Why Choose Green Living?
Many of us were raised with cleaning products that contain innumerable amounts of toxins. Growing up, questions regarding the toxicity and the hazards of chemicals within the environment were altogether overlooked. Today, however, evidence shows that what we put in our home – and what we use to clean our home – is just as important as what we put inside our body. In fact, the products that we use within our homes enter into our bodies via the air we breathe, through our skin, and through the water we drink.
There are
17,000
petrochemicals available for home use, 70% of which haven’t been tested for exposure to human health and the environment.
On average
63
synthetic chemical products are found in the average American home.
Indoor air pollution can be
200%
of what outdoor air pollution levels are, according to US EPA estimates.
With all these chemicals, it’s no wonder that the EPA found the air quality in our homes to be 5 times to 10 times more toxic than the air outside, and typically contaminated by anywhere from 20 to 150 different pollutants. Much of this pollution comes from petrochemical cleaners.
Want to learn more about the potential hazards related to the cleaning products you are currently using?
If you would like to find out about some of the chemicals in the cleaning products you use, www.scorecard.org provides ‘chemical profiles’ that allow you to type in the name of a chemical (just look on the ingredient list of a cleaning product to find one) and find out the health hazards associated with it. Household bleach, for example, is a neurotoxicant and blood toxicant.
Unfortunately, many commonly used cleaning products contain many toxic ingredients. If you are not using a 100% natural product, you are probably using dangerous chemicals. Be aware of products that do not disclose all of their ingredients.
Products that do not openly disclose all of their ingredients usually have something to hide. The words ‘organic’, ‘non-toxic’, and ‘eco-safe’ do not always mean the product is natural – or completely safe. On personal care and household products, the labels ‘organic’, ‘non-toxic’, and ‘eco-safe’ are not regulated by the FDA or USDA – this means that companies can use these terms even if their product is toxic and un-natural. Look for products that have nothing to hide and products that openly disclose all of their ingredients. Some products that use a ‘natural’ label, such as Ms Meyers, Simple Green and Method, contain artificial fragrances, and other chemicals, and are NOT natural products (see below for a list of products that ARE natural and safe).
Begin to read more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm
We support good businesses & they support us...
CommuniChi –
Acupuncture treatment we offer our employees.
Yoga Tree –
Yoga class we offer our employees.
Chinook Book –
The great local discount book we advertise with.
Seattle Tree Consulting –
locally owned & operated sustainable tree care solutions, tree permitting, planting, etc; Facilitating the Relationship between Trees and Humans
Ventures –
a local non-profit organization dedicated to helping individuals start and grow their small business. Keep Seattle special & unique by supporting small business
Stone Soup Gardens –
Permaculture-orientated, skilled group of designers available to create and install your edible landscape, build you a custom chicken coop or get your rain garden permitted and installed (plus much more!)”
Seattle Tilth –
Great client and organic urban gardening non-profit.