The Slightly Greener Life

We’ve been mostly focusing on cleaning products lately, so this week, I want to take a deeper look at common personal care products that probably have hidden toxins lurking in them. Even if you’re reading labels carefully, there are still hidden ingredients to be on the lookout for that won’t be listed on the labels.

In this episode, I’ll share 2 of the most common hidden toxins, and which ingredients to...

Non-toxic cleaning methods are one of my favorite topics to cover because not only is it easy to DIY, but it can be cheaper than buying standard cleaning products, too. It’s a win-win!

Standard cleaning products have a lot of hidden information on their labels, often due to trade secret laws and what the EPA does not require companies to disclose. The result can be products that have a lot of hidden toxi...

One of the most common questions I get these days is about whether we’re actually disinfecting, or just cleaning our homes. Believe it or not, there’s a big difference between the two that requires different products for each task.

Today, I’m teaching you the difference between cleaning and disinfecting, and what products are actually safe and effective for each use. No matter if you just want to clean d...

Welcome to season 2 of the podcast! After a much-needed break to spend time with my family before the summer is over, I’m back to give you more tips and tricks for making your home slightly greener.

This week, we’re tackling the topic of smartphone use and how that can expose us to harmful radiation. As always, I’m not taking an all-or-nothing approach to this advice, but will be sharing some simple ways...

Back by popular demand, I have another episode for you this week about how to keep your kids safer in the sun this summer! After the two-part series about sunscreen safety, I had a lot of questions from you about kids and sunscreens, so I decided to bring the series back for another episode.

In the previous episodes, we talked about the difference between mineral and chemical sunscreens and the effects t...

With kids home for the summer, it’s more likely that they’ll be eating at home more often and reaching for more snacks throughout the day. And many grab-and-go snacks are filled with ingredients that are linked to hyperactivity and behavior issues in kids, including artificial dyes that we talked about last in last week’s episode.

This week we’ll continue to talk about 3 common food ingredients that are ...

This week’s topic is close to my heart because it is related to my kids, and it’s actually what launched my own Slightly Greener journey 17 years ago. Today, we’re talking about artificial dyes and the health effects that they’re linked to.

Most people know the link between artificial red dye and hyperactivity in children, but it goes beyond that. Other dyes like Blue 1 and Yellow 5 have been shown to ha...

This past week was Pet-Appreciation Week, so what better time to talk about how to keep your home pet-safe when cleaning?

Dogs, cats, and other pets are all affected differently by different cleaning products and chemicals, so it’s important to be aware of what you’re using on common surfaces that they come into contact with regularly. This episode will cover the most common chemicals that have adverse e...

We have more control over the health of our homes than we think we do!

In today's episode, we're going to dig into four simple steps you can take that will make a big impact when it comes to reducing harmful chemicals in your home without the overwhelm. It can be hard to know where to start when it comes to reducing toxic chemicals, but just know that whatever step you take is an important step for your ...

Hair loss and hair thinning are more common than we might think. It can be triggered by stress, illness, hormonal fluctuations, and nutrient deficiencies, just to name a few. But the good news is that it doesn’t have to be permanent.

This week, I’m getting vulnerable about my own hair-loss struggles and what has been helping me grow it back naturally. And as always, you can count on me to do the research...

Before I started on my journey to becoming slightly greener, I used to buy sunscreen without thinking too much about it because I thought they all worked the same. But unfortunately, it’s not that simple. 

This week, I’m continuing the sunscreen series to teach you about the difference between active and inactive ingredients in sunscreens and why inactive ingredients can often be just as, if not more har...

With better weather comes more sun exposure, which makes this the perfect time to start talking about my top sunscreen safety tips. Believe it or not, sunscreen is not the safest way to protect yourself from harmful sun rays, but is useful as part of your sun safety routine. 

In this episode, I’ll be covering why chemical sunscreen isn’t as safe or effective as other sun protection methods, particularly ...

With summer just around the corner, this is the perfect time to start thinking about how to eliminate odors inside your home, especially from dampness or humidity. Luckily, there’s only one thing you need that makes it easy and affordable to get started!

This week, I’ll be going over the most common places odors can lurk in our homes, and why air fresheners or other scented odor eliminators aren’t nearly...

BPA is found in many everyday items, such as canned goods and soda cans, plastic cookware, and plastic food storage containers, to name a few. Even if you’re buying replacement items that say BPA-free, we’re not in the clear. 

In the past few episodes, I’ve been talking a lot about BPA and other endocrine disruptors. Unfortunately, BPA isn’t the only toxic chemical found in food and kitchen items, and it...

In this episode, I’ll break down toxic cookware and safer alternatives that you can use in your home. There is no truly “perfect” alternative to traditional toxic cookware, but there are always steps we can take to make safer, healthier choices for us and our families.

Today, I’ll cover the most common toxic cookware we find in our homes, why they are unsafe, and the health risks that occur after extende...

In this episode, we take a closer look at endocrine disruptors, also known as hormone disruptors. These are chemicals that can interfere with the function of the endocrine system, causing health problems ranging from weight gain and insulin resistance to fertility issues and lower IQ.

Tonya gives a high-level overview of what these chemicals are and what they do in our bodies. Endocrine disruptors can be...

When starting the journey to becoming slightly greener, not everyone is going to understand what you’re doing or why. At first, you might be met with resistance from your family, which is perfectly normal. 

In this episode, Tonya shares 3 tips for getting your family on board slowly but surely. It’s not about being perfect or taking away everything that you and your family enjoy. The goal is to make incr...

In this episode, Tonya shares her journey to becoming slightly greener. It might come as a surprise, but she wasn’t always as invested in natural and non-toxic products as she is now. Despite a battle with childhood cancer and always being told what healthy foods to eat, she still had a sweet tooth and a love for snacks that comes naturally with being a kid.  

This episode gives more insight behind Tonya...

In this episode, Tonya shares several tips on how to make shopping for organic and non-toxic products more affordable. When we think of organic we often also think, “expensive” but that doesn't have to be the case. Tonya shares what foods to go organic on, how to save money when you purchase organic products, and strategies for using clean, and reasonably priced products at home.

Tonya also shares her me...