Exploring the Unknown
The quick answer: Living more simply not only reduces your carbon footprint, it reduces your exposure to chemicals of unknowable toxicity.
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Deep Thoughts
There was once a great man of unusual humility—W. Edward Deming (1900-1993). A PhD statistician turned quality philosopher, Deming taught the Japanese how quality principles wisely applied could raise them from the ashes of WWII to become a global manufacturing power. This Japanese miracle was replayed in the 1980 NBC special, “If Japan Can … Why Can’t We?” which kick-started the American quality revolution. Like many, I was a student of Dr. Deming. Let me share one thing I learned.
Deming gave new meaning to an old word, unknowable. The outcomes of complex systems, due to uncontrollable interactions between variables, were unknowable, he said. We didn’t like hearing this; it contradicted our 20th century faith in science. We had put a man on the moon—certainly a complex undertaking—and were confident that any complex problem could be solved. Wasn’t everything knowable, given sufficient resources?
We’re a little humbler now, helped along by the harsh reality of the Columbia and Challenger disasters. Armstrong and Aldrin had been fortunate in their flight; space travel was riskier than we had appreciated.
The Good Ship Pilgrim
I took a break from writing last evening to run down to Dana Point Harbor with the beautiful wife. The tall ship Pilgrim, a replica of the ship that inspired the book, Two Years Before The Mast, was leaving on its annual sail to the Channel Islands. Our daughter, smitten by the romance of tall ships, was aboard as an ordinary seaman (her 10th trip). Because the Apollo 11 moon landing had just been in my head, the beauty of this great old sailing vessel, masts and rigging rising against the darkening night, struck me with unusual force. Volunteer sailors stood at their stations, orders were shouted, and anchoring lines were pulled in. As the ship slowly turned to sea, the scene glimmered with all the ancient maritime traditions.
Later I wondered, “What can a tall ship and a moon landing teach us about the immune system?” Science, I concluded, explores the unknown, but Tradition is a safe harbor. In truth, because of the complexity of the immune system, we don’t really know how to optimize, or even measure, its function. For our generation, this is unknowable. We can only trust the tradition that what’s good for the body . . . is also good for the immune system.
A Toxic Environment
In addition to the autoimmune diseases discussed in the last post, there is another epidemic that science is powerless to prevent. The related 4-A diseases of autism, ADHD, asthma and allergy collectively affect millions of American children. Though there is a genetic factor, these are largely diseases of a poisoned environment. Environment includes the food we eat, the toxins we’re daily exposed to, and our daily stresses.
Since WWII there has been a poorly regulated explosion of new chemicals, some benign and some toxic. The Western nations, especially the Europeans, have lately become more careful, but the meteoric rise of manufacturing in China and other less cautious Asian countries will continue to pollute the planet. We’ve opened a Pandora’s box and no part of our planet is safe. For example, 1998 studies of Artic polar bears revealed most of the toxins found in man.
We deal with the unknowable here. The cumulative effect of long-term exposure to these chemicals, some of which interact synergistically cannot be known with certainty, but the rise of the 4-A conditions noted above, as well as the 80 or so autoimmune diseases, says there is an effect. Given that we’ve opened Pandora’s Box and must live with the consequences, how do we minimize the damage? A wise strategy for protecting the immune system from polluting toxins should have two components:
- Optimize health (the subject of our blog), and
- Minimize toxic exposure (the subject of this post).
Minimizing Exposure
Some years, well, decades, ago we lived in La Canada, located in the hills above Pasadena next to a national forest. I liked living near a forest and had been accepted into a well-known search-and-rescue group. There was one problem—the smog that daily rolled into the hills. Other than eye irritation, there wasn’t a proven health hazard from the smog so people weren’t too concerned. But our children were young and we were unwilling to expose them to a smoggy childhood on the chance no long-term health problem would be discovered. When my employer relocated to Orange County, we gave up the hills to live near the beach. Because the prevailing breeze is from the ocean, the air is fresh.
