Alternatives to Antibacterials and Disinfectants

Safer Ways to Keep Germs at Bay

Healthy Child Healthy World

Rather than relying on chemicals to kill bacteria, protect your family from infections with these easy steps:

Wash your hands thoroughly and frequently. It's not the type of soap that prevents the spread of bacteria and viruses, it's how you wash your hands and how often. Wash hands both before and after preparing food; before eating or handling contact lenses; after changing a diaper (wash the child's hands, too), petting animals, sneezing, coughing, or using the toilet; and, whenever hands came in contact with bodily fluids.

Photo credit: iStockphoto

Here's how:

• Wet your hands, using comfortably warm water.
• Add soap (preferably plant-based) and lather up. If you use bar soap, rinse it after using and let dry.
• Rub hands together vigorously for 20 seconds. Don't forget the spaces between your fingers, your wrists, and under your nails.
• Rinse thoroughly.
• Dry hands well and launder hand towels often in hot water.

Clean surfaces with hot, soapy water (with lots of suds). Scrub surfaces well to loosen microorganisms, which can form a slimy layer resistant to detergent alone.

Wash sponges frequently. They can breed and spread germs, so wash regularly in soapy water. Rinse the sponges well, wringing them out well. Then let dry thoroughly, and replace often.

Disinfect selectively:

• Objects that come into contact with raw meat, fish, or eggs, such as cutting boards, utensils and counters:
  
  Use a dishwasher instead and be sure it reaches 171 degrees F, and choose an environmentally friendly detergent.
  
  Spray cutting boards and counters with white vinegar and then with 3% hydrogen peroxide (available in drug stores). Keep the liquids handy in separate spray bottles. It doesn't matter which one your use first, but both are much more effective than either one alone.
  
  See The Partnership for Food Safety Education for more tips on safe food handling practices.


• Diapers: After rinsing out cloth diapers, keep them soaking in a solution of 1/2 cup borax per gallon of water until they go into the washing machine.
  
  Wash diapers separately from other clothes. The heat of the dryer will fry germs.


• Sponges and rags: Microwave for 30 seconds on high power if dry, longer if wet-sponges for one minute, and rags for three minutes.


• Bathrooms and kitchen hard surfaces: Borax disinfects but is milder than bleach. It's also effective on mildew, especially combined with vinegar. Borax can found in the laundry detergent aisle in the supermarket, but keep it away from children. You can make a cleaning solution by adding 1/2 cup to each gallon of water.
  
  Hydrogen peroxide will reduce microorganisms on surfaces. It's the active ingredient in Seventh Generation Kitchen Cleaner and Bathroom Cleaners, and other products found in the Healthy Child Healthy World Marketplace.
  
  By selecting a variety of least-toxic supplies and mixing them into one all-purpose disinfectant, you can increase the efficacy of your cleaner. Use this recipe:
  
  1 t. borax
  2 T. white vinegar
  2 c. hot water
  1/4 t. lavender essential oil
  3 drops tea tree essential oil
  
  Mix all ingredients together and stir until dry ingredients dissolve. Pour into spray bottle for long-term storage and use. Spray as needed on any surface except glass. Scrub and rinse with a clean damp, cloth.

Keep surfaces dry and the humidity in your home low. Bacteria and fungi love moist, warm places.

Other Resources: Alliance for the Prudent Use of Antibiotics (APUA)

12 Ways to Keep Your Toy Box Safe and Eco-friendly

by Janelle Sorensen

Toy recalls from reputable brands make headlines almost every day. And, even though recalls are difficult to keep up with, they still only address a limited amount of risks. In fact, there are a wide variety of synthetic chemicals or heavy metals that could be used in your child’s toys - many of which we have limited understanding of potential health and developmental impacts. And, what about the bigger environmental picture of the pollution created when making or disposing of toys? When did playtime become so complicated?

garryknight /
CC BY-SA 2.0

Here are 12 ways you can reclaim the fun and reduce the worries when it comes to playtime. Make your toy box healthier for your child and the planet.

