Non Toxic Environments Home Health & Wellness

Today we have Stacy Malesiewski, who is the director of marketing with Austin Air Purification Systems. I'm having Stacy on today to talk a little bit about the Austin air purifiers, but more importantly, we're going to be talking about her own personal health journey with mold exposure in a home that led to just debilitating issues for her entire family. She shares her story with us about her jou...

Welcome back my friends to the 2026 spring season of the Non Toxic Environments show.  This is actually our 200th episode of the show, so Im feeling a litle proud of that right now.  In the last eight years, I've averaged two episodes a month. Not bad. But in the last year or so its has not been nearly that frequent and I intend on fixing that this year!   This first episode of the season is a goo...

It's been a while since I've been in front of the microphone and recorded an episode of the show. I'm really excited to get back into it now that the cooler months have come to us. Summer is over, unfortunately, at least for us here in the upper Midwest. But I want to bring to you another wonderful interview with a friend of mine in the industry. You may know her, I'm sure most of you do. PJ Harlo...

On today's episode, I'm talking with Brian Johnson, the founder and CEO of Senergy 360. Senergy 360 is a pioneer in the building science and healthy home construction space. Brian got started in the industry as a lumber grader over 20 years ago, working for a large lumber producer, and he got to see firsthand what happens with mold on lumber and how we build our homes and what happens from a healt...

I went live the other day in response to a consulting call to speak out to the industry about the ridiculous need for perfection. What started out as a quick 30 second live hit turned into 20 minutes of pleading to medical professionals to tone down the fear mongering and allow people to celebrate the small wins. In my 30+ year career, I've helped over 30,000 chemically sensitive and mold damaged...

On today's episode, I'm talking with Ryan Riedy, president of Square One Restorations in Arizona. Ryan is a mold, asbestos remediation contractor, fire and water damage cleanup contractor. But Ryan actually got his start in doing remodeling, house flips, investment properties, an interesting story.  Ryan actually developed chronic inflammatory response syndrome himself from everything he's been ex...

Welcome back to season 10 of the NTE Live show.   I spent about five days at a conference in Arizona called CIRSx/Surviving Mold. CIRS stands for Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome. This is the annual conference for both medical professionals, industry professionals, as well as those suffering from CIRS themselves, to learn all about the latest research and techniques into healing from CIRS, a...

I'm sure you are going to appreciate the conversation that I'm having with Brantley May with Enviro Health. Brantley and I have known each other for several years. We've worked together on projects and he refers to a lot of the information I talk about. I certainly refer clients to Brantley and his services. Brantley is a building scientist. He's an indoor environmental professional. He's not just...

This week's episode deals with the epidemic of obesity in our society, and not just from the foods we eat, but also the buildings that we surround ourselves with, the homes we live in. Dr. Stewart Lonky is a pioneer in the field of excess weight and the health effects that we are experiencing.  We talk a lot about our diet and sedentary lifestyle, but really the discussion goes into this avenue of...

I know I'm getting old when I start "looking back" at my career and remembering the old days.  That said, one of the most asked questions I get is "how did you ever get in this business" so I thought Id finally address that.   This episode is my story about starting Green Design Center and Non Toxic Environments.  Who were the pioneers in the healthy home space? Why are our homes getting so danger...

In keeping with the theme of this season of the show...talking about specific health issues related to our built environment, related to the foods we eat, the materials we cover ourselves with, we are going to talk about a topic that I have never really discussed before in the show      ADHD in children.  I'm really excited to share this episode with you because it's truly amazing to me how so man...

Embarking on a new build is always exciting but will also bring its share of stressful situations.  For instance, you've got two young kids at home, your general contractor just backed out and you happen to be a touring musical artist, and things sure do get a bit complicated. Country music star John King joins us today to talk all about the grueling life on the road and why he and his wife decide...

If you have listened to this show for a while, you know that I focus on the built environment from a materials and systems approach.   The nuts and bolts, the wood and glue that our homes are made of, thats my expertise.   But what happens after the home built?   How do we live a healthier life beyond the building process?   The clothing we wear, the food we eat, the pots and pans we cook with…the...

