To lower our bills and go easier on their environment, many of us have switched to low flow shower heads. It’s a smart, easy way to get green and save money. But while we’ve been paying more attention to how much water we’re using, we’re not always aware of what all is in it. A lot of concern is now being raised over the effects of chlorine on our health and most of it is tied to the chlorine we get through our tap water (where there is sometimes more chlorine found than is deemed safe for a swimming pool). Chlorine has been in our water, openly, for years with little complaint, as it keeps diseases from transporting through our water systems, but think about this: When you shower, your pores are opened in the warmth and your skin begins to act like a giant sponge, absorbing water directly into blood stream–and with it, chlorine. Coupled with the inhalation of chlorine in you water when you shower, you can absorb more chlorine in a shower than by drinking several glasses of water that contained the same amount of chlorine. Click here to read more

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Wisteria Lane resident Nicolette Sheridan uses Mrs. Meyer’s products to keep her house clean and smelling fresh – she likes the line because their liquid products are all biodegradeable, and they “make her whole house smell incredible.”

The brand uses naturally derived ingredients from corn, sugar cane, coconut, and palm whenever possible – and stick to synthetics that have been proven safe when there’s no natural alternative. Click here to read more

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Daily Greenz #151

We’ll bet you didn’t know that the air inside the average American home was on average 2 to 5 times more polluted than the air outside. Scary, right? According to the EPA, the things that cause our indoor air quality to suffer the most are simple household products like cleaners, paints, cosmetics, and even carpets and furniture. All of these products emit toxic vapors called volatile organic compounds, or VOCs. VOCs continue to be released over time, so even after your freshly painted walls have dried and the bleach scent has faded from the bathroom, toxic gases continue to be released.  So with VOCs present in so many products, how can we improve our indoor air quality without completely revamping our homes? Simple: invest in an air purifier like the NanoBreeze Air Purifier. In addition to reducing indoor air pollutants on a molecular level, the NanoBreeze also gets rid of odors, algae, bacteria, dust mite waste, mold, viruses, pollen, tobacco smoke, and pet dander. All of these offending polluters are oxidized into harmless carbon dioxide and water, allowing you to breathe easier in your own home.  Plus, it doesn’t require cleaning or filter replacement. We think that all of that’s certainly worth a $199 investment. To read more about how NanoBreeze works and where to buy it, take a look here.

Check out our Buyer’s Guides for more advice on how to green your cleaning and your home furnishings.

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Daily Greenz #92

For
those of you who love sleep, but can’t seem to get enough of it, it may not
just be your hectic schedules and laundry lists that are keeping you awake at
night. If your mattress was treated with
flame-retardant chemicals called polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE), your
body may be reacting to the harmful effects of PBDEs. Health groups have long rallied to have these
chemicals banned from being used on bedding material, which can accumulate in
breast milk and other tissues over a period of time.

While
replacing your mattress might seem like a hefty investment, considering that we
spend one-third of our lives sleeping, it’s an investment that will pay off in
the long
run. Natural latex and organic
cotton mattresses are good alternatives, with latex offering the dual benefit
of protecting you from dust mites, which is the second-leading cause of
allergies after pollen. A good night’s
sleep is just a mattress away at $1,204 and up at www.thecleanbedroom.com

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Daily Greenz #44

For those wiling to venture away from Ikea when it comes to home furnishing, this adorable, boxy loveseat is a perfect addition to an eco-chic living space. It’s made of 100% hemp canvas upholstery and organic cotton batting, as well as a hardwood frame from sustainably managed American forests.

Each piece is hand-crafted to order and measures 33" x32" x 56." Aside from the elegant chocolate colot pictured above, the loveseat is also available in natural and black.

So, if your leather couch is giving you nightmares, replace it with this cool piece. At $3,400, it’s certainly  not cheap, but your conscience and the environment will thank you. For more information, visit greenhome.com.

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