Although a home takes many years to begin to resemble a comfortable enviroment that we as humans set up to live within a sheltered structure; there are many problems that might be overt and some that we might not readily notice. In this essay I will examine some of the causes that make homes comfortable and bring us as a species closer to nature as well as the causes that might have a negative impact on our lives.
With todays technology there have been advances in the homes that allow for such things as better insulation to keep needed heat in the winter in or cold air in the summer, it can also have an adverse reaction if the insulation is made of asbestos. Asbestos handling and breathing in of this substance can have profound health affects on those that come into contact with this substance. The home today can be affected by effects of toxins and pollutants.
A simple example of this is the power plant that is within a very short area of our homes that we live in here in the school environment. I was particularly interested in this subject of the old power stations that are dumping large amounts of pollutants and toxins into the air we breath not to mention the ground that we get our vital water and possibly plant life for consumption. This hit home with me as I live in Fall River and I am much closer to the power plant and might be affected that much more so due to my proximity.
This power plant remains in operation due to a grandfather clause that allows it to expel dangerous pollutants that other newer plants are not allowed to expel. Although this might be the legal reason that these plants are in operation I find it very un-nerving and appalling that this is going on in this society today after we have just started to turn the corner in my opinion as to how we need to value our natural resources and conserve the vital resources that remain.
I had no idea that I was being affected by this power plant until I had learned about it in class. I believe that with more education of the surrounding population there could be a way to stop this horrible dumping of pollutants into our environment. I have learned that the voice of many is more powerful than that of the few. If the community could be made to know of the dangers this power plant was placing on their lives the clean up of its practices might take place.
In order for this to happen I believe the media in the area as well as the citizens need to make a concerning effort into stopping this power plant at least to make it up to code in todays environmental policies, not to remain just because it has simply been around for a while. This is an absurd reason that people have to continually be poisoned by this industry. Also another measure could be the writing to our local leaders and politicians to act out in our behalf to curtail this polluting industry from continuing its continued course.
I believe that not alot has been done up until this point because the community might be blind as to the level, and effect this power plant is affecting their lives. Although the power plant is a overt problem that has received a small amount of attention, other invisible pollutants might be effecting our homes and we might not have any idea that they exist. some of these problems might be as said in The Natural House book: carbon dioxide, radon gas, or ozone might be effecting us as I am writing this paper.
Carbon dioxide might be being emitted from our heaters that we use so much in the winter or radon gas might be seeping up through our basements that at times we pay very little attention to due to the limited amount of time that we spend in the basement throughout our day. Cavity walls could have been injected with insulating foam that emits fermaldehyde vapor, while interior decoration is likely to consist of petro-chemical-based paints or vinyl wallpapers that off gas more dangerous vapours, especially when new.
Older paint may contain lead. (The New Natural House Book). Most of these factors I dont believe people might not take seriously as they believe perhaps blindly that there home may not contain these dangerous substances. I dont ever recall as my parents where looking for a new house on the many occasions that we moved as I was growing up about oh yes, there is asbestos in the attic and the paint is made with lead, oh by the way I believe you may have a radon leak. If this were pointed out the Realtor would never sell the home.
Although ignorance to these possible dangers exists there are methods that can be taken to insure a healthy home against these unwanted intruders. There are radon detectors that can be installed that will give warning if there is a leak present also professional companies that will conduct and inspection of a home to see if there is a problem. Also you can buy a carbon monoxide detector in a place as easy as Walmart. These detectors can give a life saving warning against this silent and invisible killer. Every factor within a home can be looked at to see if it is a possible threat to our healths.
Paint can be tested for lead so that children that might be prone to eating paint chips in their exploritive demeanor might be safe from its damaging effects. Inspectors can be called in to see if our walls and attics and possibly plumbing might be laden with asbestos. Heaters and air conditioning can be checked by trained personnel to insure that they are operating properly and not emitting pollutants such as CFCs, ozone or carbon monoxide. There are many measures that can be taken to insure our safety and health against these perhaps deadly factors.
I have asked my landlord as to whether any of these above factors might be present in my home and her reply was that it had been tested previously to see against the use of asbestos insulation and lead paint etc. as there was a family with small children that lived here prior to my occupancy. Thanks to reading the New Natural House Book I went out and purchased a carbon monoxide detector as we use a gas heater in my apartment. I also spoke with my landlord as to purchasing a radon detector for the basement of the building as it did not have one and she had not heard of the threat before.
