There are numerous reasons to clean using natural eco-friendly products and methods.
Did You Know?
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According to an EPA study, the air in homes has chemical contamination levels 70 times greater than outdoor air.
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50% of all illnesses are caused by or aggravated by polluted indoor air.
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Approximately 15% of the American population suffers from chemical sensitivity.
Researchers have traced this to synthetic chemicals in consumer products and furnishings. -
The typical American household is the number one violator of chemical waste per capita.
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The average American home has 3-10 gallons of hazardous materials.
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Nationwide more than 32 million pounds of household cleaning products are poured down the drain each day.
Many of these products contain toxic substances that are not adequately processed by sewage treatment plants and septic systems -
Chemicals in household cleaners break down slowly in the eco-system and can lead to harmful algae blooms and accumulation of toxins in the fatty tissues of fish and wildlife.
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U.S. industries reported manufacturing 6.5 trillion pounds of 9,000 different chemicals and the prevalence of many diseases and illnesses – including cancers, birth and reproductive system defects, asthma, nervous system disorders is on the rise and environmental factors may play a significant role in these increases.
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The U.S. government has not conducted even basic toxicity testing for about 75 percent of the 15,000 high volume chemicals in commercial use. More than 90 percent of these high volume chemicals have not been tested for health effects on children.
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A study by the New York Poison Control Center found that 85 percent of product warning labels they studied were inadequate.
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In 1999, 2.1 million human poisonings were reported to the poison control centers in the United States. More than 50 percent of the cases involved children under the age of five.
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Over 150 chemicals found in the average home have been linked to allergies, birth defects, cancer and psychological abnormalities.
Did you know that if you have regular commercially sold cleaners in your home, you have hidden and not-so-hidden dangers.
Laws requiring manufacturers to disclose the existence and possible side effects of contaminants are lax, offering you and your family insufficient safeguards. The poison, explosive and corrosive warnings on containers & packaging only tell half of the story.
Most people don’t know that:
85% of product warning labels are either inadequate or incorrect in identifying a poison.
Indoor air is 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air.
Products must list active ingredients, but not the (often-significant) number of inert chemicals they contain.
More than 150 toxic substances linked to cancer are present around the average home.
The human body can absorb chemicals left behind by household products several months after they were used.
“Volatile organics” are chemicals that rapidly evaporate into the air at room temperature, contributing to multiple chemical sensitivity and a range of symptoms including breathing problems, depression and fatigue, autoimmune disorders, a “flu-ish” feeling, and many other complications. Many detergents and cleaning supplies contain volatile organics.
Cancer rates have double since 1960.
Asthma has increased 600% since 1980.
Experts cite household chemicals as a factor.
Formaldehyde, phenol, benzene, toluene, xylene can cause cancer and erode the immune system~~ These are in many household cleaners.
Naptha depresses the central nervous system. Diethanolsamine is a possible liver poison. Chlorophenylphenol is a metabolic stimulant and considered toxic. All three chemicals are common to most dishwashing detergents.
Most air fresheners don’t clean the air.
They either coat your nose with an oily film or release a chemical that deadens the nerves we use to smell.
Indoor chemical “pollution” can contribute to allergies, multiple chemical sensitivity, fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, lupus, multiple sclerosis, circulatory disorders, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s disease, irritable bowel syndrome, depression, hormonal problems, fertility problems and sudden infant death syndrome.
To help in your daily or weekly cleaning, use microfibre clothes and mop-covers with water only.
Microfibre is more effective in picking up dust, dirt, hairs and lint, and microbes!
If you’re interested in green products from Shaklee, email me for a discount directly from me on your Shaklee order.