What YOU can do to reduce toxic exposure

Learn about the products you use in and around your home. Reduce the use of those with toxic substances or better yet, replace them with nontoxic substitutes. The Internet is a wonderful source of information to help you with these choices.

For example...

Replace a traditional solvent degreaser with a water-based degreaser.
Using baking soda and vinegar in place of more hazardous household cleaners.
Use a semi-permanent hair color rather than permanent.
Use low or no formaldehyde pressed-wood products.
Remove items that attract pests around your home to reduce the use of pesticides.
Pull those weeds! Reduce the amount of herbicides you use.
Choose pump spray containers instead of aerosols. Pressurized aerosol products often produce a finer mist that is more easily inhaled. Aerosols also put unnecessary volatile organic chemicals into your indoor air when you use them.
Ask for unbleached paper products or products bleached with hydrogen peroxide or oxygen, which produce less pollution during papermaking.
Purchase a mercury-free fever thermometer (but don’t just throw away your old one that contains mercury).
Recycle! Ecology has a wealth of information about recycling.