Lighting is a crucial part of our lives – we need it to complete the myriad of tasks that fill our days and evenings. As great as incandescent bulbs are for first bringing us electric light, more efficient bulbs are now needed to light our homes.
One person can produce up to 5 lbs of trash per day - -meaning a potential 1,900 lbs per year! Just imagine if all of this accumulated inside your home at one time! As much as you don’t like taking the garbage out, it seems preferable to the alternative. Keeping your trash bags in a closeable garbage can is an easy way to prevent vermin and stray animals from tearing into the bags. Scattered trash will not only invite more vermin to snoop around, but will also most likely end up in storm drains and sewers which will eventually litter local bodies of water.
During the blistering summers, we thank our lucky stars that air conditioning has become a staple in our homes. However, as air circulates through a home it can bring along unwanted passengers – namely infectious respiratory diseases, dust, and fungi. But you can take measures to reduce and even prevent the spread of bacteria and small particles through your A/C system.
Our earth contains a lot of water, but only a small percentage of it is freshwater used for drinking, cooking, and cleaning. By being aware of how you can keep this water free of pollutants, you can take steps to improve your family’s health and the health of everyone and everything in your community.
No one likes pests in their home, and rightly so. Our homes, after all, are our sanctuaries. But it’s important to be aware that the sprays we buy to kill fleas, ants, flies, and other insect pests, can also be potentially harmful to us. But, careful use of these products can rid your home of annoying pests without side effects to your family’s health.Volatile Organic Compounds found in household products can also be harmful if inhaled in high doses. By doing a little research before replacing carpet or repainting, you and your contractor can select products with low VOC levels.
Carbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless gas produced when fuels, such as gas, oil, kerosene, wood, and charcoal, are burned. Carbon Monoxide is also extremely toxic in high doses. Radon is another harmful gas that originates from the breakdown of uranium. This gas seeps into soil, rock, and water sources and can enter your home through cracks and openings in your foundation. Find out what you can do to prevent hazardous exposure to both these gases for a healthy home.
Remodeled home in Bryan / College Station, by Stearns Design Build RISK 2: LEAD CONTAMINATION In yesteryears, lead was used within many paint products. If your home was built before 1978 it most likely contains lead paint—but don’t fret! There are some simple things you and your contractor can do to prevent harmful
Since many of us are inside for the majority of the day, it’s important to be aware of pollutants from household items. After identifying sources of pollutants, you can eliminate or reduce their presence to improve the air quality of your home. This is a reason that you and your contractor should be in the know about the types of materials and emissions in products such as carpet or paint whenever you have changes made to your home.
A whole new meaning to green building! Picture from Emory Knoll Farms Cities can
Greenwashing is marketing something of little or no green value in a way that suggests that it is greener than it actually is. Recently, Green Building Advisor published an article that categorizes common greenwashing practices. To be honest, avoiding greenwashing, or at least conflicts in properly identifying what is green can be a real challenge. Carpet that is made from recycled content that off gasses; a product with a level of embodied energy but that is very durable. Nonetheless, more often than not, greenwashing is a deliberate attempt to misrepresent information.
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