Published Articles

THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT NEWSPAPER, August 15, 2009
 by Cheryl Hahn

Away at College and Tucked-in Safely

You’ve kissed their boo-boos, provided unlimited hugs and tucked them safely into bed every night. Now your little baby is all grown up and going away to college. As a parent, you want to send them off with a great start.

Providing a nourishing environment, that encourages proper rest and relaxation, is crucial. Healthy minds need healthy sleep. Unfortunately, most dorm mattresses have been used for several years. Many are covered in plastic vinyl, and the majority? Very uncomfortable. So what’s the solution?

If you’re lucky, and the mattress seems to be in pretty good shape, then you only need a mattress pad to cover the surface. Select natural fabrics such as organic cotton or wool, both of which breathe and help dissipate moisture. Avoid synthetic materials which have a tendency to build up body heat and clammy night-sweats.

If you’re not so lucky, and the mattress looks old and feels terrible, you may want to consider buying a new one. Of course, that’s not a realistic option for most folks, so a great alternative is adding a comfortable mattress topper.

The best choices are made using healthy components such as natural latex or wool. Natural materials resonate with our bodies to promote deep and uninterrupted sleep. Added bonus: both wool and natural latex are dust-mite resistant, plus they don’t off-gas harmful toxic chemicals.

Not to be forgotten are bed linens, pillows and blankets. Cuddle-up with crisp organic cotton sheets, temperature-regulating wool comforters and natural-fill pillows.

In lieu of a kiss goodnight, these essential elements can make or break the sleeping experience by offering your child comfort and security while away from home.

The academic milestone of heading off to college is emotionally bittersweet. Leaving home, along with hectic schedules, means virtual hugs and kisses via Facebook. But if you send them off with the proper bedding, at least you’ll know they’re tucked in safely every night.

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THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT NEWSPAPER, June 13, 2009
 by Cheryl Hahn

Want a Cleaner Bedroom? Make it Naked.

Industrial chemicals are everywhere… in our business workplace, shopping centers, park benches, and especially in our homes. In fact, indoor air pollution is now rated worse than outdoors. Since the 1950′s our dependency on producing almost everything we use is created with man-made synthetic materials from chemicals: appliances, electronics, home decor, plastics, paints, cleaners, clothing, and more than likely… even the pillow under your head.

It’s almost impossible to escape this chemical soup, unless you live in a bubble, which isn’t very realistic. So how can you reduce your exposure to industrial chemical overload? The easiest place to start is also the one area of your home which makes the most sense: your bedroom. Strip it down and make it naked.

For window treatments choose natural fiber curtains, shades, wood blinds or shutters and stay away from heavy draperies which are usually treated with chemicals and also harbor dust mites. New carpet and adhesives can outgas a vast array of toxic chemicals. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission the most frequently-reported symptoms were watery eyes, runny nose, burning sensation in the eyes, nose and throat, headaches, rashes, and fatigue. If possible, strip your floors down to their natural bare beauty and use area rugs made from untreated wool.

Introduce a few plants to naturally filter the air in your bedroom. Plants add beauty, produce oxygen and absorb chemicals such as benzene and formaldehyde. Good choices are English Ivy and Spider Plant; both species are hardy, easy to care for and rated the best for air filtration. When painting your walls, many brands now offer low-emission alternatives that are safer for indoor air.

Select furniture crafted from real solid wood; avoid pressboard and plywood which contain chemicals and offer low-quality durability. Your mattress and bedding should be made from natural and organic materials which breathe to help keep your sleep system dry and clean. Avoid synthetic fabrics and foams made from petroleum-based elements which outgas chemicals and also have a tendency to harbor heat and moisture which is conducive for dust mites.

Every night you retreat to your bedroom to shut down and restore your mind and body for the day ahead. You’re most vulnerable to the elements during sleep, so it makes sense to have an environment that is clean, pure and natural. Eliminating or reducing toxins in your bedroom can start you on your way to creating a nighttime healing space to escape the everyday exposure to industrial chemicals.

This is your sanctuary. Breathe deep, breathe easy and sleep well.

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THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT NEWSPAPER,  September 19, 2009
by Cheryl Hahn

Green Your Clean

The kids are back in school and the temperatures are beginning to drop – it’s time for a clean sweep to get your home ready for the cold months ahead.

I’ve been cleaning green since we started our flagship company, Tomorrow’s World, back in 1991, but I noticed after my kids were born I became extra cautious with every product I purchased. Reading the warning labels usually freaked me out with images of my toddlers finding the bottle and having a toxic tea party. That was enough for me to put the product back on the shelf, go home, and conjure up my own recipe.

I had friends who laughed and couldn’t believe I didn’t use bleach. Sure we made the sacrifice of wearing dingy whites, but otherwise I never missed having bleach around to slowly eat away everything in its corrosive path.

As a very clumsy cleaner, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve splashed cleaning solution in my eyes. It’s great knowing I don’t have to worry about my eyeballs melting. It’s also nice to know my green cleaners help keep the earth from melting too.

Times have changed over the past few decades and manufacturers are finally making safer cleaning products for our home. But consumer beware: Greenwashing still prevails in abundance. Greenwashing is a term for marketing products, companies and services as being eco-friendly when, in fact, there are many hidden truths to the contrary.

Seventh Generation is a trusted brand that’s been around as long as my company, and I remember their early beginnings as a retail catalog. They’ve been offering safe cleaning products for twenty years; no bandwagon for them. The good news? You can now find this terrific brand on the shelves of many local supermarkets.

Winter will soon come our way, bringing blustery winds and cold days. Windows will be shut tight while we spray away with cleaners containing ingredients we can’t pronounce — and we’re forbidden to touch.

Today there’s no excuse for creating this type of hazardous home environment when we have so many greener cleaners readily available at many stores. Grab your rags… it’s easy to be a green cleaning machine.