News Picks:

7 Companies You Can Trust to Use BPA-free Cans: Even though BPA-free cans cost more for these companies, they promise not to use the dangerous endocrine disrupter. 

Eco-Friendly Building Blocks for Kids: 
Inhabitots tells us their favorite environmentally friendly building block brands for kids.






6 Ways to Reuse Aluminum Foil: Before recycling aluminum foil put it to some more good use with these creative ideas.

Multimedia Link:



Homemade Beauty Treatments:
Some great homemade ways to avoid all the parabens.






New and Cool Pick:

New Cell Phone Charger Uses Water for Power:
No outlet? No problem! In 2011, a water powered cell phone charger will be introduced. Intended for outdoor enthuiasts and developing countries, we see tremendous potential for sporting events, public transportation, and grocery stores (at least that’s when my phone tends to run out…)




Photo Credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/naturalmom/3708318060/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/17541857@N05/3517757322/

Some of you may know that I love chewing gum and my favorite is Orbit. Since starting my internship, I have learned that some of the ingredients in conventional chewing gum may not be so good for me. The ingredients in Orbit that cause some alarm are Sorbitol (a known laxative), Aspartame (known to be dangerous to children and can cause headaches in adults), and Acesulfame K (which has been found to cause cancer in animals). Therefore I have vowed to make the switch to all-natural chewing gum and have conducted a little experiment: The Gum Test.

I took a trip to Whole Foods and picked out three different types of chewing gum and came up with six criteria by which to judge them: Initial Taste (max of 6 points), Taste after 15 Minutes (max of 6 points), Bubble-blowing potential (max of 3 points), Tooth Health (1 point for Sugar used, 2 points for Sugar-free), Calories (max of 2 points), and Social Responsibility (1 point for participating in Social Responsibility Programs, 0 points for not).

If you lost count, the max total of points that could be earned is 20 points. 

Spry Sugarfree Spearmint Chewing Gum

- Initial Taste: 6/6

- Taste After 15 Minutes: 4/6 

- Bubble-blowing potential: 1/3

- Tooth Health: Sugar-free claims that incorporating 8-10 grams of xylitol may reduce the risk of tooth decay and improve overall health: 2/2

- Calories: 1 serving size= 1 piece = 10 Calories: 1/2

- Social Responsibility: 0/1

- SCORE: 14

Glee Gum – Peppermint

- Initial Taste: 5/6

- Taste After 15 minutes: 4/6

- Bubble-blowing potential: 2/3

- Tooth Health: Cane sugar, 1/2

- Calories: 1 serving size = 2 pieces = 5 Calories: 2/2

- Social Responsibility: 1/1

- SCORE: 15

Project 7 Peppermint Vanilla Sugar-free Gum

- Initial Taste: 3/6

- Taste After 15 minutes: 3/6

- Bubble-blowing potential: 3/3

- Tooth Health: Sugar-free claims that incorporating 8-10 grams of xylitol may reduce the risk of tooth decay and improve overall health: 2/2

- Calories: 1 serving size = 2 pieces = 5 Calories: 2/2

- Social Responsibility: 1/1

- SCORE: 14

We all chew gum for different reasons: to curb an appetite, freshen the breath, blow bubbles or to help us focus. After this little experiment I suggest Glee Gum to help you do all of those things; it’s the one I keep reaching for!

Is there a gum brand you think will help me make the switch to all-natural? Let me know which natural gum brands you like and whether you agree with my scoring.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/oakleyoriginals/3135903908/

News Picks:

Is Organic Food Worth It?: Real Food author Nina Planck explains why it is worth it to buy organic food.

“Pre-washed” Salad Precaution: A Consumer Reports test found bagged salads may not be as clean as you think.

Tax Rewards for Going Green: Good NYTimes summary of the expanded tax credits that make energy-saving purchases more affordable right now.

Multimedia Link:
Because it’s Friday and I want to pretend that my wardrobe consists of more than work clothes and yoga pants. The best moments of New York Fashion week’s Green Shows.

New and Cool Pick:

Prepeat Printer can erase and reprint on the same paper.

OK–this is by the far the coolest concept we saw this week.  The paper is made of plastic (bummer), but if you only need a few pieces, it will save lots and lots of trees (yeah!).

This guest post is contributed by Practically Green reader Priscilla Matuson.

