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How to make your home a healthy place
Smog in urban areas often makes the news. But truth be told, air quality is often much worse inside our homes than outside. That’s because tens of thousands of chemicals, some synthetic and some found in nature, are used to make products commonly found in buildings. Many of these chemicals are benign, some are highly toxic, and most fall in that wide gray area in between.
When it comes to indoor air contamination, the biggest culprit in our homes is VOCs, a large class of chemicals that can evaporate, or offgas, from stuff that’s all around us, like particle board, carpet, paint, cleaning products, and materials treated with stain-resistant and wrinkle-resistant chemicals. VOCs can aggravate respiratory ailments like asthma, and have been linked to cancer and damage to nervous and reproductive systems.
Will exposure to VOCs and other indoor air pollutants, such as mold or wood smoke, make you sick? This may sound like a cop-out, but the answer is–it depends. It depends on the nature of the pollutant, your general health, the level of exposure and length of time you’re exposed, whether that pollutant might combine with other pollutants in your home or in your body to create a more dangerous compound, and other environmental and genetic factors. Without clear answers, health experts say it’s prudent to take commonsense steps to limit your exposure to polluting chemicals. You might want to take extra precautions if there are people in your household who are at higher risk of being harmed by indoor air pollutants. These include infants and children and people with asthma, other respiratory conditions, compromised immune systems, or chemical sensitivities. 
Plastics containing Bisphenol-A linked to child misbehavior
Yes we know, everything causes cancer, nothing is safe for our kids, a lot of paranoia, right?
Sometimes these concerns are for real. A chemical of significant importance to parents and scientists these days is Bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is a common chemical used in plastics for increased flexibility and molding. It can be found in your child’s plastic sippy cup, binkies, and even canned food. The lining found inside some canned foods is very similar to high density plastics, thus likely to contain significant levels of BPA. Numerous studies have proven that BPA can negatively impact your health. Experts have advised people to shop for BPA-free products. In general, avoiding plastics whenever possible is a good idea.
Read on and read the label before you purchase that pair of dangly keys or canned mac’n’cheese.
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Research Reveals Unpleasant News
Leaching is the process of a chemical seeping out of its original binding and into its surroundings (see example here). A university study was conducted to determine the leaching abilities of plastic bottles wherein the interaction between warm liquids and polycarbonate plastics released Bisphenol A (BPA) into the drinking solution. During the Harvard study, each student was given two polycarbonate bottles, which were not to be cleaned in the dishwasher (to void increased heat) and filled only with cold water. The students’ urine samples came back positive for a BPA increase of 69 percent. Is this a concern? The unfortunate answer is “yes” because BPA has been shown to alter the endocrine system causing early sexual development. Changes in fetal development, sperm production, and malfunctioning hormones are also results of BPA ingestion.
Recently, the University of North Carolina- Chapel Hill released a study, the first of its kind, linking behavioral problems in children from women that were exposed to BPA during pregnancy. The study measured levels of BPA in urine samples at three different stages of
pregnancy- the first at 16 weeks, then at 26 weeks and finally at birth. The results showed that the women who had the highest levels of BPA in their systems at the earliest stages of pregnancy had daughters who were more aggressive and hyperactive. To the scientists’ surprise, girls seemed to be the most affected while boys didn’t have a big difference in aggression but instead became more anxious and depressed. The greatest effects caused seem to be those of the earliest exposures. Most women can be affected even before they know they are pregnant, which can later cause even greater problems for their unborn children. Last year Canada became the first country to ban BPA in baby bottles and Wal-Mart and Toys-R-Us have announced they will stock only BPA-free bottles.
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How to drink beverages without worrying about BPA exposure
It used to be simple. If people were worried about BPA exposure, all they needed to do was go out and buy a BPA-free bottle, usually made from aluminum. However, BPA-free doesn’t necessarily mean BPA-free anymore. A major bottle manufacturer, SIGG, revealed that their supposed BPA-free aluminum bottles actually did contain BPA in bottle linings. Another bottle manufacturer, Gaiam, recently revealed that their BPA-free aluminum bottles did contain BPA, 23.8 parts per billion under extreme heat conditions. This amount is ten times more potent than the BPA levels found in SIGG. So what is a worried consumer to do when bottles claiming to be BPA-free aren’t really BPA-free? Fortunately, more and more options are becoming available for the eco-conscious consumer. Here are some alternatives.
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Be it basic Berber or retro shag, carpet feels good underfoot, absorbs sound, and can add color and style to a room. No wonder it covers nearly 70% of the floors in the United States.
But some indoor-air quality experts suggest thinking twice about blanketing your floors with wall-to-wall fibers. Some new carpets emit a host of noxious chemicals that you’ll be breathing for months and even years after they’re installed. Another concern is that carpet acts as a reservoir for dust and dust mites, pet dander, soot, pollen, odors, fleas, and lots of other stuff you’d rather not have take up residence in your home–especially if you’ve got young children who spend most of their time down at floor level.
Smooth-surface floors–think hardwood, ceramic tile, linoleum, or concrete–are easier to keep clean than carpet, so they’re usually a better choice from a healthy-home perspective. And carpet has a host of other environmental problems: it’s a short-lived material that ends up in landfills or incinerators. Also, the majority of the carpet sold in the United States is made from nonrenewable petrochemicals.
But you don’t necessarily have to give up on carpets. Over the past decade a number of manufacturers have led the way toward cleaning up their industry’s practices. Products are now available that are healthier for people and the planet.
