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by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

I was in junior high when my parents last installed new carpet. Well, at least, that was the last time I lived there. My sisters and I were on summer break, and so excited to get rid of the worn out carpeting that the previous owners had left behind.

Giddy with excitement, the three of us sat on the couch outside of the living room, watching the installers lay carpet and secure it with tack strips. After a short time, we retreated...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Chemicals, chemicals here and there. Chemicals, chemicals everywhere!  

It’s true. They’re all around us, which can be overwhelming at times.

How do you choose which chemicals to tackle first? Based on the book A to Z of D-Toxing: The Ultimate Guide to Reducing Our Toxic Exposures by Sophia Gushée, the top 10 chemicals (or families of chemicals) of concern and their health effects are described below. This...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Paper towels are handy for cleaning up a milk spill, drying hands, and cleaning the house. Maybe a little too handy.

In 2017, consumers spent $39,203 million on household paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, tissues, etc). Plus, consumer spending went up by $1,958 million over a two-year period, with spending totaling a lesser $37,245 million in 2015. (1)

Let’s look at it another way.

Americans use 741 pounds of...

by Martin Wiggins and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Many homeowners consider the bedroom the most sacred room in the house. This is the place where everyone goes to recharge after a long day, which is precisely why it should be the first area to detox.

For a healthy bedroom environment, always remember to avoid placing toxic furniture and bedding with chemicals such as formaldehyde, PDBEs, and flame retardants. Since Practical Nontoxic Living has already covered detoxing tips for the...

by Sophia Ruan Gushée and her editorial team

On April 3, 1973, the first mobile phone call was made by a Motorola employee, Martin Cooper. Ten years later, in 1983, Motorola released its first commercial mobile phone, which sold for $4,000.

Another major milestone in the life of mobile phones came in 2007, when Apple unveiled its first iPhone.

By 2017, cell phones have become accessible to most Americans: about 95% of Americans owned a cell phone, according to a press...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

There are over 82,000 chemicals registered with the Environmental Protection Agency, with one in seven being used in personal care products.(1)

That means over 11,700 chemicals are used in personal care products. Whoa! That’s a lot of chemicals.

So many personal care products are applied to our skin: deodorant, makeup, shampoo, lotion, toothpaste, feminine care products, perfume or colognes. Chemicals in personal care products can...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Painting walls brings out inner-creativity, even in the most non-creative people. With paint chips taped to the wall, we act as interior designers and choose the color that will look best with our flooring, furniture, and art work. In addition to color, it’s important to choose a nontoxic paint versus a conventional one. Why?

Conventional paints often have higher amounts of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

Zero- and low-VOC (volatile organic compounds) labels are popping up on paint cans throughout the U.S. in response to growing consumer demand for paints with minimal toxic chemicals.

Standard wall paints can contain VOCs that may be causing short- and long- term health problems ranging from dizziness to central nervous system damage. (1)  About 40 to 65 percent of paint, or coating, is made up of VOCs, according to the...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

The cleaning products we use affect not just those who clean, but also those who occupy the space of the cleaned areas. In our homes, that includes adults, children, and unborn children.

Adults who clean are exposed to chemicals in household cleaning products more directly every few days. Areas such as toilets and floors might be cleaned once a week, with kitchen prep surfaces like counters and cutting boards being cleaned...

by Angela Cummings and Sophia Ruan Gushée

PVC (polyvinyl chloride), also known as vinyl, is used to make countless products that fill our closets, shelves and homes. As a durable, strong, waterproof material PVC has become hugely popular in furniture, clothing, shoes, sports equipment, bags, medical equipment, building materials, credit cards, balls, bouncy castles, wall decals, window clings, packaging and so much more. It’s everywhere. While products made from...