LIVE
&EPA
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
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Introduction
Did you know that the air you breathe, the water you drink, and the food you eat can affect
the way your body grows and works? It's true. By learning about hazards in the environment
(water, air pollution, pesticides, etc...), and how they can affect your health, you can take
charge of your environment and make a real difference in your life and the lives of your
family and friends.
Live, Learn, Play—Tune in to Your Health and Environment offers you the opportunity to learn
about environmental health issues. Each section of this book explains a different environmen-
tal problem and provides useful information about how to protect yourself and your friends
from harm. You will find fun activities that you can do to spread the news about what you
have learned and tips and resources to get more information. We have also included a rap
LL> tor you to enjoy!
Start making a difference now—learn about environmental health in the pages that follow,
Live, Learn, Play!
From the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
WHAT IS EPA?
An Agency of the U.S. government that
is in charge of protecting the nation's
environmental resources and the health
of people.
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Learning in Action -
A Success Story
Burger and Fries, Please Hold the Smoke
This is what Mike* faced. He has asthma, and because of tobacco smoke, he couldn't eat
at restaurants or enjoy his favorite hobbies in public places. At each of these places, people
smoked and that irritated Mike's lungs so much, it made it difficult for him to breathe.
Mike then decided to learn more about the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
Using the Internet, he discovered the dangers caused by secondhand smoke. He also learned
that of the 1,500 restaurants in his home town, fewer than 10 percent were smoke-free. This
left Mike with few places to enjoy good food.
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Mike decided to take action. He
to make public places frequently
visited by children and young adults
smoke-free.
He named his project KIS—Keep It
Smoke-free. He designed a logo, cre-
ated a slogan, KIS for Kids, and made
a presentation to his school principal
and teacher with the hopes of gaining
their support. After hearing Mike's
plan, they were more than willing to
pitch in and help.
Working closely with his principal
and teacher, Mike educated his fellov
students on the harmful effects of
secondhand smoke, and met with
community leaders and even the
local newspaper.
Due in part to Mike's actions, his city join
law banning smoking in all public places.
Now Mike is breathing easier when he goes to his favorite restaurants.
This is just one story of how someone tried to change the world around him. Now read on
and think about how you can help, too!
* This is a fictional character...but you can make it real!
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Dirt On
UtlO
Indoor air pollution can make breathing a real chore if you have asthma. Maybe you have
asthma or know someone who does. Maybe you've run a few laps around the track and
found yourself out of breath, hands on your knees, and gasping for air. Multiply that feeling
a 100 times; that's what an asthma attack feels like.
ve asthma, you probably want to know how to reduce \
ack or worse:
symptoms. Common indoor asthma tn<_
animal dander, cockroaches, mold, secondhand
smoke, and dust mites. Since you, your family, and
friends spend a lot of time at home, day care or
school, reducing asthma triggers in these places is
)ortant.
learn more
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Tip
1. Dust Mites
• Help out around the house! Reduce your exposure to dust mites by helping your parents
keep your home as clean as possible and by washing your sheets once a week in hot water.
• Keep stuffed toys off the bed.
• Choose washable stuffed toys—wash them often in hot water.
• Vacuum carpet and fabric-covered furniture often to reduce dust buildup. If you have
asthma, stay out of the room while it is being vacuumed.
• If you have asthma, make sure your bed has a dust-proof mattress cover.
2. Mold and Mildew
• Wash mold and mildew off hard surfaces and dry completely.
• Talk to your parents about fixing leaky plumbing. Make sure wet areas are dry within
24 to 48 hours to prevent mold growth.
• Use exhaust fans or open windows when showering, cooking or using the dishwasher.
3. Pet Dander
• Keep pets out of sleeping areas and away from fabric-covered furniture and carpets.
• If you are allergic to your pets, consider keeping them outside.
4. Cockroaches
• Make your kitchen unfriendly to bugs. Put f<
• Always wash dishes after each meal.
• Store trash in sealed containers.
• Eat in selected rooms of the house (i.e. kitchen, dining or family room).
5. Secondhand Smoke
• Ask friends and family not to smoke in your home or car.
;s in sealed containers.
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Actii/iti
Help your school become healthy. Visit www.epa.gov/iaq/schools, and learn more
about EPA's Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools (IAQ TfS) program.
