How can your family eat more healthy and in ways to help the environment?

Are chemicals increasing your risks of getting breast cancer?

How can your school and community get involved in preventing pollution?

For the answers, check out Real Mama’s Winter 2010 E-newsletter below.

Recognizing that families and caregivers are short on time and that environmental issues and actions can be complex, Real Mama researches and reviews some of the latest environmental topics and concerns for today’s busy families.

Hope you’re enjoying winter so far. Thanks for your visit and please let us know what you think!

In mid-November the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an independent government-appointed panel made the first reevaluation of breast cancer screening guidelines since 2002. Needless to say, their recommendations were controversial. One recommendation suggests that women in their 40s should stop routinely having annual mammograms and older women should cut back to one scheduled exam every other year. Many organizations do not support the recommendations, including the American Cancer Society and the American College of Radiology, among others. Speak with your doctor to determine what the proper course of action is right for you.

Screening guidelines recommend how to detect breast cancer in an individual. However, there are ways to live your life that may decrease your exposure to risk factors for breasts cancer.

Risk Factors for Breast Cancer
According to the State of the Evidence 2008 report published by the Breast Cancer Fund, breast cancer rates in the United States have increased by more than 40 percent between 1978 and 1998. In 2008, a woman’s lifetime risk of developing breast cancer is one in eight. The State of the Evidence is a comprehensive report on the environmental exposures linked to increased breast cancer risk.

Although scientists do not know exactly what causes breast cancer, there are certain factors that have been shown to increase or decrease your risk of getting it. According to the American Cancer Society, there are risk factors for getting breast cancer that you cannot change, such as gender, age (2 out of 3 women with breast cancer are over 55 when the cancer is found); genetics (5-10% of breast cancers are linked to inherited changes like those of the BRCA1and BRCA2 gene where women have up to an 80% chance of getting breast cancer in their lifetime); and family history (doubles a woman’s risk).

There are risk factors that you can change. According to the American Cancer Society, factors that you can control that may impact your risk of getting breast cancer include:

• Not having children, or having them later in life (after age 30) slightly increases the risk of getting breast cancer because being pregnant reduces a woman’s total number of lifetime menstrual cycles (i.e., the fewer menstrual cycles a woman has in life the lower her risk of breast cancer whether it be due to a pregnancy or breast-feeding or a later onset of menstruation);
• Recent oral contraceptive use (birth control pills) slightly increase the risk of getting breast cancer than those who have never used them; however, women who stopped using them more than 10 years ago do not have an increased risk;
• Using post-menopausal hormone therapy (also known as hormone replacement therapy) to help relieve symptoms of menopause and prevent the thinning of the bones increases the risk of getting breast cancer because of the hormones used (estrogen and progesterone) and a treatment using both hormones increases the risk of dying from breast cancer after as little as 2 years of use;
• Breast-feeding slightly lowers breast cancer risk, especially if continued for 1.5-2 years, because this reduces a woman’s total number of lifetime menstrual cycles;
• Drinking alcohol (2 to 5 drinks daily) increases the risk of getting breast cancer 1.5 times that of non-drinkers;
• Being overweight or obese increases the risk of getting breast cancer, especially for women after menopause because most having more fat tissue after menopause raises estrogen levels;
• Exercise reduces breast cancer risk. In one study as little as 1.25 to 2.5 hours per week of brisk walking reduces a woman’s risk by 18%.

Environmental Link
Although the American Cancer Society lists environmental factors as an uncertain risk factor, other groups strongly believe that increases in chemicals in the environment with industrialization has lead to the increase in breast cancer. The Program on Breast Cancer and Environmental Risk Factors (BCERF) at Cornell University says over half of breast cancers can not be explained by known risk factors and that some research suggests that chemicals in the environment may contribute to a person’s risk of getting breast cancer.

The hypotheses about how environmental chemicals affect breast cancer risk is that synthetic chemicals can either mimic the effect of estrogen (called xenoestrogens) or actually affect the levels of estrogen by disrupting the way estrogen is produced or used in the body (called endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs)), as well as disrupting other hormones including androgens and thyroid hormones.

