Do you love daffodils and cherry blossoms…but hate pollen? As you’re oohing and aahing over the forsythia, are your kids sneezing, coughing and rubbing itchy eyes? Here are 7 ways to help your kids breathe easier throughout the pollen season.

Why Is Pollen So Hard on Kids?

Spring can be tough on little lungs, especially if they belong to kids who suffer from asthma and allergies.

Pollen is essential because it’s what plants use to propagate. It helps feed insects, too. That’s why pollen gets released for a good six months of the year, if not longer, depending on the climate.

It starts in early Spring, when deciduous trees, like maple, oak, ash and sycamore, send forth great waves of pollen-filled dust.

As the season progresses into Summer, grass pollens get into the act. And by the end of the summer going on Fall, there’ll be goldenrod and other flowering plants to contend with.

Here’s the problem: one pollen spore is typically smaller in diameter than a human hair – which is why spores are so easy to inhale.

Billions and billions of spores are released every year, making them impossible to avoid. When they get in our kids’ noses, lungs and respiratory tract, they wreak havoc.

At a minimum, they’ll send kids into what’s called the “allergic salute” – rubbing their noses upward to soothe an itch and then maybe rubbing their eyes.

In the worst cases, pollen can cause kids to suffer an asthmatic attack, which may lead to wheezing, difficulty breathing, and tightening of the chest.

None of these reactions is any fun, and in the direst scenarios, they can be life-threatening, especially when it comes to asthma.

7 ways to help kids breathe easier when they want to play outside in the Spring

1. Pay attention to pollen counts. Listen to local weather forecasts, or check out Pollen.com, a handy website where you can plug in your zip codes and get a report on the day’s pollen count and the top allergens in the air, and sign up for a mobile app that will send Allergy Alerts to your phone. The American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology National Allergy Bureau also provides pollen counts for many cities in the U.S.

2.Limit time outdoors when pollen counts are too high for your child. This is a hard recommendation to take to heart since we all want our kids to be away from computer screens as much as possible and active. But if your child has asthma, or you notice your kid wheezing or blowing her nose a lot, she probably needs to spend a little less time outdoors. Pollen counts are usually lower in the later afternoon than earlier in the day, so sending kids out before dinner may be one way for them to get outdoor exercise without it taking a big toll on their lungs. Putting a little surgical mask over the nose and mouth may help, too. Maybe kids can invent games to play that involve them wearing masks. They could draw mustaches on them, or whiskers!

3. Enjoy the rain. Fortunately, spring is a pretty rainy season in many parts of the country. Rain washes a lot of pollen out of the air, so playing outside during a light drizzle or right after it rains is usually fine for most kids.

4. Keep car windows up and don’t circulate outdoor air into the vehicle. There’s no need to send pollen-laden air into a trapped space at high speed.

5. Dust with a damp cloth and vacuum. Even if you keep the windows in your home closed in the Spring, pollen will have a way of intruding. Dust with a damp cloth so you pick up the pollen rather than just send it swirling around, and vacuum to contain as much pollen as possible.

6. Laundry hung outside should be shaken off before being brought into the house. Pollen lands on everything outside!

7. Consult your family doctor or pediatrician. Depending on the severity of your child’s reaction, your doctor may prescribe antihistamines, an inhaler, or other medications. Your doctor may also conduct allergy testing to find out exactly what kind of pollen your child is most allergic to.

Are your kids allergic to pollen? We’d love to know how you help them deal with their allergies once Spring comes around.

Note: I originally wrote this article for MomsCleanAirForce.org. They’re a terrific group of more than one million moms working to protect us and the planet. Please check them out!

The post 7 Ways to Help Kids Breathe Easier When Springtime Pollen Arrives appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Why should you tell your Senator to vote NO on Scott Pruitt for EPA?

Here are the 12 best reasons I’ve come up with. What are yours?

Trump Recap

When Donald Trump attained the presidency, my heart sank. As a woman, mother, and citizen, I feel personally violated by this man and all he represents.

But as someone who has worked to protect the environment for almost four decades, I also was discouraged because I knew what we’d be up against.

Trump has shown total disregard for Nature and the environment in the way he’s run his businesses.

He believes climate change is a hoax perpetrated by the Chinese.

And in his first environmental act as president-elect, he’s nominated the worst person possible to head the United States Environmental Protection Agency: Scott Pruitt, the attorney general for the state of Oklahoma.

Pruitt has a long record of suing the very agency he’d be charged with administering and endangering the very environment he’d be charged with protecting.

Rather than enforce the laws and regulations under his purview, he’d strive to dismantle them.

Rather than prioritize our health, the health of our kids, and the health of our planet, he’d protect the industries that jeopardize our health.

Though the president nominates a person to head the EPA, the Senate must confirm the nominee. Last week, as part of Moms Clean Air Force, I met with staff members for Senators who will vote on that confirmation either in the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee, or in the full Senate chamber (Here’s a picture of “The Force” at work! I’m in the back row, 3rd from the right, in case you can’t tell).

I gave them 12 reasons why they should vote NO on Scott Pruitt for EPA.

I offer this list to you, as well. Please use the links above or below this post to share it on your social media, with your friends and colleagues, and with your own Senator.

Pruitt has been nominated, but he should not be confirmed.

