Posted by admin on September 7, 2009
In the late 1980s, a two-year research study was conducted by NASA and the Associated Landscape Contractors of America (ALCA) to investigate ways to create healthy, breathable environments in outer space. They found that certain tropical plants, commonly used as houseplants, were rather effective in removing formaldehyde, benzene, and trichloroethane from the air and replacing it with oxygen that was breathable.
All plants provide some benefit to air quality, but their research showed that tropical plants (grown as houseplants in cooler climates) are particularly effective at processing gases and chemicals.
The result was a list of recommended plants for reducing toxic chemicals in indoor environments. Most of which are common houseplants that you should be able to find at your local nursery or garden center.
Chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene and carbon monoxide are harmful and deadly to human health, but plants can thrive on them as well as help remove those chemicals them from the air.
It’s better to get rid of air pollution naturally with plants than it would be to use chemical air fresheners, etc.
The EPA recommends placing two plants for each 100 square feet of floor space.
The following plants are excellent for helping improve indoor air quality and help against indoor air pollution. (Please note some of these may be toxic to animals or children if consumed, so do your research or keep out of the reach of animals, children)
English ivy
Gerbera daisies
Peace lily
Mother-in-law’s Tongue
Spider plant
Ferns
Philodendrons
Areca Palm
Bamboo
You may also want to read How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your Home or Office
to learn more about plants that help with indoor air quality.
Posted by admin on August 26, 2009
15 Great Reasons To Get a Green Home Makeover from Your Local, Certified Green Irene Eco-Consultant
1) Your Green Irene Eco-Consultant(in South Florida), or other areas is supported by the resources of Green Irene LLC, is the LOCAL, knowledgeable green friend you have been waiting for. He or she has the tools and information necessary to move you and your family toward a healthier, greener life. Let them share their knowledge! Get a Green Home Makeover for $99 in about 90 minutes and save thousands!
Energy and Water Savings
2) Save over $3,500 on your electric bill over the life of your first set of energy efficient bulbs by replacing your old light bulbs with energy-saving bulbs of every shape from candelabras to reflectors and even dimmables.
3) Save $8,000 and 300,000 gallons of water over 7 years with a $133 Green Irene 2 bathroom water conservation kit.
4) Save 9% on your electric bill by eliminating Phantom Power loss.
5) Learn dozens of free and low cost ways to save energy, which you can implement immediately such as how to use your oven, dryer and fridge in the most efficient ways.
6) Save 8% of the energy to heat your water and reduce your family’s carbon emissions by 1,000 lbs a year with a few simple changes to your hot water heater.
Indoor Air Quality, Toxic-Free Living and Water Purity
7) Improve your Indoor Air Quality with (no cost) changes in behavior combined with a High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) cleaner and more effective furnace and a/c filters.
Create a less toxic indoor environment for your children and pets. Learn to avoid Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and the benefits of non-toxic household cleaners like Green Irene’s vinegar-based line.
9) Understand your household water filtering options from countertop-based 10-stage filtration to chlorine-removing shower filters to whole house reverse osmosis systems and banish bottled water from your home.
Waste Reduction and Recycling
10) Learn how to turn your food and yard waste (which account for 25% of all landfill contents) into nutrient-rich, non-polluting fertilizer for your houseplants and garden.
11) Save $1,000s and keep hundreds of pounds of toxic battery waste from your local landfill and groundwater by giving up one-use batteries forever.
12) Eliminate 1,000s of soda cans and bottles by making your own sparkling water and soda for pennies per quart.
13) Kick the paper towel habit saving both virgin forests and $100s a year.
Family Carbon Footprint Reduction
14) Learn how to source “green power” from non-polluting, renewable resources, often from your current utility.
Ongoing Support on Your Path to a Greener, More Sustainable Life
15) Unlimited support for three months from Green Irene’s member only database of green home solutions and our team of Green experts.
Posted by admin on August 24, 2009
Those who have carpeting in their homes probably realize that carpeting absorbs aroma’s and pollutants from outside (they come in on your shoes, the dog’s feet, etc.), smoke and every day odors.
If you’re using a carpet powder or deodorizer that contains chemicals you may run into the following:
Contact with skin may cause mild irritation.
It may cause abrasive eye damage.
Sometimes the dust can irritate lungs or aggravate asthma symptoms.
Some carpet deodorizers simply mask the aroma and don’t really absorb the smells or alleviate it.