“A Green Beginning”

Going green before starting a family was my first priority, and I began my journey by focusing on eliminating the toxins in and around my home. The first change that I made was easy: simply have everyone remove his/her shoes upon entering my home. However, the second change, switching to organic lawn care, took more time, research, and ultimately, patience.

My husband, Greg, and I wholeheartedly believed that the toxins in and around our home were harmful, but it was only after we suffered great sadness did we realize that we needed to make “greener” choices. For the first six years of our relationship, Greg and I lived at the beach in an older second story condo, and our cats, Daisy and Putty, were healthy. However, a couple of years after we moved into our newly constructed home that sits on an acre of land, both of our cats, who we considered our babies, began losing weight while showing other alarming symptoms. Both eventually died of cancer within a two-year span of each other; Putty of brain cancer and Daisy of cancer of her large intestine. Our veterinarian asserted that it was almost impossible for both of our cats, who were not blood related, to die of cancer within such a short span. Genetically, it is virtually impossible. After conducting much research, I was convinced that their deaths were environmentally related, and the EPA voiced concerns that cyclodiene pesticides might cause long-term damage to the liver and central nervous system, as well as an increased risk of cancer. Even though we were proud that our house was Energy Star certified, we did not maintain it with eco-friendly materials until after Putty’s diagnosis in 2003.

When we decided to eliminate the toxins in and around our home, we knew that our lawn care needed to go “green.” We started the switch by treating our lawn ourselves because there wasn’t an eco-friendly lawn service in our area, so we conducted many google searches and decided to buy our organic lawn products from gardens alive!. Even though our lawn was the greenest I’d ever seen it, weeds were popping up everywhere. Nevertheless, we were at a loss with limited knowledge of how to switch from a chemically treated to an organically treated lawn.

A year after we struggled with treating our lawn ourselves, an entrepreneur started his own business, Organic Solutions Landscaping, and we were elated to be one of his first customers. Charlie Banks, the owner of Organic Solutions, taught us that the most important way of preventing weed growth is to over-seed and to mow the lawn on the highest setting. By doing so, a shady environment is established and that environment prevents the weeds from germinating, growing as well as spreading. Nevertheless, over seeding is just the beginning, but with a trusted organic landscaper who is knowledgeable in his field, it is easy to have a luscious “green” green lawn.

Around the same time we made our lawn care switch, I discovered several alarming studies regarding toxins found in homes where shoes are worn indoors. After discovering that wearing shoes indoors tracks in toxic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, E. Coli, and lead found in seemingly benign dirt, I implemented a “no shoe” rule immediately in my home. Personally, I never considered that E. Coli could be tracked into my home after using a public restroom hours earlier. I also never thought that ordinary dirt was harmful, but I came to discover that dirt can contain alarming levels of lead. The Door Mat Study concludes that using a door mat cuts down the toxic lead dust levels in a home virtually in half and taking off your shoes before entering your home cuts the toxic dust down by 60%. So by implementing both rules, you can cut down the toxic dust being tracked into your home by 98.5%, and considering that 2% of the dust in our homes is from inside sources while the remaining 98% is the result of wearing shoes indoors, we can almost eliminate the indoor dust completely. Using a doormat in addition to implementing a rule that prevents everyone from wearing shoes indoors is such a simple solution, and even though some of my friends and family members get annoyed that they must take their shoes off at the front door, I know it’s healthier for me, my husband, and my children.

My daughters have recently turned 2 and 3 years old, and even though they are no longer crawling, they still constantly play on the floor. But knowing that the chemicals have been eliminated from my property and the toxic dust has been dramatically reduced in my home, I have the peace of mind that I have lessened their exposure to harmful chemicals and toxins while they play inside and outside my home.

For a greener life, we are a work in progress…sprouts if you will. However, we feel the beginning of our new life is a healthier one.

News Picks:

5 Surprising Things You Can Recycle: You know about bottles and cans, but this article has some other good recycling ideas for less obvious items like phone books, hangars, and tin foil.

Tried and True Eco-paints: NY Times writer tests 10 environmentally friendly indoor paints and shares his favorites.

4 Secrets About Fast Food: Men’s Health editor-in-chief reveals list of shocking ingredients in common fast food items, including chicken nuggets, filet-o-fish, and a Frosty.