Why Tell Your Senator to Vote NO on Scott Pruitt for EPA?

Because you want to breathe clean air – Pruitt has sued the EPA to overturn standards to curb mercury and other toxic air pollutants that will prevent up to 11,000 premature deaths and 130,000 asthma attacks per year.  He has sued to void standards to reduce soot and smog pollution projected to prevent up to 15,000 non-fatal heart attacks, 34,000 premature deaths, and 400,000 asthma attacks every year. These lawsuits are bad news for all Americans, but especially the more than 24 million Americans with asthma.

Because you want to drink clean water – Pruitt has sued the EPA to overturn clean water safeguards for more than half the nation’s waterways, including streams that feed into the drinking water supplies of 117 million Americans.  He even sued to block limits on water pollution into the Chesapeake Bay, which has no known connection to Oklahoma.

Because you want to keep your kids safe and healthy – Pruitt refuses to accept research from the American Academy of Pediatrics that mercury, a neurotoxin emitted by power plants when they burn coal, is actually dangerous to developing children or that mercury poses a public health threat. (Here’s the report by the American Academy of Pediatrics and their Committee on Environmental Health if you want to read about mercury in the environment for yourself.)

Because you want to protect Nature and the environment – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency helps protect the natural world by enforcing laws and regulations intended to prevent pollution. A big source of pollution is oil spills, either at the site of an oil operation or from a leaky or ruptured oil pipeline. Since 2002, Pruitt has received more than $300,000 in contributions from the fossil fuel industry. How likely is it that Pruitt would bite the hand that feeds him and rein in the industry that’s been so generous to him? Answer: Not likely at all.

Because you want to protect our national parks – Says the National Parks Conservation Association, “the EPA should not be led by someone who has a history of active opposition to the mission, science and values of the agency it is tasked to uphold…Mr. Pruitt has a long record of …opposition to strong stewardship of these resources.”

Because you want to protect lakes and rivers -As Oklahoma attorney general, reports Moms Clean Air Force, Pruitt shut down his office’s environmental enforcement unit, which investigated issues like water contamination and illegal dumping. That action sent a signal to the most irresponsible elements of industry that there would be few legal consequences for violating clean air and water laws. In place of that enforcement unit, Mr. Pruitt built a multi-million office to crusade against EPA’s public health and environmental safeguards.

Because you want to protect birds, bees and other wildlife – Birds, bees and many other wild animals are threatened by overdevelopment and the excessive use of pesticides. It’s the EPA’s job to keep track of what pesticides are legal to use, and how they’re used. So here’s a chilling fact: Pruitt’s home state of Oklahoma led the nation in pesticide-related illnesses and deaths between 2000 and 2010. As Trump would tweet: Bad! Sad!!

Because you want to eat safe food – Like tuna fish? With or without mercury? If you’re pregnant or have small children, you need to limit how much you eat because mercury pollution from burning coal is falling into our oceans, lakes and rivers and getting concentrated in the bodies of the fish we eat. EPA’s safeguards are actually helping mercury to decline in the Atlantic Bluefin tuna. But Pruitt doesn’t believe mercury poses a threat and in all likelihood would unravel the protections that are making a difference.

Because you want to stop climate change – Pruitt said in his confirmation hearings that he does not believe climate change is a hoax. Nevertheless, as Oklahoma’s attorney general, he sued unsuccessfully to overturn the EPA’s finding that greenhouse gases are harmful.  He has also sued to block the EPA from setting any limits on carbon pollution from power plants, the nation’s largest polluter.

By the way:

 More than 97% of scientists agree that climate-warming trends over the past century are due to human activities.

According to a March 2016 Gallup poll, 64% of Americans are worried about climate change.

Also according to Gallup, 65% of Americans believe that human activity is to blame for increases in the Earth’s temperature over the last century.

Because you want to see the U.S. use more solar and wind energy and less coal and oil – The EPA is currently tasked with implementing the Clean Power Plan, which would accelerate America’s transition to renewable, non-polluting energy. Would that transition happen under Pruitt? Hardly. This review in The Guardian calls the attorney general a “staunch advocate for fossil fuels” and “a dream for oil and gas firms…a nightmare for the environment.”

Because you want to live in a country that values people and the planet – No need to explain that one!

Because you want to leave the world a better place for your kids and grandkids – What future do we want for our children, and our children’s children? I believe we want to leave the world a better, safer, healthier place than it is today. That requires not only vigilance to protect the gains we’ve made, but a commitment to do even more to reduce pollution, protect Nature, and link our health and prosperity to a healthy planet. Having an Administrator at the Environmental Protection Agency who shares that commitment is essential.

Just Say NO! to Pruitt

One hundred seventy – that’s 170 – environmental organizations have joined together to oppose Pruitt’s nomination to head EPA. In a letter to supporters, the media and Congress, here’s what they conclude about his nomination:

President-elect Trump’s nominee to head the EPA, Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt, has actively worked against the mission of the agency
he has been nominated to lead.

He should be rejected by the Senate.

Scott Pruitt’s views and actions run counter to the EPA’s critical mission
to protect our health and the environment.

He is unfit to administer the laws he would be entrusted to enforce.

The Senate should reject his nomination.

Write to your Senator today to urge NO on Pruitt! It’s easy to do on the Moms Clean Air Force website.