It is undisputed that exposure over time to natural estrogens in the body increases the risk of breast cancer. As discussed above, use of hormone replacement therapy and oral contraceptives increase this risk. Exposure to xenoestrogens and EDCs may explain the increase in breast cancer in industrialized countries around the world.

Chemicals of Concern
A more complete list of EDCs that have been shown to affect the risk for breast cancer in humans, or the risk of mammary cancer in animals, can be found at this link but here are a few examples:
• Pesticides, such as dieldrin and aldrin, atrazine, and helptachlor and those that have been banned such as DDT, because they persist in the environment;
• Bisphenol A, found in polycarbonate plastic (denoted by the triangle symbol and number 7), epoxy resin, and dental sealants;
• Polyaromatic hydrocarbons, the byproducts of combustion;
• Tobacco smoke, both active & second-hand smoke;
• Dioxins, from vehicle exhaust, incineration, and manufacturing;
• Phthalates, chemicals found in cosmetics and to make plastics flexible;
• Parabens, anti-microbials found in cosmetics and personal care products; and
• Food additives, given to animals to enhance growth such as recombinant bovine somatotropin and zeranol.

How to Reduce Risks
It is important to recognize that it is not possible to reduce your exposure to ambient chemicals but just knowing that chemicals can mimic the effects of estrogen is a start. In addition, understanding that hormone replacement therapy as well as birth control pills may be associated with estrogen exposure may help us make more informed decisions about our bodies and the environment. Here are some steps that you can be taking to reduce your risk factors of breast cancer:

• Make informed decisions about birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy;
• Limit the amount of alcohol you drink to one drink a day and don’t smoke;
• Maintain a healthy weight throughout your life by eating healthy and exercising (the American Cancer Society recommends 45 to 60 minutes of intentional physical activity 5 or more days a week);
• Eat organic produce, meat, and dairy to avoid pesticide residue & food additives (see Real Mama’s “A Common Sense Approach to Eating Organic Produce”);
• Avoid #7 plastics that may contain BPA (see Real Mama’s “Bisphenol A Controversy over Safety of Plastics and Kids’ Health”);
• Revamp your beauty routine and use more natural products to avoid parabens and phthalates (see Real Mama’s “Skin-Deep Chemicals in Personal Care Products and Cosmetics Pose Health Risks”).

Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_2_2X_What_causes_breast_cancer_5.asp?sitearea (American Cancer Society, Overview: Breast Cancer – What Causes Breast Cancer?).

http://www.ahrq.gov/clinic/uspstf09/breastcancer/brcanrs.htm (Recommendations made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force)

http://coeh.berkeley.edu/greenchemistry/cbcrp.htm (University of California’s Breast Cancer and Chemicals Policy Project)

http://www.pureprevention.com/ask_resources.php (The Breast Cancer Fund’s “The State of the Evidence” Report)

As we welcome the New Year, the school my children attend has resolved to take on the task of pollution prevention. Since we are a coastal community in the heart of our “rainy season,” much of our discussion will center on storm water run off and how 60-80% of all debris found in the ocean comes from land based sources. We provide the students with information that illustrates the harm to marine wildlife and ecosystems caused by balloon fragments, cigarette butts and other common trash found washed-up on our shores. We then punctuate this lesson with a school-wide cleanup located at a popular beach near our campus.

While living by the coast does present some unique pollution challenges, litter is ubiquitous and the hazards to our natural environment from improperly disposed trash plagues communities all around our country and the world. Pollution prevention also happens to be one of the simplest environmental issues to highlight in a school setting and therefore a great starting point for implementing a “green agenda” on campus.

If you like the idea of planning a school based, community cleanup but are wondering how to make it happen, I have provided some tips to get you started.

