is included in detergents, dish soaps, laundry soaps, deodorants, cosmetics, lotions, creams and toothpastes. The most shocking thing about triclosan is that the EPA registers it as a pesticide! It is a chlorinated aromatic, similar in molecular structure and chemical formula to some of the world’s most toxic chemicals: dioxins, PCB’s and Agent Orange. How would like having those in your mouth brushing your teeth? It is a chlorophenol, a class of chemicals suspected of causing cancer in humans. “Externally, it can cause skin irritations, but since…’phenols can temporarily deactivate the sensory nerve endings…contact with it often causes little or no pain.” “Internally it can lead to cold sweats, circulatory collapse, convulsions, coma and even death.” Although that seems to be in only the most extreme circumstance.

Triclosan is stored in body fat and does accumulate over time, it can become toxic in the body and can damage the liver, kidneys, and lungs. It can also cause “paralysis, sterility, suppression of immune function, brain hemorrhage, decreased fertility and sexual function, heart problems, and coma.” A big price to pay to get clean. But using such a strong agent may actually be of questionable value. Not only will it kill the bad bacteria, but also the good bacteria. These “good” bacteria actually help fight the “bad” bacteria.

Boston-based microbiologist Laura McMurray (Tufts University School of Medicine) and her colleagues say “that triclosan is capable of forcing the emergence of ‘superbugs’ that it cannot kill. Experiments have shown that it may not be the all out germ killer that scientists once thought it was…using triclosan daily in the home, in products ranging from children’s soaps to toothpaste to ‘germ free’ cutting boards, may be unwise.”

So do as your mother did, just grab the soap and wash, forget this anti-bacterial stuff. Doctors say that washing your hands with soap and water does just as well.

These Household Toxins Can Kill!

2007-11-29T16:39:00.000-08:00

I received this information while doing do some research about toxins. As always I suggest you do your own research to validate these claims, especially if you are skeptical.

TOP "10" KILLER HOUSEHOLD CHEMICALS

AIR FRESHENERS: Most air fresheners interfere with your ability to smell by coating your nasal passages with an oil film, or by releasing a nerve deadening agent. Known toxic chemicals found in an air freshener: Formaldehyde: Highly toxic, known carcinogen. Phenol: When phenol touches your skin it can cause it to swell, burn, peel, and break out in hives. Can cause cold sweats, convulsions, circulatory collapse, coma and even death!!

AMMONIA: It is a very volatile chemical, it is very damaging to your eyes, respiratory tract and skin.

BLEACH: It is a strong corrosive. It will irritate or burn the skin, eyes and respiratory tract. It may cause pulmonary edema or vomiting and coma if ingested. WARNING: never mix bleach with ammonia it may cause fumes which can be DEADLY.

CARPET AND UPHOLSTERY SHAMPOO: Most formulas are designed to over power the stain itself, they accomplish the task but not without using highly toxic substances. Some include: Perchlorethylene: Known carcinogen damages liver, kidney and nervous system damage. Ammonium Hydroxide: Corrosive, extremely irritable to eyes, skin and respiratory passages.

DISHWASHER DETERGENTS: Most products contain chlorine in a dry form that is highly concentrated. # 1 cause of child poisonings, according to poison control centers.

DRAIN CLEANER: Most drain cleaners contain lye, hydrochloric acid or trichloroethane. Lye: Caustic, burns skin and eyes, if ingested will damage esophagus and stomach. Hydrochloric acid: Corrosive, eye and skin irritant, damages kidneys, liver and digestive tract. Trichloroethane: Eye and skin irritant, nervous system depressant; damages liver and kidneys.

FURNITURE POLISH: Petroleum Distillates: Highly flammable, can cause skin and lung cancer. Phenol: (see Air fresheners, Phenol.) Nitrobenzene: Easily absorbed through the skin, extremely toxic.

MOLD AND MILDEW CLEANERS: Chemicals contained are: Sodium hypochlorite: Corrosive, irritates or burns skin and eyes, causes fluid in the lungs which can lead to coma or death. Formaldehyde: Highly toxic, known carcinogen. Irritant to eyes, nose, throat, and skin. May cause nausea, headaches, nosebleeds, dizziness, memory loss and shortness of breath.

