The most politically correct color today is green, and inevitably, it has turned into a marketing ploy. Everyone wants to say their business is green, their products are green, their services are green, even their cars are green. Unfortunately, the good intentions behind businesses that genuinely are environmentally aware are lumped in with all the others who just pretend to be. It takes more than just energy efficient light bulbs and recycled printer paper to be green. The choice to protect the environment through business practices and home management is about improving the health of our family, our home and our future. Here we will look at what it really means to make green choices for your home and family.
There is a growing trend in the US: the Green Consultant. Some families mistakenly assume a consultation by one of these professionals will result in a document much like a home inspection report. They expect to see recommendations like replacing windows and fixing dripping faucets. In actuality, the Green Consultant is not a home inspector. He or she is trained in evaluating the indoor environment and its levels of toxicity, as well as recommending healthier ways to live in and maintain the space. The most common assessment is that of indoor air quality. It is easy for the home to become filled with stagnant, chemical filled air just through the daily use of common products.
Imagine two adults and one teen all living together, each using their own perfumes or cologne, hair products and air fresheners every day. Add in the off gasses resulting from cooking, heating, showering, laundry and cleaning products. If the home is not aired out regularly, the indoor air quality becomes toxic, which in turn can cause respiratory conditions, insomnia, general ill health and the inability to focus. The biggest culprit for indoor air pollution is so-called air fresheners. They may smell pleasant, but they do not in fact remove scent from the area, they simply cover it up and add chemicals to the air your family breathes. A Green Consultant can suggest indoor foliage that can actually clean the air in your home, and thus help remove unwanted odors. The Boston fern, for example is well known for its ability to counteract off gasses from chemicals; as are the Peace Lily, Rubber Plant and Areca Palm.
Other ways to make your home greener are in your choices of cleaning products, furnishings, paint, flooring, insulation and heating methods. For example, petro-chemical based cleaners give off gasses that adversely affect our respiratory system. Also, consider the fact that small children who touch the cleaned surface have chemical residue on their hand, which they inevitably put in their mouth. Old paint on walls and ceilings contain unhealthy levels of chemical solvents that will easily transfer to the skin upon contact. Older homes are notorious for asbestos based plaster, chimney linings and insulation – and we all know how deadly asbestos is. Pink batt insulation is not a green choice either, for a couple of reasons. First, if unwanted guests get into the attic and wall cavities where the pink batt lies, they love to make a nest in the soft glass wool. Moreover, since the batt does not stop up crevices, there are many places for rodents to enter the space. Many Green Consultants, home builders, contractors and building experts recommend the use of a closed cell spray foam insulation to increase the R-value of the home. Spray foam insulation has the ability to stop up all holes and fill all crevices where cool air can collect and enter the home, thereby reducing heating costs. The use of this kind of insulator is a big step in the direction of a greener home and lifestyle.
The trick to living green is expanding your green choices to all areas of life. Instead of using a chemical pain reliever for a headache, try natural remedies like peppermint oil and exercise. When you are researching options for window replacement in the home, look for recycled products and materials that have a good R-value. Buy air-purifying plants, one per room in the home. Instead of using chemical based cleaners, use vinegar or citrus based products. These are all easy choices to make; it just takes a slight change in perspective.
Mark Munns is a representative of Spray Foam Direct. Spray Foam Direct features quick and easy do-it-yourself spray foam insulation which will save you money and energy. Check out Marks latest article New High-Tech Skylights Let the Energy Savings Shine In!
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