Tag Archives: home

“Passive” wifi could pave the way for connected devices that run on nothing

by Rian Mahon Posted on February 24, 2016

“Passive” wifi could pave the way for connected devices that run on nothing

By on 23 Feb 2016commentsShare

If wifi signals were like food — and, let’s be honest, they basically are when going more than a few hours without internet is tantamount to digital starvation — then so-called passive wireless devices would be like a quiet roommate who steals all your food and never pays for anything. Except, in a good way.

See, unlike the mooch who depletes your peanut butter supply one teaspoon at a time and offers guests tea from your stash, digital mooches are great. They don’t need batteries (that die) or power chords (that get lost), because they just harvest energy from the wifi signals already flying all around us. And when they want to send their own signals, they just deflect some of that already-airborne wifi, rather than generate their own — a task too energy intensive to do just on harvested power.

All told, devices — sensors or security cameras, for example — that partake in this kind of digital mooching could use up to 10,000 times less energy than most of today’s devices. You should probably read that again: All told, devices that partake in this kind of digital mooching could use up to 10,000 times less energy than most of today’s devices. So basically, they run on nothing.

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Now, if this all sounds too good to be true, then check this out. Passive wifi was just named one of MIT Technology Review’s 10 breakthrough technologies of 2016. And if you still don’t believe it, then check this out — OK, that one’s just a mostly blank webpage, but it will be the home of Jeeva Wireless, a company gearing up to bring this passive wifi to the masses.

University of Washington professors Shyamnath Gollakota and Joshua Smith are developing the technology (along with the requisite graduate students behind almost all scientific and technological advances, of course). The group has already tested passive motion sensors, microphones, and a low-power video camera, and they’ve shown that deflected signals can travel up to 100 feet and through walls.

So as more and more of our devices join the Internet of Things Techno Jelly Net, we could be seeing fewer and fewer batteries and power cords. They won’t be gone completely, since the original signals have to come from somewhere — and that somewhere could be TVs, radios, or other wifi transmitters that tend to be plugged-in and stationary — but they could be largely gone from small, low-power devices.

It’ll likely take a few years for these digital moochers to become widely available. But just think: When they do, you could wire up your kitchen with passive cameras and sensors to catch you-know-who doing you-know-what.

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The Ultimate Green Moving Guide

by CatharineFeldman Posted on February 22, 2016

Yes, it’s true. Pulling up stakes and moving is an awful lot of work. No matter how much you are looking forward to life in your new home, change is difficult and stressful. That doesn’t mean you should forget about your green goals, though. Minimizing the wear and tear on our planet when you move is really not so hard. Just follow some — or all — of these 10 tips for an eco-friendly move.

  1. Choose a green new home.There are so many environmentally friendly angles to focus on when selecting a new place to live. Perhaps you will look for a house or apartment with a highWalk Score, LEED-certified construction, or a place to share with roommates or other family members.
  2. Start early.Take plenty oftime to decide which green elements are a must for you to include in your move. Then do your homework to discover how to achieve your aims.
  3. Declutter responsibly.Bringing along only what you really need/want will reduce the quantity of packing materials you requireand the amount of fuel your transport vehicle will consume. Try to sell, donate, or recycle as much as you can.Fringe benefit: This way, you will also pay less for the reduced poundage if you’ll be using professional movers.
  4. Remember your furred and feathered friends,If you have beenfeeding the birds and squirrelsin your current locale, don’t just stop abruptly. Find someone to take over for you when you’re going to move away in the wintertime.
  5. Use sustainable packing boxes. For a small local move, clean secondhand cartons from the nearby grocery or liquor store will be fine. Pass your containers on once you are settled in your new home sweet home. If you are planning a larger or long distance move, you’re likely to need a substantial numberof uniformly sized containers. Rent from your moving company, if you’re using one, or a green packing company. We recommend sturdy crates manufactured from plastic bottles — which can be used and reused an amazing 400 times — and recycled packing and wrapping materials.
  6. Pad your fragile items with towels or sheets.This beats using and discarding newspaper or (shudder!) Styrofoam. Unpack with care.
  1. Minimize your carbon footprint when transporting your possessions.Though making multiple short hops to drop off stuff at your new place may be convenient, it sure does use a lot of gasoline. One trip in as small a truck as possible is much more efficient. When hiring a mover, look for one that practices environmental responsibility, such as working with trucks that run on biodiesel fuel, bicycles, or train transport for long distance moves.
  2. Pick green cleaning supplies.One of the many chores that moving brings is a ton of cleanup (often at both ends of the move). Even though you’ll be tired and stressed, take the time to use green cleaning supplies, such as vinegar and old rags, rather than paper towels and harmful chemical cleansers.
  3. Prep your new home the green way.Seal potential sources of air leakage (cracks around doors and windows, for example) and insulate (ductwork, attic, and crawlspace are excellent places to start). Both these simple home improvements will allow your heating and cooling system to work more efficiently. When you redecorate, chooselow- to no-VOC latexto paint the walls.
  4. Don’t forget the furnishings.Shop charity stores and garage sales for home furnishings to reuse or repurpose. Should you plan to purchase new appliances like a washing machine orair conditioner, opt for Energy Star models.

