Healthy Materials Lab at Parsons School of Design

⬇️ How does where we live shape our children's health? A new article ‘The Built Environment and Childhood Obesity’ (2024) explores how the built environment - the places where children live, learn, and play - impacts childhood obesity. Key insights include: ➡️ The importance of parks, walkable neighborhoods, and public transit in promoting physical activity. ➡️ The dangers of obesogens - chemicals in building materials and consumer products that can disrupt metabolism. ➡️ How addressing disparities in community design can improve health outcomes for low-income and marginalized communities. It's time to rethink how we design and build our communities to create healthier futures for all children. 🔗 Read the article summary: https://lnkd.in/duuVMmn9 ‘The Built Environment and Childhood Obesity’ was published in ‘Pediatric Obesity: Causes, Prevention and Treatment’ on October 2024, co-written by Maida Galvez, MD, MPH, Katharine McCarthy, PhD, Chethan Sarabu, MD, and HML Executive Director Alison Mears.

This Women's History Month, we reflect on the immense power women hold in shaping healthier generations ⬇️ Women have always been at the forefront of change, and today, our environments are a key part of that story.  Research shows that the materials around us - whether in our homes, workplaces, or schools - have a direct impact on our health, fertility, and longevity. What we choose today shapes the future for ourselves and generations to come 🟡 While regulations are making strides, there’s still work to do. Toxic chemicals in common building materials and personal care products continue to impact women more than men, with risks like: ❌ hormonal imbalances ❌ infertility and pregnancy complications ❌ irregular menstrual cycles ❌ early puberty in girls ❌ increased risk of breast cancer ❌ early menopause ❌ chronic diseases But with awareness and action, we can demand healthier materials and safer regulations, ensuring a brighter, safer future. Women’s history is not just what happened - it’s what we’re making every day. And we CAN make it a history of health, sustainability, and empowerment. 🟡 Check out our Material Collections for safer material options for any construction or renovation project: https://lnkd.in/df2FzMp

Plastics are everywhere - but we CAN design a way out of this problem. From oyster farms in Maine to seaweed innovation in Norway, material pioneers prove that sustainable alternatives exist. At “Marine Materials: Designing the Future with the Ocean,” we explored groundbreaking materials that reshape industries and protect our planet. Experts shared how bio-based materials derived from the sea can replace plastics and reduce environmental harm. Missed the event? We’ll send you the recording: https://lnkd.in/eMF6EZv9 Thanks again for sharing your insights Abigail Barrows, Celine Sandberg (Agoprene), Tobias Øhrstrøm (Søuld) 🌊

The materials we build with shape more than just our spaces - they shape lives, from production to occupation. The presence of toxic chemicals in building materials is often linked to deeper systemic issues, including forced labor within supply chains. From illegal logging camps to hazardous chemical factories, the production practices behind many common materials exploit both people and the environment. Enough is enough. We believe that the healthiest materials aren’t just free of toxics — they also support fair labor practices. That’s why we’re sharing the Design for Freedom by Grace Farms Toolkit, a practical guide to identifying risky materials, asking the right questions to suppliers, and making more ethical sourcing decisions. The Toolkit, created in collaboration with Healthy Materials Lab, is designed to provide resources and point to strategies for implementing Design for Freedom Principles into practice and projects. It’s organized into three areas of focus: Education, Commitment, and Implementation. Toolkit Download Here: https://lnkd.in/gNNKd47y #Sustainable #Ethical #ForcedLabor #EthicallySourced #Materials #BuildingMaterials #Construction #ConstructionMaterials #SocialImpact #Community #Architecture #Architect #Design #Designer #SustainableDesign #Ethics #EthicalDesign

"Homes should nurture well-being, not harm it...Homes are major sites of exposures to toxics, and because of gendered expectations, women spend more time in the home than men. ...Our goal is to address key vulnerabilities in a woman’s life—from utero to adulthood—by sharing our research, empowering women with the information that allows them to make the best informed decisions." Thanks to The River Reporter for featuring this article on 'Women's Health and Healthy Homes'. Check out this wonderful community newspaper of the Upper Delaware Valley Region. Article contributions by Cristina Handal, Ph.D., Alison Mears and Jonsara Ruth https://lnkd.in/eDdfSTDp #womenshealth #womenshistorymonth #healthyhomes #healthyaffordablehousing #healthymaterials #healthiermaterials #endocrinehealth

Last call to RSVP for tomorrow's online event, Marine Materials: Designing the Future with the Ocean https://lnkd.in/deiVfjkA

