UPDATED March 2007

Joke of the day
A man walked into a store.
He asked for some florescence light bulbs.
He then asked the store owner where he could recycle the old bulbs.
No body knew.
Ha ha !- the joke is on us and all future generations.

Florescent bulbs have mercury in them. They are considered toxic waste. Yet there is not one ounce of effort by GE or Phillips or any other company to set up a program to recycle them.
This is the source of the problem. People who feel it is their right to make a profit off the contamination of the planet and illness of others, with no responsible program for collection and recycling.
Problem number 2;  you and I allow it and we actually support it by buying, using and no speaking up..

Please consider becoming active by; asking YOUR local store owners who sell items like,
1. what you do with the old ones;
2.  why they sell toxic waste with no recycling program for it.

Same thing with paint, solvents, motor oil, thermometers, and a million other household products. When we will make companies that sell items that are toxic, responsible for having some type of  recycling program?
Some of the toxic messes that have been created by GE are simply beyond belief. People die and are dying from them.
You guys at GE have a lot of balls.
Take some pride in what you do and do the right thing for a change.

BILL MOYERS
For some seriously accurate  information, keep an eye on Bill Moyers reports.

IMUS IN THE MORNING
Also, hats off to Don and Diedra Imus for the work they are doing- just getting the word out on mercury poisoning from flue vaccines and misc other sources is great. It is great to see the "I" man channeling energy into doing really good things in the world. Don, when you are ready for me to come to the ranch to help increase the "healthy " air quality of the buildings, give me a shout.  I am concerned about the toxics in your air conditioning and other areas where standard construction leaves carcinogens and other toxic petro chemicals opened to breathing air. We should have helped during the design, but anytime is ok to upgrade, especially for kids who are at higher health risk.

BRAZILIAN CHERRY
We see Bob Villa pushing brazilian cherry  on national TV and cringe. We consider brazilian cherry to be toxic waste material. It is very odorous and as with many exotic tropical woods, is filled with natural pesticides that can have a dramatic affect of certain types of people.  The smell does not go away over time, and while beautiful, buyers should be advised that this wood has caused serious health affects to many people. The only way to deal with the odors is to totally remove it.
 

EPA PESTICIDE TESTING
THE LATEST ON OUR EPA
the EPA is reported to be planning to spend millions of our tax dollars by presenting a program for [LOW INCOME FAMILIES] people to use pesticides in their home for $970 a shot, including providing a cam corder and fire retardant clothes for kids. What year is this? Who is the president? Congrats to our FRIENDS OF CHEMISTRY  club. Another giant leap back for mankind.
 

From the "You know you're in trouble" file
We see this all the time, a chronic sign of  when building or renovation projects for people with chemical sensitivities are in serious trouble.
You know for sure it's time for a change when your contractor [who has no experience with chemical sensitivity]  starts providing "healthy" options for materials  [in a leading edge project for the chemically sensitive], and the client agrees.
This happens regularly, when a home owner makes friends with a builder and starts trusting what they say [even when it is  clear they don't know what they are talking about].
While anyone can find options for healthy homes, the odds are against any person coming up with all the components for establishing a leading edge healthy home. What a person with no experience with chemical sensitivities will determine as a priority or material option will be significantly different than what one who has chemical sensitivities and has had extensive experience in the  field. There is great illusion in thinking otherwise.
This is a life of responsibility. Good intentions have nothing to do with success in this area.  If we don't take the time to be responsible for what we believe, we will pay the price. Leading edge healthy homes do not come into being by mistake.
Our files are full of projects that have failed due to this issue, and when we see it in action, we speak out.
 

FIRST POUR
Many times we are consumed with ideas that we think are all important for our building project, but may not have any benefit, or it may actually increase risks from other sources. First pour of concrete is one that I have discussed numerous times this year with different clients for their projects. Some one down the line somewhere said it was the thing to do, and now everyone is going first pour crazy. But be warned, pretty soon there will be information revealing irreversible problems caused by first pours.
FIRST POUR is requested with the intention of getting the cleanest truck so there is no cross contamination from additives of other loads. This is in theory a good idea, however it does not always work out that way, and in certain instances during cold weather, first pour is actually not desirable.

The focus should be to get clean cement and clean trucks. What pour it is will not matter if the trucks have not been cleaned properly and if the mix is not ok. Our recommendation is to focus on those issues, and making sure that the truck is cleaned very well, immediately before your load goes in. Ultimately, the responsibility whether the trucks are clean or not falls on the shoulders of the person who arranges for the concrete. Checking to be sure is the key, and knowing the driver will help as well.
Taking the time to go to the distributor, meet the driver, find out the process for cleaning and perhaps tipping the driver to do extra cleaning is the best way to be sure your load is clean.
 
 

MOTH BALLS- CAMPHOR
The odors from champhor should be noted as serious long term toxics, acknowledged by the companies that produce them as hazardous materials. Did you know it is against the law for people to be exposed to the smell of the little babies? And that porous materials that have been exposed to the odors should be considered to be contaminated forever.
 

ROOF CAVITY VENTILATION STUDY
The most recent study Tad has undertaken, uncovers the truth about attic venting, and the failure of modern systems [ from 1950 to present day] to adequately remove heat from roof cavity areas. This failure creates a need for mechanical support to remain comfortable and cool, increasing our energy demands,  loads, and investment, operational and maintenance costs significantly. It also increases chances of health problems developing, primarily from attic cavity toxics permiating the building and central air system, including many types of common molds and terpenes from pine and particleboard sheathing.
With proper design and building methods, we feel confident forced air evacuation and air conditioning can be reduced as much as 75% to 85% in some cases. While this sudy focuses primarily on the northeast, it is highly applicable to southern climates as well, where roof cavity construction is more influential to the overall temperature of the living area of a dwelling. These southern climate areas also exhibit a large number of homes where roof cavity venting is essentially non existant.

HALE HURRAH!
Hats off  to the Maui County advisory committee for restructuring  building codes to allow the building of traditional grass roof huts [called hale] by locals, long outlawed on the islands. Am I brain dead or why is it I  can't imagine US outlawing native American anything.  Ain't it amazin what we so called sophisticated societies can do with local cultures?
SHAME for outlawing these, natural, sustainable buildings all made from local materials. Some day soon there will be classes teaching how to build these. Go wild boys.
[In 1980 I worked in Costa Rica, researching  and building native thatched huts for a health resort- our lumber was cut by the moon- to reduce termite problems and delivered by oxen. Sustainable to the max.]
 

ASPHALT FUMES NOT HARMFUL
Hats off  to Owens Corning for their new research study, declaring that asphalt fumes have no significant effect on worker health. Yes, me too, I'll take another king size helping of bull shit soup. Huge cajones, no shame.
Funny how everyone else knows how toxic this is! Check out  CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY OF COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS, Gosselin, Hodge, Smith-  and see what they say about these products, including central nervous system depressants and severe pulminary irritants among others.

A LADY NAMED LAURA BUSH
Speaking of no shame, here's an unbelievable one for the road- our local radio station plays this advertisement constantly [which I am sure we pay for]  of our first lady actually instructing us to form food banks to provide food for the starving kids in this country.  What has happened in this country, is that amoung the general population, people, individuals are rising to take care of our own, simply because the administration is busy doing other things, like spending money on insane adventures that have nothing to do with the welfare of the people. Take for example, like SHE said- hungry kids- which WE the people are taking care of. Or the problem of chemical contamination, which we, the private sector are having to invent ways to deal with, to fight for our lives, because the administration is to busy to acknowledge or accept any responsibility for all these SMALL problems.

