In our efforts to save energy resources, we are increasingly sealing our homes and other buildings off from the outside air. This also means that we are sealing in gases from synthetic materials that we furnish and equip our homes and offices with. As a result, indoor air pollution has become a widespread problem and ranks as one of the top five threats to public health. Yet many people are unaware of this problem, and are inadvertently putting themselves and their families at risk.

What synthetic materials? What gases?

In our modern society, where we expect goods to be more affordable, items that used to be made out of natural materials like solid wood are being replaced with cheaper pressed wood and synthetic materials held together with a variety of glues and resins. These synthetic materials release hundreds of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air. Common household items responsible for chemical emissions include upholstery, curtains, plywood, particleboard, stains and varnishes, paints, paper towels, tissues, carpets, permanent-press clothing, fabrics.

What are the symptoms to watch for?

Symptoms of “sick building syndrome” include allergies, asthma, eye, nose and throat irritations, fatigue, headaches, nervous-system disorders, respiratory congestion and sinus congestion.

What can I do about it?

Prevention is better than cure, and there’s no better way to avoid VOCs in the home than to eliminate them. Fortunately, you won’t have to rebuild, redecorate and refurnish your house to achieve this. You can dramatically influence air quality by using certain plants in your home or office.

Click here to see a list of plants that will purify your environment.

Using these plants will effectively clear the air in your home of most common airborne toxins. To achieve optimal detoxification, you will need to place between 15 and 20 air purifying plants in a home with the area of 1800 square feet (170 sq. metres).

For more information, click here.

Recommended reading: How To Grow Fresh Air by B.C. Wolverton

See you at the garden centre!

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“Like many other countries around the world, plastic bags litter Uganda. They poison the soil, block drains and create an unsightly health hazard. So the government listened to the environmental concerns and banned the bags but the clean-up campaign’s not going according to plan.”

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In this digital age we can find that all of our photographs end up on our computers and not being displayed the way that they would traditionally have been. Obviously, digital photography has meant that we don’t print out all of our dud photographs anymore and that’s good for the environment, but there are some photographs that still deserve pride of place in our homes, pieces of art, or mementoes of loved ones and special occasions.

e-photoframes supply sustainable, ethically sourced and fair traded photo frames with a unique “one frame one tree” guarantee. For each frame that you buy, they will plant a tree in partnership with the Forest Restoration Research Unit and Plant a Tree Today. The full cost of the tree planting is covered by the mark-up on the frame. The costs of planting are kept to a minimum by the partner organisations working with volunteers and the tree planting projects being based in developing countries where saplings and seedlings are relatively inexpensive.

There are three different types of frame to choose from at e-photoframes. The Wood frames are created from plantation cut rubber trees with an expertly finished natural grain pattern; The Mulberry range is hand crafted from Mulberry bark by a fair trade co-operative in northern Thailand; and the Silk frames are crafted from high-quality Thai silk and packaged in a reusable mulberry paper box. All frames are available in 6”x 4” and 7”x 5” sizes with prices from £7.95.

These frames make great gift purchases for ethical and environment conscious consumers who want to give gifts that will not only be appreciated by the recipient but also cause minimum harm to the environment. These photo frames are a gift that will last for years while also making a genuine contribution to forest restoration.

Giveaway

We have one e-photoframes Wood frame to give away to a lucky reader. To be in with a chance to win it, simply enter your details on the form below. The draw will take place on the 30th November 2007. The winners will be notified by email.

Enter the competition

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