This still makes sense—if there is even a small health risk from exposure that will be long-term, avoidance is the best policy. So how do we minimize pollutant exposure? If you’ve been following this blog, you likely don’t smoke and are trying to follow the Healthy Changes, and that all helps. It helps a lot.
Here are ten sensible ways to reduce toxin exposure without actually wearing a Save the Planet T-shirt:
- Question everything that is disposable in your home. Because of the role of chemicals in manufacturing, using less stuff can equate to less toxins in the home. The weight of the garbage hauled away each week can be a measure of your progress. Recycling is nice, but using less is best. Remember (excepting junk mail), you probably spent good money for all that stuff in the trashcan.
- Choose glass and ceramic dishes and containers. Challenge the use of flexible plastics in the kitchen (the degree of flexibility is a rough measure of toxic additives, like BPA and phthalates). For long-term storage, it’s hard to beat those old Mason jars. Don't use plastic containers in the microwave, as heat speeds up chemical absorption.
- You know those plastic water bottles we’ve all been carrying around the last ten years? We can do without; no one lives that far from a drinking fountain.
- Condiments, etc.—look in the fridge door and see how much store-bought stuff is now in plastic containers, some squeezable, just sitting there soaking up the chemicals from the plastic. I just did: we had 12 glass containers and 12 plastic—time to move back to glass.
- Use stainless steel pans and Pyrex baking dishes; try to replace the aluminum and Teflon-coated stuff. I always thought Teflon was inert; it isn’t.
- Simplify the use of household cleansers. The average home has several dozen different cleaners, many in spray cans. These are strong chemicals and the guys making this stuff have no conscience—they get a lot of business by introducing more specialized products that promise to save labor, like those Scrubbing Bubbles that watch you shower. How many cleansers and polishes do you actually need?
- Don’t like bugs? Pest control companies like to make frequent visits and anything that kills bugs isn’t going to be great for you. Can you get by with fewer visits?
- Here’s a crazy issue—flame-retardants in children’s pajamas (go here for a hilarious discussion by some common-sense moms), foam baby products (see here), and all of our mattresses. In 2007 (2005 in California) the Feds upgraded the requirements for flame-retardants, exposing 300 million Americans to toxic chemicals for the unsubstantiated benefit of reducing a few deaths in fires. Because the government is doing this, they don’t have to prove safety, nor are the manufacturers required to tell you what’s in your stuff. Want a toxin-free mattress? You can get one with a prescription from your doctor.
- Eat small fish, like sardines, light tuna (not albacore), or salmon. You’ll get less mercury and all the other toxins in the ocean food chain. (Eating less meat, the main source of consumed toxins, was covered by Healthy Change #20.)
- I saved this one for last. Cosmetics contain a lot of chemicals and the industry isn’t adequately regulated. I don’t know a good solution here, except to use as little as you can and try to load up when you’re in Europe, as they’re more careful. Maybe you don’t have to paint your nails (where did all those nail salons come from, anyway?) or use those dark hair dyes. (There are guys that like grey hair, though they’re mostly over 100. :-)
Please comment: What are you doing to reduce your toxic chemical exposure (without looking too crazy)?
Friday, August 26, 2011 at 4:19PM | by Skip Hellewell | 18 Comments | 8 References | Share Article | Email Article
Reader Comments (18)
This post is intense, and I know I'll be fretting back to it frequently to see where I can continue to improve. Using less trash means less arguments over which spouse has to take it out, which is good for the marriage too zz:)
This past month I've been experimenting with something called the "no poo" methd. I wash my hair with baking soda+water and condition it with apple cider vinegar+water. It's better for the environment (I reuse the same containers over and over), incredibly cheap, and though my hair feels different, it's much less oily at the roots, which I love. I've heard of women rubbing coconut oil on the ends if you want extra moisture.
I'm headed to Europe next week, maybe I'll look into the cosmetics they have available and bring some home with me.
Great thoughts, Skip. That was a pretty cool literary application of the moon and the ship.