The Early Bird Catches the Worm
Assuming you have top-down buy-in (approval from your district/principal) on the project, the earlier you get the word out the better. I began circulating an “interested party” sign-up sheet for our beach cleanup at the start of the school year. Whenever there was a planned school activity, I either manned an information table or enlisted enthusiastic students to work the crowd armed with a clipboard. We collected the names and email addresses of parents and students wanting to participate in a community cleanup. We specifically asked for permission to contact them with event details and other information related to our cleanup efforts. Once I had a list of email addresses, I was able to send out mass updates about venue, date and time as well as pollution facts and details about some key types of trash to look for on our cleanup.

Picking Your Venue and Time
Careful consideration should go into picking the time and place of your event. It seems obvious that you would want to pick a time that would work for most families, but pleasing everyone is not likely to happen. Be mindful of the big conflicts such as holiday weekends when families are likely to travel out of town, common church times and even seasonal sports. I found planning our cleanup on a Saturday proved too tricky because nearly every family had children involved in some type of sport and this was the day when most games were scheduled. It is also helpful to look on your town’s event calendar and that of neighboring schools to eliminate other potential conflicts. I ran into challenges negotiating the logistics of road closures due to a local marathon as well as a competing beach cleanup from another school in our district.

Ideally you will want to pick a spot in your community frequented by the students attending your school such as a local park, nearby beach, popular creek bed or commonly traveled corridor. If you do choose the side of a road, make certain there is ample room away from traffic to ensure safety. Keep in mind families with school aged children may also have younger siblings in tow.

Help Supplement In-Class Information
A few weeks before the cleanup event inform teachers that the timing is ripe to talk about pollution issues during class. I have found teachers can usually find a portion of time to set aside for a small lesson. At my school, I have offered to come in and lead a lesson or help supply the information for the teacher or other parent volunteers. For younger grades, the lesson is usually a story about pollution such as All The Way to the Ocean followed by a class discussion about how animals mistake bits of trash for food and ingest them causing them harm.

Older grades can better grasp the science behind the same issue and can handle more sophisticated information such as details about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch which, although not visible from a satellite image, is estimated to be twice the size of Texas. Downloading information about this topic from wikipedia.com proved to be enough introductory information to comprise a lesson. This introduction can be coupled with one of many video clips available on the internet. All that is needed in the classroom is a computer with internet connectivity.

Another easy way to engage students about pollution issues in class is to have them make signs promoting the cleanup event for placement around campus.

Partner with an Expert
Although it is completely possible to execute a neighborhood cleanup event on your own, if you plan on a large turn-out, it helps to call in a professional. There are organizations all over the country whose main goal is to work within their local community to promote pollution prevention. The benefit of partnering with one of these groups is that they will likely supply event waivers, trash bags, recycling bags, gloves and often other informational materials. The organization that I partnered with not only supplied all the items listed above but also gave us survey cards for participants to report on the type and amount of trash that they found. This was a great way to reinforce the lessons we planned at school in the weeks prior. To find an organization near you that supports community cleanup efforts check out the Keep America Beautiful website at www.kab.org. The website has an interactive map where clicking on your state will show all the local organizations that are participating in the Great American Cleanup. Contact one of these organizations to find out how they can support your activity.

Report Progress Back to School
Nothing speaks louder than a strong sense of accomplishment. At the close of the cleanup event weigh all trash and recyclables separately. Report back to school on the amount of each type of trash picked up and, if applicable, the amount of money raised from whatever recyclables collected. At our school our student volunteers created a large poster recording our findings and the money earned was donated to a pollution prevention nonprofit organization.

Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:
www.kab.org (The Keep America Beautiful website has information to find an organization near you that supports community cleanup efforts)

To read more information about the harms of pollution on our environment, check out the following articles in our Real Mama archives:

Litter from Sea to Shining Sea
Every Party Needs a Pooper: Balloons and the Environment

The following resources may be helpful in explaining the harms of pollution to children:

Books:
All the Way to the Ocean by Joel Harper
The Great Trash Bash by Loreen Leedy
Where Does Pollution Come From by C. Vance Cast

Video about the North Pacific Gyre
http://www.pbs.org/kqed/oceanadventures/video/gyre Ocean Adventures: Spin Cycle Jean-Michel Cousteau

A complete lesson plan about the North Pacific Gyre for teachers with linked resources
http://www.teachablemoment.org/elementary/earthday.html

When it’s cold outside, we do our best to stay warm.  It’s also at this time of year that we crave warm, heavy, fat and sweet foods.  And if they are the right kind of foods, it’s exactly what our bodies need to keep warm.   Our energy is lower too, and we tend to sleep more.  No, it’s not just you.  It’s the human race.  However, most people aren’t tired and have low energy because of the seasons.  It also has a lot to do with eating the wrong foods and living a lifestyle that is damaging to our bodies and our minds.  And that’s not all it’s damaging.

Ten thousand years ago, we were hunter gatherers.  We lived in synch with nature and the rhythm of the seasons.  We had no choice, for it’s all we knew.   Today, our bodies are still in tuned to the seasons, even if our minds are not.    As animals adapt to the weather by storing fat and growing thicker coats, so do we.  Our hair grows faster (on our heads and bodies).  You may also notice that you gain a little weight in the winter.    Our bodies need that extra fat to keep us warm, and it needs to make sure we have our reserves because food is scarce in the cold—at least it was 10,000 years ago.

In fact, food was scarce for the majority of the population until very recently.  As recent as 100 years ago, our culture was heavily dependent on local farms and the seasonal offerings.  But since our world has become industrialized, we’ve gone in a direction away from the natural order of things and the repercussions are devastating, to the epidemic of obesity and disease to the destruction of our environment and humanity.

Sounds bleak, doesn’t it?  Well, things are looking up.  Just in the past few years, the move toward a more conscious living has taken off.   People are actually thinking about what they are eating in a way like never before and the effect is that we’re moving back toward the way is was when people lived in synch with nature and the seasons.  But now it’s a matter of choice.

Here are some things you can do to reverse the destructive industrialization  practices of the past few generations and , at the same time, improve your own health:

Eat less red meat. Make it a side dish a couple days a week at most.  Our bodies were not built to eat the amounts most people eat regularly.  When you do eat meat, look for locally raised animals that are organic or grass fed.  There are scary statistics attached to the amount of water and oil used in the production of one factory farmed animal, not to mention the more immediate effects on the environment because of land clearing, chemicals, medications, and animal waste.  The inhuman treatment of these animals is also something that would make even non-animal lovers cringe.

Eat local (and, therefore, seasonally).  The food most people eat for dinner has traveled an average of 1,500 miles.  According to Good Guide, one Canadian study estimated that choosing 58 locally selected food items could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 49,485 tons annually — the equivalent of removing 16,191 vehicles from the road.  Choosing local foods not only helps our environment, but is healthier for us as well.  Unless they are also organic, local produce requires less pesticides and little if any preservatives (yes, on produce!).  The nutritional integrity is also maintained when it’s eaten within 24 hours of being harvested.

Choose organic. The philosophy of organic food production maintains certain principles: biodiversity, ecological balance, sustainability, natural plant fertilization, natural pest management, and soil integrity.  The practices of organic farmers are in balance with the natural environment, using methods and materials that minimize negative impact on the environment.   The health benefit?  Think of it this way:  pesticides aren’t just poison to pests.

It’s simple to get started on the right track just by abiding by these three suggestions.  If we could simply get half of America to do so, we’d see amazing positive results in our health and the environment.   And on a personal level, I promise, you’ll feel better both physically and emotionally.  Getting back to the natural order of things does this quite easily.  So, make a commitment to be conscious and pass the idea along.

The following resources were used in gathering information for this article. Please visit them yourself to learn more information about healthy eating choices.

www.michaelpollan.com
www.GoodGuide.com
Waistland by Deirdre Barrett

Debbie Peterson MA, CHC is an Integrative Health and Nutrition Counselor trained at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and certified by Columbia University. She is the mother of a nine year old son and seven year old daughter and lives in Monmouth County, NJ. She also is an adjunct writing instructor at Brookdale Community College and Monmouth University.