1. Go au natural. Look for toys made of natural materials like solid woods (with no finish or a non-toxic finish) and organic textiles (cotton, wool, felt, etc).
2. Simplify. Buying fewer toys is much better for the planet (and your pocketbook!
3. Re-purpose. Can something you already have be used as a toy? An empty box or set of stainless steel bowls can provide hours of happy play.
4. Look for items that will last. High quality toys may cost a bit more, but they will last much longer and can be handed down to younger children. Likewise, you’re more apt to get money back out of them if you decide to sell.
5. Read labels. What’s this toy made of? Where does it come from? Get to know a toy before you buy it.
6. Look for local. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by buying local. If you’re looking at global supplies, opt for European, Canadian or Japanese imports as other countries may have lax toy regulations.
7. Opt for open-ended toys. Look for items that encourage creativity and are capable of being used for many different types of play. Wooden blocks, colorful scarves, smooth stones, and even cardboard boxes can be the foundation for innumerable creative adventures.
8. Avoid cheap jewelry and kids’ cosmetics. Both of these types of dress-up products are high-risk. Cheap jewelry often has high lead levels and kids’ cosmetics can have any number of questionable chemicals.
9. Purge plastics. Okay, this is near impossible these days, but make your best effort. If you do buy plastic, look for safer plastics like those labeled #1, 2, 4, or 5 in the chasing arrows symbol usually found on the bottom of the product. Not labeled? Call the manufacturer.
10. Text for Healthy Toys. HealthyToys.org is a database to help you find safer toys. You can even access it from your mobile phone. Just text key words and you’ll receive information immediately regarding any testing that’s been done.
11. Print a pocket guide. Download the Healthy Toys Pocket Shopping Guide (PDF file) so you always have tips and safer toy recommendations on hand.
12. Sign-up for recall alerts. The Consumer Product Safety Commission posts recalls online, as does the website recalls.gov. If a toy you own is recalled, take it away immediately and follow the company’s instructions on how to get a safe replacement.

Bonus tip: Have fun! Play time isn’t about what you have, it’s about what you do. Get down and dirty with your kids. Laugh and simply enjoy spending time together.

Related Topics:

• Beware Toxic Toys
• VIDEO: Child-Safe Toys
• 10 Affordable Ways to Make Your House – And the World – Safer and Healthier

How to Make Safer, Healthier Meat Choices

Healthy Child Healthy World

specialkrb / CC BY-ND 2.0

Meat and poultry can be part of a healthy well-balanced diet. They are good sources of protein, iron, calcium, vitamin D and other nutrients, but these foods also can contain toxic pollutants at varying levels, including dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), flame retardants, and arsenic. If your diet is largely based on meats, it's time to learn to moderate. There is such thing as too much of a good thing!

Here are some facts about meat and poultry:

• Meat and dairy products contain animal fat and, therefore, can contain higher levels of certain toxic chemicals that accumulate in fat, like dioxins, brominated flame retardants and PCBs. Besides being "fat - friendly," these chemicals persist in the environment and in living tissues.


• Daily meat consumption could put you at increased risk for a variety of cancers, according to U.S. government health researchers. The more red meat and processed meat you eat, the greater your risk may be.


• According to the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy at least 70 percent of conventionally raised broiler chickens in the U.S. are fed arsenic. The most common additive is roxarsone, an "organic" form of arsenic, once thought medically benign. Once ingested by animals, however, roxarsone can degrade into cancer-causing inorganic forms of arsenic within the animal's digestive tract and in animal waste. Roxarsone is FDA-approved for growth promotion, feed efficiency and "improved pigmentation" of meat. Significantly, the 27 countries of the European Union have never approved this practice as safe.

You can reduce your family's exposure by making smarter choices:

1. 1. Select lean meat cuts and cut off visible fat before cooking. Use lower-fat cooking methods including broiling, grilling, roasting or pressure-cooking (cooking and preparation methods can reduce dioxin levels by up to half.)


