Several weeks ago, wandering through Borders books, I was glancing through the environmental section and saw the title of this book.  I was of course intrigued, and picked it up to examine it.  I put it back down and considered it for later reading.  I’ve been formulating some plans for right livelihood and a new vocation path, and it seemed the time to do some research on the subject of toxins in our homes and our bodies.  Initial reading of posts on No More Dirty Looks and other eco news sites were bringing to light frightening things that I had never known, and I wanted to know more.  I grabbed a copy for my kindle.

To say that Slow Death By Rubber Duck is a game-changer for me is a bit of an understatement.  Like most average Americans, I really had no idea about the toxins in my home and in my body, where they came from, and what their potential effects are.  This book highlights 7 common chemicals  in everyday products that have been shown in studies to be dangerous (Phthalates, Teflon, PCBs, Mercury, Triclosan, 2,4-D, BPA) and gathers study evidence of their toxicity levels.  It gives the history of these substances, their product uses, and the struggle of doctors, scientists, and environmentalists to bring the dangers of their usage to light.

What I like is that this book is approachable, not too scientific, and helps me to understand the real impact here.  It is an engaging read, and I often found myself repeating passages to my husband, who just stared at me aghast at the historical evidence and known study effects of the uses of these toxins.  Like me, he had heard of things like BPA, and knew there was something “bad” about them, but had no idea what harm they do or where one would find them.  I think he’s finally getting on board with my not buying canned soda anymore.

This book brings home the fact that toxins that will affect your health, your children’s health, and your grandchildren’s health are not just out there pouring from smokestacks or buried in some toxic waste dump.  They are in your home, and on and in your body, and have been put there because nobody informed you that they were dangerous.  If you know what’s out there, what you can do, you can make the choices as to what you want in your home, and what risks you are willing to take to use these products.  Don’t let anyone make those choices for you.