From your spray bottle to our shared waters, common cleaning toxins can dirty up waterways big time—listen up:
Household hazards, oh my!
Sketchy chemicals that lurk in common household products can be a drain on water quality. (via CBDM)
It all comes out in the wash with common household cleaners, according to Aislinn Gauchay, assistant director of the Shedd Aquarium’s sustainability program.
The fact is, harsh cleaning chemicals as well as pesticides often end up in the watershed, where they can harm creatures that rely on good water quality to survive.
“Those really delicate animals—like amphibians that breathe through their skin and are so connected to the water—are so susceptible to things like that,” she explains.
Her suggestion: If you wouldn’t consume a product yourself, then carefully consider whether or not it’s worth the implications to our aquatic ecosystems to use it. There are often less harmful alternatives, so you can have a clean house and clean conscience!
Get schooled:
Sustainability pro Aislinn Gauchay (via Shedd Aquarium)
- Learn more about toxins in household cleaners, with intel from Organic Consumers
- Check out the Alliance for the Great Lakes’ position on prioritizing and preventing Great Lakes contaminants
- Read Shedd’s explanation of how water pollution harms thin-skinned amphibians
- Take a quick crash course in water quality from UC Davis
Take action:
- Opt for green cleaners, handily charted by the Environmental Working Group
- Safely dispose of the toxin-laden cleaners, with pro tips from Earth911
- If you’re in Chicago, participate in one of Shedd’s Great Lakes Action Days
The fine print:
- This segment was produced in partnership with Cornell’s Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future.
