Breaking free from the norm of picking up the brands we grew up with at the grocery story with chemical names that we can’t pronounce can seem daunting. Unless we have time to put in the research, sometimes buying from new stores seems like just too much. But, in the long run starting to be a mindful consumer can start today and grow to be second nature little by little.
Here are some easy tips for transitioning your home away from toxic chemicals:
- Shop local: Farmer’s markets, bakeries and even Etsy will decrease the amount of preservatives in your food, off gassing from furniture and home décor.
- OnGuard Cleaner Concentrate: Wild Orange, Clove, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus, and Rosemary essential oils, which together provide natural protection against certain environmental factors. Plant-based derivatives offer a nontoxic, biodegradable way to safely clean and eliminate odors. This multi-purpose concentrate is perfect for hard surfaces, like those in the kitchen and bathroom.
- Thrift: Off-gassing is real and toxic chemicals can stay in your home from your new furniture for years. By purchasing thrifted items from Facebook Marketplace, passed down from friends or relatives or from local thrift/second hand stores, you could be doing your home a favor. A 2020 article by Architectural Digest, off-gassing is described as “Super-simply, it’s the airborne release of a chemical, a chemical in vapor form. Whenever you smell a product, it’s off-gassing. It happens the most when a product is new. Fresh paint odor? Off-gassing. New memory foam smell? Off-gassing. But many products or materials continue off-gassing even after the “new smell” has gone away—the fumes are just much more subtle.”
- Organic, Sustainable Clothing: There are a lot of good brands out there now that are transparent about their sourcing and materials. For those of us (me) who have gotten into the habit of just buying form Amazon where there are a millions styles and prices and I can get it in 2 days, changing the mindset of fast and cheaper is better will help you live a lower-tox life inevitably. I have no idea where my clothes are actually coming from when I’m shopping at Amazon and I think many of you will attest to some smelly items at times because who really knows what kind of pesticides and other chemicals have been sprayed on them while they sit in a warehouse somewhere. Shopping at places like Pact instead makes me feel good and also helps me to buy less and not pack out my drawers with clothes that I only wear a few times, which falls in line with my vow to be happy living with less. As always, do your research before you buy and make sure that the store isn’t just greenwashing in an effort to gain more customers with false sustainable/low-tox claims.
Thank you for reading and live well my friends!
🙂