Multimedia Link:

Note from Susan: The first time I visited the  Healthy Child Healthy World site, it scared the bejeezes out of me. I had no idea that so many things we did every day were negatively impacting the health of our child.  It definitely was a wake-up call.  This beautifully produced video “A Wake-Up Story” summarizes the key issues, but also encourages parents to take action—in their own homes and in their communities.  Hope you enjoy it!

New and Cool Pick:

The first Green Map iPhone App helps users find green things in their communities.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhook/2830319467/

On Saturday night, I had a huge craving for a burger.  I don’t eat burgers a ton, but primarily so my pants will continue to fit than for any directly green reason. I visited one of my favorite Boston spots and the burger was delicious. But I also decided I needed to figure out one thing.  How not green, really, is that burger?

Honestly?  Worse than I expected.

1.  Livestock farming generates 18% of the planet’s greenhouse gas emissions — by comparison, all the world’s cars, trains, planes and boats account for a combined 13% of greenhouse gas emissions. Worse than cars and planes?  Had no idea….

2. The average person in the industrialized world (that’s you and me!) eats 176 pounds of meat versus 66 pounds in the developing world. Scientists believe that if every American cut their meat consumption by 20%, it would be the same benefit on global warming as switching from a regular sedan to a Prius.

Why is livestock farming so bad? Primarily, the land it takes to graze and feed the animals. The demand for land is a major contributor to deforestation, which in turn impacts global warming.  But it is also the methane and nitrous oxide, which comes from the manure and yes, the farts. We already know the health effects of red meat range from clogged arteries to obesity, but also, unless you are eating organic meat—there are the antibiotics and hormones to contend with. Here’s an easy to read article with the gory details from Time Magazine.

While I now understand why vegetarian/vegan eating is big among super green people, there is honestly no way that I’m going to forgo red meat and pork altogether. I understand the green benefit. Not practical. So what to do?

Cut Back.

Practical?  Yes. I estimate we are down to about 88 pounds per adult per year — or down 50% versus the average and maybe 25% versus where we were. Perhaps no coincidence, I’ve lost about 10 pounds in that time and our dining out/grocery budget is lower. So at least for me, it’s been good for the planet, health/wardrobe AND the wallet. I call that the hat trick of green living!

Here are a few ways we’ve been able to do it:

1.  Dark turkey burger is a good substitute for ground beef.  Not necessarily for burgers—but we use it for tacos, pasta dishes, and anything else that calls for ground meat.  If you can’t take the plunge immediately, try going 50/50.

2.  Go ethnic a few nights a week–we’ve had fun with Vietnamese and Mexican chicken/vegetarian dishes–and my standby lunch is chicken tikka masala.  I’ve yet to be able to appreciate Tofu–all recipes/recommended dishes welcome!

3.  Rethink your relationship with carbs.  I was on a low carb diet for years and hated it, even though it seemed to work.  I’ve been really enjoying my new found relationship with pizza and pasta—they are, relatively speaking, green foods!

4.  Eat more (sustainably raised) fish. I don’t generally like fish.  I know it’s good for me, but I don’t like fishy tasting fish and then the mercury and pollution freaked me out.  But the Monterey Aquarium has a wallet sized “good fish” list , regionally tailored, that is helpful and I’ve found a few I like–particularly Tilapia.

5.  When you do eat meat & pork, choose as healthfully raised as you can. Go for organic meat–or at least without antibiotics & hormones—and ideally from family farms versus factory farms.  If that doesn’t feel “in the budget”, consider recipes that stretch smaller quantities of meat further.  I’m a big believer in stir fries & entree salads.

6.  Eat that burger—just not that often AND when you do, make sure you love it! What cutting back on red meat has done is make me appreciate it more when I do eat it.  So that burger was delicious.  I loved it–and I’ll definitely eat another one.

Just not this week….

The St. Louis Dispatch reports that Target has pulled this Valentines Day bear after the California Attorney General and the Center for Environmental Health raised concerns about the quantity of lead in the toy.

The group tested the neon pink stuffed bear and found that it contained eight times more lead than the federal limit for products intended for children 12 and under. (The toy warns “not for children 3 and under.”)

Target claims the product was compliant upon arrival.

I keep thinking lead is something we parents no longer have to worry that much about after Congress banned lead in children’s toys in July of 2009.  But products continue to crop up with unsafe levels of lead and I personally find it’s impossible to stay in the loop on all the recalls.

