With more than 80,000+ manmade chemicals releasing toxic gaseous chemicals, we’d all be wise to reassess the materials that we feather our nests with. Unfortunately, VOCs are commonly used in the manufacturing of conventional furniture and household décor items (anything that is varnished or made with fiber or particle board, for example), so becoming a keener, greener consumer requires exercising some, if not all, of the following tips:

Create ventilation

Is your home incredibly energy efficient? While you deserve a high five for saving power, the fact that the cracks and crevices in your household are well sealed means that there is little to no airflow. In other words, VOCs are trapped where you don’t want them to be: in your airspace.

Breathe a lot easier by installing a ceiling fan in your living room to draw pollutants out of the nearest open window(s) — and keep the fresh air flowing whenever the weather allows by habitually opening your windows.

Kick carpet to the curb

Cushy and attractive though they may be, modern-day carpeting options are generally made of woven, chemically laden polypropylene, nylon or polyester fibers derived specifically from petroleum.

The carpet pad beneath is also cause for concern (as is the glue used to tack it down to the underlying foundation) because both are particularly prominent sources of VOCs. If removing the carpet in your household is fiscally impossible, consider investing in a highly rated HEPA vacuum cleaner.

Green up your household environment with potted plants

They look attractive and remind us of just how centering Mother Nature can be, but potted greenery such as heart leaf philodendrons, gerbera daisies, anthuriums, spider plants, peace lilies, epiphytic bromeliads, palms, rubber plants, chrysanthemums, golden pothos and ferns are also capable of filtering 87% of common airborne toxins out of our indoor environment every 24 hours and reducing dust particles by a not-too-shabby 20%, as well! Seems like a trip to your local home improvement center or nursery is just what the doctor ordered!

Apply VOC-free paint to your walls

Long after the eggshell white has been rolled or brushed onto the walls of your home, VOCs like acetaldehyde and formaldehyde are still released into the air that your breathe, even if you can’t actually detect that all-too-familiar unpleasant chemically scent. Experts highly recommend “sealing” preexisting paint coats with a primer that encapsulates VOCs (Zinsser B-I-N Primer is a good one to consider) — with the windows wide open! — and then following with a VOC-free paint, which technically contains 5 grams or less of VOCs per liter. Top brands include Ecos Organic Paints and Earth Safe Finishes.

Allow new furniture/décor items to off-gas outside

Not everyone is blessed with an unlimited expense account, so when green, VOC-free household furnishings are fiscally impossible, make a point of allowing any new, conventionally manufactured items to off-gas outside your home for at least 24 hours (frankly, the longer the better).

This tip applies to area rugs, bookshelves, entertainment systems, couches and pretty much any item that releases a chemical scent. If you do just one thing, try to eliminate your exposure to carcinogenic, formaldehyde-emitting wood-paneled furniture pieces all together, no matter how temptingly affordable they may be.

Eliminate all conventional scent-releasing products

You may have a soft spot for plug-in/gel/spray air fresheners and candles, but that irresistible sugar cookie scent wafting through your house is likely created with phthalates, the same chemical compound that triggers hormonal complications, reproductive issues and birth defects as well as asthma and allergic reactions.

Scented products are also commonly laden with other harmful chemicals, too, such as toluene, styrene, glycol ethers, carbolic acid, chlorbenzene and paradichchlorobenzene, all of which pose serious health risks to children and adults alike. Blech!

Add an air purifier

You already have the houseplants, which is good, but your VOC-torching abilities can rise to “great” status simply by coughing up the cash for a machine designed specifically to filter assorted pollutants from your airspace. While the cost varies significantly, the most important features to focus on among available models include those that generate no ozone emissions and are equipped with more than one micro-filter for optimum filtration capabilities.

Neutralize unpleasant scents naturally

Place small ramekins throughout your home filled with naturally deodorizing ingredients such as coffee beans (or recycled coffee grounds), baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice, assorted fresh citrus peels and/or essential oils. You might even take it one step further by cooking up your own stovetop potpourri recipe or simmering white vinegar in a pot for at least half-an-hour for a really effective way to temper stale odors. Ahhh, now that’s the smell of sweet VOC-free success.