The post 12 Best Reasons To Tell Your Senator to Vote NO on Scott Pruitt for EPA appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Headache? Achy joints? Runny nose? Itchy eyes? You’re probably thinking you’ve got a cold. It might just be that your indoor air quality stinks – literally.

Indoor air quality can be a LOT more polluted than the air outside. That’s bad news for those of us who live inside – which, I think, is everyone reading this post.

⇒ In addition to making us feel like we’ve got a cold, polluted indoor air can zap our energy and turn us into cranky grumps.

⇒ If you have asthma or another respiratory illness, poor indoor air quality will make them worse.

⇒ Lousy indoor air quality can even contribute to cancers caused by exposure to the toxic chemicals that pollute the air we breathe when we’re inside.

Because indoor air quality causes so many health problems, I’ve teamed up with the smart folks at HomeLab to make it easier for you to figure out what’s actually in the air you’re breathing at home and how you can create a Healthy Home.

Indoor Air Pollution Sources

The HomeLab Healthy Home Program to Create a Non-Toxic Home

HomeLab was started by Nate Bellino.

After working in energy efficiency for over a decade, Nate realized that the air inside our homes was pervasively bad.

His wife battled cancer twice and his daughter has asthma. When trying to create a healthy home for his family, he found trying to remove toxins and pollutants exceedingly difficult.

He started HomeLab so that more people could easily create a healthy home on any budget.

Nate’s ingenious Healthy Home Program is designed to help you make sure that the air you’re breathing is actually worth breathing!

Step 1 – Identify – First and foremost, you need to know what’s in the air you’re breathing. Once you sign up for HomeLab, you’ll get a monitor that will give you vital readings that show you what invisible toxins and pollutants are lurking in your home’s air. (NOTE: You can sign up for a Healthy Home Program for less than $10/month.)

Step 2 – Monitor – Once you know what’s in your air, you can use the monitor together with the HomeLab smart phone app to view toxin levels so you’ll know at any given time where problems exist and whether you need to act.

Step 3 – Take Action – HomeLab’s team of “Home Doctors” – experts with deep knowledge and experience working on indoor air quality – will prescribe the most effective ways for you specifically to create a healthy home that is right for you. They always start with no-cost activities that are surprisingly simple, some of which can remove up to 40% of the toxins and pollutants found in your home’s indoor air.

Step 4 – Continue to Monitor – “Our monitoring service places an effective shield against incoming pollution,” reports Nate. “We remotely observe your air quality monitor and notify you of critical spikes or alarming trends, proactively providing solutions and partnering with you until we kick pollution to the curb.”

Doesn’t that sound like a good idea?!

“Air quality is ever fluctuating in a home,” says Nate. “Different seasons, outdoor pollution events, different rooms all contribute to spikes. We start people off with simple activities and continue guiding them in creating a non-toxic home.”

Once you’ve got a handle on your home, you can continue to use the app as a sort of air quality watchdog.

Free eBook!

If you want to learn more about indoor air and how yours might be polluted, at least get a copy of HomeLab’s Free Healthy Home eBook.

Here’s what’s in it:

√ A list of the most common forms of toxins and pollutants
√ A description of how different products we have at home add to indoor air pollution
√ Common products and services to avoid
√ A step-by-step process for creating a healthy, non-toxic home
√ Recommendations for apartments and rentals

Here’s the link to get your free copy.

25% Discount for the Big Green Purse Community

As a special bonus for the Big Green Purse community, HomeLab is offering you an 25% discount off either the start-up or the premium package. You can check out the advantages of each one right here.

By the way, now is the perfect time to monitor your indoor air. Most of us have either closed our windows tight against the cold weather or , if you live in the south, buttoned your house up to keep air conditioned in.

Either way, the air could be stagnating a bit, which might actually make indoor air pollution worse.

Why not see what’s in your air, and take steps to fix it?

You’ll feel better and stay healthier, right away and in the long term, too.

DISCLOSURE: We’re partnering with Home Lab because we know how important it is to breathe clean indoor air. We will earn a small commission if you sign up for the Healthy Home Program, but we’d recommend Home Lab regardless because we want you to be well. Thanks!

The post You Don’t Have a Cold. Your Indoor Air Quality Stinks. appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Did carpet cleaning almost kill me?

Well, not exactly. But it did make me so sick, I suffered for several days with what felt like a terrible flu.

Turns out, it wasn’t the flu. It was an unexpected and very severe reaction to the chemical compounds in the cleaning fluid I was using to clean my carpet. And I swore, “Never again!” In fact, I’ve teamed up with Pro Carpet & Upholstery Cleaners, a company that is committed to non-toxic carpet cleaning, to offer my top tips so you won’t get as sick as I got.

Why Choose Non-Toxic Carpet Cleaning?

Most carpet cleaners use cleaning solution that contains two particularly toxic chemicals: perchloroethylene, and napthalene.

• Perchloroethylene (commonly called Perc in the industry) is a chemical commonly used in dry cleaning that can cause dizziness, fatigue and nausea if inhaled.
• Naphthalene is a solvent that is considered toxic to the human central nervous system.

Many carpet cleansers also contain synthetic fragrances. Synthetic fragrances contain phthalates and other compounds that are notorious for causing headaches, itchy eyes, aches and pains, and even breathing problems.

