Why, then, do we hate it so?

Mold has made its way into our homes and offices, hospitals and hotels. Schools have been threatened by it. Entire neighborhoods suffer with it. And in doing so, it has made its way into the news headlines as well. “Sick buildings” and “sick building syndrome” seem to be everywhere, all around us. As much as the news reporters seem to delight in alarming us with the latest, worst-case scenario, they also seem to be more interested in frightening us than in enlightening us. Many know of the danger posed by mold, but they don’t know the dangers they themselves could be confronted with. They never think or realize that their own home or office could be the next “sick building.” And fewer still know exactly what risks they really do face.

The most commonly found molds in buildings are strains of Penicillin and Aspergillus. Yes, in a good form, penicillin can cure that nasty earache of yours. But in your floorboards, your ceiling tiles and walls, it can also cause all sorts of health problems. Mold infestation can cause severe allergies, asthma, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, and other respiratory system illnesses. Prolonged exposure can even cause permanent lung damage from breathing the mold spores. Exposure to even more dangerous molds, such as Stachybyotrys and Chaetomium, are believed to have even greater drastic effects on your health, being believed to lead to memory loss, learning disabilities, chronic fatigue and multiple sclerosis, permanent damage to the immune system and other serious illnesses and conditions. All molds need moisture to live and grow and feed. The best way to prevent mold growth then, is by eliminating that moisture.

We all know that we need to keep our homes well insulated. Did you know, however, that molds, especially Penicillin and Aspergillus, are both commonly found on and in fiberglass insulation materials? Were you aware that mold can and does grow on and behind the Styrofoam sheet type of insulation, too? The best way to both insulate for heating and cooling efficiency AND to prevent mold growth in and under our homes is to use spray foam insulation. Spray foam insulation, by its very nature, leaves no pockets for moisture to collect as rolled fiberglass insulation can. It leaves no gaps or spaces like Styrofoam sheets. In short, it has nothing to make it attractive as a home for dangerous molds. They can’t take root and grow. And if they can’t grow, they can’t pose a risk to you and to your family.

Spray foam insulation can be used in most areas where molds like to congregate – in damp crawl spaces and basements, between the moisture – rich walls, ceilings and floors of bathrooms and kitchens, and in attics (leaking roofs can create entire colonies of mold that go unseen until they reach dangerous levels.) Spray foam insulation is a better choice overall in fighting the war against mold than any other type of insulation currently on the market. While no EPA or OSHA standards for using insulation in mold prevention exist, the very nature of the product gives it superior protection against mold colonization. Spray foam insulation adheres to the shape of the space into which it is blown or sprayed, completely filling the shape and sealing it against both air and moisture intrusion. It is permanent and will not sag or lose its shape. It is a completely waterproof material, allowing no moisture to seep into it should a leak or condensations occur. In short, spray foam insulation is simply the best protection you can give your home or office against the moisture that creates the ideal growing and living conditions for molds. Putting spray foam insulation in your home or office is one way to ensure that you’ll be keeping harmful molds out.

Luckily, ergonomic consultants are trained to assess work spaces and then alter them, in order to improve health and comfort while on the job. Implementing workplace injury management strategies is beneficial to both employers and staff members, because ensuring occupational health and safety helps to reduce the amount of days employees miss as a result of sickness, injury, and doctors appointments. It also decreases the amount of money paid out by the company for workmans compensation and employee health insurance plans.

In order to decrease employees risks of on the job injury, an ergonomics consultant will examine a particular workstation for proper equipment placement. This includes determining whether items such as the computer, keyboard, mouse, and lamp are customized according to the needs of each individual. An ergonomic consultant will also suggest alternate pieces of furniture that can be brought into the office to reduce the number of workplace injuries for each employee. Many workers are surprised at the impact that brighter lights and firmer chairs can have in an office setting after just one day!

Another important component of workplace safety is teaching employees to take frequent rest and stretch breaks. Ergonomic consultants can lead workshops and training sessions to educate employees about exercises that can help to treat and prevent chronic pain throughout the work day. They can also provide instructional materials, such as handouts and DVDs, which employees can refer to if they are experiencing discomfort. This way, employees can still have access to ergonomics tips, even when their consultant is not present.

It is in the best interest of everyone involved to do everything you can to prevent the occurrence of injury in the workplace. Ergonomic assessments are a great method of risk management, and have been proven to reduce instances of pain, absenteeism, and workmans compensation claims. Choose to make a solid investment in the success of your company today, and youll continue to reap the benefits for years to come.

Wastefulness.

I hate the thought of wasting time. I hate the thought of wasting energy. I even hate the thought of wasting food, which is actually one of the reasons I remained a binge eater for so long.

I love efficiency.

I love getting things done in a timely matter. I love only using as much as I need.

And I LOVE a low fat raw food diet.

Where am I going with all this?

I really dont consider myself an environmentalist. I dont petition for the polar bears and I dont support the EPA.

I am currently taking a course on health and environmental justice and constantly feel at arms with my fellow classmates and their views on eco-responsibility.

