healthier A home
It’s not hard or expensive to improve your home’s environment for everyone’s betterment
News reports about wildfires, droughts, hurricanes and other extreme events prompt warnings that our global environment is being threatened. The problem is so overwhelming that, as individuals, we may feel frustrated and helpless in making things better. There is an environment, however, we can control: our own homes. By doing so we can help family members and other occupants lead healthier lives while putting our own minds at ease that we are doing what we can to have an impact.
With relatively small changes in the furniture we purchase, this could be the year we actually make a difference in our home environment and for those we love. “Aiming to be more sustainable from an environmental perspective is important, of course,” says Ariel Steuer, lead interior designer with the Kubala Washatko Architects in Cedarburg who has an overarching concern for how occupants are affected by interior environments. “But where we have the biggest opportunity to make an impact is with people’s health.”
Bodies are not closed-off systems, but rather in constant communication with their surroundings, receiving and absorbing information from their environment and what they come in contact with, says Steuer, who is a former president of the Wisconsin Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers.
“We are in proximity with thousands of chemicals daily, and while a single exposure to a toxic substance may be considered a ‘safe’ level, the persistence and number of exposures add up over years. The resulting toxic load on our bodies can create many health issues,” she says, adding that many of the toxins are given off as gas by conventional furniture, as well as draperies, mattresses and flooring.
Consumer awareness about healthier homes has exploded in the past 12 to 15 months, says Andrew Pace, owner of the Green Design Center in Waukesha, which focuses
on human health concerns and products that make homes less toxic.
“People are coming here because their child has increasing asthma attacks or their parents have a compromised immune system or other problems that can be addressed by focusing on making their homes healthier,” says Pace, who also is a member of the board of directors of the International Institute for Building-Biology and Ecology. “As people become more aware, they are waking up and wanting to do something about it.”
The evidence is more than anecdotal. In fact, mainstream organizations such as the Surgeon General’s Office of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services have found definitive links between an indoor environment and health. The relationship is “real and compelling,” according to the Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Promote
Healthy Homes.
“Poor indoor air quality contributes to cancers, cardiovascular disease, asthma and other illnesses,” according to the report. “Some chemicals can contribute to acute poisonings and other toxic effects.”
Where to begin? It starts by being aware of what already exists in your home environment and the furnishings you bring into it.
The Sustainable Furnishings Council was created in 2006 to raise awareness of manufacturing practices and expand environmentally sustainable efforts across the home furnishings industry.
It addresses all aspects of furniture manufacturing, according to Susan Inglis, executive director, and has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as a valid eco program. The council’s “What’s It Made Of ” initiative stimulates innovation to reduce harmful chemicals in furniture manufacturing.
“We have a commitment to reducing the use of chemicals that pose harm to human health,” Inglis explains, which includes flame-retardant chemicals, fluorinated stain treatments and VOCs (volatile organic compounds). Its in-store tagging program helps consumers know which manufacturers comply with health standards.
“Shoppers can look for tags that recognize companies that adhere to responsible benchmarks all the way down the supply chain,” she says. “That includes addressing harmful chemicals and compounds that are known to cause health problems. Exposure matters, and we want to do our part to be transparent.”
One furniture company that is extremely transparent has its world headquarters right here in Milwaukee. La Lune was founded 35 years ago by Mario and Cathy Costantini. It specializes in rustic furniture hand-crafted in the company’s factory in Riverwest using poplar and willow, which are fast-growing, invasive species gathered in Wisconsin.
“The DNR contacted us and asked if we could use poplar, which is in endless supply,” explains Mario Costantini. “It was important to thin it out, and doing so helps with biodiversity. Our furniture is very ecofriendly.”
Their products also are kind to home environments. The vast majority of La Lune furniture is solid wood instead of being made with plywood, fiberboard or composites held together with dangerous glues.
“We use all water-based finishes without VOCs,” he says, referring to volatile organic compounds that are emitted as gases and include a variety of chemicals that may have short- and long-term adverse health effects, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Our furniture is solid wood, natural and it will last, to be passed down to others instead of tossed into a landfill.”
Buying furniture made of solid wood is an excellent choice, as plywoods, medium-density fiberboards and other composites use adhesives with urea formaldehyde, which can irritate the skin, throat, nose and eyes. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that high levels can increase the risk of cancer for those who are exposed.
Flame retardants in upholstered furniture also can release toxins.
“Look for labels that say TB117-2013 and avoid those that only say TB117, as those have flame retardants added,” says Steuer.
The process of reducing indoor toxins can be complicated, but Steuer suggests practicing safety in bedrooms first and where infants and children spend the most time.
“We spend a third of our lives sleeping, which is when the body repairs and regenerates itself, making the bedroom a necessary refuge for healing,” she says. “Once the bedrooms are addressed, move on to the next area of your home where you spend the most time.
“Do what you can, when you can … to start creating an overall healthier environment at home,” she says. “And when a purchase comes up, ask ‘is this the healthiest choice that meets my requirements’.”