After watching the Ken Cook video, I realized that I haven't put much thought into my consumption of personal care and/or household products that I use every day. Cook's opening comment on the hundreds of chemicals found in the blood of individuals was extremely alarming. While browsing the list of toxic chemicals, I realized that I didn't have the knowledge to understand the potential health effects of each and every one. This was a definite source of concern for me, as I haven't really thought about much more than the smell and/or taste of personal care and/or household products that I use. If I'm being honest, taking the time to understand each and every chemical in my personal care and/or household products would take much more time than I have available to me, but I think it'd be beneficial to do so as often as possible.
Cook also took his argument a step further when he discussed the persistence of toxic byproducts in umbilical cord blood. After he explained this, I began thinking about the toxic byproducts that I encounter in air pollution whenever I head back home to Fresno. Am I ingesting and/or inhaling toxic byproducts when I'm home? What are the potential health effects of each of these chemicals? How long are these chemicals going to stay in my system?
I feel the same way Adam when it comes to addressing the amount of toxic chemicals found in my every day products. Until this class I hadn't ever seen my care products as unsafe to use. Now that I know more about this issue and topic, I feel that I can begin making changes toward being a more conscious consumer and find products that are safer. Ken Cook did such a great job at delivering this information and really opened my eyes to changes I need/want to make.
ReplyDeleteThe time issue is real!! I totally feel that struggle, I mean our time is worth something.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate that you are asking yourself these questions now though, I feel that this class is making me think like that too. Like really what type of toxins am I picking up when I ride on BART, or travel or a freeway, or hang out on treasure Island?