a healthy school

"A recent government report claims that one in five schools are 'Sick' schools, putting more than 8 million children at risk."

Oprah Winfrey
Hidden Environmental Dangers at School

Monday, April 26, 2010 is Healthy Schools Day in the US and Canada.

Researchers at the University of California at Irvine found that children are 6 times more vulnerable to indoor air pollution than adults. So you would think that schools would be exemplary facilities meeting the highest environmental health standards---but this is not the case.

About 20% of Americans study or work daily in schools across the nation, and most are filled with dangerous toxins---from cleaning supplies, carpeting, poor ventilation systems, and fragranced products to name a few sources.

Among other contaminants, school buildings and playgrounds have regularly been treated with pesticides leading to illness for many children [five stories] and teachers, and in some cases death.

A study published on May 17, 2010 in the online journal of Pediatrics also links everyday exposure to pesticides to ADHD. About 6 million children in the US (8 percent) are now diagnosed with ADHD (a label that stigmatizes them for life) and prescribed psychotropic drugs that cause brain damage and even death in some children.

Pesticides build up in body tissue and become part of a cumulative body burden of toxins. A study conducted on over 5000 patients at EHC-D showed that brain function increased as pesticides were removed from the body and IQ generally went up as much as 20 points.

One way to decrease pesticide levels in children is to provide an organic diet. Progressive schools in Wood River, Idaho, Marin County, California and Berkeley, California among others now have organic school lunch programs.

Other factors such as toxic cleaners, leaks causing mold and mildew, poor ventilation systems and florescent lighting also contribute to toxic indoor air in schools. Children who become ill from toxic indoor air are frequently mis-diagnosed with behavior or learning problems.