I understand our president is releasing his plan to go to Mars and the moon etc etc. and, I can't quite understand  where alll the $$$$ billions he is planning on spending on this boondogle is going to come from, or what the point is. This, I do not recall being a part of his election package. Investing in Mars, the moon, Iraq, Mexico, but nothing left to invest , especially for the kids, the future, at home? What happened to the education of our most valuable resource, our kids? What has happened to developing our energy independence? Dealing with problems at home? Issues that don't receive any press like all those schools that were built [and still being used] with toxic asbestos insulation [that the government squashed the report making that info public], and other serious indoor air quality problems;  there is a very limited amount of good water left on the planet, the air is a mess, inside and outside our homes,  over 75% of the bridges in this country are below standard and in serious disrepair, roads are below standard,  gas additives are totally polluting the earth and water, there are scores of  homeless people- families and kids, no jobs and housing for those with no shelter, all kinds of programs for kids at school have been cut,  state and national programs for  those people in this country who are in trouble- the elderly, no health care programs on and on and on. Remember that all these issues go unaddressed as we focus on dumping all this money into space and other countries. What the hell?

VERMONT,  GREEN AND GREASY
From our "NOBODY WILL NOTICE THIS!" file .Thanks gov, no one HAS noticed! We are into our third season of the state of Vermont  polluting our rural roads, water and soil. The sand they dump tons of  [on the roads] used to keep those big SUV's  from sliding off when it's snowy or icy, is filled with diesel, because it is so toxic it melts the ice on it's own. A cheap option to salt. Salt also has to be agitated to continue melting ice. The millions of dollars damage this does every year to our cars,  eco systems and bridges is unforgivable, but hey, it keeps the economy going, yeh?.
I say, let em slide. We dump too much toxic waste on the land. Use straight sand, let people know they must take responsibility for themselves when driving in snow [da], and slow down and enjoyt he scenery.

MTBE
From the "OOpps" file !!!!
 The reality is soaking in- literally. Well we finally got it, MTBE is toxic as hell, and it's coming off the market- soon. What no body told us yet is how much damage it can do to the human body. Super soluable in water, it's entry into the body from breathing is just as rapid, and what can it do once it is in there in that wet moist environment? We will never see any data on this issue, but we have done more damage to the environment in 5 years than what is imaginable.
 

"RITZY APARTMENTS TURNED INTO SOLID MOLD"
from the NEW YORK POST Jan 6th 2003- the worlds most expensive apartment building at 515 Park
Ave in NY city
filled with mold-
Well of course!
We don't know how to better explain to people the extreme risks that exist from mold growth, anywhere and anytime,
when using regular contractors to do work, both new and renovations. With no analysis to run risk assessment and set up procedures to eliminate and prevent mold growth. These days, both building materials, building methods, and site conditions could not be more prime for mold to proliferate.
Builders do not work with an eye on mold prevention. They don't know all the issues that affect it's ability to grow, so they simply build in the probability that mold will grow.

Have your site and plans analyzed to prevent project failure!!!!!

"ADMINISTRATION SILENCES WARNING ABOUT INSULATION"

Dec 29th 2002
Apparently the LIBBY Montana vermiculite  mine has been mining and shipping  extremely lethal asbestos fiber called tremolite in their vermiculite all over the country [and world]  for use in ZONOLITE insulation for schools, homes and businesses. This took place from the 40's through the 90's. Almost all the vermiculite used in ZONOLITE came from the Libby mine owned by the W/.R. Grace company.

At Healthy Homes we know this material is characteristicly found primarily [but not limited] to concerte block constructions, common to schools and public buildings. Besides the high levels of oil found in these insulations, this adds a special to the word contaminated, as damage from this will be felt for generations.

This press release to warn people all over the world was silenced by the administration

HEALTHY SCHOOLS- HEALTHY KIDS
2002 is designated as our healthy homes- " year of the healthy child!"
Please see our "SERVICES" pages for more info on Tad Taylor's HEALTHY Fantasy Furniture! Our design studios are actively working on healthy day schools and children's environments, as well as organizing our resource center to display a full arrangement of healthy and exciting building materials specifically for kids. Our extensive portfolios are available to view, some of which will be up on the site shortly, displaying 20 years of Tad's graphics and creations, seen from Beverly Hills and San Francisco to Scarsdale  NY and Greenwich Ct..

"Alternative Medicine" article on water
Thanks for the great article on bottled water  [Jan 2002]
Experts consider almost all the earth's water to be polluted in some way.
When will we stop destroying the single most important element on the planet?
 

EPA  TO PERMIT CARBON DIOXIDE RELEASE?
Check out the EPA website for details on all kinds of happenings, including the March  14 release of the permit application for carbon dioxide release off the cost of Kauai. Scientists speculate they will be able to reduce greenhouse effect by releasing tons of this toxic material into the sea.
 
 

REVIEW THESE!
 

Mag reviews for the last several  months!!! with our ratings and 5 star winner!

***HEALTH magazine Oct 2001 had a great article,  "CLEAN HOME- HEALTH HAZARD?"
chemical cleaners- more and more recognized as a critical concern, even by die hard chemical fans.
good stuff!!

NATURAL HEALTH Oct Nov 2001
"Should ritalin be required for hyperactive kids?"
parents in court to defend their right to keep their kids OFF of ritalin? Now this is beginning to make sense.While NATURAL HEALTH does mention testing kids for food allergies for possible connections to ADHD, NO mention is given to air quality and chemical contributors like formaldehyde, paints, carpets, adhesives and other common household and biological contaminants.
good blurb lets see more!!

**NATURAL HOME MAG  Jan Feb 2002
.....continues to bring up great subjects like healthy kids rooms etc. in their latest issues. While the subject matter is good, lack of detail, definition, and the ability of the ed to connect the dots in these areas leaves us all at risk.  These subjects go much deeper than reported, and the common shortcoming is to have incomplete information that leaves us wondering ?????
 Why not do each subject area-  the whole thing, covering the subject completely, rather than touching only lightly, leaving so many in the dark and at risk about so much?  By over simplifying, we loose perspective that there are many significant risks, the reasons for their existence can be understood,  and for many, there are practical ways for dealing with these issues.

For example, much information is passed on that is inaccurate. Also a lot of info we are given get is simply impractical, and lessens our overall faith in the credibility of what is being said. It challenges our interest  threshold- like "unplug lamps at night in kids rooms"? This may not be good general advise, while in certain extreme cases it may bee great advise! Besides being a general statement that leaves us with an inaccurate understanding relative to EMF's [though every once in a while a lamp may give off or carry large readings], no where does it mention the most critical principle in understanding EMF. The distance from the fixture is the key concern,  so don't have it right next to the head of your bed! And how about the safety issue in unplugging lights that may be important during an emergency in the night? Understanding that EMF's, stray currents and other electrical contamination can be carried by circuits may be another concern, but those circuits can be set up to be shut off, or can be eliminated by identifying the source and removing that problem. This should be mentioned and maybe should be the focus. Source identification and remediation. Pass along practical principles that educate people so they understand what they can do for themselves. Why flip people out by telling them they need to unplug their lamps at night! rather than identify and deal with the sources of problems?

Straw bale is a growing building material that we all wish would be a perfect solution to many environmental and personal concerns. Straw bales and mold go hand in hand. Design and building methods, systems- primarily foundation, roof, wall cavity, ventilation, environment and sitting, all affect how quickly and how bad this problem will be. Though we would like to think NATURALLY, not everything natural is without difficulty and health risks, especially when design and building details are not attended to in an organized, educated, experienced manner. Another words, if we are not discussing these things, we are recommending blindly without full knowledge or responsibility. While "romantic" and great visuals for a story, it is misleading. Our case history file is full of   people with  problems from these. They can be the cause of respiratory distress, asthma, bronchial infections and chemical sensitivities in many people, especially kids. Home owner design and built homes are THE chief cause of sick buildings, and straw bale is the number one home owner built home.

