(photo credit: Nanagyei via photopin cc)

Thinking about what to do New Year’s Eve? 2014 is right around the corner and we have some tips to help you ring in the New Year with less toxic chemicals!

(photo credit: Nanagyei via photopin cc)

Go Organic

When possible, pick organic items for your party’s spread. These days it’s much easier to find alcohol made from organic ingredients. Wine grapes receive a higher amount of pesticides than “table” grapes. These pesticides have been linked to serious heath conditions. But, many companies have begun to make organic wines and champagne.

If you can only afford to have some of the vegetables and fruit at your party organic, help prioritize by using the “Dirty Dozen” list.

Avoid Plastic

There are a lot of toxic chemicals found in plastic products, so much so that one of our bloggers, Beth Terry, lives her life without it! Many New Years knick knacks are made of plastic, try taking a pass this year. Even thought it may mean a few extra glasses to wash at the end of the night, you’ll save the landfills from spilling over with single-use plastic.

Noisemakers, hats, and confetti are staples at any New Year’s Eve event. When purchasing your party favors try to choose recycled, biodegradable, organic, eco- friendly, forest friendly or reusable items. The same goes for you serving containers. You can find plastic-free alternatives here.

Avoid Styrofoam

Styrofoam products contain styrene, a well-established carcinogen. Opt for reusable plates and cups for this affair. Not interested in doing the dishes? Several companies have introduced cups and tableware made from recycled materials. Just make sure that you remember to recycle the products after use.

Shoe Check

If you’re opting to have a house party to ring in the new year having your guest check their shoes at the door can keep down on the amount of pesticides and other chemicals tracked into your home. Thirty to forty percent of the toxic chemicals in your home are brought in from outside. Having a shoe free house can cut down on your exposure to heavy metals and pesticides.

Skip canned food

One of our biggest routes of exposure to the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is through canned food. One of our partners recently released an alarming study that found adverse health effects with prenatal exposure to BPA. Try fresh or frozen vegetables and fruits instead of canned goods.

Clean-up

If you’re going the house party route, cleaning up may be a task. Conventional cleaning products are loaded with chemicals that may do more harm than good. Try cleaning products made with plant-based ingredients and those that disclose all ingredients on the label.

Take action!

We know it’s impossible to fully protect yourself from toxic chemicals through purchasing decisions and for that reason we need your help to ask retailers to play a leadership role in ensuring toxic chemicals get out of the supply chain.

Join us and send a letter to the nation’s top ten retailers now! 

Our fight for safer chemicals will continue through 2014. We need Congress to give us meaningful reform! Join our campaign here.

What toxic-free resolutions are you making for 2014?