By Laura Firszt,Networx.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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The Ultimate Green Moving Guide

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Which is Deadlier: Guns, Cars or Air Pollution?

by RefugioTruman96 Posted on February 19, 2016

According to the CDC,Americans are now as likely to die from a car accident as they are of gun violence.In about 21 states, people are actually more likely to die from gunshot wounds than from vehicular accidents. This is a sobering statistic. But even more sobering is the fact that Americans are far more likely to die from air pollution than from an unfortunately placed bullet or car crashes combined. Look at these numbers:

2014 deaths by car: 10.3 per 100,000

2014 deaths by guns: 10.3 per 100,000

2014 deaths by air pollution: 70 – 130 per 100,000 (Baltimore had the highest rate at 130)

The numbers, of course, vary from year to year, but about 30,000 Americans die in car accidents, 30,000 Americans die from guns, and200,000+Americansdie annuallyfrom air pollution.

Let’s put these statistics into real numbers for one state. In a recent year, Utah lost 256 people to car accidents, 260 people to gun violence and about 1300people from air pollution.

So, where is the outrage when it comes to America’s dirty air?

The problem is when someone dies from a gunshot wound or car accident, the cause is obvious, not to mention often graphicbut with air pollution, death usually creeps up insidiously and ambiguously Essentially no one lands in the morgue with a toe tag that says died of air pollution. Instead, the cause of death is listed as heart attack, asthma, lung disease, stroke, SIDS or cancer. But the result is the same lives cut tragically and unnecessarily short.

Equallytragically is that we know air pollution kills, yet we do not do everything we can to clean-up our air.

We let big industrial polluters and trade associations bully us into thinking we must choose between a strong economy and clean air, which is a false choice. In fact, the EPA has shown that for every dollar spent on pollution mitigation and prevention, $30 to $90 of economic benefit is returned to local communities. Just think of the worlds richest nations versus the worlds poorest nations. Who has cleaner air? Clean air and wealth go hand-in-hand.

As long as we accept dirty air and its accompanying mortality, we will have dirty, stinky air. But when we stand up together and say the birthright of every child to breathe clean air trumps the rights of industry to pollute, then we will have clean air.

To get involved with the national clean air movement join Moms Clean Air Force and to see one state, Utah, get serious about cleaning up their air, visit the Utah Moms for Clean Air. Extra-motivated? Start your own grassroots clean air group and help fight for the air we all share.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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Which is Deadlier: Guns, Cars or Air Pollution?

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Here are the Best Ways to Recycle Your Old Shoes

by GrantNiven Posted on February 14, 2016

A lot of time, energy, labor and natural resources go into making a pair of shoes. So don’t you think they should be used for as long as possible? And then repurposed into something else when their useful life as a shoe wears out?

Here are some creative ways to recycle old shoes so they keep on truckin’ rather than end up in a landfill somewhere.

Shoes That Can Still Be Worn

What should you do with shoes you just don’t like anymore, but are still perfectly good?

* Take them to the nearest thrift store. Shoes are a popular, in-demand item, whether they’re men’s dress shoes, kids’ tennis shoes or an exotic pair of heels.

