Green Home Doula helps families and schools make their environments as non-toxic as possible. The process begins with a consultation and audit. Having established a thorough understanding of your needs and concerns, Green Home Doula will guide you through the process of making changes and educated purchasing decisions to create the healthiest, greenest, and least toxic environment for your family or students.
Schools
Green Home Doula will perform a whole school audit in order to develop an action plan to make high impact changes for the lowest possible cost. Green Home Doula works with school directors, teachers, district administrators and boards of directors to gather support for replacing a variety of products with non-toxic alternatives, all within budgetary and logistical constraints.
Homes
Green Home Doula advises and educates parents, including those who are expecting, on the safety and toxicity of the products they're purchasing for their home. Green Home Doula will audit existing products and cleaning regimens to recommend safer, greener alternatives. Green Home Doula saves families time by doing the research into non-toxic alternative products to make their homes less toxic.
Renovations
Green Home Doula will help to ensure your home renovation project is using the safest, greenest, least toxic materials available. Green Home Doula will propose alternative materials that will reduce hazardous chemicals, VOCs (volatile organic compound), and toxicity in your home while the work is being done, as well as reduce ongoing toxicity levels.
News
10.14.2020 Green Home Doula is participating in Overload: America's Toxic Love Story, a One Earth/Wilmette Theater Virtual Screening Event & Discussion, on Saturday, October 24th at 6 PM CST.
03.11.2020 Green Home Doula is honored to be representing Women’s Voices For The Earth at the showing of 'Overload: America's Toxic Love Story' at the One Earth Film Festival in Wilmette this Saturday, March 14. Stop by to learn more. https://oneearthfilmfest.org/films-az-2020/overload-americas-toxic-love-story
12.06.2019 Chicago Area Preschool Quits the Quats! - Green Home Doula was invited to write a blog post for Women’s Voices For The Earth about how she helped a Chicago area pre-school reduce its use of toxic cleaning products.
About Erin Hersher, Founder
My journey to founding Green Home Doula, LLC, started when I was buying a crib mattress for my first child. Having bought what I believed to be a 'non-toxic' mattress, I discovered when it was delivered that was made from vinyl and emitted a strong odor. After calling the manufacturer and doing some research, I realized that the waterproofing material was highly toxic and not green in any way. In my last trimester we also had a straightforward home construction project go wrong, setting me on the path to learning about non-toxic baby, toddler, home, and construction products. After ten years of researching products and educating myself, I started Green Home Doula to advise families about green, non-toxic products, and make their homes as safe as possible.
Prior to starting Green Home Doula, I worked in a variety of roles in the visual arts, project management, recruiting, and most importantly as a full-time mom of two. I have an undergraduate degree in Fine Art and Art History from the University of Oregon, and a Master's degree in Education, Learning Sciences, from Northwestern University.
Contact: erin@greenhomedoula.com
Testimonials
Dr. Janelle Walker, Building Owner and General Contractor
Chicago, IL
Green Home Doula has truly been a godsend for my construction project!
I recently began the rehab of a 7-unit Chicago apartment building (built in 1906) with the vague desire to create as “Green” a living space as possible, but I was unequipped to do the research and overwhelmed trying to make the hundreds of choices required.
Things changed when the very energetic, organized, and knowledgeable Erin came on the scene. She does the research for me, thoroughly and clearly explains all appropriate options, weighs the pros and cons of each choice, and recommends the best non-toxic, environmentally-friendly products for all stages of construction. Green Home Doula has advised me about lead abatement, radon testing, water filters, paint choices, construction materials, insulation, appliances and fixtures, cabinetry, and more. Any time I am confused about green issues or choices, a quick note to Erin, and a full analysis comes back to me, often within hours!
I feel confident in my construction choices after consultation with Green Home Doula. Erin has stringent standards for anything she recommends – when she presents a product or solution, I know it will be just right.
Green Home Doula has helped me with dozens of hard choices and guided me to solid, informed decisions that will keep the building’s carbon footprint very small and its future inhabitants as healthy as possible.
Chrissy Cornell, Director, School for Little Children
Evanston, IL
Through our work with Green Home Doula, Erin raised our staff’s level of awareness about the many toxins that exist in our working environment, and helped us identify simple ways we could make impactful and affordable changes moving forward. Erin is extremely knowledgeable and always had research to support her recommendations.
Erin is very pragmatic in her approach, and understands the financial and logistical constraints that many individuals and organizations have. Therefore, she was able to help us prioritize immediate changes and offer solutions that were within our budget, as well as help us set future goals. It feels good to make informed decisions and know that we are creating healthier, less toxic environments for the children we are working with.
Brian Johnson and Carrie Huisingh, Home owners
Evanston, IL
Erin at Green Home Doula did a great job helping us make green choices as part of our home renovation project. She was knowledgeable on the details of so many products. She did the research so we didn’t have to - the process was easy. Erin also evaluated our kitchenware, food, toys, bedding, and hygiene products to recommend better, safer alternatives. Erin is knowledgeable and passionate about helping you easily make your home greener!
Contact
Erin Hersher, Founder
erin@greenhomedoula.com
773.610.6011
