Public School: Have you Considered the Implications? June 30, 2009

The words of John Taylor Gatto, former New York State & New York City Teacher of the Year:

You aren’t compelled to loan your car to anyone who wants it, but you are compelled to surrender your school-age child to strangers who process children for a livelihood, even though one in every nine schoolchildren is terrified of physical harm happening to them at school, terrified with good cause; about thirty-three are murdered there every year.  Your great-great-grandmother didn’t have to surrender her children.  What happened?

If I demanded you give up your television to an anonymous, itinerant repairman who needed work you’d think I was crazy; if I came with a policeman who forced you to pay that repairman even after he broke your set, you would be outraged.  Why are you so docile when you give up your child to a government agent called a schoolteacher?

I want to open up concealed aspects of modern schooling such as the deterioration it forces in the morality of parenting.  You have no say at all in choosing your teachers.  You know nothing about their backgrounds or families.  And the state knows little more than you do.  This is a radical piece of social engineering as the human imagination can conceive.  What does it mean?

One thing you do know is how unlikely it will be for any teacher to understand the personality of your particular child or anything significant about your family, culture, religion, plans, hopes, dreams.  In the confusion of school affairs even teachers so disposed don’t have opportunity to know those things.  How did this happen?

Before you hire a company to build a house, you would, I expect, insist on detailed plans showing what the finished structure was going to look like.  Building a child’s mind and character is what public schools do, their justification for prematurely breaking family and neighborhood learning.  Where is documentary evidence to prove this assumption that trained and certified professionals do it better than people who know and love them can?  There isn’t any.

The cost in New York State for building a well-schooled child in the year 2000 is $200,000 per body when lost interest is calculated.  That capital sum invested in the child’s name over the past twelve years would have delivered a million dollars to each kid as a nest egg to compensate for having no school.  The original $200,000 is more than the average home in New York costs.   You wouldn’t build a home without some idea what it would look like when finished, but you are compelled to let a corps of perfect strangers tinker with your child’s mind and personality without the foggiest idea what they want to do with it.

Law courts and legislatures have totally absolved school people from liability.  You can sue a doctor for malpractice, not a schoolteacher.  Every homebuilder is accountable to customers years after the home is built; not schoolteachers, though.  You can’t sue a priest, minister, or rabbi either; that should be a clue.

If you can’t be guaranteed even minimal results by these institutions, not even physical safety; if you can’t be guaranteed anything except that you’ll be arrested if you fail to surrender your kid, just what does the “public” in public schools mean?

An excerpt from the prologue of his book, “The Underground History of American Education:  An Intimate Investigation into the Prison of Modern Schooling.” 

Mr. Gatto is a well-respected public speaker and writer who shocks the world with his candid criticism of the modern schooling movement.  His book “Dumbing us Down” is a short collection of thought-provoking essays that will get any parent thinking in new ways about what’s wrong or right about our education system.  Although the average person may not agree with all of Mr. Gatto’s opinions, the average parent can definitely benefit from being exposed to his unique perspective on the public schooling tradition.

Last Chance to Enter to Win! June 29, 2009

We’re giving away a week’s worth of organic babyfood made by Yummy Spoonfuls.  Enter now through Tuesday the 30th at Enter to Win a FREE Week of Organic Babyfood!  Don’t miss out, mamas!

Choosing the Best Toys for Babies & Toddlers June 27, 2009

If you are pregnant with your first child, be warned that a mass of toys are soon to invade your life.  It starts off as a trickle, but by your child’s first birthday (let alone Christmas), you may be seeing stars (and flashing lights and garish colors and more plastic than you’ve ever owned).  Before you start investigating elaborate storage and rotation schemes… STOP!

The truth is children do not need a playroom full of toys.  In fact, a shopping spree at Toys R’ Us is not even in your child’s best interests.  Why does the average American house overflow with toys?  Because (a) Parents/Grandparents enjoy buying them (b) Stores profit by selling them and (c) Our culture insists that MORE is always better!  The toys we give our children create their world.  They send quite tangible messages regarding value, possessions, beauty, and possibility.  Is the point to be entertained?  To have the best?  To know the most?  Or, is it for the child to grow by creating, imagining and discovering?