This program helps schools improve their air quality and is being used in thousands of
schools nationwide. Talk to your principal to see if your school is already participating in the
IAQ Tools for Schools program. If not, encourage your school to get involved.
Learn about a famous person with asthma and how he or she deals with it. Share
your report with classmates or elementary school children.
Invite a doctor or local health care expert to talk about asthma at your school,
church, or community center. To find a doctor, ask your parents or youth group
leader for help.
Before you call, write a short summary describing what you would like to achieve by having
him or her visit your community.
Write an article for your school or local
newspaper about asthma triggers and
what can be done to reduce exposure to
asthma triggers at home and at school.
For more information about indoor air quality
and asthma, visit www.epa.gov/iaq.
You can also call the Indoor Air Quality
Information Clearinghouse Monday through
Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. eastern
time at 1-800-438-4318, or email
iaqinfo@aol.com.
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A Different Spin on
lAir"
Even though spending time outdoors is a healthy and fun part of growing up, it pays to
know your surroundings. Who doesn't love a bit of "fresh air?" But, when outdoor air pollu-
tion levels are high, that "fresh air" can result in some not so cool health effects. When
you're outside, you may be exposed to outdoor air pollutants like ground-level ozone (smog)
and particle pollution. These pollutants, as well as many others, can be harmful to your
health. Young children are especially at risk because they are active outdoors, and their lungs
may still be developing.
First, let's discuss these pollutants:
Ground-level ozone is most commonly known as smog. It's created by a chemical reaction
between nitrogen oxides (NOX) and volatile organic compounds (VOC) combined with
heat and sunlight.
VOC + I\IOX + Heat + Sunlight = Ozone
Examples of NOX and VOCs that form ozone include motor vehicle exhaust, fumes from fac-
tories, gasoline vapors, and chemical solvents (a liquid that can dissolve another substance
like paint). Because sunlight and hot weather are involved in creating ozone, it is mainly a
summertime air pollutant.
Ground-level ozone is nothing to laugh at. It can cause coughing, throat irritation, and chest
pain. It can also cause breathing problems and trigger asthma attacks. Kids who are active
You should know that there is also good ozone. The good ozone is in the upper atmosphere
and protects us from the sun's ultraviolet (UV) radiation.
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Particle pollution is the term tor tiny particles in the air in the torm ot dust,
dirt, soot, smoke, and liquid droplets. Some particles are emitted directly into
the air from combustion sources such as cars, trucks, buses, and power
plants. Most particles results from chemical reactions of sulfur dioxide (S02)
and NOv with other chemicals in the atmosphere.
The majority of S02 released into the air comes from electric utilities and
refineries, particularly those that burn coal. Breathing air polluted with parti-
cles has been linked to a number of children's health problems, including
bronchitis and asthma.
To see if the air is clean in your community, check out your local Air Quality Index (AQI). The
AQI is a guide for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and
if you need to do anything to protect your health.
To learn more about outdoor air pollution and what you can do, check out the following tips
and activities.
Tip
Check the AQI in your local newspaper, your local weather channel or at www.epa.gov/airnow
to help plan daily activities. This is especially important for children with asthma and before chil-
dren play outside.
Reduce your outdoor activity when
you hear that outdoor air quality
is poor.
Walk, ride your bike, get a ride
from a friend or take public
transportation to help reduce
pollution from cars.
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Activities
Ask your science teacher to dedicate a day to outdoor air pollution education.
Offer to help out by researching air pollution issues at EPA's or other Web sites. Use this
information to help design an outdoor air pollution presentation for your class. Start by
listing some of the outdoor air pollution topics your presentation will cover.
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For Earth Day, World Health Day, World Asthma Day or Children's Health Month, create and
hand out informational brochures or flyers in your community about outdoor air quality.
Start by creating an outline of the important messages that you want to get across.
Get your class and school to be part of the International Walk to School Day
(usually held the first week of October).
Start a Bike to School Day. Work with your parents and teachers to find safe routes
to school.
Find out if your local newspaper prints the AQI. If not, work with your science teacher
or community groups to include it in the newspaper.
Get your parents involved. Remind them
to reduce their driving by combining trips
and carpooling. Also, avoid mowing the
lawn and refueling the car when air quality
is poor.
