Indoor Air Green

One of the first choice anyone with a roof over their head makes is decorating the space they call home and considering "How will I make this space my own?"  The second question is usually, "How much will it cost?" and an often overlooked question should be,

"Is it safe?"

Indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air, and according to the EPA, is considered one of the top 5 hazards to human health. Furniture, paint, and even the fabrics used in decorating release a continual flow of vapors and toxins into the air. Petroleum based fabrics or coatings create fumes in the house and such toxins can cause an array of health problems from insomnia and headaches, to breathing issues. Such toxins already bombard people and are routinely unregulated by the government.

Diligent consumers can prevent such issues with thoughtful purchases.  Consider the fabrics you choose carefully, and make an effort to use natural, earth friendly textiles, such as cotton, linen or silk rather than synthetic chemical or petroleum based fabric.

Paints and finishes are another source if toxic fumes. Paints and finishes release low level emissions into the air for years after application. Consumer demand as well as government regulations have paint companies reformulating their product so that now most companies manufacture a low VOC (volatile organic compound) paint. Such paints are durable, cost-effective and less harmful to human and environmental health.

Furniture is a final consideration when filling indoor space. In short, avoid PVC, other plastics, high-emitting particleboard, polyurethane foam and synthetic fibers for upholstery, toxic finishes and glues.

With diligence, indoor space can be a haven, not a soup of toxic dangers. Choose carefully and do a bit of research before spending any money on unsafe decor.

Healthy Eating Green

Are you worried about caring for your health?
Do you realize that the best way to keep your health care costs in control is to ... BE HEALTHY! Care for you health, not your sickness.
You are what you eat and this documentary could change everything you put into your mouth. Watch the trailer and see what you think.

Electric Vehicle Green

While we fret about the oil spill and worry about the mess in the Gulf, let us not forget that our demand for more oil is exactly why offshore drilling existed in the first place.

According to the site Apples from Oranges,

The current BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, originally quoted at 5,000 barrels per day, but now estimated at 19,000 barrels per day is a fairly small when compared to the 21,000,000 barrels per day consumption of the US. It is equivalent to filling up one Olympic swimming pool within 0.83 days (about 20 hours) or 3.14 days (with flow rates of 5,000 barrels per day, or 19,000 barrels per day respectively).

We need to consider the carbon we already put into the air without any disaster but rather our ridiculously high consumption of oil products. The time is now to consider why we go to such lengths to procure the oil. Why do we need so much?

In the video below about alternative energy sources, Amory Lovins, of the Rocky Mountain Institute, plainly asserts,

"We claim to  have an advanced industrial economy, and yet, it is run on primeval swamp goo and dinosaur poop".

Have you considered a different sort of vehicle? I currently drive a hybrid, but it still requires gasoline, it just burns it at a slower rate. This short clip really drives home the idea of a new way to get from point A to point B. If we don't need oil, we never have to worry about the current Gulf disaster again.

Beginning today a few simple choices to make include combining errands, sharing rides, using public transportation, or walking or riding a bike when possible. If you don't know anyone to share a ride with, eRideShare is a great network for facilitation of ride shares, from daily commutes to cross country trips.