Frequently, recommendations for materials are made by people with no experience here. For example, natural cork. Somebody said this many years ago, and it has appeared in every "natural and environmental" building book since then, recommending this as a great option for flooring for people [with health  problems]. Please let me know, anyone out there, if it worked for you! We have numerous cases where it caused problems and had to be torn out. Natural cork is rich with natural oils  including linseed oil, which are problematic for some people with petrochemical sensitivities. Check a sample before you install it, and remember this odor will be compounded by the size of the room. I personally can not be in a room with this stuff in it. For some one with respiratory problems to begin with, cork would not be on my list of healthy items to use on the floor.
This area is always lacking in all the healthy home books and articles. There is no qualification regarding what materials are a health risk to whom! The people writing the articles clearly don't know about this, and the editor doesn't know enough to make any definitions or clarifications. They don't even know this is an issue!
So inaccurate information is passed around for years, and people get hurt or waste their money on things that do not work for them.  With all the "experts" out there, why is this not a concern for editors? This can't be the first time they have heard of this or that they have gotten complaints about things they have said that are false or inaccurate.
great visuals, above average coverage- IT'S A BEGINNING!

***VEGETARIAN TIMES Aug 2001
In the HEALTHY HOME section-  "OFFICE MANAGER"
Great article, but lacking critical simple solutions.EMF and other toxics from computer screens- move em back!!!! The biggest problem is display are TOO CLOSE!!! Move them back at least 2 feet, 3 is better,  away your face. Contamination drops as distance increases. Simple principle!
Air quality totally disregarded. The author has never heard of contamination from inside the computer in the form of odors. Turn off the computer!!! do not leave it running. Yes it will defrag while on- but the odor from the heated wiring and plastics, PVC and other toxic materials will be in your air.
Indoor air quality of offices is at very high risk- the reasons are many, the solutions are simple.
More to come on this.
A BEGINNING!

*****"E" mag, Sept Oct 2001
Fantastic article on kids at risk from household toxics, "CHILDREN AT RISK"
Every parent should check thisout if they have any interest in  protecting the health of their kids-
thorough and detailed, with a perspective on addressing current day risks,  levels of concern, and why kids suffer the most from low level household toxics- kids will be the next generation of chemically sensitive -
this is why "E" has weathered the years and remains a top resource for anyone interested in these issues.
thank you !!!
  Thumbs up award!!!

Try this at home!!!
Cover the computer with foil or plastic. Turn it on for an hour. Smell!!!
With in 30minutes, toxics are pouring out of that computer, printer etc.

Note; as far back as 1968 a researcher found organic fluorine in the blood stream of people from the general population and this was published in NATURE magazine.

FALL CROSS COUNTRY TRIP
It has been some time since we checked in! The latest is our cross country trip to Cal., showing and delivering trailers to Cal and Colorado, while visiting clients and doing numerous inspections along the way. Please see other sites for details and stay tuned for details about our spring trip to Colorado.

TOXIC PLAYGROUNDS!!
More than a dozen years after we started educating people about CCA TREATED LUMBER,  finally the July 16th issue of TIME magazine has an article on arsenated lumber and it's dangers. As always, the industry argues it is not a problem, but will comply with the request to label and warn buyers. NICE GUYS!

Lets see, what is the question again? Is arsenic poisonous? This is a toughie!

Over ten years ago the LANCET published an article on the mutation of lower life forms from leaching CCA lumber on road sides in England. In 1992-3, Connecticut started installing huge walls along the I 95 corridor, all of pressure treated wood. I was thinking, are they insane- haven't they read this article- don't they understand what they are doing? About this time, in the stagnant pools and drainage ditches around these walls, there should be some sign of mutating wild life and smaller organisms, with arsenic working it's way up the food chain.

These  products have been banned and restricted in nine other countries around the world, including several backward 3rd world countries! but because ofthe economic impact it would have on this country, lawmakers in the US have failed to give any indication that arsenic and products carrying arsenic could be poisonous! Can you imagine that?

Leaching of arsenic into water and soil can occur, never mind the thought of kids absorbing toxics through their skin as they play on playground equipment built of pressure treated lumber, decks, picnic tables, and so on.  In Hawaii and other tropical places, entire buildings are made from this material!! What affect do you think this can have on the people living inside this type of structure, breathing this poison all day long?

As with all other industries that are based on the use of toxic materials, the producers of these materials expect a certain number of casualties. They know the pattern of visible reactivity and damage is slow to appear under most circumstances.
Our problem is, this type of poison generally  falls into the category of a long term health affect. Though some people are having short term problems with arsenic, most people that are affected are kids, and there is no real accurate way to determine or track the poisoning they are receiving at low levels. Last on the list of testing by physicians would be arsenic. The last place people will think to look, with the symptomology they appear to be getting, is arsenic. And in many cases, it takes time for damages to occur.

The pattern is simple. Few have immediate problems they can accurately identify as positively arsenic poisoning. Many more will have longer term problems, and most of those will probably never be diagnosed as arsenic.

Of all of those millions of kids exposed, how many will be affected by a small exposure that links up and compounds with other toxics, causing the same type of symptoms or mixed symptoms? This question becomes too esoteric for the lawyers and business men, and our statesman are too busy worried about votes how the economy will fare to be concerned about our children and future generations. But it is the question to ask for parents and interested people of this and future generations. We are simply overloaded by too many toxic chemicals for our bodies to handle.
 

UPDATE

ARSENIC  makes the news with MONEY MAG for April 2002 in the CONSUMER NEWS section with more info.
 

thank you TIME-

I thought I was going to get killed the other day. An apparently possessed lady came at me from across the packing lot- "YOU! You!!" she was shouting- I thought I had cut her off in traffic? what was going on?
She ran up to me and crying, grabbing me and hugging me she said " you saved my life! I saw you go by and had to thank you". I'm --------.
It hit me. This was a gal whose family was living in a home that was 15 years old and falling down from mold growth. She is now chemically sensitive and her kids have health problems, but she says she is lucky to be alive. I went to see her and talk with her about the problems in that home. The town, the health dept, and all others involved did nothing  to help. The house was designed and build improperly and leaked and was rotting from the foundation up- filled with stackybotris and other molds. No one understands the seriousness of the mold problems and their affect on our health.

You are very welcome Cathrine. I am sorry I was not able to do more for you.

The design and building that is done in the ski areas of Vermont [ and other resort areas around the world] is done by people who have no idea or interest in proper design and building. In a very short period of time, building are leaking, mold is growing and people are getting sick. 95% of the condos in our area should be condemded.
How does this happen?  The problem is designers or architects are out of touch with materials and their proper use, building methods, and weather, site and climatic conditions, that all need to be handled properly to create a quality investment that lasts for a long time without falling into rapid decay. The buildings are designed improperly, so they soak up moisture from below and leak from above. Snow pack and ground moisture cause moisture to penetrate from all directions. Poor design also allows for rapid decay because of the misuse of materials which can not stand up under the stress brought on by excess moisture and freeze thaw cycles. Even most local architects with all their degrees on the wall do not acknowledge the principles of the tried and true historical Vermont designs that eliminate so many problems created by the lack of knowledge in these areas.

In almost every new home or renovated building you see around here, numerous problems are visible, created solely by improper design, that lead to sick buildings and premature decay.
Cutting costs, using the wrong materials with the wrong designs, improper site evaluation and foundation preparation also contribute to scores of problems.

          HEY DEAR! LETS DRUG THE KIDS!!!

This business with drugging kids at school to get them to control themselves is pathetic. We have entered into a time when we adults do not think or keep up on what is actually going on here with all this stuff and how serious itall is. Another words, we have lost the desire to act responsibly.  So, we as a society are very comfortable with forcing our kids into being drug addicts, rather than trying to find out the real reasons for these modern day "phenomenon" and problems.