Info
For more information on AQI, visit
www.epa.gov/airnow/.
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The Charge
Against Lead Poisoning
posure to lead can be very harmful. Young children exposed to lead may have damag,
to their nervous systems, learning and behavioral problems, and reduced intelligence. Lead
exposure can affect how quickly children learn and advance in school. It may even affect
growth and hearing. It is important that you, and especially vouna children, limit exoosur
to prevent the health ew""+" nt '"^ --•---•--
^^^^^^ ^^(
Not too long ago, the amount of lead in children's blood was higher. Kids
lead because it used to be in gasoline. It's no coincidence that when peop,
'ded gasoline, lead levels in the blood of young children dropped by 85 percent.
Today,
paint
ouching obiects
where lea<
UUL VUUI IIUIIl UUUI
in the soil near repair shops, abandoned mines, factories,
and highways. Even your drinking water may contain lead.
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One- to three-year old kids are e
ing and may be damaged by lee
Their brains are still develop-
ounqer brothers and sisters
es. So, watc
contain lead
, lead poisoning, and ways to prevent it.
Tip
1. If your home was built before 1978, ask an adulf fo fesf your home
for lead painf hazards.
2. Wash your hands often and always before eating and sleeping.
3. Thirsty? Run cold water until it is as cold as it can get. You may need
to run the water longer depending on where you live.
4. Make sure you and your
brothers and sisters eat
foods rich in calcium, iron
and vitamin C:
• Calcium-rich foods: milk,
yogurt, cheese, spinach
• Iron-rich foods: lean red meat,
chicken, fish, raisins
• Vitamin C-rich foods: oranges,
orange juice, grapefruits
5. Reduce fatty foods. Foods
high in fat tend to absorb
more lead.
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I
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Q
2
Actii/iti
Invite a doctor or local health care expert to talk about lead poisoning at your next
club meeting or at school. To find an expert, ask your parents or youth group leader for help.
Before you call, draft a short script saying what you'd like to achieve by having him or her
visit with your group.
Call your local and state health departments (or department of environmental
quality) for information about testing daycare centers and schools for lead-based paint
and lead in drinking water, soil, and dust. Check the phone book to find phone numbers of
these agencies.
Create a poster for your school or community center that warns about the dangers of
lead poisoning. Work with local volunteer groups to "Get the word out...Get the lead out!"
by handing out your posters and organizing door-to-door campaigns and youth group activi-
ties. When handing out posters or working on door-to-door campaigns, always go with a
parent, group leader, or environmental expert.
List groups in your community that may want to participate in lead safety activities.
Write and place an article in your school or group newspaper about lead. As you
write, make sure you focus on why people should be interested in this topic and what they
should do about it.
For more information and free posters
and materials on lead from EPA, call
1-800-424-LEAD or check out EPA's
Web site at www.epa.gov/lead.
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Mercury is not just a planet. It's a toxic metal that
could end up on your dinner table. Mercury can be
found in many places. Mercury is found naturally in
coal that is used by power plants to produce electrici-
ty. When these power plants burn coal, they release
mercury into the air, which eventually falls to the
ground and on surface waters. In water, mercury is
changed into methylmercury through a chemical
reaction and can end up in fish. Methylmercury is
very toxic. You and your family may be exposed to
methylmercury by eating certain types of contami-
nated fish.
Does this mean you should avoid eating fish? No! Fish is an important part of a balanced
diet. The type and the amount of the fish you choose to eat is key. If you like to eat the fish
you catch, contact your local health or environment department to find out which fish to
avoid in your area. Eating fish you buy in a store or restaurant is a little different. Women
of childbearing age, women who are nursing, and young children should not eat shark,
swordfish, king mackerel, and tilefish. However, it is recommended that they eat fish and
shell fish that are low in mercury (salmon, farmed-raised catfish, canned light tuna, and
shrimp) two times a week. You can learn about these tips and the fish in your area at
www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish.
To learn more about how you can avoid mercury and other pollutants in the fish you catch,
check out the following tips and activities.
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Become mercury:
Mercury, unlike some other harmful pollutants, is stored in the tissue of fish that we eat. Removing
the fat, skin, and organs will not reduce exposure to harmful levels of mercury in fish.