First, the sandbox. Some options: a naturally weather-resistant FSC-certified sandbox from Pottery Barn Kids or a composite plastic timbers sandbox made from recycled materials. I’ve learned to avoid sandboxes made with pressure-treated wood. According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), “Many are made of wood preserved with chromated copper arsenate (CCA), the basis of which is arsenic, a carcinogenic chemical that can leach out of CCA-treated wood onto children’s hands and into soil and groundwater.”

Pottery Barn Kids makes eco-friendly, kid-healthy sandboxes.

Next, the sand. This was a little more complicated than I imagined. I thought you could just go to a store and pick up some sand. Boy, was I off base.

As I soon discovered, most play sand contains crystalline silica and traces of tremolite.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) explains, “Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, granite, and many other minerals. Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica. Cristobalite and tridymite are two other forms of crystalline silica. All three forms may become respirable-size particles when workers chip, cut, drill, or grind objects that contain crystalline silica.”

So, is it OK for a sandbox to be, well… dusty?

The OSHA goes on to explain the health concerns: “Crystalline silica has been classified as a human lung carcinogen. Additionally, breathing crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis, which in severe cases can be disabling, or even fatal. The respirable silica dust enters the lungs and causes the formation of scar tissue, thus reducing the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen. There is no cure for silicosis.”

Crystalline silica has been deemed a human carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. In California, there is a warning label on play sand that contains crystalline silica.

Add to that the fibrous mineral tremolite, which is a form of the human carcinogen asbestos, and you have an extremely toxic play environment. Not what I had in mind for my little girls.

According to the EWG, there are a few things you can do:

• Test your local playground’s sand for asbestos; find a lab through the EPA’s asbestos info line: (202) 554-1404.
• In home sandboxes, avoid “all-purpose” sand, which has not been washed to screen out breathable particles. Safe Play Sand sells asbestos- and silica-free sand. Replace sand regularly to avoid contamination.
• In indoor sand tables, use beans or rice instead of sand — not great for molding, but nice for pouring, measuring or bulldozing.
• If a wooden play structure has a greenish tinge, it has almost certainly been treated with copper, if not CCA. Test wood and soil for arsenic with a kit like the Arsenic Quick Wood Field Testing Kit ($26); treated wood should be sealed every six months with water-based sealants, like those from AFM, or latex paint. And always wash children’s hands after they have been playing on any wooden structure, particularly before eating.

Being a mom means having the ability to wear many hats. Some of those include household nurse, chef, referee and event planner. If you’re thinking of having a sandbox in your back yard, you can add amateur toxicologist to the list.

In this case, I wanted more than a “no tears” product — something without an ingredients list filled with items I couldn’t pronounce. My son is now 9, and over the past few years, there seems to have been an explosion in the amount of green kids personal care products available.

When I first started doing my research, I came across a company named California Baby. The products were a bit pricey, but I quickly adopted the attitude that if we don’t pay a premium for safer products now, we will most definitely pay the price later, from a health perspective.

We started off by simply using the combination shampoo and body-wash product, and quickly expanded to lotions, diaper spray, bug spray and sunscreen. In 2004, the Environmental Working Group launched the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database. I was relieved to see that, for the most part, the California Baby products we used were ranked well.

Our foray into eco-friendly personal care products for the kids didn’t stop at skincare. We also researched toothpaste. Over the years, we have tried several different brands, including Burt’s Bees, Tom’s of Maine and Jason Natural. The only one that received a thumbs-up from the kids is the Tom’s of Maine toothpaste. Their favorite flavor is Silly Strawberry, and Tom’s of Maine sells two different varieties: fluoridated and fluoride-free.

And it’s not as hard as you might imagine to get the kids interested in earth-friendly personal care products. I model what I want them to do with their personal care choices by buying earth-friendly and kid-friendly products. My daughter is particularly influenced by friends and the media, so she’ll see things she wants to try. I’ve let her pick out small bottles of shampoo at the store and she always returns to California Baby. The same with toothpaste: Glitter Crest toothpaste looks cool, but Silly Strawberry tastes better.

