Healthy Child Healthy World; Book Review

I may not be the crunchiest mama on the block, but I try my best to make environmentally friendly decisions and protect my kids when I can. I try to stay educated on green issues and product choices, but to be honest? It can be overwhelming. It seems every day something new is declared toxic! And sometimes, it can be expensive to make the greener choice. As a one-income family we can't always afford the greenest products, which adds to the frustration!

I was recently given the opportunity to review the book Healthy Child Healthy World; Creating A Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home by Christopher Gavigan. I was incredibly excited to get my hands on it, as it seemed to be a book written for "the rest of us". It boasts "practical, inexpensive, and easy" advice on creating a healthy, nontoxic, environmentally sound home. I was intrigued!

The book arrived the day after we came home from the hospital after Savannah was born. Since she's not even a month old, admittedly I haven't read Healthy Child Healthy World from cover to cover yet. But I have familiarized myself with the chapters, and read a good deal already. One good thing about this book is that it's very "flippable". It has short bursts of information, organized in sensible sections. So it's easy to pick up, flip through, and find what you're looking for quickly. Here's a run down of the chapters in the book:

1. Doing The Bump:Preparing For Baby
2. Cleanup Time: Safe Suds And A Greener Clean
3. A Clean Plate: Choosing, Eating, And Storing Healthier Food
4. The Beauty Part: Natural Body Care
5. Child's Play: Safer Toys, Gear, And Clothing
6. Splendor In The Grass: Greener Gardens, Yards, And Outdoor Spaces
7. Every Sip-And Breath-You Take: Clean Water And Air Solutions
8. BFF: Raising A Green Pet
9. Safe House: Healthy Home Improvement
10. It's All Good: How To Grow Your Impact

Each chapter is broken down into "steps"; steps you can take to green up in that area. For example, chapter 5 on Child's Play has these steps:

1. Seek Out PVC-Free
2. Get The Lead Out Of The Toy Box
3. Select Toys That Last
4. Gather A Healthy Layette
5. Clothes Call
6. Be A Smart Gearhead
7. Use Greener Art Supplies
8. Green Your Student
9. Tone Down The Electronics

Each "step" is further broken down with information and tips, including applicable resources for further information. Peppered throughout the chapters are informational boxes with nuggets of wisdom, additional information on subjects in the chapter, and essays by "green" celebrities.
At the end of Healthy Child Healthy World is a comprehensive (and invaluable!) list of resources.

I am in love with this book! The risks and environmental hazards of each issue are presented in a non-threatening, conversational format. Sometimes when I've tried to research an issue online I end up with a large collection of websites spouting chemical formulas and scary medical studies. Although there is certainly a time and place for such detailed information, I think most parents want the condensed version, am I right? Tell me why I should care about an issue and how it potentially affects my family, in language I can understand! This book does just that.

I also love that it presents tips, suggestions, and resources for greener choices at various price points. Again, when I've researched green options online I'm often left feeling frustrated, like I can't afford to protect my family from all the toxins in our world. Honestly? I can't. But Healthy Child Healthy World taught me quite a few ways to make a less toxic, greener choice without breaking the bank. In today's volatile economy I think most of us appreciate that information!

In conclusion, I highly recommend Healthy Child Healthy World to any parent concerned about environmental issues, and who is looking to make nontoxic choices for their home and family. It's a book that I'll be referencing for years to come. You can find additional information about Healthy Child Healthy World at the Healthy Child website. The book is available for purchase at most major retailers.