Are you advocating for policies to clear school air of fragrances?
You can make the connection between healthy air and high performance at school. You know that common asthma triggers such as fragrances, air fresheners, pesticides, solvents, mold and the whole brew of cleaning chemicals and hazardous aerosols cause a wide range of health and learning difficulties for everyone.
You know that, at home and at school, alone or in combination, all of these irritants, allergens and poisons cause headaches, difficulty breathing, dizziness, irritability, rashes, sinus infections, immune system disorders, and poor attention, concentration and coordination and worse. Many are regulated in the industrial workplace but not in schools and offices.
Get smart. Make every day count. You are not alone. There are many other school officials, school nurses, health educators, asthma educators and parents who share your values and health protection goals.
You can link to national awareness campaigns for asthma, lung health, injury and burn prevention, fire safety, fitness, high performance schools, pollution prevention, environmental health, chemical clean outs, health education, wellness, and healthy schools.
You can join local and national groups to find allies and experienced advocates especially on annual days, weeks, and months designed to promote health and safety. These campaigns often provide free lesson plans and other educational tools and resources online.
March
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National Poison Prevention Week, Poison Prevention Week Council, www.poisonprevention.org/poison.htm
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Inhalant Hazards Awareness Week, National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, www.inhalants.org
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March 18 is the anniversary of the 1937 Texas School Explosion. It is a day to promote citizen awareness and responsible leadership to protect children from hazards in schools. The 1937 Texas story needs to be part of our national legacy because today the decision-making that led to the 1937 explosion is the same type of decision-making that leaves dangerous old explosives and other hazards in today's classrooms, labs, closets and storerooms. Too many other safety code violations are routinely ignored.
April
May
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North American Occupational Safety and Health Week, The American Society of Safety Engineers, www.naosh.org
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World Asthma Day, Global Initiative for Asthma, GINA, www.ginasthma.com
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Asthma Awareness Month, (US EPA, ); "Breathe At School Headquarters," www.epa.gov; Allergy & Asthma Network/Mothers of Asthmatics www.aanma.org, American Lung Association, www.lungusa.org, Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, www. AAFA.org
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National Physical Fitness and Sports Month, (President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports).
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Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) Awareness Month, (International MCS Awareness), www.ciin.org, mcs-america.org
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National Employee Health and Fitness Day, National Association for Health and Fitness, www.physicalfitness.org
For other ideas for linking to health and safety awareness campaign days, weeks, and months contact me, Ellie Goldberg,
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