Fortunately, there is a useful website that categorizes every toy hazard recall, including lead paint, from the Consumer Product Safety Commission.  When I checked the list today, one of the first toys I saw was one we got as a gift in Vietnam—a balancing dragonfly—recalled in October.  It’s not clear that voluntary recalls, like the one Target took today, would make the list.  However, it’s still a much easier way to check toy safety than my current strategy of hoping I hear about anything bad and then being indignant when I don’t and as a result, my son has been playing with a lead butterfly for months.  To quote someone I like very much, “Hope is not a strategy.”   At least for keeping the lead out.

It’s Superbowl Weekend, right?  I don’t know too many moms who get a full three hours to actually watch the game, but it is still a great excuse for a party, even if it’s just you and the kids watching the funny ads and a few downs in between bathtime and loads of laundry.  But if you do get to throw a party, it’s actually pretty easy to green the game. Here are three practical, simple ways to do it:

1.  Save Energy:  serve a local beer

There are over 1,500 breweries in the US so one of them has to be near you.  In Boston, that’s Harpoon Brewery and yes, Sam Adams still brews a little bit in Jamaica Plain.  In San Francisco, Anchor Steam is found pretty easily. In NYC, Brooklyn Beer is the most popular.  Here’s a site where you can find local breweries and brewpubs by zip.

2.  Improve health:  choose healthier, but still delicious chips & dips

I love Fritos.  But they are so not healthy, scoring a 2.3 in health from the GoodGuide (but we knew that already). But there are some tasty and healthy options that don’t taste like a side of cardboard with some salt. Trader Joe’s soy & flaxseed tortilla chips scored a perfect 10 in health.  We’re also fans of Green Mountain Gringo and Wild Harvest Organic Tortilla chips for the big people and Newman’s Own pretzels for the little ones.  In terms of dips, Whole Foods has a really good store-branded organic jarred salsa and  black bean dip.  I also loved this recipe for sour cream & onion dip that gets rid of the MSG and other nasty stuff from the packaged onion powders without tasting bland.

3.  Reduce Stuff:  Use recycled plastic or biodegradable serving ware

Preserve Products makes fun and colorful tableware that has all the benefits of plasticware (no breakage), but can be reused hundreds of times and is made from 100% recycled plastic.  You can find them at Target, Trader Joe’s & Whole Foods.  If you don’t want to go the reusable route, new disposable plates, cups and utensils made of cornstarch or sugar cane fibers can biodegrade in 180 days.  These are a bit harder to find offline, but one of our local Whole Foods has carried them.  If you know of where to get them nationally–let us know!  And last, but not least–use reusable napkins, or at least recycled paper ones.

Do you have other ways you are greening the game?  Let us know!  (And also, here’s a cheer to the underdog–Go Saints!)

Clorox has launched an improved consumer website that lists product ingredients and provides access to Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS).  You just click on the logo of your favorite brand and it lists the ingredients, along with a description of what that ingredient does from a “usefulness” point of view. From a transparency point of view, it’s very helpful and a great step forward. My only major complaint is that the site does not tell you easily what each ingredient is like from a “hazardous” point of view. That’s where the MSDS’s are interesting.

For example, if you look up Formula 409, you will find 3 hazardous ingredients listed including n-Alkyl (C12-16) Dimethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride, n-Propoxypropanol, and Monoethanolamine.  You can then check out those hazards on The Environmental Working Group site as well as The US Occupational Safety & Health Administration and US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  What you find out about the ingredients for Formula 409 is:

• N, N-Alkyl(C12-16) Dimethylbenzyl Ammonium Chloride:  listed as a moderate hazard by the Environmental Working Group and has been linked to cancer, immune and respiratory problems, skin and eye irritations, and is a suspected mutagen.

• N-Propoxypropanol: an alcohol that can cause skin and eye irritation and can affect the central nervous system. When involved in fire, it can create irritating vapors and toxic gases, such as carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide.

• Monoethanolamine: a flammable, corrosive metal that is known to cause skin and eye irritation, affect the central nervous system (creating lethargy), can be toxic to humans if swallowed and can harm aquatic life when exposed in large amounts.

No shocker—pretty nasty stuff. It was also interesting to check out their Greenworks line, which I didn’t know much about. I was surprised to see pretty typical natural cleaning ingredients and nothing hiding that was a big green no-no. A few checks of other sources to confirm what I thought–and yes, Clorox Greenworks is pretty green from a health standpoint.

