Cleaner Air in the Colder Climates

With the colder temperatures starting, people will be spending more time indoors. This year, it seems that with the higher risk of catching the swine flu, it would make a lot of sense to think about the quality of the air we were breathing in our home or office environments.

Swine flu is not quite the epidemic it was last year, but just as an example, one local school shut down just last week because they had 100 cases of swine flu. This will become more of a problem when people are forced inside breathing more of each other's air. Winter forces closer contact with other people, which is one of the reasons we see so many more colds during the winter time.

This is a good time to think about an air purifier for your home. There are many types of air purifiers, some for just a room, and others for the entire home. The need becomes even more critical if you have someone in your home with a compromised immune system from another condition or disease. Or if you have a family member recovering from surgery.

I went looking today, and noticed that eBay has a very good selection of name brand air purifiers. One of the best brands that I have been reading about is BueAir air purifiers. Here are a couple of them that I found on eBay today.

F/S Blueair 250E Digital HEPA Air Purifier 250
Blueair is the system for people living with allergies, asthma, or other respiratory conditions, or for anyone who wants cleaner, more breathable air. The 250 effectively purifies air in rooms as large as 200 square feet. It uses patented three-stage HEPASilent™ technology to capture 99.97% of the tiniest .1 micron particles, including allergy-provoking pollen grains, dust mites, mold spores and pet dander particles.

This same filter technology earned the larger Blueair 501 Best of Class ranking in independent testing of Clean Air Delivery Rates. The 250 provides comparable performance for smaller rooms.

Value-added features include quiet operation, low energy use, steel construction and easy maintenance: simply open the front and slide in replacement every 6 months.

Blueair ECO10 Air Purifier
The ECO10 uses breakthrough technology to create the most eco-friendly air cleaner on the market. Consumes up to 95% less energy than other models in its class, saving you money while saving the environment as well.

The ECO10 is a breakthrough air purifier which produces a crisp and clean indoor environment, in an extremely economical and eco-friendly way. All of Blueair's superior cleaning features are combined with remarkable energy savings over other similar air cleaners.

Environmentally Friendly - The World's First Green Air Purifier

The ECO10 ultra-efficient EC fan motor is the star of this energy-saving design. This innovative motor functions with a CADR-per-watt ratio of 19.5, the highest rating ever recorded by the US Environmental Protection Agency's ENERGY STAR Program - nearly 28% better than the next best room air cleaner. This energy savings protects the environment, as less energy consumption directly leads to less carbon dioxide emissions. In fact, this unit produces only a fraction of the carbon produced by other air cleaners. In addition, NO ozone by-products are created during operation. Following a long lifecycle, the entire unit, including filters, is recyclable.

Blueair Familiar Features

The ECO10 contains all of the Blueair's award-winning design features:

* Create cleaner, more breathable air with Blueair's state-of-the-art filters that remove 99.97% of the tiniest airborne particles, including allergy-provoking pollen, dust mites, mold and pet dander.
* Patented HEPASilent technology cleans the air using both mechanical and electrostatic filters - creating a system through with air flows freely and whisper-quiet. In fact, on low setting the unit creates no more noise than a desktop computer.
* The SurroundAir system achieves peak performance with no noticeable drafts, all while maintaining an exceptional air exchange rate. Air is drawn in from the sides and bottom and is released through the sides and top.

For more information and specifications on these models and others, follow this link.

Eco-Chic Green Gifts Under $25: Bath and Body Wash

Winter time is the best time to try new bath and body washes. Skin dries out, becomes more sensitive, and needs to be pampered. One of the best green body shampoos on the market is Blooming Lotus Body Shampoo.

Blooming Lotus Body Shampoo

Organic vegetable oils, glycerin and pure essential oils provide a super gentle shower gel with luxurious lather. This organic castile base is a truly natural alternative to the SLS, DEA, Cocobetaine and other detergents used in most shower gel formulas. Organic vegetable oils, glycerin and pure essential oils provide a super gentle shower gel with luxurious lather.

Comes in a 9 ounce bottle and is available in four varieties:

Fairy Fresh - Uplifting and intoxicating with notes of neroli, frankincense, lime and gem essence of carnelian and amethyst. Ingredients: distilled water, organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, organic jojoba, potassium hydroxide, essential oils, glycerin, xanthum gum, rosemary extract, gem essence & love.

Groundation - Centering with notes of sustainable sandalwood, cedarwood, bergamot and gem essence of smoky quartz. Ingredients: distilled water, organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, organic jojoba, potassium hydroxide, essential oils, glycerin, xanthum gum, rosemary extract, gem essence & love.

