Toxicity

I read an interesting article over the weekend that asked a good question: Why do people strive to eat organic food but ignore all the other toxins in their lives?

The article went on to discuss all the terrible chemicals (some known carcinogens) in carpets, mattresses and cotton sheets and clothing.

I looked into this further, learning that the cotton needed to make a single pair of jeans typically gets 3/4 of a pound of pesticides. That cotton crops are the biggest pesticide problem - contributing to poisoned water and depleted soil. It doesn't stop with the crops though, cotton is processed using many other chemicals. Then you wear it, or sleep wrapped in it, exposing your absorpitive skin to the toxins. (Or worse, the chemical-treated cotton goes to tampon production.)

And that new car smell? That's toxins coming out of the leather and carpeting. What's creepy is that we love that smell. Just like we love the smell of Lysol, clean clothes, perfumes, new shoes. We associate those smells with goodness and cleanliness, when they are really just the opposite.

I've learned that there are organic options for mattresses, carpets, furniture, sheets, and clothes. Contrary to what you might think, those options are just as comfy and soft, and they look the same. The furniture and carpets and mattresses are far more expensive, and pillows made from organic cotton are $30-$50 each. But organic cotton sheet sets are in the same price range as regular sheet sets. Organic cotton underwear and shirts are just slightly more expensive - averaging $10-$15 for one pair of underwear and around $20 for a simple t-shirt.

I'm thinking of starting a move to a green home with sheets sometime in the next couple of months.

Look into this. You can start at Sustainable Cotton which has a good summary of why cotton is one of the biggest issues.

It's scary that the products we think are safe, or the things we consider improvements over the way things were done 100 years ago, are so bad for us.