• Can this be recycled?
• Where can I take this?

Not Sure What to Do With Certain Items? Can it be Recycled?

Sometimes you may not know if certain items are recyclable, or where to take certain items that are unusual or hazardous. I have a fabulous website to share with you. Go to Earth911.com and type in the description of the item and your zip code. It will give you a list of local places that accept your recyclable item; if it’s acceptable with your curbside recycling program, it will even say so!

If the items aren’t recyclable, sometimes certain places will take them and find ways to use them or distribute them appropriately. Here are some common examples of items you may have questions about and can look up on Earth911.com:

• Batteries
• Car batteries
• Cassette tapes
• Cell phones
• Computers
• Gift cards
• Packing peanuts
• Paint
• Phonebooks
• Plastic bottle caps
• Styrofoam
• Televisions
• Toner cartridges
• Video tapes

So before you toss out ANYTHING, go to Earth911.com and check on your item. Who knows? You just might save it from the landfill!

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Facts About Disposables

• Approximately 64 billion paper cups and plates are discarded every year in the USA
• Approximately 73 billion styrofoam plates and cups are discarded every year in the USA.
• Approximately 190 billion plastic containers and bottles are discarded every year in the USA.

Problems With Disposables

• Paper disposables are made from wood fiber and are causing the destruction of millions of acres of forests.
• Plastic and styrofoam disposables are made from petroleum-based chemicals, are pollution causing, and are non-biodegradable.

Definitions

• Biodegradable: A product will break down into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass within a reasonable amount of time in the natural environment.
• Compostable: Biodegradable, but with an added benefit; when they break down, they release valuable nutrients into the soil, aiding the growth of trees and plants. These products degrade within several months in an industrial composting facility and produce no toxic residues.
• Sustainable: Process or state that can be maintained at a certain level indefinitely.

It is environmentally-preferable to use disposable products that are labeled ‘compostable’ rather than just ‘biodegradable’.

Importance of Choosing Biodegradable and Compostable Disposables

Biodegradable and compostable food service disposables provide a sustainable alternative to the styrofoam, plastic, and paper products.

• They are made from readily renewable sources like bamboo, leaves,sugarcane fiber, corn, and potato.
• They take less energy to manufacture.
• They are not made from toxic or pollution-causing sources.
• They can be composted to reduce the amount of waste generated.
• They can also help reduce waste collection bills in counties and cities, which have a food waste/green waste pickup.

Verterra Dinnerware: Made From Fallen Leaves

Verterra dinnerware is made from fallen leaves; how cool is that?! The leaves are collected, steamed, heated, and pressurized. The plates are produced in India where the type of palm leaves used are plentiful.

Verterra dinnerware comes in plates and bowls. Although somewhat pricey (~$1.25/plate), they are by far the best looking eco-friendly disposable plates. They would work well for any occasion where you wanted a little extra-special flare. They are durable and do not absorb the food they touch. Although the company is not legally allowed to recommend reuse, customers have hand washed them and reused them several times (up to 10 times). They are also sun resistant, oven safe, and microwave safe (within reason).

Benefits:

• Non-Toxic: Made from only two products: fallen leaves and water. They contain no plastics, glues, lacquers, or any other kind of adhesive that would potentially leech into food.
• Sustainable: Verterra is made from fallen leaves, steam, heat and pressure only. No plants or trees are cut down to make Verterra. The fallen leaves are otherwise usually burned.
• Biodegradable: Will completely biodegrade in two months when placed in a landfill or compost bin.
• Compostable: Verterra dinnerware is BPI-certified compostable and tests show that compost that contains Verterra enhances plant growth over 15%.

StalkMarket Dinnerware: Made From Sugarcane Fiber

StalkMarket is headquartered in Portland OR and makes compostable products from bagasse, a sugarcane fiber-based paperboard. They make a wide array of plates, bowls, and cups.

Their products are microwave and freezer safe, as well as grease and cut resistant. They are also non-chlorine bleached. They are similarly priced to other disposable items (~$0.12/plate (9″)), which allows you to make a positive product selection.

Benefits:

• Sustainable: Made from sugarcane fiber, a rapidly renewable resource.
• Bidegradable: 100% compostable in approximately 30-90 days in a commercial composting facility. Home compostable as well.
• Composable: Certified compostable by the Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) and ASTM.

World Centric Dinnerware: Made From Wheat Straw, Corn Starch

World Centric makes compostable food service disposables for use in schools, hospitals, and restaurants as well as for home use. Their dinnerware products for home use include bowls, several styles and sizes of plates, and utensils. Their plates and bowls are made from wheat straw – not trees. Some bowls are made from bagasse, the sugarcane fiber leftover after juice extraction. Their utensils are made from non-GMO corn starch. As the company likes to say, they are “Made from plants, not petroleum”.

They are unbleached and are light brown in color. They are reasonably priced, approximately $0.56/plate (10″).

Benefits:

• Sustainable: Corn, sugar cane, and wheat straw fiber used to make their products are annually renewable resources. Additionally, less energy is used to make their products (they can make three plates or bowls vs. one styrofoam).
• Biodegradable: Their products will biodegrade in various amounts of time, but do require composting for biodegradation. (Corn starch utensils, 6-12 months in a commercial composting facility, 12-18 months in your backyard; wheat straw plates and bowls, one month in a commercial composting system, three months in your backyard.)
• Compostable: Cornstarch products are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute. The bagasse or wheat straw products are ASTM 6400 certified.

Bambu Dinnerware: Made from Organic Bamboo

Bambu Veneerware is made from 100% organically grown bamboo, peeled directly from the bamboo stalk. They make plates in three sizes, utensils, and sporks intended for single use. (They do make other products that are for the home/reuse.)

They are on the pricier side (~$1.35/plate (11″)) but are nice looking plates; they could be used for ‘fancier’ events such as weddings or other catered events.

Benefits:

• Non-Toxic: There are no harmful bleaches or dyes in this product.
• Sustainable: Bamboo is a renewable resource.
• Biodegradable: Biodegrades in 4-6 months.

Bare Dinnerware: Made from Bamboo, Sugarcane

Bare by Solo makes several types of disposable plates.

The renewable dinner plates are made from plant-based renewable resources (bamboo). They are cut-resistant, microwave-safe, and free of bleaches, dyes, inks, an fragrances. They cost approximately $0.21/plate.

The special occasion plates are made from annually renewable sugarcane and are compostable at commercial composting facilities.

Reusables Are Best, Smart Disposables are Second-Best

With all this talk of disposables, I feel it’s important to remind ourselves that reusable plates are best; ideally we don’t want to throw anything away. But we live in a throw away society and there are times when disposables might be a good option. But please consider treading lightly on the Earth if you do choose disposables; choose some of these biodegradable and compostable options. A slightly higher price (in some cases) is a small price to pay for our Earth home.