* Donate them to a shelter that needs shoes for homeless or disadvantaged men, women or children, depending on the shoes you have. Contact the shelter before you drop the shoes off to make sure they’ll be used.

* Send them to a local affiliate of Dress for Success if they’re for women or Art for Humanity for men. Soles 4 Souls accepts men’s and women’s shoes of all kinds.

* Donate sports shoes toShoe4Africa.org, which helps people protect their feet from injuries and diseases like hookworm. One World Runningis another good resource.

* Donate kids’ shoes to The Shoe Bank. Though this group will take adult shoes as well, its primary focus is kids.

* Swap them with neighbors. Make sure you clean them well first; clean any shoes you receive in the swap as well. Tennis shoes, soccer cleats and other sports shoes are pretty safe to swap because people usually wear socks with those kinds of shoes.

* Pass them among siblings. This is easier to do with shoes that toddlers wear, since they usually outgrow the shoe before they wear it out physically. Also, shoe sizes for tots are pretty uniform because their feet are somewhat uniform in shape, unlike adult feet.

* Put them in the back of the closet. If you’re bored with your shoes or they’ve gone out of style,chances are they’ll be trendy againin a year or two. One or two pair of shoes don’t take up much room. Stow them on a high shelf or in the back of your closet and take them out next seasonmaybe you’ll like them better.

* Give them away on Freecycle.org or sell them on Craig’s List or Ebay.

Shoes That Can’t Be Worn Anymore

* If your shoes are so beat up no one can wear them anymore, send them to Nike’s Reuse-a-Shoe program, where they will be ground up and used to make into other products. You can find local drop off options here.

* If they still hold their shape, use them for planters, like the cute boots pictured above.

* If they’re a flat shoe, stretch a waterproof rubber bootie over them and wear them to garden or do yard work.

* Upcycle flip flops into door mats, baskets, artwork and even jewelry. You can get lots of ideas on this Pinterest page.

Related
13 Cool Things You Probably Don’t Know You Can Recycle
What Happens to Your Donated Clothing?

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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Here are the Best Ways to Recycle Your Old Shoes

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How to Choose an Energy Efficient Water Heater

by azulurwok Posted on February 10, 2016

Conventional water heaters have a 10 to 15-year life expectancy, so sooner or later, the water heater in your basement or utility room is going to stop working, or worse, stop working and start leaking. When that happens, youre likely focused on getting the problem fixed as quickly as possible, and not making a careful decision about what type of water heater you want. It’s best to starting thinking about a new water heater before you actually need one.

If you want to trade up to a more energy-efficient model or a bigger unit, do your homework now, so you can better discuss your options with your plumber when its time for replacement. If you leave the decision to the plumber, he or she might simply replace your existing water heater with a similar model.

Go for Energy Efficiency

Water heating accounts for 18 to 20 percent of the average households energy bill, and is second only to heating and cooling for claiming the biggest chunk of the energy budget. Replacing an old unit with a high-efficiency model will save you money and reduce your home’s overall energy usage.

The savings can really be significant. Thanks to new minimum water heater standards that went into effect last year, even standard models are more efficient than those manufactured in the past. Some models can reduce energy usage by 50% or more. However, those types of savings are only available on heaters that use heat-pump technology. The savings from conventional gas and electric water heaters will only be around 4 percent, according to the Department of Energy. But on a large scale, this shift to new standards will save 2.6 quadrillion BTUs of energy over 30 years and save consumers about $8.7 billion in energy bills. The resulting reduction in CO2 emissions will be like taking 33 million cars off the road for a year.

Read the Label

The easiest way to pick an energy efficient water heater is to read the Energy Guide label that comes with every unit. The label tells you the cost to run a specific unit compared with similar water heaters. If the label carries the Energy Star logo, the water heater meets additional criteria and is more efficient than standard models.

There are a number of considerations that help determine the estimated costs on the label. One of those considerations is the energy factor (EF). This number reflects the efficiency of the heater in converting fuelnatural gas, propane and the likeinto hot water. The EF is expressed as a decimal, so an EF of 1.0 means that 100% of the energy is converted to hot water. Electric water heaters often have a higher EF, but they can be more expensive to operate than gas-powered models. See the table below for more information.

