Every parent wants to provide a safe and healthy environment for their children to grow up and thrive in, but there are so many dangers in the world that the thought of it all can seem overwhelming. With over 80,000 registered chemicals in the US and no pre-market safety testing requirements (under federal law) we as parents have to be more aware for our families sake.
I don’t know about everyone else but in today’s busy world I tend to turn to the internet for information and have found lots of like minded moms to connect with that have the same concerns as I do. Having a healthy happy family means so much and having a support system is key, one step at a time we can do it together.
There are so many tips and tricks to living a healthier lifestyle that I have learned from other moms and recently when I attended a Virtual Healthy Baby Home Party sponsored by Seventh Generation, Healthy Child Healthy World, and Stonyfield Organic, I was overwhelmingly excited to come away with new and easy ideas for removing more chemical and environmental hazards from our home.
Take off shoes at the door ~ This is a big rule in our home, whether you are a guest or you live here shoes are off immediately when you enter. Why? 85% of the dirt in our homes is tracked inside on the bottom of our shoes. Dirt, and toxics such as lead, pesticides, and gasoline residue just to name a few. It’s the public health equivalent of washing your hands.
Use safer body care products ~ I’m guilty of not using the best products for myself sometimes but am trying to change that, when it comes to my boys I won’t bend..we avoid products with ingredients like parabens, synthetic fragrances & triclosan.
Eat more whole foods ~ we are determined to make this happen in our daily diets, but could do a better job and set a better example for our boys. Processed foods may be more convenient however they are loaded with sweeteners, artificial flavors and colorings, and synthetic preservatives. These foods lack nutrients and many are linked to health issues like ADHD and cancer which we have personal experience with sadly.
Open the windows ~ Did you know that on average people spend 90% of their time inside? Indoor air is actually more polluted than outdoor air, crazy huh? We are making sure we open the windows daily now and letting in the fresh air, remember open window safety!
Avoid canned goods ~ Did you know that most cans contain BPA in their plastic resin lining? Yuck! Try to buy fresh, frozen or packaged foods in glass jars.
Avoid register receipts ~ This is a huge shock to whomever I share it with…most register receipts contain BPA. It can rub off on your hands and your kids hands if they are helpers like mine :). If you recycle like we do, the BPA can contaminate your recyling! Ask for e-receipts or decline receipts whenever possible, with a shared account my husband has started telling me his amounts to add to our checkbook rather than getting receipts ;).
Check your sunscreen ~ make sure it has non-nano particles, I’m an avid sunscreen advocate being a cancer survivor (twice now). Sunscreens should be applied year round and all over making their ingredients especially important to be safe. Seventh Generation has a Wee Generation sunscreen with a low rating on the EWG Guide for Sunscreens which we use daily on the boys and myself.
As parents we have the power to make changes! Seventh Generation has some great suggestions:
1. Urge Senators to strengthen and pass the Chemical Safety Improvement Act (CSIA). Click here to find and message your senator, it only takes a few minutes but can make a big impact!
2. Host your own Healthy Baby Home Party! Spread awareness of the dangers of chemicals among local moms and caregivers, and make new friends too. You will be provided with a wonderful package of healthy product samples and information to share with your party attendees!
3. Save $1! Find information, tips and a $1 E-coupon from the Seventh Generation Healthy Baby Home Party website.
Together we can make a change. Each step matters no matter how small you think it is, it makes a difference in the world. Taking care of yourself, demonstrating good habits for your children to copy and sharing the good green word with anyone who wants to learn is a great way to make your children healthy and happier!
WIN IT: Seventh Generation is eager to help you get started! One lucky reader is going to receive Healthy Baby pack!
PRIZE INCLUDES:
- Full size pack of eco-friendly diapers (size 3 or 4 randomly included)
- Full size 64ct Free & Clear Baby Wipes
- Full Size Facial Wipes (T-Bone loves these!)
- Full Size Bar Soap (T-Bone stole this too!)
ENTRY IS EASY: Simply comment on this post with something you do to make your home healthy for your family. Have any green cleaning tips? How do you minimize environmental hazards in your home? I would love to hear your tips so I can incorporate them into our home! ~WINNER Alanna B ~
I would love to use a “greener” diaper on anyone of my 3 girls. I’m learning that the chemicals are potentially harmful to babies in the common diaper. Thanks for the info and the opportunity!