Seagrass and algae are renewable resources, carbon-binding, AND revolutionizing the way we build ⬇️ Aquatic plants and algae capture significant amounts of carbon as they grow, and once transformed into products and used in construction, help to reduce a building’s overall carbon footprint. Marine materials also improve indoor air quality by naturally filtering pollutants, regulating humidity, and inhibiting the growth of mold and bacteria. These exceptional qualities reduce the need for added harmful chemical treatments commonly used in traditional building materials 🟡 Dive deeper into the remarkable potential of ocean plants on March 25th at 12 PM ET. We’ll discover new possibilities from Abigail Barrows, a leading marine researcher, Celine Sandberg of Agoprene, and Tobias Øhrstrøm of Søuld, innovators producing ocean-derived materials for the built environment. 
 📅 March 25, 2025 at 12PM ET
 📍 Online
 This event will offer insights into how bio-based materials are not only reducing environmental impact but also improving indoor air quality, comfort, and performance.

 🔗 Register to be part of the movement toward a regenerative, circular future ➡️ https://lnkd.in/deiVfjkA #SustainableDesign #MarineMaterials #BiobasedInnovation #ClimateSolutions #BiogenicMaterials #FutureOfDesign #MarineInnovation #AlgaeSolutions #Algae #HealthyMaterialsLab #Climate #BioMaterial #BioMaterials #Materials #BuildingMaterials #HealthyHome #Architecture #breakfreefromplastic #plasticpollutes

Women’s history isn’t just something we look back on - it’s being written right now ⬇️ For generations, women have fought for safer workplaces, better healthcare, and stronger protections for future families. But today, maternal exposure to toxic building materials continues to put women and children at risk. Over 250 synthetic chemicals have been found in umbilical cord blood, linked to miscarriages, developmental delays, and lifelong health effects. It does not have to be this way. By demanding healthier materials and stronger regulations, we protect not just this generation, but the next. Though regulatory change can be slow moving, choosing healthier materials can start right now. Our Material Collections are designed to do just that - giving builders, renovators, and design professionals the tools to source non-toxic materials for projects. ➡️ Get started: https://lnkd.in/df2FzMp SOURCES: 🟡 Tile 1 + 3: "Extending Nontargeted Discovery of Environmental Chemical Exposures during Pregnancy and Their Association with Pregnancy Complications - A Cross-Sectional Study," Environmental Health Perspectives, Volume 131, Issue 7, July 2023, PubMed: 37466315 - https://lnkd.in/eCXtq88R 🟡 Tile 1 + 2: Several studies point to maternal exposure and generational risk, including: ➡️➡️ United Nations Environment Programme, 2017: https://lnkd.in/eSy7SRVZ ➡️➡️ Environmental Working Group, 2023: https://lnkd.in/gG6wmq7k ➡️➡️ Environmental Working Group, 2022: https://lnkd.in/dPHTvQHF ➡️➡️ Environmental Working Group, 2005: https://lnkd.in/gxmyU9Fd

As industries look for petroleum-free products, marine plants like sea grasses and algae are emerging as sustainable alternatives for building materials, packaging, textiles, and more. These biobased materials are not only rapidly renewable but also absorb carbon, are biodegradable, and non-toxic- offering a healthier, low-carbon, circular approach to design. Join us for a free Lunch & Learn to dive deeper into ocean health and marine-based materials with Abigail Barrows, a leading marine researcher, and two material innovators producing ocean-derived products for the built environment - Celine Sandberg of Agoprene and Tobias Øhrstrøm of Søuld. 📅 March 25, 2025 at 12PM ET 📍 Online – RSVP ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eh3CDMWj Want to explore more? Check out our latest blog for insights into the potential of marine materials ➡️ https://lnkd.in/exz-Ba7P #SustainableDesign #MarineMaterials #BiobasedInnovation #ClimateSolutions #BiogenicMaterials #FutureOfDesign #MarineInnovation #AlgaeSolutions #Algae #HealthyMaterialsLab #Climate #BioMaterial #BioMaterials #Materials #BuildingMaterials #HealthyHome #Architecture #breakfreefromplastic #plasticpollutes

What ARE marine materials? ⬇️ Derived from algae, seaweed, seagrass, and shellfish byproducts, marine materials are offering healthier, regenerative, and petroleum-free solutions for the built environment. Join us on March 25th at 12 PM ET for Marine Materials: Designing the Future with the Ocean, a virtual event exploring how innovators are harnessing oceanic resources to create carbon-sequestering alternatives to plastics and petrochemicals in the context of climate solutions. 🔗 Be part of the conversation: https://lnkd.in/eh3CDMWj #SustainableDesign #MarineMaterials #BiobasedInnovation #ClimateSolutions #BiogenicMaterials #FutureOfDesign #MarineInnovation #AlgaeSolutions #Algae #HealthyMaterialsLab #Climate #BioMaterial #BioMaterials #Materials #BuildingMaterials #HealthyHome #Architecture