n honor of Earth Day, here are 5 tips that will reduce you and your family’s exposure to toxic chemicals, and help the Earth too!

1. Stop using plastic bottled water.

Instead, invest in a water filter and in glass or stainless steel water bottles. Although some water filtration systems can seem expensive at first (others are quite affordable, like PUR or BRITA style water filters), the cost of bottled water adds up, as does the amount of plastic bottles piling up in landfills. Plastic bottles can leech endocrine disrupting chemicals like phthalates into the water you are drinking. Stop using them and switch to safer, less toxic alternatives.

2. Buy in bulk at the supermarket.

Plastic containers are found all over the supermarket, look at what you bring home and just about everything is wrapped - sometimes 3 times- in different plastics... Our food (and thus everyone who eats the food) is constantly in contact to plastics and to a number of chemicals that have been associated to everything from breast cancers, behavioral problems to diabetes etc. Another good option is to choose glass containers (think: tomato sauce, ketchup: soups) over plastic or canned foods. Buying in bulk is better for your wallet, your health and the environment - reducing how much plastic your food comes in contact with is a win, win, win situation. You can even bring your own jars and not use any plastic at all!

3. Switch to non-toxic house cleaners- or even better, make your own

What happens to the cleaning products that are filled with toxic chemicals after you use them at home? They are poured into sinks, flushed down toilets, and dumped into landfills. When put into landfills or incinerated, the noxious ingredients from the cleaning products seep into soil and water, causing harm to people, animals and the planet.

What happens to the same chemicals in conventional cleaning products at home? you spray them in the air and breath in toxic chemicals that have been linked to increases in asthma, you clean the floor and your baby touches everything and places his hands in his mouth and you scrub your bathtub and then the warm water opens your pores and your skin absorbs even more toxic chemicals.

What can be found in any given conventional cleaning product? carcinogens, heavy metals, endocrine disruptors and nervous system depressants that contribute to allergy problems, respiratory issues, and even cancer

Switch to non-toxic house cleaners or, even better, use vinegar, baking soda and water to clean and disinfect around your house, Good for you, good for the planet.

4. Use less product. On your body. On your face

By using less products (body lotion, soap, shampoo, conditioner, leave in conditioner, hair styling products, face moisturizer, eye cream, makeup etc) you not only expose your body to less chemicals, you use less containers. Once again - less truly is more when it comes to beauty products.

5. Just say no: to store receipts.

Today’s thermal store receipts are coated in BPA- each time you or your kids touch them you leave with elevated BPA levels on your hands which migrate into your bloodstream which scientists are concerned could lead to dangerous hormonal and neurological disruptions. By requesting receipts be emailed, or simply not taking them, you are not only not exposing yourself unnecessarily to BPA, but you are wasting less paper which is always good for the planet!