Wedding are whirlwinds. Even if you're the world's calmest couple, the amount of pre-wedding to-do's can be staggering. So when you do come out on the other side, when the cake has been cut and the dancing shoes have been discarded, it's time to cut back the stress. And you know what's added stress you don't need? An unwrapped pile of kitchen and home ware that is chock full of toxic chemicals. This week, we want to make it easy for you, and your guests, to make nontoxic and less toxic choices when it comes to gift giving. Like last week's green baby registry guide , we're not pitching...

We all know the merits of choosing organic produce, and we all know that the big health benefits can also come with a big price tag. With a few simple steps, you can minimize chemicals on your non-organic produce, purchase cheaper organic items, and make sure that you’re making the most of your fruits and veggies. Here are our top 5 tips on how to give your produce shopping and preparation a nontoxic makeover: Wash everything thoroughly: The surface of fruits and veggies can be home to chemicals and pathogens, which is why it’s important to thoroughly wash your produce, particularly if it’s...

Hey...DIY projects are fun. I love the thought of making all of my own cosmetics and cleaning supplies. I also love the thought of having perfect hair every day and a super organized schedule and a unicorn. We all know the feeling of there just not being enough hours in the day; meanwhile, we all want healthy, non-toxic homes and products for our families. This week, we’re focusing on one ingredient fixes. These ingredients can be used on their own, and sometimes combined with water, to replace multiple cosmetics and cleaning products. These simple swaps are affordable, nontoxic, and best of...

Summer’s here, which means warm days, summer camp, and my favorite, strawberries--a summertime snack staple for kids! But six months ago, a dangerous ingredient got added to the production chain for this previously nutritious and delicious snack: Methyl iodide. Methyl iodide is a cancer-causing chemical that was recently approved for use in California agriculture. Already banned in New York and Washington, this chemical is linked to cancer, thyroid toxicity, and miscarriages. [1] It’s time to take methyl iodide out of CA farms before any more of this dangerous chemical is used. *Tell Governor...

Once upon a time, in a tropical land called Northern Virginia in July, I was a waitress. Waiting tables came with its fair share of health effects: Aching feet, sunburned skin, and restless nights studded with telltale server nightmares about forgotten tables and fuming customers. Surprisingly, the most lasting damage didn’t come from sleepless nights or beat-up-feet. It came from my twice a day beauty rituals. 12 hours days, split between lunch and dinner, required a long shower and a liberal amount of humidity-battling hair products to transform me from a sweaty civilian into a smiling...

Tis the season for summer beauty. Warmer days mean more sunscreen applications, different makeup routines, and more showers to make up for chlorine soaked hair or sweaty days outdoors. Unfortunately, many of the products about to enter your summer beauty routines are more than trendy: They might also be toxic. Women use an average of 12 products containing more than 125 unique chemicals daily . Only 11% of chemicals in personal care products in the US have been assessed for safety by the industry’s self-policing panel. "Companies say, 'We do a lot of testing.' But they're looking for short-...

Over this past year, we've learned more and more about the problem of toxic chemicals. In 2010, the President's Cancer Panel showed a link between exposures to toxic chemicals and rising cancer rates. (1) Six months later, new research from the Journal of Pediatrics showed that a recent rise in early puberty for girls is linked to exposure to endocrine disruptors, which are rampant in every day items, such as household cleaners and cosmetics.(2) We know there’s a problem. Finally, we have a solution: The Safe Chemicals Act. Ask your Senator to support comprehensive toxics legislation by...

According to magazines and TV commercials, I will be spending the next three months in a swimsuit. To someone who has worked full time every summer since I was fourteen, and had the Bay Area pleasure of having a sultry summer day cap out around 65 degrees, I say hooray! (Although I’m still not sure what my boss will think, or how the economy will function once all us women go fulfill our apparent non-stop-swimsuit-destinies...) Swimsuit season is apparantly so important that I'm supposed to immediately drop everything I’m doing and start losing weight in five pound increments. And there are a...

Cancer may seem like a huge monster that we can’t do anything about. This year, we have a way to get that monster out from the under bed. In its annual report to the President last year, the President’s Cancer Panel confirmed that exposure to toxic chemicals is an important but under-recognized risk factor for cancer. The Panel urged President Obama to “most strongly use the power of your office” to eliminate exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.[1] But one year later, nothing has changed. We can change the foods we eat, the products we buy, but it’s not enough. Even if you’re fortunate...