Follow the recommendations of local, State, and Federal advisories (warnings) on those fish
that are safe and how much fish you should eat.
Cleaning your catch
Other pollutants, such as pesticides can be found in the skin, fat, and organs offish and may
cause health problems if eaten. To reduce your health risks from these pollutants, inform a
parent or group leader to:
Always remove the skin before cooking.
Cut away fatty areas. The belly, the top of the back, and the dark meat along the sides are
the most common places where fat is stored.
Remove the head, tail, and all internal organs before cooking.
Cooking your catch
Inform a parent or group leader to always grill or broil fish so fat can drip away. By letting the
fat drip away, you remove pollutants stored in the fat.
Don't fry. Frying seals pollutants in the muscle tissue, which is the part you eat.
Find out if the water in your favorite fishing spot is polluted
Look for warning signs posted along the edge of the water and follow the instructions. Also
check for advisory information in your fishing regulations booklet.
Call your local or state health, or environmental protection department and ask about the
waters where you are planning to fish. Find out if it is OK to eat the fish you catch.
Choose the right fish
Choose to eat smaller fish. They usually have fewer pollutants than bigger, older fish.
Choose lean fish such as bluegill and fish that live in cold water streams and rivers, like brook
trout and brown trout.
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Write a report about the fish advisories for two water bodies closest to your school or
house. Find out what types of fish are included in the advisories, the size limits, and the
suggested amounts of fish to eat. Then, share your report with your friends, families, and
teachers.
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Get an adult to help you talk to your school or youth group about eating the fish
you catch. Give examples of the kinds of fish that should be eaten and, with the help of
an adult, show the right way to clean and cook fish to reduce pollutants. You will need the
following material for your demonstration: fish from local waters (if available), fish advisories
for waters in your area, a sharp knife, and a flat surface to work on.
List some fish found in local waters below.
To find fish advisories for your neighborhood,
visit www.epa.gov/waterscience/fish. Click on
"Contacts" and then scroll down and click on
your State's Web site.
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erature. However,
mercury thermometers can cause problems it they Dreak. Just because your mercury thermometer
hasn't broken yet, it doesn't mean it never will. Your mercury thermometer has to be shaken
down before you can use it to take your temperature. The thermometer is often broken dur-
ing this process. If mercury spills from a thermometer and is not cleaned up properly, it can
be dangerous. It can evaporate into the air, causing toxic fumes in the air that you breathe.
If the thermometer breaks in the sink, mercury can even spill down the drain and get into the
water system and contaminate nearby ponds, lakes, or rivers, and poison the fish.
Mercury thermometers should be replaced with non-mercury ones. Types of non-mercury
thermometers include: digital electronic thermometers, glass alcohol thermometers, and
glass gallium-indiumtin thermometers. These types of thermometers are much safer and can
be found in most grocery stores and pharmacies
Fever thermometers are not the only things in your house that might contain mercury
her types of thermometers, thermostats, batteries, light and appliance switches,
a. id light bulbs might contain mercury. Go to www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/
mercury/product.htm to learn more about products with mercury.
Why is Morcury in ThermometGrs?
Mercury is the only metal that is liquid at room temperature
and expands and contracts evenly with temperature changes.
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Getting Rid of Mercury Thermometers
• Take your mercury thermometer to a special collection event or a
collection facility for household hazardous waste.
• If you don't have the container for the thermometer, put it in a
plastic soda bottle to keep from breaking
• Never put mercury thermometers in the trash.
Tip
1. Cleaning up Messy Mercury Spills
If a mercury-containing product is broken, do not touch the mercury.
Keep all people and pets out of the area and open windows for ventilation.
Never vacuum or sweep the spill. This will increase the mercury contamination.
Contact your local health department or your local fire department for proper disposal
information.
Also see http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/spills.htm for more
information.
And Remember...
NEVER use a vacuum cleaner to clean spillei
NEVER use a broom to sweep up mercury.
NEVER pour mercury down the drain or trash.
NEVER wash mercury-contaminated items in a washing machine.
NEVER walk around if your shoes might be contaminated with mercury. Contaminated
clothing can also spread mercury around. Put contaminated clothing and shoes into a
plastic bag. Seal the bag with tape and dispose of it at a special collection event or
household hazardous waste collection facility.
