THE INSIDE SCOOP ON INDOOR AIR

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By Destinée- Chariss Royal

You've got the sniffles. Your eyes are watery and you've got a sore throat, too. But, hey, it's winter; what else can you expect in the thick of cold and flu season, right?

Maybe. But while you're downing zinc lozenges and chicken soup, consider this: eye, nose, and throat irritations, wheezing, coughing, skin rashes, and severe allergic reactions may result from extensive exposure to indoor air pollution. Elevated levels of indoor air pollution have also been linked to headaches, dizziness, and fatigue.

Think you're not at risk 'cause you live where the air is fresh and clean? Think again. Recent studies have shown that the air within homes (even country homes) and other buildings can actually be more seriously polluted than the outdoor air in even the largest cities. In fact, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) counts indoor air pollution among the five most urgent environmental problems facing the United States. But there are ways to combat indoor air pollution. And at least one organization, the New York-based Mothers & Others for a Livable Planet (M&O), is committed to showing you how.

A national nonprofit advocacy group started in 1989 by actress Meryl Streep, M&O is dedicated to teaching consumers — and particularly women, who do much of the household buying — how to shop "green."

"Consumers can [prompt] environmental changes through their pocketbooks and by making manufacturers aware of their environmental concerns," says Aisha Ikramuddin, research editor of M&O's The Green Guide, a monthly newsletter, designed to raise consumer awareness of toxic products and their eco-friendly alternatives, that goes out to the group's 35,000 members.

The Green Guide recently tackled the issue of indoor air pollution — a problem exacerbated during the winter months when windows and doors are shut tight against the cold. "The big problem in winter is that there is not good ventilation," says Ikramuddin, who notes that today's homes are being made increasingly airtight to conserve energy-trapping not only heat, but also potentially harmful pollutants. "It's a tradeoff," admits Ikramuddin. "If you open your windows, you improve ventilation and air quality, but you lose energy efficiency."

Among the biggest indoor-air-polluting culprits identified by M&O are pressed-wood products like plywood and particleboard, which are assembled using urea-formaldehyde (UF) glues and adhesives. Formaldehyde has been deemed a probable human carcinogen by the EPA. It's also a known irritant that can cause or exacerbate allergic reactions. Nevertheless, it continues to be widely used to manufacture construction materials and household furniture and is commonly found in cabinets and paneling, walls, floors, textiles, and roofs. Formaldehyde is also used to produce permanent-press clothing and curtains, as well as to preserve some paints. All of these products can "offgas" formaldehyde, contributing to poor indoor air quality.