The benefit that we as parents have is that the kids have really only known these products — we started when my son was an infant. My husband and I are pretty open about the environmental impacts of items, and in turn my kids are turning into green police, informing their friends of their eco-friendly decisions.

As my children get older, I will continue to use the Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database to research new products. Items like deodorant, skincare for teenagers and even makeup for my daughter will need to be as equally eco-friendly as the products they use now.

If you have children, what green personal care products do you love?

I found Organic Essence. Organic Essence is a certified-organic body care company that thinks about how its products are made, how they are packaged and how they perform.

Since Organic Essence is concerned about the ingredients inside the containers as well as the containers themselves and how they are being disposed, the company designed its packaging to reflect this.

So, instead of having singe-use plastic containers for its products, Organic Essence makes them from biodegradable materials. Instead of wondering if a container is recyclable like I do with other skincare products, I can just throw the used container in my compost bin.

The packaging details

Organic Essence uses either an eco-tube or eco-jar to package its products. The biodegradable eco-tube packaging is printed with soy ink on Forest Stewardship Council-certified 100% recycled post-consumer waste paper and is made with an organic adhesive and glaze. The biodegradable eco-jar packaging is also printed with pure soy ink on FSC-certified, 100% post-consumer waste paper and affixed with an organic adhesive and glaze.

The product details

All Organic Essence products are made from USDA-certified organic ingredients, no petrochemicals, no preservatives, no water or fillers, no parabens and no artificial fragrances — just great ingredients that are as good for your body as they are for the environment.

If you are hunting for new skincare products to love, check out Organic Essence. Your skin will thank you, and so will the planet.

When perusing online and brick-and-mortar stores for eco-friendly winter moisturizers, there are many aspects to consider. First are the ingredients, which can contain anything from lanolin (derived from sheep wool) to petrolatum or petroleum jelly (hydrocarbons that originate from oil rigs) and even weird chemicals that you can’t pronounce.

Instead of dealing with these unfamiliar terms and materials that come from animals or destructive oil extraction, you can find sustainable products made from plant-based ingredients that you can recognize.

In addition to what’s inside the product, you also have to be concerned about the outside of the moisturizer as well. Can the packaging be recycled or reused? Is the container made from biodegradable materials? Did the company use minimal packaging? You need to ask these questions before committing to a moisturizer.

Now you’re probably wondering what types of hydrating creams meet these high requirements. Fortunately, there are some companies going above and beyond.

Kiss My Face focuses on natural body care and has been a leader in this category for more than 20 years. This independent company started on a small farm in Gardiner, NY. Some of its hydrating products include but are not limited to the Rosemary Melon Moisturizer, Olive My Body balm and Lavender Shea Ultra Moisturizer.

Pacifica manufactures soaps, body butters and a variety of other scented goodies. Healthy skincare starts with the basics, so it’s beneficial to use a hydrating soap when showering along with a moisturizing cream to seal in your body’s natural oils. Pacifica’s gentle Persian Rose Natural Soap is biodegradable and made from vegetable-based glycerin and oils. Its line of paraben-free body butters includes sumptuous scents including Hawaiian Ruby Guava, Mexican Cocoa and Vanilla Vera Cruz.

Korres, Carol’s Daughter and Lavanila Laboratories are a few more brands that sell moisturizing body products that are formulated without parabens, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), synthetic dyes, sulfates, petrochemicals, phthalates and triclosan.

Entering the world of eco-friendly winter moisturizers is an enlightening and aromatic experience. There are so many luxurious scents and types of hydration (lotion, body butter, cream) to choose from. So, nourish your dry, scaly skin with products that bring out the best parts of our planet.

