Air surrounds us, is necessary to live and knows no boundaries. May is Clean Air Month and we look at the history of air.
Smithsonian Magazine published an interesting article back in 2010 The History of Air by Riley Black that looked at air 300 million years and how species evolved, some becoming extinct, some adapting as the climate changed. As I read the article I couldn't help but think about humans as just one of a long line of evolving species inhabiting the planet Earth. We think of it as our world, but is it?
The UN calls Air pollution the world’s worst environmental health risk. 8.9 million people will die this year from poor air quality and if you think that is alarming consider that indoor air quality is often worse than the immediate outdoor air quality. According to The World Counts, 3.8 million annual deaths will occur from indoor air pollution:
- 27% pneumonia
- 18% stroke
- 27% ischaemic heart disease
- 20% chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- 8% lung cancer.
Indoor cooking is often the cause in lesser developed nations, but there are many “Modern” causes of indoor air pollution such as chemicals seeping out of building materials, furniture, office equipment etc. Up to 350 toxic chemicals are off gassing from our products and we typically spend 90% of our time indoors.
Air pollution may seem like an overwhelming obstacle that we as individuals have no control over, but continuing to exert pressure on large corporations and politicians will result in change. In the meantime, reduce the amount of chemicals in your home to improve your personal indoor air quality.
- Use green cleaning supplies
- Keep the windows open
- Replace old appliances
- Buy furniture made with natural finishes
- Start an indoor garden
How do you reduce the chemicals in your home? Go to our social media pages Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and share your story.
Thanks for reading,
Savvy
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