Requirements for Residential Water Heaters

Type of Water Heater
New Minimum EF Requirements
Energy Star EF Requirements
50-Gallon Gas Water Heater
0.60
> 0.67
50-Gallon Electric Water Heater
0.95
> 2.0
Tankless Water Heater
0.82
> 0.90

Sources: DOE National Appliance Energy Conservation Act; Energy Star Product Criteria

Know the Hybrid Systems

Hybrid water heaters use electricity and heat pump technology to produce more energy than they consume. That’s why Energy Star products often have an EF of 2.0 and higherthey produce two times the energy that they use in electricity. The heat pump draws heat from the surrounding air and uses it to heat the water in the tank. When the surrounding temperature drops, the unit switches to standard electricity to heat the water.

Heat pump water heaters are very efficientsome models have an EF above 3.0. However, theyre also more expensive. You can expect to pay a 50 to 70% premium for a heat pump water heater.

Tankless water heaters are another option. These units provide on-demand hot water, so no energy is wasted heating water thats not being used. Tankless heaters are sized in gallons per minute (GPM) of hot water they provide. It can be tricky to figure out the right size for your family, so if youre interested in a tankless water heater, discuss your needs with a plumbing professional.

Size Matters

If you are satisfied with the amount of hot water your current water heater provides, there is no need to replace it with a larger model, as prices increase as the tank size grows. But if you do want a larger tank, there are a number of things to consider.

The most important is the First-Hour Rating listed on the Energy Guide label. This is a calculation that tells you the number of gallons of hot water the unit will provide over a set period of time. Its different from the tank capacity, because as you start using the hot water, cold water rushes into the tank that needs to be heated. The First-Hour Rating considers the size of the tank, the efficiency of the unit and even the temperature of the cold water entering the tank. A professional plumber can help you arrive at an accurate size.

Dont wait until a crisis to think about replacing your water heater. Understanding your options now will make the buying process much smoother when its time for a new model.

DIY author Fran Doneganis a home improvement specialist who writes online for The Home Depot. Fran is the author of the DIY books Pools and Spas and Paint Your Home. You can find a selection of energy-efficient water heaters, like the ones Fran discusses, available at Home Depot here.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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How to Choose an Energy Efficient Water Heater

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5 Urban Homesteading Projects for Beginners

by LTYEarlene Posted on February 6, 2016

Urban homesteading is on the rise in cities and suburbs across the country. The practice of urban homesteading involves making your household as self-sustaining as possible by producing your goods and foods at homethink raising chickens, growing vegetables, sewing your own clothes and beekeeping.

People start homesteading for a variety of reasons. Some want to know where their food, cleaning products and clothes come from and whats in them. Others simply like the idea of minimizing environmental impact by keeping all production close to home. Still more want to transition to living off the grid completely.

Rest assured, you dont need to go all in all at once. If you want to give urban homesteading a shot but arent quite ready to jump right into raising goats, here are some great projects for beginners:

Start a Small Vegetable Garden

If you have the space, a small vegetable garden can help you start growing your own food. Dont feel as though you need to convert your entire yard into a vegetable garden right away. A small strip of land alongside your house (that gets adequate sunlight) is perfect for constructinga raised bed that runs the length of your home, and will give you plenty of space for growing veggies. Beginners should stick to the basics. Lifehacker recommends salad greens, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans for those new to gardening.

Compost

Composting is really quite easy and only requires a little bit of effort each day. Once youve gotten into the swing of it, youll have ready-made compost that canact as fertilizer for your yard and vegetable garden. In order to compost successfully, your mixture will need organic matter, some moisture, warmth and oxygen, according to self-proclaimed composting guru The Compost Guy. Store your compost bin in a warm place, make sure to mix it up regularly to allow oxygen into the mixture, keep it moist and add plenty of organic matterkitchen scraps, manure, fall leaves, grass, straw, cardboard and hair are great for composting.

Collect Rainwater

This is a pretty straightforward tip. Collecting rainwater is great for water conservation as you wont have to turn on the hose in order to water your plants, wash your car, do your laundry or scrub your dishes. If you really get into it, you canpurchase a water purification system to use your rainwater for showering and bathing (though that would require quite a bit of rain). Collecting rainwater is super easy, too: Simply place a rainwater collection tank outside.

