Wash your hands and cover coughs and sneezes: Everyone has heard how to prevent colds and flu! But here is another trick that is not heard often: Clean your school. You can reduce the flu by 87 percent or 39 percent of asthma. Here's why and what you can do.
Just as our children are not just "little adults" are school buildings are not just "small office." States require all children to attend school, and children are more likely than adults in schools. Children are also biologically more vulnerable to environmental hazards than adults, for example, they breathe more air per kilogram of body weight and have different exposures, especially when they sit on the floor or play schools. crowded - and widely used every day for many hours, and once the school year starts, not much unemployed for deep cleaning days and can not even repair .. keeper on staff instead you can have a service contract on a calendar - offices.
The National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academy of Sciences that there is a "strong literature" that the schools to improve attendance and test results, if the buildings are. clean, dry, quiet, good control indoor air of dust and well maintained systems Another study reported of great benefit (savings) healthy indoor environments: a reduction of 87 percent in the flu, 67 percent of sick building syndrome, the percentage reduction of 46 problems the upper respiratory tract, and 39 percent less asthma at school. Despite the evidence, a state secretary in the Ministry of Health New York schools have reported that and hospitalizations for asthma in children "with asthma triggers filled" could triple again in the school in each . The cost for children, families, school performance, taxpayers and health insurers are incalculable.
Need a new law on the obligation to build new buildings? No, not necessarily. An old building must be demolished. Two examples, a new building and the existing building.
First, a new building. If your district is planning a major renovation or new construction, the best price for your money. Be very careful with the specifications. You want the result of public investment in a building, clean, dry, quiet is, etc., as recommended by the NRC. This means that a benign environment site (? After all, who needs more formaldehyde) (free of toxic substances lurking) and low-emission building materials interiors and a plant that is easy to clean and maintain.
Think about it: Would an atrium that nobody wants to get clean? What Carpet Seller warrants that for 5-7 years, with special cleaner? How about a koi pond or garden indoor rainforest? What ornamental plants with the foundation, the worm creates access to the building? If you boards that require the use of buy toxic marker (which can give the mouse crisis)? Say "No Thanks" to bad decisions, and once the building is finished, make sure your employees in the operation and maintenance of the new systems and trained all the dust and smoke were cleaned or ventilated.
Second, an existing school. If your community has an existing building - and many do; There are 130,000 existing schools in the United States - what can be done in the conversion? Not bad, as it turns out, because the way they manage the school with more, as it stand and test, do to keep kids healthy the test of time.
This is where the voluntary EPA guidance for schools helpful. EPA issued free school aid for years in assessing and preventing problems during installation, air, mold, mercury, managing chemicals, PCBs, indoor drinking water, safer management of Pest Management (IPM IPM) - must comply Finally, many questions all schools. It may sound complicated, but deal with them go the problems and how together, and once the plans are in place, schools can create their own routines throughout the school year for the cleaning, maintenance and repair to wait to develop school, dry, quiet, etc. And how schools and communities found below, whereby their own sources of problems costs almost nothing.
To help local schools, Connecticut has a team of consultants nationwide in school environments that meets quarterly with stakeholders established.
Center District of Kansas eliminating asthma triggers in the classroom, such as animals, plants, and air fresheners.
Greendale, Wisconsin withdrew laying roofing materials, remove the paper and plates used paintings, plants and reduce air freshener schools and removed upholstered furniture for asthma triggers known.
Northeast Texas Independent was a mile or two and considerate supervision asthma has to help his own assessment tool in the classroom, identify and developed to eliminate triggers of asthma. Use of certified green cleaning products; removed the items brought from home; reduces the plants, animals and air fresheners; Second-hand furniture to low emissions; and control elements. common pests such as the bottom of the door The results ? Fewer trips to the nurse, better care and improving the health and safety of workers.
Schools in Blue Valley support in Overland Park, Kansas, one of the first neighborhoods to win an award from the EPA, excellence in the air, resulting in reduced indoor air complaints each year; Operating costs; best test results; and reduces learning time lost due to problems of facilities.
St. Paul, Minnesota public schools , creating a clean environment and a higher achievement was certified green cleaning products from Bleach third HEPA vacuum cleaners, herbicides eliminate the patterns and help to control pests, install low door.
If they can do what they can do. Find here the EPA guidance . Find specific information and use green cleaning and other healthy products for schools.
And therefore can not Congress.
Let your elected leaders. Tell restore cuts in discretionary programs EPA, to help children stay healthy and learn to use the same EPA programs these states and schools and can also be used: air quality, IPM, chemical cleaning, and Child Health Bureau.
This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service - if this is your content and read it on the site of another person, please read the FAQ fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php# editors.
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire