Like most people, I am always looking for ways to save money, take advantage of tax rebates, and be a better global citizen. Recently, I found this awesome website that is filled with advice, information, and resources for helping make your home more energy efficient. EnergySavvy.com is a comprehensive website created to help people find the answers they are looking for regarding home energy use. Read more about how EnergySavvy.com can help you
Your pet isn’t just a potential source for allergies — in fact, your furry friend might be an allergy- sufferer as well. If your pet scratches or sheds incessantly, vomits, or has chronic respiratory problems, he or she may have an allergy.
Finding ways to protect and preserve our environment seems to be on everyone’s minds these days. So, if you’re searching for new ideas to add to your green routine or just feel like you aren’t doing enough, check out the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Pick 5 for the Environment program.
Pick 5 encourages people to commit to five actions that promote conservation of the environment. The EPA provides a list of ten actions to help you choose your five. These actions range from using less water to eCycling. If after scanning the list, you’re still feeling stumped, Sylvane can help. Here are a few suggestions that help conserve the outdoor environment by treating problems in your indoor environment. Read more about ways that Sylvane can help you do your part for the environment
Yesterday afternoon, President Obama and the First Family welcomed their new furry, four-legged canine “Bo” to the White House. Bo, a 6-month-old Portuguese water dog, is a curly-haired, black-and-white puppy with a lion-cut tail and lots of appeal. Aside from his penchant for being a gentle companion, obedient, agile, and easily trained, Bo is considered to be hypoallergenic – a must for 10-year-old Malia Obama, who is allergic to dogs. But is there really such a thing as a hypoallergenic dog? Many allergists say no.
According to the Portuguese Water Dog Club of America, Portuguese water dogs – or “Porties” – are considered hypoallergenic because they are single-coated and shed less hair than other breeds. However, the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (AAAAI) says that the amount of hair a dog actually sheds is not the issue for allergy-sufferers. It’s not a dog’s hair that causes allergies. It’s a dog’s dander, or dead skin cells. Read more about hypoallergenic dogs
Last Friday (the 13th), one of our employees – with a particularly keen sense of smell – detected a potentially deadly problem with our office’s air quality. Walking back and forth from the warehouse, our warehouse manager, Drew, (and his bloodhound-like olfactory sense) sniffed traces of gas that seemed to be emanating from the Sylvane break room. As an initial step, we confirmed the presence of a dangerous gas using our trusty Safety Siren Pro Series Combination Gas Detector. But when it was clear that the odor was growing stronger, we thought it was best to call in a natural gas expert to diagnose the problem and advise us on how to handle it. A half-hour later, we identified the scary pollutant – carbon monoxide. The culprit? More on that in a minute. Read more about carbon monoxide
Using a humidifier in the wintertime can be a great fix for the health, comfort, and interior problems caused by dry air. By dispersing an invisible mist of moisture throughout a space, these appliances help relieve dry and itchy skin, moisturize parched respiratory passages, and reduce the amount of static electricity in your indoor environment. However, when not properly cared for and maintained, a humidifier can quickly become a health hazard. Here’s how.
All humidifiers, regardless of their type, carry a risk of bacteria and mold growth. This may be the result of two things: (a.) Failing to clean the humidifier’s components and change the water regularly; and (b.) Filling the humidifier with mineral-rich tap water. When bacteria and mold grow and multiply inside a humidifier, traces of them can be released into the air you breathe. Read more about the importance of maintaining your humidifier
Cleaner, pollutant-free air adds almost 5 months to our lives. So say the results of an interesting study published in this week’s New England Journal of Medicine. The study, headed by an epidemiologist at Brigham Young University (BYU), tracked the correlation between particulate pollution levels and life expectancy over 2 decades in 51 U.S. cities. Researchers say it’s the first to illustrate that reducing air pollution can translate into a longer lifespan. How’s that for a reason to make an air purifier a permanent part of your environment? Read more about how cleaner air can help you live longer
Did you know that right this minute, you could be inhaling a cancer-causing gas responsible for killing an average of 20,000 Americans each year? It’s true. The scariest part? This gas, known as radon, is virtually undetectable by our senses because it’s odorless, colorless, and tasteless. It’s a silent killer that can flourish under the radar in any home, any school, and any building. Luckily, increased exposure is totally preventable by using a good-quality radon detector. This month, in recognition of National Radon Action Month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) urges you to get educated about radon prevention and to make indoor testing a habit so that you don’t become a statistic. Read more about radon protection
Let’s see. Reusable shopping bags? Check. Compact fluorescent light bulbs? Got ‘em. Compost bin? Yup. Low-flow showerhead? Check. Hybrid car? I’m working on it. An environmentally friendly air purifier? Wait, is that even available? It is now.
