Outdoor air pollution

Companies are working with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reduce indoor and outdoor air pollution. Millions of people are being affected by the air they breathe and this air is causing several lung problems. Health care costs are on the rise due to the increase in respiratory problems. How can companies promote healthy indoor and outdoor air? Here are some simple ways to help you decrease air pollution:

First, offer bus passes to your employees. Encouraging them to use public transportation will cut down on the harmful emissions produced by vehicles. Some people prefer to drive, for those individuals, ask them to set up a car pool with other co-workers that prefer to drive too. If staff members drive to work, ask them to promptly turn-off their cars and to avoid letting them idle. When a car idles close to the building, the gases can actually go through the ventilation system and pretty soon everyone is breathing air that is mixed with car exhaust.

Second, keep an eye on the ozone alerts. When the ozone alerts are higher, inform your staff members. People with asthma should not go outside and exercise as it can worsen the effects of asthma. Keep track of the ozone alerts and show staff member's recent statistics on hospital visits during times when the ozone alerts are higher. Even though you may have a small company, word-of-mouth spreads quickly and more companies could get involved to reduce outdoor air pollution.

Third, purchase air purifiers and keep them on in your building during business hours. Install ceiling fans or purchase fans for all of the rooms. Try to keep the air moving while people are in the office, this leads to better air quality for everyone.

Fourth, if you have company BBQs or picnics, do not use charcoal or gas grills. Use electric grills instead because they do not emit harmful gases into the air. If your company owns a strip of land, try to avoid using lawn equipment that is gas-powered.

Fifth, encourage smoking employees to give up the habit. Even if you have employees that live with people that smoke, encourage them to help that person quit. Cigarette smoke emits harmful pollutants into the air and causes a lot of problems for other people. If you live with a smoker, you are at an increased risk of inhaling second-hand smoke. Second-hand smoke is just as deadly as smoking itself because you are at risk for lung disease, cancer, and other respiratory problems. For the employees that smoke, try offering them an incentive to quit. Some companies will develop a healthy living program where all the staff members submit 2 or 3 things they want to work on during that quarter. If they obtain their goals, they will receive a cash reward from the business. This has helped thousands of companies reduce their expensive health care costs because the smokers and obese employees signed up and lost weight or quit smoking.

Sixth, purchase environmentally-friendly products. Encourage your employees to purchase these products also. You may even work out an arrangement with some companies to receive discounts on these products like cleaning supplies and recyclable materials. If you can set a good example for your staff members, it will be much easier for them to follow suit.

Seventh, have environmental awareness days. Inform your staff members about the environment and how they can help to keep the outdoor air pollution down and how they can improve the environment. Try having a day where every staff member will plant a tree in honor of their commitment to reduce outdoor air pollution.