For many, it’s no mystery that perfumes, colognes and fragrances are harmful. People can suffer from migraines and asthma or feel nauseated when someone walks in the room wearing perfume. This is due to the fact that nearly 95% of all fragrances are made from synthetic chemicals that can have damaging effects. If you experience any adverse reactions from a particular fragrance, discontinue use of it and refrain from being around people who wear that fragrance.

The Environmental Working Group found some surprising results after conducting a study specifically on fragrances, colognes and perfumes. Here’s what they found:

• 16% of the products they reviewed contained ingredients that may cause cancer.
• 5% may contain harmful impurities linked to cancer or other health problems.
• 18% contained penetration enhancers that increase exposures to carcinogens and other ingredients of concern.
• 98% of products contained ingredients not assessed for safety in cosmetics or with insufficient data.
• 76% contained ingredients that are allergens.
• 13% of products posed other potential health concerns.

People suffering from an allergic reaction to the chemicals found in a fragrance will experience a stuffy nose, excessive sneezing, headaches, nausea, difficulty breathing, tingling in the lips or arms and skin reactions. Here’s a list of the most common ingredients and the effects they can have, according to sixwise.com:

Butylated hydroxytoluene: cancer, allergies and other health concerns

Propylene glycol: penetration enhancer, allergies and other health concerns

Methylparaben: allergies and other health concerns

Tetrasodium EDTA: penetration enhancer, allergies and other health concerns

Propylparaben: allergies and other health concerns

PEG-7 glyceryl cocoate: harmful impurities, penetration enhancer, allergies and other health concerns

Diazolidinyl urea: harmful impurities, allergies and other health concerns

Tocopheryl acetate: harmful impurities, allergies and other health concerns

Octyl methoxycinnamate: penetration enhancer, allergies and other health concerns

Octyl salicylate: penetration enhancer, allergies and other health concerns

If you want to wear fragrance that’s all natural and by far cheaper than most designer fragrances, think about essential oils. Some of the most popular essential oils used as a cologne or perfume are patchouli, lavender and rosemary. Most come in a small bottle that will last almost a year when you use a drop or two on a daily basis. Buy body products that are free of synthetic fragrances or any fragrance at all to avoid harmful or allergic effects.

Let me preface my sunscreen recommendation with the fact that I always do my best to avoid sun exposure, especially by my children. As a fair-skinned Arizona native, I know the dangers of sun exposure. We try to wait until the pool is shaded to go swimming, we wear protective clothing and gear when we go hiking and generally avoid the sun as much as possible. However, we can’t stay indoors from sun up until sun down all summer, so when we do go out, we protect our skin.

Our go-to brand for sunscreen, even for the adults, is California Baby. I started using California Baby products when my now 8-year-old was an infant. The brand has several fragrance-free versions of sunscreen available, and each has received a score of a 1 or 2 (recommended) from the Environmental Working Group’s Skin Deep Cosmetic Safety Database.

The primary ingredient in the California Baby sunscreen is titanium dioxide, and while there are some mild health concerns associated with titanium dioxide, it is much safer than many of the other products on the market. California Baby sunscreen does not contain the chemicals that earn other sunscreen products a score of 7 or higher, which is the score given to products that the EWG recommends the public avoid.

The California Baby product line is healthier for your children and the environment, but the company’s business model is also sustainability minded. California Baby products are packaged in recyclable HDPE #2 plastic, the company uses recycled paper with soy ink, no boxes or clamshells are used for shipping and biodegradable packing peanuts are used in place of Styrofoam for protection. In addition, California Baby recycles all of its own production and packaging plastic.

California Baby isn’t the only healthier choice for sunscreen out there, but it is the brand that I’ve been using for eight years now. I still recommend avoiding the sun when possible, but there are times when it is unavoidable, and when those times come, I’m thankful to have a product like California Baby to use.

One of the Eco Design bikes Trek makes

We’re a manufacturer, with a manufacturer’s footprint — but we know that to continue sustainably, we need to tread lightly. Through the efforts of Trek employees, our dealers are now recycling tires and tubes that we then turn into innovative bike commuter bags. In the past few years, our accessories brand, Bontrager, has significantly reduced the size and amount of packaging we use, and switched to paper products that are 100% recycled and recyclable. This past year, we dropped our annual coal consumption from 10.5 million pounds to 0 pounds by converting all our Wisconsin facilities to completely renewable energy sources. We’re not perfect, but we’re taking the necessary steps to reduce our footprint every day.

