4CORE is
launching the Healthy Homes Project to increase community awareness of public
health issues related to residential indoor air pollution. The goal is to share
low- or no-cost methods for reducing indoor air pollution health risks for
vulnerable populations, including low income families, children and the
elderly.
4CORE received
an Environmental
Justice Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) to fund this effort in La Plata County. Throughout the next year the
project will conduct 18 presentations across the county to provide information
on topics such as asthma, radon, carbon monoxide poisoning, second-hand smoke
and Sick Home Syndrome.
“The EPA says we
spend an average of 80-90% of our time indoors and this air can be two- to
five-times more polluted than air outdoors,” states Gregg Dubit, Executive
Director of 4CORE. “We are excited to be able to provide this information to
our region’s low-income populations, especially children and elderly people who
are particularly at risk.”
A long-term goal
of the project is to improve the health of program participants through
improved indoor air quality in their homes as a result of information gained
from presentations. Participants will receive free radon test kits, carbon
monoxide alarms and information on low- or no-cost methods for the reduction of
home-based health hazards.
Key partners in the project
include: San Juan Basin Health Department, Housing Solutions for the Southwest
and the Regional Housing Alliance. Interested community organizations,
low-income housing developments and health providers are encouraged to contact
4CORE at 970-259-1916 to schedule a presentation. For more information, visit www.fourcore.org.
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