Less Energy = Less Air Pollution
In 1992, the EPA introduced ENERGY
STAR as a voluntary labeling program
designed to identify and promote en-
ergy-efficient products to reduce green-
house gas emissions. Computers and
monitors were the first labeled prod-
ucts. The ENERGY STAR label is now on
over 50 product categories including
major appliances, office equipment,
lighting, and home electronics.
The typical household spends $2,000 a
year on energy bills. With ENERGY
STAR, you can save more than 30% or
more than $700 per year, with similar
savings of greenhouse gas emissions,
without sacrificing features, style or com-
fort. ENERGY STAR helps you make the
energy efficient choice.
If looking for new household products,
look for ones that have earned the EN-
ERGY STAR. They meet strict energy
efficiency guidelines set by the EPA and
US Department of Energy. You can iden-
tify them by the blue ENERGY STAR
label:
ENERGY STAR
For more information visit:
http://www.energystar.gov/
Questions, or want to learn more??
Visit www.epa.gov/region07 or call us at
(913) 551-7003, toll-free at l-(800)-223-0425.
The Region 7 office serves Iowa, Kansas, Mis-
souri and Nebraska, and 9 Tribal Nations. For
information in your area, visit
www.epa.gov/epahome/whereyoulive.htm
June 2009
STEPS TO A
HEALTHY
HOME
&EPA
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 7
901 N. 5th Street
Kansas City, KS 66101
913-551-7003
Toll - Free 1-800-223-0425
www.epa.gov/ region07
KEEP IT...
DRY
SAFE
CLEAN
PEST-FREE
VENTILATED
MAINTAINED
CONTAMINANT-FREE
Asthma Asthma is a lung disease. It causes
people to wheeze, cough, be short of breath, and
sometimes even die. People with asthma can suf-
fer from frequent periods of difficulty breathing
called "asthma attacks." During an attack, the
airways swell, the muscles around them tighten,
and the airways produce thick, yellow mucous.
Asthma is not contagious, but it does run in
families, so if parents have asthma, their children
are more likely to have it, too. Each person is
different, but many things (called asthma
"triggers") can cause asthma attacks.
Because there is no cure for asthma, it is most
important to work on preventing attacks.
• Keep a clean home.
• Keep people with asthma away from dust,
dust mites, and smoke.
• Get medical advice and follow the doctor's
instructions.
For more information visit
http://www.epa.gov/asthma
Mold Molds reproduce by means of tiny
spores; the spores are invisible to the naked
eye and float through outdoor and indoor
air. Mold may begin growing indoors when
mold spores land on surfaces that are wet.
There are many types of mold, and none of
them will grow without water or moisture.
You cannot eliminate all mold spores from a
home, but you can take the following steps
to prevent and get rid of mold.
• Prevent keep your house clean and dry
following steps to prevent and get rid of
mold.
• Identify: find mold that might be grow-
ing in your home.
• Respond: fix any water problems imme-
diately and clean or remove wet materi-
als, furnishings, or mold.
For more information visit:
http://www.epa.gov/mold
Radon Radon is a radioactive gas that can-
not be seen, smelled, or tasted and is found
naturally around the country. When you
breathe air containing radon, the sensitive
cells in your airway are irritated, increasing
your risk of getting lung cancer.
Radon is found in the dirt and rocks beneath
houses, in well water, and in some building
materials. It can enter your house through
soil, dirt floors in crawlspaces, and cracks in
foundations, floors, and walls. All houses
have some radon, but houses next to each
other can have very different radon levels,
so the only way to measure your particular
risk is to test your own house. Radon is
measured in "picoCuries per liter of air,"
abbreviated "pCi/L." The amount of radon
outdoors is usually around 0.4 pCi/L, and
indoors is around 1.3 pCi/L. Even though
all radon exposure is unhealthy, radon at
levels below 4 pCi/L are considered accept-
able. If your home has more than 4 pCi/L,
you should take action to lower this level.
For more information visit:
http://www.epa.gov/radon
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Smoke-Free Homes & Cars Program
Secondhand smoke affects everyone, but
children are especially vulnerable because
they are still growing and developing. EPA
has created a national Smoke-Free Home
Pledge Initiative to motivate parents to pro-
tect their children.
For more information visit:
http://www.epa.gov/smokefree
Carbon Monoxide (CO) Carbon mon-
oxide is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas.
Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell
the toxic fumes, CO can kill you before you
are aware it is in your home. At lower levels
of exposure, CO causes mild effects that are
often mistaken for the flu. The effects of CO
exposure can vary greatly from person to
person depending on age, overall health and
the concentration and length of exposure.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is caused by:
• Operating fuel-burning products such as
electrical generators without proper venti-
lation. Look at the manufacturers' instruc-
tions before operating any fuel-burning
device in your home.
