Greening the Cleaning

We keep hearing this term, “green.” Think green, live green, be green. Whether you believe that global warming is happening / is a real problem, we can all agree that our future generations can only benefit from us taking care of our planet and preserving precious resources.

Beyond the benefit to our landscapes, atmosphere and environment, being green can often mean health benefits, too. For example, we use hundreds of chemicals around our homes and workplace, and inhale an average of 15 to 45 chemicals a day. Some of them are harmful and toxic to our bodies. While no single product is highly dangerous, when you add the effects of breathing hairspray, room spray, window cleaner, degreaser, tile cleaner and the like…it can be harmful to your health over time – at least in the expert opinion of researchers, doctors, nutritionists and other health professionals.

Because today’s consumer uses so many products in the process of cleaning our homes, we are exposed to more than the manufacturers projected when they created their individual product. It is the sum total of chemicals that we should be concerned about. Many believe that these unnatural, toxic substances contribute to cancer and other health problems.

It is logical to think that our bodies were designed to take in and process normal, natural things found in our environment. Whenever we introduce something unnatural and chemical based, it is not good for us. It is not clearly known how the body absorbs or deals with these substances. But we can make an educated guess that unnatural, toxic substances can do damage to our cells and cause harm in our bodies.

Unfortunately, there is little regulation of cleaning chemicals, and virtually no labeling requirements to let people know to what they are exposing themselves (and the earth). Companies select ingredients for cleaning products to enhance the product’s performance, but we know little about many of the chemical ingredients – the short and long term effects of them have never been studied or reported. With about 80,000 chemicals in common use, there are some that could have as-yet unknown toxic effects.

So “going green” around the home and office supports health for us and our planet. On today’s market there is now a wide assortment of non-toxic, environmentally friendly cleaning and household products. Online and in grocery stores, you can now find biodegradable, user-friendly and environmentally friendly cleaners of all kinds, including dish and laundry detergent, glass cleaner – even shampoo.

In addition to green cleaners, you can replace chemical-based cleaners with natural cleaning agents. For example, to clean your house, you can do fine with some baking soda and vinegar. A little vinegar rubbed onto glass with a wad of crumpled newspaper gives you a streak-free shine on windows. For more tips on green cleaning and living, there are many sources online, such as http://www.care2.com/greenliving/.

Green Fact:
If every household in the US replaced one 100 ounce bottle of 2X ultra petroleum based laundry detergent with a vegetable oil based detergent (such as the Seventh Generation brand), our country could save 460,000 barrels of oil – enough to heat 27,000 homes.

Consumers are wise to go green when they clean, or at least, go partially green and natural, and reduce the volume and variety of chemicals you use in your home. It can’t hurt, and the planet will thank you later.