Leave Dirt at the Door: How Taking Off Your Shoes Can Improve Your Health

By Laura Dern


In many cultures it's customary to remove your shoes before entering a home for spiritual or practical reasons.

And as a mom, I encourage the practice because I want a clean home. But taking off your shoes not only helps keep your home cleaner, it also helps keep it healthier. Think about it. Where have the bottom of your shoes been? If you've stopped to fill up your car, you can track home gasoline on your feet. If you've walked through a freshly treated lawn or putting green, you can track home toxic pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Seemingly benign dirt can have traces of lead in it. You walk through it, then you walk through your home leaving traces on your rug, your baby crawls past, and then stops to put her hand in her mouth. Get the picture?

The professional cleaning industry estimates that we track 85% of the dirt in our homes in from the outside on our shoes or paws of pets. In a recent warning about lead exposure, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) specifically recommends that shoes remain outside the house. According to a report called The Door Mat Study, lead-contaminated soil from the outside causes almost all the lead dust inside homes. It notes that wiping shoes on a mat and removing them at the door cuts lead dust by 60 percent. The study explains that limiting the amount of dust and track-in may also help reduce exposure to lawn and garden pesticides, wood smoke and industrial toxins, mutagens, dust mites, and allergens.

Wiping our shoes off as we enter the home reduces the amount of contaminated dirt tracked in. Large mats, that cover two or three strides, will ensure that even those that refuse to wipe will leave most of the dirt clinging to their shoes on the mat rather than your carpet

The BEST solution is to take off your shoes as you enter your home. It is a good excuse to buy some great socks or slippers. And your flooring will stay clean as well as keep dirt and potential toxic threats from getting into carpets. If going shoeless is not acceptable to family members, suggest that they wear house shoes (that don't go outside), slippers or socks.

And walking around in soft slippers, socks, or barefoot does another wonderful thing - it helps us relax and unwind.

Sources:
EPA, Lead in Paint, Dust and Soil
Housekeeping Solutions, Floor Care: Rolling Out the Welcome Mat
Small Property Owners of America, The Door Mat Study


Susan Thomas, owner
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Cypriana Newsletter Archives

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Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Cypriana prefers organically-grown cotton

At Cypriana, we prefer organically-grown cotton because it is not treated with pesticides, herbicides or petroleum-based fertilizers. In addition, organic cotton doesn’t use genetically-engineered seed, so it isn’t a genetically-modified organism (GMO).

There has been some controversy surrounding the effects to humans of using GMOs on an ongoing basis. Infants and children are especially susceptible to any harmful effects of GMOs, because they are growing and changing at a rapid rate and have fewer defenses against the toxins contained in GMOs.

Recently, however, fiber farmers in the United States, Egypt, India and other countries have been raising cotton organically without the use of costly, often ineffective and dangerous chemicals. Many growers and manufacturers of organic fabrics are devoted to developing alternative sources of the world’s favorite natural fiber.

As part of our commitment to making the world a healthier place, Cypriana will offer its customers products made with organically-grown cotton whenever possible.

Cypriana ~ the natural home store

"Think Spring" with Slipcovers from Cypriana

Now that spring is here, many of us are anxious to see the sunshine, plant some flowers or greenery, and do our proverbial “spring cleaning.” Whether you are cleaning house or just clearing the mental cobwebs, spring is also a great time to try a new look for your home.

If you are ready to put away those heavier winter fabrics and try a lighter look this season, consider recovering your furniture or having slipcovers made for your pillows, duvet or bedding. Slipcovers are an easy, affordable way to revamp your look for spring!

Stop by Cypriana to see our selection of traditional and organic fabrics. With hundreds of fabrics to choose from in a variety of price ranges, you’re sure to find a design that you love.

Think spring,

Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

The Many Benefits of Cloth Diapers

New parents have a lot to think about, including the choice between cloth and disposable diapers. This decision must be based on what is best for you and your baby, and I encourage you to think about using cloth diapers.

Today’s cloth diapers are very different from the leaky, bulky, inconvenient diapers of the past. The modern cloth diaper is available with different absorbent liners, disposable liners and outer waterproof covers. Cloth, especially organic cotton, tends to be gentler on baby’s sensitive skin and has the added benefit of causing less environmental damage. While protecting your baby’s bottom, you can protect your own bottom line knowing that cloth diapers cost less over a two or three year period than disposables.

If you find cloth diapers to be the best choice for your family, consider the Mother-ease Diaper system available at Cypriana. These diapers are available in 100% organic cotton and are manufactured using 100% green power.

Read our October 21, 2008 blog post, “Mother-ease Diaper System Now at Cypriana” to learn more about this environmentally-friendly choice for your baby’s diapering needs.


Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Three Ways to Go Green This Spring!

Spring is a time of renewal…new plants are bursting from the ground, animals are giving birth to their young, and the fresh air and sunshine add a little extra bounce to our steps. That’s why this time of year is a great time to think of ways to bring spring into your life year round. Here are three ways to “go green” this season and throughout the year:

1) Use all natural body products: When shopping for personal care items, choose items that are made from natural plant-based ingredients. Look for these certifications – The Biological Farmers of Australia (BFA), Ecocert, BDIH, USDA Certified Organic, the Natural Products Association and the Leaping Bunny label – to ensure quality, all-natural products.