Last year, we challenged ourselves to offer the marketplace a product that would not only provide a realistic errand alternative to the car, but would also make the user feel good about how it was made. The result: Eco Design, a line of practical bikes, parts and accessories built using easily recycled materials and sustainable manufacturing processes. The bikes are built to last, too, because we know the easiest way to keep a product out of a landfill is to make sure it has a long, useful life. That’s the Eco Design ethos.

Our commitment to a healthy world doesn’t stop with our products — we’re committed to healthy employees, too. In our cafeteria, fried foods are expensive, thanks to a “Twinkie Tax,” while fresh fruit and our killer salad bar are dirt cheap. We provide showers, locker rooms and indoor bike storage to encourage people to bike to work. (And they do, from as far as 30 miles away.) We reserve the biggest and best percentage of the parking lot for carpoolers. Our fitness facility rivals any private gym, and we offer yoga and other wellness classes during the workday.

The healthiest thing you can do for yourself and your world is ride your bike. Forty percent of all U.S. car trips are less than 2 miles. TWO MILES! The impact you can have on the world and your own well-being by taking just half of your 2-mile trips by bicycle is incredible. I won’t bore you with statistics, but I’ll give you facts: You’ll feel better, look better and most importantly, you’ll have more fun. How many other products will do all that for you?

Eric Bjorling is the Lifestyle Marketing Guy at Trek Bicycle in Wisconsin.

Step 1: Getting there

Like most activities, unless you happen to live in the most convenient place, swimming is a recreational pursuit that requires getting to your destination: the pool (or any other body of water, for that matter). Unlike jogging, which can be done pretty much anywhere, swimming can only be done in certain places. Whether it’s a water park or lap lanes, the majority of people have to drive, carpool or rely on public transportation to get there… unless you’re close enough to ride a bike or walk, of course.

Verdict: Not (necessarily) so eco-friendly.

Step 2: Required gear

Swimming may be the only activity (in America at least) where it is still deemed somewhat appropriate to wear nothing but a Speedo. For the more competitively inclined athletes, these skivvies and a pair of goggles is all that’s needed for a workout. The alternative is a pair of swim trunks for males, and women have the standard decision between one- and two-piece swimsuits. But, all things considered, the material required is rather dismissible when compared to sports such as football, hockey, lacrosse or any other land-based exercise.

On the other hand, the pool itself is a green guru’s worst nightmare. The amount of energy needed to heat pools and the concoction of chemicals required to keep them clean and safe merits very strict guidelines to protect not only the environment, but also the people enjoying said facilities.

Verdict: “Greenness” of swimming gear does not make up for the taxing energy and chemical demands of the facility (unless it’s a “natural” pool like this one.)

Step 3: The activity itself

Here is where swimming takes the cake in a lot of ways. The physical strain on joints in swimming is really marginal when compared to land sports. This fact alone makes swimming a more feasible athletic endeavor for people worldwide than even running. Viewing through a green lens, however, puts playing in the water on an equal footing as any other cardiovascular exercise. Sure your heart, lungs and muscles all feel the positive effects of doing such an activity, but what’s really green about one in the pool versus one on land? Not much that I can see.

Verdict: Not applicable; no green implications.

Conclusion

Swimming can benefit any lifestyle, whether it is a trip to the local splash complex with wave pools and waterslides or a few torturous miles in a swimming lane. What it does not do, unfortunately, is help reverse the negative effects of human development, global warming, pollution or any other earth-harming trends.

