How to reduce your daily dose of chemicals

Plus: Bell-to-bell cell bans – do they work? ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

US Edition - Today's top story: Exposure to everyday chemicals can add up – a toxicologist offers simple steps to reduce your dose View in browser 6 July 2026 US Edition   Top headlines How much will data centers hike your electricity bills? Why only 13% of surplus supermarket food is given to the hungry Russia’s baby-making campaign calls upon ‘holy couples’ for aid Lead story As a longtime health and medicine journalist, I think a lot about how contaminants in everyday products might affect my and my family’s health. After reading that chemicals like phthalates can leech out of plastic packaging and containers, for example, I switched out most of my household’s plastic food storage containers for glass – and we no longer put the remaining plastic ones in the microwave. But I’m well aware that actions like these only accomplish so much, given the enormous range of substances people are exposed to in the course of modern life. So when toxicologist Brad Reisfeld at Colorado State University proposed an article explaining the overlapping effects of these daily environmental exposures, I was excited to take him up on it. There’s no way any of us can live a “chemical-free” life, Reisfeld writes. “A more practical goal is to reduce unnecessary and repeated exposures when doing so is easy and inexpensive, and does not create new problems.” I’ve already started implementing Reisfeld’s highly practical suggestions, which focus on the big picture rather than specific products. I hope you’ll find them helpful too. [ Understand what’s going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter. ]   Alla Katsnelson Associate Health Editor   People are rarely exposed to chemicals one at a time. PeopleImages/iStock via Getty Images Plus Exposure to everyday chemicals can add up – a toxicologist offers simple steps to reduce your dose Brad Reisfeld, Colorado State University There’s no such thing as a ‘chemical-free’ life, but some simple steps can help you minimize exposures to daily chemicals. International The ‘navalization’ of economic warfare sees trade routes become zones of force rather than rules John Calabrese, American University With the declining power of financial sanctions, many countries are now physically boarding ships to enforce scattershot rules of trade, conflict and commerce. Education Florida’s school choice program offers universal vouchers but cannot show systemwide academic improvement Kendall Deas, University of South Carolina What has the Sunshine State learned from 27 years of school choice? 💬 Comments open   For the 1 in 4 teens with ‘problematic smartphone use,’ Pennsylvania’s proposed bell-to-bell cellphone ban might not be a simple solution Elizabeth Dowdell, Villanova University Supporters of the ban argue that kids need a break from constant phone notifications so they can focus on learning and social skills instead. 💬 Comments open Economy + Business Why only 13% of surplus food gets donated by US supermarkets and other retailers to help hungry people – and how food pantries are trying to gather more John Lowrey, Northeastern University Picking up food more frequently from supermarkets doesn’t close the gap between what’s donated and could be donated, a supply chain scholar explains. Environment + Energy It may be almost impossible to make data centers pay their ‘fair share’ of electricity costs Theodore J. Kury, University of Florida Setting a price for power might seem straightforward, but in reality it’s extremely complicated – and residential customers have very little influence in the decision. Ethics + Religion How Russia turned to medieval saints in its push for ‘traditional values’ – and more babies Diana Dukhanova, College of the Holy Cross The Russian Orthodox Church is creating another pro-family day, part of a broader ‘traditional values’ campaign run by the government. From ancient texts to modern practices, Daoism provides a profound framework for understanding the world not as broken but as naturally seeking balance Michael Naparstek, University of Tennessee Daoism approaches the world not from the perspective that the world is broken or needs to be saved, but rather that it is naturally balanced. Health + Medicine Why are our fingers different lengths? Steven Lautzenheiser, University of Tennessee Your fingers’ lengths are just one feature of many that let your hands grasp, press, pull and otherwise interact with the world. 💬 Comments open Science + Technology Climate change means an earlier spring, which can be disorienting and threatening for migrating birds Morgan Tingley, University of California, Los Angeles Birds that migrate longer distances are the ones having the most trouble keeping up with climate change. Trending on site How a tiny Caribbean island made American independence possible Alcohol is one of the most dangerous drugs, yet its presence is ubiquitous in social settings and celebrations How did it feel to be an American colonist in 1776? 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