How Can We Learn if We Can't Breathe?

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Robin Organ founded greenschools in response to a clear need in schools/communities seeking help in creating sustainable and healthy environments.

Classrooms across America are often packed with toxic chemicals, chemicals that have been linked to asthma, allergic reactions, chemical sensitivity, ADHD, autism, and other illnesses.

Additionally, chemicals found in cleaning products, white board markers, carpeting, perfumes, and other products containing harsh chemicals and fragrances contribute to poor indoor air quality. These conditions make our kids sick and increase school absenteeism.

Did you know 30 million people have suffered from asthma-- including 9 million children under the age of 18?
Did you know over 15 million school days are missed each year due to asthma?

There is a definite correlation to poor air quality and reduced test scores.

More than 53 million children, and about 6 million adults spend a significant portion of their days in more than 120,000 public and private school buildings in the United States.

Many of these buildings are old, in poor condition, and may have environmental conditions that inhibit learning and pose risks to the health of children and staff.

One third of schools (housing about 14 million students) have buildings in need of extensive repair or replacement.

Research reports suggest that students attending schools in poor condition score 11% lower on standardized tests than students who attend schools in good condition.

Although renovating schools can be extremely expensive, there are ways to make big improvements with simple changes that schools can make right now with minimal cost.

Did you know ingredients found in common cleaning products have been linked to:

New cases of asthma and triggering asthma episodes
Harming the brain, nervous system, reproductive organs, kidneys and liver
Irritating eyes and causing headaches
Breathing problems and illnesses
Disrupting/acting like hormones
Cancer

It is time for change! Green cleaning and safer practices are not just a fad, but rather a necessity for the health of our planet and its occupants!

Robin Organ
September 16, 2009

Note: This Perspectives Blog post is written by a Guest Blogger of DrGreene.com and is provided in order to offer a variety of thoughtful points of view. The opinions expressed on this Perspectives Blog post do not reflect the opinions of Dr. Greene or DrGreene.com. As such, Dr. Greene and DrGreene.com are not responsible for the accuracy of the information supplied. This post is used under Creative Commons License CC BY-ND 3.0.