Tips for a Healthy Home

This week, we’re talking about how to keep your home healthy and free from toxins. The Via Sol team is working hard to create 217 new apartments that are healthy for people and the planet with filtered air, nontoxic materials, and green cleaning of common areas.

There are many things you can do to keep your household safe. We hope these tips help you breathe a little easier in your home.

Happy learning and happy living!

Sincerely,

The PLACE Team:

Chris Velasco Elizabeth Bowling Alice Hiniker Todd Bagby

http://www.welcometoplace.org/

Healthy Living at Via Sol

Unlike in conventional homes, you will not find any pthalates (common in vinyl), formaldehyde (common in particle board), volatile organic compounds/VOCs (common in paints and adhesives), or other common toxins in Via Sol’s interior finishes or construction materials, all thanks to our team at MSR Design.

To keep Via Sol homes even healthier, every apartment will receive fresh, filtered air through the Dedicated Outdoor Air System (DOAS), designed and installed by our team with Horwitz. This means neighbors won’t smell each other’s cooking or breathe each other’s air when sick.

From nontoxic cabinets and flooring to water pipes and HVAC, residents will be able to breathe easy at Via Sol.

Learn more about Via Sol's healthy apartments here.

Healthy Home, Healthy You

Your home is your sanctuary, but unhealthy things are often brought into it unintentionally. Some easier ways to limit exposure include taking your shoes off at the entry door, vacuuming regularly, not allowing smoking, and limiting plastics (especially with BPA).

More healthy home tips:

• 10 Affordable Ways to Make Your Home Safer and Healthier, WebMD

• 36 Expert Tips for a Healthier Home, Harvard School of Public Health

• Healthy Living Tips, EWG

• Healthy Home Checklist, EWG

Green Cleaning For Easy Breathing

Most store-bought cleaners contain chemicals known to be irritants, endocrine disruptors, and carcinogens. Fortunately, homemade cleaners are often just as effective as store-bought, but without the potential extra harm to our health. White vinegar and baking soda are often the heroes of healthy home cleaning.

More green cleaning tips:

• Identifying Greener Cleaning Products, EPA

• Green Cleaning, The Spruce

• The Best Non-toxic Ways to Clean Your Home, WebMD

• 15 best eco-friendly cleaning products, NBC News

Via Sol

PLACE’s Via Sol community, a sustainable, transit-oriented community in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, producing its own food and energy, filled with art and imagination, offering healthy apartments and live/work space to households across the income spectrum.

Via Sol is currently under construction and expected to open in summer of 2022. Applications are now being accepted. For more information:

Pre-Application here

Email info@ViaLiving.org

Call 612.444.2VIA (612.444.2842)