More than ever, people are washing their hands with antibacterial soap, which experts say is harmful to our health and to the environment.  More than three-quarters of soaps contain an “antibacterial” or “antimicrobial” ingredient.  These ingredients are also found in cleaning products, laundry detergents, trash bags, and sponges, as well as toothpaste, socks, plastic kitchenware, cutting boards, and even toys.  From 2000 to 2006, about 1,500 new antibacterial consumer products were introduced into the marketplace.  However, antibacterial soaps have been found to be no more effective than using regular soap and do more harm than good.

The Problem Chemicals
Two antibacterial chemicals of concern are triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC).  Triclosan (TCS) is found in antibacterial soaps as well as personal care products, cosmetics, mouthwash, toothpaste, acne treatments, lotions, hand soaps, dish soaps, socks, cutting boards, garbage bags, pesticides, shoe insoles, and basically any product that a manufacturer sees benefits of killing bacteria to reduce odor or increase shelf life.  It is also used as an additive to plastics and sometimes to preserve products, including food.  TCS is marketed under other trademarked names including Microban, Irgasan DP-300, Lexol 300, Ster-Zac, Cloxifenolum, and Biofresh.  As a chemical, TCS structurally resembles dioxin (the Love Canal poison) and has had the attention of toxicologists for years.

Triclocarban (TCC) was relatively unknown and presumed harmless as recently as 2004.  According to Science Daily, TCC is widely used in bar soaps, deodorants, toothpaste, cutting boards and countertops, body washes, cleansing lotions, wipes, detergents, and even baby toys.  TCC-containing products have been marketed broadly in the United States and Europe for more than 45 years; an estimated 1 million pounds of TCC are imported annually for the U.S. market.

Impacts to Your Health
TCS and TCC are concerning toxicologists, health professionals, and some agencies and consumers.  Studies have shown human health effects from use of antibacterial soap and other products.

Triclosan can enter the bloodstream through the skin, mouth, or intestines.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDCP), in 2004, “about three-quarters of adults and children older than six had detectable levels of triclosan” in their bodies.  Recent studies have detected TCS in human blood samples and in 3 of 5 random samples of human breast milk.  TCS was also found in the urine of 61 percent of 90 girls ages 6 to 8 in a study by Mount Sinai School of Medicine.  The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit organization, led studies that detected TCS in 17 of 21 people tested.

An increasing number of studies show both TCS and TCC are endocrine disrupters, interfering with normal hormone functions in mammals and other animals.  Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that have been “linked in animal studies to a variety of problems, including cancer, reproductive failure, and developmental anomalies.”  According to the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, endocrine disruptors may cause reduced fertility in women and men, early puberty in girls, and increases in cancers of the breast, ovaries, and prostate.

Further, researchers at Virginia Tech University discovered that the use of antimicrobial soaps and other products may be directly exposing consumers to significant quantities of chloroform, a chemical classified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as a probable human carcinogen (cancer-causing).  The research shows that when TCS reacts with chlorine in tap water, chloroform is produced, exposing people to chloroform levels 40 percent higher than that found in tap water.  It is possible that the chloroform could be absorbed through skin or inhaled.  Most household water contains chlorine from disinfection at water treatment plants.  Children are at the greatest risk, as they tend to swallow their TCS or TCC-containing toothpaste (and resulting chloroform) more while brushing their teeth.

In addition, dermatologists blame the overuse of antibacterial soap for the spread of certain skin diseases.  The components of the antibacterial soaps wipe away more bacteria and tend to be harsh on skin.  People use the antibacterial soaps, which dries the skin and can lead to open sores.

TCS and TCC may also become suspects in the search for causes of autism.  Studies are being done to assess how TCS may affect the brain.  Some people may carry a mutated gene that makes it easier for triclosan to attach to their cells. That could make them more vulnerable to any effects triclosan may cause.  As such, triclosan is a prime target for research into environmental factors that might cause autism.

