Growing Up Green
Welcome to Growing Up Green, our resource for parents and other caregivers! Once a month, we'll provide easy tips on choosing the safest products for children, including baby bottles, bibs, sunscreen, and much more.
There's More To Your Floor
If you have kids in the house, you know there’s more to your floor than just a pretty surface to walk on—it’s a primary play space for kids. Certain types of flooring can put children at risk for toxic exposures, so when it’s time to remodel, choosing a flooring material that won’t jeopardize indoor air quality and is easily cleaned is important to maintaining a healthy home. Here are some selection tips to help you shop.
Avoiding Chemical Cuisine
Parents in a hurry might be tempted to rely on the convenience of processed food: pre-sliced and pre-packaged, ready to quickly toss into little hands for eating on the go. We’ve all heard the saying “you are what you eat,” and current research shows it’s more important than ever to choose foods wisely for your family. Scientists believe the single largest source of exposure to the hormone disruptors phthalates and bisphenol A is diet, likely by contamination through industrial food processing and packaging.
The Dirt on Common Cleaning Myths
New parents get advice on all sorts of topics, including cleaning: Use disinfecting wipes on every surface your baby touches and she’ll never get sick! Your kid’s hands aren’t washed clean until the soap smell proves it! In the media and at the store we’re deluged with messages on the best way for busy moms and dads to clean homes so that our kids are safe and healthy. Unfortunately some of these messages are misleading and end up selling us cleaning products with chemical ingredients that may do more harm than good.
Raise A Glass To Clean Water!
Your tap water may be safe, but is it healthy? In 2009, the Environmental Working Group analyzed water quality data submitted by states to the EPA, which enforces the Safe Water Drinking Act. It found that 316 different contaminants were identified in tap water, but that 202 of those are not subject to any government regulations for drinking water!
Healthy Holiday Gift Guide 2011
The holidays should bring fun and good cheer, not worries about whether toxic ingredients in toys or other products may harm our loved ones. Before you go shopping, check out our tips for picking out the healthiest gifts for children and others this holiday season:
Vacuum Away Toxic Chemicals
Vacuuming is not just for keeping up appearances! It’s actually an easy way to reduce unnecessary chemical exposure and common allergens in your home. Household dust contains many ingredients - some you’d expect, like pet dander, tracked-in soil, and dust mites. However, industrial chemicals like flame retardants, pesticides and heavy metals are also lurking in dust bunnies.
Lighten Your (Chemical) Load
All those products we use to make our clothes clean might take care of the dirt and grease, but they can leave nasty chemicals behind! Luckily, there are plenty of ways to get your laundry squeaky clean without the toxic chemicals.
Creativity Without Chemicals
Creating art together is a lovely way to spend time with children. And since art materials are everywhere in our homes and schools, we tend to think of them as safe. Yet many contain dangerous chemicals like solvents, heavy metals, formaldehyde preservatives and phthalates.
Pesticide-free Parks For Summer Fun!
With the kids out of school, what better way to enjoy a nice summer day than spending a few hours at the park? Kids get a good outlet for all their extra energy and parents get to soak up some much-needed summer sun. But before you pack up the picnic basket and load everybody in the car, you should consider finding a pesticide-free park in your area.
Stay Safe In The Sun
Finally the sun is shining in our Pacific Northwest, tempting us outside to soak in its warmth. Before running outdoors you apply a little sunscreen with a high SPF to protect from sunburn and skin cancer. You’re good to go, right? Read on . . .
Get Bugs to Buzz Off!
Summer is finally here, which means long days and evenings outdoors to enjoy the gorgeous weather! However, that means bugs and mosquitoes are out in force too, and being covered in itchy bites is no fun. We’ve got all the advice you need to keep the bugs away so you can play!
Keep Construction Clean
Spring is here and the upcoming warmer, dryer months are a great time to tackle remodeling projects! Before you or your contractor start any demolition, make sure to find out if there is lead paint in the house.
We've Gotta Be Clean
If you have a child in school or daycare, sanitizers and disinfectants are probably part of your child’s life. But many of these products contain toxic ingredients and are generally not necessary to protect health. In fact, some evidence points to overly sterile environments as possibly leading to more asthma and allergies. There are safer, effective ways to reduce germs at home and at school.
Green and Healthy Grass
It’s almost spring, time to make sure you lawn is in shape for the munchkins to play on. The good news—you can have a good looking lawn that is safe for your little ones and pets to play on and safe for aquatic life too.
Keep Furry Friends Flea Free
You wouldn’t feed your dog chocolate, so why would you use toxic flea bombs and powders? They’re bad for you and your furry friends! But to keep the itchy pests out of your home, it’s helpful to understand how fleas like to live.
Don’t flush it down—it goes to the Sound!
Parents spend lots of time working to keep their kids safe and healthy, but did you know things you use every day could be hurting other babies in Puget Sound? An orca mom can’t do much to protect her calf against things like BPA and PFCs, but you can help keep baby orcas and other Sound wildlife healthy by protecting the watershed. Here’s a list of tips to help keep toxic compounds out of Puget Sound!
Healthy Holiday Gift Guide 2010
Watching a child unwrap a toy can be a joy indeed: wide eyed anticipation, gap-toothed grins and squeals of delight. A thoughtfully chosen toy will provide hours of fun without worry about harmful chemicals.
Prepare a Tasty, Toxic-free Feast!
Want to give thanks without toxic chemicals crashing the celebration? We’ve come up with a few suggestions for a toxic-free turkey day!
Makeup Makeover for Teens and Tweens
Little bundles of joy—you wrapped them in organic cotton blankets, made sure their milk was hormone-free and their food had no preservatives. You raised them green—until now that is, when puberty is at your doorstep. Those precious little ones are now talking cosmetics, nail polish, shaving cream, hair products and acne remedies; products that may contain hormonally active chemicals and preservatives.
Get Ahead of Lice
Uh oh, it's actually not dandruff. Many a parent knows that awful realization that somehow, her child's hair has become infested with head lice. But contrary to popular belief, there's no need to panic and rush to the store for a bottle of Super Strong Lice Killer! Your best bet is safe, simple, and effective tools like a steel comb.