I gave up my lotion about a year ago for cold-pressed extra-virgin coconut oil. Wow! I love the stuff. I use it as a face and body moisturizer and it makes me feel like a tropical princess. It gives my skin a great glow and it smells fantastic. My pre-teen daughter has started using it as an after-shower moisturizer. It makes her olive skin look absolutely beautiful! It doubles as a make-up remover as well.
Do I have any converts yet? It also touts immune boosting properties when taken internally (It is tasty in recipes.) I love to spread it on the griddle for pancakes and put it in cookie and cake recipes.
It also has antibacterial properties so it can be used underarm as a deodorant. I haven't dared put that to the test completely yet but I did switch to an aluminum-free deodorant because smearing sweat glands with toxic metals can't be good.
Great tips on hair care, Jenna.
Does anyone have any good solutions for packing school lunches without all the baggies?
Very interesting.
I do a fair amount of cleaning with vinegar and water around the house. I find it works just fine, although may require a bit more elbow grease than commercial cleaners. Also, even though my husband thinks I'm crazy, I kind of like the smell of vinegar.
I do not buy water in disposable plastic bottles, I think this is so wasteful. We do drink water out of reusable bottles though.
We haven't used Orkin in almost a year. I am so glad. My husband complains about spiders outside, but they're outdoors and so far no problems indoors.
Re: cosmetics - I would like to do more research into natural, less toxic alternatives. Every time I apply foundation, I wonder what I am smearing all over my face. :(
Skip, one more thing. I'm not sure if this is in your scope of topics, but I'd love to hear your thoughts about germs. Your comment about drinking fountains got me thinking. Around here, no one lets their kids drink out of them. I think that is ridiculous but maybe I am the crazy one. These days it seems everyone is so afraid of germs - antibacterial everything (which I won't use), antimicrobial surfaces, etc. I am all for good hygiene and frequent hand washing, but I am not sure the germaphobe thing is good?
Great thoughts- I'm already heading down this path, but your post gives me more to think about. Especially with makeup. Yeesh.
LC- I've heard of people making reusable sandwich and snack bags. Here's a tutorial for one made of mylar:
http://frenchsleepdeprivationstudy.blogspot.com/2009/06/snack-bag-tutorial.html
And one from PUL:
http://www.myhappycrazylife.com/make-a-reusable-snack-bag/
These would work better if you're trying to move away from baggies, unless your children are terrible about bringing their lunchboxes home (I know I was).
I try to use only environmentally friendly and low toxin cleaners. I tried using baking soda instead of shampoo. Hated the texture of my hair and my scalp couldn't take it. I switched to washing my hair with conditioner- it has less bad stuff than shampoo and now I don't have to use two products. One day I will find an even better solution. I use cold pressed virgin coconut oil for moisturizer and sunscreen (SPF 10). I pack sandwiches in reusable Tupperware sandwich holders- supposedly BPA free, but I'm sure there is a better solution out there. It is still better than sandwich bags (I hope). I am trying to make my own food from scratch- including condiments. It is a lot of work though, and I struggle with it. I have stocked up on mason jars, but I just can't get enough to hold everything! I didn't realize how much stuff I store in my kitchen. I am slowly switching to stainless steel pots, but it requires a lot of money, so it is a slow process. We don't buy flame retardant clothes- they are so icky to touch! Who wants to wear scratchy fake fabric? As for the new cars, I can't even fathom buying new! What a concept. Why throw away all that money when you drive it off the lot and it loses so much value? Now there is yet another reason to buy used!
Skip,
I was really needing this post and am so glad you've put so much research into it.
Okay everyone here's what I have for you:
-there are stainless steel lunch box things. google 'lunchbots'. great stuff.
-"fortheloveofgreen.blogspot.com" does things like give product review on nail polish that's supposed to be better and shampoo.
-check out the skin deep database to see how toxic your shampoo, deodorant and other lotions are.
-castile soap is great for getting your cleaning done. (with water, vinegar and baking soda..depending on what you're cleaning.) AND it's on sale this week at Whole Foods $10 for 32 oz. which is about $5 cheaper than amazon.