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Health Concerns Regarding Artificial Colorings

Listed on Mercola.com as one of the 12 food additives to avoid, artificial colors have been linked to many health issues:

• Cancer and brain tumors: In fact, more than one artificial color has been banned and pulled off the market over the last several decades because it was ultimately found to cause cancer. The safety of those still allowed on the market is highly questionable.
• Allergies, asthma, rashes: As long ago as 1985 some of the artificial colorings, especially Yellow 5, were associated with side effects such as allergies, asthma, and urticaria (hives). The connection between Yellow 5 and asthma was the reason the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) first required it to be listed by name on ingredient labels. Even today some medications for asthma actually contain these colorings and other chemicals known to cause bronco-constriction.
• ADHD, hyperactivity, and other disruptive behaviors: The effects of these artificial colorings may be more pronounced in children since they are still growing and developing and their systems may be more sensitive to the effects.

The FDA still considers these artificial colorings acceptable in food. Maybe that’s because the FDA receives compensation from the manufacturer for every pound of food dye it certifies (not inspects). (Details are in 21 CFR part 80.) This sounds like a conflict of interest in regard to the safety of these dyes.

Some groups, including the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), insist artificial food colorings aren’t safe and want them banned. In 2008, the CSPI petitioned the FDA to ban artificial food dyes linked to behavior problems.

Behavior Controversy

The issue of whether or not artificial colors contribute to behavioral problems in children has been disputed for many years. In the 1970s Dr. Ben Feingold, a San Francisco allergist, reported that his patients improved when their diets were changed (by removing syntheic dyes, artificial flavors, and several preservatives). He also noticed a marked increase in the ADD/ADHD classification after the mass introduction of food colorings into our society. Many people, including the processed-food industry, reacted to Feingold’s claim with skepticism, saying the reported successes of his diet could be due to something else, and not necessarily to the absence of certain chemicals in the food.

Newer Study Shows Link

However, a 2007 study published in the British medical journal The Lancet concluded that a variety of common artificial food colorings, as well as the preservative sodium benzoate, do cause some increased hyperactivity and decreased attention span in a wide range of children, not just those for whom over-activity has been diagnosed as a learning problem.

That study also indicated that artificial food colorings do as much damage to children’s brains as lead in gasoline, resulting in a significant reduction in IQ.

As a result of the study’s findings, the British Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued an immediate advisory to parents, warning them to limit their children’s intake of additives. Also, artificial food colorings were set to be removed from hundreds of products in the UK, as reported in 2008 in the British magazine The Independent. Not surprisingly, the U.S. has not issued any similar warnings.

What is in Artificial Food Coloring?

• They are made from petroleum (derivatives of coal tar and petrochemicals). These chemicals are in no way made to be ingested by humans or any other animal.
• They contain heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, and mercury. Scientists agree that there is no safe level of exposure to lead. Lead accumulates in the body from multiple exposures over time and from multiple sources. You can also view the lists for each coloring on the FDA’s website. (Just click on the numbered link to the left of the color name.)

According to toxicologist Barbara G. Callahan, PhD, DABT, of the University of Massachusetts Amherst, “Lead exposure among children is a particular concern because their developing bodies absorb lead at a higher rate and because children are particularly sensitive to lead’s toxic effects, including decreased I.Q.” Lead exposure also represents a heightened risk among pregnant and nursing women because lead passes from the mother to the developing fetus or infant.

Why is Artificial Food Coloring Used?

Artificial food colorings provide no nutrition or benefits to the consumer; only benefits to the manufacturer.

• They are cheaper than natural colorings and have a longer shelf life.
• They make food brighter which makes us want to buy it.
• They provide identity to foods.
• They mask natural variations in color.
• They offsett color loss due to light, air, extremes of temperature, moisture, and storage conditions.
• They are used for decorative or artistic purposes.

Where Are Artificial Food Colorings?

They are everywhere! If you buy packaged food at mainstream grocery stores, there is a good chance there are food colorings in much of the food. They are in obvious places like candies, sodas, and many bright foods. But they are also in places you might not think about, like blueberry bagels, vitamins, and salmon.

What Should I Look For?

There are nine certified color additives approved for food use in the United States; seven for general use in food, two for exteriors of food. They are either dyes or lakes; dyes are water soluble and lakes are the water insoluble form of the dye. They will be listed on an ingredient label as follows:

• with ‘FD&C’ preceding the color (FD&C stands for Food, Drug, and Cosmetic)
• abbreviated, with just the color
• the color followed by ‘Lake’ (if the lake form is used)

For example, you might see FD&C Blue #1, or just Blue 1, or Blue 1 Lake.

Here is a list of the seven current artificial food colorings as well as common places they may be found and some related health concerns :

• Blue 1: Found in pet food, beverages, candy, baked goods, icings, and syrups. Linked to tumors, cancer, and ADHD in children. Banned in Finland and France.
• Blue 2: Found in pet food, beverages, candy, and baked goods and linked to cancer in mice.
• Green 3: Added to candy and beverages, this coloring has been linked to bladder cancer.
• Red 3: Used to dye cherries, fruit cocktail, candy, and baked goods and has been shown to cause thyroid tumors in rats. Also used as a pesticide to kill flies’ eggs (maggots) in manure piles (source: US EPA).
• Red 40: The most widely used food color; used in sweets, drinks, and condiments. Connected to cancer in mice. Banned in Denmark, Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, and Norway.
• Yellow 5: Used in snacks, cereals, jams, instant noodle, cake mixes, and candy and causes allergic reactions, asthma attacks, migraines, blurred vision, anxiety, and behavioral problems (worsening of hyperactivity and attention-deficit) in children.
• Yellow 6: Found in beverages, sausage, baked goods, candy, gelatin and linked to tumors of the adrenal gland and kidney. This color is banned in Norway and Sweden.

Here are the two artificial colors approved for use on the exterior of food:

• Orange B: Used in casings or surfaces of frankfurters and sausages.
• Citrus Red 2: Used on skins of oranges not intended for processing.

Also, watch out for carmine. Cochineal, also known as carmine, is made from dried, ground up red beetles and is used as a coloring ingredient in yogurt, ice cream, juice drinks, and many other grocery products. Obviously, it is neither vegan nor vegetarian. It has also been known to cause severe, even life-threatening, allergic reactions in rare cases. You can read government discussion about labeling foods containing carmine.

Other Products Containing Artificial Coloring:

Artificial colors aren’t just in soda and junk food. Here are a few other places to be on the lookout for artificial colorings:

• Medications: D&C colors are permitted only in cosmetics and in medications (and given to sick children) and are often allowed to have twice the amount of lead contaminant as colorings allowed in food. Tylenol Infants’ Concentrated Drops (grape) contain D&C Red #33 and FD&C Blue #1.
• Vitamins: Many vitamins, especially children’s vitamins, contain artificial colorings. For example, Flintstones vitamins contain Red 40, Yellow 6, and Blue 2. (They also contain aspartame.)
• Salmon: Some farmers add red food dye to their salmon to make them appear more appetizing.
• Cosmetic items: Shampoo, lotion, soap, chapstick, toothpaste etc. can all contain artificial colorings. For example, Johnson&Johnson Baby Shampoo contains D&C Yellow 10 and D&C Orange 4.
• Oranges: Some manufacturers dip oranges in Citrus Red No. 2 in order to give them a brighter orange look. This is not used on oranges that are processed for juice, but on those we sit down to eat.
• Sports drinks / Rehydration drinks: Sports drinks (like Gatorade and Powerade) are loaded with artificial colors and they have no purpose other than to make the product look more appealing. The same is true for re-hydration solutions like Pedialyte.
• Fruit juice cocktails: Fruit punch, cocktails, and other mixture juices can have artificial colorings added. For example, Sunny Delight contains Yellow 5 and 6.
• Cheese: Some companies add coloring to their cheese to make it brighter.