Make Your Own Cleaning Products

Cleaning products are expensive and often toxic. Making an all-natural, all-purpose cleaner at home is super easy, if you have the right ingredients. The natural homemaking blog Wellness Mama recommends combining 1 teaspoon of Borax, 0.5 teaspoons of washing soda, 1 teaspoon castile soap and a few drops of your favorite essential oil with two cups of distilled water. Put the mixture into a spray bottle and use it anywhere in your home without fear of toxins.

Hang Your Laundry to Dry

Wet clothes dont necessarily need to go into an electric dryer. Conserve energy by hanging your clothes out to dry! During the winter months, you can assemble a drying rack within your home thats quick and easy to take down once your wardrobe has driedtrust us, your clothes with dry just as efficiently and you wont use as much power.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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5 Healthy, Green Home Hacks

by KathrynMontenegr Posted on January 27, 2016

If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleepingwith a mosquito. ~Dalai Lama XIV

No. Really.

A lot of people ask me if one small change in their daily habit is really going to make a difference and to that I reply, of course!

Lets face itit can be overwhelming trying to change all of your (bad) habits at once, but my motto is to take baby steps. Its more fun. Its more do-able. And, youre more likely to stick with your new habit over the long run.

To get started, here are a few reuse home hacks that will not only help heal our beautiful planet, but will pad your wallet with some generous savings.

But first, listen to myGreen Divas at Home radio show segment. Then read on for more!

Now do I have your attention?

1. Clean with Microfiber Towels vs. Paper Towels

Paper towelsmay be the default for tackling household cleaning tasks, but absorbent microfiber towels can do anything paper towels or wipes can do, and microfiber usually does a better job of whisking up dirt and grease. They wont scratch surfaces, leave no lint behind, and can be washed about fifty times. Buy several so you can throw them in the wash and grab another as you clean.

Reducing yourpaper towel usewill help conserve trees and cut down on the pollution produced in the bleaching process. Using one roll of paper towels per week, at $1.25 per roll, will cost you $70 per year. A stack of reusable microfiber towels is about $19.99. Thats an annual savings of around $50.00!

2. Reuse Plastic Snack Bags

Do your part to reduce the over 20 million disposable snack bags that end up in landfills each year. Most families spend $85 a year on disposable plastic baggies according to the Sierra Club. Plastic disposable Ziploc bags make convenient food storage and freezer bags, but discarding them is a waste of money and resources.

The Blue Avocado (re)zipSeal Reusable Snack and Sandwich Bags can easily extend their life tenfold. PVC-, lead- and BPA-free, each (re)zip features a unique double-lock closure that keeps liquids and food fresh inside. Using just onere(zip) at least twice a week can eliminate over 100 disposable plastic baggies per year. With a one time investment of $5.95-9.95 vs. repeatedly purchasing new resealable bags equals long-term saving of hundreds of dollars.

Or, try Baggie Wash; the first-of-its-kind dishwasher accessory that allows you to easily clean and reuse your zipper-style food storage bags 50 times.Bag-E-Wash fits any make/model dishwasher and adjusts to fit any Ziploc style reusable bag from sandwich size up to gallon size bags.Just one box (30) of gallon size bags washed and dried with Bag-E-Wash and reused 50 times each keeps 1,500 bags out of our landfills & oceans. This equals asavings to you of $150.One time investment of $5.95-9.95 vs. repeatedly purchasing new resealable bags = long-term saving of hundreds of dollars.

3. Recharge Your Power

Did you know Americans purchase nearly three billion dry-cell batteries every year? Many of these contain toxic heavy metals like cadmium, mercury, andlead. Cadmium can cause damage to thekidneys, birth defects, andcancer. Mercury and lead are very potent neurotoxins. Whenbatteries end up in the landfill, these toxins can contaminate water supplies.

Newer pre-charged and ultra-low self-charge batteries are even more efficient and cost effective than their rechargeable predecessors. For example,some brandscan be used right out of the package and recharged up to 2,100 times. At around $21 for a four pack of AA batteries and charger, youre looking at less than half a cent per battery; a long-term savings of roughly $983.50 over each batterys lifetime.

