From The Canadian Committee on Indoor Air Quality (CCIAQB)
“This Module provides building owners and managers with information about the sources and effects of scents and fragrances. It also suggests ways to move toward scent-free buildings. The information covers scents and fragrances brought into a workplace by people wearing personal products such as perfume as well as those scents and fragrances that originate from custodial products such as washroom hand soap.”
Posted in Accessibility, Air Quality, Environmental Health, Environmental Sensitivities, Healthy Environment, Indoor Air Quality, Policy, Precaution
Tagged allergies, asthma, cancer, Chemicals, environmental sensitivities, Fragrance, fragrance-free, hazardous air pollutants, health, Human Rights, IAQ, MCS, MCS/ES, petrochemicals, VOCs
I need several air purifiers to clean the air of pollutants from unavoidable everyday products and materials (like the mail, receipts, product labels, food packaging, replacement of any basic essentials, etc) and also the neighbourhood pollution (trains, planes, laundry products, pesticides, BBQs, fireplace smoke, etc) from my indoor air so that my brain and body can work more like they were intended to.
To cook, clean, and take care of my very basic needs, (nothing extra going on here, I am housebound) I am dependent on clean air to be able to function. My filters need to be changed annually or every other year (depending on what the air quality has been like) and mine were last changed in 2012, three years ago.
I have looked all over the place for funding to purchase new filters and there just isn’t anyone out there with a mandate to provide clean air to those who require it for medical reasons.
! ! !
Last summer was a disaster for me, this year was even worse. I’ve had a horrid three months from area roadwork and pesticide use (there was massive spraying of Wild Parsnip around this part of Ontario during the summer, and the pesticide drift got to me really bad), and now other simpler exposures that hadn’t been bothering me as much as they used to, are again having more serious adverse effects on me because my indoor air is not being filtered anymore.
Posted in Accessibility, Air Quality, Disability, Healthy Environment, Support
Tagged air purifiers, brain, brain fog, donate, environmental sensitivities, hazardous air pollutants, indoor air quality, MCS, MCS/ES, multiple chemical sensitivities, petrochemicals, replacement filters, sensitive to pollution, VOCs
Another great resource shared by Mary Lamielle, this time on how to make events accessible for people with MCS/ES.
Accessible Meetings Guide Addresses Chemical and Electrical Sensitivities
Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Environmental Health, Environmental Sensitivities, Healthy Environment, Human Rights, Policy
Tagged access, barriers, conferences, EHS, electrical sensitivities, events, fragrance-free policy, IAQ, inclusion, MCS, MCS/ES, meetings, National Center for Environmental Health Strategies, wireless
That may seem like a dumb question to people who haven’t been in a hospital, but to the rest of us, including those of us who can’t even go into a hospital in life or death situations, it’s a serious one.
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Check out this TEDMED video where Robin Guenther* discusses connections between health and environmental design, and what she and others are doing to make things different:
People all over the industrialized world have been developing Multiple Chemical Sensitivities and Environmental Sensitivities, or Environmental Illnesses. We are exposed to so many petrochemical pollutants, in our air, water, foods, clothes, furnishings, homes, and elsewhere in daily life, substances which are now known to cause many kinds of adverse health effects, and some of us just have the epigenetic disposition to feel the effects faster and more extremely than others who may develop cancer or some other condition many years later.
Amelia Hill (aka the Amazing Amelia Hill) lives in Australia and developed very severe, or extreme MCS after not being properly diagnosed for too many years. A lack of proper diagnosis and precautionary measures usually results in a debilitating worsening of the condition, which is best addressed with avoidance of the triggering substances, and building up health in very targeted ways. This is much more difficult to do the longer one isn’t able to take the steps to avoid exposures and rebuild life with safe alternatives.
Amelia’s life is probably unlike any you have ever heard of (even mine) although there are many similarities between the experiences those of us who have severe MCS/ES share. Amelia is known as “amazing” because of the ways she handles her life.
You will see why here.
