Green Ideas - August 25, 2011

(Green Ideas is a newsletter written by Carl Duivenvoorden. I place it on my blog so that more people can read it!)

Green Ideas

For a healthier planet and a better future

Breathe easier without air fresheners Most people like the smell of air fresheners, be they lemon, pine or something more exotic. But many common air fresheners are also sources of airborne chemicals with potentially harmful side effects – things like phthalates and VOCs. People with chemical sensitivities are particularly susceptible to artificial scents. Additionally, plug-in fresheners use a steady trickle of electricity, and sprays result in empty spray cans that must be disposed of (or hopefully recycled). There are better ways to freshen air:

• Open windows to let fresh air in
• Clean up the source of the odour with non-toxic cleaners
• Eliminate the source of the odour (IE empty the trash more frequently)
• Use baking soda or potpourri
• Choose air fresheners that are specifically labelled as organic

When you step back and think about it, spraying chemicals into the air we breathe just to mask odours (which may be unpleasant but are usually natural and therefore harmless) just seems like a bad idea.

In the news  A new study suggests that climate change will make life harder for girls in the developing world. A “blatant attack” on the environment is how the Sierra Club described huge cutbacks at Environment Canada. What would happen if your house or car talked back to you? You’d use less energy and save money, of course! Plan to tune in to 24 Hours of Reality on line or in person September 14-15 for a climate update from Al Gore; join the Facebook page here.

For past Green Ideas tips, please visit my blog

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