Jeneration Eden

Category: Home

  • Winter Wisdom

    Winter Wisdom

     

     

     

    This blog first ran on the Premier Pediatrics website.

    Just when we’d finally gotten used to the fall weather, it seems that Old Man Winter is nipping at our toes. This will mean some chilly days playing outdoors, but, if your family is anything like mine, it also means plenty of hot chocolate and hanging out inside.

    While I’m hoping that my clan’s movie nights, card games and indoor basketball tournaments (yes, we have those) are all entertaining, I know that there’s another aspect of our experience indoors that is of utmost importance: the quality of the air in our home. The stuff we breathe in, day in and day out, affects our health and, considering how much time we’ll be spending indoors, the stuff better be clean. Southerners are not off the hook; even if your kids are often in bathing suits while others are in snowsuits, you still go home, sleep at home and spend lots of time in your home.

    According to the EPA, indoor air is many times more toxic than outdoor air — a result of products in our homes and toxics we bring in. So make it your business to defy those odds and make your home as sweet as it can be — naturally. These tips will help you do just that…

     

    TAKE YOUR SHOES OFF IN THE HOUSE

    I’ve always instinctively hated the idea of tracking whatever was on the bottom of my shoes into my kids’ bedrooms, but once I learned what might actually be on the bottom of said shoes, I realized I was factually on target. Bacteria is just the start; our soles can be laden with, among other things, pesticides and herbicides, heavy metals, gasoline and coal tar. These contaminants, which are linked to cancer and neurological problems, can be brought into the home where they become dust particles and are then breathed in, as well as absorbed through the skin. Young children are regularly on the floor and are therefore more apt to come into contact with whatever has settled there. Additionally, carpets are especially perfect resting grounds for these toxicants. So leave your shoes – and all the junk that’s on them – near the front door and keep your air and floors free from unhealthy substances.

    AVOID CONVENTIONAL AIR FRESHENERS

    Who doesn’t want a fresh-smelling home? But don’t hand me “Mountain Fresh Scent” in a can or any of those wall plug-ins. I’d go for pure cinnamon, coffee grinds or essential oils over hormone disruptors and respiratory toxicants any day…and you should too. Conventional air fresheners either mask smells by coating your nasal-passages (ugh) or spew out none other than endocrine disrupting phthalates, carcinogenic formaldehyde, unhealthy petroleum distillates and a host of other goodies. So ditch the synthetic chems for lavender sachets or bowls of odor-absorbing baking soda and the air in your home will be fresh…and healthy.

    SWITCH OVER ONE CLEANING PRODUCT

    It’s been many moons since my laundry room cabinet was stocked with bottles containing brightly colored liquids for all of the many cleaning jobs in my home. Long ago I did away with jugs that say “Caution” or “Harmful if Swallowed.” My secret weapon is now a vinegar and water combo. I use it for everything – kitchen, bathrooms, floors, you name it. But I appreciate that, although it’s effective and totally safe, not everyone feels comfortable using vinegar to clean an entire home. With that in mind, it would still be very worthwhile to choose one of your cleaners – say, your toilet bowl cleaner (which can be particularly caustic and dangerous) or your sink cleaner (which is likely full of respiratory toxicants) – and switch it over for a 1 cup vinegar to 1 cup water combo (you can even do a 1/2 cup vinegar to 1 cup water mix if you’re still a bit vinegar-shy). It’s effective, the smell dissipates within minutes and your kids will be breathing in many less toxicants even for this single change.

    AIR OUT YOUR DRY CLEANING

    The chemicals that are used for dry cleaning – specifically perchloroethylene (perc) – can be some nasty stuff. Perc can irritate the eye/nose/throat/skin and, with high levels of exposure, can lead to neurological problems, In addition, perc has been labeled a likely human carcinogen. If possible, dry clean your clothes at a “wet-cleaning” shop or one that utilizes CO2. If your dry-cleaner touts itself as organic, be sure to ask what they use in place of perc. But if a conventional dry cleaner is your only option, pull the plastic off of freshly dry-cleaned clothes and air them out for a few hours before bringing them inside. Otherwise the chemicals that might still be emitting underneath the plastic could contaminate the air in your home.