Last fall my family underwent a A Waldorf Toy Revolution - a process that both simplified and enriched our play life.  If you’re looking to simplify your child’s playthings or hoping to choose the best toys for your baby or toddler the first time around, here are some general suggestions organized by age.  The idea is to avoid going overboard (you don’t need 5 rattles) and to have a wide variety of toys that gently stimulate all of your child’s senses.  The more simple and open-ended the toy, the greater possibility for creative use now and when he or she is older!

 Babies Newborn to 6 Months

• 1-2 Cloth teethers (organic cotton would be ideal; definitely washable)
• 1-2 Wooden teethers (one very simple, one with manipulative parts such as rings)
• A bell (enclosed in a ball or teether)
• A rattle
• A crinkle toy (something with crinkle foil in it – could be a soft teether, book, or other toy)
• 1-2 Cloth baby books with simple pictures or textures

Babies 6 Months to 12 Months

• A few balls for rolling
• A simple soft doll (small, without detachable clothes, gentle expression)
• A stacking ring
• A nesting toy
• A wobbling toy
• A squeaking toy (push button or squeeze)
• A set of rainbow silks
• 5 or so of your favorite board books.  For more variety, start visiting the library!

Toddlers 12 Months to 18 Months

• A simple musical instrument such as maracas or a jingle bell stick (not battery operated)
• A push toy that encourages a walker or helps a child that’s still learning
• 2-3 wooden cars, trucks, buses and such
• A wooden boat for the bath
• A small set of wooden blocks with interesting shapes and surfaces

Toddlers 18 Months to 24 Months

• Block crayons or crayon rocks
• Eco-dough or homemade modeling play dough
• A pull toy
• A ride-on toy
• A new musical instrument, such as a drum or tambourine
• 5 or so beautiful picture books.  For more variety, keep visiting the library!

2 Years Old

• Tempera paint, quality paper & a painting smock
• Play food, pots and utensils
• A child-sized broom and dust pan
• A soft baby doll with more details
• A large set of blocks (consider irregular shapes, such as tree blocks or extra large cardboard blocks)
• Animal or people figures (natural brands such as Animalz, Plan dollhouse, etc)
• A new musical instrument such as a harmonica or banjo
• 2 or so manipulative toys such as Lacing beads and Plan’s Nuts & Bolts
• A sturdy scooter (trikes are actually more challenging for most children)

In many cases, a child will still enjoy toys for younger children, if their playthings are carefully chosen.  The rainbow playsilks that baby simply loved to touch become rivers and meadows for the toddler’s toy animals.  The nesting blocks become homes and caves.  Granted, the infant teethers and such have a very limited use.  But, do NOT get a lot of those.  Infants are more comforted by familiarity than anything else.  Find something that works and stick with it.

Please notice what’s NOT suggested

• Avoid electronic toys that flash, play canned music (that you will grow to hate), move by themselves, etc.  These toys encourage passive, entertainment-oriented play.  They also require batteries which are dangerous and expensive.  Think that plastic flashing toy is cheaper than the wooden alternative?  In some cases, it’s the batteries that cost the most!
• Avoid buying lots of options for the 0-12 months stage.  At this age, your child needs so little in the way of stimulation over and above interaction with YOU and daily living.  If you wear your child while you cook, shop, etc. her mind will be fed with the stuff of real life. 
• Avoid educational toys.  Your toddler does not desperately need to learn colors, numbers and letters from his toys.  These abstract concepts are simply not developmentally meaningful to a toddler.  And, they WILL come naturally without any special toys that can only be played in one correct way.  Your own words are more powerful than any Leapfrog Learning Toy.  The experience of painting is a truer introduction to color than a push-button teaching toy.  Educational toys limit play possibilities and set up standards of “correct” play that don’t encourage creativity or imagination.
• Avoid toys you find unnattractive. Seriously.  A child’s toys do not (and should not) remain stuffed away in a playroom.  They become part of your home and your life.  Beautiful toys can actually add to your home environment.  Selecting toys made with natural materials, such as wood and cloth, brings the natural beauty and textures of the world right into your home.

Today’s Green Mama June 25, 2009

Next spring I’ll have a vegetable garden fueled by my own compost.  This weekend I bought a sewing machine.  Last month we installed a clothesline.  Earlier this year, I learned to make my own sandwich bread.  Who am I?  I’m today’s “Green Mama.” 

Whereas our mother’s generation pushed forwards searching out new styles of living, new standards of mothering, new products; today’s mothers are rediscovering grandma’s lifestyle.  What’s green?  So often, it’s the “old” way of doing things.  From the slow-food movement to cultivating a simple life, we’re finding wisdom in the ways of the past. 

