Make 2017 your year to be the healthiest version of yourself ever. From now on, make a commitment to avoid the dangerous chemicals and ingredients that are in so many commercial products. Chemicals and ingredients like sodium laurel sulfate and BPA have been linked to depression, endocrine disruption and even diseases like cancer. This doesn’t even include the negative impact on the environment that many products have. The great news is, it’s getting easier to switch out harmful products with healthier alternatives. To get you started, here are five green products you should be using.
1. Kitchen Towels
Just over 100 years ago, paper towels didn’t exist. It wasn’t until 1907 that paper towels were introduced to the market. Now, paper towels are so commonly used, especially in the United States, that the effect on the environment can’t go unnoticed. In fact, paper towels account for a large part of the earth’s sustainability problems. Remember that paper towels are made from trees just as writing paper and toilet tissue.
It’s easy to use kitchen towels in place of paper towels for wiping up spills and drying hands. Simply invest in more kitchen towels and be prepared to launder them regularly.
2. Stainless Steel or Glass Water Bottles
Most people are averse to drinking tap water. In many cities and towns across the country, tap water has been so polluted with fluoride and bleach that it has an unappealing “off” taste. That’s understandable, but the answer isn’t buying pallets of plastic water bottles. In the U.S. alone, there are over 2 million plastic bottles in landfills. Also, the BPA in those plastic bottles is an endocrine disruptor, which wreaks havoc with hormones.
Instead, get a home water filter and an assortment of glass or stainless steel water bottles to transport water. You’ll save money and the environment.
3. Mason Jars
Food storage is something that everyone needs. But when you use plastic bags and containers to store your food, you’re subjecting your family to more BPA, which is an endocrine disruptor. Even plastic storage without BPA is still made of plastic, which is a product of the petroleum industry, which uses another one of earth’s resources – oil.
Instead, invest in glass Mason jars in various sizes. They are freezer safe and can hold soup and any other leftover imaginable. Since they’re dishwasher safe and reusable, you’ll save money, too.
4. Baking Soda, Salt, and Vinegar
Most commercial cleaning products contain harsh chemicals that are not only bad for you but bad for the environment. Bleach is terrible for your septic system, as it kills the bacteria that degrades household waste.
Use homemade cleaning recipes, and you can get rid of most of the chemicals under your sink. A combination of baking soda and vinegar will get out most laundry stains, while baking soda and salt will get a stainless steel sink sparkling clean.
5. Coconut Oil
Personal care products on store shelves abound with chemicals that are bad for your body. Sodium laurel sulfate can cause all kinds of problems, yet it’s ubiquitous in shampoos and soaps.
For most applications, you can use coconut oil instead. Coconut oil is natural and can be used to wash skin, condition hair and remove makeup without harming you or the environment.
Make the switch to these five green products today. For more information about a healthier home and life, please contact us today.