But let’s be practical, who the heck has time to be checking out MSDS’s on products or doing the random google walk through scientific journals to figure out whether a chemical is good or not.  That’s one of the reasons I am loving the Good Guide–which ranks products on health, environment, and corporate responsibility using a simple numerical scale. Greenworks, for example, gets a good grade (7) on health, but does not do as well in the other categories.  The “best” all purpose cleaner, in terms of health, environment, and social responsibility was Method.

I am a big believer that improvement is what matters when embracing green and in that sense, it is GREAT that Clorox is putting more information out there for people like you and me.  But unless that information is accompanied by something to translate ingredient mumbo-jumbo into easy to understand connections between ingredients and health and environmental risk, it stops short of being truly transformative.  Maybe that’s coming in version 3.0?

Danny Seo’s blog entry today was devoted to the topic of laundry and had some truly stunning statistics about how much time and money is devoted to laundry (and a some good tips too).

The Environmental Protection Agency says the average family washes nearly 400 loads of laundry a year — more than load a day — and Americans spend more than $3 billion on detergent.

Who knew?  Well, you did.  Because you likely do some, if not all, of that laundry.  So why does going green with laundry matter?  Four possible reasons:  you can save energy and water, reduce stuff, and improve health.  And by greening your laundry, you can make green strides in all these areas.

1.  Switch to an eco-friendly detergent:  improve your health and your planet’s health

A typical laundry detergent contains a number of chemicals, some of which have negative environmental and health effects.  The most direct negative impact is due to chemicals in the waste water harming plants and fish, although some chemicals, particularly phthalates, can aggravate or trigger chemical sensitivities, are being found in breast milk, and research is showing some impact of exposure to phthalates on infant development.

2.  Turn to cold water and line dry (or at least clean your filter and throw in a towel!):  save energy

The majority of energy used in laundry is heating the water.  By switching to cold water, you will reduce nearly 90% of the energy used versus washing in hot.  According to the Green Book, if every house switched even to warm-cold, the US would reduce oil usage by 100,000 barrels A DAY.  The other energy hog is your dryer.  Line drying is obviously super green, but not always practical, particularly in the cold weather parts of the country.  You can save drying time, and thus energy by making sure your filter is clean and throwing in a dry towel to speed drying times.

3.  Switch to a front-loading washer–and/or wash with the washer full:  save water

An Energy Star model uses 50% less water than a standard model, and there are “Tier 3″ models that cut down an additional 40% of water usage.  You want to look for a “Water Factor” score that is under 4.5 for the most water efficient models.  And if you haven’t switched over yet, the new Cash for Appliances rebate program is either already in effect, or will be in effect, in your state this year.  But if switching just isn’t in the cards, the most water efficient thing to do is make sure the washer is full before you run it and reduce overall quantity of loads.

4.  Buy concentrated green detergent in smaller packaging:  reduce stuff

Walmart actually drove the downsizing of laundry packaging several years ago by insisting that every manufacturer double concentration.  We are now entering the era of tinier and tinier bottles–just make sure you don’t over use the detergent or it defeats the purpose.  Yes, it requires a 15 minute “laundry primer” for anyone else who might help you–kids, cleaning person, babysitter, and the spouse.  But it will cut down on packaging significantly.  And of course, recycle the bottle if you can.

Most importantly, is green laundry clean laundry?  For us, yes.  Granted, we are not working construction, but we do have lots of grass-stains and as my family and co-workers can attest,  I spill wine, coffee, balsamic vinaigrette, and Indian food on myself a decent amount.  We are fans of both Costco’s Environmentally Friendly Detergent and Seventh Generation Free & Clear.  Here also is a fun road “test” of six different detergents from Grist.org.

It’s hard enough to figure out what’s in a product that’s good for you and what’s not.  But evidently, companies can find out something was bad for health safety—and then claim “confidential business information” and not divulge that it was in their product.  And the number of chemicals tested for health safety is actually really low. According to a report released by the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families late last week:

Of the 80,000 chemicals used in the U.S., EPA has required safety testing on only 200 under TSCA, says the coalition. And 60,000 chemicals — including bisphenol A — were grandfathered in for use without testing for health safety. Recent studies show that Bisphenol-A, a chemical compound commonly used in plastic packaging for food and beverages, has been linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and liver-enzyme abnormalities.

