Here is the first “Green Tip,” Clearing the Air At Home

The Palisadian-Post and Resilient Palisades have teamed up to present readers with a weekly “Green Tip” provided by the local environmental organization.

In the works since November 2019, five community members waited for an opportunity to launch the nonprofit, which hosted its first virtual event in mid-August and has gained traction since.

Four Community Teams—Food, Clean Air, Solar and Plastic/Waste—have been formed to tackle projects that will be announced in the coming months, with more than 120 Palisadians involved.

Resilient Palisades is working to strengthen the community as it responds to the environmental and climate crisis, according to the group’s website, inviting Palisadians to partner in undertaking projects that support the health and well-being of the neighborhood, surrounding communities and planet.

“Resilient Palisades is a brand-new organization that aims to bring Palisadians together to work to address the climate crisis,” Co-founder Ingrid Steinberg explained to the Post at the start of August. “We’re aiming to be the local environmental group that brings together all kinds of different interests in environmental work and we hope that, with a broad enough interest, we can develop grassroots efforts to make real change.”

Here is the first “Green Tip,” which readers can look for in upcoming editions of the paper:

You may be surprised to learn that indoor air can be more polluted than outdoor air. As research from Harvard and other universities suggests that breathing polluted air over many years may worsen the effects of COVID-19, here are a few easy steps we can all take to breathe easier at home:

• Place a few houseplants in all your rooms. Search online for "NASA houseplants" to find plants most effective at filtering common indoor air pollutants.

• Stop buying and using products containing synthetic chemicals and fragrances, including shampoos, detergents, and wood floor sweepers and cleaners. Keep in mind that labeling of cosmetics and household products is loosely regulated, so don't fall for labels that say "natural." Luckily, many effective and safe alternatives are now available. Search these resources from the Environmental Working Group (EWG.org) to learn more: "Guide to Healthy Cleaning" and "Skin Deep."

• The smell of new products often signals toxic chemicals used in manufacturing. Everything from baby toys to furniture and even granite countertops can off-gas (release gas) for a portion of their life — in some cases, for years.

If you're working with a contractor or designer, share your concerns. At EWG.org, search on "flooring," "flame retardants" and "furniture."

• Replacing a water heater or furnace? Consider swapping gas appliances for solar or electric. Natural gas releases methane and other toxins. Search "NRDC Gas Appliances Pollute" to learn more.