air

Fresh flowers, on a weekly basis, can get expensive quickly. With this in mind, when an undesirable smell (after say a trip to the bathroom or burnt soup in the kitchen), the most affordable thing to do is spray a little air freshner. Thanks to a new study from the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the "cost" of those few sprays may be much more than we first thought. Spray and solid air freshners were tested, 14 in all, and 12 of them were found to have phthalates in them (even the "all-natural" and "unscented" ones).

Phthalates are known to interfere with hormone and testosterone production. Children and unborn babies are particularly vulnerable to the toxins. The State of California notes that five types of phthalates - including one detected in air fresheners - are "known to cause birth defects or reproductive harm." Still, phthalates are used in many common consumer products -- to soften plastics in children's toys, as sealants and adhesives in nail polish, and as solvents in perfumes and fragrances.

NRDC's testing was limited, but the results do suggest that more comprehensive, in-depth testing of air fresheners is warranted. NRDC and other groups are petitioning the EPA and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to do more comprehensive testing and to take action to protect the public from dangerous chemicals in air fresheners. While consumers should be concerned about the chemicals, NRDC stressed that there is no cause for panic. The chemicals pose their greatest risk over long term repeated exposure.

Of all the widely-available freshner tested, those made under the Walgreens store brand had the highest level of phthalates. In swift response to the study, Walgreens has already agreed to pull said air freshners off their shelves.

From personal experience, I recommend the Mate Mist line; one bottled lasted nearly 6 months in my apartment (and that includes usage by two adult males). How do you keep your home smelling sweet? Candles? Incenses? Sprays?

Remember when you were a kid and nothing could cool you down on a hot summer day like a frozen popsicle? One California company is taking that same concept and applying it to residential and commercial energy systems: ice-based air conditioning.

California/Colorado-based Ice Energy has been developing and marketing this technology since 2003. Most recently, they teamed up with California public ulitity company PG&E as part of their new "Shift & Save" program.

In collaboration with vendor technologies such as Ice Energy's Ice Bear hybrid air conditioning system, the "Shift and Save" program provides incentives that cut air conditioning peak electrical demand on light commercial and institutional buildings.

The ice-based air conditioner uses cheaper nighttime electricity to make ice and then uses that ice for daytime cooling needs. The units cooling looks almost identical to a standard AC unit. The systems lowers peak daytime demand significantly, shifting the energy load up to 95%.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find much information on just how much a system like this costs to install in an average home, but it is a technology very much worth looking into for eco-minded homeowners. 

Do you use any alternative methods to say cool on hot days? Personally, here in San Francisco, I just turn on a few fans and open all the windows, but in many locations, that would not be nearly enough. 

[via ENN]