• Cindy heard her eight-year son wheezing again. Despite ripping out the wall-to-wall carpets and following the other suggested steps for asthma sufferers, Cindy was worried. His attacks were getting worse. She wouldn’t wait any longer to take a whole home approach to removing allergy-inducing pollutants from her air.
• Diane and Nikolas love their home and community so they decided to “age in place”, making changes in their home like grab bars by the bathtub and an air cleaner.
• After renovating their home to make it more energy-efficient, Don and Marguerita noticed they were sniffling more. Perhaps their now well-sealed home is trapping more polluted air inside.
• Allen was delighted when his employer agreed to his working at home. No more long commutes. Instead he got adult-onset asthma.
• Alisa uses non-toxic products. Her appliances are Energy Star efficient. Even before home sales stalled she chose to match her “green” passion with her work. She became an Ecobroker. Her natural next step? Encourage clients to get healthier air in their homes.
• Rocco and Celia decided to move from the suburbs into new condo building in the center of more cultural opportunities downtown. Yes, there was more traffic and pollution, but their new condo building came with a special amenity that mattered more to them than a fancy stove – an air cleaning system that kept the air inside cleaner than fresh air.
• Arne quit smoking 20 years ago. After retiring, he dove into an online business he loved, spending long hours at the computer. Yet he was sniffling, sneezing and getting colds more often.
• Building homes to green standards not only felt good to Polly and Jackson, it also gave homebuyers an extra reason to choose their homes, especially if buyers had children. Or if anyone in the family was health-conscious or vulnerable to respiratory problems. Adding a high-efficiency home air cleaner was the “new” green feature that helped their homes stand out from others.
• When he got transferred, Bart brought Lady, his golden retriever. He also took his allergy. Bart couldn’t abandon a dear friend, but he could reduce the dander in his home.
Who is Most Vulnerable to Dirty Air?
Those most at risk to polluted air at home:
• Infants and young children.
• People with asthma, allergies or other respiratory illnesses or who have heart or lung problems – especially those who also lead stressful lives.
• Elderly, most of whom have reduced lung capacity.
• Smokers and those who live with them.
• People who work at home.
• Those in colder climates who tend to stay inside even longer.
• People in urban areas.
• Those living in energy-efficient or other well-built homes that seal air inside.