The most natural way to absorb odors is to use baking soda on the carpet and leave on for awhile then vacuum up. You can also add a few drops of essential oils to the baking soda if you want it to have a natural aroma, or you can buy some already made for you that doesn’t contain toxins.
Item #: VA-H-ARO-CAR
Aromatherapy For Your Carpet
This product is a biodegradable, concentrated deodorant powder specially formulated to suppress and control odors and provide a clean pleasant fragrance for your surroundings. It eliminates foul odors from carpets, floors and garbage containers. Grapefruit and lavender essential oils are the secret to its success.
Posted by admin on August 2, 2009
Your body is about 60% water, so drinking lots of clean water is essential for good health, especially in the summer heat. Many people reach for bottled water because they think it’s a healthier alternative to tap. But in fact, bottled water is less regulated than tap water and, in many cases, bottled water is simply filtered tap water. Aquafina and Dasani, two of the best-selling bottled water brands in America, actually fill their bottles with filtered tap water. Why should you pay for someone to bottle tap water, when you could do it for pennies yourself at home?
Green Irene’s 10-stage water filter effectively removes a wide range of water contaminants, improving taste and water quality. Although the EPA monitors tap water closely, it is still possible for contaminants to leach off pipes in your home or office, affecting your water’s taste and purity. Our filter first removes any particles that may be left in the water. In subsequent stages, it removes free chlorine, heavy metals, pesticides, bacteria, and other harmful contaminants. The filter also removes many aesthetic contaminants, leaving you with crisp tasting water. The technology has been proven very effective in lab tests, yet is still very affordable.
By using our water filter, you’ll be getting pure water without creating plastic water bottle waste. The process of making plastic water bottles sold in the United States alone uses approximately 1.5 million barrels of oil. That’s enough to run 100,000 cars for an entire year. Nearly 80% of water bottles are not recycled, resulting in 38 billion water bottles clogging landfills each year. Using a water filter not only makes sense for your wallet and your health, but for the planet’s health as well.
This is a top quality filter that is long lasting and effective. The 10-stage filtration system contains a contaminant-removing filter that lasts three times longer than the common carbon block filter.
The filter also removes nearly every possible contaminant or chemical, so the only thing left in your water is all-natural, good-for-you minerals such as potassium, magnesium, chlorides and fluoride.
The filter sits easily on your counter top and connects directly to your normal tap. One of the great features of this product is that you can flip a switch on the faucet to allow normal water to flow through, so you don’t waste your filter as you do dishes. Then just flip back to the filter for pure drinkable water.
You can get yours for only $125 now here and search 32770
Posted by admin on June 1, 2009
http://epa.gov/dfe/
U.S. EPA Design for the Environment (DfE)
EPA designation for earth-friendly alternatives to conventional chemical products.
The DfE logo means that the EPA review process found only ingredients that pose the least concern to humans and the environment.
There are a variety of “partnerships” now utilizing the DfE. You can read more about them at http://www.epa.gov/dfe/pubs/about/index.htm
Posted by admin on May 21, 2009
Although it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when going green, your approach to how you care for your home landscape has a significant impact on your overall environmental impact. Natural landscapes operate in elegantly complete, closed loop systems. The closer your home landscape replicates these systems, the lower your impact. Unfortunately, many of today’s landscapes are energy intensive, wasteful, and polluted monocultures that fight against nature rather than work with it.
Consider the following statistics for the U.S.:
* There are currently over 40 million acres of turf grass.
* 800 million gallons of gas per year are used to power lawn mowers.
* The pesticide use per acre on home landscapes is 20 times more than used on farms.
* A gas lawn mower running one hour emits the equivalent pollution of eight new cars driving 55 mph for the same amount of time.
* Approximately one-half of residential water use goes to landscaping.
* The average percentage of landfill waste that is yard waste is 20%, and can be much higher during peak seasons.
These numbers add up to a significant negative impact, contributing to the problems of water and air pollution, water shortages, climate change, overflowing landfills, and material shortages. Fortunately a new attitude is emerging. Read on for ideas about how to address these concerns, and make your landscape more sustainable, a place that promotes environmental quality and conserves natural resources.
How to Grow a Sustainable Deep Green Lawn
One of the simple pleasures of summer is walking barefoot through a thick green lawn. But the typical residential lawn uses significant amounts of fuel, water, fertilizer, and pesticides, leaving a sizable environmental footprint to allow for that summer walk. Yet, there are many options to make your home lawn much more sustainable.
