Be the Change you want to see in the World  – Ghandi

As we start a New Year, we are all reminded to make our resolutions of what we want or NEED to change for the coming year.  What changes are you striving to make?  Change is good – Change gives our life the fuel and desire to grow, while helping us move forward with hope and promise.

Most of us will say we want a New Year that will make us healthier.  Often times this requires many changes in our current lifestyle, behavior and thought process.  Having a “healthy-n-green” indoor environment promotes wellness, saves money in energy and water usage, and lessens our impact on the global environment with sustainable choices.  With the green-maze of choices and the green-washing of information, I hope to educate you in understanding the core principles of living a sustainable lifestyle which is truly healthy-n-green.

HealthyLiving Fact:  The EPA states Indoor Air Quality as one of the top five environmental risks to public health, reporting in 1989 that indoor air pollution consistently causes GREATER health risks than HAZARDOUS WASTE SITES!  It is 2 to 5 time and sometimes 1000 times MORE polluted than the outside air!

YOUR Indoor Environment A Hazardous Waste Site?

If we consider that Everything we bring into our environment, every activity we perform, and all products we use affect indoor air quality, we will start to begin the process of making our spaces healthier.

The average person breathe in about 32,000 pints (18,185 liters) of air PER DAY.  Those 32,000 pints contain about 1,120,000,000 particles of dust.  Most of these particles are  3 microns or smaller.  That is alot of dust!

Consider the cleaning products, pesticides, paints, building products, personal care products, hobbies and interior furnishings as being “some” examples of what we bring into our environment.  Think of how many VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) may be released from just ONE product which then lingers in the air, being re-circulated throughout the ventilation system.  We live in a closed bubble of toxins, rarely considering how are actions impact our short and long term health.

Ventilation Is Key to Having Healthy Air

Healthy-n-Green Tips:

Change the quality of your indoor air by simply opening your windows at least once a week.  Ventilation is very important to flushing out toxins and particulate matter that build up indoors.   Our homes are built to be energy efficient with no outside air exchange.  By opening windows weekly for a few minutes, you reduce the levels of airborne toxins that would otherwise be continually  recycled in your air conditioning system.  Remember..the outside air is LESS polluted!

Change your air conditioning filters once a month.  You have heard it time and time again…..something so simple and inexpensive, yet often forgotten is to change your filters.  Mark your calendar and buy your filters in bulk, saving time and money.  NOT changing your air conditioner filter at regular intervals can decrease equipment operating efficiency by 20% or more!

Today’s best air conditioners use 30% – 50% less energy to produce the same amount of cooling as air conditioners made in the mid 1970’s.  Even if your air conditioner is more than 10 years old, you may save 20% to 40% of your cooling energy costs by replacing it with a newer, more efficient model.  Hire a reputable professional to properly size and install your unit to save you  money and reduce environmental pollution.