We use “grow green” laundry detergent and dishwasher detergent, along with as many natural cleaning products (toilet bowl cleaner, wipes, sprays) as we can get. I’m pregnant now, so I’m especially paranoid about what products I use on myself. I use handsoap, facesoap, shampoo, and bodywash that are free from parabens and SLS, and I do as much research as possible about the chemicals that are included. Being so paranoid can be frustrating, especially because I am allergic to Aloe, one of the top ingredients in natural products! But you are right; it is so important to think about this stuff.
We use only eco-friendly cleaners and I only use natural bath & body products on dd. I use mainly natural bath & body products on my self but I just can’t give up my Bath & Body Works lotions! 🙂 I am currently trying to find an all natural men’s line that dh likes. He’s tried several different natural soap bars but he hasn’t liked any of them - he prefers a body wash.
cloth diapers, cloth napkins/towels, cloth tissues, organic/all natural soaps and detergents, honest company cleaners
we cloth diaper and try to use vinegar and baking soda to clean as much as possible..
I am currently in the process of switching to safer body products like wash, sunscreen, and lotions. We are switching over the clenaing products as well.
cloth diapers, Filtrete water bottles instead of plastic, we don’t use plastic containers and we’ve gotten rid of all cleaners with chemicals and use natural cleaners!
As a family we grow most of our fruits and veggies organically from heirloom/non-gmo/organic seeds, greatly limit processed foods, and buy organic as much as possible.
In addition, my husband and I cloth diaper our children, use un-paper towels, recycle, compost, make or purchase eco-friendly cleaning and personal care products.
We use cloth diapers and natural cleaners
We have our own little veggie garden, we buy more produce and incorporate veggies and fruit more in our diet! And we love seventh generation products!!
We also recycle and use baking soda for cleaning
We used lots of baking soda and vinegar instead of bleach to desinfect,we plant our own garden in the summer, we recycled and most of our personal body products like toothpaste,shampoo lotions are natural and organic.
We cloth diaper most of the time and buy gently used clothes for our kids, thanks for the giveaway 🙂
I read labels obsessively and steer clear of dangerous ingredients; I clean with vinegar, baking soda, borax, essential oils, and castille soap; and we support our local organic farmers!
I have started weeding out all the harsh chemicals out of my home. I now use naturally derived cleaning products anytime I can, including surface cleaners, carpet cleaners and detergent
I use pet-safe/kid-safe cleaning products (that are also cruelty free). I have 3 cats, plus myself and my husband, and I don’t want us around so many chemicals. We also use natural, cruelty free healthy and beauty products whenever possible.
well we started by trying to incorporate as many safe materials as possible when my husband built our tiny home and now i have eliminated all harsh cleaners, hard floors so no stuff in rugs to deal with, and we’re working on a lot more (like replacing plastics etc) its a slow process!
I’m switching to cleaners with less chemicals as I run out of what I have.
~Kelly recently posted..Looking back
We use wool dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. No chemicals. =)
We use baking soda and vinegar for much of our cleaning!
We have made an effort to use less plastic, eat less processed foods, make our own natural cleaners and cloth diaper our babes bum!
cloth diapers, breastfeeding, and I use natural products to make our shampoo and body wash… I love Dr. Bronner’s
We grow our own herbs and some vegetables and fruits to stay healthy and green
We use eco friendly cleaning supplies and use less plastics. We are starting cloth diapering with our baby 🙂
i buy only green cleaning products and use homemade ones when i can. i also use natural lotions and soaps and air dry my cloth diapers
i stopped using aerosol cans with cleaning products and use vinegar and water and baking soda alot
We use cloth diapers and I try to line dry as much laundry as I can. I also try to use Eco friendly cleaning products and make my own laundry soap. We also recycle, reuse, and repurpose as much as possible .
Love to clean with vinager and baking soad.. so much better than harsh cemicals
I try to use as many natural products as I can, and try to limit our exposure to all types of chemicals. I try to shop local and organic as much as possible.
We cloth diaper and use only natural cleaners. I also have a spray bottle of vinegar that oranges and lemon rinds have soaked in for a month or so that makes a wonderful homemade and healthy cleaner!
We compost and recycle. We use cloth rags instead of paper towels. We use all natural products.
I too am determined to use more whole foods! We have a tendency towards this part of summer to leave our shoes on inside. We get stickers/sand burrs, whatever you want to call them stuck into the carpet from the dogs and they hurt so bad to step on!
Thanks for the superb tips on creating a healthy home for your family! We love the tip - Open Your Windows. Let the fresh air in is a great tip for indoor air quality, and keeping those windows clean makes the whole house brighter and more inviting!