Surprise! Artificial Coloring in Foods You Wouldn’t Expect

Here are more foods that you might not think have artificial food colorings in them just by looking at them. This shows how much you really have to read the ingredient labels on everything you buy:

• Kraft’s Guacamole Dip gets its greenish color not from avocados (there are almost none) but from Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1. (It also contains MSG, partially hydrogenated oils, and sodium benzoate, among others.)
• Kraft Macaroni and Cheese contains Yellow 5 and Yellow 6.
• The blue bits in Aunt Jemima Blueberry Waffles are blue thanks to Red 40 and Blue 2, not real blueberries.
• Girl Scout Cookies don’t outwardly seem like they would have artificial colorings in them, but several of the cookies do indeed contain artificial colorings. Caramel deLites and Peanut Butter Patties each contain Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1, and Blue 2.

Gone From the U.K. But Good for the U.S.?

The CSPI reports that many big companies sell different versions of foods in the United Kingdom with natural food colorings, while in the United States they contain artificial coloring. For example:

• Mars has eliminated some or all of the dyes from its Starburst Chews, Skittles, and M&M’S candies in Britain, but not in the United States.
• In the UK, McDonald’s strawberry sauce for sundaes are colored with actual strawberries; however in the United States, the same strawberry sauce is colored with Red 40.

My Thoughts

Some children have strong reactions to artificial colorings and others not at all, indicating there are individual differences in how well your body can tolerate the assault of artificial additives. One theory is that the additives may trigger a release of histamines in certain sensitive kids.

Regardless, I believe that artificial colorings (as well as other food additives such as preservatives and sweeteners) should be avoided as much as possible, especially with children, regardless of whether they have an obvious effect or not. They have no nutritional value and can carry long-term health risks. Really, it’s an easy step to take. It may mean a bit more effort on your part to shop for better options, but isn’t your health worth it?

Even if you think a little can’t hurt, what are the possibilities for exposure in any given day? For example, is your child drinking a sports drink or a fruit juice with coloring? Does their antibiotic contain coloring? What about the macaroni and cheese you made for dinner last night? What are the cumulative effects of this exposure? Are you willing to take that risk?

What Now?

So start reading the ingredients labels on everything you buy, and start saying NO to anything with artificial colorings. Soon I will have a follow-up article showing you how to avoid products with artificial coloring, alternatives for different items and events, where to buy natural food coloring, and even how to make your own!

As always, let me know if you have any comments or questions!

More Information:

• Tartrazine FD&C Yellow #5 on Feingold.org
• FD&C Coloring Research Information on Feingold.org
• Research on Food Dyes and Flavorings on Feingold.org
• Artificial Food and Cosmetic Coloring – A Hidden Source of Toxic Metals on bluedominoes.com
• The Unhealthy Truth: One Mother’s Shocking Investigation into the Dangers of America’s Food Supply–and What Every Family Can Do to Protect Itself by Robyn O’Brien

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Whatever we put on our skin is readily absorbed into our bloodstream where it can potentially cause some serious damage to our bodies. We all know how important it is to wash our hands, but does anyone ever really think about soap ingredients? Or think that they could be dangerous to our health? Doesn’t it make sense to use only the purest soap, especially for children? I’ve pulled some information together to make it easier for you to learn about the toxic ingredients in common hand soaps and hand sanitizers, and to learn some safer alternatives.

Don’t Use Antibacterial Soap

People have been told that regular soap isn’t good enough and that antibacterial soap is necessary to lower the risk of infection. Thus, antibacterial soaps have become so prevalent in households; it is estimated that 72% of liquid soap sold in the United States contains antibacterial ingredients. And it’s not just soap; it’s in toothpastes, laundry detergents, and dish soaps, too.

While it is very important to wash our hands regularly, chemical-free natural soap and water works just fine. In fact, the use of antibacterial soap is not only unnecessary but may cause more harm than good:

• Overuse of antibacterial soaps could promote the growth of drug-resistant “superbugs” that might otherwise be kept in check with little more than a vigorous scrub
• Triclosan, active ingredient in most antibacterial soap, not only kills bacteria, it has also been shown to kill human cells.
• When common bacteria are wiped out by antibacterial soap, children aren’t exposed to them and some exposure to bacteria in early childhood can strengthen their immune systems. Without exposure, children may be prone to allergies and asthma.

Chemicals to Avoid in Hand Soaps and Hand Sanitizers

The following is a list of some toxic ingredients common in hand soap, hand sanitizer, and other personal care products. This is not a complete list of all toxic ingredients, but will give you a start when you look at ingredient labels.

1. Triclosan

Here are a few more reasons to avoid products containing triclosan:

• When triclosan comes in contact with your skin, it stays there for many hours.
• Triclosan is similar to the pesticide Agent Orange and can cause decreased fertility, birth defects, and damage to major body organs.
• Triclosan can act as an endocrine disruptor, upsetting the delicate hormone balance of animals.
• Triclosan has been shown to bioaccumulate in fish and can be detected in human breast milk.
• Triclosan can combine with chlorine in our tap water to make chloroform gas. The EPA classifies this gas as a probable human carcinogen.

2. Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, Sodium Laureth Sulfate

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS) is a common ingredient in shampoos, liquid soaps, and toothpaste; it is in approximately 90% of personal care products that foam.

• SLS is the active ingredient in garage floor cleaners, engine degreasers, and industrial strength soaps.
• It can damage cell membranes and possibly cause hair loss.

3. Parabens

Parabens are in so many skin care products; they preserve other ingredients and extend a product’s shelf life. There are many types of parabens: methylparaben, butylparaben, propylparaben, etc. They are also dangerous and something I avoid completely:

• Parabens have have hormone-disrupting effects.
• Parabens can cause diminished muscle mass and extra fat storing.
• Topical parabens have been detected in human breast tumors. This is concerning because parabens have been shown to mimic the action of the female hormone estrogen, which can encourage the growth of human breast tumors.

4. Ureas

Formerly known as Diazolidinyl Urea, Imidazolidinyl, DMDM hydantoin, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, these chemicals are hard to pronounce and have several concerns associated with them:

• Ureas can release formaldehyde and cause joint pain, heart irregularities, and a weakened immune system.
• Ureas are a primary cause of contact dermatitis.

5. Synthetic Colors

Synthetic colors are made from coal tar. They contain heavy metal salts that may deposit toxins onto the skin, causing skin sensitivity and irritation. Animal studies have shown almost all of them to be carcinogenic. They will be labeled as FD&C or D&C, followed by a color and a number.

6. Diethanolamine (DEA)

Diethanolamine (DEA) is used as a wetting agent in shampoos, lotions, creams, bubble bath, and other cosmetics. It is linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity.

7. Propylene Glycol, Propylene Oxide, Polyethylene Glycol

Propylene glycol is the main ingredient in anti freeze and is listed on the FDA government website as a known carcinogen.

