They’re in the wrong PLACES! – Living near major highways has been linked to childhood asthma, and so is going to school that is located near a highway, despite the fact that time spent at school only accounts for about one third of children’s waking hours. As a new school-building program develops across the country, we need to make sure we don’t create a health emergency for our kids.
Asthma is the most common chronic childhood illness in developed countries and has been linked to environmental factors such as traffic-related air pollution (also bugs!)
For instance, despite a state law that restricts school districts from building campuses within 500 feet of a freeway, many Southern California schools are located near high-traffic areas, including busy surface streets. And although children spend less time at school than at home, physical education and other activities that take place at school may increase their breathing rates and the thus increase the dose of pollutants getting into their lungs.
Thanks goodness the air is fresh and clear in Nashville (but you can sniff out lots of great MUSIC there!) That’s why we always choose that beautiful, easy to reach city for our annual Dreamland Festival. As usual, we have lots to talk about this year as well, so we hope you’ll join us!
Art credit: Dreamstime.com
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