OVEN CLEANER: Sodium Hydroxide (Lye): Caustic, strong irritant, burns to both skin and eyes. Inhibits reflexes, will cause severe tissue damage if swallowed.

ANTIBACTERIAL CLEANERS: may contain: Triclosan: Absorption through the skin can be tied to liver damage.

LAUNDRY ROOM PRODUCTS: Sodium or calcium hypocrite: Highly corrosive, irritates or burns skin, eyes or respiratory tract. Linear alkylate sulfonate: Absorbed through the skin. Known liver damaging agent. Sodium Tripolyphosphate: Irritates skin and mucous membranes, causes vomiting. Easily absorbed through the skin from clothes.

TOILET BOWL CLEANERS: Hydrochloric acid: Highly corrosive, irritant to both skin and eyes. Damages kidneys and liver. Hypochlorite Bleach: Corrosive, irritates or burns eyes, skin and respiratory tract. May cause pulmonary edema, vomiting or coma if ingested. Contact with other chemicals may cause chlorine fumes which may be fatal.

OTHER NASTY THINGS THAT ARE AROUND YOUR HOME

PESTICIDES: Most pesticides have ingredients that affect the nervous system of insects. Imagine what these extremely poisonous chemicals do to your body or your baby's. Dimpylate: Better known as Diazinon, extremely toxic. Impairs the central nervous system. Chlorinate Hydrocarbons: Suspected carcinogen and mutantagen. Accumulates in food and in fatty tissue. Will attack the nervous system. Organophosphates: Toxic and poisonous. If you can smell it, your lungs are absorbing it.

FLEA POWDERS: Why put toxins on "man's (or woman's) best friend." Carbaryl: Very toxic, causes skin, respiratory and cardiovascular system damage. Chlordane: Accumulates in the food chain, may damage eyes, lungs, liver, kidney and skin. Dichlorophene: Skin irritation: May damage liver, kidney, spleen and central nervous system.

LICE SHAMPOO: Especially vulnerable are children. Lindane: Inhalation, ingestion, or

ABSORPTION through the SKIN causes vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions and circulatory collapse. May cause liver damage, stillbirths, birth defects and cancer.

CAR WASH AND POLISH: Petroleum Distillates: Associated with skin and lung cancer, irritant to skin, eyes, nose and lungs. Entry into the lungs may cause fatal pulmonary edema, most marked Danger, Harmful or Fatal.

TAR AND BUG REMOVER: Contains XYLENE and PETROLEUM DISTILLATES.

Again, all this information does is call your attention to a possible problem. Perhaps your mystery health problem is due to exposure to one of these substances. We don't know. As many well know scientists admit- more is unknown about these products and the lasting effects of these chemicals than is known.
Be pro-active - make sure you are checking labels to find out what is in the things you are bringing into your home. If you insist on using these products make sure you follow directions on the label. Some of these products suggest you use masks and protective gloves while using them. Do not take that warning lightly. You and your family's health may depend on it.

Are We Dying To Be Beautiful?

2007-11-14T08:34:00.000-08:00

Today, we're going to share with you somelittle know "Beauty Secrets" that the cosmetic manufacturers will never tell you.

The Next Time You Buy Nail Polish orAntiperspirant, Read The Ingredients Manufacturers are putting a toxic chemical that causes severe birth defects in animals in shampoos, conditioners, antiperspirants, cosmetics and especially nail polishes, according to a report released today by the Environmental Working Group.

Alarmed by the discovery that Dibutyl Phthalate, or DBP, was present in every single person tested for the compound by the Centers for Disease Control this fall — with the highest levels found inreproductive-age women — the environmental groupdecided to study the compound’s prevalence inconsumer products.

Many Popular Brands Contain DBP
There is DBP in many popular brands, including nailpolishes, top coats and hardeners made by L’Oreal, Maybelline, Oil of Olay and Cover Girl. In an analysis of more than 100 patents, the environmental group found Procter & Gamble, which owns both Oil of Olay and Cover Girl, held the most, with 37, followed byL’Oreal, with 10 patents containing DBP.

