Green Home

Have you ever considered the amount of chemical toxins in your home right now? Experts report that indoor air is much more polluted than outdoor air. The big brand name household products used to "clean" our homes are, in fact, polluting our indoor air as well as our waterways.

When you spray chemical air fresheners, or spray toxic cleaners on the multitude of surfaces in your home, think about what you and your family are breathing in.

In terms of our waterways, some chemicals break down into less harmful substances, however, chemicals like surfactants, found in mainstream cleaning products are hormone disrupting agents. These chemicals pollute our lakes and oceans as well as their inhabitants. So next time you decide to pour bleach in your laundry, or rinse your sinks and drains with toxic cleaners, think about the tuna steak you ordered for dinner or the sushi you ate for lunch.

The top 10 hazardous chemical products to avoid:

• Air Fresheners
• Bleach
• Carpet Shampoo
• Dishwashing Detergent
• Drain De-Cloggers
• Furniture Polish
• Glass Cleaners (ammonia)
• Oven Cleaners
• Pesticides
• Toilet Bowl Cleaners
• "Anti-Bacterial" products (Triclosan)

 

If you would prefer to do the planet good, and breath healthy in your home, switch to green products. Beware of some big brand name products that use "green" in their name (more marketing gimmicks). Look for products that are biodegradable, non-toxic, containing no dyes, petrochemicals or phosphates.

My favourite brand of true quality is "Nature Clean" (which happens to be Canadian). There is also Ecover, and Seventh Generation. They work well, and you and your family can breathe easy using them.

Check out www.davidsuzuki.org, www.thegreenguide.com, and www.ewg.org