1. The first option to consider is to simply have less lawn. Adding or expanding planting beds, garden space, or patio areas all allow you to reduce the size of your lawn area and its many inputs.
2. Use a lower maintenance turf grass. They need lower inputs of water, nutrients, and mowing to keep them looking good.
3. Whenever possible, use organic fertilizers and pest controls. Growing demand for organics is being noticed, and the supply options are dramatically expanding.
4. Mow high. This shades the crown of the grass plant and the soil, retaining moisture, keeping the soil cooler, and reducing germination of weed seeds.
5. When mowing and cleaning up, consider scrapping your polluting, noisy gas-powered mower and blower and instead use a quiet, person-powered reel mower, rake, and broom. They all work just as well and give you exercise as well.
6. Leave the grass clippings on the lawn. As long as the grass doesn’t reach the jungle stage, leaving the clippings on will have no negative effect. In fact, as the clippings break down they contribute necessary nutrients that help keep your grass green and healthy.
7. If you water, water properly. Deep, infrequent watering is the most efficient, promoting deeper-rooted, more resilient grass. Water early in the morning when wind and evaporation losses are at their lowest. Also, if you have a sprinkler system make sure it is working properly, with no leaks, and spray patterns only on the lawn, not the street or sidewalk. And use a rain sensor, which will tell your system not to water if you’ve just had a nice rain.
By taking these steps, the simple pleasures of a home lawn can be enjoyed guilt-free.
If you’re in the South Florida area and want more details please let me know since that’s one of the Green Irene Eco-Consultant services I offer as part of a $99 Green Home Makeover.
Landscaping Guide
Free Green Irene Guide to Sustainable Landscaping
If you are interested in receiving a Green Irene Guide to Sustainable Landscaping via email, simply email me with your name, email address, subject (Free Guide)
Posted by admin on May 5, 2009
There are many sources of indoor air pollution:
pets, tobacco smoke, dust mites, food smells, cleaners, furniture or cabinets made of pressed wood products, damp carpets, pesticides, hobby supplies, mold, off gassing from carpets/paint/furniture…the list goes on.
Learn about the dangers of home air fresheners and what you can use instead of the commercially chemically made ones.
Below are some ways you can improve your home’s indoor air quality.
Open the windows - get some fresh air into your house. Ventilation can greatly improve indoor air quality.
Change your furnace/AC air filter monthly. Filters trap all kinds of ’stuff’, so you want to change those monthly.
Don’t use chemical air fresheners. Most air fresheners are laden with chemicals. Consider purchasing natural tubs of carbon or Soi Candles instead.
Use non-toxic home cleaners. More and more people are coming to realize that standard home cleaning supplies contain many chemicals which are dangerous to breathe or touch.
24 oz Scented All Purpose Cleaner - $ 6.99
From: Seaside Naturals, Inc.
Consider getting rid of your carpets- or get natural carpets. Carpeting can be one of the biggest air-quality culprits in your home: most carpets are treated with chemicals that off-gas and carpets act as traps for dirt, allergens, mold and other nasty items. If you can stand to part with your carpet, it will improve your air quality. If you must have carpet, consider a natural area rug.
Consider getting a room air filters or purifier for your home. A HEPA filter can seriously reduce the presence of toxins, allergens, and particulate matter in your home.
Limit or remove vinyls from your home. Did you know that your vinyl shower curtain is releasing toxic gas? Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) has been found to discharge softening chemicals called phthalates into home air, increasing respiratory problems.
If you’re doing any painting or staining, be sure to use no- or low-VOC paints and finishes. Volatile organic compounds are found in most traditional paints and their off-gassing can be dangerous for your family.
Fix any roof leaks. Rain and high humidity can bring moisture indoors, creating dampness, mold and mildew. Dampness alone, not just mold, is associated with higher risk of wheezing, coughing & asthma symptoms.
Check your roof, foundation and basement or crawlspace once a year to catch leaks or moisture problems and route water away from your home’s foundation. Fix problems as quickly as possible to prevent unhealthy dampness from entering your home.
strong>Make your home a smoke-free zone. Besides being a health issue to the person smoking and anyone around them, it adds to your indoor air pollution.
Posted by admin on May 4, 2009
Install aerators on your water faucets.
Faucets account for 15.7% of all indoor water use.
That means the average family of 4 uses about 44 gallons of water per day from their faucets.
Up to 60% of this water consumption could be reduced with the use of low-flow aerators.