"Major loopholes in federal law allow cosmetics manufacturers to put unlimited amounts of industrial chemicals like DBP into personal care products without any testing for adverse health effects," the reports says.

Because the government conducts chemical safety testing on compounds only if they are directly added to food, even chemicals that are tightly regulated as environmental pollutants can still find their way into personal care products, it says.

Procter & Gamble representatives declined to comment on the report, saying it was an industry issue and not company-specific.

DBP is used to help nail polish form an even film as it dries, to keep products blended and evenly consistent, and as an ingredient to help cosmetics penetrate the skin. The compound is also found in patents for shampoos, conditioners, lotions, hair growth formulations, antiperspirants, sunscreen and even gum and candy.

According to a report earlier this year by the Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction in Alexandria, Va., dibutyl phthalate is particularly damaging to the male reproductive system, with effects ranging from reduced sperm counts to testicular atrophy. There is no information, however, on how much DBP it takes to harm humans — male or female.
Center scientists did study the chemical’s effects on laboratory animals, such as rats and mice, testing the effects of high exposure on fetuses, organs, skin and more. Dozens of different tests were conducted at avariety of exposure levels. When pregnant rats were fed high doses — from 650 to 1,000 milligrams of DBP a day — fetal weights went down and some rats were born with cleft palates.

There are safer alternatives in cosmetics, and it is up to you to decide if it's worth taking the risk that these manufacturers are so easily negleting to inform consumers about.

The Choice is Yours... Ours was Simple.
Try Safer Alternatives

Helping Parents Through Education,
Joseph Demasi
Parents Against Toxins in the Home
pathrep@yahoo.com

THE REAL DIRT ON CLEAN

2007-11-06T06:51:00.000-08:00

You know that good, healthy feeling you get when you’ve just
cleaned house? Sorry to spoil it, but you may have just made
your home dirtier.

Think of it this way. You wouldn’t let your kids play with toxic
chemicals, so why would you let the baby crawl over a floor that’s
just been wiped with them? That’s much more dangerous than the
orange juice that was just there.

How dangerous? Just take a look at these statistics.

• Over 90% of poison exposures happen at home.

• Common chlorine bleach is the #1 household chemical
involved in poisoning.

• Organic pollutants, found in many common cleaners and
even air fresheners, are found at levels 2 to 5 times higher
inside your home than out.

• A person who spends 15 minutes cleaning scale off shower
walls could inhale three times the “acute one-hour exposure
limit” for glycol ether-containing products set by the California
Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment.

• Common cleaners give off fumes that can potentially
increase the risk of kids developing asthma, the most
common chronic childhood disease.

• 1 in 13 school-aged children has asthma. Rates in children
under five have increased more than 160% from 1980 – 1994.

• Children are highly vulnerable to chemical toxicants. Pound
for pound of body weight, children drink more water, eat more
food, and breathe more air than adults. The implication of this
is that children will have substantially heavier exposures than
adults to any toxicants that are present in water, food, or air.

• If your home is anything like the average U.S. home, you
generate more than 20 pounds of household hazardous waste
each year (the EPA designates toilet cleaners, tub and tile
cleaners, oven cleaners, and bleach as hazardous waste).

To find out what’s lurking on your shelves, go to the National
Institutes of Health Library of Medicine Household Products
Database. You can search almost any brand of cleaner you use, find
out what’s in it, and uncover its links to health effects. Or search
by chemical ingredients (see list below for some examples) and
discover what brands contain it. The information may shock you.

www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/ingredients.htm

Chemical ingredients to look out for:
• Sodium hydroxide
• Hydrochloric acid
• Butyl cellosolve
(2-Butoxyethanol)
• Formaldehyde
• Bleach (sodium hypochlorite)
• Ammonia
• Sulfamic acid
• Petroleum distillates
• Sulfuric acid
• Lye (potassium hydroxide)
• Morpholine

Beware Of Greenwashing

2007-10-31T16:52:00.000-07:00

The follow is an exerpt from an article written by Jessica A Knoblauch for EJ Magazine published Fall 2006. Full Article Here

While there are plenty of companies making environmentally-friendly products, there are also companies guilty of greenwashing — the practice of using misleading propaganda to make a product or a company appear environmentally friendly when it is not.