Soulshine - Inspirational and bright with with notes of mandarin, tangerine, neroli, spearmint and gem essence of citrine. Ingredients: distilled water, organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, organic jojoba, potassium hydroxide, essential oils, glycerin, xanthum gum, rosemary extract, gem essence & love.

Sublime - Sensuous and alluring with notes of sweet orange, rosewood, cocoa, ylang ylang and gem essence of lapis lazuli. Ingredients: distilled water, organic coconut oil, organic olive oil, organic jojoba, potassium hydroxide, essential oils, glycerin, xanthum gum, rosemary extract, gem essence & love. (9 ounces)

About Blooming Lotus Products: all organic, pure positive energy. These products begin as organic or wildcrafted herbs growing in healthy soil and warm sunshine. Their essence is artfully distilled into the finest essential oils available, which become key ingredients in the resulting soaps, lotions, and aromatherapy products. Blooming Lotus blends small batches to ensure quality and then packages the final products in ways to preserve their healing properties.

Those cobalt bottles aren't just pretty, they protect the oils from the damaging effects of light. All Blooming Lotus products contain no synthetic ingredients.

For more information on green bath and body wash, follow this link.

Eco-Chic Green Gifts Under $25: Shop Buy Green

Socktopus
Socktopus - $ 22.50

From: BuyGreen.com
The long lost cousin of the famous Sock Monkey. The eight-legged creatures are made from traditional red heel socks and button eyes. This Socktopus is handmade by Friends of Socktopus. These delightful cephalopods are made from recycled wool sweaters. Their wooly covering allows them to live comfortably on land, especially indoors. They are excellent companions for children of all ages, and add a splash of color to any room.

One of the best places to shop for green gifts is BuyGreen.com. BuyGreen.com is essentially a Eco-Chic Green Shopping Mall. All of the products on their site are green, eco-friendly and healthy products. They have products in several different types of product lines including skin care, household cleaners, clothing, and accessories. I am just going to highlight a few items here that are under $25 and would make great green gifts, but if you click through the links you will find loads more to explore. I love the Socktopus above. Here are some more:


Affirmatif

With DMAE and pearl powder to tighten, tone and nourish your skin.

This is part of Marie-Veronique's therapeutic line of skin care, designed to care for your skin through all stages of life. These products protect, nourish and repair in an age-appropriate manner. The Therapy line is for everyone who wants healthy and radiant skin. You can also supplement the basic skin care routine with products that address special concerns such as aging and rosacea.


UV Natural Baby Sunscreen

UV Natural has just been ranked #1 by the Environmental Working Group (EWG). UV Natural ranked as the safest and most effective sunscreen sold in the US and the World! Beating nearly 800 other brands, UV natural is recognized as offering uncompromising safety and efficacy in sun protection. The entire range of UV Natural sunscreens protect against the full spectrum of UV light - UV A1, A2, B and C.

For the most precious members of your family, UV Natural Baby is gentle in its action so you can reduce the risk of sunburn to your baby's soft and sensitive skin. In addition to its SPF 30 block-out properties, UV Natural Baby formulation strengthens and maintains healthy skin cell growth. Apply UV Natural Baby daily for a skin routine that nurtures healthy glowing skin for life as sun damage is cumulative and must be taken seriously from the earliest age. UV Natural Baby comes in two perfect sizes - small (1.76 oz)- for the diaper bag, purse, handbag or glove box in the car, and the large (5.29 oz) for the home, the diaper bag or to share with friends. UV Natural Baby provides a nourishing, health conscious sunscreen solution.

Sweater Owl
Sweater Owl

These charming creatures are made from recycled sweaters. They are soft and squeezable, and have child-safe eyes. They are 12" tall. They come in the following colors: Green-Blue, Red-Yellow-Orange, or Pink-Purple.


Solar Hybrid Flashlight

This flashlight offers innovative Hybrid Solar Technology - it generates renewable power from sunlight or room light and stores it for later use. No shaking, no cranking - it's ready to go when you need it! This flashlight can hold a single charge for over 3 years with 1-Watt 2X Super Bright LED.

Comes in three colors: Black, Camouflage and Yellow

Environmentally friendly - Solar technology generates renewable power from sun or room light. 8 hours charge in sunlight or room light will provide up to 16 hours of continuous light - can be charged over and over again. Holds a single charge for over 3 years and comes fully charged.

Does not need to be stored in the sun - throw it in your glove box or drawer and three years later, just turn it on! Back up battery has a 7 year shelf life.

For more green gift ideas under $25, follow this link