Green spaces ‘improve health’

BBC News

Friday, October 16, 2009

Research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health says the impact is particularly noticeable in reducing rates of mental ill health.

The annual rates of 15 out of 24 major physical diseases were also significantly lower among those living closer to green spaces.

One environmental expert said the study confirmed that green spaces create ‘oases’ of improved health around them.

The researchers from the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam looked at the health records of 350,000 people registered with 195 family doctors across the Netherlands.

Only people who had been registered with their GP for longer than 12 months were included because the study assumed this was the minimum amount of time people would have to live in an environment before any effect of it would be noticeable.

Health impact

The percentages of green space within a one and three kilometre (0.62 and 1.86 miles) radius of their home were calculated using their postcode.

On average, green space accounted for 42% of the residential area within one kilometre (0.62 miles) radius and almost 61% within a three kilometre (1.86 miles) radius of people’s homes.

And the annual rates for 24 diseases in 7 different categories were calculated.

The health benefits for most of the diseases were only seen when the greenery was within a one kilometre ( 0.62 miles ) radius of the home.

The exceptions to this were anxiety disorders, infectious diseases of the digestive system and medically unexplained physical symptoms which were seen to benefit even when the green spaces were within three kilometres of the home.

The biggest impact was on anxiety disorders and depression.

Anxiety disorders

The annual prevalence of anxiety disorders for those living in a residential area containing 10% of green space within a one kilometre (0.62 miles) radius of their home was 26 per 1000 whereas for those living in an area containing 90% of green space it was 18 per 1000.

For depression the rates were 32 per 1000 for the people in the more built up areas and 24 per 1000 for those in the greener areas.

The researchers also showed that this relation was strongest for children younger than 12.

They were 21% less likely to suffer from depression in the greener areas.

Two unexpected findings were that the greener spaces did not show benefits for high blood pressure and that the relation appeared stronger for people aged 46 to 65 than for the elderly.

The researchers think the green spaces help recovery from stress and offer greater opportunities for social contacts.

They say the free physical exercise and better air quality could also contribute.

Dr Jolanda Maas of the VU University Medical Centre in Amsterdam, said: “It clearly shows that green spaces are not just a luxury but they relate directly to diseases and the way people feel in their living environments.”

“Most of the diseases which are related to green spaces are diseases which are highly prevalent and costly to treat so policy makers need to realise that this is something they may be able to diminish with green spaces.”

Professor Barbara Maher of the Lancaster Environment Centre said the study confirmed that green spaces create oases of improved health around them especially for children.

She said: “At least part of this ‘oasis’ effect probably reflects changes in air quality.

“Anything that reduces our exposure to the modern-day ‘cocktail’ of atmospheric pollutants has got to be a good thing.”

9 eco-friendly household cleaning products that really work: a personal testimonial

San Francisco Greener Living Examiner
Elizabeth Quinn
Tuesday, September 15, 2009

As an environmentalist with obsessive-compulsive disorder, I am sometimes at odds with myself when it comes to cleaning products. But after a weekend spent doing chores around the house, I can attest without reservation to the efficacy of the following products. I unequivocally swear by all of them. My husband also endorses all of the products (i.e., he has never complained about their outcomes). And this means a lot coming from him, as he does not countenance dirt in the least bit. So here are my recommendations for products that will make you, members of your household, and other inhabitants of the environment all smile and breathe a little easier:

In the Laundry Room:

Nellie’s Laundry Soda: I have been using this product for more than a year and I recommend it unconditionally.

I would suggest ordering the 120-load size because it will last you longer and it comes in an eco-friendly cardboard canister (as opposed the plastic pouches of the smaller size). They say one small scoop cleans an entire load, and they mean it! In this case, less is definitely more.

Dryer Balls (multiple manufacturers): Get rid of the chemicals altogether by using dryer balls instead of dryer sheets. They work great. Just make sure you remove them at the end of the drying cycle so that you are not surprised later by a dryer ball up your sleeve. They also come in a PVC-free version. (I have not used the PVC-free version myself, so I cannot personally attest to their performance, but I’m sure they work great.)

Oxo Brite: Use in place of bleach to whiten and brighten clothes. One or two scoops is all it takes. The key benefit: it’s chlorine-free! (Our fish don’t need to have their water chlorinated like a suburban swimming pool.)

Ecover Delicate Wash: Use this in place of Woolite for delicates, hand-wash items, and baby clothes. There’s no discernable difference in performance. Ecover’s stain stick also works very well.

In the Kitchen:

We are lucky in the Bay Area because we have hard water, which means we can use phosphate-free dishwashing products without problem. (When released into waterways, phosphates create algae blooms that deoxygenate the water, essentially suffocating its fish and other inhabitants.) But this will soon be a moot point because phosphates are steadily being legislated out of dishwashing liquid altogether.

Until these laws take effect, help the Earth by using the following products.

Ecover Dishwashing Liquid: Works great; it performs exactly the same as its conventional counterpart, except that you feel less-guilty when you are washing dishes.

Ecover Automatic Dishwasher Powder: I switched to this product after trying that of another eco-friendly company. The competitor product sometimes left a residue on the dishes, but the Ecover brand works like a charm.