2. Look for meats raised without synthetic hormones. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits the use of hormones in the raising of hogs or poultry in the United States. Therefore, there's no need to shell out extra money for pork and poultry products that carry the "no hormones administered." However, the USDA does allow the use of a number of hormones on beef. Beef that is labeled as "no hormones administered" is considered to be free from any added hormones over the lifetime of the animal and therefore does imply that the manufacturer has gone beyond USDA regulations for conventional meat production. Use of the term "hormone free" is considered "unapprovable" by USDA on any meat products.


3. Buy organic. Try to buy certified organic pork, beef and poultry from animals raised without use of antibiotics, genetic engineering, irradiation, sewage sludge and artificial ingredients.


4. Look for grass-fed beef. Beef from grass-fed cattle is leaner, lower in fat and calories, while higher in vitamin E16 and antioxidants than beef from cattle raised on a corn diet. It is also lower in saturated fats and higher in omega-3 fats. One study showed eating grass-fed beef helped reduce "bad" cholesterol and increased "good" cholesterol. Cattle raised on pasture rather than on corn-based diets also may be less susceptible to contamination with E. coli and other disease-causing bacteria.


5. Eat less! The easiest and most affordable way to reduce your exposure to the contaminants that may be in meat and poultry is to eat less of it. Try making some of your meals meat-free and when you do eat meat, try smaller portions.

Learn more at Eat Healthy.

Related Topics:

• Video: The Greener Refrigerator

Does Your Child's,Halloween Face Paint Contain Lead and Heavy Metals?

Healthy Child Healthy World

sara.atkins/
CC BY 2.0

According to recent product tests, many children's face paints contain lead, which can impact brain development at extremely low doses, as well as nickel, cobalt and chromium, which can cause rashes and lifelong skin sensitization. Because these substances are not listed on product labels, parents shopping for Halloween make-up have no way of knowing which products are safe. While this is particularly concerning for parents at this time of year, the lack of cosmetic safety standards is a problem that extends to all cosmetics sold in the United States.

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, a national coalition of nonprofit health and environmental groups, sent 10 children's face paints to an independent lab to test for heavy metals, and also reviewed ingredient labels of Halloween products sold at a seasonal holiday store. The findings include:

• Ten out of 10 children's face paints contained lead at levels ranging from .05 to .65 parts per million (ppm)


• Six out of 10 children's face paints contained the potent skin allergens chromium, nickel and/or cobalt at levels ranging from 1.6 to 120 ppm - far exceeding safety recommendations of industry studies of 1 ppm


• Snazaroo Face Paint, labeled as "non-toxic" and "hypoallergenic," contained some of the highest levels of lead, nickel and cobalt found in the study

sara.atkins/
CC BY 2.0

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control specifically recommends that parents avoid using cosmetics on their children that could be contaminated with lead. "Lead is dangerous to the developing brains of children at any level. It is now widely accepted in the scientific community that there is no threshold level below which lead is safe," said Dr. Phil Landrigan, Director, Children's Environmental Health Center Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Nickel, cobalt and chromium are top allergens in children, and early-life exposures increase the chance that kids will become sensitized and develop contact dermatitis. None of the four heavy metals found in the face paints were listed on product labels because contaminants are exempt from labeling laws.

sara.atkins/
CC BY 2.0

The report also found several other hazardous ingredients in Halloween hair-color sprays and make-up products, including butane (persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic), thiram (possible carcinogen), alumina (toxic to the brain), propylene glycol (possible carcinogen) and the dyes pigment green 7 and pigment blue 15, which are not approved by FDA for use in cosmetics.

"Parents should not have to worry that face paint contains lead and other hazardous substances. Companies are not making the safest products possible for children, even though children are particularly vulnerable to toxic exposures," said Lisa Archer, national coordinator of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics from the Breast Cancer Fund.

