This air filter was different. ORECK air filters clean the air significantly better than their competitors. The difference was immediate. He was able to breathe in his own home. Even I could ‘breathe’ the difference. It wasn’t a smell or lack of a smell, it was actually easier to breathe with this filter on.
Cabinetry & Formaldehyde
Did you know that 'regular' cabinetry off gasses urea formaldehyde into your home for up to five years? And, if you have a done a great job insulating and weather proofing your house, those voc's (volatile organic compounds) don't leave the house, you simply breathe them into your lungs. This is one example of why EPA has determined that the indoor air quality of our homes is 5 TIMES worse than the exterior air quality.
The quick solution is to purchase cabinetry that is made with a plywood box. Careful, there is plywood available that DOES have added urea formaldehyde in it. Make sure that the plywood that you are paying extra for (and you will be paying an up charge) is formaldehyde free.
There are other options to complicate our decisions: there is a new particle board (EcoCore) that consists of 100% recycled materials that also contains no urea formaldehyde. There is also 'Environmentally Preferred Particleboard' which has extremely low amounts of urea formaldehyde. Or, you can purchase cabinets and allow some time to 'air them out' in an area that circulates air out of the home (open the windows?). They will still off gas into the years, but the majority of the formaldehyde will be gone.
Many of you may be asking the same question that I asked - why do all these products have urea formaldehyde in them? And why can't we use 'solid' wood? The answer is that solid wood reacts to water and moisture in the air which causes warpage. That is why, if you order a 'slab' style door, it is never 'solid' wood, it is a wood veneer on a substrate that does not warp. And, that is why cabinet boxes are not made of solid wood, because they would be constantly expanding and contracting and warping. The materials that do not warp significantly are plywood (many layers of wood) and particle board. Particle board is made up of many particles that are held together with binding agents. Most of these binding agents contain urea formaldehyde. That is why some plywood and most particle board off gas voc's. Sometimes, by solving one problem, we seem to have created others.
Breathe well & Have a Happy Thanksgiving,
Christine
Color & Light Therapy - Frequencies that Heal
As we go into the Fall and Winter months, many of us actually FEEL the change in our bodies and psyche as we exchange the sun for the 'dead mouse' grey skies and the increasingly dark days. Do I sound depressed? (Where are my anti depressants!!) For those affected by SAD (seasonal affective disorder), winter in the Northwest can be challenging. There are 'natural' solutions that are not surprisingly related to the causes of our depression. (Darn, no drugs this time!)
The quick explanation is that different colors have different frequencies. All color require light to be perceived. Different colors of light have different frequencies (these are measured in Kelvins and called color frequencies.) Our bodies are made up of frequencies (See The Body Electric by Robert Becker.) As we leave the summer months, the color of light changes and the amount of light is reduced, leaving us with 'frequency withdrawals.' l Luckily, we can recreate these lost frequencies through the use of color and light in our surroundings. Many people are aware of the 'blue' light that can be purchased, put on on a timer and is meant to mimic daylight. The trick is, you have to sit in the light (or carry it around with you) for a period of time for it to really have an affect. The other option is to add color into your environment. The largest amount of surface that we are surrounded by are our walls. Seeing/feeling color frequencies can help ward off the Northwest blues. Select color(s) that not only stave off the depression, but ones that you will enjoy year round. (Call me for color consultations.) Use eggshell finish for the walls, semi gloss for the trim. Make sure to purchase low to zero VOC paint to keep this venture healthy. And for goodness sake, read that stack of books you have been staring at, and call me in the Spring.