4. BYOB

An estimated 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used annually worldwide. More than 14 million trees were chopped down to manufacture the 10 billion paper grocery bags used in the U.S. in 1999. Thats more than one million per minute!

Less than five percent of shoppers in America are using canvas, cotton, or mesh bags. Take a reusable cloth bag to the store. If not for you, do it for sea life. Of all known species of sea turtles, 86 percent have had problems of entanglement or ingestion of marine debris thousand years to decompose. Does this mean paper bags are more environmentally friendly than plastic? Although recycled more often, the production of paper sacks produce seventy percent more air pollutants and take up more space in the landfill than plastic bags.

5. Use Reusable Cutlery vs. Disposable

To reduce environmental impact, tryPreservespurposeful plastic products which utilize recycled plastics from yogurt cups into toothbrushes, storage containers and cutlery consisting of #5 polypropylene plastic (safe food grade material) thatsBPA-freeand dishwasher safe.

Another smart choice for plates and cutlery is bamboo. It is a fast growing, abundant, woody, perennial, evergreen plant that can grow three to four feet in one day! It can even be used for construction of houses, bridges, fences and furniture due to the durability of its short fibers.

Bonus:

Listen to the latest full episode of theGreen Divas Radio Show! It’spacked with fun and useful information from a lively conversation with Mariel Hemingway and Bobby Williams about creating mindful and sustainable relationships to eating sustainably with Dr. Karen Lee and one of our fav green dudes Rob Greenfield talks about living a zero waste life.

Catchthe latestGreen Divas Radio Showand other green, healthy and free radio showsdaily onGDGDRadio.com(or get theGDGD Radio app)!

Written by Green Diva Lisa Beres | Main image viaShutterStock

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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5 Healthy, Green Home Hacks

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Dot Earth Blog: With Imposed Transparency and Concerned Millennials, a Boom in Corporate Responsibility?

by Myrna Posted on January 25, 2016

In an era of rising transparency and concerns about corporate ethics, companies eager to please millennials appear to be shifting business models and messages. This article is from:  Dot Earth Blog: With Imposed Transparency and Concerned Millennials, a Boom in Corporate Responsibility? ; ; ;

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Dot Earth Blog: With Imposed Transparency and Concerned Millennials, a Boom in Corporate Responsibility?

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January is Radon Action Month. Here’s What You Need to Know.

by AdrianYqwwp Posted on January 15, 2016

Radon is a naturally occurring radioactive gas that can cause lung cancer. You can’t see it or smell it,which is why the U.S. EPA and other organizations encourage people to be on the lookout for it.

January is Radon Action Month, which makes it a perfect time to find out if your home is contaminated with radon. If so, there are several ways you can fix the problem.

Health Impacts of Radon

Radon is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Although lung cancer can be treated, only between 11 and 15 percent of those afflicted with this horrible disease will live beyond five years. Smoking and secondhand smoke also cause lung cancer, but radon isthe second leading cause. It’s responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. The U.S. Surgeon General issued this national health advisory on radon to encourage people to get their homes tested if they have any reason to believe it could be contaminated.

Where is Radon Found?

Radon comes from the natural radioactive breakdown of uranium in soil, rock and water. It also can get into the air you breathe. Because it is a gas, it can easily get into buildings, including your home.

How Do You Know if Your House has a Radon Problem?

The only way to know for sure if you and your family are at risk from radon is to test for it. The EPA and the U.S. Surgeon General recommend testing all homes below the third floor for radon. EPA also recommends testing in schools.

How Can You Test For Radon?

Use a test kit or find a qualified radon measurement professional to do the test. The National Radon Program Services at Kansas State University offers discounted test kits for purchase online. The cost between $15 and $25 and will test for radon over both the short and long-term. Alternatively, you may be able to find a test kit at your local home improvement or hardware store.

If you need to bring in a professional, you can use EPA’s Map of Radon Zones to find links to your state’s radon program, if one exists, or EPA’s regional contacts, which should be able to help you get in touch with the right contractors.

What If You Find a Radon Problem?

According to EPA, you will need to fix or mitigate the radon problem in your home if, through testing, you find that your radon level is confirmed to be 4 picocuries per liter, pCi/L, or higher. EPA says radon levels less than that amount still pose a risk, so you might want to err on the side of caution and still take steps to reduce radon in your home. If you smoke and your home has high radon levels, you are at a significant risk for developing lung cancer.

