Q&A Sunday: LED Bulbs vs. Full-Spectrum Bulbs

In terms of BTB feng shui, what is the opinion of LED bulbs? Do they emit EMFs? I thought full-spectrum bulbs were better.

Rita, on How to Buy New Light Bulbs Without Guessing

Hi Rita, 

Thanks for your question! Feng shui doesn't really take this sort of detail into consideration, and in my work with BTB feng shui, we haven't touched on light bulbs much. In general, I believe this would be more of a Bau Biologie question. 

However, we did do some research in attempt to help, and this is what we found!

First, the term "full-spectrum" seems to actually refer to the type of light a bulb puts off, ranging from infrared to near-ultraviolet, and there are available full-spectrum options in CFL, LED and incandescent. It is worth noting that, like with greenwashing, there are bulbs that specify "full-spectrum" that actually do not include the entire spectrum and aren't much different from an average bulb. 

That said, there does seem to be evidence that LED bulbs give off more EMFs than incandescent, in the form of "dirty electricity." Most research and writing confirms that LED bulbs do emit a certain type of EMF, known as dirty electricity, which is caused by products that transform the type of electricity flowing through wires into other types (from AC to DC) in order to provide lower voltage and use less energy. 

If this is a concern for you, you can try halogen incandescent bulbs, which are clean, or look for high-quality, high-efficiency LED bulbs that do not use a transformer, as they are safer than traditional LED bulbs with regards to EMFs. 

In any case, I would definitely recommend researching further into available lightbulbs and Bau Biologie for more information! 

by Anjie Cho

Thanks for reading our "Q&A Sunday".  We will be answering questions submitted by our readers. Click here to submit any Feng Shui or Green Design questions!

How (And Why) To Choose an Organic Pillow

A huge part of creating a sacred, holistic space is designing a place where you are happy and healthy. From the paint on your walls to the cleaning products you use, even down to the furniture and accessories you bring into your space, each addition has a chance to harm you or heal you. 

Since we spend spend many of our passive, yin hours in bed, it's especially important to make sure that we're resting in a healthy space, free of toxins and allergens. That's why I encourage you to choose organic bedding and linens, including pillows.

Most traditional pillows are filled with either conventionally grown cotton or polyester, neither of which are good for our health or the environment. Cotton contains herbicides and pesticides, many of which are carcinogenic to humans, and polyester filling includes the toxic chemical ethylene glycol (the deadly substance in anti-freeze) among others. Even most memory foam pillows give off harmful VOCs. These chemicals not only seep into your skin and lungs, they eventually, through washing and disposal, find their way to the atmosphere and even our water supply. Talk about unhealthy!

On top of all this, the production of these substances can put a heavy strain on our non-renewable resources, like water. One single shirt made from conventional cotton requires 2700 liters of water and 1/3 of a pound of chemicals. The chemicals used in cotton growth account for 25% of the world's insecticides, which often pollute our drinking water as well. As for polyester, it's made from non-renewable petroleum and its creation produces harmful gases that find their way both into the bodies of workers and the atmosphere.

With these statistics in mind, the case for organic pillows seems pretty cut and dry, but how do you find the perfect organic pillow for you? Before you even consider what material to opt for, it's important to consider your sleep style and other lifestyle choices. 

The type of pillow you need depends on your sleeping style. Typically, side sleepers need the most support, while back sleepers need a bit less, and stomach sleepers need the least. Spend a few moments determining how you sleep most often before you head out shopping. 

Other considerations are how you live the remainder of your life, as well as your personal preferences. Do you want firm or soft? Are you vegan? Are animal products an no-go? Are you allergic to any of the materials used in organic pillows? These are all important questions to answer if you're looking for optimal comfort (and aren't we all?). 

Once you've tackled those details, dive into choosing which organic material is best for your holistic space.

Natural Latex

Natural latex is harvested from natural rubber trees, a rapidly renewing resource, and boasts a variety of perks including being naturally hypoallergenic and resistant to dust mites, flexible, long-lasting, moisture-absorbing, heat regulating and resistant to mold and mildew. These pillows are 100% natural latex, are best for side and stomach sleepers and will even eventually biodegrade!

Organic Cotton

This popular option has the same supportive and comfort qualities as traditional cotton but is grown in a much more sustainable, eco-friendly and safe way, without perfumes, formaldehyde or dyes. It's 100% natural and is hypoallergenic, resistant to mold and breathes well during warmer weather (so no sleep sweat!). This option is best if you're a stomach sleeper, since it's not quite as firm as latex. 

