Fortunately, it is a lot more complicated than that. At the talk I went to which took place on UBC Farm, Pollan pointed out how people who eat for health and are obsessed with their health are less healthy than people who eat for community or identity or pleasure. He also pointed out the connection between healthy soil, healthy plants, healthy animals and healthy people. The same things that make our environment healthy also are beneficial to our own health. Industry tries to make us eat more so they can sell more food, but in almost any culture you can find some ancient saying warning against this; eat until you are 80% full, eat until you are 75% full, etc. Even the prophet Muhammad said that a full belly is one that is one third food, one third drink, and one third air.

Things you can do to make a difference with food are:

Buy from farmers markets.

Eat food for the food not for the nutrients.

Show corporations that you care by voting with your fork. (making good choices as a consumer when you buy food)

Show your political leaders that you care by voting with your vote too.

Read the book to find out more!

Also, any soaps/cleaners you use in your home will have an effect on the people living in it. Toxic and synthetic chemicals in cleaners can emit fumes that are health hazards and often smell bad on top of that.

If you feel like you’re too lazy to make your own biodegradable, natural, and environmentally/human friendly soaps and cleaners, Ecover sells them. Otherwise, I will provide you with some recipes I found for household cleaners (no body soaps, though, you’ll have to do your own research on that)

You can make your own dish soaps and household cleaners with a few simple ingredients and recipies that I found in my co-op newsletter, specifically an article about natural cleaning products for a green home by Tanya Petterson. The following ingedients and recipies are in her words with a few very minor changes because I think Tanya put it the best way:

• Distilled white vinegar is a deodorizer, disinfectant, preservative and mild acid. It breaks up dirt, grease, mineral deposits, mold, and soap scum.
• Baking soda is a deodorizer and gentle scrub. It softens hard water, removes acidic stains, and polishes shiny surfaces like stainless steel without scratching them.
• Salt is a great basic scrub that will give you extra cleaning power.
• Lemon is a deodorizer, stain remover, and grease cutter. It acts as a mild bleach when exposed to sunlight except it smells way better than normal bleach.
• Olive oil helps polish and nourish wood.
• Borax is a mild natural alkali used as a water softener, and preservative, aiding in cleansing in cleansers and detergents.
• Essential oils such as eucalyptus, lavender, and tea tree are natural disinfectants and antifungals.

RECIPIES:
Lemon-Scented All-Purpose Cleaner
1 tbsp borax
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup hot water
Mix ingredients in a spray bottle (the lemon scent lingers). Use for cleaning bathroom and kitchen surfaces, as well as other water-safe surfaces. Discard any remaining cleaner and make a fresh batch next time.

Toilet Bowl Cleaner
1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup baking soda
Pour the vinegar directly into the toilet bowl and let stand for 30 mins. Sprinkle baking soda onto toilet brush and scour. To keep bowl fresh, pour 1 cup of vinegar into the toilet bowl once a month and let stand overnight.

Furniture Polish
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar
2 tsp lemon juice
Mix in spray bottle. Spray liberally on wood surfaces and wipe dry.

Drain Cleaner
For slow drains, use this drain cleaner once a week to keep drains fresh and clog free.

1/2 cup baking soda
1 cup white vinegar
1 gallon boiling water
Pour baking soda down the drain, followed by vinegar, and allow mixture to foam for several minutes before flushing the drain with boiling water.

All-Purpose Scrub
1/2 cup baking soda
1/2 of a lemon
Coat the lemon with baking soda and scrub with the lemon itself. Use a damp rag to wipe away any residue.

Mold + Mildew
2 cups distilled white vinegar
Pour vinegar into spray bottle and spray on infected area. The smell will dissipate in a few hours (open a window to speed up the process). For areas with persisent mold problems, use tea tree oil instead of vinegar, combining 2 drops of tea tree oil with 1 cup of water in a spray bottle. A natural antiseptic and fungicide will kill most types of mold and help prevent new growth.

All-Purpose Cleaner
1/2 cup vinegar
1/4 cup baking soda
2 liters water
Mix vinegar and baking soda with the 2 liters of water. Store and keep. Use for removal of water deposit stains on shower stall panels, bathroom chrome fixtures, bathroom mirrors, etc.

Enjoy!