Amelia’s story has been featured as the cover story in what may be South Australia’s most popular newspaper weekend magazine: Continue reading
Posted in Chemicals, Disability, Education, Environmental Health, Environmental Sensitivities, Food, Health, Healthy Environment, Human Rights, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, Public Health
Tagged allergies, Amelia, asthma, Australia, Chemicals, chemicals in clothing, EHS, elecrtosensitive, Food, fragrance-free, health care access for people with MCS/ES, indoor air quality, MCS, MCS housing, pesticides, petrochemicals, sensitive to pollution, wireless
Can you imagine a world where it’s unacceptable to profit from polluting people and the environment we all depend on for life?
Someone imagined it was ok to pollute for profit, it wasn’t always happening or acceptable.
What if it’s possible to live good lives while looking after the planet and each other?
For things to change, we have to imagine something different first.
Then, if we can imagine it, we can work together to make it happen!
I recently received a virtual gift from a friend and wanted to make my own version to share with you, because I know how difficult life can get, especially when we are isolated and facing challenges most people cannot relate with.
Here then is the gift bag I created for you!
♥
Even though I am totally housebound, with no family at home, with little to no ability to visit with them or friends, either here or anywhere, due to my severe MCS/ES, I found this article from Toni Bernhard to have some lovely, helpful coping ideas. I’m sharing it with you in case you find yourself alone, or having to bow out of gatherings, if you find yourself in need of more tools to try out, whether or not it’s the holiday season:
How to Ease the Pain of Isolation During the Holidays
Three simple practices can help you feel less alone during the holidays.
Posted in Accessibility, Friendship, Healthy Environment, Mental Health
Tagged depression, holidays, isolation, non-toxic gifts, tonglen, virtual gifts
♥
“The idea that we live in something called ‘the environment’ is utterly preposterous. . . . The world that environs us, that is around us, is also within us. We are made of it; we Continue reading
Safe, medically required, non-toxic, EMF/EMR safe housing CAN be built. I linked to another article and the architect’s website in the 1st comment below.
“Because Barbara Tudhope has severe allergies and acute sensitivities to dust, pollen, electromagnetic radiation (EMF) and a long list of construction materials, the couple designed their home to foster an environment that doesn’t cause her any adverse reaction.
… “Almost all construction and renovation uses building materials that off-gas volatile organic compounds [VOCs], and contractors generally pay little attention to electrical and magnetic fields in the homes they build,” says Mr. Tudhope, a business writer. “But both can have serious acute and chronic health consequences for someone like Barbara, and, in truth, for almost anyone.”
From the Centre for Equality Rights in Accommodation (CERA):
Environmental Sensitivities and Housing
“Every year, CERA receives a significant number of calls from tenants being made ill from the poor indoor air quality in their apartment buildings. Most of these individuals suffer from environmental sensitivities and are particularly sensitive to contaminants in the air. With funding assistance from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, CERA recently launched HomeSafe, an initiative to educate tenants and multi-unit housing providers on strategies to improve indoor air quality and create healthier living environments.”
The resources section has some excellent documents that are designed to “help landlords, property managers, and co-operative and condominium boards of directors reduce the health impacts associated with multi-unit housing and create living environments that are as safe and “green” as possible… and make their properties more attractive…”
For example:
Posted in Disability, Environmental Sensitivities, Healthy Environment, Housing, Human Rights, Indoor Air Quality, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities
Tagged accessibility, allergies, apartment buildings, CERA, condo, Fragrance, healthy materials, indoor air quality, landlord, MCS, MCS/ES, Multi-Unit Housing Providers, property management, renovations, repairs, smoke, tenant
 | linda @ Seriously "S… on MCS/ES |
| linda @ Seriously "S… on The CDC and MCS |
 | Tabatha Schnorr on MCS/ES |
| Tabatha Schnorr on The CDC and MCS |
| linda @ Seriously "S… on MCS and Housing |
| linda @ Seriously "S… on Hospital Protocols for People… |
Seriously "Sensitive" to Pollution 