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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