Ultrafines: Counting particles by number highlights risk
Ultrafine particles (diameter of 0.1 microns or less) are considered more harmful to human health than larger particles. Their microscopic […]
Tag Archives: health
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Annual health cost of wood heating in Comox Valley = $76 million
“Wood heaters really punch above their weight when it comes to polluting the atmosphere. Any scheme that replaces wood heaters […]
How is this legal?
For the last six years, Breathe Clean Air has been asking for change that will clean up our air and […]
Australia: regulatory failure and lack of stove replacements costing lives and money
An article from Australia, “Wood heaters: lung cancer risk equivalent to passive smoking” highlights the failure of programs that emphasize […]
Who is supposed to pay for education & enforcement?
When people defend the use of wood stoves, they often say things like: “people just need to learn to burn […]
Wood stoves triple PM2.5 inside homes
According to a recent article in the Guardian “Wood burners triple the level of harmful pollution particles inside homes and […]
Take action this National Non-smoking Week
This week is “National Non-smoking Week” (January 15-21, 2021). While the focus is on cigarette smoking, it is a good […]
High healthcare costs of a single wood stove
A new study from the University of Tasmania’s Menzies Institute for Medical Research highlights the high healthcare impacts and costs of […]
Record: Breathing always hard for some Comox Valley residents
The Comox Valley Record published a great story (March 30, 2020) on burning restrictions during COVID-19 and the impact of […]
Globe opinion: To help flatten the curve, let’s clean our air
Three BC experts co-wrote an opinion piece in the Globe and Mail that highlights the impact on air pollution on […]
Open Burning restrictions in response to COVID-19
There are different burn bans in our region to help protect people’s health during COVID-19 pandemic. As BC has noted in […]
Lungs don’t care it is “just start-up smoke”
When industry rates wood stove emissions, the tests are not required to include the start-up smoke. And any bylaws that […]
Healthier Home Video from Cowichan
Our fellow CVRD down island (Cowichan Valley Regional District) has produced this wonderful short video highlighting the benefits of switching […]
This National Non-Smoking Week we need action on this 2nd hand smoke
This week, Breathe Clean Air circulated this image to elected officials, health organizations and others to highlight the huge source […]
Check out our new ad!
Breathe Clean Air’s new 1/4 page ad highlights the health impacts of wood smoke pollution (see p. 38 of the […]
Doctor speaks out about wood smoke
Wood smoke pollution is unfortunately plaguing many towns and cities worldwide. This opinion piece, “If we’re serious about improving the […]
Use savings from reduced health impacts and costs to fund solutions
We know that air pollution like wood smoke creates a range of health issues, from mild, to severe, to even […]
Wood heat is a massive source of PAHs
Although we often focus on the high amounts of harmful fine particulate matter in wood smoke, it is important to […]
Air Pollution Particles Found in Placenta
Breathing in wood smoke impacts far more than our lungs. The fine particulates in the smoke cause inflammation and that […]
What people hear when they get sick
Many people would express sympathy if you got sick from being exposed to secondhand cigarette smoke. They would understand the […]
Non-Smokers dying of lung cancer
According to an article in the Guardian, a recent study shows that 1 in 6 people in the UK who […]
For COPD patients: Biomass Smoke Likened to Risk Posed By Tobacco Smoke
According to the website, COPD News Today, “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients who are exposed frequently to biomass smoke emitted […]
NEW Brochure! Wood Smoke in the Comox Valley
Breathe Clean Air is please to announce the release of our new four-page brochure on wood smoke in the Comox […]
FILM: Cost of Wood Heating
Breathe Clean Air is happy to launch a new film we had made about the cost of wood heating. The […]
LETTER – Health policies regarding wood smoke need to be updated
The following is a Letter to the Editor from a local nursing student. It was published in the Comox Valley […]
36% of homes produce 73 times more pollution
In the Comox Valley, wood heat generates 73 times more harmful fine particulate matter (PM2.5) than all other sources of […]
Why no advisory?
This morning we exceeded, for the first time this fall, the BC Air Quality Objective for a 24 hour period […]
Decafnation: Comox Valley has a wood stove problem
Decafnation, wrote an article on wood smoke pollution in the Comox Valley after attending a recent talk by Jennell Ellis […]
Presentation: The Air We Breathe
The Sustainability Action Group for the Environment (SAGE) is hosting an informational evening on the impact of wood smoke on […]
Vital Signs 2018: More people concerned about air quality
Earlier this week, the Comox Valley Community Foundation released its Vital Signs 2018 report. One notable change since the last report […]
Risk of dementia 70% higher in homes with wood stoves
Researchers at the Umea University in northern Sweden have studied air quality in homes where wood-fire stoves are used and […]
Is wood heating climate change friendly?
Using wood for home heating is often touted as a climate change and environmentally friendly fuel. But is it?
Videos from Public Forum on Air Quality
On March 14th, Breathe Clean Air hosted a public forum on air quality. Over 80 people attended, including a number […]
Nursing students talk about air quality
On March 8th, two nursing students, Samantha DesRoches (left) and Emma Paul (right) set up at North Island College to share […]
Wood smoke negates other efforts to reduce pollution
Wood burning–once thought of by many as a people and earth-friendly source of heat–is worsening pollution in cities in Europe. […]
Public meeting on Air Quality in the Comox Valley
We are hosting a public meeting on Air Quality in the Comox Valley. The event will be Wednesday, March 14th, […]
Bad Air for Santa (Air Advisory issued Dec. 24)
Another Air Advisory was issued this morning for the Comox Valley. This is our 4th advisory so far this winter. Not the Christmas present […]
Another Air Advisory issued (Dec. 11)
Another Air Advisory was issued this morning for the Comox Valley. This is our 3rd advisory so far this winter. Inversions are trapping air, […]
Air Advisory issued Dec. 7th
An air advisory was issued on Dec. 7th for the Comox Valley. Please check your weather channels or websites to […]
Air Advisory issued (Nov. 7).
An air advisory was issued on Tuesday, Nov. 7th for the Comox Valley. Please check your weather channels or websites […]
UPDATED: Air Quality Health Index not good assessment of risk
When our smoke levels go up, whether from wildfire smoke in the summer or residential wood burning in the winter, […]
Presentation to Cumberland Council (March 13)
This Monday night (March 13th), Earle Plain, our regional Air Quality Meteorologist, and Dr. Charmaine Enns, our Medical Health Officer, […]
NEWS RELEASE on heart attacks and wood smoke study
Breathe Clean Air issued the following news release today about a health study done in Courtenay/Comox and two other communities […]
On the Island interview: health impacts of air pollution
The following is a transcript of an interview by radio host Gregor Craigie with guest Dr. Paul Hasselback, a Medical […]
Monitor location makes sense (letter to editor)
On Nov. 25th, the Comox Valley Echo reported on comments from CVRD Directors, Ken Grant and Larry Jangula (click on […]
High Health Risk & Air Advisory Issued
Late at night, on November 17th, the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) for the Comox Valley was set at a […]
Wood smoke puts children at risk
The American Lung Association in California issued a news release on Nov. 1st which highlights the dangers of wood smoke to […]
Local air quality featured on Shaw TV
Air quality was featured in Shaw TV’s September’s broadcast of “Judi’s Comox Valley Stories”. The 12 minute piece by Judi […]