One example of greenwashing showed up last February, when Nestlé was named “Greenwasher of the Month” by The Green Life, an online publication dedicated to helping environmentally aware citizens make informed lifestyle decisions. The Green Life said Nestlé claimed to have a long-term commitment to sustainable practices after launching Partner’s Blend Coffee, the company’s first (and only) product containing the “fair trade” label. According to The Green Life, 99.9 percent of Nestlé’s coffee is still not considered “fair trade,” but launching the one product allowed the company to associate itself with the fair trade movement.

But consumers can protect themselves from buying into these greenwashers. According to the Consumers Union Guide to Environmental Labels, since terms like “environmentally-friendly,” “non-toxic” and “natural” are not regulated by any government agency, the labels that make these claims are meaningless. Consumers can avoid buying products that make meaningless claims by doing two things: performing a search of the product label on the Consumers Union Web site (www.eco-labels.org) and/or checking to see if all the ingredients on a product are disclosed. If a fully-disclosed ingredient list is not available, it’s likely the product contains harmful ingredients, according to Consumers Union.

Many household products promise to make the home cleaner. But in a country where more than 20,000 new chemicals have been introduced over the last 30 years, cleaner does not always mean safer. With minimal government intervention, green businesses have taken the lead in creating products to lessen the presence of indoor air pollutants. But with greenwashing and unsubstantiated claims, consumers still need to do the dirty work to make their homes a safer kind of clean.

Toxins In The Home

2007-10-29T18:23:00.000-07:00

Toxins in the home Information compiled by Kay Heizer, Director of "Healthy Choices" Healthy Choices is a non-profit organization comprised of doctors, nurses, environmental scientists and educators committed to teaching the public about the hazards of chemicals in our homes and how we can avoid or minimize the risks.

50% of all illness is due to poor indoor air quality
(Source: 1989 State of Massachusetts Study)

3 groups of people are primarily affected by indoor chemical concentrations because they spend more time indoors and their immune systems are weaker.

The three groups are:
· Infants and Toddlers
· Elderly
·Chronically ill
(Source: 1988 EPA, 5 year study)

Just reducing (not eliminating) environmental carcinogens alone, would save at least 50,000 lives from cancer annually (Source: Dr. Lee Davis, former advisor to the Secretary of Health)

Women who work in the home have a 54% higher death rate from cancer than women who work outside of the home(Source: 17 year EPA study)

Over 150 chemicals found in the average home have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities (Source: Consumer Product Safety Commission)

Some products release contaminants into the air right away, others do so gradually over a period of time. Some stay in the air up to a year. These contaminants, found in many household and personal care products can cause dizziness, nausea, allergic reactions, eye/skin/respiratory tract irritations and some cause cancer(Source: American Lung Association)

Over the last 20-30 years, as more toxic chemicals have been introduced in greater amounts, the level of toxins stored in our bodies has risen. Bio-accumulation studies have shown that some toxins store in our bodies for life. Greater and greater amounts are being stored at younger ages. Diseases that used to occur later in life are now appearing at younger ages. Disease that used to be rare are more frequent.

For example:
· There has been a 28% increase in childhood cancer since the addition of pesticides into household products (Source: National Cancer Institute)
· In one decade, there has been a 42% increase in asthma (29% for men; 82% for women - the higher rate for women is believed to be due to women's longer exposure times to household chemicals) (Source: Center for Disease Control)

Due to the increase in toxic buildup in our bodies, including the toxic buildup of formaldehyde, dead bodies are not decomposing as fast as they used to.(Source: National Institute of Health)
· Bodies now start to decompose within 7 to 10 days after death
· During the Vietnam War, Vietnamese bodies started to decompose within 24-48 hours; Americans didn't start to decompose for 4-5 days· Twice as much formaldehyde was needed to embalm a person twenty years ago compared to today. There is an increased risk for leukemia in children where parents have used pesticides in the home or garden before the child's birth (Source: Journal of the National Cancer Institute)

Out of 1,435 pesticide poisonings in a one year period, over 40% were due to exposure to disinfectants and similar cleaning products in the home(Source: State of California Study)

Liquid Dish Soap is the leading cause of poisonings in the home (contains formaldehyde and ammonia in most brands)

Warning labels on containers refer ONLY to toxic hazards from ingestion, however only 10% of health problems from chemicals are caused by ingestion. 90% are caused by the inhalation of vapors and absorption of particles.

