HEALTH & HOME

ACTION & ADVOCACY

At Health & Home, we believe that creating a healthier living space starts with minimizing toxins in the home. This step can be challenging, as chemicals are not always made, labeled or regulated in a way that prioritizes our health. We believe this can and should change in every industry. That’s why we’re committed to advocating for safer and healthier products, legislative requirements on labeling, more transparency to the consumer, education and awareness campaigns, and stronger regulation legislation. 

But creating change isn’t easy, and we can’t do it alone. That’s why we encourage everyone to get involved in chemical and health advocacy efforts! Whether it’s supporting legislation, sharing your story, prioritizing buying from organizations you support, donating to organizations doing the work, or getting involved in local campaigns, there are many ways to make a difference! To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of chemical and health advocacy groups that are doing amazing work to promote safer products and a healthier world! These groups provide easy ways to get involved, from signing petitions to contacting your local representatives and more. 

Together, let’s advocate for a better, safer, and healthier world for all.

The EWG Healthy Living Home Guides are guides produced by the EWG to help you create a healthier space! The guides range from paint to furniture to nurseries and are a great resource!

The Campaign For Safe Cosmetics is a national science-based advocacy organization working to prevent breast cancer by eliminating environmental exposures linked to it and other diseases.

Made Safe is the only human health and ecosystem-focused product certification program. They help people find healthier & safer items by certifying items that meet their safety criteria.

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Environmental Defence is a leading Canadian environmental advocacy organization that works with the government, industry, and individuals to defend clean water, a safe climate, and healthy communities.

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The Center for Environmental Health creates programs that protect and manage food, drug, medical device, and radiation sources, regulate medical waste, low-level radioactive waste and more. 

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Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families is a national leader in environmental health research and advocacy. They support strong laws and corporate responsibility to protect the health of all people and the planet. 

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The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization nonprofit organization is dedicated to preventing asbestos-related diseases through education, advocacy, and community.

Breast Cancer Prevention Partners

The Breast Cancer Prevention Partners is a science-based advocacy organization that works to eliminate our exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation linked to disease.

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Greenpeace is an international organization that campaigns actively, but non-violently for the conservation of the environment and the preservation of endangered species.

Breast Cancer Action

Breast Cancer Action is a U.S.-based grassroots education and activist organization driven by and supporting people living with breast cancer by supporting & sharing healthy resources as well as advocating for change.

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The Natural Resources Defense Council is a non-profit international environmental advocacy group that works to ensure the rights of all people and to prevent special interests from undermining public interests.

Silent Spring Institute Logo

The Silent Spring Institute is a nonprofit organization dedicated to studying and reporting primarily on breast cancer prevention, although its research and actions work to cover other health-related topics as well.

Turning Green Logo

Turning Green is a global movement devoted to cultivating a healthy, just, planet through education and advocacy around climate justice, environmental sustainability, public health and safety.

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The Women’s Voices for the Earth is a feminist, women-led, environmental organization that specializes in research and advocacy regarding toxic chemicals used in products that impact women.

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The David Suzuki Foundation is a science-based non-profit environmental organization that through research, education and policy analysis, works to conserve and protect the natural environment.

The Mom’s Clean Air Force is an organization created to protect children from air pollution and climate change. They work to create a safe, stable, and equitable future where all children breathe clean air.

WHY THE NATURE VIDEOS ON AN INTERIOR DESIGN SITE?

At Health & Home, we’re all about creating a healthy home by minimizing toxins and optimizing the design to maximize your health! And you know what? The easiest way to do that is to look to nature! Research has shown time and time again that using more natural and non-toxic products as well as incorporating elements of nature into our spaces, can both have a really positive impact on your overall health & wellness!

Now, don’t worry – you don’t have to turn your family room into a forest to get those benefits! Actually, you don’t have to change your aesthetic at all if you don’t want to! No matter what your personal style may be, we can work with you to create an environment that supports your health and wellness goals. We do this by looking at nature for things like colors, textures, and sounds to determine how they can positively or negatively impact your well-being based on the latest research, and then we use that information to create a space that’s just right for you & what you want from your space!

So why are there these videos at the top of the pages? Well, we put these here to help set the tone for the page and give you a taste of how exposure to elements of nature can impact your mood, your perception, and even your physical health! Below you will find an in-depth explanation as to why we chose the video we did for the page you are on and the research that we used to decide on that. Our hope is that this can help you see how you can intentionally take this kind of research and apply it to the design of your home so you can naturally get all the amazing benefits AND have a beautiful home at the same time!

HOW DID THIS PAGE MAKE YOU FEEL?

We wanted you to feel empowered, curious, open, and connected as you browse through our resource pages with helpful databases and advocacy groups. The video featured on our Resources page portrays large, expansive green mountains, representing the vastness and abundance of information and advocacy resources available to you on this page. The video aims to create a sense of awe, inspiration, and empowerment, highlighting the extensive database and diverse range of resources offered. The mountains symbolize the depth and breadth of knowledge and advocacy efforts that can provide support to you as you create your healthy home. The imagery invites you to explore the vast landscape of resources and discover valuable information to enhance their well-being.

Research suggests that exposure to natural landscapes, such as mountains, can elicit feelings of awe, connectedness, and motivation (Shiota et al., 2007; Joye & Bolderdijk, 2015). These positive emotions and experiences can enhance cognitive functioning, creativity, and a sense of empowerment. By incorporating the video of big green mountains, we aimed to create an environment that encourages you to engage with the resources available on the platform, fostering a sense of wonder, discovery, and the motivation to take action towards a healthier home.

To bring these feelings into your space you can incorporate earthy green tones and cool blue hues. Green can be introduced through accents like furniture, textiles, or plants, representing growth and connection to nature (Kaplan, 1995). Blue colors can be incorporated through wall colors, artwork, or decorative elements, creating a sense of calmness and inspiration (Kwallek et al., 1997). Integrating natural textures and materials, such as wood or stone, can further enhance the connection to the symbolized mountain landscapes (Berman et al., 2008). By incorporating these design elements, individuals can create a home environment that fosters a sense of calmness and openness which is great for any kind of common area!

References:

  • Berman, M. G., Jonides, J., & Kaplan, S. (2008). The cognitive benefits of interacting with nature. Psychological Science, 19(12), 1207-1212.
  • Joye, Y., & Bolderdijk, J. W. (2015). An exploratory study into the effects of extraordinary nature on emotions, mood, and prosociality. Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 1577.
  • Kwallek, N., Lewis, C. M., & Robbins, A. S. (1997). Effects of office interior color on workers’ mood and productivity. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 84(1), 267-273
  • Shiota, M. N., Keltner, D., & Mossman, A. (2007). The nature of awe: Elicitors, appraisals, and effects on self-concept. Cognition and Emotion, 21(5), 944-963.

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Health and Home

Health & Home is an interior design-based business that seeks to help others create healthy homes through minimizing toxins, optimizing design and maximizing health. We do so by addressing the build of the home, the design of the space, the decor and even the products used in the home, so our clients can live their healthiest life!

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