• Car exhaust entering the home from the
garage.
• Combustion equipment such as furnaces or
hot water heaters that are not working
properly or have blocked exhaust systems.
For more information visit:
http://www.epa.gov/iaq/co.html
Lead (Pb) In late 1991, the Secretary of the
Department of Health and Human Services
called lead the "number one environmental
threat to the health of children in the United
States." There are many ways in which hu-
mans are exposed to lead: through air, drink-
ing water, food, contaminated soil, deterio-
rating paint, and dust. Airborne lead enters
the body when an individual breathes or swallows
lead particles or dust once it has settled. Before it
was known how harmful lead could be, it was
used in paint, gasoline, water pipes, and many
other products. Old lead-based paint is the most
significant source of lead exposure in the U.S. to-
day. Harmful exposures to lead can be created
when lead-based paint is improperly removed
from surfaces by dry scraping, sanding, or open-
flame burning. High concentrations of airborne
lead particles in homes can also result from lead
dust from outdoor sources, including contami-
nated soil tracked inside, and use of lead in certain
indoor activities such as soldering and stained-
glass making.
For more information visit
http:^www.epa.gov/iaq/lead.html
Mercury Some household items may contain
mercury. If a spill occurs in the home, children and
adults may be exposed to mercury vapor. There
are steps that parents can take to protect them-
selves and their children from exposures to mer-
cury:
• Learn which products may contain mercury and
avoid buying products that contain mercury
whenever non-mercury alternatives are avail-
able.
• Recycle or otherwise properly dispose of the
mercury-containing products you have in your
home.
• Handle products containing mercury carefully
to avoid breakage or spills.
• Know how to clean up a spill properly; never
use a vacuum cleaner.
For more information visit
http://www.epa.gov/mercury/
Asbestos Asbestos is a naturally-occurring min-
eral fiber that has been used commonly in a variety
of building construction materials for insulation
and as a fire-retardant. Today, asbestos is most
commonly found in older homes, in pipe and fur-
nace insulation materials, roofing and siding shin-
gles, millboard, drywall joint compound, textured
paints, sprayed-on ceiling texture, resilient sheet
flooring, and floor tiles.
Elevated concentrations of airborne asbestos can
occur after asbestos-containing materials are dis-
turbed by cutting, sanding or other remodeling ac-
tivities. Improper attempts to remove these materi-
als can release asbestos fibers into the air in homes,
increasing asbestos levels and endangering people
living in those homes.
For more information visit:
http:^www.epa.gov/iaq/asbestos.html
Pesticides Pesticides used in and around the
home include products to control insects
(insecticides), termites (termiticides), rodents
(rodenticides), fungi (fungicides), and microbes
(disinfectants). They are sold as sprays, liquids,
sticks, powders, crystals, balls, and foggers.
EPA registers pesticides for use and requires manu-
facturers to put information on the label about
when and how to use the pesticide. It is important
to remember that the "-cide" in pesticides means "to
kill". These products can be dangerous if not used
properly.
An alternative approach to pest control is Inte-
grated Pest Management (IPM). IPM is a common
sense approach that:
• Denies pests food, water, shelter and a way to
enter the home.
• Uses baits and powders, such as gel baits, traps
and borate powder.
IPM does not use as many harmful pesticides as
traditional pest control. Children are among those
most vulnerable to exposure. IPM strategies apply
pesticides only as needed and use the least hazard-
ous pesticides to control pests.
For more information visit:
http:^www.epa.gov/iaq/pesticid.html
GreenScaping Our yards are our outdoor
homes: fun, beautiful, great spaces for relax-
ing. GreenScaping encompasses a set of
landscaping practices that can improve the
health and appearance of your lawn and
garden while protecting and preserving
natural resources.
Start with these five easy steps:
• Build and maintain healthy soil
• Plant right for your site
• Practice smart watering
• Adopt a holistic approach to pest
management
• Practice natural lawn care
For more information visit:
http:^www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr/green
scapes/owners.htm
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle The best place
to start making a difference is at home. Learn
how you can reduce, reuse, and recycle mate-
rials to decrease household waste, including
food, paper, electronics, cleaners, pesticides,
motor oil, and lawn and garden materials.
Avoid or Reduce waste - You can save
money AND create less waste through
changes in purchasing or use of goods. For
example, rather than buying bottled water,
use a refillable bottle. Choose products that
can be used most efficiently, recycled in your
area, and have minimal packaging.
Re-use - Re-use containers, packaging or
waste products.
Recycle - Recycle waste materials so they can
be remade into useable products.
For more information visit:
http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/rrr
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