Ah, there’s nothing like a breath of fresh air, right? Well, it all depends on what’s in that air! Air pollution is a common problem in our modern society. And it affects us all…young and old, rich and poor, Red and Blue.  

Outdoors, air pollution is caused by both natural sources (like volcano eruptions, soil erosion, and forest fires) and human activities (like fossil fuel combustion from cars and power plants.)  This is why outdoor air pollution is often greatest in and around cities where human concentrations are largest.

But if fears about air pollution have you running indoors, it may alarm you to realize that indoor air is often more dangerous than what’s outside.  Chemicals in your cleaning supplies, paint, furniture, and even in your household dust can become trapped inside your home, making the indoor air pollutant levels as much as 25-62% greater than outdoor levels.
So what can you do…stop breathing?  No, that won’t work.  But you can breathe easier by knowing what to look for and how to protect your family from air pollution.

Outdoors

• Pay attention to air-quality advisories, especially if you live in or near a big city. If the levels are high, don’t spend a lot of time outdoors.
• When traveling by car, try to limit the amount of time you spend sitting in heavy traffic. Seek out less traveled routes or walk instead. 
• Hold your breath or turn your head when you see exhaust spurting out of the car in front of you or when you are filling your car with gas.

Indoors

• Do not smoke and avoid hanging out for long periods with those who do.
• Ventilate your home well by opening windows and doors regularly, especially when dusting, vacuuming, and painting.
• When entering your home, leave your shoes at the door and ask your guests to do the same to avoid tracking harmful chemicals indoors.
• Avoid dry cleaning your clothes.  If you can’t avoid it, seek out a or at the very least  make sure you air-out your clothes before bringing them indoors.
• Use natural cleaning agents like baking soda and vinegar instead of synthetic chemical compounds.
• Wet mop your floors frequently to reduce your exposure to dust.
• Do not use synthetic chemical pesticides or fertilizers in your home, on your lawn, or in your garden.

Now relax, and don’t forget to breathe!  

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What’s Your IAQ? Even if your house is neat as a pin (we’re obviously not talking about my place here) it’s possible that the stuff inside your house is releasing nasty toxins. Combine this with inadequate ventilation (due to rigorous efforts to go green!) and you get a houseful of trapped pollutants and bad indoor air quality (IAQ).

The Worst Offenders: Formaldehyde, benzene, carbon monoxide, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) are the worst offenders to indoor air quality. Unfortunately, these chemicals and gases are emitted from a bunch of stuff around your house, from mattresses to building supplies, paints to mattresses, and even your kid’s toys.

What’s The Problem? Poor indoor air quality can seriously affect your family’s health. The effects of indoor air pollution can range from minor irritations such as runny nose, fatigue, or headache to major illnesses such as lung disease, respiratory infection, lung cancer or asthma.

Improving Your IAQ

Follow these tips to reduce the number and type of chemicals that come into your home so that you and your kids can breathe a little easier:

Buy Green: The best way to improve your indoor air quality is to keep chemicals from coming inside in the first place. Look for non-toxic, green certified products, especially for building materials, paints, dry cleaning, carpets, and furniture. If you do bring home something stinky, be sure to let it air-out outside or near an open window. The bottom line…if a product contains a chemical, or was manufactured with it…that chemical will likely be emitted into the closed quarters of your home.

Clean Green: Are you cleaning your house or loading it with chemicals? Check out these previous posts for more info on green cleaning:

Get A Green Clean

Get A Green Clean Part II

Add Some Green: According to one NASA study, plants can improve indoor air quality, by filtering pollutants, absorbing carbon dioxide, and adding oxygen to the environment. The best plants for improving IAQ are philodendron, spider plants, golden pothos, gerbera daisies, chrysanthemums, peace lily, bamboo palm, and English ivy. (WARNING: If you have a toddler…or an older child who likes to eat everything…steer clear of plants that are considered poisonous if eaten such as philodendron, mums, and English ivy.)

Green Your Green: The chemicals that you use outside of your home (pesticides, fertilizers, de-icers) are likely to make their way inside on shoes and paws. Look for non-toxic versions of these chemicals. (And check out these posts on greening you yard:)

Got Leaves? Get Composting

Heat Things Up with Non-Toxic Antifreeze and De-icers