from Ms.
Clean Is BackLong ago, when cleaning was in the hands of women, the ingredients were safe, effective and natural. Cleaning the home was about caring for the home. Somewhere along the line, science and marketing took over, and cleaning products became male. Macho cleaners showed up. The new chemicals were powerful fighters, killers in fact. These big-profit products were great for the corporate bottom line. Meanwhile, they were a disaster to what really counts—our health and our world. . . It's time to put some female energy back into cleaning. . . So let's make this simple. Few of us want to spend a lot of time cleaning, or even thinking about cleaning. We want our home to be clean, healthy, and we want to spend as little time as possible making it that way. Here's the plan.
on toxins in plastic, minimizing the use of plastics, hormone-altering chemicals, safe toys, food wrap, food storage
from Need To
Know: PlasticA word before we get into the details. Relax. What's done is done. Keep this in mind as you read, or you'll get so hung up on guilt and fear you'll forget that: first, our bodies are designed to fight toxins, and second, it's not too late to change. Don't get depressed—get the message instead, and do what you can do from here on.
on buying a table, natural furniture, natural furniture care, eating meals together
from Choosing A TableI think the table is the most important piece of furniture in a home. In fact, the table is home for us. It's the watering hole, the gathering place, the solid ground. . . Deciding on a table can't be about pleasing anyone else—not a decorator or a salesman at a store. A table is more than a thing—you want your table to become a member of the family, an old friend, a part of the group.
on buying natural, non-toxic carpet, natural carpet and rug care
from
The Lowdown On CarpetI wouldn't try to talk you out of using carpet. We all have our own ideas of what feels like home. What I'm out to do is convince you to lay carpet safely. I was floored by the facts on the toxic chemicals used to make, treat and install carpet. It's just plain senseless to expose ourselves and our children to poisons when there are plenty of ways to get the look and feel we want without compromising our health.
on natural parenting ideas, natural home ideas
from
The Nature Table The table soon became overwhelmed with nature, so I cleared the top of a chest nearby, and designated it our nature table. Children who visit make a beeline to the spot, and just stand there for a while, looking and touching. Adult friends sort of wander over. There's little said, no real need for words, but when they turn from the table, their mood seems to have changed. You can tell they feel welcome—more at home than a few minutes before.
on natural non-toxic pest control, getting rid of pesticides in the home, dangers of pesticides
from
Getting The Bugs Out
Sometimes I wonder if all the bug sprays we've been exposed to over the years have fogged our brains (it's possible, actually, since some of the ingredients are nerve gases). Look, I'm not comfortable with creepy crawlers in the house, either. But it's insane to risk our health, and especially the health of our children, to get rid of a trail of ants or a few cockroaches that skitter through the kitchen.
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Copyright 1996-2007. All rights reserved.
No portion of the publication may be reprinted without permission from the publisher.
Printed with soy-based ink on non-chlorine-bleached, 50% post-consumer recycled paper.
None of the information on health is meant to take the place of consulting with a health practitioner when necessary.
Copyright 1996-2007. All rights reserved.
No portion of the publication may be reprinted without permission from the publisher.
Printed with soy-based ink on non-chlorine-bleached, 50% post-consumer recycled paper.
None of the information on health is meant to take the place of consulting with a health practitioner when necessary.