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My story begins with my mothere to whom I am thankful for giving me a sustainable foundation on which to build – lead by example, read labels, avoid ingredients you can’t pronounce, limit sugar, eat real food, shop locally, conserve resources, recycle.
Be a good steward of the resources that have been entrusted to you.
These words of wisdom were reinforced when years later I met Nancy Chuda, founder of Healthy Child Healthy World, the first Mom On A Mission. It was a pivotal moment in time that changed the trajectory of my life.
I met Nancy one night, when alone in my office researching non-toxic building products.
For almost a year my husband Anthony had been suffering from severe allergy attacks that he described as "seasonal allergies." Strangely, his attacks could not be correlated to a season. The episodes would begin with a stuffy or runny nose, watery eyes, a cough followed by difficulty breathing, sleepless nights, wheezing, and exhaustion. The symptoms would last for a week at a time and then subside. Then he would experience another attack – over and over again. It was debilitating and interfering with his job as a general contractor.
My epiphany came when I watched my husband cover his nose and mouth with the sleeve of his shirt to run inside a newly built home. He had only been in the house a minute or two. When he came back outside, tears were streaming down his face. His eyes were bloodshot. At that moment I realized that he was having an allergic reaction to chemicals inside the home.
His job was making him sick. And so my quest to find safer, non-toxic building products began.
After several months of research, I came across the story of a couple who had built a green, non-toxic home in Los Angeles, CA – a cumulative effort of their lifelong work. I first met Nancy and Jim through words on a page. A story of inconceivable loss unfolded and I was introduced to a beautiful five-year old named Colette. Strength. Passion. Perseverance. The Chuda’s mission was selfless - to protect children all over the world from invisible environmental toxins. All children. My child.
In a moment, my mission was clear and etched in my heart by the face of a child whom I had never met and was not my own.
The seed for the Healthy Home 2020 Initiative™ was planted. What began as a quest to change one family grew into the beginnings of a 10-year initiative to 1) build an irrefutable scientific case to prioritize human health in the built environment through case studies focusing on Indoor Air Quality as it relates to materials and product specifications 2) educate architects, builders, interior designers, manufacturers and consumers about the importance of human health.
The Healthy Home 2020 Initiative™ champions the power of education and values the critical importance of transparency. 90 percent of our time is spent indoors and indoor air quality is on average two to five times worse than outdoor air. Aware of this sobering fact our goal is to swiftly and permanently reverse this trend.
In 2009, a single-family home was built as an example of what is possible. Can a builder change they way they do business, conserve resources, prioritize human health and remain profitable? The answer was a resounding yes.
In 2010, we announced a groundbreaking partnership with industry leaders in green building and design, to create a real-life, interactive, educational model for healthier living. Spearheaded in partnership with Jill Salisbury, Healthy Home 2010 was the first demonstration home to showcase a cutting-edge initiative and raise the bar on sustainable design by focusing on healthier indoor environments.
In 2012, three Healthy Homes will be built.
In 2013, six Healthy Homes will be built across the United States.
The Healthy Home 2020 Initiative™ provides an impactful model of how to design, build and flourish in a healthy home… from foundation to food™.
With most sincere gratitude I thank Jim and Nancy Chuda for their friendship and support, Christopher Gavigan for his instrumental partnership, and the Healthy Home Team and Interiors Advisory Board whose hard work and efforts has made this dream a reality.
To my fellow nominees, I am humbled and honored to be in your company. You are all heroes and the world is a better place because of you.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/checblog/~3/beZ9BsKcZdM/
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