Comments on: Got Dirt? So What?

By: Amber

Amber — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 18:08:33 +0000

Amen, amen, amen. I let my kids eat dirt and play in dirt, and they’re very healthy.
Cleaning products scare me, too. The commercials are the worst – watching a happy mother spray some sort of antiseptic product on a high chair tray, as the baby sits in the high chair no less. What’s the real danger in this picture, the bacteria that surround us all the time, or the synthetic chemicals? I’ll take the bacteria any day.
Although I do think pre-chewed gum is sort of gross. I guess we all have to draw the line somewhere. 😉

By: Mary Hunt

Mary Hunt — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 01:33:41 +0000

When I see dirt on food I ask myself, “If I were camping would I eat it”? In the same way, a little dust around the house doesn’t get to me like it used to, either.

By: mother earth aka karen hanrahan

mother earth aka karen hanrahan — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 20:20:10 +0000

one summer as a little girl I tried purposefully each day to get filthy, and it’s true …I had a terrific time doing it!

By: Renee @ EnviroMom.com

Renee @ EnviroMom.com — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:41:11 +0000

Great post Diane. I don’t think I’ve eaten near as much dirt, but maybe I should 😉 I’m certainly not a clean freak like modern marketers want us to be. I also am totally perplexed by why people are so afraid to have their homes smell like, well, homes and instead spritz them full of all sorts of awful smelling chemical ‘air fresheners’!!

By: Willo

Willo — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 19:42:17 +0000

I agree. And though it generally grosses out everyone, I regularly let me kids eat things off the floor or ingest some dirt, grass, etc..

By: Anna (Green Talk)

Anna (Green Talk) — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 17:07:36 +0000

Diane, I agree with you. My favorite is soap and water. As both you and Beth said, these antibacterial soaps and products are not good for us. It hampers are own immune systems from growing stronger from exposure.
On the subject of dirt, there is nothing like dirty fingernails from the garden. Wearing gloves? Not this girl.

By: Beth Terry, aka Fake Plastic Fish

Beth Terry, aka Fake Plastic Fish — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 12:10:29 +0000

Amen! I echo this rant myself on an almost daily basis with friends around here. Growing up the daughter of a microbiologist, I had the dangers of antibiotic overuse drilled into my head. Same with antibacterial soaps and other products. We are creating super resistant strains of bacteria that will be worse in the long run. And damaging eco systems in the process. Thank you for speaking out on this issue!

By: Jenn

Jenn — Mon, 09 Mar 2009 05:11:05 +0000

Love this post! And the NYT recently ran an article agreeing with you: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/27/health/27brod.html?scp=2&sq=dirt%20kids&st=cse
Jenn