    OPEN YOUR WINDOWS

    You’d have to be at the mouth of a coal-burning factory for the air outside your home to be more toxic than the air indoors. Which is why opening windows, even for just a short time every day, can really improve the air quality in your home. Just as Mom always said, there really is a benefit to getting some “fresh air.” Even when the thermometer dips into those unhappy numbers, buck up and open up. It’s one of the great defenses against unhealthy air buildup in the home.

  • Toss the Triclosan

    Toss the Triclosan

    If you knew that the hand soap your kids used regularly, that the toothpaste you brushed with every day, that the cutting board on which you chopped all of your veggies contained a known endocrine disrupting chemical, would you consider switching to safer products?

    For the sake of this blog, I’m gonna assume that the answer is yes. So, if you’re using liquid antibacterial soaps, certain dental care items or any number of antibacterial home products, you’re likely being exposed to triclosan  – a hormone disrupting pesticide – and a product switch is next on your to-do list.

    What’s all the hoopla about? Haven’t we been told that antimicrobial agents are good things that help protect us from germs and illness? Unfortunately, yes; when it comes to triclosan – and the related triclocarbon, which is found in antibacterial bar soaps – the market has led us to believe that with their use, we’ve got germ-fighting all wrapped up.

    But the truth is dirtier than that. With the ubiquitousness of triclosan (it can be found in many liquid soaps, countertops, deodorants, shower curtains, sponges, blankets, clothing — the list goes on…), we’re regularly being exposed to an easily absorbed chemical that has been found in breast milk and that can interfere with thyroid hormones that control brain function as well as testosterone and estrogen which, respectively, regulate sperm function and the onset of puberty. It is also linked to liver and inhalation toxicity.

    When it comes to the very frightening concept of bacterial resistance, triclosan is a player in that game as well. And, as a kicker, wastewater treatment doesn’t remove the chemical entirely, so it gets into our waterways and is very toxic to aquatic life.

    But at least the stuff works, right? Well, I for one wouldn’t argue with a US FDA Advisory Committee that found that the use of antibacterial soaps was no more effective than the use of soap and water to kill bacteria and microbes. Furthermore, a study done at health care facilities found that when used at certain higher concentrations, triclosan killed gram positive bacteria and not gram negative bacteria – the very bacteria that cause many hospital acquired infections.

    So I’d say no, the stuff doesn’t work. And, considering all of its downsides, it’s pretty clear that the the American Medical Association’s and American Academy of Pediatrics’ recommendations that we use plain soap and water instead of antibacterial soap products is right on the mark.

    So how does a dedicated hand-washer avoid triclosan? For starters, read labels. Since triclosan is required to be listed as an ingredient in things like soaps (and mouthwash and toothpaste and body wash), there’s no mystery there. Just buy a safe, plant-based soap such as Dr. Bronner’s liquid soap or Babyganics Foaming Hand Soap, lather up under warm water and stay there for around 20 seconds. Voila! Safe and effective cleaning.

    And when it comes to other products, do you really need to don a shirt laced with a hormone disruptor or slice a pepper on a chemical filled cutting board? I thought not…so beware of the antibacterial label.

    Make your home triclosan-free and clean up the healthy way…

     

     

     

     

  • It’s Curtains for PVC

    It’s Curtains for PVC

     

     

     

    ** I just couldn’t do a blog about shower curtains and not use a picture of Janet Leigh’s shower scene in Psycho. I mean, yes, she had plenty more to worry about than a dangerously off-gassing PVC shower curtain, but when you read about how toxic PVC is, you might just want to scream as well.

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    I don’t know about you, but I could spend an inordinately long time in the shower if given the option. Of course, with 4 kids and a nutty schedule, I don’t usually get the chance, but I’d take it if I could — with one exception. Put me in a shower that has a PVC curtain and I’d be outta there in no time flat.

    So, what’s the big deal about PVC (polyvinyl chloride, with the recycling symbol #3) — the plastic that gives your liner that “new shower curtain” smell? Well, if things like dioxins (known carcinogens), phthalates (known hormone disruptors) and lead (a known neurotoxin) mean anything to you, listen up (well, read on…).

    According to the World Health Organization’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), vinyl chloride, the chemical used to make PVC, is a human carcinogen and the actual PVC product, according to the Center for Health, Environment & Justice (CHEJ), is “toxic from start to finish,” posing real hazards in its manufacture, use and disposal.

    When PVC is manufactured (which it is, in great amounts), dioxins – which are scientifically linked to cancer and endocrine disruption – are released into the environment, and make their way into air, water, wildlife and, ultimately, into us.