At home
When shopping look for
Avoid
…to your health
Remember that old advertising slogan “better living through chemistry”? Well, it didn’t quite work out that way with most carpets. Their fibers and the pads below them often emit potentially hazardous levels of VOCs and other chemicals. The worst fumes come from the carpet backing but even the face of the carpet is typically treated with stain-resistant, soil-resistant and antimicrobial chemicals. Some health and environmental experts oppose the use of antimicrobials in particular, concerned that they may lead to the growth of strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Carpet fibers can also absorb the odors from new paint and furniture, holding onto these noxious chemicals and then releasing them into the air when someone walks on the carpet. For people who are sensitive to these chemicals, the fluff under their feet starts looking more ominous than elegant.
…to the Earth and your wallet
Carpet is also the most short-lived of the flooring alternatives, often lasting only 10 to 15 years. That makes it a problem in landfills, and a drain on your pocketbook. For example: The upfront costs of carpet and hardwood floors can be about the same. But, the hardwood floor may last two or three times as long.
Blanketing your heater. If you put carpet over radiant floor heating, you’ll reduce the heating system’s effectiveness.
When it comes time to paint your walls, step number one is finding a product that won’t emit harmful chemicals in your home. That means paints with the lowest possible emissions of “volatile organic compounds,” or VOCs. Such paints are widely available, and you can learn all about them in our article, “Paints, adhesives, and other finishes.”
Then comes the hard part—or the fun part—depending on your approach: choosing the right color. Should it be light or dark? Hot or cool? Stimulating or calming? By working on your emotions, the color of a room can subtly affect your sense of well-being, and in the long run maybe even your health.
Here’s where AFM Safecoat’s Ayurveda Essence Paint Tool can help. AFM Safecoat has created a color system based on the priniciples of Ayurveda, an ancient Indian healing process. The Ayurveda practice suggests that our world contains five elements that combine to create three types of human constitutions, known as “doshas.” The elements are ether, air, fire, water, and earth. Ether and air are grouped together as “vata” (wat-a). The vata constitution is like that of the ectomorph, with a lean build and thin frame. Fire stands separately as “pitta” (pit-ta), and pitta types are endomorphs, with a moderate frame and musculature. Water and earth are known as “kapha” (kaf-a). Kapha types are like mesomorphs: substantial in mass. Most of us are hybrids (such as vata/pitta or pitta/kapha), but if we go against our primary dosha type, Ayurvedic principles suggest, we can create imbalance and disharmony in our lives.
You’d think a newborn baby 
would have a fresh start when it comes to toxic chemicals. But chemicals move across the placenta, so a baby emerges with some of the same pollution in its system as its mother. Tests of umbilical blood have detected chemicals that cause cancer and birth defects as well as those that are toxic to the brain and nervous system.
Once born, infants take in even more pollution, through breathing, eating, and passage through the skin, just as adults do. But they are at greater risk from these exposures because of their physical differences. They have a faster metabolism. Their bodies are still developing rapidly, and exposures to toxic chemicals may disrupt a critical developmental step. They may not be able to protect themselves from chemicals as well as adults, because their immune systems are immature. And, per pound of body weight, they receive a greater dose of any chemical they’re exposed to. Some of the differences are stark.
Many associate a sustainable home with solar panels, expensive floor renovations, various purchases of Energy Star appliances, and other costly investments. But greening your home doesn’t have to be costly and time consuming. Even though pricey investments, like going off the grid, can have great ecological and economics benefits, it’s important to accomplish the basics of going green first. Here are 10 quick and cheap steps you can take to make your home more energy efficient while helping you save money.
According to the Consumer Energy Center, 31% of air leaks occur in floors, walls, and ceilings. Poor insulation can cause significant indoor heat loss. Sealing air leaks in your home can save you 20% or more on your heating and cooling bill. Learn how to seal and locate leaks in your home by reading our Air Sealing and Weatherization article.
High humidity in the summer can be uncomfortable, and musty odors in a bathroom or basement are annoying. But humidity should be kept in check for more serious reasons, too. First, there’s your health: excess moisture encourages the growth of mold and dust mites, which are known to trigger asthma attacks and cause nasal irritation, sneezing, and other respiratory discomfort. Humidity can also lead to structural problems in your home, including warped and rotten wood. It also encourages unwanted guests: rats, mice, and wood-devouring carpenter ants and termites thrive in dampness. High humidity can even boost your utility bill in summer, for the simple reason that humidity makes you feel warmer, encouraging you to crank up the air conditioner.
Was “home sweet home” ever more than wishful thinking? After all, back in the days of yore, people lived in homes that weren’t all that sweet, what with the smoky fire in the middle of house, bugs inhabiting straw pallets, and animals penned up close by. These days, with our scientific know-how and technological marvels, our homes must be so much healthier, right? Well, yes, but there are still a few problems, including chemical pollutants and biological contaminants. Bed bugs aren’t prevalent, but dust mites are. Our fires may not be smoky, but they do produce carbon monoxide and other hazardous gases. And as for those animals . . . raise your hand if your pet sleeps in your bed.
If the list seems daunting, don’t worry. Here and elsewhere on the site, we’ll walk you through not just the problems but the solutions too.
You can’t see it or smell it, but radon kills about 20,000 Americans each year. It’s the number two cause of all lung cancers, and the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers in the United States.
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