Living Green is Healthy!

August 5, 2010 | By In living green | Comments(0)

I think it’s time that we draw a parallel between living a “healthy” life and living a “green life.” The fact of the matter is that the two kind of go hand-in-hand. Making greener choices in your everyday life has some positive health benefits, which I’d like to discuss here.

First, let’s look at one of the more common eco-friendly products: the reusable shopping bag. How could using reusable bags possible benefit our personal health? Believe it or not, it can. The more reusable bags that we use, the fewer plastic bags that we will need to manufacture. The manufacture of plastic and paper bags produces a number of toxins that work their ways in to our bodies as “free radicals.” Free radicals can build up in our bodies and can contribute to the onset of some serious health issues like cardiovascular disease, cancer, and a weakened immune system. So, the more reusable bags we use, the fewer free radicals that are produced and, as a result, work their way in to our bodies.

Plastic bags also have a negative impact on marine ecosystems, which can then impact other ecosystems, such as ours. Further, trees that could be used to produce oxygen and absorb greenhouse gasses are cut down to make paper bags instead.

Moving on, consider another popular green item: organic foods and products. Simply put, organic foods are much, much healthier for us to eat. Organically grown foods have been proven to contain more minerals and nutrients that our bodies need than conventionally grown foods. Non-organic foods are grown with pesticides, herbicides, growth hormones, and other chemicals that we then ingest when we eat the foods. These chemicals are not good for us. Further, the constant use of these chemicals on the soil breaks the soil down over time, rendering it useless after several years of farming.

A growing number of people are beginning to use eco-friendly household cleaners because of their environmental appeal. However, consider that these cleaners are also much better for your health – harsh chemicals commonly used contain free radicals that harm our bodies. These free radicals can be so harmful to our bodies that studies have proven that women who stay at home instead of work have a lower life expectancy.

One of the more obvious healthy-living and eco-friendly things that we can all begin doing is to rike our bike or walk instead of driving all the time. Although this is much more difficult for those of us that drive 40 miles a day, if you’re one of the many that works a mile or two from your house, you should consider walking a few days a week, at least.

The sedentary lives that most of us live contributes to the growing obesity problem in America. Walking or biking to school and/or work will go a long way in improving your personal health and breaking the sedentary lifestyle cycle. Additionally, it will reduce the amount of pollution that you generate, helping our planet at the same time.

So, you can see that green living and healthy living are not necessarily two different things. These facts and ideas only add to the allure of adopting an eco-friendly lifestyle (or a healthier lifestyle, or both) as we can now see that you can kill many birds with one stone by making some simple changes in your life.

David Kraft is a freelance author that writes about a variety of subjects. He supports eco-friendly living and green products such as reusable shopping bags. For more information about eco-friendly living, visit his reusable bags site.
Article Source

Related Blogs-Sorry script doesn’t always get the right sites

Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

Powered By WP Footer

Filed under: living green

Green Home Building

August 3, 2010 | By In living green | Comments(0)

Green homes are expected to make up to ten percent of new home construction over the next several years, according to a study done by McGraw-Hill Construction. Homeowners are interested in purchasing green homes because of the benefits they offer- from healthier indoor air to energy savings.

What are some of the primary benefits of a green home? Such a home is constructed with much thought given to the materials used in construction. Building materials are expected to be toxin-free, sustainable and energy-efficient. The use of toxin-free building materials helps combat indoor air pollution. Since we are exposed to the air in our homes as much or more often than outside air, indoor pollution can pose serious health risks to residents. A healthier home means fewer visits to the doctor and hopefully fewer respiratory problems.

Besides potential health savings, the net cost of owning a green home is typically comparable to, if not cheaper than a standard home. People who live in green homes save money by consuming less energy and fewer resources than standard homes. The savings add up over the years in decreased energy and water bills.

Insurance companies are becoming convinced that green may be the way to go. More and more insurance companies are offering discounts on policies covering green homes. Similarly, there are even a few mortgage companies offering discounted loan rates for home buyers buying green.

Here are some of the reasons for the heightened interest and discounts offered by the business community:

A green home is often more durable than standard homes because of its high-quality building materials and construction processes, requiring fewer repairs.

The value of a green home is often higher than that of a comparable standard home, and the market demand for green homes is expected to rise. A green housing development in New York has demonstrated the ability to command ten to fifteen percent higher rental rates than comparable units in the surrounding area.

And local, state and federal governments are increasingly offering tax breaks and incentives for building a green home or adding green features to an existing home.

What are some of the features of a green home? Efficient plumbing and bathing fixtures, drought-tolerant landscaping and water-conserving irrigation systems help green homes use less water than standard homes. This feature will become increasingly important as the prospect of water shortages loom in some parts of the country.

Because many green building materials incorporate significant recycled content, they require the use of fewer natural resources. The amount of excess building materials dumped in landfills is significantly less than the amount generated by traditional practices.

Some green homes incorporate carpets and floor tiles from recycled tires and bottles. Other homes use salvaged materials or renewable and sustainable products, such as bamboo, hemp and soybean. Homeowners can choose countertops made from recycled street lights and other recycled glass.

Low-volatile organic compound paints and finishes inside the home reduce exposure to toxic chemicals. Formaldehyde-free insulation also insures fewer dangerous chemicals are released into the atmosphere.

Energy-efficient appliances, insulation, roofing materials, doors and windows lower heating and cooling bills.

In many cases, builders are also including universal design elements into green homes. These designs, which include wider doorways, no stairs, flat entries and accessible bathrooms, sinks and showers, assure that people with varying abilities can live in and age in their homes and their neighborhoods.

Preston Sandlin is a home inspector and real estate investor in Charlotte NC. He has been performing home inspections and buying real estate in Charlotte NC for over 12 years. He is a member of the North Carolina Home Inspector’s Association, the Charlotte Regional Realtors Association, and the BBB.
For more information please visit our websites: http://askthecharlotteinspector.com/ http://www.homeinspectioncarolina.com/
Article Source