Easy Steps In Going Green

I am learning more and more about 'being green'. Sometimes I hear about what others are doing and I realize how far yet I have to go. Actually, I'm not sure that I will ever do some of the things that others are doing, but I do know that every little bit I do does help.

So in the next few posts I'm going to give some Easy Steps in Going Green. Things that almost all of us can do with little effort.

1. Lint Hint - This will save you money too by lowering your energy bill. Clean the lint trap before every load you are drying to cut down on energy wasting drying time.

2. Take advantage of the sunshine. I've been doing that this winter - probably our coldest winter on record. On those cold but sunny days, open your drapes to let the sun warm your home. In the evening be sure to close them again. In the summer time, be sure to close the drapes to keep your home cooler.

3. Take off your shoes! The Washington Toxics Coalition reports that using entryway mats reduce the amount of pesticide residue on carpets by 25% and the amount of dust on carpets by 33%. And homes where shoes are removed at the door, according to the WTC, have 10 times less dust than homes where shoes are worn.

Watch for more tips in a few days!

More on Toxin Free Homes

Here are some more startling facts:

• There has been a 28% increase in childhood cancer since the addition of pesticides into household products (National Cancer Institute)

• There is an increased risk for leukemia in children where parents have used pesticides in the home or garden before the child’s birth. (Journal of the National Cancer Institute)

• Over 150 chemicals found in the average home have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities. (Consumer Product Safety Commission)

• The majority of chemicals have never been tested for long-term effects. The NY Poison Control Center reports that 85% of product warning labels were either inadequate or incorrect for identifying a poison, and for first aid instructions. And labels on household cleaners may not list all the ingredients because companies are not required to tell you everything that is in their products.

• When using Chlorine, antiseptics or bleach in industrial areas you are required to wear protective clothing that keeps you from being exposed to these toxins – hard hats, boots, gloves, apron or coveralls, chemical goggles or full face shield and use in well ventilated areas. These are the same chemicals we are exposed to when we wash our clothes, spray on our cabinets, wipe onto our eating areas, spray our rooms to kill germs, and swim in when we get into our pools.

• Children are more likely to be affected by these chemicals because they are still developing as their brains and bodies grow. They have more contact with environmental surfaces. They touch everything (and put hands in mouths!) and they crawl around on the floor as they play.

Want to join me in the mission to help protect yourself and our children? What can you do? One thing is to start using non-toxic cleaners. Listen to a 3 minute recorded message about Going Green with Get Clean – 1-925-924-3000.

• Warning labels on containers refer ONLY to toxins hazard from ingestion, however only 10% of health problems from chemicals are caused by ingestion. 90% are caused by the inhalation of vapors and absorption of particle