BPA, phthalates, lead, VOCs, pesticides, toxic cleaning agents,
dioxin...the list of scary invisible dangers to us, our children and
the planet seems endless. For new parents, the potential hazards to a
new, vulnerable baby can be overwhelming.
Enter
the eco-proofing industry. For a tidy sum, an expert will come into
your home, take note of potential hazards, make suggestions for
improvement and in all likelihood, some recommendations for pricey
vendors of such improvements. "Safe" seems to mean "expensive" when approached from this perspective.
It's
true that a BPA-free bottle, a stainless steel sippy cup, an organic
cotton crib mattress, zero-VOC paint IS more expensive--sometimes much
more so--than conventional alternatives. But are folks without the
budget for these things doomed to expose their children to poison?
While environmental racism and other injustices in how hazards are
distributed among the population, there is one big--if open--secret the
eco-proofing industry doesn't want you to think about: lots of
improvements you can make are free--some can even save you money.
For example:
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