The irony is that while manufactured chemicals like BPA represent how hazardous our contemporary lifestyles can be, there is another, better known chemical compound that helps keep much of America safe. I’m even willing to bet you have some in your pantry right now. Lysol brand disinfectant is the go-to spray, wipe or wash that many of us grab when something is gooey, sticky, icky or downright gross. While Lysol products aren’t able to stop our absorption of other man-made chemical compounds like BPA, the company website does offer a bounty of information on the many uses and many products within their brand. This chemical compound is used to kill unwanted living buggies like fungus, germs, viruses and bacteria. The main ingredient in the Lysol products is benzalkonium chloride, which is highly toxic to fish and other aquatic life, mildly toxic to birds and only slightly toxic — passing as safe — to mammals. Because of this “slight toxicity,” my curiosity led me to read through all of the fine print on my household can of Lysol disinfectant spray.

Typically, I utilize the spray like this: I wipe counters and other surfaces clean of any loose food debris. Then, I spray heavily with the handy-dandy Lysol. I scrub the stuck-on food debris until it comes off. Lastly, I let it all air dry. Not surprisingly, Lysol has a better understanding of how to properly apply the chemicals. The website suggests handling the spray as follows:

To disinfect:

• For pre-cleaned surfaces: Spray two to three seconds until covered with mist. Allow to stand for 10 minutes to air dry.
• For hard, non-porous food-contact surfaces: Spray until covered with mist, let stand for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly.

To sanitize:

• Spray until covered with mist, let stand for 30 seconds.

To control and prevent mold and mildew and their odors:

• Spray pre-cleaned surface until covered with mist.
• Repeat application if necessary.

To deodorize:

• Spray on surface as needed.

It seems that my approach of wipe, spray, scrub and let dry was mostly correct; but in the areas where food is handled, a thorough washing is necessary as well. This makes sense, since Lysol is, after all, a poisonous chemical that kills various viruses (including H1N1) and other bad stuff that can make people very ill. Oh, and getting back to that pesky business with the BPA, it seems that the best tactic is to avoid its consumption in the first place. In the article, Kristoff suggests steering clear of plastic containers that contain BPA, such as the ones we microwave or store our food in or drink water out of. Avoid these items and you’ve already dramatically reduced your exposure to BPA.

Effects

Some people are more prone to short-term and long-term effects of these unseen toxins. Greg Horn, the former CEO of GNC, was rushed to the hospital in his adult life as a result of toxic buildup in his system from everyday household appliances. While his case was extreme and unlikely in the average individual, short-term effects distress thousands of people on a daily basis, but go undetected because their conditions are blamed on something else. Asthma, eczema and sinus disease can all be the result of toxicity buildup in the body.

If someone wants to truly go green, he or she will have to do more than choose organic produce and recycle the milk jug. He or she will have to slowly remedy the largest aspects of his or her home. Not many people have enough money to renovate their entire home, but making small improvements will eventually add up to big changes.

The most common unseen toxins

According to an MSNBC news affiliate in Orlando, mattresses can be a primary culprit in making you sick. The affiliate says there are no government regulations on what a company can put into a mattress. “The only government requirement is that mattresses must be flame-retardant, which means many mattresses are packed with irritating chemicals like pesticides and formaldehyde.” These highly toxic chemicals slowly leach into the air. Think about it: You sleep on a mattress an average of eight hours a day, and your head is very close to these toxic pollutants.

Your carpet is another highly toxic, unseen enemy lurking in the shadows of your home. Synthetic carpets are packed with toxic chemicals. These include toluene, benzene, formaldehyde, ethyl benzene, styrene, acetone and a host of other chemicals, some of which have already made the EPA’s list of Extremely Hazardous Substances. Some of these chemicals, especially those hidden in new carpet, have been shown to cause abnormal fetal development in lab animals. They are also highly cancer causing and can cause damage to the central nervous system.

Keep particleboard outside your home

The carpet in your home isn’t the only concern when it comes to toxins. Furniture made of particleboard is also very toxic and can affect the health of those living in your home. Particleboard appears to be eco-friendly at a first glance, but can be very harmful humans. Particleboard is made from recycled wood, but it is packed with various chemicals to preserve it and strengthen it. Bookshelves, storage units and even couches and chairs can be made from particleboard. The main chemical found in particleboard is formaldehyde. According to Green Living Tips, “Low-level irritations can irritate the eyes and nasal passages. Large doses are fatal. Formaldehyde is considered as a likely human carcinogen in the European union.” It’s not formaldehyde alone in particleboard that’s the issue. Formaldehyde is combined with other toxic chemicals that produce even greater toxicity.