-bug spray: bottle of witch hazel, 5 drops of citronella and/or lemongrass essential oils AND 5 of lavender (different scents for different bugs), put it in a spray bottle (we used an old hair spray bottle) and it kept the bugs away just fine. I felt good knowing that my baby and family weren't sleeping (camping) in chemicals and also that I'd made it. I'll have to find something else to put it in to avoid the plastic, but slow and steady.....
So is this the real reason getting organic cotton clothes is so great? What about shoes? Feet sweat, so maybe something not so manufactured?
We have almost eradicated SLS and other sulfates from our house. We scrutinize our lotions and potions- and find this website helpful: http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/.
I have also been more careful about my cosmetics- Alima Pure make-up follows European standards (good recommendation to stock up when abroad, Skip) and you can actually read the ingredient list.
Jenna, nice to hear from you. Enjoy your trip to Europe. The Europeans do a better job of respecting tradition, and are cautious of innovation (as in reluctance to allow GMOs). In this regard we can look to their example. Let us know what you find.
Lisa, the broad category of "germs" is a current issue. One theory about the rise of allergies is the "hygiene theory" which says kids are too protected during the years they develop their immune system and need to get out and play in the dirt more.
The proliferation of antiseptic products (which are quite weak, really) plays on the germ phobia but can have the unhappy result of making germs more potent by weeding out the weak and promoting the strong. A bad idea.
The tradition of washing hands does stand the test of time. A doctor told me of a study (I don't have a citation) in Canada where regular hand washing was introduced into an office building. Result was dramatically less sick leave. Best to you.
I, too, have been making the switch to be more chemical free. It is a slow process, so this post was great in reminding me what I need to do better at. Coconut oil is amazing! I also use it for a face moisturizer. unrefined shea butter I found is an excellent replacement for those eczema steroid creams they prescribe. AND it actually works. My one concern about storing things in glass jars is the breakage factor. I'm clumsy and so are my kids, any suggestions for getting around that besides gluing everything down? :)
I use those old reliables, baking soda and vinegar, for cleaning. I love how inexpensive they are. I also love to use essential oils like tea tree and thyme for cleaning as well (not so inexpensive). I have switched to natural and biodegradable detergents and toiletries. I am itching to switch to stainless steel pots and pans and I will do so when our budget allows. For the meantime, I try not to get freaked out about using our old anodized aluminum set! I guess we just have to do the best we can with the resources we have. I also prefer to use glass, ceramic or stainless for food storage, but I am also concerned about breakability! I have broken I don't know how many pyrex containers!
The Environmental Working Group is such a great resource. http://www.ewg.org/
Everyyear they put out 'the dirty dozen and clean 15' list citing the most common fruits and vegetables highest and lowest chemical contaminations. They also put out annual lists of the least toxic sunscreens, have a cosmetic data-base, and lots more.
I used to work at a co-op natural food store and in general have found that the brands or personal care lines carried in small co-op grocery stores or even larger chains such as Wholefoods or Wild Oats have safer ingredient lists. Many even carry European brands.
Of course, you must be your own advocate and research, research, research everything!
Make a point to let people know you like metal, glass and wooden products (especially important around the holidays or when creating gift registries for special events).
Lead by example: don't be tempted by the plastic sales items. Buy metal, glass or wooden gift items and know that you are introduing less toxins into the homes of friends and family while gifting them items that will generally last longer (less waste).
Vinegar, baking soda, Bon Ami brand scrubbing powder are all I need to clean my house.
Remembering that at times, a little bit more money up front may save me a lot more money in health care costs in the future is worth every cent.
A little factoid you should all know is that you get more BPA exposure from touching plastic coated receipts than from using plastic drink and food containers. I have heard this from two reliable sources now and hardly lay a finger on receipts! I have made a habit to tell cashiers for no receipt or to pinch them between my fingertips. Never crinkle them up in your hands and stuff in your purse/pocket. Also, to keep the chemicals out of our recycling system, further advise was to throw them away. Do NOT recycle receipts. Treat them like a slobbery tennis ball or moldy cheese. Make a point not to touch them, but if you do, the advice was to wash your hands (with good ol' soap!) ASAP.