While antibacterial products are safe for most people, in general, other research does show that “there may be sensitive periods in development when these compounds could have a very subtle detrimental effect.”  Specifically, the chemicals are most likely to do harm during pregnancy, early childhood, and adolescence.

Besides resistance, the antibacterial craze has another potential consequence.  Reports have found a correlation between too much hygiene and increased allergies.  Studies reveal an increased frequency of allergies, cases of asthma, and eczema in persons who have been raised in an environment overly protective against bacteria and germs.

Also, some experts suspect widespread use of antibacterial products may help turn some dangerous germs into “superbugs” that are resistant to antibiotics.  In studies, TCS promoted the growth of resistant bacteria.

Impacts to the Environment
According to Rolf Halden, PhD, a scientist at Arizona State University, Americans dump more than one million pounds of TCS and TCC into the environment every year from discharges of treated wastewater into surface waters (e.g., oceans, bays, rivers, and lakes).  Halden found that sewage treatment captures only about 50% of the TCS and less than 25% of the TCC that goes down people’s drains.

TCC and TCS are being detected in our nation’s waterways, persist in the environment, and accumulate in the tissues and organs of animals.  TCC is one of today’s top ten chemicals most frequently found in the environment and in U.S. drinking water resources.  TCS has been detected in 60 percent of the U.S. water resources investigated.

In waterways, antibacterial soap chemicals significantly affect algae growth and have been shown to alter the development of fish.  TCS accumulates in the gills of fish and makes algae inedible to other species, which disrupts the entire ecosystem.  Researchers found TCS in the blood of bottlenose dolphins in South Carolina and Florida waterways.

Also, when TCS gets exposed to sunlight, it rapidly degrades into dioxins.  Dioxins are potent toxins classified by EPA as cancer-causing.

TCC and TCS survive wastewater treatment and ends-up in our surface water as well as in municipal sludge, a byproduct of wastewater treatment.  This sludge is regularly applied to U.S. crop fields as a fertilizer, potentially threatening our food sources.  According to Johns Hopkins University research, every year, an estimated 200 tons of TCC and TCS are applied to agricultural lands nationwide.

Actions Against Antibacterials
Some agencies, professional associations, as well as nonprofit organizations, are taking action.  In 2000, the American Medical Association (AMA) officially opposed adding antimicrobials to consumer products.  The AMA has repeatedly urged the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to better regulate these chemicals, advising that they should be avoided “until the data emerge to show antimicrobials in consumer products are effective at preventing infection.”  The CDCP periodically monitors levels of TCS, the most common antibacterial agent, in randomly selected Americans.

Currently, FDA and EPA are examining antibacterial soap’s impacts on human and environmental health.  A 2005 FDA advisory committee found no benefit to antibacterial over regular soap, but potential risks.  EPA has said it will formally review TCS in 2013 — ten years earlier than previously planned!  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Union currently regulate triclosan, and EPA classifies this substance as a probable human carcinogen.

A petition filed by the nonprofit organizations Beyond Pesticides and Food and Water Watch (with support from dozens of other groups), argues that TCS should not be approved for use in consumer products.  The groups claim that the science used to create existing TCS regulations, as well as the regulations themselves, are outdated.

Healthier Options & Solutions
A team of researchers found that washing hands with an antibacterial soap was “no more effective in preventing infectious illness than plain soap.”  In a single study, people who used antibacterial soap did have fewer bacteria on their hands, but only if they washed for 30 seconds, 18 times a day, for five days straight!

Researchers simply recommend using regular soap, which kills 90% of bacteria and leaves little impact on the environment.  Experts do say there antibacterial soaps do prevent illness in health care settings where patients are more vulnerable to germs (but, keep in mind that antibacterial ingredients in hospital-strength soaps are up to 10 times the concentration of store-bought soap).

