I just started reading Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home, by Christopher Gavigan. I think it is appropriate since today is Earth Day. It is a very informative book, but it has left me feeling so guilty! It makes me feel like I am slowly poisoning my family, particularly the kids, because of all the toxins that are constantly around us. I had no idea that everything from the crib mattress, to the toys, to the bottles, to the clothing and pretty much anything else that isn't labeled "Organic" or "100% natural" has toxins in it! We've all heard about the toy recalls due to lead paint, most of which came from China. I couldn't believe it when the author recommeded throwing away any toy that came from China and India! The book also talks about the plastic used to make many of the toys. Many of them use PVC (polyvinyl chloride) plastic which actually releases toxic fumes into the air for our children to inhale! Many baby bottles and teething toys are made from this too. Poor Isabelle! Dave and I have been very careful to not warm the baby bottle up in the microwave because this can make it easier to seep in to her formula but I had no idea that it was releasing toxic gases too! The book has many other chapters about making your house, pets, garden, etc. more healthy and less toxic. I haven't read the whole book yet but I am already feeling overwhelmed at how much it would take for me to make a "cleaner, greener, safer home." I can't say that I am going to throw away everything I own that was made in China but I will get rid of some of it and be more selective in the future. I also went to Sprouts today and bought reusable grocery bags, all natural cleaner and laundry detergent and some things to help get the pesticides off of my fruit. It's not much but it does make me feel better that I am trying to make a cleaner, greener, safer home for my family. So I want to know what you are doing or do you think it's just a bunch of you know what!