    But what happens in your actual bathroom? Well, for months, and even up to a year and well beyond after you hang that new liner, your bathroom – especially when it warms up (which is what happens when you take a shower) – will be a soup of many dangerous VOCs (volatile organic compounds), including the neurotoxic toluene, that will be inhaled by whomever is scrubbing clean at the moment. And that’s not all. Hormone disrupting phthalates, plasticizers added to PVC, will be off-gassing as well. In addition, lead and other heavy metals such as cadmium, which can contaminate PVC, will be hanging around too. All in all, we’re talking respiratory toxicants, nervous system toxicants, carcinogens, endocrine disruptors…nuthin’ good.

    And what about the disposal of PVC?  Most PVC products cannot be successfully recycled and even interfere with the recycling of other plastics. Because of all of its additives, PVC has been labeled a contaminant that just doesn’t go away.

    Check out this important video from CHEJ on the dangers of PVC.

    So, now that you know about this poisonous plastic, you might be wondering — is there any good news for bath time? Of course there is and it’s as easy as replacing your shower curtain or liner with a readily available, more healthful, option.

    • As far as liners go, PEVA ( polyethylene vinyl acetate), while still a synthetic material, is not chlorinated and therefore does not have the same health hazards as PVC. It doesn’t off-gas, is inexpensive, and can be found in many stores, such as Bed, Bath and Beyond.
    • Washable fabric shower curtains, even ones made from synthetics such as polyester or microfiber, are much safer than PVC and are easy to find at local stores. You can combine a fabric curtain with a PEVA liner or just do the fabric alone. If you don’t use a liner, you’ll want to wash the curtain in the machine a little more often.
    • If you’re interested in avoiding synthetics, an organic cotton shower curtain, like this one from Pottery Barn, will do the trick for you and is priced well, to boot. If you’re looking for a bit more luxury in a cotton curtain, try one of these great seersucker numbers from Coyuchi.
    • You can also go the hemp route. Hemp is safe, resists mold and bacteria and dries quickly. Hemp can be a bit pricier, but a hemp curtain will last a very long time. Check out Rawganique.com and grab a beautiful organically grown, chem-free shower curtain that can be used with or without a liner.

     

     

     

     

  • Untitled post 570

    When you tell your kids to wash their hands, you’re helping to ensure that chemicals and contaminants on their hands go down the drain. But if they’re washing with a chem-filled soap,

  • Detoxing your Home: Easy Does it…

    Detoxing your Home: Easy Does it…

     

     

     

    People often shy away from the concept of detoxifying their homes. Sure, everyone wants to live healthfully, but “detoxing” can seem foreign and the idea of upending the status quo in one’s own space can come off as time-consuming and expensive.

    Well, POP! (That was me bursting that bubble.) Not only are there many ways to easily and quickly reduce the toxicants in your home, but many of them don’t cost a thing. In addition, the changes aren’t strange and new-agey; in fact, they’re pretty darn logical and can seamlessly become very routine. I’d argue that one day you’ll look back and wonder how you ever didn’t do this stuff.

    Check out this list of simple and free ways to help reduce the amount of toxicants in your home and clean up the air that you and your family breathe every day.

    • KNOCK OFF YOUR SHOES AT THE DOOR: Want to slash the amount of bacteria, pesticide residue, heavy metals and chemicals in your kids’ rooms (not to mention your own)? Easy. Take your shoes off at the front door. The EPA has found that pesticides on shoes is a real source of toxic exposure for kids, but kicking off your kicks can take care of that.

