Table of Contents
Top 10 No-Cost Ways to Create a Healthier Home 10
Introduction 11
01 How Healthy Is Your Home? 13
Redefining the Meaning of Health 14
Causes for Concern 16
Where the Problems Come From 18
New Homes versus Old Homes 21
Do You Have to Change Your Lifestyle? 23
02 Common Household Dangers 25
Mold 26
Lead 28
Radon 32
Carbon Monoxide 35
03 Indoor Air Quality 41
The Problem with Indoor Air 42
Dust and Dust Mites 44
Heating Systems 47
Air Fresheners 49
Keeping Your Air Clean 52
Air Filtration Systems 54
04 Water Quality 59
Safe Drinking Water Act 60
Drinking Water Contaminants 61
Testing Your Water 65
Filtering Your Tap Water 66
Bottled Water 69
05 EMFs and Radiation 73
Radiation 74
What Is an EMF? 77
EMF Sources in the Home 79
Microwaves 81
Cell Phones 82
Sunlight 83
06 Decorating Your Home 87
Furniture-The Hard Elements 88
Furniture-The Soft Elements 90
Paints 92
Window Coverings 94
Throw Pillows and Blankets 96
Lighting 96
Candles 97
07 Flooring 101
What Flooring Will Work Best for You? 102
Pros and Cons of Flooring Materials 104
Anatomy of a Carpet 105
Hard Flooring 107
Area Rugs 110
Existing Flooring 112
08 Kitchen 115
Nonstick Cookware 116
Plastics in the Kitchen 118
Avoiding BPA 120
Avoiding Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) 123
Avoiding Polystyrene 124
Proper Food Storage 126
Exhaust Fans 127
09 Cleaning Products 131
Dangers of Household Cleaners 132
How You Are Exposed 133
Unhealthy Cleaners 134
DIY Solutions 136
Purchasing Green Cleaners 138
Specific Cleaning Concerns 139
10 Bathroom 145
Shower Curtain 146
Shower Filtration 147
Towels 150
Toilet Paper 152
Bath Mats 153
Medicine Cabinet 154
11 Killing Germs 157
Not All Germs Are Bad 158
Antibacterials 161
Hand Sanitizers versus Hand Washing 164
Disinfectants 166
Steam Cleaning 167
12 Personal Care Products and Cosmetics 171
Shocking Truths about Cosmetic Regulations 172
Avoiding Unhealthy Ingredients 174
Label Claims 177
Cleaning Up Your Cosmetics 178
Shopping for Cosmetics 180
13 Bedroom 185
Mattress Risks 186
Choosing a Healthy Mattress 188
Pillows 191
Bedding 193
Adding Comfort and Protection to Your Bed 195
14 Babies and Children 197
Why Children Have Different Needs 198
Cribs and Bedding 199
Diapers 202
Bottles 204
Food 205
Toys 207
15 Pets 211
Why Pets Are More Vulnerable 212
Common Household Toxins 213
Toys 214
Sleeping Areas 216
Bathing and Grooming Products 217
Flea and Tick Control 219
Cat Litters 221
16 Pest Control 225
Products Designed to Kill 226
Methods of Exposure 228
Human Health Problems 230
Fix the Causes First 231
Alternative Ways to Kill Pests 234
17 Less Toxic Pesticides 235
Hiring a Professional 237
Lawn and Garden 241
Weed Killers 242
Fertilizers 245
Lawn Equipment 247
Professional Lawn Care 249
Eco-Friendly Landscaping 251
18 Outdoor Living 257
Pools 258
Hot Tubs 260
Hazardous Materials in the Garage 262
Decking and Play Sets 265
19 At Work 271
Electronics 272
Work Locations 273
The Most Common Workplace Offender 274
What You Can Do 277
Fighting for a Healthier Work Environment 279
20 Encouraging a Healthy School 283
Lack of Regulation 284
Environmental Hazards 285
Parental Support 289
Talking to Teachers 290
Suggest Alternatives 291
Outfit Your Child 293
Appendix A Further Reading 295
Appendix B Organizations That Support a Healthy Home 297
Index 299