I just saw a friend on mine who confessed that for the last year or so she put her son on drugs to deal with "learning disability " problems he was having in  public school. Of course the popular thing there is to have your kid on drugs to control their problems not being able to concentrate or pay attention. She was devastated to lean that after so many problems with the drugs, there could be other reasons why he was having problems and other solutions. She started investigating the health issues related to food and environmental sensitivities, to find that he was both food sensitive and allergic to the common household chemicals, molds  gas appliances and so on.

Despite all the publicity we have worked for to educate people about the tons on chemicals and toxics in our environments, and the affect they are having on our health, people still do not understand that subtle affects include the inability to concentrate. The many many items that affect people and especially children in this way, take the form of foods, building materials, clothes, perfumes, scented detergents, and scores of others. People like the now retired Dr Mandell were inducing all types of radical reactions from eating common foods including corn oil, peanut butter, and other common ingredients. Sugar is a known culprit. Food allergies are huge problems relative to this issue, and one of the most frequently overlooked areas in our society. We are simply not educated about nutrition and the body to identify reactions or problems, or to address these problems today.

Food allergies, coupled with environmental contaminants like gas appliances, carpets,mold and mildew can and do create very serious reactions that make it impossible to concentrate, pay attention or even control the body. I emphatically urge all parents who have kids with what appears to be these leaning "disabilities", to see their local allergist or some one who understands the link between sensitivities and the subtle reactions we may associate with certain learning disabilities. People, with very little effort,  we can experiment around with the most common foods that typically create reactions, and check out our living environments to see if they have the common contaminants that create health problems.

Let's face it, we know for a fact that 99% of all schools have serious health affecting problems. I personally have been laughed out of numerous schools, after doing inspections and finding the regular routine number of offenders, then sitting down to discuss these issues with school officials. They just don't get it! The fact is they don't want to get it.It is one more problem for them that will cost them money and create more of a load for them to deal with. But the facts are there. Improperly cared for ventilation systems, moldy carpets, improperly vented office equipment, toxic floor mats and building materials, toxic cleaning materials, these are standard in almost all schools. High levels of molds from ventilation systems that are never cleaned or improperly cleaned, filters that are infrequently replaced, closed off fresh air intakes, dust mite and mold filled carpets that are improperly cleaned and maintained, completely toxic prefab temporary classrooms, this list goes on and on.  The fact is that there are no standards for maintenance and materials in public buildings, and kids are paying for it.

There are visible patterns that take a tremendous amount of effort to avoid acknowledging. I often wonder why administrators are not more concerned- when;

1. your sickness and absenteeism rate goes through the roof in the fall when the windows get closed up and that heat goes on,
2. when teachers start becoming chemically sensitive,
3. when respiratory illnesses are a regular problem,
4. and when we start putting our kids on drugs to sedate and control them.

Our administrators are 100% responsible to help create the best environment for learning and to protect and take care of the teachers and children.  All these signs are there for everyone to see.
Programs that schools sign up for with large maintenance corporations to clean and monitor ventilation systems are completely bogus. Large amounts on money are spent on contracts, usually state wide, and the services in no way address any of these concerns. Their level of concern, and capability- another words their level of ability to identify contamination is so high, that people will be dying of mold contamination before they are acknowledged. The same with formaldehyde, gas, or other deadly toxics. Their knowledge of what series or multiple contaminants can do together is non existent. That is why this sick building problem is so extensive.

Once you travel outside of your own little community, and start seeing what is going on all around the country, in many other or all communities, it is mind blowing. This is not just a random issue. It is wide spread, it means a lot of money for the big drug companies, and it is a problem we in general have no experience in identifying or dealing with properly.

Here are a number or areas wecan think about, to see if we have issues needing attention. The real concern, is there are numerous areas that work together to affect our health and what appears to be learning disabilities or attention deficit disorders.

1. FOOD- does our regular diet contain sodas, corn oil [potato chips, dorito chips etc,] SUGAR including diet sweeteners, junk foods, candy etc?

2. are there carpets in many rooms? Are these cleaned regularly? Do they use a HEPA vacuum toclean these carpets?

3. are windows closed? Is air recirculated? Does it smell musty and stale or fresh and inviting?

4. are there gas appliances? Are there new materials, paints, building materials, furniture, office equipment  etc?
 Do they spray pesticides around the building, inside or out?

5. are there burning eyes, sleepy or tired people, people unable to stay awake?  Lots of absenteeism, people more and more sensitive to chemicals and developing chemical sensitivities?

Good healthy building design, building methods, site management, maintenance programs, and material choices can all change these problems to create perfect learning environments! Our work with the Waldorf  school in Lake Champlain Vermont is proof of this.

For more info on portable classroom health problems, contact WWW.EWG.ORG. [Thanks for the great report work guys!]

We will have much more on this subject coming up!!!

JUST SAY NO!!!                     DON'T FORCE YOUR KIDS DO DRUGS!

      TO BRUSH, or not to BRUSH- WITH  FLUORIDE!!!!!

The fluoride issue is popping up all over the country from one side of the country to the other, Brattleboro Vermont to Honolulu Hawaii!!! Everywhere we go we see an insufficient amount of information given out to the public, and many of the real concerns with fluoride are not known by the general public. While arguments and efforts are made by private parties to bring concerns to light, without all the information being available to us, we the people, again become the guinea pigs of the big chemical companies for testing fluoride out on ourselves and our kids! Unfortunately, as with many of the other historical health-chemical issues that have adversely affected our health and especially the health of children, real damage will be done as this experiment unfolds over time.

When will we learn that we can't go around adding chemicals to our natural elements, expecting there will not be some heavy prices paid?

What we don't realize is;

1. this is an organized national effort for chemical companies to sell waste fluoride [in bulk] to the water companies. This is a  big dollar income for these companies, from a "product" that would be considered to be toxic waste in any other scenario;
2. fluoride is not a cure all for tooth decay, in fact far from it, with questionable data about it's real benefits;
3. there are many other concerns relative to it's ability to affect the health of children, women and other high health risk type people;
4. the fluoride being used is only 40 -%50 fluoride, the much of the rest is classified as toxic waste material;
5. fluorinated water contaminates ground water and gets back into the food chain-
surprise!!!!
 

Like all these supposed "miracle chemicals", the complete truth about them, what they are actually made up of, what they can do not only to the body but to the environment and the eco system, how they can affect our health over time, who the high risk groups and ages are- is always left out of the discussion.
The big companies have one agenda- sell more chemicals, and try to monopolize the situation so they are in control of the "quality "of that area. By selling quantities of this chemical to water departments all over the world, these companies stand to earn a significant amount of money. By convincing people to believe that this is a good thing for themselves and their kids, they also stand to be placed in a position as admired authorities on the subject. This needs to be seriously questioned.

The list of damage they [the big chemical companies]  have done to the earth is long and quite devastating. In every area of our lives, they want to control markets and sell more chemicals. The more they focus on food and water, the more of a future they are building into their business. And they are succeeding in a huge way.

Here's how it works. They pick an  area like fluoride- call it a "miracle" chemical and say all the great things it can do. They pay for controlled, limited testing, focused on one area or point of view only. Then, they keep releasing data, through hired "scientists", doctors and people with respectable images, that say this stuff is great! The whole idea is a sales program, a publicity campaign, based on this limited amount of information.After all, it's only product sales! Have it presented by "professionals", invest millions in campaigns and publicity [that in no way can be matched by any private organizations], and eliminate the competition. Another words, convince the public officials, who are impressed with all this scientific data, and get the stuff in the water!

