Marie's Green Living Monthly Column

Last year, my husband and I were asked to be part of a new reality TV series called Breakthrough with Tony Robbins.  Robbins chose six families, all with different struggles in their lives, and helped them overcome tough obstacles to get back on the right track.  The show recently aired two of its six series.

Did you ever try to read the ingredients on the back of a bottle of shaving cream or face wash?  You probably read things like, "propylene glycol, quaternary ammonium compound, or nonylphenols."  What the label didn't tell you is that these ingredients are all known to be hazardous chemicals, in some cases causing bronchial asthma, gastritis, skin irritation, and even death.

The hot weather has finally arrived, which means summer is almost here.  Summer brings lots of good times and family fun, but it also brings heat, humidity, mold, mildew and bugs!

Throughout the month of June, Maid Brigade will be discussing non-toxic ways to prevent and remove mold and mildew in and outside the home, plus offer green cleaning tips on keeping your home "mildew-free."   For those interested in a "bug-free" summer, we will also be discussing different kinds of natural insect pest control.  Log on to blog.maidbrigade.com for more information.

Make this summer a happy, healthy, and "green" summer for you and your family!

In a recent survey by the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, about 20 percent of the U.S. population suffer from allergies and asthma, and their conditions are exacerbated by the tiny dry particles floating around our homes.  The natural response to this is to keep our homes sparkling clean, but unfortunately some of the products we use to rid our home of allergens contain irritating ingredients themselves. 

When it comes to household cleaners, consumers have little or no information about the chemicals contained in these products and there is no legal requirement for full ingredient labeling.  Don't you have a right to know what is inside the cleaners you use in your home and around your families?

As Maid Brigade’s new Consumer Health Advocate, I believe that “green” living is such an important step in healthy living. I feel there are still so many people that are confused with what is “green and healthy” for their families and the environment and what is not, especially when it comes to green products and green cleaning. I can understand how doing research on this topic can be very time consuming, so through my role as Consumer Health Advocate, I plan to do the research and keep our readers informed about proper green cleaning and how this way of life is healthier for our families. This way you can focus your time on more important things in life.

The holidays tend to present more emergency cleaning challenges than other times of year. This month Annie shares her helpful green cleaning tips  to ease your stress this holiday season!