Non Toxic Environments Home Health & Wellness

If you've been on the fence about building a new home, this is a MUST LISTEN TO episode, folks.  Pete Donovan and Rus Ackner from Healthy Home Builders in New York, talk with Jay and I about their experiences as one of the true pioneers of the industry.  For them, building healthy isn't a fad or a trend...its all they do.  And they do it quite well.  In the market they are in, they typically work...

Jay and I love all the mail we get from our listeners and clients.  So many great questions come our way, that its hard to pick just a few to talk about.  This week we tackle some questions that seem to be frequently asked.  Please excuse the audio, as Jay was coming to us from a remote location this week.  But his words come through crystal clear and compelling as they always do!

Before I started this business almost 30 years ago, I enlisted the help of an organization called SCORE.  Of course, my mom and dad were the real mentors, as my business was an offshoot of theirs, but the healthy home 'industry' wasn't an industry yet.  So I needed some help.  As a resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SCORE has helped more than 11 million entrepreneurs...

Have you ever used one of our AFM Safecoat products in an unusual application and it worked perfectly?  Or maybe someone told you about a strange way to do something around the house that you never would have thought of yourself.  We call these little educational nuggets a hack.  Just as there are life 'hacks' to make you more productive, there are also product hacks, to help you get things done a...

As a professional myself that deals with home health and wellness, I'm always excited to hear from other professionals about how they can learn more and help their clients.  Today, Jay and I take a call from an IAQ tester who wants to know about taking his business to the next level so that he can help his clients with the IAQ problems he has found.  Finding the problem is only half the battle.  N...

I speak at many events throughout the year and this one is definitely going to be a favorite for me.  Today, Im interviewing Jen Norris, who is the Co-Leader of the Holistic Mom's Network, Milwaukee Chapter.  The HMN has around 100 chapters around the US and advocates for healthy living, holistic parenting and a vibrant community.  If you are in the Milwaukee area, Im speaking at their meeting on...

Last year I did an episode of NTE where I listed off some of the more common materials used for insulation.  Since then, Ive received dozens of emails about brands and versions, etc.  So I thought since its currently -25F outside my office right now, this would be a proper time to dig a little deeper into insulation.  Ie also been doing a lot of investigative research for clients lately, and figur...

A client asked me a while back, "what does a day for you really consist of?"  Lots of phone calls, emails and face to face customers, for sure.  But most of my involves consulting conversations, then tons of research to back up my recommendations.  I also get to discuss my recommendations with the contractors and design team for the project, and here is where it gets...frustrating.  These conversa...

Now that the holidays are over and the house is getting quiet again, this a great time to start those home projects that you wished you could have done before Christmas.  Today, Andy gives an update on several current projects he's consulting on and offers lots of free tips to help you as you move forward.

After a much needed break to spend time with family and friends this past holiday season, Jay and Andy are back at it to talk about what this new year will mean for NTE.  They conduct some real-time FRAT testing to help out a client in Florida, then discuss some upcoming programming.  Its going to be a great year here on Non Toxic Environments!

For the final episode of 2018, Jay and I answer a few listener questions and discuss our plans for 2019.  New shows, new ideas and plenty of opportunity for educational events.  

We've all heard the many suggestions for killing off mold, but honestly, most of them dont work effectively.  And the few that do... mold eventually will come back.  Caliwel is a revolutionary coating made by combining new technology with a readily available natural mineral....lime.  Today, Andy interviews Bryan Glynson, CEO of Alistagen.  Bryan's company is the inventor and producer of this amazi...

About a year ago, after getting frustrated with my industry for the umpteenth time, I posted a rant on Facebook and used the hashtag LeadnotLEED.  Why?  Mainly because I wanted to tell professionals in the building industry to become leaders, not just follow the LEED program like lemmings.  The LEED program is good for many reasons, but as we've discussed in previous episodes, it doesn't take huma...

If you are someone who suffers from chemical sensitivity or allergies, you know how difficult it is to try and describe your situation with someone who just doesn't get it.  Well, imagine what its like for folks like Jay and Andy, who deal with these consumers on a daily basis.  Today's episode is a friendly reminder for sales people all over the world, as well as the customers themselves, to thin...

I know its a bit cliche to do a show about giving thanks this time of the year, but Jay and I both feel compelled to do so anyway!  Obviously, we wouldn't be here without our spouses, family, co-workers and employees, so that all goes with our saying.  This episode is all about giving thanks to the early pioneers of our industry, our customers and listeners, and many others. Thank YOU for allowing...

Jay and I decided to step back from our usual programming to discuss the wildfires in California.  This episode is dedicated to all those who are dealing with this and especially those who have lost family and friends.  Folks, if you are told to evacuate your home...EVACUATE.  Don't think for one second that you can "ride this out" and everything will be okay.  So please, listen to what is being s...

I think it's clear to everyone, that Jay and I love to answer questions.  Really doesn't matter what the subject is or how detailed it may be...we just thrive on helping our listeners out with their projects.  And when the questions come in, Jay loves to throw them at Andy without ANY prior notice of what they pertain to, so the answers come back completely off the cuff and from the gut.  We know...

3500 minutes of Non Toxic Environments this year to date and this episode is a review of the best we've done so far.  If you've wanted to introduce your friends, family and social media followers to Non Toxic Environments, this is the episode to send them.  Carpet, contractors, mold and more! 

While I really enjoy choosing one topic and running with it for 30 minutes, sometimes its necessary to answer some questions that we've been asked quite often these days.  Today we'll go though some of these questions and hopefully it proves to be very helpful to all of our listeners.  Topics include: Windows, shower surrounds, dealing with contractors, and more!

This has been an extraordinarily wet year, so before winter sets in, its important to inspect several areas of your home to prevent that moisture from causing big problems down the road.  Insulation, windows, caulking and coatings.  Even a little bit of discussion about air handling and purification.  This week on Non Toxic Environments.  

As listeners to this show, you are well aware of the toxins we find in our homes every day. We've made many suggestions on how to locate and remediate these areas to make your home a healthier space.  But another area can be just as difficult to deal with, and that is your automobile.  This episode, we'll discuss what to look for, how to address the problem areas, and even give you some suggestion...

Changing things up a bit this week, as Jay sits down with Andy to ask about being a healthy home consultant and what that means for folks who are in need of these services.  What can Andy do for you?  What kind of testing services are available?  Will it help my marriage??  Andy get a chance to answer some questions about his experiences and what its like to help folks trying to live in a healthie...

We're getting such a slew of questions from our listeners these days! Fantastic feedback from everyone.  This episode is just taking care of some questions we get regularly about how to handle window and door frames that have been previously painted with lead paint, as well as advice on how to finish a new hardwood floor.  

Emelie Kamp and her husband Ben, are on a mission to develop the first vacation property in the US specifically designed for folks with illnesses or those truly looking for wellness.  Join me this week, as we hear from Emelie about why they have taken on such a monumental project and how they see this transitioning the vacation industry!  This is the first of many episodes we'll be doing about thi...

I think by now, most people have heard the term 'greenwashing' and know how to recognize it.  Greenwashing, simply put, is a method that manufacturers use to make their product sound much more eco-friendly than they really are.  They do this so that you feel like you're doing your part for the Earth, even though, you probably aren't.  I've decided to now use the old fashioned 'white washing' prais...