If you are concerned for the wellbeing of the environment, your loved ones, extended family and friends choosing to eliminate mainstream cleaners from your home and switch to more natural products may significantly improve your health and the health of the planet.
If you consider yourself to be “an average American” then chances are you are probably using about 25 gallons of toxic and hazardous chemical products in your home each year most of which will be in your household cleaning products. And to add a really scary component to that, more than 50,000 chemicals have entered the market since the 1970’s and by comparison many have not even been tested.
There are a myriad of reasons to switch to more natural, non-toxic cleaning products. In addition to being biodegradable most of these products are also very concentrated which means that you can use a lot less and not only save money for yourself that also means less waste, potentially less shipping and often less packaging. All this will also be a great saving for the environment.
If you are sensitive to harsh fumes, have sensitive skin or other allergies you can use a wide range of products from the kitchen to the bathroom that will keep you and your home clean and green and many of the more natural products will even outperform the traditional alternatives. Many of the ingredients used in the more eco-friendly products also contain ingredients such as vitamin E and aloe vera that can moisturize, smooth and even protect the skin making them very safe for humans including babies, children and even the family pooch.
For those of us who are not environmental scientists wading through the quagmire of information can be quite daunting. Whether you are choosing laundry powder, spray and wipe all purpose cleaners, dishwashing liquids, furniture polish, carpet cleaners, bathroom or furniture cleaners and even your shampoo read the label and check for the following information on the product label;
Free of artificial fragrances, preservatives, colors, phosphates and chlorine, chemical free, non-toxic, no petroleum by products, solvents, fillers or thickeners. The product label may also advise that every ingredient is renewable and Earth friendly with some companies extending their philosophy to a shift in their supply chains to Fair Trade ingredients. The Fair Trade movement has proven to make a significant difference to the lives of thousands of farmers and workers around the world.
You can make a difference to your own personal environment and the global picture by buying from companies that produce household and personal cleaning products made from eco-friendly, renewable ingredients and if possible with a Fair Trade stamp to add that extra benefit.
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