To fix the problem, work with a qualified radon mitigation contractor. Before you start, you probably should get estimates from at least two contractors. In its handy Consumer’s Guide to Radon Reduction: How to Fix Your Home, EPA provides a very useful checklist that will help you do a good job securing a contractor and supervising the work.

How the problem is ultimately fixed will depend on the kind of home you have and what the problem is. Some techniques prevent radon from entering your home; others reduce radon levels after it has entered. It’s generally best to prevent radon from getting in, perhaps by suctioning it out of your home or the soil surrounding your home and venting it to the open air, where it will dissipate. If you have a crawlspace under your home, the solution may be to cover the soil below with high density plastic, then suction the radon emanating from the soil below the plastic and send it out into the air.

Sealing cracks and other openings in your home’s foundation may also help prevent radon from entering. Increasing ventilation in the spaces that contain radon will also help, though it’s not generally a permanent solution.

Generally speaking, if your home has a basement or a crawl space, you should probably have it tested for radon. Again, the test is not expensive but the consequences can be extreme if the problem is ignored. Even new homes built with radon-resistant features should be tested after occupancy to ensure that radon levels are low.

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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January is Radon Action Month. Here’s What You Need to Know.

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Tips for Decorating an Eco-Home

by ElvinVerpmtaxda Posted on January 14, 2016

Usually I write about how to improve your health with good food, but today I’m going to write about another really important aspect of a healthier, greener lifehow to ensure you’re living in a healthy environment.

Sad to say, but we are exposed to toxins every day, many of which come from the home. Carpets, paints, furniture and other home products can off-gas and drastically decrease the health of indoor air. But there are ways to improve the health of your home and make your home life super green.

Choose Organics for Accessories

Choosing organic sheets, towels, pillows and other linens is good for reducing your exposure to chemicals like formaldehyde. Organic cottons do tend to be more expensive, but organic agriculture helps support sustainable farming methods and reduce the risk of chemical exposure to farmworkers. Choose GOTS certified textiles to ensure it meets standards for ecological and social responsibility. Organic textiles can be found at so many big stores now (like Target) that it makes it easier than ever to make a healthier choice.

An organic bed is a happy bed

Use Plants to Improve Indoor Air Quality

If you are in a situation where you cannot choose eco-friendly options, you can always mitigate the indoor air pollution with plants. Plants are surprisingly effective at reducing indoor air pollution, all while adding coziness and green energy to your home. Check out this list of the best plants to improve indoor air quality and learn how the many varieties of plants can help clean up your house.

Choose Healthier Paints

Always choose low or no-VOC paints for the home to ensure the paint doesn’t off-gas as it dries. Consumer Reports explains that “VOCs can cause acute symptoms, including headaches and dizziness. The long-term effects are less certain, but according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, some VOCs are suspected carcinogens.” VOCs are found in paint and other household items, so you should limit your exposure to reduce your risk of complications like eye, nose, throat irritation, asthma complications and dizziness. If you have to paint with regular paint, be sure to ventilate well and wear a mask while using it.

Low or no-VOC paints are better for the home.

Find Better Furniture

New furniture and furnishings can off-gas VOCs just like paint, so choosing secondhand furniture and accessories can help reduce your impact on the planet and improve your health. That ‘new furniture’ or ‘new car smell’ is often a mixture of Acetone, Benzene, Ethylene glycol, Formaldehyde, Methylene chloride, Perchloroethylene, Toluene, Xylene and 1,3-butadienewhich makes that new car smell a bit less appealing. One of the biggest sources of these chemicals is particle board or plywood, but it’s also found in upholstery fabric and electronics. If you can’t buy secondhand, then be sure to let your furniture and accessories off-gas for a few days before closing into a room. Keeping plants near the furniture can actually help absorb some of the chemicals too.

Related:

10 Easy Ways to Make Your Shower More Sustainable
10 Simple Things You Can Do to Save Money & Energy
8 Decor Ideas for an Organic Living Room
20 Houseplants to Clear Toxins From Your Home

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

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Tips for Decorating an Eco-Home

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