Question from miko
i am planning on going to europe in the spring;i am chemically sensitive,so i would like to find out how / and what experiences people with MCS had
on one hand,i am told that europe is a waaaaay much greener than the usa; on the other hand i am told that the smokers are all over,and there is rare to find cafes,bistros,etc,smoke free
is “the downy and tide ” an ” epidemic,as it is here?
do people acknowledge chemical sensitivities,and know the NAME/DEFINITION?
is a trip to the laundromat,a ” TRIP TO HELL ” ,as it is in the usa ?
i dont dip/soak myself in chlorinated pools,and to find a hotel,cross coutry here,in the usa,is a nightmare,with ALL the cleaning toxic stuff,febreeze and similar sprays,etc
Debra’s Answer
I went to Germany last September. I can tell you some pros and cons.
Yes, cigarette smoke is everywhere. A lot of “green” in Europe has to do with energy savings, and they do have a lot of natural and herbal products, especially in Germany and England, but I didn’t notice a particular awareness of MCS.
I had no problem getting organic food in Cologne, a major city.
A benefit is that many of the buildings in Europe are very old, and the lesser-priced lodging is usually in an old building. I found a lovely old building to stay in with a big room with big windows into the back garden, not on the street. It was very quiet and no exhaust fumes from the street.
The most difficult part is the plane trip. I think my flight was 17 hours from Florida to Germany, with two stops to change planes. (There was even organic food at the airport!). They do spray something in the plane, some kind of pesticide or disinfectant, but for me it’s just difficult to be in the closed plane for the transatlantic flight, which is something like 8-9 hours from the East Coast, and only breathe that recirculated airplane air. And then, when you get to the airport, the air is full of jet fuel and plane exhaust.
It was a major victory for me to go to England in 1987 and not react. I went for a month and was fine. That was my proof I had recovered from MCS. That said, I think it would be difficult for someone with MCS to make the trip.