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Activiti
Find out where you can safely dispose of mercury thermometers in your community.
Work with your local recycling center to help organize a local mercury thermometer collection
event in your community. There are many organizations that can help you, such as Health
Care without Harm.
Write down the address of your local recycling center.
Design an education campaign on the
hazards of mercury thermometers.
Consider making posters, brochures, or
public service announcements for local
radio stations.
Help your mom or dad select a new
mercury-free thermometer.
Check out EPA's Web site on mercury to help prevent
mercury pollution at www.epa.gov/mercury.
For more information, visit Heath Care Without Harm at
www.noharm.org.
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Water—Clear Doesn't
Always Mean Clean
Water is something we often take for granted in the United States. Usually we have enough
of it and it is safe. But the sources of our drinking water are constantly being challenged by
naturally occurring events like landslides and floods, and human activities like littering and
pollution.
We rely on a safe water supply for the health of our families and neighbors. Your water may
come from a lake, river, or reservoir or it may come from underground wells. In any case, your
drinking water starts its journey to your kitchen sink from a watershed. A watershed is the
land area that drains into a single body of water or to ground water. Everything that happens
in the watershed can affect the quality of your water supply.
DID YOU KNOW?
• To keep bugs and weeds out of our grass, Americans use 67 million pounds of
pesticides on our lawns each year. Some of these pesticides may run off into
our water.
• In the United States, water supply companies treat nearly 34 billion gallons of
water every day.
• Americans drink more than one billion glasses of tap water every day.
Safe drinking water depends on all of us. Do your part to protect yourself and the
water you drink!
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Tip
1. Don't trash your batteries when they run out of juice because they can pollute
water supplies. Ask your local recycling center how to properly get rid of old
batteries.
0
Z. It's simple: don't drink water directly from a pond, creek, stream, river, or lake.
3. If your home uses a well for drinking water, ask an adult in the house to
(have it tested every year by an expert laboratory. Read "Drinking Water
from Household Wells," found at www.epa.gov/safewater/privatewells/
booklet/index.html or call 1-800-426-4791 for help.
4. If you get your drinking water from a community water system, check with
your water supplier once a year to find out the water quality.
f
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Actii/iti
Develop a checklist of safe drinking water tips and have your
class or a parent help you hand it out to your friends and neighbors
Visit www.epa.gov/safewater for safe drinking water tips.
List them here.
Find out about your local drinking water plant and what is required to have clean and
safe drinking water. Most public water systems have Web sites that list the sources of water
they use, how they treat it to remove pollutants, and if any harmful pollutants were found.
Work with teachers or other volunteers to plan a tour of your local water plant.
Make sure to ask key questions, such as where does the water come from and what steps are
taken to make your drinking water safe. Brainstorm your list of questions here.
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Use the information that you learned from the tour to prepare and give a presentation
on safe drinking water in day care centers, schools, churches, and other places in your
community.
For more information on safe drinking water, visit EPA's
drinking water Web site at www.epa.gov/safewater.
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Dor
red
t/od
Pests such as fleas and ticks on the family dog, cockroaches in cupboards,
weeds in the garden, and ants at a picnic can be a real pain. Some pests like
ticks may even carry diseases including Rocky Mountain spotted fever which
causes headache, muscle pain, fever, and a very nasty rash.
Pesticides are all around us! The more you know about them, the better you can protect
yourself and others. You can be exposed to pesticides in lots of ways. Food may contain pes-
des because farmers use them to protect crops from weeds and bugs. Kids may be
exposed at home and at school when pesticides are used to kill cockroaches, ants, or rodents.
Pesticides are also found in flea and tick powders, which are used on the family dog or cat.
You may also be around pesticides when playing on lawns and fields that have just been
treated with a pesticide. The government limits the amount of pesticides that can be found in
food so there's no excuse to stop eating your green beans and peas. Fruits and vegetables
are an important part of a healthy diet.
Integrated pest management (IPM) is a way of controlling pests by using the least toxic
method first. For example, the first step in keeping pests away is making sure food is stored
in air-tight containers. Baits and traps are also great ways to control pests without exposing
people to pesticides.
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Tip
2.
3.
4.
