Comments on: Pff, air — that is so overrated (Day 352)… http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/ making one change every day to greenify my life (and hopefully not being too smug about it) Wed, 03 Dec 2008 03:00:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: Elizabeth Harvey http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-12033 Elizabeth Harvey Wed, 20 Feb 2008 23:01:50 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-12033 The big thing the baby books recommend for purifying air? Plants. Big green ones. Drew's room has more plants than the rest of our house, and she doesn't even sleep there... Hey, if they help with diaper smell AT ALL, I am so in!! (yea, I am a bit behind on your blog :) The big thing the baby books recommend for purifying air? Plants. Big green ones. Drew’s room has more plants than the rest of our house, and she doesn’t even sleep there… Hey, if they help with diaper smell AT ALL, I am so in!!

(yea, I am a bit behind on your blog :)

]]> By: ashley http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-11962 ashley Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:05:31 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-11962 what a GREAT point. you're absolutely right. it goes along with the concept of the absence of smell means it's clean. NOT the artificial fruit or peppermint or friggin' LYSOL. what a GREAT point. you’re absolutely right.

it goes along with the concept of the absence of smell means it’s clean. NOT the artificial fruit or peppermint or friggin’ LYSOL.

]]> By: mark http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-11961 mark Sat, 16 Feb 2008 09:27:38 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-11961 not having cats helps too, at least until they can genetically modify cats to be dander-free. i'll be on the lookout for cute dander-free kittens for ya. On another note...waiting to see what you do for the last day is like the suspense before the last episode of M*A*S*H or Seinfeld or South Park...oh wait, south park is still going strong but i'm sure it will be just as suspenseful. not having cats helps too, at least until they can genetically modify cats to be dander-free. i’ll be on the lookout for cute dander-free kittens for ya.

On another note…waiting to see what you do for the last day is like the suspense before the last episode of M*A*S*H or Seinfeld or South Park…oh wait, south park is still going strong but i’m sure it will be just as suspenseful.

]]> By: kareninelpaso http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-11960 kareninelpaso Sat, 16 Feb 2008 02:51:35 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-11960 HEPA filters work wonders when you live in a hermetically sealed living space ;-) Typically, eliminating or reducing dust-producing and -harboring items--such as super-fluffy towels, carpeting (many times the culprit in the indoor air quality evalutions I conduct), incense, petroleum-based candles, paper products--will significantly allieviate the dust levels common in indoor air. HEPA filters have their use, but are not a cure-all, as others have pointed out. HEPA filters work wonders when you live in a hermetically sealed living space ;-) Typically, eliminating or reducing dust-producing and -harboring items–such as super-fluffy towels, carpeting (many times the culprit in the indoor air quality evalutions I conduct), incense, petroleum-based candles, paper products–will significantly allieviate the dust levels common in indoor air. HEPA filters have their use, but are not a cure-all, as others have pointed out.

]]> By: linda http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-11955 linda Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:43:01 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-11955 Removing pollution at its source is best, so congrats on taking that route, but air cleaners can be helpful too, for what prevention cannot deal with. Hepa and pounds of charcoal are necessary for any real benefits. Ionizers don't do much and ozone is harmful. The thing to watch out for with HEPA filters, if you are at all chemically sensitive, are the glues that hold the filters together. While the HEPA itself is a great thing, many people do not tolerate the molecules released and dispersed from the glues. Sometimes the activated charcoal takes care of that, but not always. Today there is a report about a study being released about HEPA (sorry - from another network - I can't get the Post's link to work) HEPA filters may improve cardiovascular health: study Last Updated: Friday, February 15, 2008 | 11:51 AM ET CBC News Health Care Without Harm Exposure to fragrance chemicals can cause headaches; eye, nose, and throat irritation; nausea; forgetfulness; loss of coordination, and other respiratory and/or neurotoxic symptoms. Many fragrance ingredients are respiratory irritants and sensitizers, which can trigger asthma attacks and aggravate sinus conditions. www.noharm.org/us/pesticidesCleaners/Fragrances... Canadian Lung Association Scents can cause serious health problems for people, especially for people with lung diseases like asthma or COPD. Being near a scented product- perfume, scented candles, or even scented laundry detergent- can make some people sick. www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/pollution-pollution/indoor-interieur/scents-parfums_e.php Removing pollution at its source is best, so congrats on taking that route, but air cleaners can be helpful too, for what prevention cannot deal with. Hepa and pounds of charcoal are necessary for any real benefits. Ionizers don’t do much and ozone is harmful.

The thing to watch out for with HEPA filters, if you are at all chemically sensitive, are the glues that hold the filters together. While the HEPA itself is a great thing, many people do not tolerate the molecules released and dispersed from the glues. Sometimes the activated charcoal takes care of that, but not always.

