Top 10 tips for PERSONAL CARE

1. Avoid toothpaste, deodorant, and other products containing triclosan or triclocarban.
2. Try simple alternatives to commercial products, like safflower oil for moisturizer or coconut oil for conditioner.
3. Look for paraben-, phthalate-, and fragrance-free products.
4. Look for products without chemical sunscreens like benzophenone or octyl methoxycinnamate (octinoxate).
5. Look for plant-based products. The USDA Organic label or “Made with organic ingredients” indicate products mostly made of plants.
6. Use long sleeves and CDC-approved lemon eucalyptus oil (OLE or PMD) to keep bugs at bay. If you use DEET, use products with 20-30% DEET.
7. Avoid soaps and scrubs containing microbeads.
8. Count how many products you use on your hair and skin each day, then look for one or more products you can live without.
9. Get rid of expired and unused personal care products.
10. Avoid buying moisturizers or other skin treatments promising younger skin.

Top 10 tips for FOOD AND DRINK

1. To avoid pollutants like PCBs that accumulate in fat, remove the fat and skin from meat and fish before cooking. Drain fat that accumulates while cooking.
2. Choose smaller, younger seafood over larger older seafood.
3. Avoid eating canned food or moist food packaged in plastic or lined cardboard.
4. Choose organic produce, meat, and dairy when possible.
5. Microwave and store foods in glass rather than plastic.
6. Switch to a glass or stainless steel French press or drip coffee maker.
7. Phase out non-stick pans from your kitchen.
8. Use glass or stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic.
9. Don’t drink out of a water cooler supplied by plastic jugs.
10. Use solid block or granulated carbon filters to purify drinking water.

Top 10 tips FOR CLEANING

1. Avoid antibacterial and antimicrobial products.
2. Pick up dust with a damp cloth, vacuum with a HEPA filter.
3. Clean with plain water, baking soda, vinegar, or castile soap when possible.
4. Disinfect with soapy water and scrubbing—use chemical disinfectant only when necessary.
5. Choose fragrance-free products.
6. Avoid cleaning products that promise to protect against stains.
7. Avoid buying cleaning products with “Poison,” “Danger,” “Caution,” or “Warning” on the label.
8. Choose products made from plants—look for plants or organic ingredients in the label.
9. Keep dust down in your car with microfiber cloths and vacuum the interior once a year.
10. Find less-toxic products at EPA Safer Choice or GoodGuide.

Top 10 tips FOR CHILDREN

1. Control lead dust and paint fumes when preparing the nursery. Have a non-pregnant friend do the work, or if needed, use protective gear.
2. Look for furniture and kids’ products (like nursing pillows and nap pads) with padding made from polyester, wool, cotton, or flame retardant-free foam.
3. Set up the furniture and air out the baby’s sleeping and play spaces well before your due date.
4. If formula is needed, choose powdered instead of concentrated or ready to drink formula.
5. Buy snug-fitting cotton or polyester children’s pajamas, and avoid sleepwear treated with flame-resistant chemicals.
6. Avoid soft vinyl plastic found in things like mattress protectors, toys, and rain gear. For waterproof materials, choose polyurethane coated fabric instead.
7. Choose simple fragrance-free personal care products made from plants, like castile soap and olive oil. Use fragrance-free baby wipes and diapers.
8. Choose glass or stainless steel over plastic bottles and sippy cups.
9. Teach kids to wash their hands before eating.
10. Choose smaller seafood over big fish. Chunk light tuna has less mercury than white or albacore tuna, and salmon, shrimp, cod and tilapia have less mercury than mackerel, swordfish, bass, and grouper.

Top 10 tips FOR THE HOME

1. Dump chemical air fresheners, scented candles, and pungent potpourri, and save candles and incense for special occasions.
2. Open windows periodically to air out your home.
3. Look for alternatives to flexible vinyl, found in shower curtains, pillow and mattress covers, window shades, flooring, and wallpaper.
4. Choose rugs and furniture made with wool, polyester, or other flame retardant-free materials.
5. Get rid of mothballs.
6. For pets, use a flea comb as a first defense. If flea and tick treatments are necessary, use oral treatments (pills).
7. Store solvents and engines with fuel outside in a detached storage space.
8. Adopt a no-shoes-at-home policy, or stop outdoor toxic chemicals at the door with doormats and rugs.
9. Use organic practices for gardening, lawn care, and indoor plants.
10. Avoid household products advertised as antibacterial, antimicrobial, odorresistant, or stain-resistant.

Top 10 tips FOR CLOTHING

1. Avoid PERC-based dry-cleaners—ask for professional wet-cleaning instead.
2. Wash new clothes before wearing.
3. Avoid wrinkle-free, stain-resistant clothing.
4. Choose polyurethane-coated waterproof shells over vinyl or fluorochemical raincoats.
5. Avoid clothing with fake leather or plastic prints.
6. Try castile or other plant-based detergent instead of detergents containing fragrances and optical brighteners.
7. Don’t use fabric softener or dryer sheets—try baking soda, vinegar, or dryer balls to soften clothes if needed.
8. Use cedar wood and sealed containers instead of mothballs.
9. Try lemon juice or oxygen bleach to keep whites whiter, and treat chlorine bleach as a last resort.
10. Steer clear of clothes that have odor-resistant or antibacterial properties.

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