The EPA announced late last year that they will be reforming the Toxic Substances Control Act and require more testing and disclosure.  The benefits of reforming the act?  According to the Safer Chemicals, Healthier Families report, nearly $5BB a year in health related costs.

But cost isn’t the only reason consumers need better ways to avoid these chemicals.  Just watch me trying to nebulize our two year old twice a day with her steroids for asthma—it’s like chasing a gazelle and often miserable for both of us.

The emotional toll on families ranges from highly annoying to devastating and affects nearly everything else: workplace productivity, divorce rates, education outcomes, financial well-being, and overall happiness.   So yes, the cost information is very compelling. But when you add in the other benefits, the value of reforming this act feels priceless.

These ten steps will not involve drinking less wine or running 3 miles a day.  Yes, we all know that will make us more healthy, but my knees are bad and the mental health benefits of a glass of wine have to be considered somewhere in life.

These ten steps are about reducing toxins and chemicals–in your food, your air, your playroom, and the stuff you put on yourself and your kids everyday like lotions, make-up, and hair products.

1.  Eat more organic foods

Organic foods are grown without putting pesticides into the ground or water, and as a result, they aren’t in the food.  They also don’t have anti-biotics or hormones which may prove to have unintended, harmful consequences (This is where I think I need to say “there is no discernible difference between milk with rGBH and that without” or I risk being sued for food slander.  If you think I’m kidding, go see Food Inc and check out your Stonyfield Farm yogurt package).

Organic foods do cost more and my order of priority is to focus first on dairy and meat, then fruits and vegetables (particularly the “dirty dozen”), and then other items as budget permits.  I’ve also found that we can eat organic more affordably by eating less red meat, having a few vegetarian meals a week, and upping quantity of fruits and vegetables–all eating changes that are better for the diet and health as well.

2.  Audit your personal care products

The Environmental Working Group has a great tool called the Safe Cosmetics Database.  You can put in your brand of lotion, shampoo, soap, make-up, hair product, etc and it will come back with a score–green is low risk, yellow is moderate risk, and red is high risk.  I was horrified when I put in my sunscreen and it came back a high risk #8.  It can also help direct you to the safest choices for each product–and don’t assume just because it is made by a “all natural” brand that it is super safe.  Even Burt’s Bees, for example, has products that scored a 7.

3.  Know your plastics–and don’t put them in the microwave and the dishwasher

Plastics are convenient and tough to ditch all together (check out Fake Plastic Fish for one mom’s amazing attempts).  But we are beginning to learn that some are not great for health, particularly those labeled #3, #6, and #7 because they can leach chemicals into food and drinks.  Some countries have banned plastics with chemicals like BPA in them, but so far, the US has not done so.  Fortunately, more and more BPA free plastics are on the market and better information is available when deciding what to get.

4.  Avoid pesticides, inside and out

In your own home, you can take steps to avoid pest entry in the first place (Here’s a great checklist) and if they do show up, get rid of them using non-toxic products or strategies.  You can also ask people remove shoes when coming inside and have a mat to wipe off feet.  Those two steps can reduce the introduction of dirt containing chemicals in the house by nearly 70%.  Once you’ve eliminated them from your own home, start advocating at the school and in your town’s parks departments or other places your children spend lots of time.

5.  Avoid furnishings, clothes with flame retardants

While flame retardants have contributed to safety, the EPA states that the PBDE chemicals used (Plybrominated diphenyletherether) may have had unintended negative consequences for the environment and for health, citing accumulation found in breast milk and wildlife.  Exposure can cause liver, neurological, and thyroid toxicity.  And recently, the three major manufacturers have committed to phasing one type out over three years, but others will still be in use.

They are all over a home—computers, foam furnishings, etc—but the place to focus most is the kid’s bedroom given how much time they spend in bed and in pajamas.  You can easily put kids in long john type pajamas, which often do not have flame retardants (GAP sells them for babies and kids.  If you want organic, Hanna Andersson has a good assortment and great sales) and if you are buying a new mattress, look for one that is made with all natural flame retardants versus PDBEs.

6.  Clean with all-natural products

Some of the chemicals in conventional cleaning products are really toxic, not just to the water that goes down the drain, but also for the people using them and assumedly, at least some of the time, that’s you and your family.  The good news is that all natural products do work just as well.  You can buy all-natural cleaning products from companies like Seventh Generation or you can even make your own.

