by Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie – $19.95

The sub-title of this book provides a great summary of its contents: ‘How the toxic chemistry in our everyday life affects our health’.

Rick Smith and Bruce Lourie give a factual and, at times, comical insight into their experiments and trials conducted with a variety of household products commonly used in our homes. The two chose to live in an apartment and use readily available items including popular personal care products, common Teflon cooking pans, plastic dishes, and ordinary food such as canned tuna fish. All during this time, they regularly tested their blood and urine for levels of toxic chemicals. The results even surprised them…that the majority of things we use all the time are intensely harmful to our health.

The most frightening fact Smith and Lourie bring to light is the fact that the negative effect of these toxins on humans, animals and the environment have been known for years.

Denial of this ‘chemical soup’ and its toxic effects by government agencies and big business is noted but, on a hopeful note, the difference people can make by being proactive, voicing concerns to all government levels, and making better choices about the products we use in our homes and environments is also established.

This book is an indispensable guide to surviving in an industrial age and a must read for everyone concerned about the toxins in our households and the effect on our health and environment.