And yet, I am the most environmentally conscious person I know!

Why?

Because I eat a raw food diet.

Cooking is NOT Environmentally Friendly

Because the topic has already been covered extensively, Im not going to focus too much on meat and dairy consumption in regards to environmental efficacy. Suffice it to say that the livestock industry has a profound effect on the earths trees, topsoil, and water supply.

If you have any doubts that world-wide meat consumption is completely inefficient and has devastating consequences for our environment, be sure to check out the link below:

Eat To Save The Environment?

Lets consider a cooked vegan diet that excludes, meat, dairy and eggs and typically includes lots of grains, soy and other processed products as well as fruits and vegetables.

Not only is this seen by many as the healthiest of all diets, it is viewed as the most environmentally friendly way to eat as well.

But is this true?

Heres an example of some of the damaging effects of grains on the environment from Grain Damage: Rethinking the High-Starch Diet by none other than Dr. Douglas Graham:

“Modern grain farming has resulted in the loss of almost all of our topsoil. What was sixteen feet of topsoil a century ago has been reduced to six inches or less on most of our farms.”

And a little further on:

“The following is a partial list of toxic chemicals used in the processing of grain. How much residue from these chemicals remains in the grain itself, versus how much is simply dumped in concentrated form onto our top soil is of little consequence. In either case, these chemicals end up polluting our bodies and the environment.

Mercury

Cyanide

Ammonium salts

Chlorine

(Each of the above, in high enough doses, can cause insanity or even death).

Flourine

Mineral oil

Allum

(These are high-potency toxins).”

And we all know how much cooked vegans love their soy! Heres a quote from an article from 2004 on the effect of soy cultivation in Brazil:

“Soy at this moment is the most important driver for deforestation, directly and indirectly,” says environmental analyst Jan Maarten Dros. “Directly because the cerrado is being converted from natural vegetation into soy fields. But indirectly, because in this region a lot of cattle farms are being replaced by soy farmers buying or renting land from cattle farmers.” This means, according to Dros’ 2003 WWF study on the impacts of soybean cultivation in Brazil, that the “cattle farmers tend to advance into new forest area, causing more deforestation.”

*But thats not all!*

Have you ever thought about all of the wasted materials that go into packaging these “environmentally responsible” foods?

Plastic, aluminum, steel, tin, cardboard, etc. are all used to contain prepared products such as oatmeal, granola, pasta, organic chips, gluten-free frozen foods, and the like.

*And we certainly cannot forget about cooking!*

All the heat used to bake, roast, grill, and steam vegetables.

All the water used to cook pasta, potatoes, rice etc.

By the way, do you know how much water it takes to boil a pound of pasta? 4-6 quarts.

That’s at least 1 GALLON of water!

The TRUE Green Goers

If you really want to be as efficient as possible, if you really want to go green, if you really want to do everything you can for Mother Earth, you cant do much better than eating a healthy raw vegan diet.

The reasoning is quite simple.

The more whole, raw foods you consume, the less processed, packaged ingredients you buy and the less cooking methods you use. The less processed, packaged ingredients you buy and the less cooking methods you use means less wasted materials and a healthier planet (not to mention a healthier you).

When I compare the amount of material and energy waste before I went raw to after, the results are quite astonishing.

Sure, I was eating a vegan diet and consuming lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, but I was also consuming packaged products everyday, such as oatmeal, sprouted bread, prepared juices, tofu, and lots of dried herbs and spices packaged in plastic bags and containers.

Plus, I ate a whole lot of brown rice and pasta that had to be boiled and a good amount of steamed and baked vegetables.

On the contrary, the foods that I consume now fruit, veggies, nuts and seeds require very little to no packaging at all. In fact, my first two meals of bananas is just that…bananas!

No plastic wrap, no cardboard containers, no twisty ties, etc. Just banana peels that can easily be composted for a lovely, eco-friendly home garden.

And all of this doesnt even begin to consider the fact that I am no longer supporting destructive agricultural methods, while at the same time encouraging the growth of environmentally AND ecologically friendly fruit trees.

According to The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation:

“Fruit trees heal the environment by cleaning the air, improving soil quality, preventing erosion, creating animal habitat, sustaining valuable water sources, and providing healthy nutrition.”

And heres another one from Grain Damage:

“During the great floods of 1993, for example, millions of acres of grain crops were destroyed in the United States, while tree crops flourished. Whereas grains crops lead to depletions and loss of precious topsoil, orchards pull their water and nutrients from deep down in the subsoil, assist in the building of topsoil, and aid in nutrient recycling.

Fruit and nut trees are durable, they protect the soil from erosion, and they encourage biodiversity.

Trees also act as grand air filters, causing particulate matter to fall to the ground. As we replace fields of grains with orchards, we can expect our air to become cleaner, sweeter, and healthier for us.”

Food for Thought

Heres one last little bit of info from my main-man, Dr. D.

An acre of orchard will feed 250% more people than an acre of grain.

Hows that for efficiency?