by Rachel Koller

January 1, 2010

Toxins and airplane cabin air quality? Landlords who refuse to stop spraying pesticides? Chemicals in child car seats? 

These are a few examples of the inquiry topics I receive at the Washington Toxics Coalition Toxics Hotline, where I volunteer. Questions come in on such a broad range of issues, it's a constant reminder of the complex and pervasive role chemicals play in our lives. Some days as I sit down to answer the emails, my first instinct is to crawl into a hole and hide. Once we start uncovering the ubiquitous toxic chemicals in our lives, it can become overwhelming, or just plain depressing. 

How do I combat this feeling? Together with my husband, I decided on a few basic "rules to live by" related to our concerns about environmental and human health. The first rule goes back to my volunteer work. Instead of getting down about the myriad of toxic issues that are raised through the Hotline, I take solace in knowing that someone else out there cares enough to ask the tough questions, and that I can help them in the search for resources and (hopefully) answers. So, Rule #1: Find like-minded folks to share ideas and concerns with. Volunteer with a local organization that works on environmental health, or just join in an online forum. Knowing you are not alone is comforting and you will learn from your concerned peers.

For those of us who have a lot of awareness about toxics swirling in our heads, but want to be careful not to preach, I suggest Ghandi's simple mantra: "Be the change you want to see in the world." Therein lies Rule #2. This concept has been an effective way for me to feel like my own small actions will make a greater difference, without having to beat my friend over the head with her Teflon-coated frying pan. If my priority is to make safer choices in the way I live, others might follow. I've found that people do notice, and friends and family often come to me with questions on finding safer products and reducing exposure to toxic chemicals. On a practical level, Rule #2 means we keep a household agenda  related to toxics, including: Strive for a PVC-free household.  Buy organic. Use green building practices for home renovations. Obviously it's impossible to achieve perfection in achieving any of these goals, but having established them helps us keep our efforts focused.  

Last but not least, Rule #3: Vote with your dollar. We use resources such as Environmental Working Group's Cosmetic Safety Database (www.ewg.org) and www.healthytoys.org to vet purchases. Washington Toxics Coalition's website (www.watoxics.org) also offers great advice on safer products. Researching takes extra time, of course, but once you get the hang of it and establish some brands that you trust, it gets easier. It is empowering to make careful, informed decisions on what we purchase, and it is equally empowering to be able to maintain a sense of humor as we live each day.