When you spray cleaning solution that contains these chemical compounds, misty toxic particles waft into the air, where they are easy to inhale.

In my case, I used a commercial carpet cleanser not knowing it could make me sick.

Within about a half an hour of working on my carpet, I started to feel something like the flu coming on. I finished cleaning the carpet because it never occurred to me that the cleaning solution was what was making me sick.

In fact, I didn’t put two and two together until some months later, when I cleaned my carpet again – and the same thing happened.

Since then, I’ve learned a lot more about carpet cleaning compounds, what they contain and how they affect our health.

I realize these compounds can be dangerous for babies crawling around the floor, and for our pets that are constantly licking their paws.

I don’t use commercial cleansers any more.

Instead, I work hard to keep my carpet clean so it doesn’t need to be washed as often. When it does get dirty, I only use certified non-toxic products on it.

Non-Toxic Carpet Cleaning Tips

First, try to keep the carpet from getting too dirty.

1) Remove your shoes at the door. – Not only do your shoes track in mud and dirt they can also bring in invisible pollutants like pesticides. At home, wear socks, slippers or house shoes (shoes that never leave the house) when you are inside the house, not your street shoes.

2) Pick up after your pets. Pets can track in a lot of dirt and grime, especially after it rains. Keep a towel by the door to wipe your pets’ paws when you bring them in.

3) Keep a throw rug at every door you use to go inside and outside. The rug can wipe dirt off your shoes and your pets’ feet, in the event you can’t kick your shoes off right away.

4) Vacuum twice a week – Vacuuming gets rid of surface dirt before it has a chance to set. Another advantage? You’ll reduce the level of dust mites. Dust mites can trigger an asthma or allergy attack. Not only will frequent vacuuming decrease dust mites it will also help get rid of surface dirt on your carpets before it gets a chance to set.

5) Use the right type of vacuum – A vacuum cleaner that has strong suction, rotating brushes and comes complete with a HEPA filter is best.

6) Clean spills up at once – The faster you clean up food, wine or juice, pet messes, and other stains the better.

TO CLEAN A STAIN OR GET RID OF GUM

⇒Blot as much of the spilled liquid up as soon as possible after it spills.

⇒Then pour a little cold water or soda water on the spot and continue blotting.

⇒If stain still remains, make a paste of 3 parts baking soda to one part water and spread the past on the stain.

⇒Let it dry, then vacuum it up.

⇒If gum is stuck in your carpet, use an ice cube to free it, then pull it off.

My own experience is that many liquid dish soaps contain something that also removes the color from the carpet, so I only use liquid dish soap (or any actual soap) as a last resort.

How to Actually Wash the Carpet Without Toxic Chemicals So It Gets Clean

Be safe. When you need to wash your carpet, choose cleansers that are certified non-toxic or work with a company like Pro Carpet, whose cleansers are certified by Green Seal.

Hire a company that uses only certified non-toxic cleansers. Ask to see a list of the ingredients in their cleansers if it’s not on their website.

If you clean your carpet yourself, choose cleansers that are certified non-toxic. Again, check the Green Seal data base for options.

Wear a mask that covers your face and nose. No matter what products you use, it’s easy to inhale misty particles when you use a shampooing machine. Reduce what you inhale by wearing a face mask that covers both your nose and mouth.

Run fans and open windows. Keep the windows open and air circulating while your carpets are being cleaned, then run fans to speed up drying afterwards.

If possible, have bedroom carpets cleaned early in the day so you don’t have to sleep in a room that still might have cleaning chemicals in the air.

NOTE: Sponsors like Pro Carpet help us bring you the expert advice you want to create the greener life you want. Our editorial opinions remain our own. Thanks!

The post How Carpet Cleaning Almost Killed Me appeared first on Big Green Purse.

Are you fired up and ready to vote? I know I am. In fact, I’m so fired up, I’m going to vote early. Down below, you’ll find a link so you know when you can vote early, too.

Why do I care? Because here’s what’s at stake:

The air we breathe.

The way we use energy.

Our health, and the health of our kids and grandkids.

The water we drink.

Nature in all its beauty.

All of my concerns are connected to just one thing: where we get our energy.

Right now, most of our energy comes from burning fossil fuels: coal, oil, natural gas.

Air pollution from fossil fuels creates the pollution that causes smog and Code Red bad air days. If you have asthma, it’s worse because of dirty air. Women get more heart attacks than men when they live in cities where the air is polluted. None of us should be outside when it’s Code Red.

Burning fossil fuels is also causing climate change. By now, you know what that means. Worse poison ivy. More mosquitoes and dengue fever. Floods. Fire. Drought. Hurricanes like Katrina and Matthew and Sandy – terrible superstorms that have caused billions of dollars of damage, killed hundreds of people, and ruined our homes and, in some cases, our livelihoods.

Drilling for oil, fracking for natural gas and mining for coal cause some of the worst environmental disasters we’ve ever seen, from oil spills to contaminated rivers to polluted ground water.

Says Clean Air Moms Action, “We must fight to protect the air we breathe and the many treasured places across our country vulnerable to climate disruption.”

Adds North Carolina Mom Caroline Armijo, “I’ve been meeting with moms…we’ve been praying for solutions…And one thing we know we can do right now is vote.”

What Difference Does It Make If We Vote?