• It is found in hand sanitizers, moisturizers, shaving creams, deodorants, and baby products.
• Propylene glycol weakens skin cells.
• It is linked to cancer, developmental/reproductive toxicity, allergies/immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity.

8. Synthetic Fragrance

Synthetic fragrances often contain phthalates, which are endocrine disrupters that mimic hormones and may alter genital development. Avoid products that list ‘fragrance‘ as an ingredient unless the label states that it’s derived from essentials oils, or look for a phthalate-free label on the packaging.

9. 1,4-Dioxane

1,4-Dioxane is considered a chemical “known to the State of California to cause cancer”, yet you won’t see it listed on an ingredient label on a product.

• It is considered a ‘contaminant’ or ‘by-product’ of the ethoxylation process, rather than an ingredient.
• Avoid synthetic ethoxylated ingredients, including those with myreth, oleth, laureth, ceteareth, any other “eth,” PEG, polyethylene, polyethylene glycol, polyoxyethylene, or oxynol, in their names.

10. Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol)

Ethyl alcohol is a common ingredient in hand sanitizer. It is linked to cancer, birth defects, developmental/reproductive toxicity, and organ system toxicity.

11. Benzalkonium Chloride (BAC)

BAC is used in hand sanitizers and belongs to a group of germicides knows as “quats“. It is linked to cancer, allergies/immunotoxicity, and organ system toxicity.

Always Read Labels – Even For ‘Natural’ or ‘Organic’ Products

After reading about all those toxic ingredients, you may decide to switch to a product labeled “natural” or “organic”. But you need to be aware that many toxic ingredients are still in products mislabeled natural or organic. The Organic Consumers Association (OCA) released a study of personal care products claiming to be “natural” or “organic” and some of the leading brands were found to contain 1,4-dioxane. Products certified under the USDA National Organic Program did not contain this toxin.

No matter what brand you buy, you need to read the ingredient labels. Just because a product is “more natural” or “better” doesn’t mean it’s safe.

Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) creating a huge database of cosmetics chemicals and ranked them, giving them a hazard score. On their site, you can:

• Enter specific chemical names to find information.
• Look up a specific product and see its ingredients.

So go grab your bottles of soap and hand sanitizers – and any other personal care items you have. Then go to the cosmetics database website and look up the ingredients and see for yourself their hazard score. It’s especially scary to read the ingredient labels for some of the children’s soap.

So What Products Can I Use?

After you’ve looked at the ingredients in your soaps and sanitizers, you are probably feeling hopeless. Those toxic chemicals are everywhere! But there are safer options for cleaning your hands. Here are a few things we use:

• Hand Sanitizer: We like the CleanWell hand sanitizer. The active ingredient is thyme oil, a natural antimicrobial. Having a small child, it was especially important to us that we find a hand sanitizer safe for kids; it is free of toxic chemicals like triclosan, alcohol, and Benzalkonium Chloride.
• Hand Soap: The best liquid hand soap I can find is Dr. Bronner’s. We pour their Organic Fair Trade Shikakai Soap into our “fancy” soap dispenser. For the rest of our house, we pour their liquid castile soap into self-foaming dispensers and add some water. Dr. Bronner’s also makes bar soap.

Where Do I Start?

This week, take the time to read the ingredient labels on your soaps and hand sanitizers. Look up their information in EWG’s Cosmetics Database. And then consider finding safer, non-toxic ways to clean your family’s hands. Come back and share with us what you do by leaving a comment!

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

(Two hands photo courtesy of demordian.)

I’ve been a fan of Kids Konserve waste-free products for awhile now. They have many products that are meant to be reused – no more waste! Here are just a few of their items:

• Lunch kit (recycled cotton sack, cloth napkin, stainless steel bottle, food kozy, and two stainless steel food containers)
• Insulated lunch sack
• Non-toxic ice pack
• Thermos
• Nesting stainless steel food containers
• Mini stainless steel food containers

Why I Love Kids Konserve

Their products aren’t just reusable, they are safe and non-toxic! Their complete line of reusable waste-free lunch packing products are made from the safest, non-leaching, non-toxic, BPA, PVC, phthalate, and lead-free materials.

I’ve used the stainless steel food containers for a long time for my son’s snacks. We buy items in bulk and then when we head out, I put a few things in the containers; no waste from individual snack packaging. I have name stickers for him and I label all his items. I have sent these with him to preschool with him and have never lost them.

Party Pak

Next up on my list to purchase is the Party Pak. This kit contains reusable plates, cups, forks, knives, and spoons. Party Paks come in two sizes (25 of each piece or 12 of each piece). What a great solution for all the waste from birthday parties, class parties, picnics, and school events!

15% Discount

Now that you have a feel for all the great products they offer, here is a little treat. Enter the coupon code earth15 to receive a 15% discount on your order. But hurry, this offer expires April 30, 2010. And let me know what you get!

School Fundraiser

Also, while you are browsing their site check out the great offer they have for school fundraisers. You can raise money for your school, reduce trash on your campus, and eat lunch in style. All at the same time! And 15% of each sale will be given back to the school.

And don’t forget to follow them on Facebook and Twitter! Follow me, too, if you aren’t already!

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

You’ve heard of the three Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Let’s sum it up in one word – RESPECT. Let’s show some respect for our Earth home.

The 40th anniversary of Earth Day is April 22. If you want to show respect but don’t know where to start, I’ve made it easy for you. I’ve come up with a little list of things you can do THIS WEEK to help the environment. I know there are many, many, MANY more things we can all do, but if you need an easy way to start, or want something you can do NOW, here is what I came up with.

Simply put, the less we consume the less we need to reuse or recycle.

1. Buy Less Stuff

The world today seems to be a throw away society. Before making a purchase, stop to think how long you might own that item. Is it really something you need? (And you all remember the difference between “wants” and “needs”, right?) I bet we could all do just fine without so much STUFF!

2. Avoid Overly Packaged Goods

When you do make a purchase, try to buy products that come without boxes or excess packaging.

• Consider buying items in bulk from the grocery store to save packaging. Many grocery stores have a “bulk food aisle” containing everything from sugar, flour, and rice, to popcorn and snacks.
• Do not buy “snack pack” sizes of food and drinks (pretzels, raisins, chips, carrots, apple slices, juice boxes, etc.) since that leaves so many packages that go to waste. Instead, buy bigger packages of the item and put small serving sizes into reusable containers. Stores like Costco provide many household items in bigger containers.

3. Conserve Water

In addition to saving money on your utility bill, water conservation helps prevent water pollution in nearby lakes, rivers, and watersheds. There are many ways you can conserve water around the house; here are just a few:

• Take shorter showers
• Install slow-flow shower heads
• Don’t use the toilet as a waste basket
• Install float booster, or other safe device, in toilet to reduce flow rate
• Wear clothes several times between washings
• Turn water off while washing dishes or brushing teeth
• Use a broom, not a hose, to sweep leaves or grass off driveways and sidewalks
• Water your lawn during the early (cooler) part of the day and do not water on windy days
• Position your sprinklers so water lands on the lawn or garden, not on paved areas

4. Avoid Disposable Items

Do you ever stop to think about the lifespan of items we use everyday? Things like coffee cups and their wrappers at your favorite coffee joint are meant to be used for 15 minutes or so, then they are usually tossed. If you regularly use disposable items during your day, find a way to provide a reusable option instead.