While this experiment goes on, people in general suffer. Since we in our ignorance may think this is a good thing to be doing, we are in no way looking for signs of reactions or problems that may develop from exposure to fluoride, or this mix of chemicals in which fluoride is included.
Reactions that may be subtle, or identified with another type of exposure or related to other problems, are difficult to identify.We all live in our private little worlds, and have little or no experience with long term or subtle reactions. We are used to reactions that are very pronounced, but not so much to developing reaction patterns.
We as a society, are totally unfamiliar with the risk that exposure to low level modern day toxics or chemicals present to us. Most of us are totally in the dark about the high risk from exposure to not only single but multiple chemicals. For example, when two or more of these chemicals come together, they can compound their strength and toxicity. Add multiple numbers of chemicals at levels lower than we would suspect as a problem, and we can have very serious health problems. Look at the many items and products we have had on the market, that we thought were safe and we used for years!  Fertility drugs that actually caused cancer in unborn babies. Asbestos, radiation, pesticides and an infinite list of chemicals and products that make us sick!

We have gone too far with this thinking that we can control our environments. We do not understand how delicate nature is. And we do not understand what we have already done to damage the environment- our air and water, food and housing. All ancient cultures and native peoples were very in tune with this delicate balance of nature. Yet today, we have lost our humility, our understanding of proper balance. Our perspective on how far reaching these issues are. We are not just talking about fluoride here- we are talking about a growing list of toxic chemicals in our water.  Check our the WATER BOARDS monthly report- call them and get this report mailed to you. Notice they say that thought there are scores of known toxics listed for example in the Honolulu water, they are below the level that we need to be concerned about!! Who is telling us this? The levels are BELOW what the state and federal government require? Would this be the government that accepts chemicals on the market without testing them? Would this be the government that allows the spraying of children with DDT, and says it's ok for the chemical companies to "use up" their supplies of chlordane, and outlawed pesticide that we now find in our drinking water, inour homes-leaching up through the cement blocks and floors ?

You mean to tell us that this page full of toxic materials, including outlawed chemicals like chlordane, , PCB's, lead, Lindane, cyanide, arsenic, and on and on- are all ok now for us to drink and bath in?

These chemicals, all together or separately...... I  DO  NOT WANT  IN  MY  DRINKING OR BATHING WATER!  Nor do I, in any quantity, singly or alone, recommend that you or your children drink or bath in this water.
Today this may not be a concern to many, especially to those who are trying to somehow balance out the chemical company influence, the economics of the country and the health of the people, taking each as an equal interest. To me, as simple as I am, I know ANY level of  these chemicals is a health risk.
Add more fluoride, or at least more of a fluoride mix, and we only have more chemicals creating the potential for increasing single and mixed chemical health problems.

The real problem here is us, not them! "Us" is you and me. We sit by and suppose they will do the RIGHT thing. People in business, do what they do to make money. It may be right, it may be wrong, but their goal is to make money. That is all. We have permitted and contributed to the contamination of the earth, the air and water. We have allowed it! If it is going to change at all for the better, it is up to us to get involved and participate to change it. We can not expect any one else to take responsibility if we ourselves do not.

Any other connections relative to this issue please contact us and let us know about your efforts, and how others can be in touch with you.

Also check out "TOTAL HEALTH " Vol. 23 no. 2,   for "The Shocking Truth about Fluoride" by Linda Page N.D., Ph D
a great article everyone should read.

CONTACTS!!!
Citizens for Safe Drinking water 800-728-3833
http://www.nofluoride.com
http://www.fluoridation.com
http://www.fluoride-journal.com
http://www.saveteeth.org
http://www.healthyhealing.com
http://www.sonic.net/~kryptox/fluoride.htm

This has been an interesting week for health and the environment in the news, with the Bill Moyers  "TRADE SECRETS" on PBS leading the pack. This is truly a great documentary, opening up a can of worms for the vinyl industry that has been hidden for decades. In a surprise ending to the film,  Bill Moyers offers equal air time to the company men to respond to the questions at hand and deal with the issues he has brought forth. Sadly enough, and not to our surprise, they not only would not directly answer or address the questions and health problems discussed by Moyers, but they simply state repeatedly that the world is a better place because of their work!!! For shame.

We are hoping that Moyers will link this commentary to the many other critical environmental and health offenders in the synthetics industries, as this only scratches the surface of the whole Pandora's box of modern day health and pollution concerns. Dow chemical, BF Goodrich and others mentioned have many other areas where carcinogenic toxics are used in the same way as vinyl chloride, with the same results to health and the environment, where personal suffering and death results, birth defects and chemical sensitivities, but they are not talking about these either.  It would be great for Moyers to pull all the high risk industries together to see who is going to do what first, in the way of addressing responsibly the health problems it's people are having, from death to chemical sensitivities, and in the way of dealing with providing information and protection and alternatives to the toxics they are using. Areas where critical high risks exist-
COSMETICS industry, TIRE or RUBBER industry, AUTO industry, PLASTICS industry, FUEL AND OIL industry  including gas and natural gas industries, SMELTING industry, PHARMACEUTICALS, ADHESIVES industry, PESTICIDE industry, just to mention a few.

We would also like to salute all those like Bernard Scaggs and Dan Ross who with full faith gave their lives to do a quality job for people who flat out lied to them about the health risks. We know the risks today due to their sacrifice and will continue to work to educate people in all walks of life about environmental health risks so things can be changed in the future.

The Moyers report is available on tape at 1 800-257-5126 - ask for "TRADE SECRETS". for $29.95. or on WWW.FILMS.COM.

While Bill Moyers seems to be the last of a rare moral breed of people and reporters who feel their job and responsibility is to bring forth facts on issues that will be of interest and benefit the people, we see another side of the coin in a story done for local papers on Oahu  Hawaii this same week. "AN ECO-ILLOGICAL BACKSTREET BOY" a very poorly written personal attack on Kevin Richardson by Michelle Malkin. Sorry Michelle, this is just not acceptable and we can't let it go unnoticed. three thumbs down!

Kevin Richardson, of BACK STREET BOYS notoriety [Just Within Reach; an earth foundation], is trying to use his fame to help educate people and  improve the quality of life on the planet.  Malkin feels it is her duty to discredit this effort. The article overflows with condescending personal remarks rather perhaps than addressing the issue of low level toxics and their affect on health in a professional manner.[I think she sums it up herself rather nicely when she says "...if he's a teen.... then I'm, like, a teen columnist"!!] Anyway, she is young and still has plenty of time to meet other people and see the affects low level toxics are having on people all over the real world these days.

Anyone making an effort to help educate people and improve the quality of environment should be commended. Go for it Kevin! and please let us know how we can help and when you will be in Hawaii so we can get together at one of our many educational seminars in Honolulu. Our next series will be around the 18th to the end of  April. Stop by Golden Earth or call us at the office- Hawaii Healthy Homes- Kailua Hi.

IS ANYONE THERE?  Come quickly!!!

Report after report from bonified sources [not industry sponsored testing by the way] speak of  high health risk potential from cell phone use.
This issue is so enormous with such far reaching health consequences that I don't understand why people don't stop and think about what they are doing to themselves, never mind their kids and people they say they love. Pick up the standard cell phone and hold it to your head, and in 3 seconds the brain tissue is heated to a near boiling point. No wonder people are having serious headaches and other problems, no wonder brain cancer is on the rise. What type of affect do you think this will have on kids who are using these brain cookers at early ages when they get a couple of years older?

Would you put your head in a micro wave oven??
Don't be silly you say!
But daily, millions of people, kids, pregnant women, some people already with cancer and other immune system deficiency diseases, ARE doing it! Altering cell functioning with exposures to dangerous levels of electric and electromagnetic radiation. From mild to radical exposures, these are all affecting in some way the natural electrical functioning and charges of the cells, organs and the body. How can a delicately balanced body, consisting of systems of cells and organs that operate on subtle electrical charges, continue to function normally when exposed to such an intense amount of electrical and electromagnetic radiation?  It is not possible!

The markets for these toys are huge.Figure that practically speaking, almost every person in the world could own and use one of these phones. They are relatively inexpensive, easy to use, they make you feel important, and connect you to the entire world no matter where you are [almost!] This is a huge multi million dollar business with no restrictions!

