Lighten Up Your Home

Our homes are meant to be our happy places that nourish and support us, and keep us safe from the elements.

Too often, though, they are another emotional and physical burden weighing us down.  How familiar are you with the three Cs?

Clutter.

Cleaning.  (Or lack thereof.)

Chemicals.

Here’s the great news:  upgrading the health, comfort, safety and quality of our homes is more possible than ever before.

There’s just a lot of “sifting out the wheat from the chaff” that needs to be done first.  We’ve inherited things like stick frame construction and forced air heating – some of the least efficient and comfortable methods around.  Chlorine.  Artificially made fragrances.  The list really does go on.

How Green is Green?

Much of the world is waking up to the fact that we can’t just be running around doing and consuming whatever we please without consequence.  More people are wanting to live “greener”, make smarter consumer choices that have minimal impact on the environment.  But how do we determine this?

Many companies are capitalizing on this desire, and marketing their products as green merely on their word.  Stay tuned for some of my biggest “greenwashing” pet peeves!

To Green and Beyond

So we’re starting to separate out what’s green and what’s not.  The sad reality though is that green does not always equal healthy!  Some examples to consider:

• Recycled paints. Great idea!  Until you open the can.  Many contain some rather harsh chemical odors that will promote headaches and brain fog.
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). They’re all the rage.  Public organizations are even giving them away.  What you need to know is that they aren’t regular bulbs.   They contain mercury and need to be treated as hazardous waste if they break.  I’ll soon be posting the safety protocol to follow in case one breaks.

It’s tough to navigate the sea of information and misinformation, and remain positive and upbeat about everything.  There are a lot of scare tactics used today, and yet as far as I can tell, fear hasn’t healed anything.

If you want the best living environment possible for yourself and your loved ones …

If you have living under your roof anyone in the following susceptible groups, such as infants, children, pregnant women, the sick, or elderly …

If you suffer from chemical sensitivities and allergies …

Then it absolutely pays to start lightening up your home.  Check out the Living Library for quick tips on true home health …