| It seems that everyone is equally struck by the news | | | | A new science that considers the air that we breathe |
| that John Travolta's and Kelly Preston's son, Jett, died | | | | as nearly as important as the food we eat or water |
| from seizures. Jett apparently suffered from a series | | | | we drink may support these concerns. We now know |
| of grand mall seizures related to his affliction with | | | | that second-hand smoke causes cancer in innocent |
| Kawasaki syndrome. Undoubtedly, everyone is asking | | | | victims. Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is an invisible factor in |
| what this little-known disease is and how it is | | | | our well-being and disease resistance. Homes with |
| transmitted? Sympathy for the Travolta's eventually | | | | miniscule invasion of radon gas will cause lung cancer |
| turns into a concern for whether this disease is on the | | | | in unsuspecting family members. Carbon monoxide will |
| march and how it can be prevented in other families. | | | | kill anyone running a car in a closed environment. Who |
| The Mayo Clinic points out that the disease is not | | | | can say that the air we breathe isn't a literal toxic cloud |
| hereditary. It is more common in Japan ... hence the | | | | of ingredients recycled routinely by the forced air |
| name. Potential causes for the disease range from | | | | system, vacuuming, and dusting. |
| possible viral infections passed by exposure to wild | | | | There are better options. As Green practices are |
| animal or perhaps mosquitos. The second popular | | | | eventually understood, we then realize that simple, |
| theory is that is is brought on by chemical exposure of | | | | natural, and organic products may be better than |
| a child during the developmental years. According to | | | | anyone thought. Try walking into an area where the |
| the American Heart Association, "About 80% of the | | | | floors are being stripped. The fumes are amazingly |
| people with Kawasaki disease are are under age 5. | | | | strong. Go back during the buffing cycle when the air |
| Children over age 8 are rarely affected." | | | | fills with particles containing zinc and other strange |
| John Travolta shared his opinion of the cause of his | | | | ingredients. Watch a typical vacuum in a room where |
| son's ailment recently. He told a CNN reporter, "With | | | | sunlight is showing through to see contaminated our air |
| my son ... I was obsessed with cleaning - his space | | | | can be with particles easily inhaled. |
| being clean, so we constantly had the carpets cleaned. | | | | Studies have shown that poor indoor air quality |
| And I think, between him, the fumes and walking | | | | contributes to persistent headaches, lethargy, more |
| around, maybe picking up pieces or something, he got | | | | sick days, and more sick claims. This is not just a |
| what is rarely a thing to deal with, but its Kawasaki | | | | problem for the workers, but creates a calculable |
| syndrome." Jett Travolta was two when developed | | | | impact on the budget of any business. In the long term, |
| symptoms, Travolta also revealed. | | | | we are hearing more and more about Sick Building |
| This disease affects the heart and the vessels of the | | | | Syndrome (SBS) and Building Related Illness (BRI), and |
| heart although it is not necessarily lethal. Whatever the | | | | each of these come from poor air quality. These are |
| cause, it seems to hit in the early developmental | | | | often tied to the quality of the air and the infiltration of |
| stages of childhood, and it has lasting and serious | | | | mold, fumes, bacteria, and pesticides. Existing buildings |
| results. The best minds are left wondering if this illness | | | | have a build up to ingredients that come from years of |
| comes from a yet undiscovered virus, or perhaps | | | | contamination by chemicals that include arsenic, |
| another auto-immune type disease brought on by | | | | asbestos, lead, pollen, and cigarette ash. |
| chemical exposure. This would not be the first or last | | | | To find out if your home of business has a problem |
| disease that we eventually find out came from our | | | | with the indoor air quality, contact your nearest certified |
| own love affair with chemical products that seem like | | | | Green Consultant, and have a simple test done to find |
| a good idea at the time. Mesothelioma is a lung | | | | out if your home or office is a safe place to live and |
| disease brought on by exposure to asbestos. LIttle | | | | work. Green consultants know numerous ways to |
| children who are exposed to lead paint can develop | | | | dramatically improve the health quotient of a home or |
| brain complications. Even asthma has grown by 40% | | | | office, reduce energy costs, improve operations, and |
| over the last ten years. Experts wonder if this does | | | | assist your family or business in obtaining a reputable |
| not parallel our increased use of chemicals in the home. | | | | Green certification. |