Non Toxic Environments Home Health & Wellness

You've all heard me say that no project ever goes perfectly smooth. Mother Nature can drop 10 inches of rain.  Sub-contractors ignore your request to use the healthier product.  Folks, these things happen all the time. It's not a question of 'what if', its a question of 'when'.  So when the time comes, it requires quick action by the homeowner and/or general contractor to make sure things get back on track.  Jay and I give some current real examples of this and how they got successfully resolved. 

Last week, Jay and I talked about some of the more common myths and misconceptions we deal with regularly.  This week, we're focusing on the individuals we would call our influencers...the legends, if you will.  You may have heard of some or many of these folks, but we'll talk about why they were so important to us as we molded our careers.  There you have it...Myths and Legends. Please let us know who your influencers are!

I know I've harped on the topic of internet research before, but this episode takes it much further.  This week, Jay and I discuss many of the myths and fallacies of the green and healthy building process and hopefully, shed some new light on them for you.  We'll talk about plumbing, flooring, VOC's and more.  This was such a fun episode for us and I trust you'll enjoy it as well.

Roofing and waterproofing.  A couple things that Jay and I get asked about regularly, but have yet to address here on the show. Since we're in the throws of a rainy spring, now is a great time to start this discussion.   Whats the best roofing material for your home and is it affordable?  If I'm planning a lower level in my house that will be a livable space, how do I keep it dry?  Great episode for building geeks, for sure!

While the nation is on lockdown, work still needs to be done.  Today we speak with one of our partner builders in Texas that gives us a ton of useful information about working within this current environment.  Jen and Rusty from JS2 Partners specialize in custom healthy home builds, so they are used to working with clients who have serious health issues, so their experience translates perfectly to what we are currently dealing with.

** ATTENTION ** This is the most important podcast we've ever done ** While the world deals with the COVID-19 virus, we asked our friend Dr. Lisa Nagy from the Environmental Health Center of Martha’s Vineyard to come on the show to talk about her experiences and recommendations for protecting ourselves during this pandemic.  What we got from Dr Nagy was a massive checklist for us all to be following, complete with links, product names...folks, I'm still stunned at how much information she gave us all.

We're obviously in the midst of a world wide health crises and I know dozens of experts in the alt/health community are podcasting and YouTubing all about protecting our personal immune systems.  My expertise is in the health of your home, so this episode is all about making your less less susceptible to viruses through the use of healthier materials and better design.  

Hello my friends.  Just a quick update to let you all know that the work is still going on here and we are ready to help.  Jay and I will be back next week with a full episode of the show, so please be safe and well talk again soon.

So often we have clients that are stuck spinning their wheels because of the fear of too many toxins and pollutants.  They use the phrase "what if" when discussing their homes.  What if is has asbestos...what of it has lead...what if it has formaldehyde... Folks, just about every home will has its own set of problems to deal with and these can almost always be remediated and fixed.  Jay and Andy talk about these specific subjects of worry and more on today's show.  

So many awesome questions being sent into the show these days, so Jay and Andy use this episode to discuss some of them.  Piano's and radiators, lingering paint odors, and a followup question to a previous episode about countertops.  

Granite or quartz? Laminate or Solid surface?  Choosing the best material for your project requires an understanding of the function, costs, aesthetic and of course, the human health impact.  In today's podcast, Jay and Andy talk about all the most common, and some less common, countertop options for your home project.   

Its that time of year.  We're getting antsy.  We want to take on a project in our house but it can't be too big, since spring is around the corner and we'll all have yard work to do.  So maybe that's why bathroom remodeling projects are always so popular this time of year.  In this episode, Jay and Andy discuss some of the more common materials used and the ways to avoid mold and other toxicity issues.

Inside of every home, there are obvious dangers and toxins that we can address, but what about those that aren't so obvious. Jay and I call those the hidden menaces in our homes and today, we tackle some of those.  As the saying goes, "life is a journey".  Well, living in a healthy home is a journey and one which has a different destination for everyone. We are not in pursuit of perfection, folks. We are in pursuit of tolerance, comfort and a space healthy enough to allow us to heal.  

Well folks, I'll warn you that this episode contains some extremely horrible audio.   Between my cold and difficult audio connections, this one might be tough to get through.  But we really wanted to get this episode out there for you because its got some excellent information.   Thank you for you patience!  

Excellent discussion today with Matt Grocoff, an American environmentalist and sustainability advocate, writer, speaker and founder of the THRIVE Collaborative.  He is known for his work on net zero energy and net zero water buildings and for the rehabilitation of the oldest home in North America to achieve net zero energy.  Matt shares his own personal story about his home, along with the massive development projects he's undertaking in Michigan and elsewhere.