The next President of the United States, our elected officials in Congress, our governors, and  our state legislators all hold the power to decide whether our nation continues to burn fossil fuels – or whether we finally make a full and complete transition to the abundant clean energy that is all around us: energy from the wind and the sun. Our elected officials can decide whether to help us save energy, too.

Don’t Miss: Top Ten Reasons to Take Climate Change Seriously

Why Vote Early?

Early voting gives you the peace of mind that you’ve made your voice heard and your concerns count.

Plus, by voting early, you can volunteer to help get the vote out. Clean Air Moms is asking “passionate volunteers to help get their communities out to vote.” You can make a difference by helping register people to vote, educating your community on the issues, and showing up at candidate events.”

As Clean Air Moms Action points out, “There is more on the line during the 2016 election than the office of the President. There are also many “down ballot” races that will have an impact on your daily life and the quality of the air our children breathe.”

Where Can You Vote Early? Find Out Here!

Take the Pledge

I’m joining with Clean Air Moms Action to pledge to vote by or on November 8.

Won’t you join us?

NOTE: This post was produced with support from Clean Air Moms Action. All editorial opinions are my own.

The post Vote Early – and Vote for Clean Air appeared first on Big Green Purse.

CLEAN POWER PLAN BENEFITS

1) Less Asthma – If you already suffer from asthma, or may be prone to getting it, the Clean Power Plan will help by reducing the air pollution that makes asthma worse. In fact, according to an analysis by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, with the Clean Power Plan in place, kids will suffer up to 90,000 fewer asthma attacks.

2) Less Respiratory Distress – Even if you don’t suffer from asthma, you could suffer from breathing difficulty related to the smog and other pollution generated when power plants burn coal. In fact, your community might be one that suffers from “Code Red” or “Code Orange” days because coal burning is polluting the air so heavily. The Clean Power Plan will finally get utilities to use energy much more efficiently, as well as switch over to solar and wind energy. All that means that less polluting coal will be burned. You’ll be able to breathe easier and not have to stop running or playing outdoors because the air is too toxic to breathe.

3) Fewer Heart Attacks – Air pollution puts a lot of pressure on your heart. When you are breathing dirty air, your heart actually has to work harder to keep oxygenated blood flowing. That’s why people who live in cities where the air is smoggy suffer more heart attacks than people who live in cleaner air. The White House projects that up to 3,600 lives will be saved each year when the Clean Power Plan is fully enacted.

This terrific infographic from EPA explains the many benefits of the Clean Power Plan in greater detail.

The post Clean Power Plan Benefits: 3 Ways It Will Keep You From Getting Sick appeared first on Big Green Purse.

We often focus on poor air quality when kids are home in the summer and smog seems particularly intense. But even in September and early October, your community may experience Code Yellow and Code Orange days, both of which could make our kids sick. In this guest post from Clean Air Partners, based in Baltimore, MD, acting director Jen Desimone explains why we need to be on the lookout and what we can do to protect kids from air pollution.

It’s a bit of an irony, isn’t it? On the one hand, we want kids to get away from their computers and electronics and play outside. On the other hand, we don’t want them breathing unhealthy air. Created by the reaction of sunlight and emissions from cars and other sources, ozone pollution can damage lung tissue.

* Kids who already have asthma are particularly at risk when they play outside in polluted air. And while we all react to smog, children are among the groups most sensitive to poor air quality, as their respiratory systems are developing and they breathe in more air pollution per pound of body weight than adults.

* There are an estimated 7.1 million asthma sufferers under the age of 18. Asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness and the third leading cause of hospitalization among children under the age of 15.

* In the greater metropolitan Washington region alone, there are more than 18,000 children with asthma. Air pollution can make asthma symptoms worse and trigger attacks.

What can you do to protect kids from air pollution at school?

Monitor air quality. As a parent, you’re already probably on the alert. Clean Air Partners offers free, daily AirAlerts to residents across the greater metro Washington-Baltimore region. AirAlerts also provide a daily and three-day air quality forecast. When  an unhealthy air quality level is reached (in real-time) all subscribers are notified. Users can have AirAlerts sent directly to their email and can also use the Clean Air Partners Air Quality App for on-the-go information that can help keep students safe.

Talk to your kids’ coaches and day care providers, who may also be responsible for children during primetime hours. If your kids have a peanut allergy, or are highly allergic to bee stings, you let school officials and day care operators know. It’s the same with asthma and air quality.

When the Air Quality Index (AQI) reports unhealthy levels:

1) Timing is Everything: Limit kids’ outdoor physical exertion. Be aware that ozone often peaks in mid-afternoon and early evening. Adjust strenuous outdoor activity during off hours and/or reduce the intensity of the activity.

2) Pay Attention: Know how to recognize symptoms of respiratory discomfort, such as coughing, wheezing, breathing difficulty, and chest tightness – and reduce exposure if these occur. Asthmatic children are not the only ones at risk– all children are susceptible to these symptoms.

3) Rotate and Rest: Rotate players during physically exerting games and rest players to reduce exertion.

4) Have Options: Provide alternative activities that allow kids that have asthma or other respiratory problems to participate in activities that are less physical when pollution levels are high.

5) Play Indoors: If pollution levels are particularly high, move physical activities indoors where the air is filtered by an air conditioning system.