7.  Learn more about other VOC’s and when to avoid them

Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC’s) are organic chemicals that may be natural or synthetic and produce vapors. Generally, if you can smell it, it counts as a VOC.  VOCs have many uses, including in fuels, solvents, paints, scents, refrigerants, pesticides, and resins.   Many VOCs are hazardous air pollutants and regulated.  The release of VOC’s into the air is called off-gassing, but you may recognize it more as “new paint or carpet” smell.

The problem is that the release of VOC’s into the indoors of a home causes the concentration of chemicals to be 2-5X that of outdoor air.  Depending on the chemical and the concentration, the symptoms could be from watery eyes or mild skin irritations to more serious issues like asthma and the long term effects of VOC exposure could be much more serious.  If you’ve heard of Sick Building Syndrome, that’s generally caused by high concentrations of VOCs and a poor ventilation system.

The best way to combat VOC’s is good ventilation and fresh air.  The next is to avoid products that off-gas known toxic chemicals, including regular paints, furniture made with foam or fiberboard, synthetic carpet, pesticides, floor finishes, etc.  A good rule of thumb is that if it’s made from all-natural materials (wood, wool, natural fibers, etc), the VOCs released are likely to be very low risk.

You can check to find out the chemicals in thousands of household products using this website from the US Department of Health & Human Services.  It’s a little complicated, but many products have health and safety ratings and it does list all chemicals in a product.

8.  Reduce the amount of fake stuff in your food

Food labels are confusing–and believe me, with a child who is allergic to nuts, sesame, shellfish and eggs, I read a lot of them.  I’ve decided that the longer the food label with the more words I don’t understand, the more likely the food is to be not so great for you.  In particular, we try to avoid foods that have been shown to potentially contribute to obesity (like transfats and HFCS), as well as artificial colors and flavors, preservatives like sodium benzoate, artificial sweeteners like phenylketonurics, etc.  Why?

Basically because you can eat just fine without them and we’re finding out more everyday that the fake stuff in food may be contributing to health issues.  For example, there are reports of soda containing more benzene (byproduct of sodium benzoate that in high doses contributes to cancer) than it’s supposed to and that preservatives are causing hyperactivity.  Whole towns in Massachusetts are banning transfats and Michael Pollan’s book, The Omnivores Dilemma definitely makes you think hard about the health impact of high fructose corn syrup.  We aren’t zealots.  We love Oreos and every now and then I break down and buy everyone Apple Jacks, generally to big cheers and “yeah mom!!!”.  But we try to keep it to low doses figuring better safe than sorry.

9.  Be smart about anti-bacterials and antibiotics

With a child with asthma, I’m as freaked out about H1N1 and the flu as you are.  But I have tried really hard to avoid the constant use chemical hand sanitizer and anti-bacterial wipes because if you want to see freaked out, mention drug-resistant bacteria to a physician.   So when you or your child needs antibiotics, finish the dose as directed. Use soap and water whenever possible and when you can’t find soap and water (like the train), use all-natural hand sanitizer.  The use of antibiotics in farming is also a contributor to drug resistant bacteria so that is another health benefit of buying organic meat and dairy.

10.  Get the lead out

I still remember the day in 2007 I had to take James, the red Thomas the Train pal, and throw him out because he was on the list of toys from China that had unsafe levels of lead in them.  My son was in tears and I was royally pissed off.  I had just spent thousands on a lead paint abatement so he didn’t get exposed when we raised and lowered our windows and in the end, it was the darn train?!

But the reality is that lead is still a major risk for kids and hundreds of thousands of kids test positive for elevated lead in their blood every year.  It can wind up in your air or in your products in unsuspected ways, particularly during a home renovation project of a home painted before 1950.  But it can also be in soil, get into your water through old pipes, be found in imported or older toys, art supplies, and even some imported candies.  The CDC maintains a good site about childhood lead exposure to learn more.

You want to eat locally grown, fresh food but can’t find the time or have absolutely no interest in all the weed-wacking and planting a garden requires?

Find a CSA, a farmer’s market or visit a local farm near you.   Localharvest.org offers a zip code based tool that finds relevant listings along with consumer reviews and maps.  You can also search by the type of food you are looking for, as well as find grocery stores, co-ops and restaurants that serve locally grown food.