If you work in retail, try to avoid touching them or wear gloves? Good luck!
Great post. I try to make sensible changes without freaking out, but with two little ones, it's easy to feel scared about all the chemicals around.
I've made several changes over the last few years that I feel good about. A couple of years ago, some friends and I tried our hands and making soap; it turned out great (although the second batch didn't) and I've been making it ever since. It's much cheaper for the quality of natural soap I get and also pretty fun (although I get nervous about the lye). I also make my own lotion with Rosemary Gladstone's recipe. I still haven't found a good shampoo for a reasonable price.
Another change I made is to stainless steel and cast iron cookware. Ikea has stainless steel for a great price and my cast iron skillet was very inexpensive also. Now that my cast iron is well seasoned, I absolutely love it! I can cook crepes in it without any sticking.
I've been cleaning with baking soda and vinegar for quite a while now and feel pleased with it. For the bathtub I use a little natural dishsoap to get the soap scum off. Using microfiber cloths helps. The things I haven't been able to change with success are dishwasher detergent and laundry detergent. The natural products just weren't working well enough. Any suggestions?
Also, you mentioned in the post about getting a prescription for a natural mattress. Can you tell us more? Is that just in California?
I tried my hand at making soap, too. We love it! Not only do you know exactly what goes in (and the final soap from a good recipe will have converted ALL the lye to soap and glycerin), but it is way better on the skin. My favorite bar is a shampoo bar. After giving bars of soap for Christmas gifts, I have neighbors requesting more. The internet has tons of information about soap-making, and it's a fun chemistry project. Once you get on some of these soaping websites, you'll be led to other sites about making homemade cosmetics, too.
Beyond soap, I have a long way to go to reduce chemicals for our family. I guess it has been too overwhelming to think about. But I can identify a couple of items from your list where I can start. Thank you!
Lindsey, you are incredibly advanced in your avoidance of toxins.
You asked about prescription mattresses. Buying a mattress has gotten complicated and it takes a little research to avoid toxic flame retardants. The U.S. CPSC (Consumer Products Safety Commission) issued the National Flameproof Mattress regulation (16 CFR 1640) that was effective in 2007 and set a higher standard for flame resistance. Basically, a mattress must withstand a 2000 degree F. blowtorch over a 24" diameter for 70 seconds to be "flame proof". It's debatable whether this regulation saves any lives, but 300 million Americans are getting exposed to a boatload of toxic chemicals.
To meet this crazy-tough regulation chemicals like boric acid, antimony trioxide, decabromodiphenyl oxide, etc. are used. There is a big concern that people are getting excessively exposed to these toxins and in the instance of antimony, it's claimed the EPA sets a safe exposure 27.5 times lower than the CPSC allows.
The regulation does allow you to purchase a mattress that is flame retardant free with a prescription from your doctor, including chiropractors (the guys who treat back pain). I asked a local chiropractor and he had never written a Rx. You can also buy a foam insert (if you like foam) and make your own mattress cover, I've read. I don't know how good the vendors are but Google prescription mattresses and you'll see them.
The government's CPSC is in a conflicted situation here but there is a lack of solid evidence about the harm done by the fire retardant chemicals. I fear the government will not rush to create evidence condemning their regulations either. Does any reader have a recent mattress-buying experience to share? Best to you.
http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ this website is a great resource when looking to buy makeup!
Just a note on Teflon: A few years ago my father-in-law got a (very annoying) macaw. One of the first things he told us was that if you let a non-stick pan get too hot on the stove the smoke would kill the bird. While it was tempting we never did it and he eventually had to give up the pet for other reasons. But the fact that it would kill it was enough for me to stop using those coated pans. I mean we were eating the food cooked right on them - how could that be good? We use cast iron for nearly everything now and we love it. They will last forever and cleanup is a cinch.