Today there is a report about a study being released about HEPA (sorry - from another network - I can’t get the Post’s link to work)

HEPA filters may improve cardiovascular health: study Last Updated: Friday, February 15, 2008 | 11:51 AM ET CBC News

Health Care Without Harm
Exposure to fragrance chemicals can cause headaches; eye, nose, and throat irritation; nausea; forgetfulness; loss of coordination, and other respiratory and/or neurotoxic symptoms. Many fragrance ingredients are respiratory irritants and sensitizers, which can trigger asthma attacks and aggravate sinus conditions.
http://www.noharm.org/us/pesticidesCleaners/Fragrances...

Canadian Lung Association
Scents can cause serious health problems for people, especially for people with lung diseases like asthma or COPD. Being near a scented product- perfume, scented candles, or even scented laundry detergent- can make some people sick.
http://www.lung.ca/protect-protegez/pollution-pollution/indoor-interieur/scents-parfums_e.php

]]> By: linda http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-11954 linda Fri, 15 Feb 2008 21:40:34 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-11954 off topic, kind of John Webster's Recipes for Disaster's first public screening at CBC Newsworld, Passionate Eye, Canada, on Sunday the 17th of Feb. at 10 pm. See their website for more information: http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeyesunday/feature_170208.html Synopsis This is a film about climate change. About catastrophe. And it's funny, painfully funny. We love to blame the corporations and industries for what's going wrong with the planet, but we are mistaken. It's us, baby. You and me. We're the real bad guys off topic, kind of

John Webster’s Recipes for Disaster’s first public screening at CBC Newsworld, Passionate Eye, Canada, on Sunday the 17th of Feb. at 10 pm. See their website for more information:
http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeyesunday/feature_170208.html

Synopsis
This is a film about climate change. About catastrophe. And it’s funny, painfully funny. We love to blame the corporations and industries for what’s going wrong with the planet, but we are mistaken. It’s us, baby. You and me. We’re the real bad guys

]]> By: Jen (SLC) http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-11952 Jen (SLC) Fri, 15 Feb 2008 20:56:07 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-11952 If you have a forced are furnace, you can do just as well to regularly replace your furnace filter with a new high quality filter. You can get ones aimed specifically at allergy sufferers. Best of all, you aren't using any extra energy. If you have a forced are furnace, you can do just as well to regularly replace your furnace filter with a new high quality filter. You can get ones aimed specifically at allergy sufferers. Best of all, you aren’t using any extra energy.

]]> By: Lissa http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-11950 Lissa Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:45:26 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-11950 I agree with the proactive vs. reactive ways of dealing with allergies; I'm so much healthier and less likely to struggle with headaches since dropping the toxic cleansers, the fake-scent candles, the "air fresheners," etc. 100% cool, Vanessa. I'll say that I'm a step beyond you with AT, and have reached the breaking point with Danny Seo's blog, too -- they seem like nothing so much as new product endorsements to me, green-ness notwithstanding. If either still brings you joy, though, go for the joy! Here's to counting down the last two weeks... I agree with the proactive vs. reactive ways of dealing with allergies; I’m so much healthier and less likely to struggle with headaches since dropping the toxic cleansers, the fake-scent candles, the “air fresheners,” etc. 100% cool, Vanessa.

I’ll say that I’m a step beyond you with AT, and have reached the breaking point with Danny Seo’s blog, too — they seem like nothing so much as new product endorsements to me, green-ness notwithstanding. If either still brings you joy, though, go for the joy!

Here’s to counting down the last two weeks…

]]> By: arduous http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-11949 arduous Fri, 15 Feb 2008 19:32:37 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-11949 Ooh yeah. What's the most crazy environmental thing you can do for your last day? Do you have it planned Vanessa? Is it awesome? Does it involve swimming with polar bears in the Arctic Sea? Does it involve wearing a cape? Or street theatre? Or a marching band? Or marching penguins? Can you tell I haven't gotten much sleep? Ooh yeah. What’s the most crazy environmental thing you can do for your last day? Do you have it planned Vanessa? Is it awesome? Does it involve swimming with polar bears in the Arctic Sea? Does it involve wearing a cape? Or street theatre? Or a marching band? Or marching penguins?

Can you tell I haven’t gotten much sleep?

]]> By: Red http://greenasathistle.com/2008/02/15/pff-air-%e2%80%94-that-is-so-overrated-day-352/#comment-11947 Red Fri, 15 Feb 2008 18:41:51 +0000 http://greenasathistle.wordpress.com/?p=935#comment-11947 There's something very american about *adding* a device to fix your problem instead of taking something away. IE, you're fat? Don't take away food, add exercise! You're poor? Don't stop spending, invest! Similarly, if your air quality is poor, don't worry about what's producing it, just add an expensive HEPA filter. There’s something very american about *adding* a device to fix your problem instead of taking something away.

IE, you’re fat? Don’t take away food, add exercise!

You’re poor? Don’t stop spending, invest!

Similarly, if your air quality is poor, don’t worry about what’s producing it, just add an expensive HEPA filter.

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