The month of October is National Breast Cancer Awareness month. Personally, I know of three women who have been affected, and while one has passed there are two who are in remission. Of course breast cancer is only one form of cancer that is increasingly plaguing people (even pets) in all corners of the world.

Although it's often difficult to prove a direct link between environmental factors and cancers, there is enough empirical evidence to suggest a strong environmental influence on some forms of cancer. A recent medical discussion raised concerns over the growing number of childhood cancer rates in relation to a growing number of environmental toxins that we're exposed to on a day-to-day basis.

Unfortunately, when it gets to setting regulations for harmful toxins found in everything from our foods to children's toys, our Federal watchdog agencies (i.e. FDA and EPA) are often more appeasing to interest groups than to medical studies and opinions. For example, BPA is a synthetic estrogen used to harden certain plastics and epoxy's, and has been shown to disrupt the endocrine system and trigger a wide variety of disorders, including chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity and resistance to chemotherapy.

The FDA's recent move to begin banning BPA from baby bottles has left some wondering why the federal agency is yielding to the American Chemistry Council to restrict this harmful toxin only from baby bottles. If unregulated, BPA will continue to persist in the lining of baby food jar lids, store receipts, canned foods (the company Eden uses non-BPA lining), and in other materials that children and adults will continue to come into contact with on a day-to-day basis.

Since our new administration and Lisa Jackson's takeover of the EPA, we've seen an increase in the number of consumer safety regulations coming out of this federal agency. However, corporate influences from the past still manifest themselves in some everyday but extremely harmful products, such as the commonly used herbicide "Roundup" (found at your local nursery or hardware store) or other chemicals that are "shed" from conventionally produced furniture, mattresses, toys, shoes, etc. A popular-- albeit disturbing-- study that illustrated the effects of everyday chemicals on fetuses found a combination of 232 harmful chemicals in the bloodstream of 10 newborns.

So given the growing number of harmful chemicals in our environments, no amount of "awareness" is more important than at the consumer level. So if you're gearing up for a Cancer Awareness event, make sure you avoid reusable water bottles, switch out that bleach and anti-bacterial soaps for thyme oil and castille soap, toss out your non-safe cosmetics for safe ones, and choose non-toxic apparel (including sneakers) before you even step out of your front door. Make a lifestyle choice of choosing green at all junctions.

The common barrier of "green is more expensive" is true with certain products, but not all. There are many ways to save money by going non-toxic: Plant natives around your garden to eliminate the need for herbicides and pesticides; Buy bulk items to make your own alternative cleaning recipes (just look at all cost-saving and nontoxic ways baking soda can be used around your house!!); and for clothing, choose wisely and buy less. Instead of three shirts, buy two to allow yourself to spend a little more per/shirt for a material that won't leach toxins into your body.

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