TreeHugger Picks: Improving Indoor Air Quality
by Collin Dunn, Corvallis, OR, USA on 01.22.07
Now that winter has set in (in the northern hemisphere, at least), the cooler temperatures mean less open windows and less natural ventilation. This can lead to poorer indoor air quality, which, in some cases, is 10 times worse than outdoor air quality to begin with. Here are some picks for improving indoor air quality in your home.
1) Get a plant that helps remove nasty indoor pollutants from the air, like the peace lily (pictured above).
2) Keep volatile organic chemicals out by using a VOC-free paint.
3) Keep your air filter clean so it removes maximum pollutants from the air you breathe.
4) Greenguard-certified seating and furniture like the Steelcase's Think chair and Haworth's Zody chair won't contribute nasty stuff to your air, and that's a good thing.
5) Want to know more? Dig in deeper with the help of Inhabitat's handy Green Building 101 guides.
I found ecos paints were excellent.
Gareth
eco-living.blogspot.com/
www.terrainfirma.co.uk
My mother died of leukemia a few years ago, after living for 40 years with a cellar full of acetone, paint thinner, and other VOCs. How nice it is that we're beginning to put those things behind us. Our New England forebears made paint from milk (recipies widely available via google) and lived to very ripe old age.
VOC's are in most fax, copier, and printer inks. Does your office vent thes off-gassing produced by these machines away from people?
The use of plants for the control of indoor air quality creates a conundrum. While it is a known fact that plants release oxygen which in effect means they help clear the air, they can also be a source of mold such as Alternaria or Fusarium which thrives around decaying plant matter.
If you use plants to help improve the quality of your air make sure that you're not susceptible to mold allergies or you make actually exacerbate the problem. I have seen this in numerous indoor air quality evaluations.
I don't disagree with your statement at all, just wanted to share another viewpoint. I really liked your blog comment and I subscribed wholeheartedly to the ECO paint philosophy.