Having a new baby impacts a living home more than nearly any other life event. And it provides a tremendous opportunity to look at our homes in a new way. Every caregiver wants what's best for their children and the world they will grow up in. Studies show that children are disproportionately affected by daily exposures to toxic chemicals. But caregivers often had to choose between products that worked and products that were healthy for their baby and the planet. Until now.

Parenting books are adding chapters on green living. Here's a guide to some of our favorites: Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home, by Christopher Gavigan, comes from our friends at the organization of the same name. The book offers a great look at how everyday products expose our kids to chemicals linked to childhood cancer, asthma and allergies, birth defects, ADD & ADHD, developmental disorders, learning disabilities, and autism. Fortunately the solutions can be simple and this book shows us how to do what needs to be done with a minimum of time and money.

Parents everywhere take great pains to choose only the gentlest and safest products for their little ones. But sometimes, contaminants can be created when certain ingredients break down after use, or combine with other ingredients. You probably won't find this level of detail on the product label. Here are some common baby product ingredients to avoid: The detergent diethanolamine, or DEA, can interact with nitrite, a common preservative, to become a precursor of the potent carcinogen nitrosamine.

Creating a healthy home is a journey. There are a lot of possibilities to consider, and you won’t get there overnight. We recommend taking it slow, and choosing the options that best fit your family, your lifestyle and your budget. Every action you take will have a positive impact! To help you get started, we’ve created three lists of ideas: Light Green are easiest to do. Dark Green require more of a commitment. And Deep Green mean you are in for the full ride. Keep in mind that Light Green ideas can have as much impact as those on the Deep Green list. Light Green Steps to a Healthy Home