Welcome, Tonya!
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Please join us in welcoming Tonya Adkins-McKeever as the Interim Executive Director of the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan!
Indoor Air Quality
Gases like radon and carbon monoxide can be deadly and are undetectable without proper testing. Deadly effects from these gases are 100% preventable.
Radon
Radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer in the United States. Only smoking causes more lung cancer. There are no early symptoms of radon exposure and no easy way to test individuals for exposure. The best prevention is to test the home.
Carbon Monoxide
Carbon Monoxide is an odorless and tasteless gas that can be given off during the burning of fuel. It is the leading cause of poisoning deaths in the United States. The best protection is to have fuel burning appliances inspected annually and to install a carbon monoxide detector on each level of the home.
Particulate Matter
Particulate Matter is a mixture of particles. Particulate matter can come from a number of sources including household cleaners, chemical air fresheners, cigarette smoke, and unventilated gas stoves and heaters. Exposure to particulate matter can trigger asthma symptoms as well as increase risk to respiratory and cardiovascular health.
Other Air Quality Issues
Other air quality issues specific to asthma and allergies can be found on the mold and moisture and pest pages.
In Case of Emergency
If your Carbon Monoxide detector goes off, get everyone out of the house as soon as possible and call your local fire department.
Did You Know...
Across the U.S., radon exposure results in approximately 21,000 lung cancer deaths each year.
Resources
Easy and Safe Cleaning Products(111 KB)
2013 Carbon Monoxide Report for the State of Michigan(617 KB)
2013 data on carbon monoxide deaths, hospitalizations, and poisonings for the state of Michigan provided by the Michigan Deaprtment of Health and Human Services (published March 2015).
Green Cleaning Recipes(1.6 MB)
Carbon Monoxide Fact Sheet(1.5 MB)
Fact sheet jointly authored by the Healthy Homes Coalition and Helen DeVos Children's Hospital Injury Prevention Coalition (formerly the Safe Kids Coaltiion).
Thankful for 14 Years
Dear Friends and Supporters, after more than 14 years of leading the Healthy Homes Coalition, last week I informed the Board of Directors that I will be stepping down as the Executive Director effective October 31, 2020. This is a bittersweet time for me, as your commitment to action and justice has been nothing short of amazing.
Giving Thanks in Hard Times
Our Breathe Easier asthma program now looks newer, fresher, more relevant, and more empowering. Even though home visits are out of the question for safety reasons, it is a great time to invest in relationships.