    • WASH YOUR HANDS WHEN YOU COME HOME: Even if it’s true that exposure to certain microbes can be an important part of a healthy immune system, there are plenty of things that should absolutely be sent down the drain. Pesticide and fertilizer residue from foods handled in the supermarket and from grass kids play on at school should be banished from the home, as should BPA (Bisphenol A) that’s found on receipts, movie tickets and other printed-on thermal paper. Washing and rubbing hands for 20 seconds with warm water and a plant-based soap will do the trick.
    • AIR OUT YOUR DRY CLEANING BEFORE BRINGING IT IN THE HOUSE: I’ve made a concerted effort in our home to wash most items in the washing machine except those that absolutely require dry cleaning. And even then, we use a cleaner that does not utilize the solvent perchloroethylene (perc), which is a potential human carcinogen. If your cleaners use perc, or any other chemical solvent, be sure to take the plastic off of your dry cleaned clothes and air them out in a well-ventilated area before hanging them in your closet. This will allow any potentially remaining perc residue to dry.
    •  MOP AND DUST REGULARLY: Over time, home furnishings break down, shedding chemicals onto floors and surfaces that accumulate in dust. In fact, many studies done to test levels of environmental hazards like flame retardants, lead and phthalates actually look for these synthetic chemicals in household dust. Get rid of those bunnies with regular, easy maintenance (I admit, this one is free as long as my assumption that you already own a mop or a vacuum or a Swiffer stick is true…). Regularly dust, wet mop or use a dry Swiffer with a bit of plant-based soap and water on your floors. Vacuum carpets with a HEPA filtered vacuum.
    • OPEN YOUR WINDOWS: Yes, it’s a simple as that. The EPA estimates that indoor air is at least 2-5 times more toxic than outdoor air. Even a couple of minutes a day of open windows can benefit the indoor air quality in your home – and the health of everyone who lives there.

    So there you have it. 5 snappy ways to help protect yourself and those you love from some pretty nasty chemicals. There’s nothing pricey, nothing kooky. So try ’em…it just makes sense.

     

     

  • Windex with your Latte, Anyone?

    Windex with your Latte, Anyone?

    Every time you spray your windows with a conventional cleaner, you’re contaminating the air in your home. Each time you spritz the stuff, you’re letting loose a whole army of toxic chemicals that can negatively impact your children’s health.

    And by the way, your lungs ain’t getting off scott-free either.

    Take this very morning. After my alarm woke me up (and by alarm I mean my 7 year-old), I helped whip four kids into shape, took one of them to the eye doctor, talked shop with the PTA president and did a pretty hefty supermarket run.

    So, by 10:15, I’d lived a whole day and I just wanted to relax with a cup of coffee.

    You can then imagine my annoyance – no, my pissed-off-ness – when, as I sat down, latte in front of me, the guy with the rag starts spraying the glass table with, you guessed it, Windex.

    The smell of the neon stuff is awful, obviously. But that was just the tip of the ‘ole iceberg for my detail-oriented self. I mean hell, I didn’t want to breathe in ammonium hydroxide and ethanolamine this AM! I wanted my coffee without respiratory toxicants, thank you. And back to that telltale smell that offends even the least neurotic out there. That’s a mashup of “nonspecific” synthetic chemicals – aka skin irritants and neurotoxins.  And those will mess with anyone, Type A or otherwise.

    As for the non-coffee drinking set? Your children are the most vulnerable to those very worrisome chemicals because, pound for pound, they breathe in more air than you and are still developing. The risks they face from inhaling these toxicants regularly are real and that’s without even mentioning the possibility of accidental ingestion.

    But don’t worry, it’s never too late to make changes, and this one’s simple. Herewith, a DIY non-toxic window cleaner:

    • 2 cups water

    • 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

    • 1/2 teaspoon natural dish soap

    Combine the ingredients in a bottle and spray away. Wipe down with a newspaper or a microfiber cloth. If you think the vinegar scent might offend tiny noses, open the windows or grab a non-toxic glass cleaner online or in your local market. Green Shield Organic Glass Cleaner and Whole Foods Market Glass Cleaner are two great options.

    So, if I do nothing in this post other than to get you to consider swapping your chemical window and glass cleaner for a non-toxic version, I’ll sleep well tonight. And if you actually make the change, your kids will too.

     

     

  • Greening Up Baby in the New Year

    Greening Up Baby in the New Year

     

     

     

    These days you’d be hard-pressed to find a pregnant woman who isn’t aware of the fact that the things she eats, breathes and exposes herself to can impact her developing fetus. Whether the insult is in the form of cigarette smoke or high-mercury fish, pregnant women are increasingly sensitive to the health issues associated with environmental hazards and often go to great lengths to protect an unborn child.

    This enlightened thinking, however, often ends when a baby is born. Parents are often entrenched in old habits or have never been informed otherwise; as a result, they unknowingly expose their little ones to toxic substances on a daily basis.

    Infants are extremely susceptible to environmental toxicants: pound for pound they breathe in more air than adults; they’re continuously developing, leaving many windows of opportunity for outside exposures to affect their insides; and they can’t detoxify well. This means that using conventional cleaning products for jobs as innocent-seeming as getting stains out of a crib sheet, washing a baby bottle or cleaning a high chair can contribute to dermatitis, respiratory problems and even long-term health worries including cancer.

