Healthy Housing

  • geo desic

    Several cultures continue to build houses as they did in the past.  These traditional building techniques take advantage of local materials and work with the wind and sun to create houses that to build workable houses.  An  exhibit in Weil Am Rhein, Germany, at the Vitra Design Museum shows traditional houses and new construction that was inspired…

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  • Got Mold?

    mold on ceiling

    Rain rain go away, come again another day. Better yet, go west to where the wildfires are burning. We have enough rain here in the southeast!  As of August 18, Atlanta had received 46 inches of rain. Compare that to 25 inches at the same time last year. With all that rain comes mold. The most…

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  • asthma triggers

    Here comes company… It is a given fact that every one of us has visitors in our home throughout the year.  Sure, some of us entertain more than others, but whether we like it or not we all have the occasional house guest. If it’s not family visiting during the holidays, then it’s the delivery…

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  • Have you ever considered how resilient your house is to damage from natural disasters? I am talking about things like flooding, tornadoes, hurricanes, hail, straight-line winds, and even droughts.  I am attending a workshop put together by LSU Extension that focuses on how we can create homes that are more resilient to the disasters that…

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  • butterfly

    It is springtime in Athens, Georgia. When days are soft and sunny folks start to move out-of-doors.  So what are some green outdoor activities that are low cost and low impact, but high on the fun index? We all want play and live greener without spending our shrinking “greenbacks.” Walk. One of the healthiest and…

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  • candles

    Guest Blogger……Morgan Barnett, Master of Public Health Degree Candidate at The University of Georgia Many of us burn candles to make a room smell good, or just for decorative use. While candles create a calming effect, the allure of candlelight can quickly turn into a disaster if proper safety measures are not followed.  Keep yourself,…

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  • tiles in bathroom

    I saw the first burst of pine pollen on my car window this morning. That is my sign that it is time for Spring Cleaning. Spring Cleaning is a good time to go through your cleaning supplies and make a decision on whether you want to continue using a product. We have tried to go…

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  • Recently I was teaching an online class about keeping your home healthy and reducing the asthma triggers in your home.  I talked about some of the main asthma triggers in your home – dust mites, pet dander, secondhand smoke, mold, cockroaches, and mice.  The training included action steps to take to reduce or eliminate these…

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  • solar house in Germany

    Today I heard a wonderful presentation by Henry Cisneros, who was Secretary of HUD under Clinton. He spoke at the National Center for Healthy Housing (NCHH) 20th anniversary celebration. He talked about housing, linkages between our homes and our health, and changing housing needs. It was a good reminder of what really makes a house…

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  • Take the Radon Test to see how much you know about radon. 1. What is the leading cause of lung cancer in nonsmokers? a. Secondhand smoke b. Radon gas c. Industrial pollution d. All of the above 2. Where are you most likely to be exposed to radon? a. At home b. At work c.…

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  • radon proclamation: Jan-7-2013

    Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States and number one cause among non-smokers.  You may think this is just a problem in the north or for homes with basements.  Not true!  Radon kills about 21,000 people each year, more than drunk driving.  One in fifteen homes in the U.S.…

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  • A news story earlier this week served as a reminder about the dangers of Carbon Monoxide (CO).  An Atlanta school was evacuated when several students and adults became ill from exposure to high levels of CO.  Thankfully, everyone seems to be okay, but the school remains closed while officials work to resolve the problem. I…

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  • On the 10th we watched a very powerful documentary titled Underkastesen (Submission). It was disturbing, to say the least. The amount of chemicals in our environment is overwhelming and, the truth is, they aren’t safe. Watch the trailer for a taste of what the documentary is all about- A short description: “Manmade chemicals are everywhere…

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