The spacious, second-floor office on Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh’s East End feels good for good reason: the bright walls are covered with zero-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints to eliminate the low-level toxins paint and finishes release into the air for years. Special windows, including skylights, allow for ample sunlight and control of heating and cooling. A carbon dioxide monitoring system, coupled with an airflow control ventilation system, minimizes exposure to chemical toxins and activates the air-cleaning system. The waiting room, with wall-to-wall natural fiber carpeting, is filled with green plants and an aquarium ecosystem.
“We like being able to show by example that all of us can take preventive measures to promote the health of our children,” says Dr. Somers. “It can be as simple as decorating with house plants to help fight indoor pollution.”
Just as significant, CCP-GIL’s eight pediatricians chose the location close to public transportation. Some employees have found biking to work (wearing their helmets, of course) a healthful alternative to driving a car.
You and your children can become environmentally responsible by taking small, green steps, says Dr. Somers:
- Who gets to check that all the lights are out before leaving the house?
- A family project: Design recycling boxes for paper and newspapers, and paint pictures on the cloth shopping bags you now carry.
- Leave the car in the driveway and walk together to the local library or community center.
plant a seed, watch it grow
Dig dirt! Your children will gain an appreciation of the environment when you plant vegetable and flower gardens together. Just because plants are green doesn’t mean they aren’t harmful when swallowed by young children, warns pediatrician Keith S. Somers.
Store seeds, bulbs and plant food out of reach (and sight) of children. Do you know the difference between poisonous and nonpoisonous plants? Check with the gardening store, and label your plants. Supervise all planting activities.
Avoid pesticides. Instead, find plants and vegetables that repel pests, such as marigolds and garlic.
To limit nesting sites for insects and other animal pests, keep the yard clean and free of debris.
For more information about safe planting, go to www.chp.edu/safeplanting
reduce, reuse, recycle
Day-to-day, being green is about making choices to reduce the amount of trash and pollution produced in our environment, and the amount of natural resources consumed. Pediatrician Keith S. Somers, MD, offers recommendations:
Cut back on what you use
- Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.
- Last one out of the room turns off the lights. Better yet, replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent ones, which last up to 10 times longer and use a quarter of the energy.
- Unplug chargers for the MP3 player and telephone when not in use.
- Instead of allowing the screensaver to take over, put your computer to “sleep.”
reuse, reuse, reuse
- Cloth kitchen towels last a lot longer than disposable paper towels.
- Have your children outgrown their tricycles, plastic bat and baseballs and plastic table sets? Donate them to families with young children.
- Reusable plastic cups can be washed and used over again while disposable paper or plastic cups are thrown away.
- The water your children (and you) drink can be poured from the tap into a reusable bottle — saving the environment from excessive disposal of plastic bottles.
Remember: Environmental safety also means creating a safe environment. Go to www.cpsc.gov to learn about toys that have been recalled by the Consumer Product Safety Commission.
But wait — there’s more:
Children’s Hospital’s Edward P. Krenzelok, PharmD, director of the Pittsburgh Poison Center, offers some environmental safety tips:
- Keep cleaning products in the original, secure containers to avoid confusion.
- Move all cleaning supplies — including dishwashing liquids and detergents — from under the sink to a secure, high cabinet.
- Install safety latches on all cabinets where cleaning, automotive and gardening products are stored.