    Well, the new year is upon us and it’s the perfect time to make changes. I know — you’ve already resolved to watch your waistline and get 8 hours of sleep a night. And while I can’t fully help you with those resolutions at the moment (other than to tell you that the package of Oreos is not actually calling your name and that you really don’t need to watch a midnight airing of “Wedding Crashers” again), I can definitely tell you what you need to easily “clean up and green up” a day in the life of your babe. So add that vow to your list – for the sake of your child – and his new year will be healthier for it.

    Check out this collection of non-toxic, effective cleaning products you can easily buy for your home. As a rule, you should always test products in a small area before you use them freely. Once that goes well, you can go ahead and knock this New Years’ resolution out of the park.

    imagesOne thing on which we can all agree – a new baby is messy business. From top to, uh, bottom, there’s no telling what a given day will bring. Without getting too detailed, that onesie that was so fresh first thing in the morning might be rather less so at night (or heck, even half an hour later). But baby stains can be quickly tackled in a safe and effective way with OxiClean Laundry Baby Stain Soaker. Follow the directions on the package for pretreating your baby’s clothes – you can even add it to the wash after soaking – and you’ll be able to salvage plenty of those adorable baby gifts.

    images-2As often as my mom told me to “nap when the baby naps,” I found that advice much easier said than done. That’s because when my children slept, I finally had time to get stuff done – stuff like laundry. So, once the baby is fast asleep, gather all those onesies, cloth diapers, crib sheets and hooded towels and throw them into the machine with non-toxic detergent. The Honest Co.’s 4-in-1 laundry packs provide safe, mineral-based cleaning without caustic ingredients. Another great company is Green Shield Organic. Their brand new Organic Baby Laundry Detergent – Free & Clear is unscented and free of dyes and harsh chemicals. So hurry up and get that laundry load in and then maybe you catch a few zzzzs…

    imgresBottles and pacifiers are all the rage in a home with a new baby. I’ll admit, I’m a huge fan of nursing; I nursed my own 4 kids for a year each. But I also know that every mom’s story is different and that the majority of us will use bottles, whether often or sporadically (’cause hey, even the most diehard nursing moms want to go to the movies at some point, don’t they?!?!). So then begins the cycle of bottle using and washing, over and over again. According to many sources, including WebMD, if your water supply is reliably safe, there’s no need to regularly sterilize bottles, nipples and pacifiers after the first time. But there is a need to use non-toxic dish washing soap and warm water. For this, I recommend Better Life’s Dish It Out, scent-free dish soap. 100% plant derived, it’s a great choice for cleaning bottles (and all the dishes in your sink)! As for when the pacifier hits the floor? Check out Dapple’s Pacifier Wipes. They’re safe and convenient – great to use at home or on the go.

    images-4Your baby’s nursery should be a cozy, healthy space, free from harsh toxicants. So even if you’ve already chosen the organic crib mattress, natural rug and solid wood blocks, you need to make sure that you clean the room safely so that there’s no build-up of harmful chemicals in the air. Make sure that you open windows for ventilation and regularly use a Dry Swiffer dampened with a bit of water to get rid of dust on the entire floor. But when the cute striped area rug gets splattered on and the hardwood floor is really looking less than pristine, turn to Martha Stewart for help. Her Clean Carpet Stain Remover and Clean Wood Floor Cleaner can get you through those “spottier” days safely and easily.

    images-5Considering how often a baby will chow down as he’s growing up, you’re going to want to make sure that his highchair tray is so clean that he can, well, eat off of it. After a particularly “fun” meal, it’s often best to detach the tray, dump the leftovers and rub it down in the sink with Dish It Out or Dr. Bronner’s 18-in-1 Pure-Castile Soap Baby Mild. But sometimes you just want to spritz, wipe and walk away. In that case, beware of conventional spray cleaners that can leave chemical residues that might get ingested by your child. So what to use? I can’t deny that a DIY formula of around 1 part distilled white vinegar to 7-9 parts water (no exact measurements required) will always be my favorite for its safety and efficacy. But, as your baby gets older and is exposed to the whole gamut of veggies and fruits, including citrus, you can use Aussan Natural Nursery All Purpose Cleaner. It’s botanical ingredients are highchair – and kid – friendly.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  • Quick Kitchen Wisdom for 2014

    Quick Kitchen Wisdom for 2014

     

     

     

    This post first ran on igokids.com. 