5.
roisoning in your house. Work with an adult in the house
lake sure that pesticides are kept in their original containers and stored
in locked cabinets or other places that are out of reach of small children like
v/our younger brothers and sisters.
u must use pesticides, be sure to use them with care, under adult
ervision, and remember to READ THE LABEL FIRST!
jr play with pesticides or pesticide containers.
er play on lawns that have been recently sprayed with pesticides. Make
sure your pets stay away too.
can cut back on the need to use bug
jy by staying inside when mosquitoes
or other bugs are most active and if you go 5s
outside, cover up by wearing pants and a
long-sleeved shirt.
'ays wash and scrub fruits and vegeta- f*
bles under running water. After washing,
peel fruits and vegetables when you can,
Throw away the outer leaves of leafy v
etables. Also, have an adult trim the fat
from meat and skin from poultry and fish
because some pesticides collect in fat.
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Activiti
Have your family sign a household pledge to get rid of pests using the least toxic
methods possible. If pesticides are needed, make sure they will be used in a safe way.
Start your pledge here.
Talk to five friends about what they can
do to stop pests and pesticide use at
school. Here are some tips for school:
• Keep your school lockers and desks clean;
don't store food in your locker.
• Clean up after yourself in the cafeteria.
• Clean up spills and crumbs right away.
• Report any leaky faucets.
List your five friends here.
Info
For more information on pesticides,
visit EPA's pesticides Web site at
www.epa.gov/pesticides.
Find out how your school controls pests. Is there an IPM system
in place? Learn more about IPM and write an article about it for your
in place? Learn more about IPM
school newspaper.
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There s Fire
Most smokers know that smoking is bad for their health. However, many smokers and non-
smokers don't know that smoke can also hurt those around them. Secondhand smoke, also
called environmental tobacco smoke, is a mix of the smoke exhaled by smokers and smoke
from cigarettes, pipes, and cigars. Infants and young children, especially those with asthma,
are the most at risk from secondhand smoke.
EPA says that exposure to secondhand smoke has been linked to lung cancer.
Infants and young children whose parents smoke can have trouble breathing
and can get sick with things like pneumonia and bronchitis.
EPA says that secondhand smoke makes asthma worse for almost a million
young people in the United States.
Children and young adults exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to
have trouble breathing and have symptoms like coughing and wheezing.
Secondhand smoke can lead to buildup of fluid in the middle ear. This can
lead to ear infections in young children.
Secondhand smoke is associated with about 3,000 lung cancer deaths in
non-smokers each year.
So, there you have it. Where there's secondhand smoke, there's fire. Learn more and help
your family and friends avoid the heat!
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Tip
1. Encourage everyone not to smoke in yoi
house. Better yet, ask family members ai
friends to quit.
2. Politely let family members, friends,
and others know that you don't want
to be around their secondhand smoke.
3. Make your family car a smoke-free zone.
4. In restaurants, ask to sit in the nonsmoking
section as far from smokers as possible.
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Antii/iti
Create and act out a series of commercials on secondhand smoke. Perform the com-
mercials for scout troops, youth groups, at school or in other places in your neighborhood.
Develop a handout on the dangers of secondhand
smoke. Have your class, troop or a parent help you pass out
the brochure to day care centers, schools, churches, and com-
munity centers. List secondhand smoke health effects here.
TO
"3
t/>
m
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Write and place an article on secondhand smoke in your community or school newsletter.
Discuss the problem, the health effects, and possible solutions. Include tips on how smokers
can reduce secondhand smoke exposure to others, and why it is a good idea to quit.
Start your outline here.
TO
"
Organize a smoke-free day for your
family or community.
Jot down possible slogans for the day.
Ask your friends and family who smoke
to take EPA's Smoke-Free Home Pledge
by calling toll-free 1-866-SMOKE-FREE
or visiting EPA's Web site at
www.epa.gov/smokefree.
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Carbon Monoxide
Eotta Vent It
Did you know that one of the biggest dangers that may be hanging out in your house is invisi-
ble and has almost no smell? We're talking about carbon monoxide (CO). CO can be a threat
to unborn babies, infants, kids, and teens just like you. Why? CO is a gas. It is formed when a
fuel like gas, oil, kerosene, wood, or charcoal is burned. Common house appliances like stoves,
clothes dryers, and hot water heaters sometimes use one of these fuels. If appliance fumes are
allowed to escape out of the house through a vent, the amount of CO in the air you breathe
is usually not dangerous. But if appliances are not vented, CO can reach dangerously high levels,
and can cause health effects that are not so invisible. CO poisoning can cause serious injury or
even death! There are things you can do to prevent CO poisoning. Here are a few of them.