Eating locally grown food helps save energy, but small, local farms also often use organic or integrated pest management techniques to reduce reliance of chemical pesticides.  Strike up a conversation with whomever is selling it and you will often learn a ton (perhaps more than you ever wanted to know!).  Besides possible health benefits, freshly picked food often tastes so good relative to store bought.  Maybe you can finally get your kids (or better half) to eat those green beans…

Mercury is a naturally occurring element that can be found in air, water and soil. Pure mercury is a liquid metal that has traditionally been used to make thermometers, light bulbs and switches. Mercury can be exposed to humans when coal is burned (mercury is in coal), when hazardous wastes are burned, when chlorine is produced, when mercury products are broken, when it is spilled and when mercury in the air settles in water and builds up in food supplies such as fish and shellfish.

The danger of being exposed to mercury is that it can harm the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, immune system and nervous system.

To learn more, go to:

http://www.epa.gov/hg/about.htm

Lead is a toxic metal that can be emitted into the air from motor vehicles, industrial sources, some household items and can enter drinking water from plumbing materials.

The danger in being exposed to lead is that it can cause many serious health problems such as behavioral and learning problems, seizures, and death. Children 6 years and under are most at risk.

The most common sources of lead poisoning are:

• deteriorating lead-based paint (the older the home, the more at risk; many homes built before 1978 have lead-based paint)
• lead contaminated dust (dust can pick up lead from lead-based paint or lead contaminated soil)
• lead contaminated residential soil (picked up from exterior paint and residues from leaded gas in cars)
• lead contaminated toys and furniture
• plumbing systems containing lead

To learn more, go to:

http://www.epa.gov/lead/

Dioxin is a general term describing a group of hundreds of chemicals that are some of the most toxic chemicals known to science. Described by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a serious health threat, dioxin is an unintentional by-product of many industrial and non-industrial processes involving chlorine (such as waste incineration, pulp and paper bleaching, pesticide and chemical manufacturing, and backyard burn-barrel incineration). It is formed by burning chlorine-based chemical compounds with hydrocarbons and was the main toxic component of Agent Orange.

The danger in being exposed to dioxin is that there is no known “safe dose” below which dioxin will not cause cancer. It also can cause severe developmental and reproductive problems.

To learn more, go to:
http://www.ejnet.org/dioxin/

DEET is the active ingredient in many insect repellent products. DEET repels bothersome insects such as ticks, flies and mosquitoes. Approxiamtely 1/3 of the US population is expected to use DEET each year.

The danger in using products containing DEET is that it has possible damaging effects on brain cells. After frequent and long-term exposure, studies performed on rats show that neurons can die in regions of the brain that control muscle movement, learning, memory and concentration.

To learn more, go to:
http://www.epa.gov/opp00001/factsheets/chemicals/deet.htm
http://www.quantumhealth.com/news/dangers_of_DEET.html

Humidity is the measure of moisture in the air. The recommended humidity level for humans is 30% to 50%.

High levels of humidity (most often occurring in warm climates) in the home can cause heat stroke, trigger asthma and create an environment in which dust mites and mold can thrive.

Low levels of humidity (most often occurring in cold climates) in the home can cause dryness in the throat and nose (which dries the mucous membranes and can lead to increased vulnerability to colds and the flu) and can cause allergy and asthma complications.

Cradle to Cradle certification is a mark companies can earn for a product from McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry (MBDG) that indicates it is designed and manufactured in an environmentally friendly way.  The evaluation looks at whether they use environmentally safe and healthy materials; design for material reuse, such as recycling or composting; use renewable energy and energy efficiency; efficient use of water, and maximum water quality associated with production; and institute strategies for social responsibility.

The mark looks like this:

Learn more, including a full list of products certified: http://www.mbdc.com/c2c/

Urea formaldehyde is a chemical used in resins.  In homes, it is most often found in wood products like particleboard (shelves, cabinetry), medium density fiberboard (drawer fronts, furniture tops), and hardwood plywood paneling.  It was also used heavily in foam insulation during the ’70’s although the use was banned in the 1980’s. Concentrations of Urea Formaldehyde can reduce indoor air quality.

Exposure can cause watery eyes, burning sensations in the eyes and throat, nausea, and difficulty in breathing in some humans exposed at elevated levels (above 0.1 parts per million). High concentrations may trigger attacks in people with asthma. It has also been shown to cause cancer in animals and may cause cancer in humans.  Health effects include eye, nose, and throat irritation; wheezing and coughing; fatigue; skin rash; severe allergic reactions.