She non the less was great full for the information. Once the possible threats to our homes are recognized we then take the steps to safe guard our dwellings. Other aspects of our homes that can be damaging to nature and the planet we live on is our use of fuels and natural resources. As we spend our days consuming these natural resources we for the most part dont take stock as to the damage we are having on the environment and the waste that we contribute to the world. I believe that many peoples mind sets are that we can continue to use as much as we want that our resources will always be there for us.
The fact of the matter is that is far from true. Our natural resources get smaller and smaller by the day, from the cutting of the rain forests or the use of non replenishable resources like ground water and oil. A glaring example of waste is the production of plastics from oil, itself a limited resource, in an energy intensive process that uses yet more scarce resources. (The New Natural House Book). Our own personal consumption of these resources can be lessened with very little effort or sacrifice.
In our home, again I was not aware just how much waste that I produce nor of the water consumption daily until it was brought to my attention. Again the ignorance factor at work. I believe that I used from 90 to a 100 gallons of water a day in drinking, washing, and doing laundry. I could not believe that I could easily use 700 gallons of water a week on my own and imagine how much I used when I wash my car, mindlessly letting the water run from the house as I scrub my car down. I now take shorter showers and wait until I can do a large amount of laundry at once instead of multiple washings.
Also as far as the use of natural resources is concerned, car pooling is easy and the people still get to where they are going with out several separate vehicles being used to get to the same destination. Also homes today can be designed in order that fossil fuel usage is kept to a minimum. Recycling plastics and paper can also add to the conservation of precious resources. I myself have always made an effort to recycle and have a couple recycle containers in the house for my roommates to use as well. I shudder to think that If I have been using 700 gallons of water a week alone, what is a city using in one day?
Everyone needs to take responsibility for the amount of waste that they contribute to our world and do what they can to cut down on it, such as simply recycling. It takes a very small effort to reduce the amount of resources that we use and still lead comfortable lives, once people learn that this is possible hopefully our resources can be improved before it is too late. Another factor in our homes that can be changed that can positively affect our lives and mood is by using organic nature and mother nature herself.
Other factors that arent as dangerous as the pollutants and poisons, but have a profound effect on our mood and lifestyle is with organic nature. I assessed my own bedroom as I spend a good deal of time in it throughout the day either doing homework or using the computer or simply watching some t. v. relaxing on my bed. I assessed my room and through the readings looked at what I could do to enhance my living personal living arrangement. The Natural House Book talks about ways to enhance the home such as using scents, lighting, plant life, and natural fibers.
In my room since I only have one window I make sure that I have that window open throughout the day and not leave it covered always by a dark curtain. I am a big fan of fresh air and when the weather is warm enough I always keep it open enjoying a comforting breeze. I have surrounded my room with pictures and hangings that are pleasant to me and since I never had any plant life in my room before I have brought some in. I now have a spider plant that hangs by my window which adds life and color to my room but I also understand that these plants are a way to clean the air.
Also in other areas of my room I now have some cactuses and a couple of smaller plants that do not need alot of light, I never thought that they existed. Now my room actually has a nice sense of nature but it also makes the room alot more sterile than it was before. My girl friend has now given me a plant after seeing what a difference that it has made in my room and due to its scent from it flowers now adds another dimension to the room that I had never before had considered. People often comment now how pleasant my room smells, and I think that it will have a positive effect on my visitors as well.
Another factor that I believe has the most profound impact on my room is the change in the use of lighting that I now have. Before I though that I just needed enough light to see and thats all that was necessary. With the installation of a couple extra low intensity bulbs my room has taken a new life upon itself. I find myself alot more upbeat than before when I spend time in my room as it is not as dark and dismal. These changes are again noticeable to my visitors as they ask what I have done to my room outside of the plants that they now see.
They are amazed as to the small changes that one can do to make their own rooms happier and more relaxing to live in. In this high stress society I believe that this is very important. I will continue to experiment with my room to find what is pleasing and then start making these changes to other areas of my apartment. I find that I am now more aware than ever as to the effects that one person has on the environment. When the time comes to buy my own home I hope that the builders will more readily make homes that incorporate the methods that save energy and create a balance with nature.
I have found that since we spend a good deal of time in our places or residence we should make them as comfortable and peaceful as we can. The incorporation of living things such as plant life help greatly in this area, along with a responsible lighting scheme. These factors have more of an effect on our moods than I before thought possible. Education of those that are unaware of the effects of pollutants our environment is accumulating needs to continue. And also the risk factors need to be identified and addressed accordingly. Once all of this is combined I believe living happier healthier lives will be much more easily obtained.