Sick Building Syndrome

Many study shows that office plants improves the air quality to make employees more comfortable to work and reduces employee stress levels thus maximizing your business profits. Having plants in an interior setting makes the workplace a more desirable place to be. Greater job satisfaction due to a pleasing environment and inspires employees to be more productive and creative.

Plants have a benevolent effect on people and the spaces in which they live and work. In some hospitals, in a room with a park view really helps the patient recover more faster. It reduces the accumulation of dusts in your place and improving the air humidity. A group of experimental subjects from health problems like headaches, coughs, exhaustion and some eye irritation recovered and decreased problems about 30% after installing a few indoor plants in their places. In Norway a two year study proves decreasing of ailments: Fatigue 20% reduction, Headache 45% reduction, Sore/dry throats 30% reduction, Coughs 40% reduction, Dry facial skin 25% reduction.

NASA study founds that indoor plants reduces airborne molds for sick building syndrome in sealed office environments. They are air purifiers,they reduce levels of carbon dioxide, increase relative humidity, and reduce gassing levels of common interior pollutants. There are also some soil micro-organisms that contributes purification of the air around. Plants are a perfect tool to remove harmful substances from the air. They improve the smell, Indoor air can easily become stagnant and the resulting unpleasant smell can linger.

Plants can also reduce office noise. Office noises can lead higher levels of stress and distraction of employees. Plants are a big help to make employees less distracted from annoying noises and be more productive. Researches says that office plants can break up sound waves to take another direction making sound frequency minimized and reduced. In urban areas outdoor plants are used to obstruct traffic noise. Numerous strategically placed plants especially those with big and thick leaves can dissipate sound waves.

Another benefits of indoor plants is that they help cool the air around them through the process of evapotranspiration (the movement of water from the soil, through the plant and into the atmosphere). This is especially effective in tall buildings where atrium planting can certainly help with temperature regulation. Office plants are not just good in improving office environments to be more relaxing and comfortable and to look much better but it also helps to promote good health for the people around. Hiring office plants is the best way to brighten up your office and to make employees more productive.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ask-an-expert-articles/facts-about-office-plants-4544455.html

Sheena is a Plant Design expert and has been into a plant designing over years and have had remarkable success in designing Office plants and hotels.

So I have been hearing a lot about VOCs recently. And not one to shy away from a perfectly confusing acronym, I have been looking into this one and trying to figure out if it warrants all the attention that it's getting. And guess what? It does. Apparently VOCs are volatile organic compounds--you preferred the acronym, didn't you? VOCs can occur naturally--trees and cows are huge contributors of VOCs--but the ones that occur naturally can be handled naturally. Funny, isn't it? Where we get into trouble is when the VOC count gets way too high and when it's in your home.

Too many VOCs deplete the ozone layer and help create smog and other environmental dangers. Most problematic is when they are in your home where they can adversely affect your family and pets. Low air quality--the EPA says that indoor air can be up to 9 times worse for you than outside--is the main contributor to Sick Building Syndrome. Illnesses such as throat, nose and eye irritations, and even cancer are the results of Sick Building Syndrome and have been linked to VOC and toxins.

So what things contribute to low indoor air quality and what are the alternatives? Paints are one of the huge offenders. Paints and all things to do with paints such as thinners, varnishes and coatings, contain solvents. These solvents house VOCs and other toxins. Remember that new paint smell? Well, those are actually the toxins and VOCs releasing into the air and reducing the quality of your air. The Paint Quality Institute has estimated that the VOCs in traditional paints make up to 10 percent of ozone depleting substances in the United States.

In the last few years paint manufactures have become sensitive to the impact of their products on the health of the consumer and the environment. In an effort to become greener, paint manufacturers have begun work to remove some of the toxic ingredients in their traditional paints to create no VOC paints or low odor paints. Many of these manufacturers are simply creating paint as they are used to doing and then removing the toxins. This is great, but it often creates a less than brilliant product--so we are back to the old problem of do I choose a product that is good for me or is just a good product.

Fortunately, technology is beginning to catch up, and a few manufacturers are creating great paint that is not only super on the walls, but also safe for your family and the planet. A renewed interest in child safe paint (paint that doesn't contain fumes that will damage your kids basically) has resulted in completely revolutionized products that outperform toxic paints in durability, coverage and can come in any color. So, now you don't have to sacrifice performance for health. So, when you're ready to add a splash of something wonderful to your walls do some double-checking. Make sure that it is a no voc, low odor paint, and keep the great stuff on your walls and the toxins out of your home.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/understanding-no-voc-paint-solutions-502369.html

That's like saying "we don't know what to call it (often referred to as Post Lyme Disease, Fibromyalgia, Sick Building Syndrome, Gulf War Syndrome, Multiple Chemical Sensitivity among others), we have a poor understanding of what the disease is and we're uncertain about its cause(s)".

So if you are diagnosed with CFS it merely means you have the symptoms associated with CFS, such as chronic mental and physical exhaustion, myalgia, and cognitive difficulties to name a few. Being diagnosed with CFS tells us nothing of why we are experiencing those symptoms which for most of us means adding "frustration" to the list of symptoms. Its no wonder CFS is often referred to as the "Phantom Illness".

