We now know a lot more about the connection between going green and our health. Living green = living
HEALTHY! In fact, the March/April 2012 American Journal of Health Education featured a research article on the
determinants of recycling behavior now classified as a health behavior! Here is the link to our studys abstract:
Environmental Health Promotion is a
new and growing area in community and public health. We work to help people change their behavior to have
fewer toxic exposures (healthier lifestyle) and to better protect our shared environment/resources. For this project,
you will use the internet and the listed resources to further explore healthy living and healthy environments. You
will: 1) read and reflect about everyday chemicals in foods and products and health, 2) examine your personal
care products and identify healthy alternatives in Skin Deep database, 3) watch and reflect on the Story of Stuff,
4) calculate and reflect upon your ecological/carbon footprint, 5) watch and reflect on CDCs Healthy Places
video, and 6) review UNF resources. Next, you will respond to or answer the following questions in a brief 2-3
page, single-spaced paper. Number your responses in your paper.
WebMD Toxin Overview
Review this brief WebMD article -to-z-guides/news/20230504/cleaning-personal-
products-contain-dangerous-chemicals (see this journal article for more details:
). Also review the Toxic Substances Control At of 1976
-regulations/summary-toxic-substances-control-
act#:~:text=The%20Toxic%20Substances%20Control%20Act%20of%201976%20provides%20EPA%20with,
%2C%20drugs%2C%20cosmetics%20and%20pesticides. Answer the question(s).
Q1: Describe safety and health concerns related to cleaning products, cosmetics, and other exposures
in the U.S.
Skin Deep
Go to EWGs Skin Deep resource . Go to the search box and type in a specific
product you use (Ivory Liquid Hand Soap). Click on the product to review the findings. Do this for 5 of your
products that you use frequently. Next, click on a category in the menu across the top of the site (eye care,
makeup, oral care…). Find the healthiest (least toxic) product in that category that you have heard of before
and know you could purchase if you wanted to. You may need to review many to find one you are familiar
with. Answer the question(s). (Note: EWG is a research and advocacy group that has filled an information
and research gap on widely available products that otherwise would be unavailable in the US. EWG
research methodology is sound, sources are cited and transparent, and findings are widely used by notable
higher education institution. However, some argue the findings are alarmist and unfounded. Keep this in
mind).
Q2: For each of your 5 products, list: a) the product name, b) its score, & c) what health issues it is
related to.
Q3: When you conducted the category search, what product did you find (that you have previously
heard of) that is most healthy? What score did it receive?
Q4: Perhaps the most alarming fact is that of the 100,000 synthetic chemicals in our products today,
only about 20,000 were around when your parents were young and far less than that when your
grandparents were young. The advances we enjoy today have a cost, and one that is really
unknown. So, the retort my grandmother used this and that and lived to be 99 years old may not
apply to our products today. What can you do with this information to protect your health and limit your
exposure to toxic chemicals?