You probably know quite a bit about outdoor air pollution. We hear air quality ratings on the news. We read about reducing CFCs. We know about problems with smog, ozone, and acid rain. We know it’s bad for our health to breathe bad air. But what about indoor pollution? The kind of air pollution that exists inside our own homes? Indoor pollution is not a minor problem relegated to a few unlucky homeowners. In fact, unbeknownst to you, indoor pollution may be a real problem in your house. The EPA reports that indoor pollution levels are generally around 2-5 times — and often more than 100 times — higher than outdoor levels. Given that many of us spend as much as 90% of our time indoors, indoor pollution is a serious concern.
Modern scientific research indicates that the indoor environment may be as much as ten times more polluted than the outdoor environment. The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ranked indoor air pollution as one of the top five threats to public health. Our indoor air quality is a factor we simply ignore. We have blindly accepted our living and working conditions without questioning the effects of a lack of oxygen in the air. What’s even worse is the presence of invisible microbes absorbed through our lungs as we spend our days breathing inside buildings. Hundreds of poisonous chemicals such as formaldehyde are released by furniture, carpets, and building materials, and then trapped by closed ventilation systems.
Your home is an active, enclosed system. What you bring into that system affects everything within it – including you and your family. Increases in the number of cases of asthma, allergies, and chemical sensitivity are only a few examples of the effects that indoor pollution has. Why has this problem mushroomed so rapidly? In is, in part, the result of companies constantly trying to reduce the cost of household products — which has, in turn, led to increased use of cheap synthetics and chemicals in the manufacture of those products. These goods are then marketed to unsuspecting consumers who bring those products into their homes. The combined output of these items creates what we refer to as a “chemical cocktail” — many toxins which, when mixed together, combine to create new, more toxic compounds.
There are many components to indoor pollution. Some pollutants are “intermittent pollutants,” such as malfunctioning stoves or personal care products. Others are “continuous pollutants,” such as building materials and plug-in air fresheners.
The toxins that pollute our homes come in all shapes and sizes, and they don’t necessarily smell bad or toxic. In fact, most of them don’t emit any smell at all. And that’s one thing that makes them so dangerous.
Common indoor pollutants include:
- Carpeting and manufactured wood flooring
- Household construction products (such as joint compound)
- Paint
- Household cleaners
- Air fresheners
- Dry cleaning
- Wallpaper
- Window coverings (plastic mini-blinds, or shutters made from chemically treated lumber)
- Furniture containing press board or particle board
- Salt-treated lumber
- Plastics (including toys, dinnerware, etc)
- Bedding/Mattresses (these are commonly treated with chemical flame retardant, formaldehyde, and a myriad of other chemicals)
- Personal care products
- Radon
- Molds/mildew
- Second hand smoke (this can come from smokers, fireplace, or candles)
- Damaged chimney flues
- Malfunctioning appliances
- Hobby materials such as glue, solvents, etc.
- Household pesticides
- EMFs (Electro Magnetic Fields surround all live electric wires and appliances – this includes electric blankets)
- Misused ozone generators (if not used properly, these can potentially have negative health consequences)
- Carbon monoxide
So how do you know if your home is suffering from unhealthy levels of indoor pollution? You may think there’s no problem because you don’t feel like anything is affecting your system. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t, in fact, a problem. To help you figure out if you do have too much indoor pollution in your home, here’s a checklist of things to look out for:
- Unusual and noticeable odors; stale or stuffy air
- Noticeable lack of air movement
- Dirty or faulty central heating and/or air conditioning equipment
- Damaged chimney flues
- If you have headaches or a feeling of nausea when home, but feel better when you leave the house
- Unvented fossil fuel appliances
- Excessive humidity (check for condensation on windows)
- Moldy window frames, walls, floor boards
- Tightly constructed or remodeled homes (typically use synthetic materials and not breathable)
- Health reaction after a remodeling job or after moving into a newly-constructed home (eg, flu symptoms, persistent sore throat, cough, headache, cold symptoms)
- Hobby materials stored inside the house such as glues, solvents, etc.
- Weatherizing materials
- New furniture (many contain formaldehyde, pressboard, and other chemicals that outgas)
- Generally feeling healthier outside the home.
Take extra care to notice if children have any symptoms. Their systems tend to be less resistant than those of adults, and they may be more susceptible to developing allergies or asthma. In fact, indoor pollution is a significant culprit when it comes to children with asthma, so removing inside pollutants may dramatically improve a child’s health.
Now that you have identified what can cause indoor pollution, what can you do to improve the air inside your house? Plenty! Check out our list of simple things you can do to clean up the air in your home — and clean up your health, too.