CFS is largely an exclusionary diagnosis and your cause of CFS may be different from mine, therefore your treatment(s) would have to be different from mine. So lets for a minute forget all the names and take the prevailing symptoms (chronic mental and physical exhaustion, muscle weakness, sleep disturbances) and simply refer to them as "IT".

The "key" (and the first step) to finding a cure to "IT" is to find the cause. This can mean researching the alleged possible cause of "IT", trying any known treatment protocol for that cause and seeing if symptom resolution is experienced. Remembering, of course, not to undertake any medical treatments without the strict direction of your doctor. I am not sure which possible cause you should start with, my doctor and I ruled out at least 2 causes before finding a treatment protocol that was extremely successful for me.

I suggest you start out by researching all the possible causes of "IT" and making a determination of which one most likely pertains to you. For example if you live in an area that is known to have ticks, or visited a place known to have ticks around the time your illness began, you would start by researching Lyme Disease and/or Post Lyme Disease. If you live in an estuaries area where the downstream flow of rivers, loaded with agricultural chemicals, meets the incoming tide you would research Possible Estuary Associated Syndrome (PEAS). And if you live, work or go to school in a "sick building" (a building infected with mold) you would research Sick Building Syndrome.

Through my research and a doctor's guidance I was able to find the cause of my "IT" and finally follow a treatment protocol that was successful in decreasing all of my (major) symptoms, most of them to a 2 or 3 on a scale from 1- 10 (10 being severe). Although I still cannot go to the gym and work out or participate in sports that require physical activity, I no longer feel like I have to lift a "Mac Truck" off of myself just to get out of bed in the morning and I have been able to go back to full time work. The bad news is I often get re-infected and have to repeat the treatment. Thankfully research is ongoing and I am confident that in the future a cure for my "IT" will be found.

If you have any questions please contact me personally by emailing me atinfo@ordmiracles.org Good Luck!

In 2002 I fell ill and was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), a poorly understood variably debilitating disorder of uncertain cause/causes. CFS often manifests itself with widespread myalgia, cognitive difficulties, chronic mental and physical exhaustion, often severe, and other characteristic symptoms in a previously healthy and active person. There is no known cure for CFS and only 5 - 10% of all cases are ever fully resolved.

With time I came to consider my illness a great blessing and a phenomenal opportunity. My struggle with CFS has bestowed upon me a passion and fascination for all things that have to do with overcoming and triumphing in the face of challenges. Ordinary Miracles is about showcasing that passion through real-life inspirational stories, a positive, can-do attitude and the application of life-changing concepts such as Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Relational Intelligence(RI). For me having to "play injured" has become a privilege, the benefits of which vastly outweigh any downside brought on by my illness.

Its my hope and prayer that Ordinary Miracles inspires not only you to do great things but for you to be an inspiration to others to achieve greatness.

The surest way to happiness is to lose yourself in a cause greater than yourself.

http://omiracles.wordpress.com/

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/health-articles/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-the-phantom-illness-4446468.html

I'm so excited about this Special Report , I can hardly sit still. Twenty years ago, as a young architect, when my eyes were opened to the tremendously negative impact my profession was having on the environment, I was shocked! Buildings use (and waste) a great deal of energy, water, and materials. My highly-competitive industry contributes substantially to climate change, environmental degradation, and even poor human health from sick building syndrome.

Rather than pack it all in, I saw these dismal statistics as a challenge . Surely, with intelligence, creativity , and determination, we can do better. I began to educate myself, to learn all I could about how nature really works, to study sustainability frameworks, to teach others about green design, to assemble and lead diverse project teams.

I am thrilled to be able to share what I've learned with you. Having negotiated my way through this maze over many years, I fully understand the challenges that come from your struggle. Being green-blooded involves your whole being: heart, head and hands. As with any creative endeavor, it is intuitive and rational, visionary and practical. There are plenty of challenges and nay-sayers along the way.

Download the "Four Success Secrets of Becoming Green-Blooded " now. We invite you to bookmark and share this post far and wide -- let's start a movement! Use the buttons at the bottom of the post.

And. . . .after you have gone through some of the questions and taken the suggested actions in the report, please post here with your answers, observations, and results. Get the conversation going -- share your questions, concerns and successes.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/management-articles/4-success-secrets-of-becoming-greenblooded-1330237.html

Founder and Publisher Julie E. Gabrielli is an award-winning architect who was instrumental in starting the sustainable design movement in Baltimore over ten years ago.

My expertise is as an industry-changer, and I have also worked with institutions to develop sustainability initiatives. I now work with small business owners to take their business in a green direction, starting with clear framework and vision, identifying new markets, crafting a green brand and message, developing new products, assessing and reducing their footprint, and giving back.

Julie E. Gabrielli, NCARB, LEED

GOforChange.com

e: julie@goforchange.com

www.goforchange.com

Get GOforChange's complimentary Special Report: "4 Success Secrets of Becoming Green-Blooded."

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