1.5 GPM Aerator for your Kitchen sink to reduce water use with pause valve. Dual Thread to fit male or female faucets.
Your Price: $10.00
Powerful 1.5 GPM flow. Great for washing dishes. Saves 30% more water and energy over standard 2.2 GPM aerator. Pause action reduces flow to a trickle while keeping temperatures consistent. Control from soft spray to solid stream. 10 year guarantee. Member of the EPA Water-Smart family of products. Saves $82/yr if water is heated with electricity and $59/yr (5 year Lifetime savings of $295 for energy alone) if heated with gas vs standard 2.2 gpm faucet aerator.
Posted by admin on April 30, 2009
According to EPA here are some benefits of composting.
Compost use can result in a variety of environmental benefits. The following are a few of the most important benefits:
Compost enriches soils
Compost has the ability to help regenerate poor soils. The composting process encourages the production of beneficial micro-organisms (mainly bacteria and fungi) which in turn break down organic matter to create humus. Humus–a rich nutrient-filled material–increases the nutrient content in soils and helps soils retain moisture. Compost has also been shown to suppress plant diseases and pests, reduce or eliminate the need for chemical fertilizers, and promote higher yields of agricultural crops.
Compost helps cleanup (remediate) contaminated soil
The composting process has been shown to absorb odors and treat semivolatile and volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including heating fuels, polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and explosives. It has also been shown to bind heavy metals and prevent them from migrating to water resources or being absorbed by plants. The compost process degrades and, in some cases, completely eliminates wood preservatives, pesticides, and both chlorinated and nonchlorinated hydrocarbons in contaminated soils.
Compost helps prevent pollution
Composting organic materials that have been diverted from landfills ultimately avoids the production of methane and leachate formulation in the landfills. Compost has the ability to prevent pollutants in stormwater runoff from reaching surface water resources. Compost has also been shown to prevent erosion and silting on embankments parallel to creeks, lakes, and rivers, and prevents erosion and turf loss on roadsides, hillsides, playing fields, and golf courses.
Using compost offers economic benefits
Using compost can reduce the need for water, fertilizers, and pesticides. It serves as a marketable commodity and is a low-cost alternative to standard landfill cover and artificial soil amendments. Composting also extends municipal landfill life by diverting organic materials from landfills and provides a less costly alternative to conventional methods of remediating (cleaning) contaminated soil.
There are many ways to compost:
You may want to start off with a compost crock or compost basket that you can keep handy on your counter. They’re odor free and ventilated. They’re small enough to keep on kitchen counter or if you get the compost basket you can hang it from the kitchen door under sink to keep it out of way. This is great for collecting all your compostable items prior to taking them to your compost pile or to your indoor composter if it’s in a different location than your kitchen (mine’s in the laundry room since there’s no power outlet under kitchen sink).
You can have an outdoor compost pile that you hand turn regularly.
Spinning composters are also used outside so you don’t have to hand turn the compost materials.
You can have an indoor composter which is excellent way to compost when living in apartments, condo’s, townhouses or simply for indoor convenience. I have the Nature Mill Composter in green.
The Nature Mill Composter allows you to add up to 120 lbs. of food and paper items a month without the hassles of maintenance. No installation required, simply plug into a power outlet. The computer in the machine controls mixing, air flow, temperature and moisture for ideal compost, and rich food for your garden, with one batch every two weeks. Size: 20’’ high x 20’’ deep x 12’’ wide. Fits into a standard kitchen cabinet. Features include: foot pedal for convenient hands-free operation, vacation mode (automatically activates after a period of inactivity to conserve energy, and optimize heat and mixing for curing), security locking feature for public areas such as offices or restaurants, and spare carbon filter included for years of hassle-free operation.
Get yours now here
Posted by admin on April 24, 2009
Take off your shoes when entering your home.
Just imagine all the things from your shoes polluting your home.
The EPA did a study recently that showed that pesticides can be tracked into homes from shoes. Pets and people walk on treated lawns, then carry those chemicals into their homes.
Even without the EPA study, think about where you walk, what gets on the bottoms of your shoes and then you walk through your home depositing residue of all that funk on your soles into your floors. If you have carpet, it’ll hold onto all the debris and can affect everyone who lives there or comes in because of the allergens and pollutants, toxins that are left behind.
What about dog waste…ewwwwwwwwwwww, do you want that in your home? Or any other funky stuff that you can’t see, don’t know you’ve stepped in and then you walk it right into your home. I’ll pass!
So, to keep your home cleaner, the air in your home cleaner and take your shoes off at the doorway.
