Nestled within Green Living Ideas’ collection of practical resources is a top notch piece on why air conditioning is best used as a last resort, if at all. It echoes a few concerns that I’ve been ruminating as this summer steams along.

Beyond an overall discomfort with consuming massive amounts of energy to rid our homes of heat (also energy) while warming the climate in the process, the Eco Air Conditioning piece points out the social and health costs associated with air conditioning systems, and reminds readers of both simple and technical solutions to an overheated home.

Still, it amazes me that as we control our indoor environments, we forget that heat is energy. Why have we not yet found a way to harvest this heat for domestic water heating and other applications? Let’s make like a martial arts master and ‘harness the strength and momentum of our opponent for our own benefit’.

While we await the next generation of heat harvesting-cooling technology, how about we embrace non-technical solutions that don’t rely on energy consumption to kick heat out of the house? Visit Green Living Ideas for the full article.

Believe it or not, I actually passed organic chemistry in university. That, and I’m half decent at pronouncing crazy chems like Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA).

But, I can’t say I’m at all on top of knowing which types of plastic are okay to drink water from (is it #7 or #2?), and which symptoms are linked with which substance (does BPA cause neural damage or are VOCs guilty of disrupting hormones, or is it the other way round?). Never mind remembering which toxins are in our carpets, curtains, and yes, mattresses.

Luckily, more consumers are realizing that just because you can buy something in the store, doesn’t mean it won’t give you and your family cancer, organ damage, or migraines. The problem is, it is so dang hard to identify the culprits let alone unearth the alternatives.

Alas, one Canadian charity has come to our defence with a smorgasbord of studies, news reports, and guides to help us all detoxify our homes, lives, and bodies. In particular, Environmental Defense’s Healthy Home Checklist Guide (172 K pdf) walks you through each room in your home identifying not only the sources of nasty toxins, but also their healthier alternatives.

And if you’re not a chemist with a photographic memory, you can fall back on the guide’s trusty glossary. It’s a really swell resource. And, I’m not just saying that because I love checklists.

As for me, I plan to print off the pdf, stick it to my fridge, and work through a toxics purge in my abode. I may even take the site’s Chemical Reduction Pledge.

It’s a hefty feat, but well worth the effort to protect my hubby, myself, me pups, and our future kids. Happy detox!

Resources

Environmental Defence Toxic Nation Site

(NC)-Each year, an estimated 6,000 Canadians die prematurely as a result of air pollution. Even more are hospitalized for respiratory or cardiovascular illnesses or suffer minor effects, such as coughing or eye irritation.

In order to minimize their exposure to noxious pollutants, and take steps to reduce emissions from their own activities, Canadians need to know when the quality of the air they breathe poses a risk to their health.

(Image Source: Metrocreativegraphics.com)

The new Air Quality Health Index, found at www.airhealth.ca, is the first index of its kind to take into account how the level of exposure to multiple pollutants can affect your health.

Hourly readings of current conditions and maximum forecasted values for today, tonight, and tomorrow are represented using a colour-coded numerical scale: 1 to 3 is low, 4 to 6 is moderate, 7 to 10 is high, and 10+ is very high.

The index also provides advice to the general population and those who are sensitive to air pollution-such as children, the elderly, and people with existing cardio-respiratory problems-about how to adjust their outdoor activities when pollutant levels are high.

The program will be available in more than a dozen communities across British Columbia as well as communities in the Greater Toronto area. It is also slated for expansion to other major cities in Canada in the near future.

“Canadians are entitled to clean air, to know the quality of the air they breathe and what they can do to reduce harmful impacts of air pollution,” says Environment Minister John Baird. “Our Government is committed to reducing greenhouse gases and other harmful pollutants through a variety of initiatives detailed in our Turning the Corner plan. Tools like the Air Quality Health Index enable Canadians to protect their health as we move toward our goals.”

Credit: www.newscanada.com

Remember, indoor air quality is often far worse than outdoor air quality. To protect your family’s respiratory health:

• ensure your home has adequate ventilation,

• change your furnace filter on a monthly basis,

• minimize your exposure to dust, mold, and harsh chemicals, and

• choose houseplants that are especially good at cleaning the air. English ivy, and spiderplants are great choices.