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TOXIC BUILDINGS
INDOOR AIR
POLLUTION is the PROBLEM and
the very buildings we LIVE in, we WORK in,
and
go to SCHOOL in are the SOURCE!
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Poor
Indoor Air Quality (I.A.Q.) perhaps has the singular most detrimental
effect on our health.
The E.P.A. has ranked Indoor Air Pollution as the most prominent
environmental problem costing $130 billion per year in health care, sick
leave and productivity losses. Toxic Chemicals, Mold, Dust & Pollen,
and Electro-Magnetic Fields are all found
in typical buildings at levels that can cause severe illness. Since the
1970s two trends have converged to create a silent health
crisis...the creation of airtight buildings to save energy and the
introduction of thousands of untested chemicals with unknown health
impacts. The prevalence of plastic finishes and vapor barriers in wall
systems have created the perfect environment for mold. Nearly every
building material has been adulterated with potentially toxic chemical
additives. These are compounded by reliance on badly designed and
difficult to control mechanical systems for heating and cooling that
devitalize the air while distributing dust, pollen, and microbes
throughout the living environment.
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According to Theron Randolph, MD, the founder of the American Academy of
Environmental Medicine, indoor air pollution is 8 to 10 times more
important as a source of chronic illness than (outdoor) air
pollution.
An EPA report states that 30% of
new or renovated buildings have serious I.A.Q. problems and 60% of all
buildings are sick.
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Americans spend on average 90% of our time indoors in buildings that are
promoting sickness, not health. Research has linked the doubling of
asthma rates since 1980 to indoor air pollution. |
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According to the New England Journal of Medicine it is estimated that
environmental factors account for 72% of cancers. The American College
of Allergies estimates that 50% of all illness is aggravated or caused
by indoor air pollution.
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Chemical |
Paints, stains and finishes, cabinets, carpets, glues and indoor
furnishings contain toxic chemicals. Many of these chemicals are
probable human carcinogens; others are narcotics that effect the central
nervous system and could lead to liver, kidney and brain damage.*
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Mold |
Humidity and vapor condensation inside of walls leads to the growth of
molds, which can cause allergy like symptoms, eye, nose and throat
irritation, headaches and fatigue. Some molds are toxic enough to cause
permanent damage to the immune system or even death.
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Dust
& Pollen |
Dust caused by and trapped in carpets, pollution, and pollen are
continually circulated in the air by forced air systems. These systems
are difficult to filter and harder to clean, cause allergies and can
even trigger asthma.
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Electro-
Magnetic Fields |
Extensive random wiring without proper grounding can cause high magnetic
fields. These strong electric fields have been linked to cancers, and
can affect the brain, immune system and hormone productions.
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serious problems are caused by the very way conventional buildings are
designed and built. Adding air filters, humidifiers, and water proofing
to toxic buildings is a "band-aid approach". They address the
symptoms and not the cause. They either do not work or fail over time,
and typically create more problems at a greater cost. To reclaim our
health, we must change the way we design, build, and live in our
buildings from the ground up!
Health
is not everything, but without health, everything is nothing.
Schopenhauer
LINKS
www.indikahome.com
www.durisolbuild.com
www.preventcancer.com
www.seventhgeneration.com
www.cmhc.ca
www.oikos.com
www.rmi.org
www.bau-biologieusa.com
www.usgbc.org
www.healthyhomeservices.ca
www.afmsafecoat.com
www.h3environmental.com
www.ecohome.org
www.built-e.com
www.bioshieldpaint.com
www.buildinggreen.com
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