For the fifth consecutive year, eight women’s magazines from Mondadori France have rewarded eight altruistic women who act for social commitment, environmental protection and sustainable economy. For each of the winners, a check for 10,000 euros was presented by Carmine Perna, Managing Director of Mondadori France and Jacques Rocher, Director of Sustainable Development and Yves Rocher Prospects.
With Alter Amazones (alteramazones.fr), the association they have created since 2011, Patricia Spagnolo and Nathalie Samson provide both project management assistance, awareness of bio-sourced materials and the development of projects allowing precarious people to have access to aid to renovate their home, thus combining social and ecology.
A health kit in the home
The two women promote bio-based materials. These are healthy and natural materials (wood, sheep’s wool, etc.) which have no impact on health and have better longevity than conventional materials (glass wool, rock wool). They have developed a “Health in the home” case for which they have been awarded.
“At the end of our workshops, we were overwhelmed by the questions asked, says Patricia Spagnolo. People asked us if it was normal for the walls to ooze or for there to be mold … They were extremely far away. of their accommodation. I then put together this case with easy-to-use instruments that owners or tenants can pick up from the town halls that accompany us. They take the measurements themselves and we take stock with them. “
“These instruments measure the noise, because beyond a certain threshold, continues Patricia Spagnolo, you damage your ear and it causes stress, but also light to see if it is suitable for the rooms, drafts, humidity (which should be between 45 and 60%) and ambient temperature. We also have an infrared gun to know the temperatures of the walls. And we will add an instrument for air quality. People have a logbook with averages that serve as a reference, a table that explains which bulbs are the most suitable … “
“Some people who were considering work realized that it was necessary to change the nature of it,” explains Nathalie Samson. Sometimes we manage to get them to change their behavior and they save money … “
“As we are addressing low-income households as a priority, we note that this is not one of their primary concerns. They are especially worried about how they will pay their bills, continues Nathalie Samson. Our goal is to transmit, to pool and to involve the owners. In Bordeaux (Gironde), for example, many houses have a floor over a cellar and you can feel the cold. This is easy to absorb: you just need to lay wood wool yourself, and we bring two degrees. Alternative, natural and effective solutions exist without the need to incur costs. “
The worst enemies for our health
Poor air quality: a balance between the air from the outside and that extracted is essential. Air must be evacuated from damp rooms (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) and brought to dry rooms (bedroom, office, etc.). But also ventilate your home permanently, because this allows VOCs (volatile organic compounds) to evaporate and humidity, and therefore mold, not to settle.
The home must have air inlets, never to be caulked. You need to ventilate for ten minutes in the morning and evening and have working ventilation. It is also possible to think about the choice of furniture, coatings and paints while avoiding what emits VOCs, such as non-ecological chipboard furniture, carpets or linoleum.
The main indoor pollutants
Formaldehyde: sources of combustion (cigarettes, fireplaces, kerosene stove …), paints and glues, decoration products containing glues, laser printers, household products …
Xylene: paints, varnishes, insecticides.
Trimethylbenzene: petroleum solvent (white spirit), fuel, varnish.
Dichlorobenzene: moth repellents, deodorants, toilet blocks, maupicides.
Styrene: plastics, insulation, incense, tobacco smoke.
Acetaldehyde: tobacco smoke, photocopiers, particle board, raw wood panels.
Toluene: paints, varnishes, glues, inks, carpets and rugs.
Tetrachlorethylene: dry cleaning, carpets and rugs.
Read also :
Healthy home: eliminate dust mites!
Domestic pollution: a real public health problem
Breathe with depolluting plants
