Change The Air Foundation Inc

CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION GIVES EVERY PERSON THE KNOWLEDGE, RESOURCES, AND SUPPORT TO ACHIEVE BETTER HEALTH BY BREATHING SAFE INDOOR AIR.

EDUCATION:CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION IS DEDICATED TO SHINING A LIGHT ON THE HIDDEN EPIDEMIC OF POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY CAUSED BY MOLD, WATER DAMAGE, AND OTHER INDOOR POLLUTANTS. IN THE UNITED STATES, THE AVERAGE ADULT SPENDS MORE THAN 90% OF THEIR TIME INDOORS BREATHING AIR THAT'S POTENTIALLY BAD FOR THEIR HEALTH. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY OF THESE INDOOR POLLUTANTS ARE ODORLESS, COLORLESS, AND INVISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE MAKING THEM DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY AND FIX. WHAT'S WORSE - IT OFTEN TAKES YEARS FOR PEOPLE TO MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THEIR HEALTH AND THEIR HOME, IF THEY EVER MAKE IT AT ALL. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM, CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION PROVIDES FREE, RESEARCH-BASED, AND SOLUTION-FOCUSED INFORMATION ON HOW TO IDENTIFY, ADDRESS, AND PREVENT THESE INDOOR POLLUTANTS FROM MAKING PEOPLE SICK. TO DATE, WE HAVE PROVIDED OVER 80 INTERVIEWS, ARTICLES, GUIDES, AND FREE RESOURCES THAT EMPOWER HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS TO TAKE CONTROL OF THEIR INDOOR ENVIRONMENT. WE'VE AWARDED 80 SCHOLARSHIPS TO AIR QUALITY-RELATED ONLINE CLASSES TO MEMBERS OF OUR COMMUNITY. FINALLY, WE LAUNCHED A VIRTUAL SUMMIT THAT BROUGHT TOGETHER LEADING EXPERTS AND WELLNESS VISIONARIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD INCLUDING GWYNETH PALTROW, DR. DEEPAK CHOPRA, DR. WILL COLE, AND MORE. THIS FREE SUMMIT PROVIDES ACTIONABLE IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS THAT WILL LEAD PEOPLE TO HEALTHIER HOMES, BUILDINGS, AND LIVES. SINCE OUR INCEPTION, WE'VE REACHED OVER 1.25 MILLION PEOPLE THROUGH OUR WEBSITE, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND ADVOCACY EFFORTS. THAT'S NOT JUST A NUMBER; IT'S A GROWING COMMUNITY OF INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE TAKING STEPS TOWARDS HEALTHIER HOMES AND, CONSEQUENTLY, HEALTHIER LIVES.

POLICY & ADVOCACY:CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION SUPPORTS INITIATIVES TO BRING ABOUT POLICY REFORMS CONCERNING MOLD, WATER DAMAGE, AND POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY IN RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL PROPERTIES AT ALL LEVELS OF THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE REMOVAL OF MOLD AND WATER DAMAGE IS NOT REGULATED AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL NOR IN MOST STATES. AS A RESULT, THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE FOR REMOVING MOLD AND WATER DAMAGE FROM HOMES AND BUILDINGS IS UNLIKELY TO HAVE ANY KIND OF SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE, TRAINING, AND CERTIFICATION. AS A RESULT, INEFFECTIVE AND UNSAFE PRACTICES ARE OCCURRING EVERY DAY. THIS NEEDS TO CHANGE. TO TACKLE THIS PROBLEM, CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION ADVOCATES AT THE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL FOR: PUBLIC HEALTH AWARENESS PROGRAMS AND INFORMATION ABOUT MOLD, WATER DAMAGE, AND POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY, THROUGH STATE DEPARTMENTS OF HEALTH; FIRMER DISCLOSURES ON MOLD AND WATER DAMAGE FOR RESIDENTIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND INDUSTRIAL REAL PROPERTY; CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR MOLD INSPECTORS AND REMEDIATORS IN STATES THAT DO NOT HAVE THEM; AND INCREASED FUNDING AND APPROPRIATIONS FOR RESEARCH.SINCE OUR INCEPTION, CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION HAS WORKED ALONGSIDE A GROUP OF DEDICATED VOLUNTEERS IN 14 STATES ADVOCATING FOR NEW LAWS RELATED TO MOLD, WATER DAMAGE, AND POOR INDOOR AIR QUALITY. TO DATE, THEIR TIRELESS EFFORTS HAVE RESULTED IN SIX STATE BILLS AND ONE FEDERAL BILL BEING PROPOSED.IN THE SUMMER OF 2023, BRANDON CHAPPO, DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC POLICY, TRAVELED TO WASHINGTON, D.C. TO ADVOCATE FOR THE HEALTHY AT HOME ACT OF 2023. THIS FEDERAL BILL WILL PROVIDE RESEARCH, STANDARD-SETTING ACCOUNTABILITY, FINANCIAL SUPPORT, AND EDUCATION FOR TENANTS THAT WILL IMPROVE THE HEALTH, SAFETY, AND OVERALL HABITABILITY OF OUR COUNTRY'S HOUSING. DURING THIS TIME, CHAPPO MET WITH OVER 30 CONGRESSIONAL OFFICES, OR JUST OVER 5% OF CONGRESS!

RESEARCH: CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION ANALYZES, SIMPLIFIES, DISTRIBUTES, AND FUNDS RESEARCH THAT ANSWERS IMPORTANT QUESTIONS AND FINDS SOLUTIONS TO PROBLEMS CREATED BY INDOOR AIR QUALITY.IN 2023, CHANGE THE AIR FOUNDATION AWARDED A $75,000 RESEARCH GRANT TO DR. NEIL NATHAN AND DR. JILL CRISTA TO FUND THEIR "MOLD IQ RESEARCH INITIATIVE," A MOLD ILLNESS QUESTIONNAIRE, DESIGNED TO GATHER MUCH NEEDED HUMAN DATA ON THE HEALTH EFFECTS FROM EXPOSURE TO DAMP AND WATER-DAMAGED BUILDINGS, WITH A GOAL TO DEVELOP CLINICAL IDENTIFICATION TOOLS FOR MORE RAPID IDENTIFICATION.THE FOUNDATION RELEASED ITS FIRST PAPER AND INTERACTIVE RESOURCE ENTITLED, "INDOOR AIR QUALITY: A PROBLEM FROM CONCEPTION TO GRAVE." THIS PAPER SUMMARIZES IN CONSUMER FRIENDLY LANGUAGE 60 RESEARCH STUDIES ON THE HEALTH EFFECTS OF EXPOSURE TO WATER-DAMAGED BUILDINGS.FINALLY, OUR SCIENTIFIC OUTREACH COMMITTEE (SOC) DEVELOPED A PRESENTATION FOR VARIOUS PUBLIC HEALTH STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING THE VERMONT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AND UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH DESIGNED TO EXPLAIN THE SCOPE AND SEVERITY OF WATER-DAMAGED BUILDINGS. FINALLY, THE SOC PROVIDED EXTENSIVE FEEDBACK TO THE INSTITUTE OF INSPECTION CLEANING AND RESTORATION CERTIFICATION ON THE UPCOMING REVISION OF THE ANSI/IICRC S520 STANDARD FOR PROFESSIONAL MOLD REMEDIATION.