Use your head!!! Not just to feed corporate America, not as a shield and receiver for brain cooking EMF's, but to COMMIT to using and educating people about the alternatives- systems that reduce or eliminate exposure to harmful EMF radiation. There are alternatives like remote handsets, shields and speaker phones. Stay away from the personal communication systems that spread emf contamination around the whole area you are in.

While big business pays for tests that argue the findings of other private tests, they are seldom parting with the whole truth.
Should we expect them to?? I think not- especially since this is their business! When some one earns their living off a product, do not expect them to be able to hear or pass on the truth to you about their products!!!

The fun thing to do is not always the best or most responsible thing to do.
Doing the "right thing" is not something you find being done in corporate America.
It is up to you and me to do the right thing, and therefore teach our children how to be healthy, happy and to be good examples.

Please note that as of Jan 1st 2001 we will be changing our name to Tad Taylor's Healthy Homes from VERMONT HEALTHY HOMES LLC. We have been introduced to Bill Maclay who has used VERMONT HEALTHY HOME for quite a few years, and we both do not want to be using the same name! Bill's skills and accomplishments are very much worth investigating relative to his area of expertise, and we wish him and his company all the best in the coming years.

Traveling the Garden State Parkway in Northern N.J.? Check out this new imported Swedish pine, the talk of the town.
Actually, this is a fake tree, which houses micro wave transmitters. Pretty convincing, huh?
 
 

PRODUCTS RATING SYSTEM
Along with the products we will be offering, we have established an advanced rating system to let people know the health status of each product. Please note we will also evaluate all types of products, letting all know what risks if any exist, and what can be done to reduce or eliminate any health risks when using specific products. If you have any products you would like us to test, please send them to Tad Taylor's HEALTHY HOMES PRODUCT TESTING, 494 Cobb Reed Road, Wardsboro Vt 05355.  Please not all findings will be published.

INTELLECTUAL INFORMATION statements must be signed and followed by all individuals. The processes developed by Tad Taylor are protected by law. People making commitments to Tad Taylor's HEALTHY HOMES will not act independently, accepting jobs with TTHH data outside of  our business relationship.

GENERAL NEWS!!!!

CEMENT- WOOD SHINGLE ALERT
Another good idea gone bad. The decay rate of these shingles is rapid in cold climates where they have been found to be falling apart in very short period of time. The infiltration of moisture into the material, coupled with the freeze thaw cycle, causes rapid breakdown of the material.

KODIAK GONE
Our friends at Kodiak, the non arsinated pressure treated wood have bid us adios. Sorry to see them go and we're hopeful that some replacement will come along asap. In case you don't know, regular pressure treated wood is very toxic, especially for kids and sensitivie people. The chemicals forced into the wood to keep it from rotting,  including arsnic, leach out into the earth, into water supplies, gardens, and the bodies of people who touch it. Studies in Europe over 10 years ago attributed the path of mutation and death of  lower organisms up the food chain to small animals, to chemicals from leaching road side walls and fences made of pressure treated wood. Don't use it if you don't have to- there are alternatives!

FOOD IRRADIATION
Now here's an interesting idea. Why not zap our food with radioactive cobalt-60 to keep it clean since we haven't figured out how to keep it clean otherwise. That  makes sense. Really.
Anyone else with a problem with this, or with the movement to  require NO LABELING INDICATING THAT IT HAS BEEN TREATED, [another great idea], write Donna Shalala Secretary, U.S. Dept.  of Health and Human Resources 200 Independence Ave., S.W.,  Washington D.C. 20201- or E-MAIL at hhsmail@os.dhhs.gov.

CASE HISTORIES
Please note we are, as in the past, seeking documented case histories to be used to continue setting up interactive data bases on related health issues. These are typically human cases but they do not need to be, as animal case histories are very revealing as well. Unfortunately many areas of problems from toxics are not related to as being linked to other areas, and this is what we continue to do here in our research department.   Please send written case histories to this site or to Tad Taylor, 494 Cobb Reed Road, Wardsboro Vt 05355 or fax to 802-896-6536.     Thank you
 

MALATHION
Well, we're at it again- spraying Westchester county- [Sept.  22nd] with malathion. Remember this can be ingested, inhaled and absorbed through the skin. Don't let your kids play in run off water or puddles for awhile, wash off play toys, picnic tables and any surfaces left outside during this period. Don't let em play in the grass until a thorough drenching rain has occurred. Gardens should be picked and then covered poly plastic, fastened securely to the ground so no drifting occurs under it. Poly should be carefully removed after spraying, folding into the center, taping closed and discarded. Local produce should be 1. avoided, or,  2. thoroughly soaked and washed with water that is not reused but immediately discarded. Sinks and washing containers should be thoroughly washed with detergent.
MALATHION, an organophosphate insecticide, is classified differently by different sources. "CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY OF COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS" fifth edition, Gosselin, Smith, and Hodge puts it borderline between 3 and 4 or moderately to very toxic.
There seems to be concern over the fact that humans are more sensitive to it than rats, which are used to create test data.
How much more is the question, and what are some of the variables relative to this issue. "HAZARDOUS MATERIALS TOXICOLOGY, Clinical Principles of Environmental Health" Sullivan and Kreiger, classify it as low toxicity along with diazinon. Some of the symptoms caused by exposure might include nausea, headache, dizziness vomiting, blurred vision and so on. It is detectable in the blood and urine.
It  also makes up 57% of MALACIDE GRAIN PROTECTOR NO. 2 which is sprayed into grain elevators to "protect" grain.

Check wind directions to be sure adjacent towns and counties are not also contaminated from drift. Night time spraying reduces drift risk. Wind directions for this time period will be calm or from the south or west, which means towns to the north or north east, Byram, Greenwich , Stamford Ct and so on may be contaminated as well. More westerly winds will contaminate New Rochelle, Harrison, Port Chester etc.. People with environment sensitivities should take a short trip or stay inside with air intake shut down on air machines, air conditioners and HRVs.
NOTE!!! Greenwich will also be sprayed as mosquitoes have just been identified there.
Malathion comes in two forms- one which is "pure" which is expensive and less toxic than the type they are using to spray us with. The type they are using to spray from the air has other nerve gas type toxics in it, so compound reactions and the strength from various toxics is the major concern.
Pregnant women, children and the elderly are at high risk as well as anyone with sensitivities.
Remember that this may only be the beginning of the spraying frenzy. When birds return from the south in the spring, thus may become more wide spread. It is also suspected that ticks may pick up this disease which are not affected by Malathion spraying.
 

AIDS  EPIDEMIC
Far from our regular news programs is the monumental AIDS problem that exists around the world. Maybe it's because no one knows how to deal with the problem, or wants to say. Obviously illicit and frequent multiple partner sexual relations is a major problem. But AIDS germs can live on certain warm surfaces for at least 3 days. This means people who work in public places or people who are in contact with items that are used by the general public are at high risk. Public toilets, pay phones, money etc. are filthy and places where germs thrive. Infection rates for certain third world countries is 100%. Traveling to third world countries should be done with extreme caution.

Not many adults teach their children to keep their fingers and hands out of their mouths, since they don't practice this themselves, or see this as a sane, healthy practice to teach, but this is the best practice to follow. Keep hands clean. Use isopropyl rubbing alcohol to kill germs, [available from any pharmacy] especially when out in public. Always clean hands thoroughly when eating. In public places, clean hands at the table! Clean the table off too, especially if you have children who are prone to put their mouths on everything. If  you go to the public restroom, touch handles of doors and faucets, you will return with germ filled hands. Wear gloves when you can.