*Today only (April 15, 2010) bring a reusable travel mug into your local Starbucks and get FREE brewed coffee. According to their website, Starbucks is encouraging everyone to switch from paper cups to reusable travel mugs.*

5. Drive Less

Another way to save money and the environment is to drive less. Consider combining errands into one trip or one area, take public transportation, share rides with friends, or just stay at home if you don’t really have anything to do; no need to go on “Sunday drives”. Ask if your employer would allow you to telecommute a few days a week; it could save billions.

6. Take Advantage of Libraries

Save paper and petroleum by borrowing books instead of buying them. This is another option that’s good for your wallet as well as the environment.

7. Stop Receiving Paper Catalogs in the Mail

Contact the companies that send you paper catalogs in the mail and ask to be removed from their mailing list. Perhaps sign up for their email list instead. There are free services that will contact all your catalog companies on your behalf and ask them to stop sending you catalogs. Check out CatalogChoice.org.

8. Turn off Your Computer at Night

Turning off your computers, and other electronics, at night will not harm them and will save energy, thus lowering your electric bill.

Reusing items avoids the production of new items as well as cuts down on the waste that would be sent to a landfill or incinerated.

9. Get Reusable Shopping Bags – and Use Them!

More and more stores have reusable shopping bags to purchase, usually for around $1. And more stores are offering a discount, usually $0.05 – $0.10 per bag, for using them. To make it easy to remember to use them keep some reusable bags in your car so you always have them with you, even on unplanned shopping trips.

10. Reuse Items Around House

There are many ways to reuse items around the house:

• Cut used paper, with blank back sides, into scrap paper for lists, notes, and message instead of buying cutesy notepads.
• Reuse old clothing by donating it to a local charity or selling it, either to a used clothing store or in a garage sale.
• Old towels or t-shirts can become rags.
• Reuse glass containers with lids for storing rice, pasta, sugar, or flour.
• Save gift bags you receive for future gifts you may give.
• Reuse coffee grinds by keeping them aside and putting them into your garden or soil.
• Reuse packing peanuts, air pillows, bubble wrap, and boxes for your own shipping, or bring them to the local post office or recycling center for others to use.

11. Use Grocery Sacks in Garbage Cans

Even if you use reusable shopping bags, you are bound to collect a few plastic bags here and there. Instead of throwing them away, you can use them in your small garbage cans around the house, thus eliminating the need to purchase garbage bags.

12. Freecycle or Freeshare Usable Items

Many communities have turned to online swapping sites such as freecycle.org and freesharing.org. These organizations allow members to post items they want to give away so that other members can ask for the items they would like, from paint to furniture to baby items. Yes it’s that simple; people giving and getting stuff for free in their own towns and in the process saving many usable items from landfills.

13. Recycle as Much as You Can

The American Forest and Paper Association (AF&PA) states that 87 percent of the U.S. population, or 268 million people, have access to curbside or drop-off recycling programs. For many people, knowing exactly what goes in the recycling bin, and what to do with stuff that doesn’t, is the challenge.

The top 10 items to recycle:

1. Aluminum
2. PET Plastic Bottles
3. Newspaper
4. Corrugated Cardboard
5. Steel Cans
6. HDPE Plastic Bottles
7. Glass Containers
8. Magazines
9. Mixed Paper
10. Computers

14. Learn What Can Be Recycled in Your Area

Use the Earth911.com Recycling Search to find recycling locations near you. Find recycling resources by state. Read up on the recycling rules for your area and make sure you don’t send anything in that can’t be processed. Each city has its own specifics, so try to follow those guidelines as best you can.

15. Make it Easy to Recycle

Set yourself up for success. Keep the recycling containers in a convenient location, probably in your kitchen. We keep a small bag or box in our pantry so we can put items into it easily. Once it gets full, we dump the contents into our bigger container outside.

16. Donate or Sell Gently-Used Clothing, Household Items, and Toys – and Purchase Used, Too!

Did you know that it takes over 400 gallons of water to grow the cotton for an ordinary cotton shirt and 1,800 gallons of water for one pair of jeans? When you are done with your gently-used clothing, donate it to a charity, give or loan to friends who can use it, sell at a garage sale, or sell to a resale or consignment store.

Buying gently-used clothing saves natural resources in creating the material, processing it, and transporting it. Here are a few clothing resale stores; check for these and others in your area by doing an online search:

• Kid to Kid: This is my favorite place to shop for clothes and toys for my son.
• Once Upon a Child: Another children’s resale shop.
• Plato’s Closet: Resale store for brand name teen and twenty-something fashion.

Usable household items can also be sold on Craigslist or eBay. I saved a bundle buying gently-used baby items for our son; a swing, stroller, toys, etc. I just made sure it was safe and in good working order.

17. Donate Shoes

We love to support Soles4Souls, a Nashville-based charity that donates new and gently-used shoes to those in need around the world. According to their website, last year alone Americans discarded more than 300 million pairs of shoes. When these shoes break down in our landfills, the toxic glue that holds the shoes together can leak into our water supply and atmosphere. Since its inception following the Asian tsunami, Soles4Souls has distributed over 7 million pairs to people in 125 countries.

Another option is to donate your shoes to Nike’s shoe recycling program. Donated shoes are ground up into materials that are used to make track surfaces, playground surfaces, interlocking gym flooring tiles, cushion for outdoor basketball and tennis courts, and new Nike products.

18. Purchase Items Made from Recycled Materials

To close the recycling loop, don’t forget to purchase items made from recycled materials. An easy first step is to purchase paper products such as toilet paper and paper towels that are made from recycled paper. We buy Marcal Small Steps, but there are other brands, such as Seventh Generation, Green Forest, and Earth Friendly Products.

More Information

• 50 Things You Can Reuse
• The Story of Stuff
• Recycling Facts
• How Many Gallons of Water Does it Take to Make…
• A to Z Steps to Take (living more sustainably)
• Water Footprint Calculator
• Recycling 101
• Recycling – The Basics
• Top 10 Reasons to Recycle

If you can think of more things people can do THIS WEEK, please leave a comment and share!

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

You may agree that empty bottles are wasteful, but did you know all the resources that go into making those bottles of water? For instance, it takes about 3 liters of water and approximately 3.4 megajoules of energy to produce and sell a single liter of water in a plastic bottle.

Water is Important

It is so important to drink plenty of water to stay healthy; I’m so glad people want to drink water instead of soda. It is also important that the water we drink be clean and pure. Over the past few decades many people have switched to drinking bottled water exclusively, believing it to be better (safer) than tap water. But is it?

Problem: Source and Purity Deception of Bottled Water

Even though the bottled water industry claims purity, here are some interesting notes:

• A third of all bottled water in the U.S. actually comes from the tap! Pepsi’s Aquafina and Coke’s Dasani are two of the many brands that are really filtered tap water.
• The Environmental Working Group (EWG) investigated bottled water quality of 10 major brands and found 38 pollutants altogether, with an average of eight contaminants in each brand. Some of the pollutants are things such as disinfection byproducts, fertilizer residue, and pain medication.

