Creating healthy indoor environments for children

Green building is not just about water and energy efficiency, indoor air quality and a healthy home are equally as important.

Traditionally the majority of the products and materials that were used to create homes and their interiors off gassed many toxic chemicals such as formaldehyde, benzene, PBDEs and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs). These are really bad chemicals with a multitude of adverse effects from respiratory issues through to cancer. Children are are the greatest risk from exposure due to their size and immature bodies.

Healthy Child Healthy World is a US based not for profit who define their mission as "Healthy Child Healthy World is dedicated to protecting the health and well being of children from harmful environmental exposures.We educate parents, support protective policies, and engage communities to make responsible decisions, simple everyday choices, and well-informed lifestyle improvements to create healthy environments where children and families can flourish."

Check out their website, it is a wealth of information.

Time Magazine Names Tim Flannery as “Hero of the Environment”

Time Magazine has recognised Australian of the Year Dr Tim Flannery in their 2007 list of Heroes of the Environment. On an International level, the scientist Flannery is a big hitter, his name ranks along side Al Gore and David Attenborough on matters concerning the environment.


Tim Flannerys book "The Weather Makers", published in 2005, was at the leading edge of highlighting global warming and how humans have contributed to it.

Way to go Tim.

Accelerating green building

As part of the Clinton Global Initiative 2007, a panel was brought together to discuss green building and how to take things forward.

Of note was Bill McDonough of Cradle to Cradle fame, and Australian Maria Atkinson who is the head of sustainability at Lend Lease. We were really impressed with contrary to a lot of opinions in the 'west', India is really making a huge effort.

The discussion is in two parts which you can check out below.

The costs for building green overstated

A recent report by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development has confirmed what many of us have believed for a long time, that the real cost for a more environmentally friendly building is likely to be under 5%.

The report outlines how a widespread 'opinion' of many industry professionals is that the cost is around 17%. This explains why in most consumers minds an environmentnally friendly building is beyond their means.

We were pleased to see that our own experience is in line with the report. We have found that depending on the project value, 5% is the maximum that is necessary to create a more environmentally friendly house. According to our figures, this can be achieved for around $5-10 per week spread across a mortgage.

Farming and rainfall

A recent article and photo in the New York Times ( god only knows why this wasn't big news here in Australia) highlights how land clearing can affect rainfall patterns. The rabbit proof fence that was built across part of Western Australia in the early 20th century to try and keep the rabbits out of farmland has inadvertently highlighted stark differences between the way native vegetation and cleared farmland affect rainfall patterns.

The sky on the side of the fence with the native vegetation is rich with rain producing clouds, where as on the farmland side, the sky is clear.

Scientists are not entirely clear why this has happened, but it highlights how important sustainable farming practices are to such an arid country as Australia.

The lesson, clear all the land of native vegetation and the rain goes away!

Who on earth cares?

The Australian Conservation Foundation has just announced its latest initiative, who on earth cares, with their star recruit being Cate Blanchett. Who on earth cares is about making a public announcement and commitment to reduce your environmental impact via a voluntary online registration system.

The websites home page has a cool graphic of Australia showing where all the 'caring' people are, a running tab of the number of people who care as well as an assessment of how many cars this equates to being taken off the road.

Cate's commitments are:

• Switch my household power supply to accredited GreenPower
• Install a water efficient shower head
• Set my washing machine to wash my clothes in cold water
• Check and install adequate roof insulation
• Avoid one domestic air flight this year and purchase carbon offsets
• Drive 20 kilometres less each week
• Reduce my household electricity and gas usage by 20%
• Install a solar hot water heater

Although one might look at these and think 'so what, these are no big deal', the truth is that plenty of people aren't even making efforts as simple and easy these.

So anyone with a profile who wants to stand up and take a lead, bring it on we say.