Simple, Economical Amendments to a Green and Healthy Abode

Making one’s dwelling healthy and safe does not essentially have to be costly or overwhelm us or appear a mammoth task as all that is needed is making some basic yet crucial modifications.

A number of these are uncomplicated repairs whereas there are others which could need re-examining protracted lifestyle practices.

Steering clear or curbing toxin exposure like those of lead, pesticide is vital as researches have revealed that being overexposed to them could harm the brain, CNS (central nervous system), lead to behavioural issues, make one asthmatic and even lead to cancer among the several others detrimental effects.

Below explained are ways of cutting down this injurious exposure.

Dust-Busting the House

Household dust tends to aggravate allergic reactions. One resolution would be frequent vacuuming scrupulously in the nooks, budging gear around to facilitate thorough cleaning. Ensuring that the vacuum cleaner has a powerful suctioning feature and HEPA filters to draw dust particles inside the vacuum bag. This could be done two times during a week and cleaning the vacuuming apparatus following use to prevent dust being disgorged back in the air.

Kicking the cigarette butt

An approximate forty percent of children from U.S. that were exposed to second hand cigarette smoke in their houses – were the key offending factor eliciting asthma attacks among them. Smoking is a costly habit to have, with imminent health expenses for the entire kin. Hence, the sensible way out would be to quickly take assertive steps towards kicking the habit for the better.

Getting the House Evaluated

Lead-based paints and radon both hold grave dangers to health like causing irreparable brain harm in a growing unborn child and in young infants in case untreated. Radon, a radioactive gas has malignancy-causal properties.

Chipping and eroding of old paints are chief resources of lead and could be problem-causing in all those residences constructed prior to 1978, when lead has been disallowed.

As lead poisoning could be disastrous, and it is imperative to get household paint tested, the laboratory testing of which costs a mere twenty to fifty dollars for every paint sample evaluation. The house could optionally be tested by an authorized expert though it would be a costlier option.

One could follow the parameters outlined by Consumer Product Safety Commission on their web page on ways to lower exposure by encasing the walls using gypsum wall divider.

Transparent and odour-free radon gas is produced due to innate breaking down of soil and rock beneath homes that could either be an older or newer construction, having proper sealing or draughty.

Inhaling air that contains radon could lead to lung cancer. Factually it takes second position for being causal factor of lung cancer following smoking. All those indulging in smoking as well as having elevated radon levels in their homes particularly have a greater likelihood of developing lung cancer. The widely available, twenty dollars worth radon home testing gear could be bought. Further data could be obtained at the EPA web page on ways to reducing this exposure.

Ditching Pesticide Products

Pesticides despite killing all forms of bugs, lawn insects, rats and cockroaches, could pose considerable health risks like asthma, learning disability and cognitive developmental issues among kids when they are overexposed or even with continual small exposures.

Simplistic steps like scrupulous cleaning of plates, clearing out food remnants, firmly closing all edible packets and boxes and covering any chinks that could be entrance sources into one’s home are not only effective but reasonable means of promoting health by laying focus on avoidance.

Rather than spray herbicidal products on the lawns, de-weeding is a good natural way to clear the menace and burn some calories during the process. EPA website provides beneficial online information on the innate, practical means of tackling indoors and garden bugs.

Be guarded on BPA exposure levels

On-going dispute is still rife on the safety quotient of BPA or biphenol A, a chemical present in polycarbonate plastic items that are even employed for making water bottle, toddler bottle among several other products.

The lining of metal items such a tinned food items also have BPA which is additionally utilised along with epoxy resins.

Though FDA and ACC (American Chemistry Council) have Okayed BPA, yet National Toxicology Report has mentioned about the bothersome outcome of BPA on infants, unborn babies, brain and prostate gland.

BPA exposure could be lowered by:

Choosing glass bottles that have undergone tempering or plastic bottles are manufactured from nebulous plastics such as polyethelene, polypropylene with recycled signs like one, two or five are usually harmless. However, it is best avoiding all those with a marking of seven or PC.

Avoid microwaving by way of cling wrapping or using plastic-based food boxes as heat could cause breaking down of its constituents. Optionally glass or ceramics based dishes that could be covered by paraffin waxed paper (designed to moisture-proof foods) or paper towel for microwaving and storage of foods. Also, eating lesser tinned food items would be a smart choice.

Filtering tap water

Tap water could be a healthier option of drinking water in comparison bottled drinking water (mostly spring water). The test results furnished by the Environmental Working Group on ten of the top brand names that sell bottled water detected thirty-eight pollutants in varying levels analogous to that present in tap water.

There are bound to be hints of some form of impurities in tap water irrespective of where one resides. Hence, filtration of water is essential to sieve out all pollutants. Budget-friendly and effectual filters are the basic vat-form of water filters or the spigot-attachable filters.

Filtration of tap water is easier, lesser investment monetarily and filters could be changed on a regular basis.

Tempering the Teflon

All Teflon-coated cooking vessels must be cautiously used as they contain PFC or perfluorinated chemical substances which could accrue in the system. EPA has listed PFOA – a form of PFC employed in Teflon to be a probable human carcinogenic element, though no proof is yet there which link Teflon-coating utensils leading to cancer.

Government has pressurised all such companies to eradicate using PFOA in the next five years. One could however change to cast, enamel coating iron vessels, oxide-coated aluminium cooking vessels, vessels with copper coating and steel that contains chromium making it corrosion-resistant (stainless steel) vessels.
PFC is also found in oily food wrapping and in stain-protective treatments.

Using Green Cleaning Products

Opting for toxin or chemical like ammonia or chlorine free cleansers as they could cause lung constriction and lead to infant asthma. A safer bet would be choosing those cleaning products that do not have petroleum, phosphate and are biodegradable.

Simple home-made cleaners like using vinegar rather than bleach, baking soda for scrubbing the tiling and hydrogen peroxide for stain removal. Vinegar additionally helps remove greasiness and soap accumulation. Lemon extract (in dilution) or vinegar is great to clean glass surfaces. Borax is a great inhibitor of mold formation, boosting the cleansing strength of soaps and detergents, removing stains and also killing roaches on mixing sugar into it.