"It is clear the system is broken - we need to update the laws so that companies are required to remove lead and all other harmful substances from body-care products, and make the safest products possible." In the meantime, here are some tips for a safer Halloween:

Choose costumes without face paint or masks (which can also have toxicity problems, as well as safety concerns due to interference with vision and breathing), or make your own face paint from natural products and ingredients.

sara.atkins/
CC BY 2.0

Founding members of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics include Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, Breast Cancer Fund, Clean Water Fund, Commonweal, Environmental Working Group, Friends of the Earth, Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition, National Black Environmental Justice Network, National Environmental Trust and Women's Voices for the Earth.

Take Action!
Support safety: Sign the Petition for Safe Cosmetics, which calls for the removal of toxic chemicals in all cosmetics and personal care products - from face paint to baby shampoo, and body lotion to deodorant.

Additional resources:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Lead Prevention Tips
• FDA: Hypoallergenic Products

What's in Your Carpet? You May Not Want to Know

Healthy Child Healthy World

Andy Melton / CC BY-SA 2.0

Most homes have carpet in them somewhere, but one problem with carpeting is that it's a perfect home to microorganisms such as mold, mildew and dust mites. It is also a reservoir for everything you track indoors on your shoes: soil, lawn chemicals, lead dust, asbestos fibers from automotive brake linings, animal feces, and anything else found on the ground outdoors.
Wall-to wall carpeting is virtually impossible to clean thoroughly, but here are some tips to help:

1. Encourage family members to remove shoes upon entrance into the home. Pesticides, pollutants and dirt come indoors on shoes and are tracked onto carpets. If going shoeless is not acceptable to family members, suggest that they wear house shoes (that don't go outside), slippers or socks.


2. Vacuum two or more times per week. Frequent vacuuming helps reduce the level of dust mites, which trigger asthma and allergy attacks. It also means getting rid of surface dirt on carpets before it has a chance to get ground in. A vacuum cleaner with strong suction, rotating brushes and a HEPA filter, so the dirt and dust won't get blown back out in the exhaust, is best. Go back and forth over the same spot several times, especially in high traffic areas, to get all of the dirt and dust!


3. Clean up spills on carpets immediately to prevent stains. Soak up liquid spills by covering them with clean white (or light-colored) towels or paper towels. Scrape sticky substances off carpets with a spatula or spoon. Don't rub the spill. That will damage carpet fibers and make the stain spread. To clean the stain, mix 1 cup warm water and 1/2 teaspoon mild liquid soap, such as dishwashing liquid or fine fabric detergent. Apply a small amount, blot by pressing a clean white towel into the carpet and lift. Then repeat the process until the stain is removed. Don't scrub. Be patient. After stain is removed, rinse the area with a solution a few teaspoons of white vinegar to one cup water and blot with another clean towel.


4. Use household ingredients to clean carpet stains. Club soda removes red wine stains. Use an ice cube to harden gum and candle wax, then scrape off. Sprinkle greasy stains with baking soda, corn starch or corn meal. Let stand six hours or overnight. Then vacuum. Mix 1/3 cup vinegar with 2/3 cup warm water and apply to the stain. Then blot with a clean towel and repeat until the stain comes clean.


5. As a last resort carpet stain remover, try rubbing alcohol or hydrogen peroxide. Test first on a hidden spot of the carpet as either substance may lighten or bleach the carpet. Apply a small amount to the stain, then blot with a clean, white towel. Repeat until the stain is gone.


6. Use baking soda to remove odor from carpets. Carpet deodorizers and fresheners often contain fragrances that merely mask the smell. Baking soda soaks up the odor. Just sprinkle baking soda over the surface of the carpet. Let it stand for 15 - 30 minutes. Then vacuum.


7. Steam clean carpets with plain water. Don't bother with the detergent. Just use water and operate the machine as directed. The hot water will remove a considerable amount of dirt, even without detergent. Alternatively, use a mixture of 1 cup white vinegar and 2-1/2 gallons of water. (Add another cup of vinegar for a stronger solution.) This is an effective way to remove shampoo residues from earlier cleaning attempts.