Problem: Environmental Impact of Bottled Water

People in the U.S. buy more than half a billion bottles of water every week. That’s enough to circle the globe more than five times!

• Production: Each year, making the plastic water bottles used in the U.S. takes enough oil and energy to fuel a million cars. It takes so much energy to make the bottle and even more to ship it around the planet – and then we drink it in about 10 minutes. That’s a lot of energy and resources to produce a plastic bottle that is meant to be used ONCE.
• Disposal: About 80% of these plastic water bottles will end up in landfills (where they will sit for thousands of years) or in incinerators (where they are burned, releasing toxic pollution.)

Great Video

To illustrate these points better, watch this eight minute video from storyofbottledwater.org.

Water Solutions: At Home

Instead of keeping cases of individual bottles of water in the fridge for drinking at home, consider drinking filtered tap water around the house. Even the best tap water contains many impurities and therefore it is important to filter it before drinking and cooking with it.

If interested, you can read your city’s water quality report by using EWG’s Tap Water Database.

There are several options for filtering your water at home.

• Carbon filters (pitcher or tap-mounted) are affordable and reduce many common water contaminants, like lead and byproducts of the disinfection process used to treat municipal tap water.
• Install a reverse osmosis filter if you can afford it, to remove contaminants that carbon filters can’t eliminate, like arsenic and perchlorate (rocket fuel).

Our RO faucet. The tank and filters are under the sink.

Another option for home is to refill big containers (2- and 3 gallon size) with self-serve Reverse Osmosis filtered water at a grocery store. We did this for years, refilling about 12 gallons/week at a cost of approximately $0.33/gallon, or $206/year. (We finally saw the benefit of installing a zero-waste reverse osmosis filter under our sink, thus saving trips to the store and money over time.)

two gallon jug with spigot (L) and three gallon jug (R)

Water Solutions: On The Go

Unfortunately, many people think that bottled water is the only convenient way to have good water on the go, perhaps confusing “disposability” with convenience. Thankfully there is an easy solution:

Buy a reusable bottle and fill it with filtered water before you head out the door, or fill it from public sources.

a few of our stainless steel bottles

It’s important that the reusable bottle be safe; hard plastic bottles (#7 plastic) can leach a harmful plastics chemical called bisphenol A (BPA) into water.

• If your reusable bottle is plastic, make sure that it’s BPA-free and phthalate-free.
• An even better option is to use a stainless steel water bottle. We have several big sizes for my husband and I and several small bottles for our son. We like the Klean Kanteen brand for ourselves and the Crocodile Creek brand for our son.
• Glass bottles are probably the best option due to no leaching (as far as I am aware) of contaminants into the water. But unfortunately it can’t be used in all situations due to its obvious ability to break. Love Bottle carries some designer bottles and you can create your own design to put on the bottle! Or be on the lookout for glass “food” bottles that you already purchase.
• Another safety tip: Don’t reuse bottled water bottles. The plastic can harbor bacteria and break down to release plastics chemicals.

a few of the glass bottles we reuse after we purchase the original beverage

When our “on the go” time will be longer than just one water bottle in length, we either fill up several bottles or we fill up our 2- and 3-gallon jugs with filtered water from our RO unit and bring them along, to fill up our stainless steel bottles.

Water Solutions: Party or Gathering

Whether you are entertaining a party of four or 40, you can still provide clean water without resorting to individual bottles of water.

• Fill a pitcher or jug with spigot (or other large container) with filtered water and then pour into glasses for your guests.
• If you don’t want to use glasses, especially if some of the guests are children, consider stocking up on reusable BPA-free plastic cups (instead of disposable cups). Kids Konserve makes a Party Pak which contains reusable cups, plates, and utensils. The Party Paks come in two sizes (25 of each piece or 12 of each piece).

a few water pitchers, fancy to casual

Thirsty for More Information?

If you want to read more about this subject, here are some resources:

• Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water, by Peter Gleick
• Inside The Bottle: An Expose of the Bottled Water Industry, by Tony Clarke
• Tapped (a film)
• A Lighter Footprint (a film)
• Environmental Working Group Bottled Water Research
• Pacific Institute Bottled Water and Energy Fact Sheet
• Learn the Facts from Filter For Good
• Bottled Water Myth Versus Reality from StoryofBottledWater.org
• Energy Footprint of Bottled Water from Livescience.com
• Water-Energy Connection from National Environmental Education Week

Inspiration to Make Changes

As you ponder the information I just shared, I will leave you with the following quote. Hopefully you will be inspired to do something.

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something.
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
— Helen Keller

Peace,

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Also, throughout the month of March I will be sharing our favorite healthy recipes. As you know, the Healthy Living series I started earlier this year is well under way and future articles will share even more information about living a healthy lifestyle, including more information about why we made these changes – and how you can too.

10 Years Ago

Ten years ago we didn’t eat as healthy as we eat now, but of course we thought what we ate was fine. (Don’t most people think they eat healthy when asked?) I am trying to remember what we ate then, and here is what I came up with:

• Breakfast: Cold (boxed) cereal with milk
• Lunch: Deli meat sandwich
• Dinner: Various things, but vegetables played a minor role on our plate

I specifically remember a time when we ordered pizza almost every week and I drank Mountain Dew with it. And I remember going to fast food restaurants and not thinking anything of it. We used our microwave a lot, too, even for cooking frozen vegetables (which seems so odd to me now). I am pretty sure I sometimes ate cookies for breakfast, too, because I was an adult and COULD do it – HA!

I also remember that being a time when I had my percentage body fat measured and was surprised to find it rather high. I also got sick a lot (colds) and went immediately to the doctor where I was given some useless drug, which I happily took.

Slow Changes

I don’t remember exactly how we got started with our healthy eating overhaul; perhaps it was the conversations my husband had with our chiropractor that gave us the spark. The information he gave us was interesting, and we followed it up with some research. Slowly, we decided to change the way we ate.

While we were doing our initial change, I remember eating some interesting things, for breakfast especially. We were following a cookbook called Back to the House of Health and eating the “Zippy Breakfast”, which was a bowl of brown rice with lemon juice, olive oil, liquid aminos, avocado, and tomato. Or alternately we would make a big salad (yes, green salad for breakfast)! We would pile it with various greens including sprouts and top it with our homemade salad dressing.

We started shopping at Whole Foods Market, a natural and organic grocery store. We looked for new recipes and kept with it.

We increased our veggie portions on our plate and added more fresh vegetables. We started eating hot rice cereal for breakfast, as well as eggs. We increased our healthy fats by including olive oil, avocados, nuts, seeds, and coconut oil into our diets. We switched to deli meats from Whole Foods (without nitrites and other preservatives) and then eventually switched to cooking regular chicken breasts and cutting them up for sandwiches.

We did feel completely tired as our body started cleansing, and this was good. Out with the toxins and in with the real food and nutrition.

What We Do Now

I won’t go through all the changes we made, because there were many and it covered the span of YEARS. My biggest advice if you want to really make a lifestyle change is to make health a hobby. Put time into research. Ask questions. Try new recipes. Change one thing at a time. Always yearn to grow and change and learn more.

