The Slightly Greener Method: Detoxifying Your Home Is Easier, Faster, and Less Expensive than You Think

by Tonya Harris

Overview

Creating a healthy, nontoxic home often feels like a losing battle. When it seems like everything is bad for you, from pesticides in your produce to flame retardants in your mattress, it's hard to get motivated to change. That's where board-certified holistic nutritionist Tonya Harris's motto comes in: you only have to make little adjustments to have a big impact on your health. The Slightly Greener Method gives you small, actionable changes you can easily make in your pantry, medicine cabinet, and under your kitchen sink-without breaking the bank or upending your life. By focusing on micro-habits you can build overtime and the gradual introduction of safer products, Harris guides you along a road map to a greener, more environmentally-friendly lifestyle that can help protect you and your family's health long-term and answers questions such as: What does "organic" really mean? Which of the unpronounceable chemicals listed on the back of my shampoo bottle might be toxic? Do I really need to throw away expired makeup? Why aren't companies always required to list toxic ingredients on their product labels? How can I make sure my kids and pets are safe while also keeping a squeaky-dean house? It's never too soon (or too late) to start your slightly greener journey!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781728225357
Publisher:	Sourcebooks
Publication date:	08/03/2021
Pages:	336
Sales rank:	531,199
Product dimensions:	8.20(w) x 5.40(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

Author's Note vii

Part I The Challenge of Detoxifying Our Homes 1

Chapter 1 Why Slightly Greener 3

Chapter 2 Getting Started with the Slightly Greener Method 21

Chapter 3 The Power of Starting Small 36

Part II Slightly Greener Eating 47

Chapter 4 Learn to Read Ingredients, Not Labels 49

Chapter 5 "Safe" Ingredients to Avoid 72

Chapter 6 Safe Water, Food Storage, and the Kitchen Cleanout 105

Part III Slightly Greener Cosmetics 127

Chapter 7 Don't Be Fooled by Cosmetic Labels 129

Chapter 8 Change Your Body Wash and Lose Weight 162

Chapter 9 Reading Cosmetic Labels, Expiration Dates, and the Slightly Greener Cleanout 179

Part IV Slightly Greener Cleaning 195

Chapter 10 What's Hiding in Cleaning Supplies, Dust, and Indoor Air 197

Chapter 11 When in Doubt, Do It Yourself 216

Chapter 12 The Two-Step Cleaning Product Toss 232

Acknowledgments 251

Appendix A Resources 254

Appendix B Cheat Sheets 283

Notes 289

Index 321

About the Author 328

Editorial Reviews

07/19/2021

Eliminating exposure to toxins in the home is “simple, inexpensive, fun, and doesn’t require being a domestic diva,” writes Slightly Greener blogger Harris in her informative and approachable debut. Rather than ditching everything and starting anew, Harris’s method focuses on a series of small changes toward adopting more eco-friendly products over time. Her guidance comes in four parts: the first lays out the basics of toxins in the home (things like BPAs and parabens can impact humans’ “neurological, respiratory, and endocrine” systems, she writes) and the second covers changes for better eating (“learn to read ingredients, not labels”). Section three covers cosmetics and personal care products, and the final section offers “small tweaks” readers can make to cleaning (freshen small spaces with baking soda instead of scented plug-ins, for example). Along the way, readers will find a slew of “tips and tricks” and recipes for DIY products, as well as a “Safer Brands” guide. Harris tactfully avoids fearmongering: “Repeat after me: ‘I promise to remember that I don’t have to immediately get rid of every toxin in my home to be healthy.’ ” For readers interested in keeping a greener home, this is a great place to start. Agent: Lucinda Halpern, Lucinda Literary. (Aug.)

Publishers Weekly