To be or not to be is William Shakespeare's immortal question. To be breathing well or not to be breathing well could well be the urgent question of this decade. Simply put - and this time with fierce intensity - is the question: What are you breathing? Even Shakespeare would have wanted to ask it himself. In spite of industrialization and modernization, man has chosen to remain an indoor soul. EPA studies persuasively indicate that we stay indoor 90 percent of the time. The reason is obvious: we feel safer and more protected indoor than outdoor.
But we can never be too sure. For there is a 'roaring lion trying to devour' us - at home, in the office, in other buildings. What are you breathing? That is where the lion roars - and reigns.
Still remember the phenomenon called sick building syndrome? We continue to experience its manifestations such as sore eyes, burning in the nose and throat, headaches, or fatigue. Its ugly head shows up in allergies, respiratory illnesses (such as asthma), heart disease, and even cancer. Sun Tzu in his writings on war has this to say: knowing yourself without knowing the enemy can only produce half of the desired victory. Indoor air pollution must be recognized for what it is. It is the number one enemy of today's internetsified civilization.
And if technology has meaning at all, it must be able to win the war. With finality. The good news is - we can win this war. We only need to know more about the enemy we call indoor air pollution. Call it a health devourer - and it really is. Where do we find the enemy in its wicked forms? Simple surveillance has this to show - in living room, bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, and basement. In short, everywhere in our home.
The living room is the perfect residence of indoor pollutants like pet dander and hair. Both can trigger allergy and asthma attacks. Thus, we need to keep the pets in check - and away from upholstered furniture, carpets, and stuffed toys. Additionally, nobody should exercise the right to smoke indoor if he wants to see the children enjoy their right to a happy and healthy childhood. Call it secondhand smoke, it still has enough potency to produce respiratory illnesses - most specially in our children.
The bathroom is often the dampest section of our home. Showers produce humidity which causes moisture problems that lead to mold growth. Mold is a constant source of allergic reactions, asthma, and other respiratory ailments. Everyone talks about dust mites. We harbor them in our bedrooms - in our pillows, blankets, carpets, upholstered furniture, and stuffed toys. These mites are mighty, I tell you! The kitchen, of course. Do you know that common household cleaners, often placed under the kitchen sink, release volatile organic compounds or VOCs? These could be injurious to everyone's health.
And finally, the basement. All forms of indoor air pollution abound in this part of the home. They are based there, so to speak. To be breathing clean air or not, does not need to be a question at all. To breathe freely is a categorical imperative in the language Kant. And we owe it to our children. They deserve the best. And the cleanest air to breathe. Is the enemy formidable? Not really. Powerful technology - green technology, if you will - now abounds for us to administer the lethal blow. This time, with scorched-earth finality.
