Average Joe Goes Green - Part 5 - Our Family's Health

As you may recall, my last article focused on the health considerations of Going Green. It has become clear to me that in a totally free enterprise system, we cannot totally depend on our governments to protect us and we need to stay informed and educated. Many of you have written in asking me about the safety of specific name brand household items. Unfortunately, I cannot legally advise you on which products you should or should not buy, but I can give you some tips on what you can be looking out for when doing your shopping.

For example, there are many plastic products made from polycarbonates such as water bottles, food storage containers and children’s toys. One of the ingredients of polycarbonates is a chemical called Bisphenol A which in laboratory tests has been found to cause acute toxicity and what is known as estrogenicity as it’s effects can mirror hormones. While many government agencies worldwide such as Health Canada have deemed Bisphenol A as a “toxin” especially to infants and toddlers, and have banned this material from being used to produce baby bottles and toys, here in the U.S., our EPA has deemed the product “safe”. Fortunately, due to the media attention, several manufacturers (but not all), while not admitting there is anything unsafe about polycarbonates, are switching their products to other materials.

Another example involves the chemical Atrazine which is used as a commercial weed killer. Over 76 million pounds are applied each year in the US. Due to several independent studies showing adverse health indicators, the chemical was banned throughout the European Union several years ago. However, the product continues to be sold and used throughout the U.S. The irony is that Atrazine is manufactured and supplied by a large Swiss Agri-company.

So who would you believe? When it comes to my family, I choose to err on the side of safety. As long as there are proven safe and green alternatives to products we normally use, even if they may be slightly more expensive, that’s the road we are going to take.

Next issue: the dreaded garage. We all hate the thought of cleaning our garage, but it’s time for Spring Cleaning. I’ll let you know what I find in ours.

Keith Winn is the COO of GreenProfit Solutions, Inc. which assists businesses in becoming environmentally responsible. You may view their website at www.greenprofitsolutions.com or e-mail Keith at kwinn@greenprofitsolutions.com .