Simple solutions

You may think that a simple solution to buying a toxin-free mattress is to purchase an organic mattress, but unfortunately it’s not that easy. An organic mattress simply means it was made from 100% organic fibers. All organic mattresses are still sprayed with toxic chemicals to meet the flame-retardant federal government requirement. If you want to purchase a truly toxin-free mattress, you will have to obtain a prescription from a doctor in order to override the federal requirement.

An easier tip: Either purchase all-natural rugs or real wood flooring to be installed in your home. Many natural rugs are not only safer for your family, but they are also more durable and are naturally stain resistant. Be sure to advise the carpet company that you do not want toxic or traditional glue when installing the carpet. Ask the provider about its eco-alternatives when installing the carpet.

As mentioned above, don’t buy particleboard. Purchase only solid wood furniture to avoid the toxic chemicals. Solid wood furniture is not only toxin-free, but it also lasts much longer and is sturdier than particleboard. Buy certified organic furniture to ensure your safety.

Unfortunately, living in a convenience-oriented society comes with a price. In this day and age, living green requires a person to be a defensive shopper. Do research and your homework before purchasing items for your home. Just because it says it’s eco-friendly doesn’t mean it’s safe. Be aware of the unseen toxins hiding in your home and replace them little by little.

When focusing on personal care products, what topic could possibly be more… well, stimulating, than promoting sexual health? Coupled with the fact that some of today’s stores offer more eco-friendly products that promote sexual health as well as sustainable practices, such a topic certainly needs to be addressed. What follows is an introduction to some of today’s eco-friendly products coupled with an analysis of exactly how they are (or are not) perceived as green.

Tapping natural rubber from trees is just one way to live greener

When it comes to your love life, no one wants to ruin the mood — or the earth — with improper products. That’s why there are companies like Good Clean Love that offer some good clean schwag. This company operates by adhering to its motto of “making love sustainable.” Just like your local auto mechanic, Good Clean Love knows that to operate at peak performance a machine has to be well oiled. For that reason, it offers lubricants that are water-based instead of the typical petroleum-based stuff. In fact, according to its website, the “majority of personal lubricants on the market are made with petrochemicals and preserved with methyl and propyl parabens.” But, Good Clean Love gives you a choice of products that are organic and made using only natural ingredients that “not only feel good, but are good for you.” But, while Good Clean Love is doing well and fine, the truth is that lotions, potions and oils aren’t the best way to save the world when making love, not war.

When issues of over consumption and overpopulation are on the collective nerves of the world, quite possibly the greenest act someone can do is choose green contraceptives. That being said, simply using condoms isn’t the only green choice to make. The No. 1 condom in America, Trojan, is manufactured right here in the good old USA. Based in Princeton, NJ, Church & Dwight Co., Inc., which manufactures the Trojan brand, shucks the tradition of outsourced labor. This effectively eliminates the tons of carbon dioxide released when transporting a product from Thailand or India — where some other popular brands of condoms are made. Additionally, condom boxes are recyclable, so there isn’t much material that gets tossed. But, Trojan isn’t the only homegrown condom company.

Situated in the green mecca of America, Kimono Condoms makes its home in Berkeley, CA. If in the western half of the United States, it might behoove a green-thinking condom buyer to purchase the nearest option. Kimono Condoms are made from natural latex tapped from rubber trees nightly. Again, less material equals less waste, and closer is better in terms of getting the product from the factory to you.

All in all, being eco-friendly isn’t always an easy choice, but hopefully the information above sheds some light on the fact that most products can be critically examined in a green light. And, thanks to companies like the ones mentioned here, people are now given the opportunity to make going green that much more pleasurable.