Establishing Clean Environments
Lately in the news you often hear or read about Indoor Air/Environmental Quality. You may see it abbreviated IEQ or IAQ. The EPA has determined human exposure to pollutants is 2-5 times, and occasionally greater than 100 times, more contaminated then outside air.
Health experts extol the dangers of mold and toxic chemicals and the media often headlines the closure of “sick buildings or schools.” You may wonder if this issue is really new in our nations schools and homes. Do these media stories describe new issues or an old problem? Is it really toxic mold and chemicals or just poor ventilation? Find out what you can do to keep your indoor and external environments clean and clear, establishing a safe and healthy area where you know you can breathe easy.
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Basel Action Network (BAN) “is the world’s only organization focused on confronting the global environmental injustice and economic inefficiency of toxic trade (toxic wastes, products and technologies) and its devastating impacts. Working at the nexus of human rights and environment, we confront the issues of environmental justice at a macro level, preventing disproportionate and unsustainable dumping of the world’s toxic waste and pollution on our global village’s poorest residents.”
The City of Portland’s Office of Sustainable Development (OSD) “brings together community partners to promote a healthy and prosperous future for Portland. OSD advances improvements and innovation in reducing global warming emissions, energy efficiency and renewable energy, biofuels, waste reduction and recycling, sustainable economic development, sustainable food systems and green building practices.” This is a wonderful resource for businesses and households alike.
The Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE)“is a diverse partnership of individuals and organizations working collectively to advance knowledge and effective action to address growing concerns about the links between human health and environmental factors. Underlying all of CHE’s activities is a commitment to strong, uncompromised science.”
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) connects you to list of great resources concerning a variety of IEQ issues. Learn more about the EPA’s Integrative Pest Management (IPM) “an effective and environmentally sensitive approach to pest management that relies on a combination of common-sense practices.”
The Environmental Working Group (EWG) is a non profit that works to protect public and environmental health through policy change, as well as providing consumers with useful information. They focus on protecting the most vulnerable members of our society- unborn children, babies, and children, and instigating environmental policies based on conservation and sustainable development. Through research and educating the public, EWG pushes polluters and bureaucracies to move toward more sustainable and socially responsible policies. Their impressive list of accomplishments in the areas of agriculture, environmental toxins, public lands, and corporate/institutional accountability can be found here.
Not only does EWG strive to inform consumers of toxins in their bodies and environment, they also provide information to avoid or reduce exposure. Their latest study features teen girls’ exposures to hormone altering chemicals found in personal care products.
Grassroots Recycling Network (GRRN) “developed the core message of Zero Waste in the mid-1990’s as the new vision of the grassroots recycling movement, and has been successful in using that theme to connect recyclers, innovative corporate leaders, activists, and others both nationally and globally.”
National Education Association (NEA) has a “mission to improve the health and safety of school personnel and students by providing the school community with vital and timely health information that will increase teacher and education support professional (ESP) quality and student achievement.”
Learn more about the National IEQ Movement in schools and what you can do to make sure that your child is not unduly exposed to hazardous chemicals and other environmental pollutants.
The Oregon Environmental Council (OEC) contains a wealth of information and it is difficult to sum up all of its successful accomplishments over the past 40 years. The Oregon Bottle Bill, the 5 cent return deposit, is just one simple example. Please follow its link in order to check out a full description of their commitment to cleaner environmental policy. Here is a brief introduction: “we help individuals live green; we help businesses, farmers and health providers thrive with sustainable practices; and we help elected officials create practical policy.” This group is nothing less than astounding.
Also produced by the OEC are several well-designed research studies examining a range of the toxic effects that pollutants have on our environment as well as on the human body. It’s a bit alarming, however, if you equip yourself with the right information, you can drastically reduce and limit your exposure to toxic chemicals. Take a look at their publication section and find out information, such as what pollutants are found in the bodies of Oregonians and what price we’re paying for harboring these pollutants in our ecosystems.
Oregon Sustainable Agriculture Land Trust (OSALT) “has an integrated, four-fold purpose: to protect rural and urban agricultural lands and keep them in agricultural production; to make those lands available for the use of future generations of growers; to conduct research on those lands into the sustainable production and distribution of agricultural bounty; and to provide education focused on living sustainably.”
Portland’s Metro Recycling has (by far the most creative mission statement); ” We, the people of the Portland area metropolitan service district, in order to establish an elected, visible and accountable regional government that is responsive to the citizens of the region and works cooperatively with our local governments; that undertakes, as its most important service, planning and policy making to preserve and enhance the quality of life and the environment for ourselves and future generations; and that provides regional services needed and desired by the citizens in an efficient and effective manner, do ordain this charter for the Portland area metropolitan service district, to be known as Metro.”
Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition (SVTC) “is a diverse grassroots coalition that engages in research, advocacy, and organizing around the environmental and human health problems caused by the rapid growth of the high-tech electronics industry.”
The Dirt or Spreading Roots, Springing Forth “is a Portland based initiative aimed at reconnecting community to the earth. This organization dialogues about what changes are happening in our environments and explore ways to trouble-shoot the remaining challenges that we face on global and community levels.”
Learn how to collect and identify particulates in your indoor environment. The MicroLab Northwest help you learn more about issues with particulates, as well as what it takes to test and prevent exposure.
This resource provides you with the tools to practically implement changes in your indoor environment as well as establish funding agencies to help these changes happen. Get a copy of the 3-Step School IAQ Program and free subscription to the IAQ in Northwest Schools Newsletter.
Stop Waste is a wonderful blueprint for businesses, residents, and schools looking to reduce waste. The organization is based out of Almeda county, California, yet offers insight for others cities in search of sustainable waste practices. Also a GREAT website for sustainable resources, how-to guides, and what products are eco-friendly.
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Admin’s Note: It is our aim at the Helfgott Blog to ensure that the practices and principles of the organizations listed above are benevolent and contain compassionate intentions. If at any time you believe that the organizations above do not uphold these values, please do not hesitate to let us know. We are an advocate for the patient first and foremost. If you are an organization that feels that your mission statements and ideals are in-line with those of the Helfgott Blog and would like to be considered as a reference on our Community Resource page, please let us know and we will review your cite. Thank you for your interest!
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