You've heard about the importance of using safer alternatives to toxic chemicals. But do you know what alternative household products are safer for your home and family? Would you, your friends, co-workers and neighbors like to learn?

By hosting a Home Safe Home Party you can learn about safer products for your family and home, connect with your friends and neighbors and take action for smarter laws to protect the health adults and children in Michigan. You can host a party as a private event with your friends or colleagues, or work with local community organizations, women's groups, reading clubs, teen groups, scouting or church groups to host a broader event.

At these parties, we watch "Our Children at Risk," a 30-minute documentary about how chemicals may affect children's health and development. Following that, you and your guests can choose one of several activities:

• Make and experiment with safe cleaning products made from homemade ingredients such as baking soda, cornstarch and vinegar;
• Create a list of "Naughty" and "Nice" children's toys, based on what chemicals could be lurking in each product;
• Ask people to bring their makeup bags to inventory the ingredients in their cosmetic products;
• Make and try out different home-made cosmetic facial masks.

Here is a sample agenda for a Home Safe Home Party:

• Mix and mingle with snacks, people sign in when they arrive and provide their contact information.
• Welcome guests, everyone introduces themselves
• Watch "Our Children at Risk", a 30 minute video about chemicals and children's health.
• Healthy Products Activity: Make and try out different home-made cosmetic facial masks.
• Political Action: write letters to state legislators or the Governor in support of legislation to replace toxic chemicals with safer alternatives. Also, people can sign up if they would like to be more involved with Healthy Michigan and the Michigan Network for Children's Environmental Health.
• Thank you and wrap up.

If you are interested in hosting a Home Safe Home Party, e-mail Katie Kelly, Environmental Health Organizer, with your name, the town you live in and some possible party dates. We look forward to hearing from you!