 All of us know the dangers of smoke in homes. Whether it comes directly from smoking, or wafts around as secondhand smoke, the health problems smoke causes are a serious problem. The EPA, as well as state and local organizations, has great programs on smoke removal in the home so that health can be preserved.
Having a smoke-free home has many benefits. It’s also a good practice for having a green home. Several of the materials used to make cigarettes are toxic to the environment. Several wildlife groups report bird deaths that result from the consumption of cigarette butts that are mistaken for food. There are also chemical compounds that enter groundwater from landfills which are very difficult to remove. With all these in mind, it is easy to see why a smoke-free home is good for the Earth too. Smoke-free homes also prevent damage caused to pillows and other home items that over time get damaged from smoke, saving money and waste.
There are several easy ways to keep smoke from coming into your home. One step involves communicating to family and friends not to smoke in or around the home. There are also signs that tell people that an area is non-smoking so that way anyone who enters automatically knows your home is not a place to smoke. Being polite but firm is important. Letting smokers know that it is the smoke, not the smoker, that is not welcome is a good practice to avoid hurt feelings. Another good action is to remove all ashtrays, lighters and matches from the home. This will get rid of any temptation for anyone to smoke. If anyone in the home is a smoker, keep low-calorie candies with nicotine in them so that if the smoker needs nicotine, there is an alternative to smoking.
It is important to keep the whole home smoke free, not just a couple of rooms. Smoke wafts in the air. Fans do not help get rid of smoke either, they circulate it. Air filters do not protect people from the effects of smoke either. Therefore it makes the most sense to keep smoke outside of the entire home. Even when there is no one else around, secondhand smoke still stays in the air long after smoking, so observe the smoke-free rules at all times. Your health will be better, and if you are planning on selling your home, it will sell better without having the remnants of smoke.
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