Disclaimer: I received compensation for my post! These views are my own and were not at all influenced by the party who gave me this opportunity..
I consider myself to be pretty passionate about reducing the toxins my family is exposed to in the products we buy; mainly cleaners, vaccines, and personal care items, but also diapers, paper products, toys, and more. I believe we should not have to pay more to be healthy but that healthy, toxin-free products should be the norm. Now, I honestly don’t believe the government should over-involve themselves in everything, but I do believe that things pertaining to the health of the nation should be regulated. Cancer is becoming more and more common these days and many cases have been linked to the toxins that are being allowed in items we use day to day. We need to stand up and fight toxins for the well-being of our families!
Learn more about the Toxic Substances Control Act below.
To me, getting rid of harmful chemicals is especially important because I am very allergic to the chemicals released into in the air by cleaning products. When we go to the store and the workers are cleaning or I need to walk down the household cleaner aisle to pick up my Seventh Generation products, I am bombarded by chemicals in the air that set off my unpleasant allergic reactions. Because I have such reactions to chemicals and toxins, I definitely don’t feel comfortable having my children exposed to them. As a mother, I should be doing everything in my power to protect my children from harm and do what I feel is best for them.
We use a lot of Seventh Generation products in our home, especially their Free & Clear variety. My favorite products are their dish soap and glass cleaner! We just tried Seventh Generation diapers on our baby boy for the first time and I am in love with them! Seventh Generation has been around for 25 years and they seek to create products that are both safe for human use and not detrimental to the environment. Their goal is to provide safe and “healthy solutions for the air, surfaces, fabrics, pets, and people within your home–and for the community and environment outside of it.” Their products are plant-derived with bio-based ingredients that are sustainable. Not only are their end-products healthy, but they also seek to make a difference and display responsibility from development to production, purchase to use and even to disposal.
Be Informed!
About 85,000 synthetic chemicals are currently available for use. The Toxic Substances Control Act (the USA’s chemical safety law,) passed in 1976, included 62,000 chemicals. Since then, 20,000 more chemicals were added but very few (less than 10%) have had to undergo assessment for the harm they may cause to the health of humans and the environment. This list needs to be updated.
Many toxins such as Asbestos, Formaldehyde, Flame Retardants TDCP and TCEP, Vinyl Chloride, and more are already known to cause harm to humans. Congress needs to take action to protect against these toxins and others that are linked to health hazards such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, learning disabilities, asthma, birth defects, and various reproductive problems. Even while we are still in the womb, we are exposed to around 300 toxins! Find out more about these harmful chemicals and what needs to be done HERE.
Take a moment to look underneath your sink where you keep your cleaners. Look at your child’s toys. Look at your strollers and carseats. Many of these contain numerous potentially harmful or known-to-be-harmful chemicals that are not currently being regulated. Yes, we have been going for years with these products, but that is not a valid argument. Many of these toxins being used now were not even around years ago. Sure, some may prove to be alright, but how will we know if they are not being tested? Does this worry you?
Be Powerful!
Before you freak out, I’m here to tell you there is hope and guess who has the power to make change happen–you and me!
My kids, husband and I decided to join the Toxin Freedom Fighters in an effort to raise awareness of the harms of chemicals, expose the dangers of those toxins and to plead to Congress for a reevaluation of the Toxic Substances Control Act. The purpose of this reform is to update the TSCA to require that all chemicals, new and preexisting, be tested for safety, establish standards, ensure the public’s right to know about chemical safety and use, give the EPA the authority to take action against unsafe chemicals, and allow states to maintain any laws that exceed federal protections for the safety of its citizens.
We have signed the petition; now it’s your turn. Join us in this revolutionary movement simply by signing the petition for safer chemicals, sharing this post with your friends and family and inviting them to sign the petition as well! Signing the petition won’t hurt–it isn’t bad for your health, but help Seventh Generation achieve their goal of 100,000 signatures by April 30, 2014 and it could do a lot of good for the health of the nation!
Know someone who needs to know this or who would like to get involved? Hit the “share” buttons below! Be sure to follow Arts & Crackers on social media (buttons at the top right of the page.)
-Are you going to join the revolution? Head on over to sign the petition, hit the share buttons below and use the hashtag #FightToxins to inform your loved ones, give yourself a catchy superhero name and share it in the comment section on this post! My superhero name is Chemical Reactor. Want to have even more fun? Make yourself a superhero mask and change your social media profile to a selfie with you wearing it. Use the hashtag above and share your pictures on my Facebook timeline!