Super Eco

Photo credit: ercwttmn, flickr

When Multiple Chemical Sensitivity sufferer Amy Ludwigson set out to find a new home, she worked through what most of us would consider a mind-boggling checklist of criteria. She had to consider the construction and materials used in her home, environmental concerns in the area, the habits and lifestyles of her immediate neighbors and furnishings and habits of past residents.

People like Ludwigson react unfavorably when exposed to even the tiniest amounts of toxic chemicals commonly found throughout most American homes today: pesticides, cigarette smoke, paint fumes, wood preservatives, photocopier fumes, perfumes and fragrances, laundry products, dryer sheets, air fresheners, epoxy ... The effects may express themselves as fleeting, chronic or acute conditions, including rapid heart rate, shortness of breath, fatigue, flushing, dizziness, nausea, coughing, difficulty concentrating, problems with memory, migraines, and life-threatening seizures or respiratory distress.

So Ludwigson pulled together a comprehensive list worthy of handing over to her realtor, covering the entire range of factors that contribute to a healthy, non-toxic home:

• Proximity to highways, parking lots, electrical substations and power lines, and other environmental concerns
• The presence and age of materials that offgas 
• Moisture (windows, bathrooms, kitchens, air ducts)
• Indoor air quality and contaminants
• Neighbor habits

Admittedly, Ludwigson's list does not represent a complete reference of home toxins for the uninitiated. "I know this checklist can create a lot of questions and probably needs a book to explain," she confesses. We found it to be a great launching point, though, when considering ways to make sure your own nest is a healthy, non-toxic place to live. Check it out. Have you considered the impact on your home of some of the factors that made her list?