In the Bathroom:

Dr. Bronner’s Classic Liquid Soap (use as the base for hand soap in your bathroom and/or kitchen). Not only is this eco-friendly and effective, but it’s also incredibly economical. Buy a large bottle, pour a small amount into your liquid soap dispenser, and add water. Because it is so concentrated, it practically lasts forever. Saves plastic, too, because you aren’t buying multiple bottles.

Ecover Limescale Remover: This product wins the miracle-worker prize. I used it last night to tackle a tub floor that had turned an unattractive shade of gray despite regular maintenance cleanings. Highly skeptical that anything would work on the stubborn stains, I spritzed the limescale remover a few times and let it sit for a few hours. Imagine my surprise when I came back and found a perfectly pristine tub in the places where the spray had landed! Elated, I covered the entire tub and cleaned it to perfection after letting it sit for a few hours. I know it wasn’t technically a miracle, but it was close enough in my book.

What about brands, you may ask? I like to consider myself brand-agnostic, and I acknowledge that there are many other eco-friendly household lines than are mentioned here. I suggest you just experiment with various products until you find what works for you.

Now let’s talk about price. Some of the above products are marginally more expensive than their mainstream counterparts, but remember that the retail price point only accounts for one-third of the triple bottom line. Most of these companies are fair-trade certified, meaning they offer living wages and good benefits for their workers. Also, several of the products—notably Nellie’s Laundry Soda, Dr. Bronner’s Classic Liquid Soap, and the dryer balls are, in fact, cheaper, because they are concentrated or require a smaller amount to work.

So that’s my roundup of eco-champ household products. I personally swear by the above affirmations, so feel free to comment if you disagree. And just to prove that I don’t green-light every eco-friendly product (regardless of its efficacy), I will state here that I have yet to find a suitable eco-friendly drain cleaner. I’ve tried three different products, and none, unfortunately, work as well as conventional products. I guess this is the white whale of eco-friendly household cleaners. Don’t give up, guys! I know you can find a Drano alternative!

Inspiring Vertical Gardens for Small Spaces

Low Impact Living
Bridgette Meinhold
Thursday, June 25, 2009

Space is a precious commodity, especially now that so much of our backyard or balcony space is occupied by containers for growing organic vegetables. For those of you out there getting tight on space, but who still want beautiful flowers and plants to look at, consider a vertical garden. It’s organic art for your indoor or outdoor wall space and is a beautiful way to help filter air naturally and add humidity to your environment. Check out these beautiful and inspiring small vertical gardens.

A vertical garden is essentially a framework of plants placed onto the side of a building or a wall. They can be placed indoors or outdoors, in full sun or shade, depending on what types of plants you want. You can plant all types of flowers and plants on them, including epiphytes, tropical plants, succulents, ferns and even herbs. Check out ELT Living Wall Systems for a great list of plants to try if you want to do it yourself. In general, plants with shallow roots are better, because they have an easier time staying attached to a vertical wall.

The grandfather of vertical gardens is Patrick Blanc, who is a French Botanist and practically came up with the idea. He is also responsible for a long list of building integrated vertical gardens like these stunning examples. His basic system consists of a steel frame for structural integretity,[sic] a waterproof backing material to keep water off of the building, and felt fabric for the plants to adhere and grow into. Depending on what type of climate the garden is in, then depends on the necessary humitidy [sic] requirements.

Newer companies like ELT Living Wall Systems are starting to come out with wall planting systems like the one above that allow you to plug plants into individualized compartments. ELT now sells a smaller version of their large scale walls through Smith & Hawken now complete with irrigation system. These beautiful units would be a wonderful addition to your kitchen as an herb garden.

This vertical garden is actually made from recycled rain gutters nailed to the side of a house. Suzanne Forsling, who lives in Alaska, came up with this system to keep her salad crops off the cold ground and away from critters, but it’s a perfect way to reuse abandoned gutters and take advantage of empty outdoor wall space. Flowers, herbs, vegetables, and greens could be planted here and if you pair it with a drip irrigation system, you’ve got a perfect vertical planting system.

Here, epiphytes, are stuck into a recessed wall at an installation at the Bardessono Hotel in Yountville, which is a LEED Platinum Certified hotel. Epiphytes, or airplants, attach themselves to objects without need for soil and do not need irrigation, which makes them perfect for such an installation. There is no watering system in place and the plants draw their nutrients and water straight from the air. This fantastic vertical wall was created by Flora Grubb Gardens in San Francisco. Flora Grubb Gardens is also responsible for the framed living wall below, which is like a tiled mosaic of succulents. Built inside of a large and deep frame, the succulents each have their own pocket and are tightly packed in against each other.

And finally, this adorable little wall was created by Jill Bert, who built a large frame from wood and partitioned it off into sections. Inside she is growing herbs and lettuces in a delightful and artistic pattern. This design looks spectacularly easy enough to create out of leftover wood laying around. Another option for a DIY vertical garden is a Succulent and Moss Trellis, found at Lowe’s Creative Ideas. Click here for a complete how-to creation. This one doesn’t require an irrigation system, just occasional misting to keep the moss moist so it provide stability to the succulents.

For more inspiration and some larger installations, check out these vertical gardens at Apartment Therapy.