Agnes Krocha
Wet! Wet! Wet! The showers of rain are upon our land. Many are happy because there’s water. But many are complaining because the roads are still bumpy, the roads are muddy and sticky, the potholes are puddles of water fit to be fish tanks. Unemployed youths can actually think about rearing fish and fishing in our numberless potholes, like an advertisement, a friend saw in a billboard and told me about recently. It’s not always fun treading the narrow road, is it?
But here’s news for those of us also who would rather stay indoors than freak outdoors on damp days like these days. The world can get bad inside – out. You and I have to take care inside out too. Whatever problem comes to us in life we tend to mostly focus on the forces outside of us. But life teaches us that the inside is more important. Like any other problem in life, when it comes to pollution of any kind our tendency is to focus on outdoor pollution. But indoor pollution is more important because we spend 80 per cent of our lives indoors.
The U.S. Government Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that “Most people are aware that that outdoor air pollution can damage their health but may not know that indoor air pollution can also have significant effects. EPA studies of human exposure to air pollutants indicate that indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2-5 times, and occasion more than 100 times, higher than outdoor levels.” In recent years, comparative risk studies performed by EPA and its Science Advisory Board (SAB) have consistently ranked indoor air pollution among the top five environmental risks to public health.
Black mould and toxic mould are the major causes of indoor air pollution. And damp houses encourage the growth of these microorganisms.
The following are some must-know facts about toxic mould: -
• All homes have mould problem whether it looks clean or dirty. Toxic mould or black mould can be in any indoor places – your homes, offices, restaurants, hotels and any buildings.
• When moulds are in your homes it can spread all over the place through its very tiny but many spores, just like cancer, making that very place dangerous to live in because of its contamination problem.
• Toxic black mould problem can cause severe health problems and mold illness such as: -birth defects, miscarriages, headaches, memory loss, destruction of brain tissue, cancer, allergic reactions, loss of hair, skin disease, open skin sores, skin rashes, skin lacerations, fungal infections, chronic sinusitis, sinus problems, allergies to mould, lung diseases [like Aspergilliosis], and other respiratory illnesses, mould induced infections, and even death.
• Mould has no natural enemies [except for the sun’s ultraviolet rays], and thus no predator eats mould. Animals, plants, bacteria, and viruses do not eat mould. Mould is a non-stop predator that eats animal and human flesh, as well as plant life!
• Mould grows easily on attics with roof leaks or inadequate ventilation, basements with dirt floors or water problems, toilets and bathroom walls, books, magazines, newspapers, carpeting and padding, ceilings, drapes, garbage disposal, leather items, paint, paper and other paper products, wood products, etc.
• The worst mould infestation problems are often the ones you cannot see meaning there can be mould problem though there is no visible mould growth.
Knowing these small facts, the first thing we can do is get concerned. Don’t ignore moulds anymore because you know they won’t ignore you. In fact it will haunt you for life if you allow room for it to grow and spread. Take care of the insides and you’ll be better able to take care of the problems outside.
(The writer has done M.Sc (Environmental Science and Technology) and B.Ed. She also writes and teaches science in a High School) aggiekrocha@gmail.com
