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Becoming Environmentally Conscious
in your home and workspace can improve your health
and overall sense of well being.

Most people rarely consider re-designing their physical surroundings to improve their life and health. By following the principles of Feng Shui: the ancient art of living in harmony with nature and green design principles you can create a more thoughtful and healthier environment for your family and the planet through the selection of earth friendly products.

How can you make sure your home is a good environment for your health?A good place to begin is to become knowledgeable and aware of conserving the earth’s natural resources .When you create a home in harmony with nature, your physical and emotional being will experience the peaceful and comforting effects immediately! Today the world we live in has become so global and technologically advanced it makes our current life styles seem more frenetic than ever.We seem to run all day without having time to stop and enjoy the simple things Mother Nature has to offer. Our fast paced lives have dulled and suppressed our senses.

When was the last time you stopped to feel the warmth of the sun on your face, listened to the melodious trickle of a stream, watched the wind skim across a pond, or breathed in the moist rich scent of a forest?

Being aware of the principles of Feng Shui, the ancient art of placement that seeks to bring people and their environments into a positive relationship with one another, we can start the process of conscious living. By using the Bagua as a tool for locating your life aspirations and working with the Five Element Theory, we can unify all areas of our lives. Through Interior Design by selecting products known as ‘Green’, using natural fibers and fabrics, selecting plants that remove toxins from the air, adding natural light, low voltage, CFL, full spectrum lighting, and using finishes with low voc’s, we can transform our living spaces so that they can begin to actually heal and nurture us.

“Green” building and home products are being developed and used as a way to improve our environment and conserve our natural resources. What is “Green”? Green Design protects people’s health and well being while also protecting the environment. Sustainable Design protects the global environment and eco systems. We can begin to become environmentally responsible first by becoming knowledgeable. One of the largest categories of pollutants to our indoor air is through home furnishings. The type of products you specify can dramatically impact the level of voc (volatile organic compound) emissions.

Indoor air quality:

(IAQ) The air inside your home is 5 x more polluted than the air outdoors. Indoor pollutants come from carpet and glues, furniture, paints, particle board, cleaning fluids, mold and dust mites. The effects of low oxygen and stagnant energy in a space are many; cell activity slows down, you will have less energy, a lack of concentration and long term poor health issues.

To improve your indoor air quality:

Choose water based paints, stains, and sealants with low voc‘s. Many local manufacturers now make low or no voc products, examples are: Benjamin Moore “Affinity” or Sherwin Williams - ”Harmony” paint. With other products the GreenGuard clean air seal of approval will establish a standard for low emitting chemicals and emissions. They will benefit your health as well as the planets. Use a ventilation system with a hepa filter that removes dust, dirt and pollutants. Make sure you have the system periodically cleaned by a licensed professional. Use an exhaust fan over the stove to remove gases and fans in the bathroom to remove water vapors that can cause mold to grow.

Invite nature inside:

Add living plants, their color green symbolizes vitality and growth. Their life force is so strong they can improve the Ch’i flow in a room and freshen the air by supplying oxygen. NASA Scientist, Dr. B.C. Wolverton “ How to Grow Fresh Air “ has done a study to find which houseplants are the best filters for removing common pollutants and toxins from the air. Increase cross ventilation by opening windows everyday letting fresh air and natural light circulate and illuminate your entire living space.

Floor covering:

Synthetic carpets and their backings have formaldehyde and phenols in them. It’s best not to use them. Wool, jute, sisal, hemp and cotton, all from natural resources are better choices.

When hardwood is called for, use FSC certified or wood from sustainable forests with water -based polyurethane. Cork, bamboo or the new coconut shell floorings are sustainable and good choices. Even natural vinyl with linseed “Marmoleum” or porcelain tile when applicable. All are natural and easy to maintain, hypoallergenic and durable.

Fabrics:

Natural fibers are the best choices – hemp, organic cotton, bamboo, linen, silk and only colored with vegetable dyes. (Formaldehyde vapors from synthetics are a potent irritant). Don’t forget to replace upholstery fillings with natural fibers also.

Furniture:

Furniture made with particle board, plastic foam and stain-retardant sprays contain the strongest chemicals and outgas the most. Better choices would be furniture made from reclaimed wood and sustainable forests, and other casual material like bamboo, wicker and rattan.

Recondition, Reuse, Recycle:

Recycling materials to produce new products can save natural resources and not supply our land fills. Reducing waste by re-using products in our homes is a way of making a personal contribution to the global cause. Recycled rubber mats and glass for bathroom and kitchen tiles are easily obtainable and are in style right now. Choosing furniture and home furnishings from antique and vintage shops are a good way of rethinking our patterns of consumption.

“Together by consciously beginning to become aware of conserving the Earth’s natural resources, we can begin to heal Ourselves”

Joan M. Stigliano IIDA is a Feng Shui Design Practitioner and Educator (516) 671-6564. www.joanstigliano.com