Tag: holidays

Cozy Fireplaces, Clouded Lungs: Why Wood Burning Stoves are a Holiday Health Hazard

Sotirios PapathanasiouLeave a comment

The holidays conjure up images of crackling fires, warm hearths, and cozy evenings. But for many, especially those living in communities with widespread wood burning, this idyllic picture masks a grim reality: a significant decline in indoor and outdoor air quality. Wood burning stoves, while charming and nostalgic, are a major contributor to indoor and outdoor air pollution, posing serious health risks to both the occupants of the house and the surrounding community.

Indoor Air: A Smoky Trap

Burning wood releases a cocktail of harmful pollutants, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These microscopic particles can easily infiltrate the lungs and bloodstream, causing a range of health problems:

Read More »

Holiday Cheer, Hazy Air: How Festive Practices Can Harm Indoor Air Quality

Sotirios PapathanasiouLeave a comment

The holidays are a time for celebration, filled with the warmth of family gatherings, delicious meals, and festive decorations. However, amidst the joy, some seemingly harmless traditions can have unintended consequences for our indoor air quality.

1. Culinary Combustion: The Peril of Holiday Feasts

Holiday dinners often involve hours spent in the kitchen, with ovens cranking and stoves blazing, filling the air with a medley of aromas. While tempting, this culinary combustion releases volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from cooking oils, burning meat, and even vegetables. VOCs can irritate eyes and lungs, exacerbate respiratory issues, and contribute to poor air quality. Keep ventilation on!

2. Fragrant Fumes: The Unseen Threat of Candles and Incense

Candles and incense are staples of holiday decor, adding warmth and ambience to our homes. Unfortunately, their burning releases pollutants like particulate matter and volatile organic compounds, impacting air quality. For those with asthma or allergies, these irritants can trigger unpleasant reactions. Say no to candles and incense burning!

Read More »

Holidays and Air Quality Presents 🎁❤️

Sotirios PapathanasiouLeave a comment

I know it sounds very consumeristic, but we all have to give some kind of a gift to friends and family as this is the social norm. Why not give something that will also help people be aware of the air quality in the ambient they spend most of their time, indoors?

Air Quality Monitors

You can find air quality monitors for all wallets. The most important thing to consider is not the amount of sensors the monitor has, but the effectiveness of the monitor in communicating the air quality information to the users and always consider products that are meant to last. Super cheap products are not a good investment for your wallet and the environment. e-waste is a real issue on a global scale.

Read More »