2) Trade in your current toilet for a water-saving model with the EPA’s WaterSense Label on it. These toilets use no more than 1.28 gallons of water per flush, dramatically reducing your home’s water usage each year.

3) Replace your table linens with organic fabric table cloths. Conventionally-grown cotton often contains pesticides which can be harmful. Instead, exchange your old cotton linens for organic table linens. You’ll find that they are not only healthier to use, but they are just as attractive as traditional fabrics.

With a little creativity and ingenuity, you can transform your life into a “green one.” You can feel good about your choices. Your neighbors and the environment will thank you.

Go green this spring!

Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Great Green Careers - Jobs for a Greener World

Visit Great Green Careers. We have green jobs in every area – from solar installers to ecologists! Post your resume and get in front of green employers now. Set up job alerts to have updates about job openings mailed directly to your inbox. Track and save your job applications and much more. Despite the current recession, there are more green job opportunities now than ever before, including hot careers in wind power, HVAC, environmental engineering, transportation, facilities retrofitting and more. You can find the opportunity you want today at Great Green Careers. Great Green Careers was created by Natural Home to help you find meaningful work in the new green economy. All job seeker services are absolutely free. And remember, if you post your resume in the next 30 days, we’ll send you a complimentary copy of Finding a Green Collar Job, our new e-book! So what are you waiting for? Go to Great Green Careers today and start your green career!

Earth Day is April 22: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

In celebration of Earth Day, April 22, let's Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.

Practice the three R's: first reduce how much you use, then reuse what you can, and then recycle the rest. Then, dispose of what's left in the most environmentally friendly way. Read the tips below and explore the Consumer's Handbook for Reducing Solid Waste.

Reduce

Buy permanent items instead of disposables.
Buy and use only what you need.
Buy products with less packaging.
Buy products that use less toxic chemicals.

Reuse

Repair items as much as possible.
Use durable coffee mugs.
Use cloth napkins or towels.
Clean out juice bottles and use them for water.
Use empty jars to hold leftover food.
Reuse boxes.
Purchase refillable pens and pencils.
Participate in a paint collection and reuse program. For information on handling household solid waste, visit Wastes, What You Can Do (http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/osw/citizens.htm).
Donate extras to people you know or to charity instead of throwing them away.
Reuse grocery bags as trash bags.

Recycle

Recycle paper (printer paper, newspapers, mail, etc.), plastic, glass bottles, cardboard, and aluminum cans. If your community doesn't collect at the curb, take them to a collection center.
Recycle electronics. (http://www.epa.gov/ecycling/index.htm)
Collecting Used Oil for Recycling / Reuse.
Compost food scraps, grass and other yard clippings, and dead plants.
Close the loop - buy recycled products and products that use recycled packaging (PDF) (13 pp, 1.6 MB). That's what makes recycling economically possible.


Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Mark Your Calendars: Wine, Women, Wow - May 8

Join Cypriana and other local businesses like Mary Kay, Cookie Lee Jewelry, Silpada, Holland America & Catalyst Travel, Arbonne, Earthworks Gem Design Studio and more at the ShoWare Center on Friday, May 8, 2009 (6 to 10 pm) for the fourth annual Wine, Women, Wow. This fun event features wine sampling, complimentary appetizers, shopping, pampering and more.

Tickets are available now for $21 each, or $26 at the door. Proceeds will benefit the Kent Downtown Partnership and the YWCA's Domestic Violence Program. Mark your calendars - you don't want to miss this great "girls only" event!

For more info. or to purchase your tickets, visit Wine, Women, Wow online or call the Kent Downtown Partnership at 253-813-6976. We hope to see you there!

Cheers,

Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store

Organic Products Help Protect Against the Dangers of Pesticides

Have you ever stood in the grocery store and wondered if there really is a difference between the organic and non-organic produce? The strawberries in the organic section look about the same and yet their non-organic siblings are exiled to a different section of the store.

The truth is, that while on the surface non-organic fruits and vegetables appear to be the same, they are usually harboring hidden pesticides. The danger is real and the U.S. government, along with international government agencies, has acknowledged that various pesticides can cause damage to the nervous system, carcinogenic effects, hormone system effects, and irritation to the skin, eyes and lungs.

The Environmental Working Group has tested 47 popular fruits and vegetables to determine those fruits and vegetables which contain the most contaminants. This suggests that those fruits and vegetables at the top of the list, and therefore with the highest pesticide content, should be purchased exclusively from the organic section of the store in order to protect your health.

The top 12 “dirty” or pesticide-ridden fruits and vegetables, according to the Environmental Working Group are:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Kale
9. Lettuce
10. Grapes (Imported)
11. Carrots
12. Pears

For a complete listing and for the source of this material, visit the Environmental Working Group’s website.

Susan Thomas
Cypriana ~ the natural home store