Here are some recommendations and points to remember:
• Antibacterial products are only effective in killing bacteria. They do not prevent the spread of viral infections, which are responsible for a large percentage of contagious diseases such as the flu and colds.
• Aim to be clean, not germ-free. You can’t conquer all bacteria, nor should you.  As one researcher says, “Bacteria are everywhere, and most bacteria are not harmful.”
• Frequently wash and rub hands together vigorously for 20 seconds. Rinse thoroughly. Dry hands well and launder hand towels often in hot water.
• Shop for environmentally friendly cleaners that do not contain triclosan or triclocarbon (e.g., Bon Ami; Baking soda, vinegar and water; for alternatives for toothpaste and cosmetics, consult the Safe Cosmetics Data Base).  .  Read product labels; do not buy ones with the words “antibacterial,” “kills germs,” or “triclosan.”  Also, skip these ingredients: chlorine, lye, glycol ethers, and ammonia.
• Disinfect objects that come into contact with raw meat, fish, or eggs, such as cutting boards and utensils.  Use a dishwasher and be sure it reaches 171 degrees F.  Use environmentally friendly cleaners in stores or make your own by using white vinegar followed by 3% hydrogen peroxide.
• Disinfect sponges and rags: Microwave for 30 seconds on high power if dry, longer if wet — sponges for one minute, and rags for three minutes.
• Clean bathrooms and kitchen hard surfaces. Use borax, which is also effective on mildew, especially combined with vinegar.  You can make a cleaning solution by adding 1/2 cup of each to a gallon of water.  Hydrogen peroxide will reduce microorganisms on surfaces.

Essentially, it is up to consumers to make the choice to wipe-out the use of antibacterial soap and products for you and your family’s health, and the environment.

For other related Real Mama Articles, see:
Skin Deep: Chemicals in Personal Care Products and Cosmetics Pose Health Risks
Pharmaceuticals in the Environment
Greening Your Spring Cleaning
Safe Sunscreen for Kids
Safe Bug Spray for Kids
Toy Recalls: All I Want for the Holidays is a Non-Toxic, Safe Toy

Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:
(http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/05/080516100942.htm, Arizona State University, “Fate Of Personal Care Products Linked To Environmental Pollution And Human Health Concerns.”  ScienceDaily May 1, 2008.  Last accessed January 10, 2010.)

(http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/01/050122145639.htm, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, “Anti-Bacterial Additive Widespread In U.S. Waterways.”  ScienceDaily January 24, 2005.  Last accessed January 10, 2010.)

(http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070815173055.htm, University of Michigan, “Plain Soap As Effective As Antibacterial But Without The Risk.”  ScienceDaily August 16, 2007, last accessed January 10, 2010.)

(http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071207150713.htm, University of California – Davis, “Antibacterial Chemical Disrupts Hormone Activities, Study Finds.”  ScienceDaily December 8, 2007.  Last accessed January 10, 2010.)

(http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/04/050415113734.htm, Virginia Tech, “Being Too Clean Could Be Hazardous To Your Health And The Environment.”  ScienceDaily April 15, 2005.  Last accessed January 10, 2010.)

(http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0510-07.htm, “Threat Seen From Antibacterial Soap Chemicals,” Los Angeles Times, by Marla Cone, May 10, 2006).

(http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/503928/?sc=wire, “Don’t Wash Your Hands Without Reading This: Avoid Antibacterial Soaps,” Saint Louis University Medical Center, March 29, 2004.)

(http://www.nurseweek.com/features/98-10/soap.html, “Wash Out: Could antibacterial soaps create new bacterial strains?” by Mary Ann Hellinghausen, October 1, 1998.  Last accessed January 10, 2010.)

(http://www.motherearthnews.com/Natural-Health/2006-10-01/Why-You-Dont-Need-Antibacterial-Soap.aspx, “Why you don’t need antibacterial soap,” Mother Earth News, by Tabitha Alterman, October/November 2006.)

(http://www.naturalnews.com/021703_triclosan_soap_antibacterial_soap.html, “Antibacterial soap ingredient triclosan may be harmful to humans,” by David Gutierrez, March 15, 2007.)

