Why Is a Green &
Healthy Home
Important?
Nearly six million households live with moderate to severe
home health and safety hazards, which place them at-risk
for illnesses and injuries including asthma; lead poisoning;
slip and falls; and respiratory illnesses.
Low-income households typically spend 14 percent of their
total income on energy costs compared with 3.5 percent for
other households.
Far too many American homes don’t meet basic healthy
homes principles - dry, clean, ventilated, free from pests
and contaminants, well-maintained and safe. This cost
our country billions of dollars annually in housingrelated
healthcare costs for asthma, lead-based paint
poisoning and injury, as well as lost productivity
in the labor force.
Besides the physical health toll an atrisk
home can have on its inhabitants
(thousands of unnecessary emergency
visits annually due to housing related
accidents and illness), the monetary costs of unhealthy
homes are enormous.
In addition to the significant negative health outcomes due to
excess heat and cold, improving energy-efficiency provides
much needed financial relief to low-income families better
allowing them to meet basic needs such rent or mortgage
payments and on-going standard property maintenance.
The housing problems outlined above, however, are not
insurmountable. Weather sealing improvements may help
keep inhabitants’ energy costs down, but if the quality of
the air that is sealed inside is poor, or if the inhabitants are
exposed to lead hazards during the weatherization process,
health will suffer.
There are many low-cost green interventions that can be
performed to enhance comfort and reduce utility costs
for residents. Some interventions, such as filling in
holes that harbor rodents as part of an integrated
pest management strategy, not only make the
unit healthier for residents but also enhance
the structural integrity of the property,
making it more energy efficient to heat
and cool. ✳ “Far too many
American homes
don’t meet basic healthy
homes principles -
dry, clean, ventilated,
free from pests and
contaminants,
well-maintained
and safe.”
2018. February - 24 - vervemagazines.com
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