Education is the key to raising awareness in creating a “greener” healthier home for you and your family.
copyright 2009
Consumers have been “in love” with home cleaning products since the 1940’s when the first all-purpose detergent was introduced in the United States. Up until then fats and various oils were used to make soap for washing clothes. The mixture of fats and oils would create “soap curd”, an insoluble substance. When “synthetic” detergents were introduced containing surfactants and phosphates, these eliminated soap curd and became the preferred choice in laundering.
At that time in history just following World War II, these new detergents became very popular, making soap almost obsolete. Like any new discovery, these detergents became the catalyst for more, new and improved cleaning agents. However, the question of how these super cleaning agents might affect the health of consumers using them wasn’t explored. Many years later, environmentalists would begin to see the adverse affects of man-made chemicals in nature, and eventually in humans. For example, today we know that phosphates interfere with the reproductive abilities of fish.
In 1999, a study done by Bristol University in England was published in the New Scientist periodical. Fourteen thousand pregnant women who used air fresheners and aerosols (spray products ) in their homes were studied. Of these expectant moms, 25% had more headaches and 19% had an increase in post partum depression. The study also found that in infants under six months of age, 30% had more ear infections, and 22% had more incidents of diarrhea.
This is just one example of thousands of studies conducted over the years exploring and demonstrating how chemicals can affect our health and the health of infants and children. Yet this information has been slow in getting to the general public. The good news though, is educational resources and classes about going green, and how chemicals affect our health, are emerging!
It’s overwhelming for sure. Yet there are things you can do to protect yourself and your family:
- Read labels on product bottles. If you see words like: Caution, danger, poison, etc., avoid buying it!
- Look for plant based, solvent free, phosphate free products.
- Become chemical aware. Just because you don’t see it, or feel it, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Chemicals don’t disappear! They interact with other chemicals you may be using. For example, chlorine by itself is stable. Yet, if you mix it with ammonia, you could blow up your house. Read product information carefully and use product appropriately.
- Recognize that infants and children are more susceptible to chemical exposures than adults for several of reasons. First, they take in more air and breathe faster than adults. Second, they are closer to the ground because of their height or because they are lying or crawling on the ground (certain chemicals can linger in the air or on a surface for days). Finally, infants and children are curious by nature – they touch, feel, and taste in order to explore the world around them.
- Get educated. This is the most powerful action you can take. There is a great deal of information available to you on the internet. The Center for Disease Control is an incredible and reliable resource for learning about chemicals and health effects.
- Take a hospital class. Hospitals have a long history of educating the general public on health issues and concerns, and providing support groups for patients and families. With illnesses such as asthmas, allergies, respiratory infections, and even some cancers on the rise with a link to chemical exposures in the home, it makes sense for them to provide education on living “greener” lives. Some hospitals are offering classes on how to create a greener, healthier environment for you and your baby.
Going Green is great. But raising your level of understanding and awareness as to why to go green will have a greater impact on your health as well as your family’s. Our awareness and actions to reduce the amount of chemicals we use in the home is not only important for us but has the further potential to benefit our planet as well.
Lesly Federici BA, RN, CWC
References:
Center of Disease Control
The Green Guide, National Geographic
The Soap and Detergent Association
copyright 2009
