READ HABITABLE’S NEW REPORTDesigning Out Plastics: A Blueprint for Healthier Building Materials
EquityLifetime Cost of Plastic 10 Times Higher for Low-Income Countries Than Rich Ones
Report
A new report reveals that low-income countries, despite using less plastic, face lifetime plastic costs that are ten times higher than those of wealthier nations.
This disparity highlights the structural inequities within the plastics value chain, where the burdens of plastic pollution fall disproportionately on those least equipped to address them, exacerbating the crisis. WWF urges all governments to adopt a treaty with harmonized, binding global rules to eliminate these inequities in our current take, make, and waste plastics system. Such a treaty is essential to ensure a fair and effective global response to plastic pollution.
HealthPFAS Questions
Report
Watch this video for a summary of legislation, scientific findings and more about PFAS “forever chemicals.”
PollutionThe rap battle against PFAS
Report
ChemSec takes on PFAS in this educational rap battle.
PollutionThe Perils of PVC Plastic Pipes
Report
This report discusses concerns about replacing lead service lines with PVC plastic pipes, highlighting the potential health and environmental risks associated with leaching chemicals, urging for thorough consideration and evaluation of alternative piping materials.
HealthHistoric redlining and the siting of oil and gas wells in the United States
Report
This report explores the association between racially discriminatory housing practices from the 1930s and exposure to oil and gas wells, highlighting the impact of structural racism on environmental exposure disparities in urban areas.
HealthRace, Racism, and Drinking Water Contamination Risk From Oil and Gas Wells in Los Angeles County, 2020
Report
This report evaluates the risk of drinking water contamination in Los Angeles County, California, based on the proximity of supply wells to oil and gas wells, highlighting disparities in risk based on race/ethnicity and measures of structural racism.
PollutionPlastic pollution at each life stage
Report
This fact sheet provides an overview over plastic pollution at each life stage: from resource extraction all the way to removal and remediation.
HealthHealthy, Climate-Resilient Homes for All: Centering Housing Justice and Health Equity in Building Decarbonization
Report
This report emphasizes the need for equitable building decarbonization efforts, highlighting the importance of centering the perspectives of vulnerable communities to address long-standing inequities in housing quality and health disparities exacerbated by current policies.
HealthPFAS in Paints
Report
HBN tested 94 commercially available paint products for the presence of harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), called “forever chemicals”. Approximately 50% of paints tested positive for fluorine, a marker of PFAS. Review the details of our findings and the recommended actions you can take.
HealthEmbodied Carbon and Material Health in Insulation
Report
HBN and Perkins&Will have released a second report aimed at transforming the way project teams select sustainable, low-carbon products. Building on the first report titled “Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Gypsum Drywall and Flooring,” a second report investigating the intersection of carbon and material health is titled “Embodied Carbon and Material Health in Insulation”.
Insulation is a unique product category that can help reduce a building’s operational carbon emissions by optimizing performance, lowering the energy required for heating and cooling. Those same materials can also negatively impact the environment by releasing greenhouse gasses throughout their life cycle. Insulation can also contain toxic chemicals that migrate into interior spaces. This report provides guidance for designers and architects to choose the best materials that takes materials health and embodied carbon into consideration.
Key Highlights from the reports include:
- Optimized Products for Material Health and Embodied Carbon: The reports show that products improving material health and embodied carbon are available across all the examined product categories: flooring, gypsum drywall, and insulation.
- Screening for Optimized Product Types: Professionals are advised to first screen for optimized product types before selecting specific products. This approach helps teams capitalize on the fact that the biggest improvements can be made by selecting different product types within a product category.
- Navigating Potential Contradictions: Acknowledging that embodied carbon and material health considerations are sometimes contradictory, the reports emphasize the importance of reviewing the provided guidance to make informed decisions.
The reports represent a significant step forward in sustainable design practices, offering actionable insights that empower professionals to make environmentally conscious choices without compromising on carbon or health priorities.