Tip
1. Make sure that what keeps you warm can't harm you. Never sleep in un-vented
rooms with gas or kerosene space heaters.
, Ask your parents to have all fuel appliances checked at least once a year by a
professional.
3. Ask an adult in your house to put CO alarms in the rooms where you and your
family sleep. Make sure the alarms are located near the floor.
I. Keep the cookout outside. Never use barbecues or grills inside or in the garage.
5. Let the drivers in your house know that running cars or lawnmowers in the garage
is dangerous.
6. Make sure that car and truck tail pipes are not clogged with snow or other debris.
LEARN
PLAY
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Actii/iti
Create a handout about the dangers of CO and work with your teachers and friends to
pass it out at school. Visit www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html and research CO.
Design a "Seal of Approval" certificate for house-
hold appliances that produce CO. Once an expert
says they are safe, display your "Approval Certificate"
on the appliance or make a chart that includes all of
your household appliances that produce CO. Leave
space to note when each appliance has its yearly
maintenance check.
Write a letter or email to friends and family
telling them about the dangers of CO. Include
tips on how to keep your house free from CO.
Start your list of tips here.
Info
Visit www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html
to learn more about CO.
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Cool and
Practice Sun Safety
Did you know that you will spend more time in the sun as child than as an adult? While you
enjoy those carefree sunny days, be careful. Too much sun can be bad news!
Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun can cause sunburns in the
short term, but also may lead to long-term health problems such as skin cancer
and eye problems. Too much sun can also cause you to look older than you are.
We're talking all sorts of wrinkles, bags, and sags! Just one or two blistering sun-
burns as a child may double the risk of some skin cancers as an adult. Ouch!
You're still not safe if it's fake. Artificial sources of UV light, such as tanning beds
and sun lamps, can also damage the unprotected eyes and skin.
Here's a cool idea! Learn more about sun safety and share it with your family and
friends.
Tip.
1. Dress the part. Wear hats, sunglasses, and protective clothing.
2. Block it out! Use sun screen with Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15 or more.
3. Keep babies out of direct sunlight.
4. Limit the time you spend in the midday sun. The sun is most intense between
10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
5. Does your local newspaper publish the UV Index? If so, you can easily check it and
take special care to follow sun safety steps when the UV Index is 5 or higher.
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Organize a sun-safe hat game. Have many types of hats to choose from and rank them
from best to worst by testing how well they protect you from the sun. Talk about the good
and bad things about each hat.
Call your local television and radio stations, and ask if the weather man or woman (also
called a meteorologist) can give you a tour of the weather center and discuss UV radiation.
List questions you'd like to ask here.
Organize an Arbor Day (the last Friday in April) event at your school or
community center. Plant young trees that will provide shade for the communi-
ty when they are fully grown. List school or community leaders who could
help you organize the event.
Start a sun safety poster contest to show the steps we should take to pro-
tect ourselves, family, and friends. Display the winning poster and all the other
drawings collected at a community or school event.
List the things or ideas that the poster should show in order to win the contest.
For more information, visit EPA's Sun Wise
Web site at www.epa.gov/sunwise.
Learn more about the UV Index at
www.epa.gov/sunwise/uvindex/index.html.
LIVE
LEARN
PLAY
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LEARN —rH PLAY
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7L«ne in to Vfaur Health
and Environment
Audio CD
Play List
1. Environmental Hazards Rap (with vocals)
2. Environmental Hazards Rap (instrumental)
3. In our Sight (with vocals)
4. In our Sight (instrumental)
LEARN
PLAY
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United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
1107A
Washington, DC 20460
About the Office of Children's Health Protection
In 1997, the Office of Children's Health Protection (OCHP) was
established to implement EPA's commitment to protect children
from environmental health hazards. In 2002, OCHP expanded
its work to include older adults. OCHP's mission is to promote
environmental health protection for children and older adults
in the United States and around the world.
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