Germs and toxins have a way of appearing in the most inconvenient places, including carpets. Many homes have carpeting throughout bedrooms, living rooms and family rooms. Offices install carpeting to offer attractive settings to clients. Unfortunately, many carpets pose a significant health risk.

Carpeting, particularly old carpeting, plays host to countless toxins, introduced during the manufacturing and installation process. Carpets may emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which contribute to poor indoor air quality. Old carpeting harbors years’ worth of dirt, dust mites and contaminants tracked in by shoes and pets. Symptoms associated with VOC exposure include fatigue, headaches, shortness of breath and reactions similar to allergies.

[Read more…] about Greener Carpets Mean Cleaner Air

Can you guess why I chose the bottle of all-natural shampoo on the right over the bottle on the left the last time I went shopping? It was not only to be more economical– yes, the one on the right does save money because you pay less per ounce for the larger size, which is why buying in bulk often makes sense (economy of scale). But it was also for another reason—the larger bottle is made with plastic #1, which is recyclable in my hometown, and the smaller bottle is made with plastic #4, which, though recyclable in some places, is likely to end up in our local incinerator. It only takes a second to check this, since almost all plastic containers tell you the type of plastic, and your town recycling calendar/information is sent to each home. Small decisions we make every day do make a difference.

Bonus eco-choice: Choose a re-usable razor (pictured above) that you just replace the blades of, instead of throwing away whole plastic razors when they wear out.