(http://www.naturalnews.com/022178_triclosan_toothpaste_bacteria.html, “Toxic chemical triclosan commonly found in anti-bacterial soaps, toothpaste products,” by Mike Adams, October 29, 2007.)

(http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/biology/b103/f01/web3/bond.html, “Can We Get Too Clean?” by Millicent Bond, 2001, last accessed January 10, 2010.)

(http://www.naturalnews.com/021396_soap_water_health.html, “Report: Soap and water as effective as environment-damaging antibacterial cleaners,” by Ben Kage, January 08, 2007, last accessed January 10, 2010.)

(http://www.naturalnews.com/026110_soap_chemicals_clay.html, “The Benefits of Using Real, Natural Soap,” by Cheryl McCoy, April 24, 2009, last accessed January 10, 2010.)

(http://www.webmd.com/health-ehome-9/antibacterial-soap-cleaners, “Antibacterial Soap: Do You Need It to Keep Your Home Clean?” by Matthew Hoffman, MD, WebMD, last accessed January 11, 2010.)

(http://www.kqed.org/quest/blog/2009/09/02/anti-bacterial-soap-is-the-medicine-worse-than-the-cure/, “Antibacterial Soap: Is the Medicine Worse than the Cure?” Quest, September 2nd, 2009, last accessed January 11, 2010.)

(http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/anti-bacterial-soap-triclosan-47071501, “Antibacterial Soap: An Imminent Threat to Human Health and the Environment?” by Dan Shapley, The Daily Green, July 15, 2009, last accessed January 11, 2010.)

(http://www.thedailygreen.com/living-green/blogs/green-products-services/antibacterial-soap-55073001, “Seven Alternatives to Antibacterial Soap,” by Diane MacEachern, The Daily Green, July 30, 2008, last accessed January 11, 2010.)

(http://www.ewg.org/node/21840, “Water pollution caused by cosmetic chemicals, cleaning supplies and plastics: Triclosan.”  Environmental Working Group, 2007-2009, last accessed January 11, 2010.)

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Camille’s Go-Green Goals:
1. Since I was able to make it through Christmas without using a shred of wrapping paper, I plan to continue this “zero-tolerance” practice throughout the year- birthdays, anniversaries etc…
2. Purchase a large vericomposting bin for my yard. Worms are easy to keep, help reduce food waste and their castings are amazing for your garden.
3. Be a stronger community advocate. Push hard to get organic food choices on the menu at my childrens’ school lunch program.
4. Grow more of the fruits and vegetables that we eat at home.
5. Revamp our landscaping with more drought resistant plants.  California is in it’s third drought year.

Kari’s Go-Green Goals:
1.  Use greener personal care products.
2.  Tend to my garden better to yield more vegetables — without pesticides.
3.  Eat at least one meatless meal per week since meat has a large carbon footprint.
4.  Take a family hike or outdoor outing once a week.
5.  In Spring, Summer, and Autumn, shop at one of the many farmer’s markets in the area for local fruits, vegetables, and other goodies.

Cornelia’s Go-Green Goals:
1. Switch from water delivery service to home filtration system to filter out chlorine, lead, prescription drugs, etc.
2. Spend more time planning and expanding our organic garden…and keep up with the weeds while they’re tiny!
3. Join a CSA for our main veggies and visit the farmers’ market more often.
4. Use reusable menstrual products (cloth pads or the Diva Cup) instead of continuing to fill the landfills each month.
5. Organize my time better so I can have the space to just be…

Kirstin’s Go-Green Goals for 2010:

1.  Enjoy and be grateful for simple pleasures by slowing down and focusing on the basics of life (health, relationships, etc.).
2.  Reduce waste by using leftovers to their fullest in soups, a slow cooker, or casseroles.
2.  Plan trips close to home, or in conjunction with other trips, instead of taking carbon-intensive vacations.
4.  Turn off the TV and other electronic devices once a week for an entire day.
5.  Recognize my own strengths and weaknesses, as well as those of others, to help guide activities and interactions.