Sierra Club Green Home

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — It may feel small, but I learned from reading the Laguna Beach Independent newspaper that “all of Laguna Beach’s hotel and lodging properties have agreed to recycle hygiene products to benefit children and families in need through the nonprofit Clean the World Global. When one looks at what the numbers could add up to and the impact, this recycling effort is not insignificant in the least, even for a little seaside town. (Photo by Casa Laguna Inn, courtesy of Laguna Beach Visitors Bureau)

SAN FRANCISCO — A young soccer player from San Francisco is making waves in the scientific community with her research on local playing fields. Claire Dworsky collected 110 water samples from 10 soccer fields across San Francisco, half of them with grass and half with artificial turf. Her research showed dangerous chemical run-offs from artificial turf. (Photo courtesy of Action for Nature)

When we purchase food, toys, household-use items, and other products for our infants and children, we rely on the manufacturers to create safe merchandise. Some toys are not what they seem, however. In fact, many contain substances that harm infants and children. California recently joined 10 other states in banning the chemical BPA from infant and children’s products. Here is some background on BPA and its brushes with the law. (Photo by)

Businesses that are completely conscious of the earth, creator, and consumer are not as hard to find as many think. A host of Web sites and boutiques offer vegan, organic, and fair-trade products. Where you spend your money can speak about what you support. (Photo courtesy of 31 Bits.com)

Leading health and parents’ groups have been asking Johnson & Johnson to reformulate its baby shampoo to remove a chemical that releases formaldehyde, a known carcinogen. The company launched a “natural” baby shampoo but still sells the original baby shampoo with the formaldehyde-releasing ingredient in the United States, while making formaldehyde-free versions of the shampoo in several other countries, according to Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. (Photo: Wikicommons)

If half of kids swapped costumes instead of purchasing new ones every year, it would reduce landfill waste by 6,250 tons, according to GreenHalloween.org. Saturday, October 8, is National Costume Swap Day. Find the nearest swap party. (Photo courtesy of Green Halloween)

Bed bugs have become a reality in such diverse places as luxury hotels, well-known department stores, and in many homes. There is a proven, natural remedy using cedar as a natural pest deterrent.

Online retailers generally are not known for great customer service. Instead, they build their reputation on offering quality products and prompt delivery, and many carry a variety of eco-friendly or sustainable products.

One online retailer has figured out how to put all this together. Bucking the norm, Greenfeet strives to offer online shopping that is easy, fun, and steeped in customer service. (Photo courtesy of Greenfeet)

Children often put toys in their mouths, and yet many on the shelves today are made with toxic materials. Natural toys, on the other hand, are made from materials that are safe for the child and the environment. They can also be one of a child’s first connections to nature. A wooden rattle in a child’s hand comes from a living tree and feels familiar and nurturing in a way that man-made materials can’t match.

You’d think a newborn baby would have a fresh start when it comes to toxic chemicals. But chemicals move across the placenta, so a baby emerges with some of the same pollution in its system as its mother. Tests of umbilical blood have detected chemicals that cause cancer and birth defects as well as those that are toxic to the brain and nervous system…