GREENER LIVING with 'Dr. G'
aka Gary 'Dr. G' Ginsberg
Toxicology Expert * Consumer Advocate * Talk Radio Advisor
HOME TOXICS TESTS
Review the toxics issues in this section to see if your home and family are at risk.
Through a series of simple questions, learn what is a risk in your home and
how it can be prevented.
It won't be that simple for everyone, but the Home Toxics Test is a good start.
We also point you towards other web resources and to our new book
"What's Toxic, What's Not" if you need more detailed information.
ASBESTOS
Asbestos is a mineral that was widely used until the 1970's because it is fire resistant and a good insulator. In homes asbestos was commonly
used to insulate boilers and hot water pipes in basements. It was also
present in certain floor and ceiling tiles. Asbestos has caused lung cancer in workers who have been heavily exposed. Prudent avoidance dictates that this carcinogen be kept under control so the it doesn't spread through your home. Click here to learn more.
MOLD
Mold gets alot of attention because it pops up in many homes as an unsightly and odorous growth on walls, ceilings, carpeting and other furnishings. Even worse, mold can cause health effects. But the mold problem has be overhyped as many have latched on to the concept of "toxic" mold. Common exposures in most homes will not damage the lungs or be toxic. Instead, it may produce allergic reactions in some individuals. Click here to learn more.
Lead is a serious health hazard when present inside the home. If can be ingested by pregnant women and young children and damage the developing brain. This safety screen will tell you whether your home is a lead hazard. Click here to learn more.RADON
Radioactive gas seeps out of the bedrock beneath many homes. This gas, radon, can be sept up into homes through cracks in the foundatoin. This occurs especially in the winter when the house is sealed and the furnace draws air up form the soil. Radon causes cancer of the lungs. Once inhaled it deposits in the respiratory tract where it can emit radiation in the surrounding tissue. Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer behind tobacco. Click here for vital information on protecting yourself from Radon.
CARBON
MONOXIDE
Anytime you burn something, whether it be cigarettes, cut wood, gasoline, or home heating oil, you create carbon monoxide (CO). This colorless, odorless gas is quite toxic and lethal. It is suffocating as it prevents the bloomstream from using oxygen. In most cases, the CO created by a furnace, kerosene heater, wood stove or back-up generator is not a health risk because the appliance is properly vented to the outdoors. However, roughly 200 people die each year in this country from CO poisoning. Typically they are suffocated in their sleep without warning. Click here for lifesaving instructions. INDOOR AIR POLUTION
Indoor Air Pollution (IAP) is an unavoidable fact of life. Our home and its furnishings give off gas chemicals of VOCs (volatile organic chemicals). VOCs are present in wood products, upholstery, carpeting, drapery, vinyl flooring and consumer products we buy at the hardware store like paint, sealants, adhesives etc. Our neighborhood grocery store provides us we products we rarely think twice about - cleaning products, waxes, etc. Throw in the fact that many homes have conditions ripe for mold and dust mite infestation and it becomes hard to imagine a home without at least some IAP issue. This is made worse by our increasing energy efficiency causing homes to be even more air tight than ever before. This traps VOCs and biological pollutants in the home, so that you inhale a dose every time you breathe. IAP doesn't have to be as toxic or ovbvious as cigarette smoke for example to be a risk factor. Click here for more info on IAP.
WATER
Toxic chemicals may get into your home's tap water due to any number of reasons. Pesticides, arsenic, uranium, manganese, perchlorate, gasoline, chlorine compounds, industrial solvents, dry cleaning agents and more. These pollutants may be a concern at your house depending upon the tyoe of water supply youhave and where it is located. Take the test to find out whether you should test your drinking water, which chemicals to test for and what to do if you find some in your water.
Click here for more information.
CONSUMER
PRODUCTS
There are thousands of consumer products and any more thousands of ingredients in consumer products. Some of these can release chemicals on contact into your skin or can vaporize into your home's air. Some can merge with dust particles that settle on your floors.Click here for more information!
YARD and GARDEN
Before you venture into your yard next Spring, find out if you need to keep your children and pets away from the foundation of your home. Why? You may have lead or chlordane (banned pesticide) in your soil, arsenic in your playscape, or other types of pesticides lurking in your yard and garden. Find out how to prevent these toxics from leaching into your family's bodies. Take the test! Click here for more information!