by Jeff McIntire-Strasburg on February 3, 2010 · 7 comments
Author’s note: This post was written by Elyas Bakhtiari, a freelance writer we’re happy to have under contract at sustainablog.
Have you ever heard someone use the phrase, “I want these floors so clean you can eat off them?” Before taking them up on the offer, you might want to ask what cleaning products they used.
Most hard-surface floors and stained carpets are cleaned with conventional chemical cleaners that can be toxic and incredibly bad for the environment. Cleaning products are responsible for nearly 10% of all toxic exposures, especially for small children, and are largely the reason that the air inside a typical home is 2-5 times more polluted than the air outside. A 2002 U.S. Geological Survey found that 69% of U.S. streams contained persistent detergent metabolites and 66% contained disinfectants. Our efforts to keep our homes clean are ironically making our air, water, and general environment dirtier.
[read the full article...]
The Body Toxic: How the Hazardous Chemistry of Everyday Things Threatens Our Health and Well-being is one of those books that freak me out…sometimes I just don’t want to know. In reality, we need to know about all of the chemicals of modern industry and how to protect our families. Knowing is the first step to making informed decisions, which is probably one reason you are a reader of Eco Child’s Play.
Publishers Weekly describes The Body Toxic:
This is a chilling look at the questionable safety of nearly everything we store food in, drink from, wear, walk on, rest on and drive. Chemicals used to make everything from water-repellant jackets and flame retardants to unbreakable plastics used for food storage are building up in our bodies and the environment with possible far-reaching consequences, says journalist Baker. She focuses on endocrine disruptors that alter hormone levels, even in fetuses. Individual chapters consider the weed killer atrazine; phthalates found in many cosmetics; and perfluorooctanoic acid, used in nonstick and stain-repellant coatings. Lab studies have linked these chemicals to cancer, diabetes, obesity and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, among other problems. Baker blasts both Democrats and Republicans in Congress for the toothless Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976, which leaves testing and reporting results to the manufacturer. But the companies rely on skilled public relations firms to attack scientists who raise safety concerns. The current pro-business administration also takes some licks from Baker. Although she offers suggestions for reducing exposure to these chemicals, No place—and no one—is immune.
[read the full article...]
I spent the first weekend away from my sons ever at BlogHer ’09 in Chicago. And my favorite session—hands down—was the Green Bloggers session. (Why yes, it was nice to meet the writers I adore!)
There, while we discussed good resources for product ingredient lists and standards, an audience member dropped what sounded like a bomb to all of us in the natural parenting, green cleaning and organic living world:
On January 1, 2010, all household products will have full ingredient lists on their labeling.
How did this amazing change in chem-laden products come about? Blame Thank Canada.
Here are the deets on these requirements. [read the full article...]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/v/8bM6-z0Hd44&hl=en&fs=1]
We get a lot of press releases from companies big and small touting their green initiatives. I usually dismiss the ones from major corporations like Disney and Barbie as greenwashing, but I still pass them on to our writers. After much prodding and persuading from my online friends, I usually take up the issue myself, as I just can’t help myself. Disney….it’s your turn.
Disney has just issued the company’s first ever comprehensive corporate responsibility (CR) report. For a company that was founded in the 1920s and is the largest media and entertainment corporation in the world, this report is a long time overdue!
The long term environmental goals outlined in the report are:
- Zero waste
- Zero net direct greenhouse gas emissions from fuels
- Reduce indirect greenhouse gas emissions from electricity consumption
- Net positive impact on ecosystems
- Minimize water use
- Minimize product footprint
- Inform, empower and activate positive action for the environment
[read the full article...]
The WebMD Health eHome is a a new educational collaboration between WebMD and Healthy Child Healthy World and is sponsored by Seventh Generation. It provides you the tools to discover how to create a safer and healthier home for you and your children. While many of the writers here provide daily information on how to provide your family a safe environment both outside and inside your home the WebMD Health eHome promises to provide more wonderful information on how to rid your home of health hazards. With a variety of tools it may even enlighten some ECP readers on new ways to improve their quality of life.
[read the full article...]
by Jennifer Lance on February 25, 2009 · 0 comments
Editor’s note: The following post was originally published on Green and Clean Mom. “Green & Clean Mom can inspire you to try a little harder, be a catalyst for change and to offer you some new tips and news on how to be the green, sexy and sassy mom…I know you are!”
Vacationing with children – it just about killed me. Our sleeping schedule was wacky, the stuff we had to pack and organize, and my daughter got sick and the money. Oh, my goodness the money to go to Disney and Sea World and shucks rent a car and eat for two weeks – I know why we don’t vacation often. My son got to experience flying and he loved climbing the mountain in Arizona, seeing his grandma (the highlight of our trip), eating some great fondue from the Melting Pot, shaking Buzz Light Years hand and riding his first roller coaster. I just hope he remembers it all. My daughter, well she played and played and enjoyed swimming and being with mom and dad. She won’t remember anything but we gave her some experiences to help her development and best of all (besides seeing grandma) she loved Sea World. [read the full article...]
