TAKE A BREATH – Improving indoor air, is an ongoing awareness campaign focuses on how indoor air quality affects our health and wellbeing, encouraging the monitoring of indoor air quality to understand the source of the pollutants, and empowering targeted actions to mitigate the dissemination of allergens and pollutants in our ambiance to transform the quality of the air we breathe.
Who is this campaign for? Absolutely everyone – public sector, private sector, schools, educational establishments and the larger community. The aim is to educate and drive action in our homes, schools, offices, communities and beyond.
DID YOU KNOW – Adults take between 12 to 20 breaths per minute at rest. That is more than 22,000 breaths a day on average. And children breathe even faster than that.
Moreso, we spend 90% of our time indoors, yet we never think about the quality of the air we breathe or the profound impact it has on our health and well-being.
A Global Crisis
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is associated with 6.7 million premature deaths annually, as 9 out of 10 people worldwide breathe polluted air.
Indoor air pollution contributes significantly to this alarming statistic, with household air pollution causing an estimated 3.2 fatalities a year, and with over 237,000 of them being children under the age of 5.
Indoor air pollution is a silent threat that affects everyone, and just because we don’t see it, does not mean it isn’t there.
Clean Air: a Universal Human Right
In 2022, The UN General Assembly declared access to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, including clean air, a universal human right.
In addition, the UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.9, calls for the reduction of the amount of deaths produced by dangerous chemicals and the pollution of the air, water and soil.
The UAE Commitment
The United Arab Emirates has made indoor air quality a national priority with ambitious targets to reduce air pollution and improve indoor air quality. UAE Vision 2021 aims to raise the air quality to 90 per cent in the UAE
The UAE National Air Quality Agenda 2031 was released in September 2022 to mark the International Day of Clean Air for Blue Skies, providing a framework for improving indoor air quality and reducing the risks to human health.
These commitments align with global efforts to combat air pollution, protect public health, enhance environmental sustainability, progress on net-zero emissions, adopt green building design and sustainable building standards in addition to implementing air quality monitoring among other technological innovations.
Moreso, in the UAE later this year, Indoor air quality’s link to both climate action and improved health will be made more visible considering the introduction of dedicated day to Health under the COP28 Thematic Agenda.
Every Breath Matters
Indoor air is 70% more polluted than outdoor air.
Common allergens like dust mites, mold, and pet dander lurk in our homes and workplaces, in addition to pollutants ranging from particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10), volatile organic compounds (VOCs) like Benzene, Formaldehyde, Toluene, as well as carbon dioxide lurk in our homes and workplaces.
These indoor air pollutants can cause damage to most organ systems in the body, not just our lungs and airways. They have been linked to cardiovascular deaths, stroke deaths and malignancies such as childhood leukemia and bladder cancer, in addition to diabetes mellitus prevalence, morbidity and mortality. Air pollution is also associated with reduced cognitive functions, delayed psychomotor development and lower intelligence. Moreso, there have been links made with It weakens immune systems and is associated with onsets of allergic rhinitis, allergic sensitization and autoimmunity. Physical effects can range from osteoporosis and bone fractures, conjunctivitis, dry eye disease, blepharitis, inflammatory bowel disease, increased intravascular coagulation, and decreased glomerular filtration rate. Indoor air pollution can be the cause for simple headaches to more complicated impacts such as infection with Legionella bacteria and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Taking action to keep these pollutants in check and making the invisible, visible, is an imperative!
WHERE TO START – While taking action to improve indoor air quality is crucial as it directly impacts human health and wellbeing, how does one begin? With a few simple solutions presented here, the journey to improving indoor air quality does not have to be an overwhelming one.
Smart Spaces, Smart Air
Knowledge is power. Monitoring your indoor air quality through state of the art technologies (that are readily available and affordable) can help you improve your indoor air quality.
Smart air quality monitors can keep you informed about indoor conditions and the types of pollutants present in your indoor spaces, allowing you to take action when needed.
Nature’s Solution
Plants can naturally purify the air. Studies from NASA have shown that certain plants, like the Peace Lily, can remove harmful chemicals from indoor environments.
Keep It Clean
Periodical care when it comes to your air conditioners (AC) is necessary to reduce outer pollutants reaching your indoor environments. As a minimum, clean your AC filters quarterly and AC ducts annually. Do not forget to also vacuum surfaces regularly to deal with common allergens.
Air Purifiers at Your Service
With many air purification options in the market, choose the one that suits you best. Air purification systems can be installed in the HVAC systems or standalone air purifiers powered by high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters can be added to your living spaces to effectively capture allergens and pollutants, making your indoor air cleaner and healthier.
Ventilation Matters
Good ventilation ensures a continuous flow of fresh outdoor air, diluting indoor pollutants. Opening windows and using exhaust fans can make a significant difference.
Monitor the Humidity
To avoid moisture collecting indoors and avoiding an environment that then grows mold. humidity levels need to remain between 30 to 50 percent.