Trying to compare and contrast what we do now compared to how we used to eat, here are just a few snippets:

• Breakfast: We eat oatmeal with ground flax seed, coconut oil, and fruit. We also sprinkle cinnamon on top; my husband adds turmeric, too. We eat eggs almost every morning, too.
• Lunch: I cook a bunch of organic chicken (usually thighs, but sometime breasts) in a glass pan, with plenty of organic seasonings. I cut into serving portions (which are smaller than they used to be) and freeze all in a big container. Each day for lunch, I pull out some chicken and warm it up in a saucepan on the stove top. We put it on a sprouted grain wrap with various veggies.
• Dinner: Various meals but with organic and better ingredients. Vegetables now take up half or more of our plate.

Here are a few other things we do now:

• Eat real foods
• Eat organic (fruits, vegetables, meat, eggs, butter, etc.)
• Low dairy (no more milk)
• Eat 75% vegetarian
• The meat we do eat is mainly chicken, turkey, bison, or whatever game my dad gives us. We eat very little beef; we do not eat any pork at all.
• Low processed foods/snacks and what we do buy is natural or organic
• Absolutely none of these ingredients in food: hydrogenated oils, MSG (in any name/form), food colorings, high fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, hormones
• Low/no sugar
• We only drink filtered water; no juice, soda, etc. (we installed a reverse osmosis unit under our sink, which makes it SO easy)
• Absolutely no fast food, and reduced our restaurant visits to those that have better ingredients (we love Jason’s Deli)
• We do not use our microwave at all; food is cooked or reheated on the stove top or in the oven.
• We only cook with stainless steel or glass; no aluminum or plastic. Same with food storage.

my son helping me pick out organic fruits and veggies (after this photo was taken, he said "now we need to get more avocados")

Resources

Here are a few places we learned about nutrition:

• We talked to our chiropractor, who also was a clinical nutritionist. You can search out healthy professionals in your own life. Information can be varied and contradicting, though, so listen smartly.
• Mercola.com
• Dr. Mercola’s Total Health Cookbook & Program
• NaturalNews.com
• Weston A. Price

What Can You Do?

When you decide to eat healthier, all the information can be overwhelming. My advice is to make changes slowly; change one thing at a time. Incorporate that change into your life until it becomes a habit. Then change something else – and keep going. Like anything, if you try to do everything at once, it may be too hard to maintain, and  you end up not changing anything!

A good start is to follow my blog, or other health blogs, to learn about healthy options. Find the people who are the most vibrant and see what they do.

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Learning eco-friendly, non-toxic ways to clean your bathroom is so important. Mainstream surface cleaners, scouring powders, and toilet cleaners come packed with an arsenal of toxic and corrosive chemicals that are dangerous to our health and to the environment.

Health Concerns

• Ingredients with high acute toxicity include chlorine bleach and ammonia, which produce fumes that are highly irritating to eyes, nose, throat and lungs, and should not be used by people with asthma or lung or heart problems. These two chemicals pose an added threat in that they can react with each other or other chemicals to form lung-damaging gases.
• Triclosan is a common ingredient used in antibacterial and antimicrobial cleaners and it contributes to the increasing problem of drug-resistant bacteria. Triclosan is similar to the pesticide Agent Orange and can cause infertility, birth defects, and damage to major body organs. Also, studies have shown that triclosan can combine with chlorine in our tap water to make chloroform gas. 
• Isopropanol, also known as rubbing alcohol, is a nervous system depressant.
• d-Limonene is a high-odor volatile organic compound that irritates skin and eyes.
• Pine oil is irritating to mucus membranes and harmful or even fatal when ingested.

Environmental Concerns

• Some chemical ingredients do not break down into harmless substances in the environment, and thus threaten water quality or fish and other wildlife.
• Many use chemicals that are petroleum-based, contributing to the depletion of this non-renewable resource and increasing our nation’s dependence on imported oil.
• The plastic bottles used to package cleaning products contribute to the mounds of solid waste that must be put in a landfill, incinerated, or, in not enough cases, recycled.

As I show you how to clean your bathroom with homemade, non-toxic ingredients, you will notice that we are using many of the same ingredients and solutions as we did for cleaning the kitchen; see how easy it can be to make your own cleaning solutions!

Disclaimer: These natural cleaning ideas and solutions are offered as a way to minimize the use of toxic substances in your home and reduce environmental harm. Results may vary and are not guaranteed. Always test in small, hidden areas before applying any cleaning solution. Always use caution and keep the products and homemade solutions well-labeled and out of the reach of children.

Bathroom Mold in Shower

Mold in bathroom tile grout is a common problem and can be a health concern. Here are several options for a natural mold remover:

• Mix one part hydrogen peroxide (3%) with two parts water in a spray bottle. Spray on areas with mold. Wait at least one hour before rinsing or using shower.
• Pour some white distilled vinegar straight into a spray bottle, spray on the moldy area, and let set without rinsing. The smell will dissipate in a few hours. Vinegar kills 82 percent of mold.
• Mix 2 cups water and 2 teaspoons tea tree oil. Combine in a spray bottle, shake to blend, and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. The smell of tea tree oil is very strong, but it will dissipate in a few days. Recipe found here.
• A half a lemon dipped in Borax will also scour the mildew out of the cracks in your tub and tile.

Remember that vinegar can break down tile grout, so use sparingly. Also, use Borax with care around children and pets, as it can be toxic if swallowed.

Bathtub

For a natural soap scum remover, apply baking soda (it is non abrasive) and then sprinkle with water or vinegar. Scrub with a damp cloth or sponge; for tough-to-remove soap scum, use a bristle brush.

Drain

Chemical drain cleaners are one of the most toxic cleaning products. These caustic mixtures commonly contain lye, bleach, or sulfuric acid and can cause damage to skin, lungs, and eyes. Instead of messing with chemicals, all you need is baking soda and apple cider vinegar.

For a natural drain cleaner, pour 1/2 cup to 1 cup baking soda down the drain and then add apple cider vinegar. Let it bubble for 15 minutes and then rinse with hot water.

Sink

For a natural sink cleaner, simply scrub with baking soda and water.

Countertops

For a natural countertop cleaner, add water and vinegar to a spray bottle (in a 1:1 ratio) and spray. You could even add a few drops of liquid castile soap. However, do not use vinegar on marble, granite, or other stone countertops as it may etch the stone surface. Another option is to simply add some liquid castile soap to some water. Imagine that, soap and water!

Another option is to use an E-cloth. You only need to use water with this wonder cloth and it can clean many surfaces: stainless steel, tiles, chrome, glass, marble, or plastics. It can be washed and used over and over.

Glass and Windows

Commercial window cleaners contain many toxic ingredients such as ammonia and butyl cellosolve (a toxic ingredient that is not listed on the labels). Also, by buying commercial glass cleaners, you are going through many, many bottles, not to mention paying a high price for a product that is 95% water!

To clean mirrors, create your own natural glass cleaner with vinegar and water; it is much safer. Combine equal parts water and white vinegar in a spray bottle and shake well. Spray and wipe, using a micro fiber cloth. Do not use newspaper, which contains toxic dyes, or paper towels, which contribute to waste.

