Once again, AlterNet serves up an excellent article on products that you should ban from your personal sphere of existence. They include:

Non-Stick Cookware
These contain PTFE, a substance that releases toxic gasses when heated. Grandma’s old cast iron pan is the suggested replacement.

Antibacterials
Anything that contains triclosan should be put back on the shelf. This product and other antibacterials increase the risk of antibiotic resistance, and with all the talk we’ve been hearing about flus, this just isn’t a good thing. Tea tree oil offers a milder antibacterial action that is more appropriate for a product like hand soap.

Plastic Bottles
This one is a little harder to get rid of, but the presence of BPA and the obscene petroleum use are both good reasons to at least limit their purchase. Single use plastic bottles used for water, soft drinks and juices are the worst. Go with glass for everything else and a stainless steel bottle for your workout water.

Air Fresheners
Scented candles, air fresheners, and similar products can lead to problems for the increasing number of people with asthma. They also contain phthalates, which can lead to fertility problems in young male children.

Plastic Bags
If you need another reason to bring your bags to the store, check this: the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. A patch of plastic bags and other garbage in the Pacific that stretches from off the coast of California to China (see video).

They mention other items as well, including some of the cleaning products that we’ve written about on this blog, but all in all if you can replace these items, you’re on your way to living a reasonably green lifestyle with little to no impact on your everyday life, except for improved health and less of a chance of developing cancer. Who doesn’t want that?

Tags: compare green household cleaners, go green household products, going green tips household, green household cleaners, green household products

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