Lindsay Dahl is an activist and author of Cleaning House. She has helped pass over 30 state and federal laws banning toxic chemicals from consumer products and was an early supporter of MADE SAFE. Lindsay is currently the Chief Impact Officer at Ritual, a women’s health supplement company focused on traceable ingredients and clinical rigor.
What prompted you to write Cleaning House, and what gap did you feel was missing in the conversation about clean living?
I wrote the book because I saw the early seeds of what I call “wellness wars” being planted during the pandemic. I’ve been watching the conversation about toxic chemical pollution in our air, water, and products shift from a common sense issue that brings people together, to one that is being misrepresented and weaponized online. I really wanted to write this book to cut through the noise, show people that there is a sane middle ground where we don’t need to throw everything out from our homes or fear our products, while still working to systemically help make the consumer marketplace safer.
I also wanted to tell this story through a fast paced, easy to take in style, which is why I use my career and personal story as the foundation, and I interview and tell stories of amazing activists, scientists, CEOs, and politicians throughout the book.
The title Cleaning House works on many levels - home, health, and even policy. How do you see these layers connecting?
I appreciate you seeing the entendres and layers of the book's title. Cleaning House is about, yes, finding ways to rid our homes of certain products that may contain toxic chemicals, but it’s so much bigger. I ask readers to think about how we can clean up companies and their practices, clean house of politicians from all political parties who don’t stand up for strong oversight and regulations of toxic chemical pollution, and cleaning out our own hearts and minds. I argue that our own dogmatic thinking, fueled by social media, has become the most toxic thing in our homes.
What would you say to readers who feel overwhelmed at the thought of making changes in their lifestyle to lean into more natural living?
I offer an extensive Take Action section at the end of my book, and it’s a menu, not a to-do list. Even choosing to do one thing, like looking for the MADE SAFE logo when shopping, can make a significant impact. I give people tips that cost nothing (like buying half of what you typically do) to actions that take a little time (like calling your state and federal elected officials).
What’s one household product you were surprised to find contained hidden toxic chemicals?
After 20 years, there isn’t much I’m surprised by, but I think people are shocked when I start to discuss recycled materials, like carpet padding. We automatically think recycling is good (it is if it works and is with non-toxic materials) but in the case of recycled foam that is used for carpet padding, they are laced with flame retardants. So I encourage people to avoid recycled carpet foam padding, especially given how long it stays in our home and what we know about flame retardants and household dust exposure.
Consumers are often told it’s “on them” to shop smarter. How do you think companies should share in that responsibility?
The burden falls on our shoulders to navigate a complex market, and that is unfair and unjust. I appreciate how MADE SAFE helps take some of that hard work and pressure off our shoulders, but we really need both companies and our government to step up and make harder choices. The clean market has exploded with varying levels of commitment to ingredient safety. More companies should seek MADE SAFE certification, and I want to see more brands hire safety experts to help make sure they aren’t “clean washing”. I also have seen the power of state and federal laws that hold the chemical industry and manufacturers accountable, it’s a huge lever that helps protect a lot of people, especially overexposed communities and workers.
How do you balance wanting to eliminate as many toxins from your own life as possible without letting it overwhelm you?
I know you can’t shop your way to safety, so I make the best choices I can and I try not to sweat the small stuff. I would rather use my energy to push for large systemic shifts, like writing my book and helping pass laws on toxic chemicals.
Where do you see the clean living movement heading in the next five years?
I’m not sure where we will be in five years, but I am going to ask us all to focus and follow the science, put down social media, and I want people to follow the great work of organizations like MADE SAFE, EWG, NRDC, BCPP, and TFF to help translate science. I hope that people can stop getting their information about these topics from social media, where things have become unnecessarily polarized.
I do see us continuing to build on the momentum to pass state and federal laws, and encourage everyone to make sure there are no rollbacks to the laws we have helped pass.
How do you envision this book being used as a resource by those who read it?
I hope people share the book with their friends, find some hope and actionable ways to get involved, and I would love for people to host a book club with Cleaning House! If people have time, I would also greatly appreciate reviews on GoodReads or Amazon, it really helps the book, our reach, and first time authors like myself.
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