More on Green Cleaning
I am reading this book about green cleaning. I highly recommend it. It gives many reasons as to why you should use green cleaners, and what chemicals are in many cleaners, and the risks they pose. It offers many tips, and choices for cleaning, recipes for cleaners, along with storage and disposal tips.
Because I am reading this book, I will be posting tid-bits from it on my "Monday's= Green topics" day. Pick it up, and read along with me, and we can discuss here!
~Today's tid-bit is on the topic of chemicals...."More than 85.000 synthetic chemicals are in use today, and another 500 are added to the mix each year....The human body can handle small amounts of poisons, but it begins to malfunction when burdened with toxic overload. Many chemicals are stored in body fat, while others migrate to vital organs, to the sheaths surrounding the nerves, or to muscles, the brain or spinal cord. Surely it's not coincidental that the increased use of manufactured chemicals coincides with a number of alarming health trends. For instance, breast cancer rates are 30 times higher in the U.S. than in less industrialized parts of Africa, while the incidence of asthma among preschool- age children has risen at least 160 percent since 1980."
~What do you like/ dislike about the idea of green cleaning?
Labels: Green things
posted by kddub at 7:42 AM
9 Comments:
I have to admit, I use traditional cleaning methods and have not a clue as to the green alternatives. There must be SOME reason that not everyone has changed their ways... Is it politics? Are green cleaners hard to find? expensive? less effective? I'd like to know. And I'm glad you will be posting about this topic, so I can learn more!
9:46 AM
I don't have a clue about green alternatives either but I have started seeing more of the products in regular stores. I am glad I found your blog through the 40 Day Fast...I think I'm going to learn lots here!
10:21 AM
I just switched all my cleaners to natural ones an I have been very pleased. They work great, smell good, and I don't have to worry about my kids putting something in their mouths. Target sells a line called method that is good. I am looking forward to all the little tid bits.
12:04 PM
I'm just in the process of switching. I suppose I've been a bit skeptical about how well they work, but the main one I use, from a company called Seventh Generation, seems to work quite well.
Frankly, though, with the amount of cleaning I actually do, I don't think my family is in much danger whether I use traditional cleaners or green ones...
;-)
3:13 PM
~Annie, by traditional, do you mean vinegar etc. or bleach and amonia?
"Green" cleaners are the old fashioned recipes of vinegar, and baking soda etc. things that are not harmful to humans, or the earth.
It is not politics, but I believe that Al Gore has been raising awareness to the global warming issues, and becoming green has become sort of a "trend."
As far as them being safe, I too worry a little about their strength against illnesses, and I don't know how comfortable I'd feel going to a hospital who only uses vinegar to disenfect things, so I still keep a can of Lysol around, but ventilate the house well when it's used. As far as cleaning well, I have been amazed at what a bottle of vinegar and water can shine up my counters, and clean my floors so well, and I feel fine about my boys helping me clean things, even if they decide to spray each other! I'll keep posting the more I read about it, on Mondays....
9:28 PM
~Marianne! I am so glad that you are here, I found your blog too, through the 40 day fast, and I am glad I did!
~Jessie, I love the way that Method products smell, and work!
~Kat, I also use Seventh Generation dish soap, and put it in my mop water, it works well, I haven't tried many of their other products though.
"Frankly, though, with the amount of cleaning I actually do, I don't think my family is in much danger whether I use traditional cleaners or green ones..." ha ha ha! I can relate!
9:33 PM
I am allergic to cleaning so green or otherwise wouldn't make a difference in my home.
Beth
10:15 PM
i love 'green' cleaning stuff. i stopped using all those chemicals after having a baby and becoming more aware of how TERRIBLE those other ones are. especially when you can get just as good results with home made, non toxic cleaners. (or store bought non toxic cleaners!) i just make my own usually cuz it's easy, cheap, and i know exactly what's going into them.
consider this: in 1900 the average cancer rate was 1 in 100 up to 1000 people, in 1997 it was 1 in 3, in 2002 it was 1 in 2, by 2030 every American is expected to have or get cancer in their lifetime. along with that is the fact that today, there are more chemicals in the average home than there were in a chemistry lab in 1900.... obviously there is some correlation there.
sorry for the long post, but i am very passionate about this topic!! thanks for putting it out there!!!
10:30 PM
beth~ ha ha... well thats good i guess!
Larissa~ those statistics of Cancer is crazy. Hopefully combined efforts to cut out some chemical use, along with knowlegde in the medical community, we can get those numbers to reverse.
1:06 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home