The Alen Paralda HEPA Air Purifier is the first and only certified green air cleaner available in the U.S. Taking its name from the ancient elemental king of air, the Paralda helps you stay healthy by filtering out almost 100% of harmful allergens and particles using a HEPA filter. At the same time, the Energy Star-qualified unit helps you reduce your carbon footprint and save money on monthly power bills by using less energy than a standard 60-watt light bulb. Read more about the Alen Paralda air purifier
This week, many of you are prepping your homes to host family and friends for the December holidays. Yet between vacuuming deliriously, setting out fresh linens, and baking scrumptious cookies, you might find yourself pondering some very important questions: “Isn’t Aunt Meta allergic to the cat?” “Wait, which one of my cousins has a peanut allergy?” Read more about hosting guests who suffer from allergies and/or asthma
Okay, I won’t lie. The first time I heard about a neti pot – let alone watched a video of one being used – I had to take a moment to reflect on the hilarity of it all (and maybe the “ick” factor too).
It’s ba-ack! Gift-giving season has officially returned. This year, before you go running for the hills because you don’t have a clue what to get that loved one who “has everything,” check out Sylvane’s Holiday Gift Guide. Our 2008 gift-giving guide includes 18 products that would each be the perfect gift for the person in your life who doesn’t “want or need anything.” Representing a variety of product categories and price points to suit need – and budget – our gift ideas carry the functionality, usefulness, and comfort-boosting power necessary to creating a healthy living space anytime and anywhere.
If you’re anything like me, you hate flu season. You loathe those times – mostly between November and March – when you can just feel the influenza coming on. During these times, everything you do is performed in a fatigued slow motion. You start popping a daily vitamin C, a powdery-tasting Zicam tablet, and maybe one of those ugly green Echinacea capsules just to be safe. You wash your hands twice as much as you usually do (and for me, that’s a lot!). You get plenty of rest (out like a light at 10!) and hope that this run-down feeling passes. To put it plainly, if you’re anything like me, you’ll do everything short of declaring yourself under quarantine during flu season to prevent catching the flu. Read more about flu prevention
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
I recently explored the question Is Autism an Environmental Illness? Now new evidence suggests that autism may indeed be an environmental illness.
CBS News reports that children living in areas of high precipitation may be more likely to have autism.
“I strongly believe it’s not the precipitation itself,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Michael Waldman. “My sense is, if truly there is an environmental trigger, my guess is it is one of the factors related to indoor activity.” Read more about autism and environmental illness
Like most people, I am always looking for ways to save money, take advantage of tax rebates, and be a better global citizen. Recently, I found this awesome website that is filled with advice, information, and resources for helping make your home more energy efficient. EnergySavvy.com is a comprehensive website created to help people find the answers they are looking for regarding home energy use.
Your pet isn’t just a potential source for allergies — in fact, your furry friend might be an allergy- sufferer as well. If your pet scratches or sheds incessantly, vomits, or has chronic respiratory problems, he or she may have an allergy.
Finding ways to protect and preserve our environment seems to be on everyone’s minds these days. So, if you’re searching for new ideas to add to your green routine or just feel like you aren’t doing enough, check out the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) 
