16 Ways to
Heal Your Home
Below‚ we
outline the problems with 16 conventional household
products. Click through to Co-op America's
Healthy Home Center to learn about solutions – ways to
heal every part of your home. (Also, all of the linked
terms below, like
"phthalates"‚ take you straight to our online glossary
for a better understanding of the problems some of the worst
chemicals can cause.)
1) Conventional body care
products
– More than one-third of
personal care products contain at least one ingredient
linked to cancer, and very few products are tested for
safety. Some products contain
phthalates‚ which don't appear in the list of a
product's ingredients -- instead they are covered by
the general term "fragrance."
Body Care Solutions »
3) PVC Shower Curtains
–
Polyvinyl chloride, also known as PVC‚ the vinyl in
your shower curtain‚ is a plastic that’s dangerous to
people and the environment at every stage of its
lifecycle.
Shower Curtain Solutions»
7) Flooring
–
Wall-to-wall carpets harbor allergens and trap toxins.
Most synthetic carpets and their adhesives also emit
VOCs. Carpeting may be treated with
benzyl benzoate or other chemicals for mothproofing
or to repel moisture.
Flooring Solutions »
8) Vinyl Siding
–
Home siding can be the single largest use of
vinyl‚ made from
PVC‚ in a home. Vinyl siding often contains
DEHP‚ an additive‚ and a
phthalate.
Siding Solutions »
10) Pesticides
– Too many homeowners needlessly use hazardous chemicals
on their lawns, and these chemicals can drift into their
homes and pollute indoor air.
Lawncare Solutions »
12) Plastics
– Hard-to-recycle plastics
often contain toxins that can leach into food and water‚
especially when heated.
Plastics Solutions »
13) Conventional Produce
– Many non-organic fruits
and vegetables carry pesticide residue. Twenty-three of
the world's 28 most commonly used pesticides are
suspected carcinogens, and several are possible
neurotoxins and
endocrine disruptors.
Produce Solutions»
15) Bed linens
– Toxic chemicals that resist flames, water, moths,
stains, and wrinkles are sometimes added to textiles
like bedclothes. Labels like "permanent-press‚"
"no-iron‚" "water repellent‚" and "flame retardant‚" may
indicate fabric treatments that off-gas chemicals like
formaldehyde and
perfluorochemicas (PFCs).
Bed linens
Solutions »
Think
GREEN
The Green Festival
 Consider attending
this autumn weekend event. Great introduction to
products & services for a healthier home, body, & community!
You’ll be able to
sample organic products, support Fair Trade organizations
(some are now in the USA), see demonstrations, eat some
healthy food, and come home with a lot of new ideas on how to
make a positive impact in your home and your community.
For 2013,
the Festival is back in Washington, DC at the downtown
Civic Center! |
