November 21, 2009
UTNE READER

Breathing Queasy: Improving Indoor Air

(Page 3 of 3)

March-April 2009
by Laura Sevier, from the Ecologist 
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Control contaminated carpet. A 2001 Greenpeace U.K. report, “Poisons Underfoot,” found that new carpets contain significant levels of flame retardant chemicals, pesticides, and formaldehyde. Carpets also are reservoirs for dust. Choose carpets and rugs made from natural fibers like organic wool or cotton, coir, or jute, but check to make sure they haven’t been treated with unnecessary chemicals or glues. Avoid toxic cleaners; use a steam cleaner instead. And always take off your shoes at the door to keep dirt and bacteria from the streets at bay.

RELATED CONTENT

Know what not to paint with. Conventional paints can include polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride, and VOCs. Choose natural and nontoxic water-based or clay-based paints instead. [Utne Reader illuminated ecofriendly paints in its July-Aug. 2006 issue. Read “A Cleaner Coat” online at www.utne.com/Paint.]

Place electronics carefully. Ban electrical appliances from the bedroom. A computer, for instance, contains toxic gases, metals, acids, plastics, and chlorinated and brominated substances. The dust from some printer toner cartridges contains harmful substances such as nickel and mercury. Greenpeace’s online “Guide to Greener Electronics” ranks the top manufacturers.

Protect babies and children. Expecting a child? Go easy when you’re creating a nursery. Often people paint walls and put in new carpets and curtains—so when the baby arrives it ends up in a room full of off-gassing substances and products. Instead of plastic playthings, consider handcrafted natural wooden toys in water-based colors, finished with natural oil blends.

Choose better bedding. Traditional mattresses and pillows are often packed with synthetic chemical batting and made from equally toxic fabric. Cut down on off-gassing where you sleep by choosing chemical-free natural latex, coir, or wool mattresses and organic cotton bedding.

Excerpted from the Ecologist(Nov. 2008), a London-based publication of environmental news and issues; www.theecologist.org.

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