36 expert tips for a healthier home
May 21, 2019 – Install smoke detectors. Choose furniture and carpets without harmful chemicals. Cook with the exhaust hood on. Limit the use of air fresheners in the bathroom. Dehumidify the basement. These are a few of the…
Poor indoor air quality may dull cognitive abilities
Gases such as carbon dioxide and substances released from office furniture, carpets, and desks may be dulling our minds at work, according to experts. A May 6, 2019 New York Times article catalogued recent evidence suggesting that carbon…
Microbial contaminants found in popular e-cigarettes
For immediate release: April 24, 2019 Boston, MA – Popular electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) products sold in the U.S. were contaminated with bacterial and fungal toxins, according to new research from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study,…
Common e-cigarette chemical flavorings may impair lung function
Two chemicals widely used to flavor electronic cigarettes may be impairing the function of cilia in the human airway, according to a new study led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
Harvard study: Green buildings deliver nearly $6bn in health and climate benefits
Green certified buildings are delivering billions of dollars in health, climate and energy-saving benefits, according to a major new study from Harvard University.
Amidst e-cig ‘epidemic’ among youth, Somerville restricts sales
Somerville will become the first municipality in Massachusetts to restrict the sale of e-cigarettes. Concerned about the rapidly rising use of e-cigarettes among young people, the Somerville Board of Health voted in mid-December to ban the sale of…
A Greener, More Healthful Place to Work
Americans spend over 90 percent of their lives indoors. Until recently, little was known about how this was impacting us. But evidence is now mounting that we are paying a physiological price for spending all those hours cooped…
E-cigarettes may help adults quit but get teens hooked
Makers of e-cigarettes say their products could save lives by helping adult smokers quit traditional cigarettes. But critics say that the electronic devices, which deliver nicotine via a heated aerosol and come in fruit flavors, are being marketed…
Designing for climate change
How we can better design our buildings and cities to adapt to our changing climate?