Government regulations require that only the most EXTREMELY toxic substances must contain a warning label. Labels that say the following should be removed from your house immediately:
· Do not induce vomiting
· Corrosive - Rinse from skin immediately
· Harmful or fatal if swallowed
· Call physician immediately - Get emergency aid
· Warning! (may mean that 1 teaspoon of product can harm or kill an adult)
· Danger! (means that as little as 5 drops can harm or kill an adult)

The top 12 cancer causing products in the average home include the following:
· Johnson and Johnson Baby Powder with Talc
· Crest Tartar Control Toothpaste
· VO5 Hair Conditioner· Clairol Nice N Easy Hair Color
· AJAX Cleanser· Lysol Disinfectant(Source: The National Cancer Prevention Coalition)

Of the chemicals found in personal care products:
· 884 are toxic
· 146 cause tumors
· 218 cause reproductive complications
· 314 cause biological mutations
· 376 cause skin and eye irritations
(Source: United States House of Representatives report, 1989)

The State of California recently passed legislation requiring a 45% reduction in the amount of toxins found in:
· Hairspray aerosols
· Furniture polish
· Window cleaners
· Air fresheners
· Laundry detergents
· Nail polish remover
· Insect repellent
· Hair styling gel and mousse
· Shaving creme
(Source: Healthy Homes in a Toxic World)

Phenol is a very common chemical that is found in household products. Health effects from phenol include:
· Corrosive to any tissues
· Harm to the central nervous system
· Primary route of entry is through the skin

Phenol is found in the following common products:
· Air fresheners
· Carmax
· Blistex
· Anti-itching and pain relieving lotions
· Chloroseptic throat spray
· Feminine powders and sprays
· Furniture polish
· Disinfectant cleaner
· All-purpose cleaner

The following products are just a few that are so toxic they should be disposed in a toxic waste dump:
· Floor care products
· Furniture polish
· Window cleaner
· Bug spray
· Nail polish remover
(Source: Water Pollution Control Federation)

Hidden Toxins in the Home

2007-10-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

For many people, when they hear the words "toxic" and "toxins" they have images of Chernobyl, Three Mile Island, and Superfund sites. What they may not know is that some of the most powerful and dangerous toxins ever created are found not only in our own backyard, but right in our very kitchens, bathrooms, and garages.

We are not intending to scare anyone, but the reality is you need to be informed. This will empower you to create a clean and healthy home for you, your family and your pets. In addition to helping the environment we so depend on.

You may find toxins almost anywhere in your home, but some of the important places to consider eliminating toxic substances are:

-in your cleaning products
-in fruits and vegetables and in water
-in personal care products
-in home furnishings

You'll also want to look at the toxins that could be encountered by children and pets.

The following article was witten by Claude Morgan, a freelance writer who contributes to E, the Environmental Magazine.

The 10 most dangerous toxins in your house
Thursday, January 14, 1999
By Claude Morgan

Household toxins? Look no further than your kitchen cabinets.
It's official: Staying home is hazardous to your health. Toxins found in the home injured 789,000 Americans between 1992 and 1995, and new research suggests that this figure is underestimated.

"Toxins in U.S. homes now account for 90 percent of all reported poisonings each year," says Ross Ann Soloway, administrator of the American Association of Poison Control Centers. That's an epidemic of hazardous living by any standard. And while these figures include everything from non-fatal aspirin overdoses to the deadly consumption of drain cleaners, they fail to include long-term exposure to toxins like lead and asbestos.

