Spare the Air Top 10 Tips

method co-founder Adam Lowry spoke at today’s “Spare the Air” press conference in San Francisco. The “Spare the Air” program was established to educate the public about air pollution in the Bay area and promote individual behavior changes that improve air quality. Here are a few of Adam’s tips about how you can help spare the air in your home:

1. Trash your Stash – you know all those nasty cleaners hiding under your sink?  Get rid of them, and replace them with healthy alternatives like method.  And do it at work, too, because we spend as much time there as we do at home.


2. Bring the Outside In – Having just a few plants around the house can greatly improve indoor air quality.  Believe it or not, common houseplants like rhododendron, lilies, and ivies absorb indoor air pollutants and replace it with pure, healthy oxygen.


3. Suck it up – Common vacuums often don’t pick up dust and allergens, but just spread it around.  Be sure to look for a vacuum with a HEPA air filter.


4. Detox Your Home - Two studies conducted in Florida and Massachusetts found that indoor air contained 5-10 times as many pesticides as the air outside, much of it tracked in on the bottom of people’s shoes. Simple things like taking off your shoes and wiping your feet on a doormat 5 times before entering can keep common allergens from becoming airborne and bothering you or your family.


5. Build it Out - Common building items like particle board can off-gas hazardous chemicals like formaldehyde, while common paints and carpeting will off-gas other dangerous materials.  When remodeling make sure you choose: 1)  VOC-free paints, 2) formaldehyde-free building materials, and 3) PVC-free carpets.


6. Get rid of pesticides --  Any cleaning product that claims to disinfect or kill germs or bacteria contains a registered pesticide.  These products are what cause indoor air to have 5-10 times as many pesticides as the outside.  Avoid these products to avoid bringing these pesticides into your home.


7. Open a Window – a little fresh air goes a long way.  According to CARB “Houses today are so efficient that 'outgassing' of chemicals has no where to go, so it builds up in the home”.  Simply opening a window ventilates your home and improves air quality.


8. Capture dust, don’t spread it – use a microfiber cloth or damp towel to dust rather than a duster.  Ordinary dusters just spread it around.


9. Control Humidity – excess humidity in closed spaces supports growth of bacteria and mold and intensifies some pollutants.  Control humidity, fix leaks, and use a dehumidifier if needed to keep relative humidity < 60%.


10. Buy Energy Star Appliances – and make sure combustion appliances like gas ranges are in good working condition.  These appliances can produce carbon monoxide, or worse.  Maintaining them, and/or replacing them with Energy Star appliances will help you Spare the Air at home.

Comments

[Lehigh Valley - Berks Air Quality Partnership]

Nice blog and great Air Quality tips on this post!

[tanyetta]

i love the melon scent of method!

[Gaurav Rekhi]

great produts

[Sarah]

These are great tips! Thx. Go Method.

[Colette]

I just received a tip from Ideal Bite saying how great of a company Method is. I had no idea your products were environmentaly friendly. I'm going to buy some floor cleaner right now!

[Jan]

Hey guy's where have you been all my life??

We have two parrots one frenchie Bull dog and 2 cats, let me tell you nothing but nothing ever made the house smell really clean until I purchased my first Method scented sticks after realizing how wonderful and clean our home seemed, I went out and purchased the OMop Kit!
I just did the wood floor in the family room, oh my gosh what a beautiful shine and that wonderful clean sent...truly it's beyond words.
Keep up the great "CLEAN" work

[Ornery's Wife]

Great list. I am going to link it to my blog!
TM

[CHRISTIE MOREIRA]

Go Method! Having 4 boys ages 8,6,4,1 and a husband we appreciate method products,the tips and the smell of our clean home! We all fight dirty!

[Anna McCauley]

I love your products - and I am your biggest fan in Jacksonville. However you need to change the packaging of your laundry detergentl. SOOO messy! Every time I fill the cap it gets all over the place.

Thanks - Anna McCauley

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[Mary]

I have seen your products for quite some time now. I never realized they were environmentally friendly. I just liked the packaging, but to be completely honest, I never bought the products. I saw Adam on the MSNBC.com page and wondered what he was selling. I checked out the company and I will now buy your products.

[Lilli]

All great tips except for the microfibre cloth...use that cotton cloth instead. Microfibre and all swiffer type products are another product that won't degrade for 1000 years and will clog our landfills. At least that old cotton rag will dissapear in 10 years. Is that 1000 years of pollution worth a dust free home?

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/arts/story.html?k=26600&id=331b85cb-23c5-4421-83d6-1b88fca13206

[Jane]

Why is their fragrance in your products? and why don't you disclose what exactly creates that fragrance?

why do you artificially color your products?

[Jane]

Why is their fragrance in your products? and why don't you disclose what exactly creates that fragrance?

why do you artificially color your products?