6) Plan Ahead: Asthma management is important and children with asthma should have adequate medication on hand and follow their asthma management plans.

Air Quality Guide to Keep Kids Safe

CODE GREEN: Great day to be active outside!

CODE YELLOW: Air quality is acceptable but this could cause health concerns for sensitive groups (such as athletes and those who spend a lot of time outside). Students who are unusually sensitive to air pollution could have symptoms.

CODE ORANGE: Limit outdoor activities. For longer activities such as PE or band practice, take more breaks and do less intense activities.

CODE RED: Everyone is sensitive to this level of poor air quality and should avoid prolonged outdoor exertion. Consider moving longer or more intense activities indoors or rescheduling them to another day or time.

CODE PURPLE: Everyone, especially children, should avoid any physical outdoor activities as pollution levels are very unhealthy. Move all activities indoors or reschedule them to another day.

Clean Air Partners would like to thank teachers and coaches in the community for contributing to an overall improvement in our community’s air quality and environment and keeping children safe. Have fun and make sure you check out cleanairpartners.net to sign-up for AirAlerts.

If you don’t live in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area, check in with your county to find a similar organization or agency that monitors air quality and will send you alerts to help protect your kids.

The post 6 Ways to Protect Kids from Air Pollution, Even When They’re Back to School appeared first on Big Green Purse.

The program has received a strong welcome from many moms who have made the connection between their kids’ future and the energy we use. Here are some of the reasons why they care and what they’re doing about it.

PROTECT KIDS’ HEALTH

Karen at EcoKaren has a very personal reason for joining Team ENERGY STAR: she’s worried about her family’s health. “This year’s allergy season was exceptionally hard on my family,” Karen reports. “They have been suffering since February – that’s early! – with sneezing, watery eyes, exacerbated eczema, post nasal drip … you name it, they’ve had it. I was wondering if the mild winter we had had anything to do with it and sure enough, Rutgers University published a report saying that allergy season started early this year and it was because of climate change. Rutgers University has been working with the Environmental Protection Agency on “Climate Change and Allergies” and they found a direct correlation between the two. We know climate change affects our weather but I didn’t think to connect it to allergies!”

Kathy at Safe Mama offers one clear reason to use energy more efficiently: “…the increasing rate of pollution… there is so much gunk in our air already. ” Kathy notes that trying to get kids to save energy in the summer can be particularly challenging because summer “…means running the air conditioning more, and fans, and the kids are all home from school charging their electronics, maybe watching tv, video games (hopefully playing outside too) and the whole family is under the same roof more often. That means we consume more energy! Team ENERGY STAR is a great way for parents to encourage their families to live a more energy efficient lifestyle – which is better for the environment, and your WALLET.”

Over at Big Green Purse, I get fired up about the health impacts of burning fossil fuels, too. I know the most obvious impact is on our lungs. But because burning coal and oil releases the carbon dioxide that is changing our climate and turning the planet into a hothouse, plants like poison ivy are actually getting worse. I joined Team ENERGY STAR to be part of a community of people who understand that, working together, we can make a difference.”

STOP CLIMATE CHANGE

Kimberly of the EcoMom Alliance reflects on her son’s ability to keep moving from dawn until dusk, then writes, “I just wish we could harness the energy of children to replace fossil fuel burning energy production. Until then, I’m grateful for every opportunity to contribute to saving energy.” That’s important, she notes, because “About 70 percent of the electricity we use comes from power plants burning fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels causes greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change – a real and urgent challenge affecting people and the environment, worldwide. Using energy-efficient products and practices reduces the amount of carbon pollution added to the atmosphere and can lessen the effects of climate change.”

Climate change activist Harriet of Climate Mama urges families to make a “family climate change plan” along with their plans for summer vacations and camp. Why start at home?  “According to the Environmental Protection Agency,” Harriet reports, “an average home contributes twice the amount of greenhouse gases to the environment as an average car!” When we use electricity in our homes, chances are a power plant somewhere is burning fossil fuels (like coal, oil, or natural gas) to produce that power. This creates greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, a real and urgent challenge affecting people, and the environment, worldwide.” Harriet reminds us that “the “world” is meeting later this month at Rio+20 to try to figure out how we can work together on climate change and sustainability issues so we can get the future we want and need for our children and for ourselves.”

Katy at Non-Toxic Kids knows that “using energy-efficient products and practices reduces the amount of carbon pollution added to the atmosphere and can lessen the effects of climate change.” But she also admits that “sometimes we forget to practice real and meaningful conservation of our precious energy resources.” She says,”If every American household took part in the Change the World, Start with ENERGY STAR Pledge, we would: save more than 126 billion KWh/yr of electricity, save $18 billion in annual energy costs, and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from 20 million cars. That is astounding!”

Lori at Groovy Green Livin joined Team Energy Star because energy efficiency makes such a big difference. “In 2011 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 41 million cars — all while saving $23 billion on their utility bills and reducing the pollution that contributes to heart disease, asthma and allergies,” she writes. But, Lori says “there’s still plenty to do. Climate change continues to be a very real concern and childhood illnesses, including asthma and cancer, are on the rise. Team ENERGY STAR is asking that we get our children involved and encourage them to save energy at home-because we all know the future is in their hands.” How right she is!