There is a lot of technical information out there about the inspection and remediation of homes that have been damaged by water intrusion and mold.   Most of it, however, comes from a position of an already established high knowledge base.   Essentially, it's a bunch of smart people trying to sound smarter than the others.   While it all sounds impressive, those who are just dipping in to these to...

I have several clients around the country that just cannot take the first step in building a new home. Sure, budget is always a big factor, and so is timing. But for many, the hesitation comes down to the fear of possibly making the wrong decision.  Its absolutely terrifying.  I get it, believe me. See, I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have many sensitivities to chemicals, mold, etc.  But my...

Im sure for many of you, the following scenario isnt just made up...its reality.  You or someone in your family suffers from CIRS, MCAS, MCS.  Years of trauma from exposure to mold, bacteria and toxic chemicals is a weight on the body and the brain.  So much so, that it makes doing some of the simplest tasks virtually impossible.  Now imagine you're trying to find a home to move into. Something sa...

To launch the new season of Non Toxic Environments, I inveted my good friend Eric Goranson to give us his expert opinions on how the home building industry is adopting healthy home options.  Eric is the Host of "Around the House with Eric" nationally syndicated Home Improvment, Construction, Design, and Heathy Home radio show and podcast. Eric also has over 30 years in the kitchen and bath industr...

I'll let the engineers and the environmentalists argue the fine points of how we are supposed to eliminate fossil fuels and go electric, yet not rely on those same fossil fuels to create that electricity.  Solar, wind and hydroelectric power have its place and is increasing in output, but it could be decades before we figure this all out.  In the meantime, the health issues related to the EMF fiel...

Its a common occurance througout the land.  Something has gone wrong in our homes and now we're dealing with the health effects.  Sure, everyone can see that water spot on the ceiling. But what about the entirety of the attic itself? Is the crawlspace damp? What about the inside of our ductwork?  We have to figure this out before things really get out of hand.   We need a detective.   We need.......

I'm well aware of my skepticism; it's one of my many flaws.   One does not enter into their profession already skeptical. It's something that builds over time as sort of a defense mechanism.   In my particular case, my immediate jump to calling out BS is due to years of protecting my clients from the sea of so-called green and eco friendly building materials that only caused them more personal har...

A few months ago, I started an ad hoc committee for the Change the Air Foundation , to put together the framework on how to design and build homes that are safe for those who suffer from mold and chemical sensitivities.  This committee is made up of myself, Brian Tinker from Tinker Homes and Amanda Klecker from Healthy House on the Block .  The three of us bring decades of experience, both persona...

Just imagine, you and your family are trying to buy or build a new home and someone in your family has CIRS or MCAS or something related.  The home building process is stressful enough for anyone, but the added worry about how the new materials may adversely affect your family is sometimes overwhelming.  Most of my client interactions deal with building materials and systems, but inevitably, the d...

Every single day, I get calls and emails asking if I have a recommendation for a home builder in their area that can build healthy.  Unfortunately, I dont have such a list to refer to.  I certainly have many builders around the country that Ive worked with and do trust, but the building industry as a whole is not keeping up with the demands consumers have.  So my typical recommendation is to ident...

Meet Andra McHugh, the matcha-sipping, veggie-loving mom who turned her family's eczema nightmare into a mission for healthier, happier childhoods. Host of a popular podcast and mom to four vibrant kids, Andra knows the agony of sleepless nights spent soothing itchy, bleeding skin. Frustrated by conventional medicine and overwhelmed by conflicting dietary advice, she took matters into her own hand...

The first rule in real estate is that you should NEVER waive your right to an inspection before closing the deal. The second rule is, make sure your inspector understands building biology, as well as the typical home systems and materials.  Your inspector needs to understand moisture, mold, chemical emissions and electro magnetic fields, in addition to structural concerns, windows, HVAC, etc.  Ama...