HEPATITIS C ALERT
Be aware that 50% of all Americans are carrying Hep C. This can be a fatal decease if not detected in it's early stages. There is a test for it, and there is a test for determining the quantity of particulates that the body is carrying which determine whether it is active or inactive. The particulate test is a must for people who work dealing with the public. Hep C is becoming very common, and it is NOT known how it is transmitted. It was thought to be picked up through bodily fluids, but because it is so common these days, it is not known how it has become so.

CELL PHONE ALERT
This whole electronic age poses severe health threats unless we find out the facts and take precautions to protect ourselves. Knowledge is king. Learn about these and put the effort into protecting and teaching others who want to know. Mobil phones you use around the house give off large amounts of ELECTROMAGNETIC pollution. Cellular phones you use in your car put out gigantic amounts of electric field pollution. Electric pollution heats the brain and essentially cooks it. Many car phones produce electric field contamination 1000 higher than what might be termed safe. These will be the cause of  brain cancer in scores of people who use these phones regularly. Satellites beam electric energy directly to the head while you are talking on the phone. Do the phone companies know this? Bet your farm on it. Do they care? Have they told us about this? No way- they are too much motivated by your money, not your health or your kids health.
The difference between electric fields and EMF's, even though they are associated is huge. The measurement of electric fields  can not be done with an electromagnetic meter. It must be done with a more expensive, more sophisticated piece of equipment. It's very simple. And this is a very dangerous situation.
I have thrown out my mobil cell phone  and use a special set up for when I have to use my car phone. By the way, do not call me on my car phone unless it is an emergency!!!
Use older cell phones with cords to phone boxes, not independent hand held units. Boxes can be set up away from users. Cords from antennas can be run in conduit.
 More details on how to avoid problems coming.

COMPUTER NEWS
Most people are affected, though they don't know it, from PVC and a large number of contaminants from heated motor parts from their computer. Not only do computers give off  radiation contamination, especially from the backs of the computers, but as the equipment heats up over the first 30 minutes or so it operates, it increases the amount of toxics given off. Run computers for short periods of time, use in a well ventilated place- open windows etc., never leave the computer on or running for extended periods of time, especially when it is not being used. More data on this to come.
 
 

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RESPONSIBILITY
The importance of taking responsibility for your project can not be stressed enough. In almost all our interactions with people planning renovations or new building, there is some past problem with builders and architects not taking enough time to communicate how they work, how much they charge and so on.

ARCHITECTS
  When trying to decide on what route to take, always get a clear definition of what they will do and how much it will cost. Architects skills span a wide range from tech drawing to creative esthetic. Many design with little concern for costs or health. Their attributes and short comings should be detailed in writing so you know how much everything will cost and what exactly they will provide, before they start. Architects should provide you with rough sketches before they  charge you anything or decide on what your arrangement will be. This is to determine if you even want to peruse the relationship. If they show you something that excites you- peruse a more committed relationship. If they don't you may want to ask for more sketches or drop them. Also, get in writing, if you enter into an agreement, exactly what they will provide for material and structural specifications, what is included on the drawings, what type of construction support you will be provided with, how accurate the costing of the construction of their design will be, time tables on finished drawings, and a cost breakdown for each phase of their schedule. Always have your agreement with them hinged on fitting the financial structure that is within your capability or plans. Unless you just won the lottery, be sure they are designing something you can afford, with in the time frame you require!

BUILDER DESIGNERS
When working with builders, who represent designers or architects, or if they are designing homes themselves;
1. make sure they write down your budget and make that their main priority for design. You want to be under that figure for the first rough estimate.
2. get rough sketches first of designs that put your project on paper with that estimate in mind,
3. then move on to finished working drawings for final estimates.
We feel the builder and architect are responsible to design within their clients budget or they should not be paid!!! This has been a primary problem for many people we have heard about over the last number of years. It is absurd to think that builders and architects charge for services that do not address their clients specific goals, but more represent their own imagination.
If they can not meet the clients financial requirements to begin with, do not count on them to be met later on during the project!
 

PLANNING
Should you go without an architect? A lot of times you can do a better job of preliminary drawing than they can. But relative to details, code requirements, and working drawings, they are usually a necessity. In the long run, if this is done properly and completely, this will save you time and money through every aspect of the project.

We bent our rules about working only with written plans this fall for a renovation job that we planned one month for.
That was July. In Feb. of this new year we are still in and out of there, doing this and that for clients who are still deciding on details. Frustrating and costly for us beyond what you can imagine, and very risky trying to maintain a balance relative to health issues. This puts tremendous stress and pressure on us to keep things clean and acceptable health wise, as planning and scheduling is everything. I can not tell you how much this project has cost us. Always plan your project out in detail, in writing, in advance. Be firm and fixed in your decisions. This will help make your project a success in all ways for all.

BUILDERS
A clearly defined proposal, in detail and in writing always help protect the relationship. Healthy housing is not just about materials. It is about covering all the risk possibilities. If  all areas are not detailed in contracts, so that all parties know exactly what they must do, you will run a high risk relative to project success. If you are working with contractors with limited experience, including especially contractors who have no chemical sensitivities, ALWAYS work with a specialist also. There is no way they understand what you are talking about, OR the profound risks that exist beyond their vision or imagination. In essence, you will be paying to train them, and you will be running large risks for your health. Successful  healthy building projects are far and few between because of this. These projects are very difficult and very specialized. There are only a few people in the country who know how to avoid problems and know how to guarantee success. People who have had no personal experience with chemical sensitivities can not imagine what we are going through, or what it is all about. Why should a builder?

We run into this issue daily, where people hire builders who they say listen and they trust. We consistently get calls where health issues become a problem. In many instances we are called in to tear out all the work and rebuild it to proper specs. All the things they planned to do may even have been done correctly. But those things that they didn't consider, can complete destroy a project.

Some people say real healthy housing does not exist. We know it does since we have created it for people who have not been able to find any anywhere. Healthy housing is not just materials. It is an intricate combination of addressing all intertwined issues of building. Inexperienced people may be lucky in building a safe place for themselves. But the risk factor is very great, simply because it is not possible to gain enough knowledge by reading books to get you through a project successfully. You must;
1. be chemically sensitive to understand the critical nature of all issues,
2. have extensive experience in all the building trades, and
3. have extensive experience with different chemically sensitive people.
This gives you the perspective of a chemically sensitive person and gives you a beginning understanding to know many things that can go wrong with building. Then, the ability of the person who has these experiences should be questioned. Not everyone has the ability to do all the jobs that need to be done to accomplish healthy building. If you want things done right, always use professionals. Otherwise, you are just just training someone, paying them at the same time, and the risk factors for partial completion should be assumed.

Please contact ALISON JOHNSON for her latest tape on chemical sensitivities-
MCS INFO EXCHANGE, 2 OAKLAND STREET, BRUNSWICK ME. 04011.
20 bucks plus 3.50 shipping.

US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT , Feb.  15, 1999
Thanks for the articles on building and renovation which bring up critical points for all clients to focus on. Particularly "Confessions of A Contractor"......."Don't Trust, verify....." even for standard constructions this is key, what to speak of leading edge healthy home specialty building.

GOOD MORNING!! Guess who's finally saying what about what?  Cow milk hormone additive rGBH affects our livers etc. etc. etc. surprise, surprise, surprise.

ASPARTAME  WARNING!!!!
Thanks to the WORLD ENVIRONMENTAL CONFERENCE, the MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS FOUNDATION, and Nancy Markle for defining serious health related issues with ASPARTAME -Nutra Sweet, Equal, Spoonful etc.
When the temp of ASPARTAME reaches 86 degrees or over the wood alcohol converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which causes metabolic acidosis. Methanol  toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis.
Sufferers of fibromyalgia, headaches, spasms, cramps, numbness in legs, slurred speech, memory loss, depression, tinnitus, anxiety attacks, blurred vision, joint pains, etc., you could have aspartame disease.
Thank you MONSANTO for another deadly product. Take all aspartame products back to your store and complain.
Let people know about this issue. Even if a product says "sugar free" be sure it has no ASPARTAME!!!!!