• Traditional, labor-intensive agriculture – not pesticides.
• Organic cotton and wool bedding – not polyurethane foam and fire retardant chemicals.
• Food made at home, preferably purchased from local farm – not fast food or processed convenience foods that travel thousands of miles to reach our door.
• Line dried laundry – not routine machine drying.
• Cloth diapers – not disposables.
• Breastfeeding – not formula.
• Wooden and cloth toys – not plastic.
• Homemade cleaners of baking soda, vinegar and essential oils – not commercial products.
• Making our own and buying from artisans (such as on Etsy.com) – not relying completely on mass-produced merchandise

The list could go on, and it’s not to say that choosing a green lifestyle never involves using new technology.  For example, dishwashers are reportedly more efficient than hand washing dishes.  The point is that for the most part, today’s eco-aware, modern mamas are embracing lifestyles of days gone past.  We’re finding that slowing down, simplifying, savoring the family and creating a handmade life offer more meaning and joy than other paths. 

As I share these reflections with you, it occurs to me that critics describe the “green” movement as a fad, or worse as a marketing strategy.  While some interpretations might stray, the truth is that this movement is a lifestyle.  It’s as unique as the people living it.  And, it’s alive – changing, growing and deepening everyday.  I’m proud to be a part of it.  I hope that this blog encourages you as you make your way down your own path.  Thank-you for walking it with me.

Getting Outside in Hot Weather June 23, 2009

Ever since the first day of June, it’s been near and above 90 degrees, hereabout, and humid too.  The warm summer weather came as a bit of a shock to us, driving us inside. 

I think it’s important that children play outside everyday.  We get outside throughout the day on Wednesday, when I’m hanging laundry, and every Friday morning, when our friends come over for playgroup.  (On other weekdays, my children are with grandma, while I work).  So, it’s not that we’re not getting outside… it’s the quality and duration of our outside play that is lacking.  A quick jaunt on the playground, a half-hearted bike ride, maybe a tad of tree-climbing when friends are over, and that’s it.  Where is the exploration?  Who’s pretending?  Is anyone noticing the flowers, bugs, clouds, birds? 

I’m sure they’re noticing, even when I’m not noticing that they’re noticing (and that’s a lot of noticing).  But, I think there’s a lot more there for us to see.  We live far-off the road and surrounded by forest, so it’s a pretty safe and exciting environment.   The trick is, they really desire mom to adventure alongside them.  And, at 2 and 4.5, I suppose that’s pretty reasonable.  How to reconnect with my inner child and inspire them to go beyond the playground and bike path to the natural world beyond? 

After browsing through some blogs, I landed on a book at Amazon, “Nature’s Playground: Activities, Crafts, and Games to Encourage Children to Get Outdoors.”  I hope it has some activities that will inspire me to lead some adventures.  It definitely has some beautiful pictures of children playing in nature that I hope may give my oldest some new ideas.  Fortunately, it’s available at my library.  I’ve requested it, and I’ll report back with a review. 

Pollution Undermines YOUR Ability to Breastfeed June 20, 2009

When I was pregnant with my first child, I read “Having Faith: An Ecologist’s Journey to Motherhood“.  Having been raised with little concern for the environment, this was THE book that opened my eyes to exactly how significantly environmental pollution effects my life, and the life then growing within my womb.  Sandra Steingrabber shares the story of her pregnancy, birth and new motherhood, with complete honesty about the bumps along the way and with humour that really carries the story along.  Meandering throughout the tale are scientific insights into the way the environment effects pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding.  I’d venture to say that most mindful mamas would love the book!  It’s an inspiring and empowering story.

I was reminded of “Having Faith”  this morning, as I considered sharing with you some depressing news.  Scientists have recently learned that dioxin exposure during pregnancy can reduce growth of breast tissue necessary for breastfeeding by about 50%.  According to the report, it gets worse:  dioxin alters milk-producing genes, resulting in fewer mature lobules and ductal branches which make and deliver milk.  So, that means less breast growth and improperly developed milk ducts.  Sigh…  And we wonder why so many well-meaning mothers struggle to produce enough milk for their babies.

