1. I don't know what to do with my old cleaning supplies.
I've asked this very question in making the transition to green and non-toxic cleaning. I know we can't simply throw these bottles into the trash can. And we really shouldn't empty them down the drain. And we absolutely know that we must not spill them out on the street. These are poisonous VOC (volatile organic compounds) and harmful chemicals which do not need to be added to our streams and rivers.
Luckily, there are great resources in most cities for disposal of toxic household chemicals. You can check in with Earth911.org where you can simply type in your product that needs disposing and your location. Your state may even have regular collection days or local collection sites that can take the stuff off your hands and dispose of them safely.
2. I don't know how to green my cleaning.
These days, green cleaning is only a finger tip and type away. Here are some wonderful and easy recipes for makingdo-it-yourself green cleaning products:
Or check your local market for green and eco-friendly alternatives.
3. It's not really a big deal.
While no one should be exposed to toxic chemicals, children are especially vulnerable to environmental health hazards. According to HealthySchools.org:
They proportionally eat, drink, and breathe more per pound of body weight than adults. Their behavior exposes them to more environmental threats and they are least able to identify or protect themselves from hazards. Air pollutants can cause respiratory ailments such as nasal congestion, shortness of breath, wheezing or worsening of asthma, nosebleeds, a cough, or other symptoms such as itchy, watery eyes, headaches or dizziness, fatigue, nausea, rashes, fever, muscle aches and more.
Here is a great list of common household cleaner ingredients and their effects on us humans. You'll find a whole bevvy of reactions from simple eye-irritants, to combustibility all the way to known neuro-toxins. This list was put together by The Cancer Prevention Coalition.
4. I don't think it really works.
When you think of a clean home, what is the smell that comes up in your memory? Is it bleach? Ammonia? We are all used to what clean is supposed to smell like. And it simply isn't so. When that kind of clean comes with health price-tags it simply isn't worth it. Simple ingredients such as citrus oils, baking soda and vinegar have long been the base of cleaning at home. Advertising will have you think that clean equals a chemical version of what Spring smells like. With natural choices for laundry like Soap Nuts and Ecover who have been natural choices since before the green-wave of advertising hit us, there is no need to choose toxins for ourselves and our families.
Green Cleaning TIP from HealthySchool.org:
Many manufacturers and retailers are using terms such as "environmentally safe", "green", ‘non-toxic"
and similar phrases to boost sales. Some of these claims are valid; many are not. Choose products that are rated "green" by independent, third party organizations.
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