Healthy Buildings

  • Each day millions of children spend a good part of the day away from home in a child care facility. It’s important to keep them healthy and safe both at home and while they are away from home. One of best things you can do is to learn more about the connection between health and the indoor…

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  • Radon artwork

    Having fun in Jacksonville, Florida while learning more about radon. You may not think that’s something you need to know about. Not true!  You need to pay attention and take action. Radon is a radioactive gas that is the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers. Radon is found in EVERY home regardless of type…

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  • Green Roofs

    This past week I saw a cool green roof on the Pittsburgh Convention Center.  I was in Pittsburgh for the Galaxy IV conference, which is a joint meeting of Extension Professionals. I was impressed with Pittsburgh. It is a nice city to visit and the green roof on the David L. Lawrence Convention Center (DLCC)…

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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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  • 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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  • cat door

    Is your cat watching the warm air in your home leak out around the front door?  This infrared photo shows air leakage around the front door of my home. Does this look like your house? You don’t need an infrared camera to check to see if you have air leaking around your doors and windows. …

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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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  • Sydney at dusk

    I just couldn’t resist sharing some of the simply beautiful photos we took while in Australia. Enjoy!

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  • Holding smallest trash

    What happens when you produce such little waste that the majority of what you no longer need is recyclable or compostable? This trashcan: This is the trash can employees at the University of Melbourne have for all things that are not recyclable or compostable. Now that’s something to be proud of!

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  • Biophilic Design suggests that suggests that there is an instinctive bond between human beings and other living systems. We heard much at the Healthy Building Conference about the need to rethink our living spaces – beyond community gardens, bike paths, and public transport – though each idea is important it is about an holistic approach…

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  • healthy buildings 2012 presenters

    We were thrilled to present at Healthy Buildings 2012 in Brisbane! A big thanks to our fellow presenters- We hope to see you all again at next year’s conference!

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  • map of Australia

    Follow us around Australia by taking a peek at this map: First we flew into Brisbane, Queensland for the Healthy Buildings 2012 conference, which was fantastic. Also in Brisbane we visited a wonderful Permaculture Farm where growth is encouraged in all things. Then we traveled to Currumbin, Queensland to experience the wonder of a sustainable…

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