Also a tip of the hat to MONSANTO for pushing through the reports on rBGH which were used for the approval of this wonderful natural state altering chemical, making it possible for cows to produce more milk, without any supposed risk!!!
It's the continued miracle of MONSANTO.

BOVINE GROWTH HORMONE
rBGH is used on over 3 million cows. Thank you senator Patrick Leahy and James Jeffords VERMONT- for requesting a formal investigation into the FDA's approval of this chemical and thank you Health Canada for banning it. Do not buy products with this chemical in it. Milk and other dairy products should be avoided. Let your local store know, if it ain't marked NO rBGH, we ain't buyin' and we eatin' it.
 How long will it take us to learn, we can't make it better than it was originally created? This all didn't happen by mistake, me thinks. And buy the way, a tip of the hat to God for that. Thank you for allowing me to remember Him in the scheme of things.

 MTBE the toxic gas additive that has been causing so many health problems for sensitive people, has been found in drinking water in a certain area in Maine. It turns out that this toxic additive is more soluble in water, which makes it possible for it to travel faster than gas in ground water. It actually leaches out of exhaust in the air at a rapid rate with moisture, then contaminating run off and ground water. States that have added this  recently are Connecticut and Massachusetts. Complain to your local filling station.  Be heard!!! Maine and N.H. are currently discontinuing this toxic material.
AND guess what?? Latest reports from our esteemed scientists who initially told us this garbage was not risky, confirm
 now it is definitely a health threat! Despair not however- I have a feeling they will come up with a safer substitute shortly.

SUMMER NEWS
More of our clients working in public buildings are suffering at this time of year from petrochemical contamination due to poorly designed air intakes in the ventilation systems. Numerous public schools we have looked at have this problem. As hot tar roofs heat up, toxics are drawn directly into the air intake vents and distributed around the building. These intake hoods are typically located on the roof, usually too close to the surface. These can be extended up away from surface toxics, and reflective foils can be added, especially around the intake, to reflect heat away from the roof surface. Also more gravel can also be added if tar is exposed to prevent tar heating up.

Tad has participated in the ECO FORUM  called "MULTIPLE CHEMICAL SENSITIVITIES"   taped for the ENVIRONMENTAL channel, in Boston aired on Jan 19th. Many thanks to the film crew and other participants
for their time and energy.

GLOBE ARTICLE
Many thanks to James Bandler of the Boston Globe for his efforts to bring a quality article to the public concerning chemical sensitivities. We are always thankful for the opportunity to help educate the public about the different aspects of chemical sensitivities.
Please note that our addressing the subject of  stress and abuse as a factor in the development of chemical sensitivities was done solely to help those who may have this typically unaddressed part of the problem brought to light for their own benefit. True healing can happen only when we address all our health problems.

Identification of the complete "illness" is the first step in determining an appropriate healing path. It has come to our attention that a significant number of people who suffer from chemical sensitivities have also undergone extended periods of  stress or some type of abuse before they became ill. We have also seen in our case history data base, that if these areas are not addressed and cleared, they usually interfere with the persons ability to heal .

We all need to keep an opened mind relative to this area. Although we ourselves may not have suffered this type of situation, those who have, should not be led to believe that this does not [possibly] play a role in the illness and in their ability to heal.

The absolute denial of the existence of this area by certain persons is an unfortunate situation that displays a lack of knowledge and understanding of  all the combinations of influences that may help create chemical sensitivities for some people. It may also indicate a continued area of denial for themselves, that they would only benefit from if  it was put behind them.

Even in the area of  cancer treatment, it has been clearly defined, that the success rate for healing is based on the ability to address all aspects of the persons well being; not only the physical, but the emotional, the spiritual and so on. The existence of stress, and the critical part it plays in limiting the ability of a cancer patient to heal, is openly addressed and dealt with.

Why is this not the case with other illnesses??

Our goal is healing. As we have stated in the past, and continue to state, true healing comes from the ability to address ALL life's issues, in fact, to properly balance the body, mind and spirit. Leaving critical areas unaddressed will only result in partial healing.

PESTICIDE EXPOSURES
The EPA is looking for chlorpyrifos and other pesticide exposure incident information. Send info to Norm Spurling, Office of Pesticide Programs- 7502C, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, 401 M Street SW, Washington DC 20460-0001, by phone, call 1-800-858-7378 6:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Please note!!  Typical reactions to pesticide applications in homes - etc. for termites are increasingly serious damages to the central nervous systems. People typically feel very agitated, frantic, crazy, out of control, and sometimes suicidal.  This may sound odd to some who are unfamiliar with the scenario, but isn't what pesticides are designed to do???

If you are in this type of environment, get out immediately, and stay out. Open all windows, and if you MUST go back in, use the upper most part of the building, as far away from the basement as possible.
Remember- there is no standard for regulating quantities of  applications. They pull up and start dumping. When they feel there is enough in the hole- they quit. Bazaar huh? I once worked on a house in Cal. that had over 100 times the acceptable amount of pesticides allowed by the state in the soil. Chlordane. This is not uncommon, especially in sandy soil that soaks up this material quickly.
 

Thanks to the Journal Of Light Construction, Feb. 99  for bringing us the following news
 1. Heatway radiant tubing seems to be breaking down causing leaks etc. Thanks Goodyear Tire and Rubber co. who puts the blame on installers.
2. LOUISIANA PACIFIC adds another 125 million dollars to settlements for INNER SEAL  siding which apparently does not keep water from infiltrating siding, sheathing  etc., causing  high levels of fungus growth inside homes.
3. California leads the country with lawsuits over health problems caused by fungus and mold growth from defects in building methods.

MOLDS AND POLLENS
Everyone must know by now that this year is a bad one for molds and pollens, which in many places are scores of times higher than other years. For readings in your area, call 800-9- POLLEN.

CLEANING AIR CONDITIONERS
Be sure your air filters and air conditioners are clean and ready for action. Clean air conditioners out with a spray bottle of food grade hydrogen peroxide reduced to 3%, spraying cooling coils and the inside to kill mold before starting for the season. Also, for those with recirculating air conditioners, be sure to take the covers off and seal tight the ducting for recirculation if you want to eliminate outside air. These leak copious amounts of air and must be sealed to keep pollen and other contaminants out. Use 100% silicone if you can tolerate it.

AIR FILTER ALERT
Most air filters use shaded pole motors which can and do spatter toxic oil into the airway, onto the machine and filters. See our ALERMED ALERT page to find out more about shaded pole motors and the risk from oil contamination in  certain air cleaners with these motors.

BON AMI CLEANSER POWDER
The formula for the powder has been changed and is causing some reactions for sensitive people. Their number is 800-821-5565, if you have any questions.

ADHESIVES ALERT!
Take note of our ADHESIVES ALERT page for the latest on our private research into adhesive toxics from self sticking adhesives.

LEAD SAFETY HOTLINE
A new info line has been set up at 800-424-5323, by the EPA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Incredible as it seems, keep an eye on imported candy and toys from places like Mexico and Bali, which may have lead in them.
 

 ALUMINUM ALERT
We have a client who had high levels of aluminum in their blood. After removal of a foil wall in their living space, blood levels went down to normal. Our recommendations are to avoid exposure to any quantity of raw aluminum foils for any length of time. If it is raw or unfinished, aluminum is very porous and is much like a sponge, absorbing and giving off odors and chemicals, especially under humid or moist conditions, and in conditions where heat is in excess of 60 degrees.
 

LUSTRON HOMES
Any one with knowledge of  porcelain homes that are  about to be destroyed should notify us for removal. We are very interested in preserving these structures.
 

• Tad Taylor's Healthy Homes LLC