To address the climbing domestic injury rates associated with household toxins, Congress and the Centers for Disease Control in 1992 created the Unintentional Injury Center to focus on the health dangers of consumer goods and modern home living. Other federal agencies are following suit. The EPA now has branches which deal with home indoor air quality, lead exposure and ubiquitous low-level toxicity, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development publishes a pollution look-out list for first-time home buyers.

The short list of toxins under your roof may surprise you:

Formaldehyde offgasses (evaporates) from cushions, particleboard and the adhesives used to manufacture most inexpensive wood-based products. Carpets and carpet cushions may also offgas formaldehyde, causing eye and upper respiratory irritation. According to the EPA, formaldehyde may even cause cancer;

Radon is the second-leading cause of lung cancer in the United States, warns the Surgeon General. Radon is a natural radioactive gas that can seep into homes through cracks in the basement, the surrounding foundation and in well water. It enters the body quietly through the airways;

Lead keeps epidemiologists returning to the drawing board, says Soloway, "mostly because we know more now about the adverse effects of low-level exposure." Levels once thought to be acceptable are now known contributors to learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Lead is found in paint in older houses, old plumbing and soil near highways and busy roads. It causes neurological and kidney damage, high blood pressure, disrupted blood cell production and reproductive problems;

Carbon monoxide will kill an estimated 660 Americans this year. Don't look for exhaust fumes in the attached garage; the biggest culprit is the unserviced furnace burning propane, butane or oil;

Arsenic is still lacing many household pesticides and is increasingly used as a wood preservative. Low levels of inorganic arsenic "may cause lung cancer risk," according to the CDC. The Department of Health and Human Services agrees, adding arsenic compounds to the list of unknown carcinogens;

Vinyl chloride is the source of "new car smell": The plastic interior of a new car offgasses this known carcinogen. Water sitting in PVC pipes overnight may also be steeping into a toxic tea. Very large exposures can lead to "vinyl chloride disease," which causes severe liver damage and ballooning of the fingertips;

Hydrofluoric acid "can cause intense pain and damage to tissues and bone if the recommended gloves happen to have holes in them," says Soloway. This highly corrosive substance is the active ingredient in many household rust removers.

But even the most liberal list of known toxins pales next to the order of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs comprise hundreds of natural and man-made, carbon-based agents. They react quickly with other carbon-based compounds, and evaporate easily, making them ideal solvents. VOCs can be found in disinfectants and pesticides, too.

Solvents: Benzene and methyl ethyl ketome traverse cell walls unchecked by normal cell defense. Both are known carcinogens. Cousins toluene, xylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane and trichloroethylene make up the lion's share of the solvent market;

Disinfectants: Phenols, which include biphenyl, phenolics and the preservative pentachloraphenol, are found in disinfectants, antiseptics, perfumes, mouthwashes, glues and air fresheners;

Pesticides: Chlordane, aldrin, dieldrin, though all banned for nearly two decades, continue to show up airborne in older houses.

Don't be a statistical figure on the CDC's tracking list: Be aware of what substances, from pesticides to cleaners, pose threats in your household. Maintain ingredient awareness. Many poisonings still occur because of product combinations, like the ammonia-chlorine bleach reaction, which produces the deadly respiratory irritant chloramine (a problem labeling practices have not addressed).

Replace toxic agents with non-toxic alternatives. Above all, educate your household to reduce risk and exposure. For practical ideas on reducing your family's risk, consult the following books: "Living Healthy in a Toxic World" by David Steinman and R. Michael Wisner (Berkeley, 1996); "Toxins A-Z: A Guide to Everyday Pollution Hazards" by John Harte, Cheryl Holdren, Richard Schneider and Christine Shirley (University of California, 1991); "Home Safe Home: Protecting Yourself and Your Family from Everyday Toxics and Harmful Household Products" by Debra L. Dadd (Putnam, 1997).

For more information, contact the Unintentional Injury Center, (770)488-4652.

Welcome To Our Blog!

2007-10-18T16:55:00.000-07:00

Our commitment is to update this blog often with as much information as possible for you to be as informed as possible.

Get your FREE report about toxins in your home!

Come back often!