What is dioxin?  It’s a chemical bi-product of many manufacturing processes (like bleaching paper and fabrics) and of waste incineration at factories, municipalities and homes.   During such processes, dioxin is released into air and water.  Humans are exposed routinely when breathing and in some of the healthy foods we eat.  Specifically, dioxins tend to build up in the fat of livestock and fish and in the fatty portion of dairy products.  But, pregnant women are NOT to attempt to reduce their intake of these healthy foods!  Dioxin exposure is also a concern with the use of bleached tampons.

Basically, scientists and health experts are saying there’s little any pregnant woman can do to reduce her personal dioxin exposure immediately.  What we CAN do is support legislation that regulates industries and municipal waste incinerators that contribute greatly to the pollution.  Also, don’t burn garbage at home, avoid buying bleached products (tampons, disposable diapers, sheets, etc), and reduce waste by recycling and composting. 

To read more about the effects of dioxin, see Chemical Stops Breasts from Growing Bigger.

Toxic Tableware and Tainted Formula: Melamine’s Back in the Hot Seat June 18, 2009

“Last fall thousands of babies in China were hospitalized after drinking formula contaminated with melamine. Shortly thereafter, melamine contaminated foods were popping up all over the globe, from cookies in the UK to candy in Connecticut. The issue really hit home when the US FDA found American infant formulas tainted with the contaminant in late November. Parents were outraged. For a while. And then the issue just seemed to drop off the radar.

But it’s back.

Canadian health officials just found, once again, infant formula contaminated with melamine. And their theory of where that contamination is coming from is rather unexpected. According to Science News:

Chemists with Health Canada in Ottawa report they have yet to identify the source of the pollutant they’ve just turned up in 71 of 94 samples of infant formula. In a report of their findings, however, just published online ahead of print in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Sheryl Tittlemier and her colleagues do finger one key suspect: the insecticide cyromazine. It’s legal for use on food crops and animal forage — and melamine is one of its breakdown products.

So, the milk is tainted because the cows are tainted because the food the cows are eating is sprayed with a pesticide that breaks down into melamine. It makes a pretty good argument for organic dairy farming.

Still, it is important to note that the melamine levels detected were far below levels both the FDA and Health Canada have established as safe. In fact, Tittlemier’s group calculated that a baby’s ingestion of melamine would only come to about 1 percent of the allowable intake even if consuming the most contaminated product.

But this is just one source of exposure.

On the other side of the globe, melamine tableware is causing a stir with public health officials. According to The China Post:

In [a] recent experiment, all tableware made of melamine resin tested positive for melamine release, Wang said, warning that consumers should not use such products for hot food or for microwaving. Wang also urged melamine tableware manufacturers to clearly label their products with the warning that they “should not be used in microwave ovens, ” and to remind consumers not to use them for hot food or drink..”

The Taiwan News picked up on the story, as well, stating:

“Melamine levels in the plates, bowls and spoons reached values as high as 20 parts per million, far higher levels than recorded in foods…In daily use, the toxic can be released when the material comes in contact with hot food such as soup or when it is scratched.”

While it has been known for some time that melamine leaches from the plastic resin, the levels they’ve found are very concerning. And, even though it’s happening half way around the world, consider where many of our consumer goods come from.

Simultaneously, The Jakarta Globe in Indonesia just released a report regarding formaldehyde leaching from melamine tableware (formaldehyde is the other chemical combined with melamine to make the plastic resin). According to them:

Health officials warned on Monday that tableware made with melamine resin may release formaldehyde, a potential health hazard, under certain conditions. 
Roland Hutapea, the BPOM’s director for hazardous substance control, said long-term exposure to formaldehyde could cause kidney failure, bladder damage and cancer, and could eventually lead to death. “The safest way for now, as we still have no way to guarantee product safety, is to avoid using any melamine [resin] tableware with heat, acid or water,” he said. Husniah said that without a lab test, it was almost impossible to differentiate safe tableware from products that might release formaldehyde.

As I said back in the fall when we covered this issue, 

”At Healthy Child, we simply and fundamentally believe it’s better to be safe than sorry – especially when the exposure is completely unnecessary. If you have melamine dishes for your kids, perhaps it’s time to retire them to the pretend kitchen play set, a decorative shelf on the wall, the craft supplies cupboard, the bath tub, or the sandbox. Opt for dishware that is made from glass, ceramic, bamboo, stainless steel, or safer plastics (which I’m starting to question even exist).”

