Posted by Ashley on November 19th, 2008
As I write this, areas in southern California are starting to recover from a string of dangerous wildfires that first sparked last Thursday and have burned at least 42,000 acres to date. These 3 fires – the Montecito Tea Fire, the Sayre Fire, and the Freeway Complex Fire – spawned thousands of evacuations and mobilized handfuls of fire crews to help contain their violent flames. They are now at least 70% contained (the Montecito Tea Fire is 100% contained), but not without destroying at least 400 houses, 500 mobile homes, scores of commercial properties, and causing at least 10 injuries.
As residents begin trickling back to their neighborhoods and homes – for some, to what is left of their homes – clean-up is top of mind. One important aspect of recovering from a wildfire, or any type of fire, is restoring the quality of the air, both outside and inside the home or office. An air purifier designed to remove smoke can expedite this process. Read more about air purifiers and smoke removal
Posted by john on November 6th, 2008
Forbes reports that your office may be making you sick – literally. From poor indoor air quality to unhealthy lighting, workspace woes can lead to chronic illness, stress, and depression. Read more about environmental illnesses at work
Posted by john on November 2nd, 2008
*** Best Value Air Purifier ***
The Alen A350 air cleaner has been flying off the shelves since it won the Best Value award from ConsumerSearch. Ranking behind only the IQAir HealthPro in performance, the Alen A350 “removes nearly as many allergens from the air” and is “also a little quieter” than the HealthPro; both air purifiers feature true HEPA filtration plus carbon filters for odors and chemicals. While ConsumerSearch says that the HealthPro is the best air purifier you can buy, “the Alen A350 air purifier comes close for a lot less.” Read more about Alen Air Purifiers
Posted by john on October 18th, 2008
At just 14 years of age, Otana Jakpor of Riverside, CA has already received a scientific award from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), after showing that ozone-producing air cleaners actually harm the lungs. Read more about ozone and air cleaners
Posted by john on October 18th, 2008
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) can be found throughout a typical home – in carpet, paints, furniture, and plastics; the problem with these chemicals is that they off-gas into the air. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), indoor air pollution is among the top five environmental health risks, and some VOCs cause asthma and cancer. Read more about VOCs and air quality.
Posted by john on October 11th, 2008
BREAKING NEWS – CNN reports that a toxic chemical cloud has formed over Petrolia, PA, after a chemical leak in a local plant.
The toxic cloud affected at least 2,000 residents, many of whom fled their homes to stay with friends and relatives or in shelters. Others decided to stay home and keep their windows and doors closed. Read more about toxic chemical clouds
Posted by john on October 8th, 2008
BBC reports that a new British study is putting air purifiers to the test. Air cleaners will be placed in the bedrooms of over 70 children to see if their asthma improves.
So far, preliminary results from 28 children show that air purifiers in bedrooms do indeed reduce the need for asthma medication.
“They also reported they were able to do sport better and sleep better, which was really good,” said research nurse Heather Hanna. Read more about air purifiers and asthma
Posted by john on October 6th, 2008
October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, and we’re proud to offer two great deals in conjunction with the opportunity to support breast cancer research this month.
Order a Blueair Pink AirPod air cleaner for the special price of $69.00, and $5.00 from the sale will go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. These portable, efficient air cleaners make great gifts, and they’re the perfect size for offices, dorm rooms, and other small spaces.
Additionally, 12% of each sale of the Rabbit Air BioGS BCRF special edition air purifier will benefit breast cancer research. Rabbit Air’s three-stage filtration eliminates allergens and germs plus dangerous chemicals.
Purchase one of these air cleaners this month, and you’ll be supporting a noble cause while creating a healthier environment.
Posted by john on October 5th, 2008
Blueair has expanded its line of E series air purifiers to introduce some of the most sophisticated machines on the market.
Blueair e-series air cleaners feature a digital display that actually shows you the level of pollution in the air (thanks to built-in particle counters)! The intelligent air purifiers also come with remote controls for your convenience.
All Blueair E series air purifiers are also Energy Star rated. Read more about the Blueair E air purifier
Posted by john on October 3rd, 2008
In my previous blog post EPA Decides to Let Rocket Fuel Remain in Water, I pointed out that drinking contaminated water can lower your IQ. Now Environmental Health News reports that air pollution can lower your IQ, too.
A collaborative study by China and the U.S. shows that brain development in Chinese children improved after a local coal-fired plant was shut down. Read more about air quality and brain development
Posted by john on September 15th, 2008
Earlier this year, the New York Times reported that a couple in an Upper West Side apartment building had sued their neighbor for polluting the indoor air with cigarette smoke.
Plantiffs Jonathen Selbin and his wife Jenny said that they sued their neighbor Galila Huff because Huff’s smoke was seeping into their condo and jeopardizing the health of their young son.
Because of this story’s publicity, Electrolux decided to donate air filters in hopes of settling the dispute. Indeed, the donated air quality equipment was instrumental in settling the case. Huff agreed to use the Electrolux air cleaner, and they soon settled out of court.
Read more about air purifiers for smoke
Posted by john on September 14th, 2008
It has been known for several years now that exposure to heavy road traffic can trigger heart attacks and that particulate air pollution increases the risk of heart attack and cardiac death. Now scientists are beginning to discover the mechanisms by which pollutants damage the heart.
The Journal of the American Heart Association reports that pollutants can interfere with the heart’s ability to conduct electrical signals in people with coronary artery disease. Read more about air pollution and heart health
Posted by john on August 31st, 2008
I’ve been testing air purifiers for several years now, and most new brands are unimpressive. Airgle air purifiers, on the other hand, stand out as effective machines with novel features.
The most impressive fact about the Airgle 750 air purifier is that it received the highest possible Clean Air Delivery Rate (CADR) ratings from the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers (AHAM). It works much better than most air purifiers because it has a 12-stage filtration process, including 4 pre-filters, 2 antimicrobial filters, 4 HEPA filters, and 2 activated carbon filters.
Don’t worry, though; you won’t have to replace all of those filters! Only the HEPA and carbon filters need to be replaced (about once a year). The other filters are washable. Read more about Airgle air purifiers
Posted by john on August 28th, 2008
ScienceNews reports that daily exposure to airborne soot from car exhaust, smokestacks, and other sources of combustion is just as dangerous as smoking cigarettes.
Barry Dellinger of Louisiana State University says that the exposure could be the equivalent of smoking one cigarette per day – or as many as two packs a day!
Dellinger’s research team found that combustion produces free radicals that linger in the air much longer than previously thought. “To our enormous surprise, the free radicals survive hours, days, even indefinitely.” Read more about free radicals and air pollution
Posted by john on August 24th, 2008
As the Olympics draw to a close today, many asthmatic athletes head home after facing special challenges because of the poor air quality in Beijing.
Up to 20 percent of elite athletes have some type of asthma, depending on the sport, according to the The Sacramento Bee.
With their lungs already prone spasm and irritation, asthmatic athletes had to perform at their peak in air pollution well outside international health guidelines. Haile Gebrselassie, a well-known runner from Ethiopia, decided not to compete in the marathon because the pollution could hurt his health. Read more about Olympic athletes with asthma
