Christopher Gavigan is the CEO and executive director of Healthy Child Healthy World, a national nonprofit dedicated to protecting the health and well-being of children and families through cleaner, greener and safer lifestyle changes.
His new book, Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home, offers information and advice on how to green your home, with contributions from celebrities and public figures like Meryl Streep, Michelle Obama, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Brooke Shields, as well as scientists and doctors.
Q: Do you feel parents' ignorance about the dangers of everyday products are putting their kids are at risk?
A: My personal point of view is that once you know something, it's hard to unknow it. A lot of parents have a "not in my backyard" philosophy. They feel that someone has checked this or that toy or baby food, so there simply can't be any problems with any of these products in their homes. I don't blame parents for not knowing. But when you're pregnant and getting ready for your baby, you have a duty to prepare as well as possible.
Q: Do you think there is a relationship between the rise in childhood asthma, allergies, autism, ADHD, etc. and our increased use of pesticides, plastics and toxic products?
A: We are no longer fighting communicable diseases like mumps. We are fighting environmentally caused diseases. And environmental does not mean "out in the woods somewhere." Environmental means "in your home" and "where you live." There is no doubt that known environmental triggers can exacerbate illnesses or increase the rate of new illnesses. Scientists are linking environmental factors to our health. These are not all genetic issues.
Q: Parents are presented with confusing and oft-changing directives. How do we discern safe and smart from hype?
A: It's hard to distinguish the hype. The media thrives on hype and sensationalism. But parents should have access to alternative sources of information. They should find the folks they trust, and make sure that organization has done its research. And they should always look for information that is actionable. Parents should ask themselves, "What can I do? What is the safer alternative that I can buy?"
Q: If families can't afford an organic food, should they buy the nonorganic version? Do the pesticides in nonorganic foods counteract the benefits, like the antioxidants in blueberries for example?
A: We've listed the dirty dozen fruits and vegetables that you should only buy in organic. I would choose not to buy a thin-skinned fruit like blueberries if I couldn't afford the organic variety. The antioxidants in blueberries are certainly beneficial and fight the pesticides that have been sprayed on. But the pesticides are meant to kill pests and are really nasty substances. I would not feed this to a child under 10. One option is to check for frozen organic berries, which tend to be less expensive.
Q: What are the top five things a parent should think about?
A: In the book, I've outlined "Five Easy Steps for a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home." Even if you just do one of these, you are making a difference. The five steps are:
- Manage pests safely (choose nontoxic lawn products, wash hands, leave shoes at front door);
- Use non-toxic products;
- Clean up indoor air;
- Shop smart; and
- Be wise with plastics.
