I recently started my own health and wellness businesses and it has been an eye-opening experience! We are poisoning ourselves, our families, and our planet and we don’t even realize it! It has become my mission in life to educate everyone on the dangers of toxic chemicals in so many of our common household items. And what better place to start than in my own community, with the people that mean the most to me.
I started giving presentations to civic organizations just to get the message out. We play a little game called Toxic Hold Em. I deal out about 30 cards in 5 different colors; everyone has to keep them face down – no peeking. Then I describe a toxic chemical and its effects on our bodies. I ask all those with blue cards, for instance, to then turn their cards over and one by one they share the product on their card. Often times they also share a personal experience related to the product – a time they or someone they know got sick using it. I have heard a LOT of these stories.
My very first time was at the local Women’s Club. EVERY lady there shared a horror story about cleaning! It was amazing and not at all what I expected. My next 2 talks were at local Rotaries. I have also spoken to 2 high school classes. The teens were great and everyone was involved and interested. They concluded, however, that they shouldn’t clean anymore! Not quite what I was trying to get through to them. I also had an article published in the local newspaper in conjunction with hazardous waste pick-up day. I don’t think people realize that they should dispose of household cleaners via hazardous waste recycling.
I have also hosted Healthy Home parties related to my business. We play Toxic Hold Em at these parties too. The wheels begin to turn and people begin asking “what about this product…?” I can tell they are starting to get it! They are realizing that some of their favorite commercial brands from bubble bath to perfume to makeup might actually be hurting them.
I have small children and so talked to our daycare owner about going green with their cleaners. The daycare was using bleach to clean toys – the last thing you want to do for kids, especially ones with asthma getting breathing treatments several times a day. The owner wanted to go green and was very interested in the information I gave her. Unfortunately, our state requires the use of bleach and does not allow for safer, more effective alternatives. That’s now a bigger issue I must tackle.
Whenever I get the chance, I talk to people one-on-one. I want to share what I have learned. I want to help people improve their lives. It is so important that we have a healthy future!
I am booked for another presentation soon with a local Soroptomist group. The President of that group also owns a school and asked me to come talk to the young children. It’s wonderful that I am finding new ways to reach out to people and I am loving it!
My goal with all this has been to raise awareness that we are exposing ourselves and our families to many toxic chemicals and creating a kind of toxic soup in our homes. I encourage everyone to go to the National Institutes of Health website http://www.householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/products.htm and look up your favorite cleaners! To find safe alternatives, check out the Environmental Working Group’s website http://www.ewg.org/. And share what you learn with everyone you know!
"This is part of the Healthy Child Blog Carnival- an effort by Healthy Child Healthy World to help inspire a movement to protect children from harmful chemicals."
Read more: http://healthychild.org/get-involved/events/comments/blog_carnival_community_advocacy/#ixzz133yvobqY