What about the formula? It doesn’t seem quite as worrisome as the tableware since the levels are so low. But, organic dairy clearly appears to be a safer farming method for producing a cleaner product. Unfortunately, the recession is crippling the organic dairy industry and farms are folding across the country.  Vote with your dollar to keep organic dairy farms afloat. Buy organic milk.”

Courtesy of Healthy Child Healthy World: a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit inspiring parents to protect young children from harmful chemicals.

If you’re ready to replace your plastic or melamine children’s dishes with something completely non-toxic, I can recommend our tempered glass dishwear from Kidishes, available at EuphoriaBaby.com.  We’ve been using them at home, and they’re so convenient.   In the dishwasher, microwave and at the table, they wear and wash so well!

Enter to Win a FREE Week of Organic Babyfood! June 15, 2009

Ideally, you make your own baby food out of organic, local produce… but maybe not every week or maybe never!  If you’re like most parents you certainly buy some baby food.  But, what do you buy?  Choosing organic baby food means you keep pesticides, heavy metals and solvents out of your baby’s diets.  That’s a great start!  But, if you think about it, freshness matters too.  Fresher, just cooked foods have more nutritional value than other foods.  Also, fresh foods are the least likely to contain dangerous levels of bacteria.  

Question:  How to get fresh baby food (i.e. not canned food that can sit on the shelves in your local grocery store for weeks), without making it at home?

Answer:  Buy frozen, organic baby food online, with a regular weekly delivery to your house! 

My favorite source is Yummy Spoonfuls, a company out of Georgia who manufactures certified organic baby food.  Unlike other organic baby food companies, Yummy Spoonfuls does NOT heat treat their product.  Heat treatments damage the nutritional integrity of foods.  As such, their food is perishable.  And, folks, that’s a good thing!  Here’s a few words from Yummy Spoonfuls:

Why Yummy Spoonfuls?

Because our children’s bodies are in a state of growth and development, they need a constant supply of highly nutritional building blocks not only free of chemicals but equally high in protein, essential fats, complex carbohydrates, and a full complement of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, which are all necessary to support healthy growth. A pure organic diet can be more beneficial during the first few months of life than at any other time but most IMPORTANTLY it is imperative we provide the freshest meals ever. Babies have immature systems and need the very purest and safest foods. Yummy Spoonfuls Baby Food PROVIDES JUST THAT.

Because given our hectic lifestyles with trying to balance work and parenthood or just trying to handle being a parent, it is not often easy to make all the delicious foods that we so lovingly want to provide to our offspring. Yummy Spoonfuls Baby Food is that invisible hand we all wished we had to make foods with the same loving touch we all would if only we had the time.

Because (we are very proud to say) our foods are perishable! Though it can stay fresh frozen for up to two months, there is really no need to keep it that long. Yummy Spoonfuls IS produced WEEKLY IN SMALL BATCHES and immediately frozen to lock in freshness. Order weekly or bi-weekly so that there is always fresh, homemade food available for your baby

You can buy directly from Yummy Spoonfuls here. Admittedly, frozen baby food is more costly than jarred organic food at the grocery store.  Fortunately, we’re giving it away! 

Enter to win!  One lucky reader will receive a week’s worth of delicious, organic baby food – that’s 12 containers of either stage one or stage two Yummy Spoonfuls baby food.  Enter now through June 30th by adding your comment to this blog post.  We’ll choose one random winner!  Shipping not included. 

EXTRA ENTRIES!
You can do any of these things for an extra entry. Make sure to leave a separate comment on this blog post for EACH thing you do.

1- For TWO extra entries, blog about this giveaway and link it back to my blog AND to Yummy Spoonfuls. 

2- Follow me (euphoriatweets) on twitter AND tweet about this giveaway. Please leave me the link in your comment to your tweet. Just following me does not count-you MUST tweet about this giveaway. You can copy and paste: Win a Week of Organic Baby Food @Euphoria for the Green Mama http://tinyurl.com/n5hbbf

Coloring with Block Crayons: For Babies, Preschoolers & Moms too June 11, 2009

This past school year, it has been my privilege to “homeschool” my preschooler.  I can’t say anything but positives about the experience.  It has brought us closer as a family and I have seen so much growth in my preschooler and in myself as a parent. 

