Carol Cannon's 9 Bau (Building) Biology Tips for a Healthy Home (& Planet!) (edit/delete)

Happy Earth Day! Today is the day that we celebrate Mother Earth. However, I hope that you celebrate and enjoy her every day! As a Bau (Building) Biologist, I look at how buildings affect humans, and, the planet. Following are some of my favorite tips to create a healthy living environment. Enjoy!

1. Unplug any unnecessary electrical items in your bedroom so you are not sleeping in a "sea" of electromagnetic fields (EMFs). Most importantly, keep items such as alarm clocks, tape players, radios at a "safe" distance from your head.

2. Use 100% natural linens for your bed, to avoid allergies. Avoid polyester!

3. Attach a grounded glare guard to an older computer to reduce EMFs and make working much easier on your health. Newer computers have built in lower EMFs.

4. Keep electric calculators, pencil sharpeners and other electronic equipment unplugged until you need to use them. These items emit high EMFs that can negatively impact your health.

5. If you have a sewing machine, keep it unplugged when not in use, as it emits high EMFs.

6. Look for potentially dangerous EMF sources that might be hidden in your bedroom. Avoid placing your bed against a wall that might have one of the following on the other side of the wall: main power source to the building, circuit breaker box, stove, refrigerator, pool pump.

7. When building a new home or building out your new business space, incorporate healthy concepts. Consider using non-toxic glue for carpeting; non-toxic paint for the walls; tile, cork, bamboo or natural carpeting for flooring, and natural fabrics for furniture. These will help prevent out-gassing and will make your environment a healthier and more productive place to be in.

8. Consider using full spectrum lighting in place of fluorescent tubes, particularly in your workspace. This creates the closest lighting to daylight, and relieves much stress in the body.

9. Test your drinking water regularly, even if you have a filter. Consider installing a reverse osmosis or distilled water unit for removal of most "TDS" (total dissolved solids).

Creativity

I used to be an early riser, filled with creative ideas the moment I got out of bed.  These days, the end of the day seems to be the opening to my creative juices.  Living on the intracoastal in South Florida is a treat - and I enjoy rising slowly, watching the sun sneak up to the sky, with Hercules and Zeus (my 2 cats) and my cup of organic coffee.  Mornings have turned into times for me to fill my soul, rather than pour it out into the world.  Daily, I start out with sacred music, a great view, and slowly I begin to fill up with life.

That said, by the end of the afternoon, I find that the sun setting calls me outside for a walk that is the formal end to my productive work day.  Scenes like the one at left leave me speechless some evenings - and it is a great way for me to empty my mind from all that went on during the day.  Somehow, it seems that in this emptying, I am finding my most creative thoughts emerge at the same time.  Once that starts flowing, it feels so good that when I return, I'll either start writing, or free drawing, or even creative cooking.  This is a whole new side of me that seems to have turned inside out - a person that I am living with that seems to be recreating life for me!

What are you doing to allow your creative juices to express themselves?  What have I done that has caused this shift?  One important thing I have done is move a lot of furniture around in my condo at the start of the New Chinese Year.  Old habits don't leave easily - moving furniture around is a habit that I've had since I was a little girl!  Things just 'feel' differently in new locations - and when you couple that with Feng Shui and all that I know about it - it is a magical experience.  These days when I am working at my desk, it is in a more open space where I am able to open the doors to the patio so Herc & Zeus can enjoy the fresh air - and we all get to enjoy the water view as we work.  There is a lot of work ahead that requires me to be creative - and the basic, bottom line for me is feeling good in my surroundings.  Good Feng Shui always comes through.  

Carol Cannon's August Newsletter - Feng Shui Specials

I know I should be blogging more often...but...it has been a month of moving and relocation activities! Here is my latest brief newsletter, hope you can partake! http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs027/1101411528613/archive/1102678920121.html