- Open windows whenever possible – even if it is just for a few hours. This allows toxins to escape and fresh air to circulate.
- Add houseplants – they help filter the air and add a sense of life to any home.
- Switch to natural household cleaners. They tend to be better for those with asthma and are much safer for you and the environment.
- Purchase a bagless vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter.
- Only burn natural, beewax based candles with metal free wicks. Candles with essential oils are less likely to irritate lungs than those with fragrance oils.
- Opt for carpet-free floors such as solid wood, natural linoleum, or tiles. According to Debra Lynn Dadd, author of Home Safe Home (ISBN 0-87477-859-X) says that synthetic carpet is made from a complex blend of as many as 120 chemicals that can emit many hazardous chemicals. They include pesticides (act as antimicrobials), neurotoxic solvents (such as toluene and xylene) and the potent carcinogen benzene. Formaldehyde is also a commonly emitted from carpets according to reports by the EPA and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Symptoms of a reaction include burning eyes, memory problems, chills and fever, sore throats, joint pain, chest tightness and difficulty concentrating to name a few. Check with your local carpet dealer for natural wool or cotton carpets. If you have kids or pets, consider natural hardwood or natural linoleum.
- Consider using natural linens and mattresses when purchasing new bedding. Some good materials to check out include organic cotton and natural, untreated wool. By buying natural bedding, you’ll avoid chemicals like formaldehyde, and you’ll sleep better, too. Wool helps wick moisture away from your body, prevents you from being too hot, and provides for deeper, more restful sleep.
- Buy organic clothing. There are many styles available, and organic cotton is a much cleaner option than many other fabrics — including conventionally grown cotton (which accounts for 25% of the world’s pesticide use).
- Choose a safe, less toxic paint. Old paint may also contain lead, so beware if you are stripping older paint or if you’re dealing with peeling paint.
- Create an indoor fountain. While this doesn’t have a direct impact on removing toxins, it does help to create a calm space that is good for the soul. Place the fountain in a room that doesn’t have any electronics (no TV, stereo, or phone), and you’ll temporarily reduce your exposure to EMFs, while simultaneously increasing your sense of calm.
- Avoid scheduled pest treatments. Sometimes treating for pests in unavoidable, but try to treat your home as little as possible. And make sure you investigate exactly what is being used when you do need to spray.
Not only is there is no fresh, clean air available to breathe, most of us have a lifelong habit of shallow, limited upper chest respiration. Our poor, oxygen-starved brain cells are slowly dying day by day; it’s no wonder that many people have memory lapses and daily experience bouts of foggy thinking.
“Plants are the lungs of the earth: they produce the oxygen that makes life possible, add precious moisture, and filter toxins thereby improving the quality of the air we breathe. Houseplants can perform these essential functions in your home or office with the same efficiency as a rainforest in our biosphere.”
Carefully selected plants and trees can create a “breathable environment” that serves to improve our health and wellness. Just a few deep, diaphragmatic breaths several times a day (while relaxing) can make a significant difference in the way we work, think and feel.
Scientists mapping brain activity with PET scans have shown that subjects looking at imagery, hearing soothing words and sounds, (i.e., simply thinking about, listening to, and seeing pictures of natural scenery), have electro-chemical responses in specific areas of the brain even more effective in reducing stress than taking an actual vacation. Isn’t it remarkable that an equivalent, if not even more dramatic, relaxation response results from auditory and visual simulation than by literally being “out in nature”?
The breathing of fresh oxygen while alternately stretching, holding and then releasing the muscles, further relaxes the nerves, significantly reducing mental and physical tension. Each of these elements can be experienced in like fresh air, visual imagery of nature; conducive music and/or the natural sounds of ocean waves, rainforests, waterfalls, etc.; instruction in stretching, breathing, and relaxation techniques.
These are just a few of the things that you can do to create a healthier home. Other easy changes you can make include using essential oil-based air fresheners, and doing your best to replace things with natural fibers and solid wood. Sometimes these items cost a bit more, but the savings in air quality is priceless. In this environment, the thoughts tend to become less frantic and frazzled, and the brainwaves are inclined to develop a tranquil (Alpha) rhythm. In a relaxed mental state, we can drift peacefully for the moment, forgetting ourselves, the world outside the door, its troubles and demands. Tensions let go. We feel somehow transformed, rejuvenated, refreshed. We are reminded that we are still part of the grand scheme of things beyond our immediate daily surroundings that restores our healthy perspective on life.
By: Dr. Bhawana Asnani.
Happy to see Reviews, Additions, Suggestions and Comments, further.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.