Furniture On Greenguard's Indoor List for Earth Day

April 21, 2010  by in UnCategorized   

By Home Furnishings Business in Green on April 22, 2010

Amidst the flurry of environmentally-friendly Earth Day 2010 activities unfolding around the globe today, the Greenguard Environmental Institute, Atlanta, urged communities, families, and individuals to participate in activities that help protect their indoor environments, too.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, people spend an average of 85 percent to 90 percent of their time indoors, where the air is two to five times more polluted than the air outside. Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are chemicals that can trigger asthma, cognitive delays, nosebleeds, nausea, developmental disorders, and even cancer, among other health problems, are a common source of indoor air pollution. VOCs emit from many of the products and materials found in indoor environments, including furniture, drywall, flooring, paints, mattresses, insulation, and electronic equipment€”almost anything that's human-made.

Greenguard's suggestions include:
* Opening windows for the day to improve ventilation in homes and offices. Tightly-sealed, energy-efficient buildings can trap VOCs and other pollutants inside.
* Taking a break from cleaning for the day (many cleaning products and solvents emit potentially toxic VOCs) or to use natural cleanser alternatives, such as vinegar and baking soda.
* Letting any new furniture or interior decor off-gas, or air out, somewhere outdoors for a few days before bringing it indoors.
* Replacing potentially high-emitting products with third-party certified low-emitting products. Visit www.greenguard.org for a free product listing.

"Certainly Earth Day should be about protecting the planet," says Henning Bloech, executive director of GEI. "The outdoor environment is extremely important. But when you get right down to it, the reason we're trying to protect the planet in the first place is because we're trying to protect the lives of the people who live on it. And that means focusing on human health."
 
The Greenguard Environmental Institute is an industry-independent, third-party, not-for-profit organization that aims to improve human health and quality of life through programs that reduce people's exposure to chemicals and other pollutants. The Greenguard certification programs certify products for low chemical emissions and provide consumers with a resource for choosing healthier products and materials for indoor environments.