Laura at Moms Clean Air Force makes this key point in her enlightening post: “In our homes, the vast majority of our electricity comes from power plants that burn fossil fuels like oil and coal. Even with the beneficial addition of scrubbers on some of the power plants in recent years, we don’t need to add to the carbon pollution that we see impacting our environment and our health. If we can lessen carbon pollution, we will reduce the impacts of climate change…By using energy-efficient appliances and light bulbs we help give our environment a fighting chance. While small measures alone won’t solve our climate crisis, they do make a measurable difference.”

Brenna of Almost All the Truth captures the passion we all feel when she writes, “It is one of the most important subjects around the world right now …Our reliance on fossil fuels comes at a greater environmental cost as time passes. Climate change is one of those very real costs. Air pollution, water pollution, along with adverse health effects for humans, wildlife, and environment are others. We may never see the effects of our actions, but our children will and their children certainly will pay the price, along with many of the creatures and habitats which have no one to speak for them.”

“We must speak up! We must act now!”

SAVE MONEY

Anne at Flour Sack Mama signed her kids right up for Team ENERGY STAR and they all got busy making Lorax mustaches and coloring in the activities pages they printed out (they tried to get the family dog involved, too, but he preferred to eat a biscuit.). “The new Team ENERGY STAR initiative does a great job of tying one family’s household savings into the bigger picture. Less energy used now means a brighter future for our kids and grandkids and for the place they need to call home long after the rest of us are gone.”

Haley at Green and Clean Mom outlines four reasons why it makes sense to join Team ENERGY STAR: “Kids will have fun, become educated in energy efficiency, help protect the environment and parents will save money. The typical household spends more than $2,100 per year on energy. With ENERGY STAR you can save over one-third or more on your household energy bill…You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by joining.”

Mary at In Women We Trust wrote a blog headline that says it all: “Save Your Household Cash by Joining the Energy Star Team!” “Saving money and keeping the kids busy at the same time is a win/win for anyone’s home…get started downloading FREE educational and interactive materials including Action Kits, Home Check-Up, and Lorax activity books and kits. What a great addition to a home school program or keeping kids doing something besides watching TV on a rainy day. Bring your best stories back to ENERGY STAR on how you changed the world.”

MAKE IT FUN! INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE KIDS

 Jen at Jen and Joey Go Green realized she needed back-up when she saw her sweet little two-year old standing in front of the open refrigerator door.  “As parents we have done our part by choosing Energy Star appliances that help us to reduce the amount of energy our family consumes. But in order to get the most out of these appliances we need to ensure that we all use them properly. Our fridge and freezer beep when they have been opened for more than about 15 seconds… We have joined Team Energy Star to find age relevant tips on how to talk to B about energy conservation and learn new ways to reduce our own impact at home.”

Tiffany at Nature Moms likes making a game of saving energy, especially in the summer. “This is when costs for the household can skyrocket, at least in our household,” she says. “Our water bill goes up mightily and we have hefty A/C bills unless we keep it in check. The kids run out of the house and leave door open (letting hot air inside), they leave the TV on while they play outside, etc. (sound familiar?!!) Yet if we make a plan together and set some goals for conserving energy you may be surprised that it is easier than it looks to save money and conserve energy. Perhaps you might even take your bills from last year and try to beat them, using any surplus for special treats.” I also like Tiffany’s suggestion to have designated snack times so kids will not be in and out of the refrigerator all day!

Jen at The Green Parent also understands the importance of involving kids, and the whole family, in saving energy at home. “Team ENERGY STAR empowers kids to help protect the climate through easy-to-implement, money-saving actions and provides them an outlet for sharing their passion for preserving our environment. And,” she says, “with Dr. Seuss’ the Lorax as the engaging theme for Team ENERGY STAR, kids can learn and have fun at the same time.”

Shane at Environmental Booty  appreciates the “fun” aspect of Team ENERGY STAR, too. “My 6 year old is flipping out at the prospect of working with the Lorax and Dr. Seuss to help save our environment. I am excited to have an eco-inititave to share with my growing, green kids….Join us,” urges Shane. “This is going to be fun to change the world together.”

Erin of Healthy Home Magazine is also glad to have the Lorax involved in this project. “As a parent who gets tired of sounding like a broken record, it’s nice to be able to use his name in vain sometimes when I want the kids to turn the water off while brushing their teeth or turn the lights of when they leave the room. My 4-year-old son has recently even been schooling me on things I can do to “save the earth” that he has learned from the Lorax…like remembering my reusable shopping bags when we head to the grocery store.”

April of Frugally Green observes that “It’s important to get our children excited about saving energy when they are young, so it’s normal for them. Little Miss already knows it’s important to reduce, reuse, and recycle, and she’s starting to grasp the importance of saving energy. I know we’ll be signing up for Team Energy Star to make this easier.”

Stephanie at Good Girl Gone Green is motivated to save energy by the thought of her child’s future. “I now see the challenges we are going to face as parents with my daughter as we teach her to how respect the environment and live more sustainably, but still let her be a kid. I believe that it is so important to educate our children, all the while keeping it fun.”

USE ENERGY EFFICIENTLY

Calley at The EcoChic offers five smart energy-saving tips to consider this summer, including eating more raw foods and salads to cut down on the amount of energy you need to cook. I also appreciate her suggestion to use more natural light, especially now that the summer days are so long!