Organic Wool

Organic wool is another very popular option for pillows. This material is great for regulating temperatures, keeping you cool in summer and warm in winter and has a natural moisture-wicking ability, just in case those few sweat drops do get loose. Like most other organic options, organic wool is naturally mold, mildew, fire and water resistant and hypoallergenic. Wool is best for side sleepers, and if you can, opt for alpaca wool, as it is lighter and warmer. 

Buckwheat or Millet

If you're willing to try something new, a buckwheat or millet pillow is a great organic option. These pillows are filled with buckwheat or millet hulls and have many perks including excellent air circulation, adjustability and potential to eliminate neck, back or shoulder pain as well as snoring. They're also naturally pesticide-free, hypoallergenic and water resistant. These pillows aren't super fluffy, and it's important to note that they can be a bit noisy, so opt for one with a wool outer layer to muffle the sound. Millet pillows are a bit quieter on this front. These pillows are great for all sleep types, but if you're a side or stomach sleeper, be sure to check out millet!

Kapok

Before you mourn the loss of your down pillow, let's talk about kapok. This material is a silky fiber from ceiba trees that feels much like down, but it's hypoallergenic! It's also eight times lighter than cotton and very fluffy, in addition to being naturally pest-free, water and mold resistant and quick-drying. This option is vegetable-based and great for back sleepers, or anyone who's a fan of down pillows!

There are many, many options for going organic with your pillow selection, and I encourage you to research your choices before making this investment. No matter what you choose, rest easier (and more organically) knowing that by getting rid of traditional pillows, you've taken a great step in creating a truly holistic space!

by Anjie Cho

Your Quick Guide to Giving Up Disposable Goods

One of the easiest ways to do our part to save our environment is to make surprisingly small changes in our everyday activities. Even the simplest adjustments, like asking take-out places not to include disposable silverware and replacing plastic bottled water with a sturdy, reusable bottle can have immense effects on the amount of waste we produce. It may be easy to understand that concept, but sometimes we get busy and find it hard to remember all the different ways we can make these changes. Here's a quick guide to help to eliminate as many disposable items as possible in your home and get a little more eco-friendly each day!

Give Up: Plastic Bags, Paper Bags
Reach For: Reusable Cloth Bags

We all know by now how wasteful using plastic, or even paper bags, can be and the damage these items do to the environment when we don't recycle them. Eliminate the need to recycle, and reduce clutter in your space, by grabbing a sturdy, dependable cloth bag for shopping. 

Give Up: Plastic Bottles
Reach For: Reusable Bottles

In this case, there are a few options. You can go for BPA-free, thick reusable plastic bottles or opt for glass. Either way, you'll be sending fewer plastic bottles out with recycling or trash. If you only drink one bottle per day, switching to reusable saves the plastic from 365 bottles per year. The number only goes up!

Give Up: Ziplock Bags
Reach For: Reusable Lunch Bags

There are options here as well. We're all familiar with Tupperware, and it's a good solution over disposable bags and packaging, but there are also glass options and, in some cases, you can even use cloth (think wrapping up a sandwich)!

Give Up: Paper Towels and Napkins
Reach For: Cloth Napkins

This one's pretty easy to understand. The United States uses over 13 billion pounds of paper towels each year! That means 13 billion pounds have to be produced EACH year! Switching to washable cloth napkins can drastically reduce this number and environmental impact, even after you consider the energy needed to make and wash a set. 

Give Up: Paper or Plastic Coffee Cups
Reach For: Reusable Cups

The average American drinks around 3 cups of coffee per day, especially during these cooler seasons. That's 3 disposable cups EACH day! That means for an average American, finding a fun, personality-infused, BPA-free plastic or glass option can eliminate over 1,000 paper or plastic cups each year. Need I say more?

This list just scratches the surface of ways to replace disposable, wasteful items in your life with reusable, greener and often customizable options. If you're a Swiffer user, opt for washable pads rather than one-time use. Get your clothes dry cleaned? Invest in a quality, reusable bag and eliminate all those plastic ones! There are even more eco-friendly options for ladies when that time comes! 

Where can you make a small change in your space to eliminate some of our massive waste? Please share your ideas with us!

by Anjie Cho