When EWG released its Guide to Healthy Cleaning in 2012, some of our scores and findings surprised not only our viewers but us, too. Who knew Lysol made a product EWG can recommend, while many cleaning products marketed as “natural” or “green” don’t pass? We were also shocked to find out how common it is in the cleaning product industry to hide ingredient information from consumers.

You remember the final scene: Butch and Sundance, hopelessly cornered and surrounded by the Bolivian army, are stubbornly confident that they’ll escape to make their way to sanctuary in Australia. It came to mind when I heard about the lawsuit filed by the chemical industry in a last-ditch effort to keep the notorious plastics and packaging chemical Bisphenol A, or BPA, off California’s official list of chemicals considered hazardous to human health.

Allergies are an increasingly serious health issue for millions of Americans, especially children. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention  estimates that the number of American children and teenagers reported to suffer skin allergies increased from 5.2 million reported cases between 1997 and 1999 to nearly 9.3 million between 2009 and 2011.   Another 12.6 million children and teens were estimated to suffer from respiratory allergies in 2009 to 2011, according to the CDC.

As a child, one of my least favorite activities was getting my hair styled. It required a lot of time and patience -- two things I had in short supply. 

Olive oil and lemon juice,...sounds like a base for a fantastic vinaigrette, right? As a former professional chef, I always keep these simple ingredients stocked to create a variety of tasty sauces, dressings and marinades.

The Environmental Working Group applauds the decision by the influential American Academy of Pediatrics to support pending legislation that would require new research into the safety of cell phone radiation, especially for children, require safety standards that protect children and other vulnerable populations, and impose new labeling requirements for the ubiquitous devices. 

New research by Russian scientist Igor Belyaev, Ph.D., and Turkish researcher Nesrin Seyhan, Ph.D., shows that radiation emitted from portable devices may damage DNA and disrupt the process of DNA repair.

Laura Turner Seydel, board member of Environmental Working Group and eco-lving expert, talks healthy cleaning with Heather White, Chief of Staff at EWG. Get helpful tips on ways to find healthier cleaners and learn how to make your own green cleaner - a fun project to do with your kids!