    The kitchen is at the heart of my very busy life. My four children’s ample appetites guarantee that I’m a regular in that space, faithfully whipping up meals, snacks and drinks like a pro. And while I’ve learned that homemade whole wheat pizza is really tasty and that spinach can be secretively blended into a smoothie, I’ve also learned that the kitchen is ground zero for many common, synthetic chemicals that can find their way into children’s very vulnerable bodies. The best take-home lesson though, is that there’s quite a bit we can do to protect our families from these toxicants.

    Other than promising to shed unwanted pounds and vowing to spend less time on your cell phone, resolve to ring in 2014 with some easy actions that will banish certain chemicals from your kids’ diets and help green up your kitchen as well.

    Opt for organic: Pesticides – many of which are carcinogenic and neurotoxic – are a particular menace to children’s growing bodies. But fear not. You can reduce your child’s exposure to these synthetic chemicals without turning over your whole kitchen. Check out the Environmental Working Group’s list of the most contaminated produce – which includes many kid faves such as apples, grapes and strawberries – at http://www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php, choose you family’s mainstays from the list and buy them organic. This is a great way to protect your kids without breaking the bank.

    Score some stainless steel: Six years ago I snatched up a bunch of stainless steel water bottles from hwww.kleankanteen.com/ and, since then, my kids have rarely put a plastic bottle to their lips. And that’s a very good thing. Single use and reusable plastic bottles can leach endocrine disrupting chemicals and carcinogens and they further our reliance on petrochemicals. In addition, bottled water is often not regulated; filtered tap water is a better option.

    Nix the non-stick: Your might think that your non-stick pans are vital to Sunday brunch, but your weekends will look a lot healthier without them. The gasses that are released from brand name coatings like Teflon are highly toxic and linked to many health problems including developmental concerns and cancer. They’re nothing you want your kids breathing in. So start by swapping a few non-stick pans for stainless steel or cast iron ones; you can find some great stainless options at allcookwarefind.com. They are safe and, with a little EVOO warmed up, your omelets will slide off of them just beautifully.

     

     

  • Paint it Green

    Paint it Green

     

     

     

    This post first ran on Wellroundedny.com 

    Lemon Sorbet. A tart and yummy dessert, yes, but also the sweet yellow color my husband and I chose when planning our first nursery, 12 1/2 years ago (ok fine, I chose it and he said something along the lines of “Yes Jen, it’s great!”). In any case, as you can deduce from the noncommittal shade, we didn’t know the gender of the first Eden child, but, unfortunately, that wasn’t the only thing we didn’t know.

    During those heady days of my first pregnancy, I was totally green — and by that I don’t mean nauseous or environmentally aware. In fact, quite the opposite on both fronts; I never had a smidge of morning sickness and I was woefully unsophisticated when it came to the potential hazards of nursery painting. I knew that household paints no longer contained lead and I knew not to be the one to actually take brush to wall (the smell would be unpleasant and ladder climbing was low on my to-do list). But there was quite a bit more that I didn’t know and, over time, I learned of the many nasty chemicals in conventional paint, ones that could be unhealthy for mother-to-be and for baby as well, even as the shade looks pretty on the wall.

    Toluene, formaldehyde, benzene. These toxicants are just a few of the many volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that were once necessary to the performance of paint. They invisibly vaporize in liquid and solid form, and can offgas at differing levels for years, contributing to very poor indoor air quality. In addition, certain paints labeled “antimicrobial” or “antibacterial” may contain harmful chemicals that can emit over time as well. Many brands have replaced the above chemicals with less-toxic ingredients, but these toxicants may still be found in certain conventional paints – the kind you might buy if you don’t know better.

    But guess what – now you know better! To avoid the acute symptoms of VOC exposure (headaches and dizziness) as well as the potential long term problems (cancer, nervous system issues), there is plenty you can do. Herewith, some advice for protecting you and your belly, as well as some colorful paint brand choices for the room your babe will call home.

  • “Toxic Hot Seat” — Watch and Burn

    “Toxic Hot Seat” — Watch and Burn

     

     

     

    The highlight of my week was seeing Senator Barbara Boxer, California Democrat and chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, stick it to ‘Big Chemical’ with the very simplest of questions.

