Chasing Clean Air

Atem Personal Air Purifier Review

With fire comes smoke with smoke comes masks (selling out in California hardware stores), with masks come the desire for breathing clean air and using indoor air purifiers. My favorite air purifier company, Swiss-based IQAir, just introduced Atem, a personal Air Purifier for home office, or any personal zone, use.

Atem means breath. Every breath we take adds to or diminishes our quality of life. 

Atem Personal Air Purifier is sleek.

At 4.1 pounds... it's portable.

With dimensions measured in inches - 13" x 13"x 5.8"... it's easy to find a space in your bedroom, office or living room. 

The Atem compact air purifier uses a powerful HyperHEPA to create a clean breathing space. German-made, the modern-looking white sphere attaches to a thin metal stand. Similar to an iPhone touch, you simply touch the center of the sphere with two fingers. With each touch, you hear a sound and a color hue corresponds to the air speed you desire. A small blue light equals low speed. Medium blue light equals medium speed and full blue light equals high speed. 

To enhance your experience, there's the IQAir Atem App. This App allows you to adjust the fan speed, light and sound settings, get filter life notifications, and turn the air purifier on and off. 

I currently use the Atem Personal Air Purifier in the living room near the couch where I read. I use the IQAir HealthPro Plus in my bedroom. According to many reputable studies, IQAir provides some of the best indoor air protection you can find. 

In 2003, IQAir was chosen by the Hong Kong Hospitals as the mobile air cleaner to be used in the fight against SARS. The HKHA's selection of IQAir marked the first time specialized air cleaners to be used as a control measure against SARS. Moreover, IQAir has been approved by the FDA's (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) Department of Health and Human Services as a Class II medical device.

Recently, at approximately 6:15 a.m. I received a text from the city to evacuate. As you know, fire has been spreading throughout California. I was lucky and returned home after three days. Nonetheless, the air quality suffered. While we often can't dissipate air pollution, we can get  relief with quality air purifiers. And that's why I use them. 

To read more information about the IQAir Atem Personal Air Purifier, click here. To watch a video, click here.

 

Book Review: Self-Sufficiency Handbook by Alan and Gill Bridgewater

The Self-Sufficiency Handbook by Alan and Gill Bridgewater: Your Complete Guide To A Self-Sufficient Home, Garden, and Kitchen is an eye-opening book that dovetails Walden by Henry David Thoreau and Cottage Economy by William Cobbett, showcasing modern ideas on how to start-over in the country or a "modified" city dwelling to be self-sufficient. Whether creating a garden, an energy efficient home with solar and or wind energy, and an eco-friendly life, this is an easy to read book with colorful illustrations.

"Our particular brand of self-sufficiency is all win-win," says author Alan Bridgewater. "Your hard-earned money stays in your pocket, you are recycling stuff that would otherwise go to waste, and best of all you get to experience the exciting, therapeutic, hands-on skill-stretching challenge of creating something that, but for your resourceful input, would not exist. If you want to have a life-long adventure and enjoy a whole heap of fun along the way, then stay with us."

The Self-Sufficiency Handbook includes common sense ideas on how to ease into your new self-sustaining environment. Suggestions include renting in your dream environment to try it out before cutting all cords to your past. I was interested in this book because I like learning from others that have gone before me. Alan and Gill, husband and wife, apparently raised their young while experimenting with off-the-grid living. They share their gems and life lessons in this interesting easy-to-read book.