8. Ventilate well during and after carpet cleaning. To speed drying time and prevent mold growth, keep windows open and use fans. Avoid carpet cleaning on humid or damp days.

Related Topic:

• Video: Sofa and Carpet Choices
• The Best Non-Toxic Ways to Clean Your Home

Green Halloween: Costumes, Treats and More

by Janelle Sorensen

Healthy Child Healthy World

Halloween is creeping up fast, but if your kids are like mine (they can't decide on a costume), then you still have time to pick an earth-friendly option. And, if you are like me (procrastinate until the last minute), then you still have time to buy healthy treats. Here's a quick rundown of some of the great green ideas that have been shared with me over the past few weeks:

• TREATS: The Tranquil Parent has some tasty ideas for healthier treats in addition to our own blog on Thinking Outside the Candy Box and Sustainablog highlights a really great reusable Halloween bag to carry your haul in.


• CRAFTS AND DÉCOR: The Tree Hugging Family has been posting awesome green Halloween ideas all month like non-toxic face paints and recycled Halloween crafts. Find wonderfully wicked green décor over at Green Living.


• COSTUMES: The Green Baby Guide has some interesting ideas for DIY costumes and even though TeensyGreen doesn't celebrate Halloween, she still shares some great ideas and resources for doing it green including the Inhabitots Green Halloween Contest. Amy from Craft Magazine sent me cute costume ideas (Bee, Monkey, Lego, Sushi, Pirate) that can be made from materials you probably have lying around your house (or you can easily pick up from a thrift store).

For a ton of other great ideas visit Green Halloween or the Retro Housewife.

Happy Haunting!

Getting Your Child's School or Day Care Center to Clean Green

by Janelle Sorensen

Photo: Healthy Child Healthy World

You've made the switch to safer cleaners at home, but what about when your child is off at daycare or school? The chemicals in institutional cleaning products can cause a wide range of major health problems for children, including respiratory irritation and increased risk of cancer.

Luckily, safer cleaning products are now widely available and cost effective. As a result, child care centers and schools across the country are switching to green cleaners to improve health, increase staff performance, lessen adverse environmental impacts, reduce potential liabilities, and save money. (Yes, switching to green cleaning does have all of these benefits - talk about win, win, win.)

How do you get your childcare provider or school to make the switch?

1. Get informed. Use the resources listed below to get up to speed on the benefits of going green and the tools available to help schools and child care centers make the switch. It's much easier for them to address the "problem" if you have solutions in hand.


2. Inform others. Once you understand the problem and solution, talk to other parents, teachers, the school nurse, anyone who'll lend you a sympathetic ear. You want to have an influential group of people to help support your effort as you move forward.


3. Talk to someone with the authority to do something. That may be your school's superintendent, a school board member or the manager of your child care center, or they may direct you straight to whomever is in charge of maintaining the facility.


4. Approach every person you talk to as an ally, not an enemy. Remember the fundamentals of How to Win Friends and Influence People - like not criticizing people, showing appreciation for their work, smiling. Trust me, you will get much farther much faster if you employ kindness, gratitude, and diplomacy. You want to be seen as an invaluable asset, not as an incessant nag.


5. Give people the benefit of the doubt that they are doing their job to the best of their ability. School and child care professionals are typically overworked, underpaid, with a lot to do and inadequate funding to get it done. Make yourself available. Keep asking "what can I do to help?"

Here are some resources to get you started:

Creating Healthy Environments for Children: Easy Steps for Homes, Child Care Centers and Schools
Cleaning For Healthy Schools Toolkit
Healthy Schools Network Guide to Green Cleaning
Healthy Schools Campaign Quick and Easy Guide to Green Cleaning in Schools
Green Clean Schools Free Webinar Series
ChildSafe Cleaning Products