    But I didn’t get that thrill at a hearing in Washington. In fact I was much closer to home, in New York City’s West Village, at the premiere of the very compelling and entertaining HBO documentary Toxic Hot Seat, co-directed by filmmakers Kirby Walker and James Redford. The film was part of DOC NYC – New York’s annual documentary film festival.

    In 90 minutes time, Toxic Hot Seat clearly and expertly unravels the history behind our country’s decades-old love affair with flame retardant chemicals and delves into the purported efficacy and dangers of those very chemicals, all the while weaving in the personal stories that triggered the movement to rid these persistent poisons from our homes, our bodies, our lives.

    Now, it’s no secret that this sort of stuff automatically gets me going; just the idea of a movie that uncorks the conversation about the toxic soup in which we all live is exciting to me. But this doc will resonate even with those who don’t readily buy into the idea that we’re all a bunch of guinea pigs in a massive, unregulated toxic experiment. The movie is not preachy or forced — it just tells a good, interesting story and offers us the added benefit of an important revelation, however frightening: that the flame retardant chemicals in our furniture, home furnishings, clothes and electronics are not only ineffective and worthless, but actually neurotoxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic, especially to children.

    Speaking of which — back to Senator Boxer’s star turn. The film takes us to a July 2012 hearing focused on whether the EPA had the authority necessary to regulate hazardous chemicals. Senator Boxer posed a direct ‘yes or no’ question: Should chemical manufacturers be required to unbiasedly prove that their products are safe for pregnant women, infants and children before they can be sold?

    Babies. Children. Seems like a no-brainer, right? Well, not exactly for the chemical company reps. The first representative, a marketing director from Great Lakes Solutions, a Chemtura business, struggled to muster a response (and when he did, it was begrudging and quiet) and the second, a lawyer representing big chemical interests, was unable to answer the question at all.

    This really speaks to the heart of the movie — the fact that we, the consumers, have been living at the whim and will of chemical companies seeking only profit and power, regardless of the devastating consequences. It’s not news that this happened with the tobacco industry, but most people would never dream that companies have been hurting us with basic consumer products that should be utterly harmless. Alas, many chemical companies have been doing just that: they’ve been pushing their chemicals for decades – citing flawed studies and erroneous, outdated flammability laws – and have poisoned our living rooms, our family rooms, our bedrooms.

    The movie engages a host of people who tell us this sobering tale from many angles. Among them are firefighters, most notably San Franciscans Tony Stefani (who I had the great pleasure of meeting) and Karen Kerr Stone, who have struggled with illness and loss as a result of high level toxic exposures faced by firefighters country-wide; Patricia Callahan, the award-winning Chicago Tribune investigative reporter who co-wrote “Playing with Fire,” a series which exposed, among other things, chemical industry deception; Arlene Blum, an environmental health chemist who has dedicated her life to pushing for safer chemical standards; Andrew McGuire, a burn victim and grassroots lobbyist; and Hannah Pingree, a young mother and one time politician from Maine. One of the climaxes of the movie was seeing many of these scattered players physically united in Washington, empowered by truth and connected by the common passion to push for reform in order to save lives.

    The timing of this movie could not have been more appropriate for me and my family. We are currently looking for new furniture and I’m dedicated to only buying from furniture companies that have pledged to buck the trend and not use toxic flame retardants (instead they use wool, often organic, which passes all flame tests). But the search is not easy, because most furniture companies still feel compelled to abide by the outdated flammability laws which require the use of the toxic retardants. The good news is that very soon – starting in 2014 – it will become somewhat easier to find safer furniture, as stricter guidelines and even some bans (depending on the state) on the use of toxic chemicals will be set in motion and companies will expressly have the option to opt out of abiding by old flammability laws.

    After the movie I had the honor of talking with one of the directors, Kirby Parker. We bemoaned the fact that not enough people are aware of the problem – something her movie is setting out to change. We discussed that although the fight is a tough one, and one that will not find success overnight, it is of great importance to our nation’s health. If  sweeping change is to happen, then the demand for safe homes has to be loud and clear; we all must insist on healthy spaces for ourselves and for our children. And if the groundswell develops, the furniture companies that provide us with the settings in which we live our lives will have a real impetus to leave the past – and the chemical companies – behind and institute permanent, positive change.

    Toxic Hot Seat premieres on HBO on November 25th at 9pm.