Paige at Spit That Out The Book says, “Teaching the whole family to take small steps at home to save energy—like turning off the lights when you leave the room, unplugging chargers from the wall when devices are finished charging, programming your thermostat to save energy when you’re away, and changing out incandescent light bulbs to energy-efficient ones—add up to big energy savings.” One result? “Even at 2 years old, my toddler already talks about saving water, turning off lights, and making sure not to waste his leftover banana.”

Jennifer at EcoChild’s Play says, even though her family “lives off the grid,” they still try to do more to use energy efficiently.  Appliances that meet Energy Star efficiency criteria help. “Now celebrating its 20^th anniversary, ENERGY STAR has nearly 20,000 partners committed to improving the energy efficiency of products, homes, buildings and businesses, and the ENERGY STAR label can be found on more than 65 product categories,” she reports. “In 2011 alone, Americans, with the help of ENERGY STAR, saved enough energy to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 41 million cars.”

Amanda at the Eco-Friendly Family offers a whole host of energy-saving activities she has done, from enabling her ENERGY STAR computer and monitor to sleep when she’s not using them, to changing her air system’s filter regularly, to having her heating and cooling equipment professionally maintained. “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing’s going to get better. It’s not,” she quotes the Lorax as saying. Most of us would agree!

IT’S ALL A BALANCING ACT

Rachel at Mommy Greenest sums it up perfectly when she writes about her challenges composting, gardening, and taking other eco-friendly actions. “I’m pretty good at recycling, and have developed a bit of a plastic bag phobia—Los Angeles just banned them, huzzah!—but my carpool-worthy car is a certified gas guzzler, which basically cancels out all of the good I’m doing on that front. And despite the fact that I live by example—as well as nag and plead and annoy them to no end—my kids cannot remember to turn out the lights when they leave a room…As any mother knows, it’s a balancing act to manage the needs of your family and the planet. Which is why the EPA’s new Team Energy Star initiative gives me new hope for the light switches in my home.”

After reading Rachel’s and everyone else’s thoughtful posts, I hope YOU have new hope, too. And if you have any new ideas, or experience trying to inspire your own kids to save energy, please share in our comments section below.

 Congratulations! Katy Farber of Non-Toxic Kids has just won anenergy-efficient ENERGY STARcertified LG washer and dryer. The appliances have also achieved Energy Star’s Most Efficient 2012 designation. Many thanks to LG for providing this wonderful gift.

Full disclosure: I am a long-time independent advocate of energy-efficiency and the ENERGY STAR program. I am currently working as a paid consultant to introduce Team ENERGY STAR to parents and families.

The post Kids Drive Moms’ Passion to Save Energy, Join Team ENERGY STAR appeared first on Big Green Purse.

According to the New York Times, 345 counties currently violate the new standards EPA has set to reduce smog and clean up the air. Bringing those counties into compliance would prevent 900 to 1,100 premature deaths a year and result in 5,600 fewer hospital or emergency room visits. Even with these benefits, groups like the Association of Clean Air Agencies worry that the standards are still too low.

The timetable for meeting the smog standards could be decades, reports the Times, depending on the severity of the problem in each city. Industries like the electric utility industry are expected to resist  reducing the pollution from power plants to meet EPA’s clean air directives. In tones that harken back to the debate around global warming, the Edison Electric Institute, a utility trade association, is challenging the scientifically-accepted cause-and-effect relationship between smog and human health — even though millions of people already suffer increased asthma, heart attacks, and other ailments from polluted air.

While consumers should contact their member of Congress to support stricter standards, they shouldn’t wait for more government action to take steps to protect their air. Smog results directly from burning fossil fuels. Consumers can help improve the air in their cities and towns by reducing the amount of energy they use. If every household installed just one compact fluorescent light bulb, for example, it would have the equivalent benefit of taking 800,000 cars off the road.

Consumers can also use programmable thermostatsand energy efficient appliances, take mass transit or carpool, and buy electricity generated by windpower or biomass.

The post New EPA Clean Air Standards Show Why Consumer Action is so Critical appeared first on Big Green Purse.

 If you ever felt headachy, nauseous, or irritated after cleaning your house, chances are it’s not just from doing the work. A report just released by the nonprofit group Womens Voices for the Earth suggests that certain chemicals in some household cleaning products may be hazardous to women’s health. Kids are at risk, too.

A review of 75 studies and research papers points to “a link between certain chemicals in some cleaning products and asthma and reproductive harm,” says report author and WVE scientist Alexandra Gorman. “That means that children, pregnant women, women trying to get pregnant, and persons with asthma are especially vulnerable to these chemicals.”

Air fresheners deserve special attention, says Gorman, because they may contain carcinogenic (cancer-causing) chemicals as well as chemicals associated with respiratory and reproductive harm.

The report’s findings are particularly worrisome for women, who still do over 70% of the housework in the average home, and who comprise nearly 90% of maids and housekeepers in the U.S. Children are vulnerable because their organs and immune systems are not yet fully developed. Certain chemicals may interfere with the development of kids’ neurological, endocrine and immune systems.

You can read the full report on the WVE website.

You can also take immediate precautions by abandoning whatever commercial cleaning products you use in favor of the safer alternatives and make your own recipes listed at Big Green Purse.

The post The Dirt on Cleaning Your House appeared first on Big Green Purse.