Toilet

Most toilet bowl cleaners are highly acidic and can irritate lungs and burn eyes. For a natural toilet cleaner, spray vinegar around the bowl, sprinkle with baking soda, and scrub it with a toilet brush. This solution will clean and deodorize.

Another option is to use Borax, a naturally occurring alkaline mineral that is a powerful disinfectant and deodorizer.  Toss 1/2 cup in your bowl, wait a half an hour, then scrub.

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.

Typical Toxic Laundry Detergent

Commercial laundry detergents contain many toxic chemicals that are washed down the drain and then wreak havoc on the ecosystems. These toxic chemicals also leave residues on your clothing that could be absorbed by your skin or breathed in. These toxins can build up in your system and cause unknown effects. These toxic ingredients include:

• Petroleum distillates (aka napthas): Linked to cancer
• Phenols: Can cause toxicity throughout the entire body
• Artificial fragrances: Linked to various toxic effects on fish and mammal, as well as allergies and skin and eye irritation in humans
• Phosphates: Stimulate the growth of certain marine plants when they’re released into the environment and contribute to unbalanced ecosystems
• Optical brighteners: Can be toxic to fish and can cause bacterial mutations and allergic reactions. (Makes laundered clothes appear whiter (although does not actually affect the cleanliness of the clothing.)

If you want more information, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a website that lists the key characteristics of laundry detergent ingredients such as surfactants, bleaches, colorants, optical brighteners, and solvents and the areas of concern with each.

Non-Toxic and Eco-Friendly Laundry Detergent Options

For starters, look for laundry detergents that are frangrance-free or hypo-allergenic to avoid triggering allergic reactions. You also want to avoid those toxic ingredients listed above. If you are looking for a typical liquid- or powder-type detergent, you can check out these more natural brands:

• Biokleen
• Seventh Generation
• Sun & Earth
• Charlie’s Soap
• Earth Friendly Products
• Ecover
• Maggie’s Soap Nuts Laundry Liquid

Also Consider Soap Nuts

I wrote about our initial experience using soap nuts in December of 2008, and I am happy to say it’s still our laundry cleaner of choice!

Soap nuts grow on the Chinese Soapberry tree and have been used for thousands of years. When they fall from the tree the inner fruit is removed from the shell and the shell then dried in the sun, using no chemical processing. That outer shell contains saponins which act as water surfactants.

To use, simply put 2-3 soap nuts into a small cloth bag and toss in your wash. The nuts release their saponins which reduces the surface tension of the water and frees dirt, grime, and oils from clothing. When washed downstream the saponins remain harmless to the environment. There are no synthetic chemicals, no fragrance chemicals, no foaming agents or other toxins; just nut shells grown by nature.

I'm holding three soap nuts which, when put in the little cloth bag, will wash 2-3 loads of laundry (on warm setting) or 1 load (on hot)

I admit that soap nuts can seem a bit odd when first presented as a clothes-cleaning option, but after reading how non-toxic they are and seeing results, I feel this is the best option for non-toxic, eco-friendly clothes cleaning. Be prepared, there are no suds. Suds are actually not needed to clean clothes; commercial detergents add sudsing agents to give the impression of more cleaning power.

But have no fear, these nuts do work well; they even passed our “smell test”! If our stinky work-out clothes can become odor free, they are a keeper! There is no smell to the clothes – no stink and no perfume – that means they are clean!

bag of soap nuts, which came with the smaller bag to toss in the wash

And soap nuts are cost effective as well, at about 15 cents per load! We just finished that initial bag of soap nuts; it took us 15 months to go through it. We just purchased a new brand for us, Maggie’s Soap Nuts. And if using the actual nuts just doesn’t appeal to you, they make a liquid detergent, as well (Maggie’s Soap Nuts Laundry Liquid).

Because of their pure and simple nature, soap nuts would be a great option for anyone with sensitive skin, especially babies.

Natural Laundry Booster

Borax is a good natural laundry booster and cleaner (it can even remove mold) and is safe and non-toxic. Borax will make your laundry detergent work harder for you.

Baking soda can also be used as a laundry booster. By adding 1/2 cup of baking soda to each laundry load, detergents can work more effectively and reduce bacteria.

Use vinegar in the wash cycle to prevent fabrics from fading.

Natural Fabric Softener

Baking soda can be used as a natural fabric softener in your laundry. Adding 1/4 cup of baking soda to each rinse cycle acts as a balance to suspend detergent or mineral deposits that can make clothing feel stiff.

Vinegar can also be used as a fabric softener, and it’s great for reducing static cling. Just add a cup of white vinegar to the final rinse.

Non-Toxic Stain Removers

I use Earth Friendly Products Oxo-Brite to soak any clothes that have stains. After a good soaking (several hours+) I wash normally with other clothes. If you want more information, here is the spec sheet.

Biokleen makes several kinds of stain and odor eliminators that get good reviews.

Sun & Earth makes a stain remover pen for those needing something for “on the go”.

Also, you can pre-treat stains with a mixture of half water and half vinegar; it can do the trick with  many common stains on clothing. Keep a spray bottle of this solution in your laundry room and spray mixture on stains before washing.

Here is a recipe for a homemade stain remover:

• 2 parts hot water
• 1 part baking soda
• 1 part hydrogen peroxide

Spot treat stains and soak overnight. Mix only as much as you need for immediate use because it won’t store well over long periods of time.

Alternatives for Dryer Sheets

Never use dryer sheets, they are toxic and do not biodegrade in landfills. The fragrance in the dryer sheets rubs off onto clothes, and can be absorbed by your skin. An examination of the toxic chemicals used in artificial fragrance showed as many as twenty-three identifiable carcinogenic compounds.

For softer clothes, follow the recommendations above in the Fabric Softener section.

Another way to get around using dryer sheets is to stop using the dryer! Speaking of that…

Air-Dry Clothes to Save Money and Resources

One of the biggest environmental burdens in your laundry room is your clothes dryer. Clothes dryers emit carbon dioxide and waste electricity, not to mention create extra wear-and-tear on your clothing. Drying clothes on a clothesline can help reduce the burden caused by a clothes dryer. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant and it is also an excellent bleaching agent. There are many different types of outdoor clotheslines available, ranging in price from $10-$55.

If you do not have a yard for an outdoor clothesline, consider several options for drying clothes inside. My mom always used her outdoor clothesline in the summer and used several folding racks inside during the winter. I guess that habit followed as that’s the only way I dry clothes. (I only use our dryer to dry towels.)

There are many types of clotheslines and drying racks available, from the basic clothesline to ceiling-mounted indoor laundry racks. They exist in every shape, size, and type to match your needs.

• Here are some options for retractable indoor clothelines. They are priced starting about $8 and go up from there.
• Here are many options for drying racks. Ones similar to mine cost around $20.

Check out this picture of our drying racks in use:

Our two clothes racks holding one load of laundry

Wear Clothes More Than Once

Besides the rule to always wear clean underwear, most of us can wear garments more than once. The exception to that might be kids; my son’s clothes get dirty daily! The most effective way to save money, energy, and resources in your laundry room is to just do less of it. Wearing your clothes more than once before tossing them in the dirty pile is the first step.

Wendy – ParentingTips365.com

Read all the posts in the Healthy Living series by clicking on the icon on the left.