One of my favorite parts of our preschool routine has been a regular “coloring time” on Wednesdays, at which time my 2-year-old, 4-year-old and I sit down with crayons and blank paper.  Coloring on blank paper was all but unheard of in our family before fall of 2008, when I dove into Waldorf head first.  Early on I choose to relegate our coloring books to the top shelf of our craft closet, soon to be forgotten.  My daughter was a bit off-kilter at first.  She didn’t know where to start with blank paper.  Even now, she’s stumped at times.  My son, on the other hand, who has only ever drawn on blank paper, goes at it with gusto.  He already tells us that his 2-year-old squiggles are daddy or a house or a cat.  I think his imagination flows more freely because he’s never been hemmed in by coloring book lines or been made to feel that a “proper” bear looks like Winnie the Pooh. 

One of the things I enjoy most about our coloring times is the crayons we use.  Of course, I grew up with Crayola.  Turns out there’s something way better – beeswax crayons.  These crayons are made in Germany with a beeswax base, instead of with oil, making them more eco-friendly, more vivid and surprisingly sweet-smelling.  They’re pricey (natural always is, right?), but they last a long time.  Also, the colors can blend, so red and yellow make orange, etc. which actually can create beautiful effects, while teaching a little science in the process. 

We have both Stockmar’s block crayons and Stockmar’s stick crayons, both of which are available at www.EuphoriaBaby.com.  The block crayons are rectangular blocks.  At times, when my son doesn’t feel like coloring, he’ll actually make towers with them!  The stick crayons are nice and thick – like Crayola’s chunky crayons for tots.  But, although they seem tougher than Crayola’s, they do break.  I hate that.  It’s never seemed to bother my children much, but broken crayons just grate at my nerves.  I attempt to limit my youngest to a particular set of stick crayons that’s already pretty broken, but I’m sure you can imagine how insistently he goes after his older sister’s set. 

If I was to do it again, I’d save the stick crayons for kindergarten or first grade, and only have block crayons for now.  And, that’s not just because I hate broken crayons.  When I color alongside the children (which I do about 1/2 of the time), I’m finding I prefer the block crayons.  You can set the background awash in an even, pale blue with a few swipes of the blue block.  You can make interesting and useful shapes by twisting the blocks as you move them.  And, it seems easiest to blend colors when I’m using the block crayons. 

I recently purchased a DVD by Sieglinde de Francesca, called “Coloring wtih Block Crayons: Emphasizing the Primary Colors”.  It is available at a great Waldorf homeschooling site www.ALittleGardenFlower.com.  The DVD has been a treat.  I’ve learned simple things that make coloring more fun for all three of us, as well as worked on some drawings that are developing my extremely limited coloring skills (I hated coloring as a child).  I tell you, it’s absolutely breathtaking what can be created with three simple block crayons – red, yellow and blue.  Here’s a great teaser on YouTube for the full DVD that’s sure to have you inspired to try some block crayons!

Are Swimming Pools Safe? June 9, 2009

Moms everywhere are starting to question the safety of the chemicals our children encounter in the average American lifestyle.  With June comes weekly trips to the pool, and one wonders if sweet little ones are marinating in a toxic soup.  After all, when you can smell the chemicals, that’s usually a very bad sign!

Healthy Child Healthy World, one of my favorite organizations, published Chlorinated Pools and Your Child’s Health, by Janelle Sorensen last year.  The article raises concerns about the safety of the air above the water, which in chlorinated pools will emit fumes that have been shown to trigger asthma, and the safety of the water itself, which will contain volatile compounds as a result of the chlorine coming into contact with hair, body products, sweat, saliva, or urine.  These volatile compounds are carcinogens (links to studies are included). 

Swimming is a wonderful, healthy past time.  This is not to say that we should keep our kids out of pools, but we can make choices that will minimize these risks. 

There are alternatives to chlorine.  If you have your own pool, consider using a mineral sanitizer, ozonization or ultraviolet light to sanitize the pool without dangerous chemicals.  Nature2 Express is a quick, affordable ($175) and eco-friendly sanitizer that uses the mineral elements of silver and copper, with a bit of chlorine, to keep your pool clean.  Read more about alternatives in this article at the Green Upgrader. 

If a chlorine-free pool is not available to you, be sure to swim in an outdoor pool, which will have exponentially cleaner air than an indoor pool.  Favor pools that have “shower before swimming” rules and be sure to follow them.  Even swimming in less popular pools or when few people are present does something to counteract the concerns.  If your community has a pool, talk to the management about how often it is emptied (which clears out some of the volatile disinfection bi-products) and about experimenting with greener sanitizing options.