According to the EPA, scientific evidence indicates that indoor air can be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest and most industrialized cities. Other studies indicate that people spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors.


r4 card

send green star | flag as inappropriate

Am blessed to live in the California Sierras where we can air our home out year round. Even at night we open the higher windows so that we breathe fresh air when we sleep. And we try and get out doors a lot during the day since fresh air is healthy for mind body and spirit.

And around here people strive to only grow native plants that don't produce allergies.

Sometimes I think people with allergies need to look around and see if they have non native plants, and if possible remove them.

send green star | flag as inappropriate

Regina: Your statement, "The purifiers I deal with has NASA approved technology and little or no ozone. By little I mean less than 0.002ppm..." is not followed up with scientific citations or references to the testing or efficacy of testing/studies. Your website contains no reference to studies or supporting literature. Air purifiers are ozone generators and persons sensitized to ozone can react adversely to very low concentrations. I am not saying that your devices are bogus, but it is buyer beware - show me the supporting data.

send green star | flag as inappropriate

Great article. I've also read the EPA reports on indoor air and I noticed you didn't mention anything about household cleaners.

Dryer sheets, air fresheners and antibacterial soaps all have formaldehyde in them. And a lot of other scary, carcinogenic chemicals.
Household cleaners might not be the only source of chemicals in your house, but they probably are the most easy to replace. So try to go as green as you can with your cleaning.

Dryer balls are a great alternative to dryer sheets and fabric softeners. And I've started using Norwex microfiber cloths (http://www.norwexecomom.com/) for all my cleaning. I LOVE these cloths. All you need is water and you should see how clean they get the tub and sinks and counters and my floor.

Anyways... thanks for reminding us to be careful about the products we have in our homes.

send green star | flag as inappropriate

Richard, I used to live in Oregon and now I am in Florida. You can imagine at 80 to 90 degrees noone opens their window. I like what you say about ventilation, in Germany we just open windows. The purifiers I deal with has NASA approved technology and little or no ozone. By little I mean less than 0.002ppm which is less then what we breathe outside. I agree in large doses it is harmful just like wine when I drink the whole bottle rather than a glass. It seems a difficult concept in existing older buildings to get ventilation and think about LA. They have mega ozone in the outside air nature produces to fight pollution. I think these purifiers commercial or residential are helping but i could be wrong. Check out the web and let me know what you think www.ecogreenintl.com.

send green star | flag as inappropriate

Regina: I am located in Washington state. When I hear "air purifier" I think "ozone generator." Is this what you mean? Ozone is an upper respiratory irritant, can exacerbate asthma or other upper respiratory pathologies, and can cause headache; therefore such devices are not recommended. Dilution ventilation is a key, however many building ventilation systems simply recirculate the same old "bad air." The introduction of 20% fresh outside air to ventilation systems is recommended. The better systems will be located with intakes at roof levels and provide introduction of 100% outside air with moderate temperatures and will close down to the 20% minimum when heating/cooling is called for. Of course, during air quality episodes there are trade-offs. Sometimes building air intakes are located at street level which can result in diesel smoke and/or car/truck emissions being introduced. One recommendation is for the building safety committee to request a review of the parameters of the system and an indoor air quality survey be conducted by an industrial hygienist. Oftentimes maintenance is contracted out. Balancing of the air handling system system should also be a consideration to ensure uniform quantity of air being provided by each air supply diffuser. Perhaps you are getting the picture that building ventilation systems can be complex and sometimes fixes cannot be accomplished cheaply. At least at home one can open the windows which is often impossible at work.

send green star | flag as inappropriate

Your article doesn't really focus much on the deadly killer of wood smoke! Fireplaces, wood burning stoves and BBQs put out smoke that is 12 times more harmful than tobacco smoke and the tiny particulates it contains get into your lungs & can't be expelled by them & can travel to any part of your body and cause cancer. So breathing 1 hour of wood smoke is equal to 12 hours in a smokey bar!

The leading cause of lung cancer in developing countries is wood smoke. The smoke that suffocates our neighborhoods each winter increases health costs & disease & increases everyone's risk for lung & other cancers greatly & this applies to the inside of the house where the wood is being burned also. Burning fireplaces/wood stoves greatly increases the risk of those living in that house & harms the children, let alone the neighbors who are forced to breathe in this highly carcinogenic pollution.

Check out www.burningissues.org for more info on the scores of dangerous toxins in wood smoke (& lots of other air pollutants) & the health dangers they pose to us all.

So think of your own health, that of your children & neighbors the next time you think about lighting that killer fire in your fireplace, wood stove or BBQ next summer. & think of the added carbon you're adding to the atmosphere to add to global climate change, let alone all the trees being cut down. Stop burning!

The life you save may be your own, your child or your neighbo

send green star | flag as inappropriate

Richard where are you, I need your knowledge. I have been in the air purification business for years and still don't know as much.
Often in offices there is poor ventilation and people just suffer with allergies. That is when I believe a quality purifier is needed, what do you think?

send green star | flag as inappropriate

I used to conduct workplace indoor air surveys. Dilution ventilation is a key to improved breathing air in the home/office. Many if not most building ventilation systems do not introduce enough fresh outside air to dilute office pollutants to include carbon dioxide (CO2) gas which can exceed 1000 parts per million (ppm) - 320 ppm being more normal. Elevated CO2 levels can result in headache and lethargy. Offgassing of formaldehyde from particle board, and VOCs from new carpets and wall coverings is probable and ventilation systems should run 24/7 until odors dissipate. New home construction allows for little infiltration of outside air due to tight construction and windows should always be open to introduce fresh outside air; pay attention to security issues. Housekeeping is important in the office/home - take out garbage daily, remove perishable foodstuffs from the office refrigerator weekly, keep work areas clean to minimize dusts (cleaning services only do surface dusting) - high-efficiency vacuums should be used, do not overwater plants to minimize standing water, and the use of perfumes/fragrances should be discouraged. Books are written on this subject. Consult the EPA website for helpful information: http://www.epa.gov/iaq/

send green star | flag as inappropriate

My daughter went through 3 years of agony - allergy attacks, headaches, body aches, sore throats . Many trips to doctors- no one told me about the formaldhyde in the put together yourself furniture - I had just purchased her 2 new dressers for her and we put them together and put them in her room.. They poisoned her for 3 years until I read an article in Mother Earth News and we got them out of our home. She has continues to have some long term side effects (allergy symtoms and lowered resistance to viruses) but nothing like when the dressers where in her room. I hope she does not end up with cancer or other side effects from the long term exposure. There should be warning labels to parents on these products!! I tell every on I know! Thank you for the continued great life saving & planet saving Info!! Blessed be...

send green star | flag as inappropriate