Creating a Clean and Healthy Home; Up Close & Toxic

Remember Joe Jackson's bouncy little satirical ditty “Cancer” (“everything gives you cancer”)? Some of that same overblown, life-constricting, danger-danger-Will-Robinson attitude informs these otherwise sensible overviews of indoor pollution, which can be 10-50 times greater than what is outside the front door. The more prescriptive of the pair, Creating a Clean and Healthy Home, hosted by Alex Lopez, is “aimed at young and new parents and kids,” and features a computer-animated “Germ Buster” who points out various potential toxic and/or unhealthy hazards around the home, including asthma triggers (dust, animal dander), pests, contaminated water, mold and moisture, carbon monoxide, lead poisoning, and hazardous household products. While full of helpful tips and suggestions, the program occasionally offers up draconian solutions, such as the removal of all carpets, or keeping pets outside (a relative once suggested using a “tie-out” for our Golden Retriever Raney, and we had to explain that “the Princess” would simply not understand this concept…or tolerate it for a New York minute). In addition, this semi-low-budget-looking program is occasionally too vague in its invocation of the dire effects trinity (i.e., “could lead to birth defects, cancer, or death”). Still, this program does offer parents and kids useful information for reducing indoor pollution levels, and is therefore a strong optional purchase. Aud: P.Up Close & Toxic, from the Canadian-aired The Nature of Things series, hosted by David Suzuki, is more concerned with the science and statistics behind the subject, as three “ghost” scientific experts follow a fictional family over the course of a day (both in the home and in the car). Calling the carpet a “toxic waste dump,” the program also points out that toddlers have been observed putting up to 67 “things” (i.e., anything within reach) in their mouths in an hour--a rather ominous stat, especially after you factor in the dog tracking in the pesticide residue from Mrs. Potter's garden next door. Dishwashers give off chloroform gas, Teflon pans cook chemical particles into your breakfast bacon, new computers reek of toxic solvents and adhesives, even art class (with its toxic dyes, pigments, and metals) is a personal environmental nightmare, we're told. Of course, homeowners could do something as simple as open a window (except, the program hastily points out, this allows ozone to come in and combine with other toxins to create worse pollution). And that romantic fire? Fuggedaboutit: smoke, like everything else, gives you cancer. Although handsomely produced, interestingly presented, and boasting a few good tips and suggestions (shoehorned into the final few minutes), Up Close & Toxic, like Creating a Clean and Healthy Home, doesn't quite find the balance between alarmist cautions and common sense compromise. Optional. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)