Greener Alternatives
We are responsible for releasing hazardous substances into our atmosphere. Perfumes, hair sprays, air fresheners and paints emit an equal amount of chemical vapor as the emissions of petrol from cars! Combustion sources such as candles and tobacco products, fill the air with carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide. Some fabrics and furniture in addition to the chemicals we use to clean our houses, schools and offices can emit volatile organic compounds around us.
It is important to rethink our consumption of such products to eliminate the source of pollution and substitute them for nature-based, non-toxic alternatives.
Please click here to view our Solution Partners.
WHY JOIN – Improving indoor air quality provides some overarching benefits for all sectors of society, including corporates, communities, schools and educational establishments, in addition to the public and private sectors.
Supporting Public Health and Well-being
Better IAQ reduces the risk of respiratory illnesses, allergies, reduced cognitive function, and other health problems, leading to improved public health outcomes. This not only supports preventive care and the reduction of illness that may well be linked to heightened absenteeism, but also promotes better overall performance, boosts concentration and productivity in all sectors.
Aligning with Sustainability Objectives
Beyond the immediate health concerns, testing air quality in indoor environments and improving it also aligns with both global sustainability goals and national efforts while supporting climate action.
Increasing Confidence
As awareness of indoor air quality issues grows, people are increasingly concerned about the air they breathe within their living, working and learning environments. Regular air quality testing in public and private spaces demonstrates a commitment to transparency and proactive measures.
AN INTERCONNECTED CHALLENGE – One of the primary drivers of anthropogenic (or man-induced) climate change is the burning of fossil fuels for energy. This releases greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, contributing to global warming which then sets a series of consequences that include extreme weather events.
The footage of the series of sand and dust storms, heatwaves and wildfires over the summer in different parts of the world is a testament of the transboundary impacts of climate change, with dust, smoke, smog and particulate matter finding a way to seep into our indoor spaces causing a buildup of allergens and pollutants like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, which can have adverse health effects.
These pollutants coming from outdoors can then be trapped indoors and get coupled with a higher concentration of indoor pollutants that result from indoor combustion sources like cooking for instance.
To make matters worse, warmer temperatures as a result of global warming, can create favorable environments for mold to grow, leading to exacerbating allergies and intensifying other health conditions especially in poorly ventilated buildings.
This complex relationship between climate change and indoor air pollution requires collective action to both mitigate its impact but also adapt to its consequences.
Addressing the interconnected natures of this global challenge provides a range of opportunities for improvement by encouraging the adoption of cleaner energy sources and better building practices.
YOUR COMMITMENT COUNTS – Actions inspire change!
Join us in our mission to improve indoor air quality, breathe cleaner air, and foster healthier environments.
Contact us on ask@goumbook.com to learn more about how you can get involved. We can support you in testing your indoor air quality and transforming your indoor environments into spaces that safeguard the health and well-being of your family, students, staff or employees.
Let’s make every breath count. Together, we can create a world where clean, pure air is a reality for everyone.
Knowledge Partners
As part of Take a Breath, an in-depth study will be conducted in 10 schools in the UAE within the current academic year (2023-2024). The purpose of the study is to first collect data on the indoor air quality in schools prior and post solutions implementation within classrooms of primary years and to then create a benchmark from the findings to inform best practices.
WHY SCHOOLS – Looking at youth and the environment that fosters their learning is key to building the resilience of current but also future generations.
Children are particularly vulnerable to the long-term health effects of indoor air pollutants because their bodies are still developing. According to the American Lung Association, children breathe in 50% more air per half kilogram of body weight than adults, making them more susceptible to pollutants. Exposure to pollutants during childhood can lead to health problems later in life.
Educational institutions thus have an ethical responsibility to provide a safe and healthy learning environment. Monitoring and addressing indoor air quality concerns can support the achievement of this responsibility and help foster resilience.
According to research conducted by Philips Foundation and the University of Manchester, decreasing indoor air pollution levels by 20% can improve working memory by 6%, which represents four weeks’ learning time per year, showing that small actions can go a long way!
In addition, schools play a pivotal role in educating the next generation about environmental issues. Testing indoor air quality and showcasing solutions to address the issue provides an opportunity to teach students about the importance of air quality, pollution, and sustainable practices.
Please click here to view our Solution Partners.
Advisory Board
TATIANA ANTONELLI ABELLA
Founder & Managing Director
Goumbook
DR DIANA FRANCIS
Assistant Professor, Earth Sciences
ENGEOS Labs, Khalifa University
DEEPTHY K B
Regional Director Middle East
Green Business Certification
DR SRIKANTH SOLA
CEO & Co Founder
Devic Earth
ORIOL TEIXIDO
WHO Advisor & Associate Director, Air Quality and Climate Change
Ricardo
HEBA SAFI
Technical Officer on Air Quality and Health, World Health Organization
Regional Centre for Environmental Health Activities, Amman, Jordan
MÒNICA UBALDE LÓPEZ
Research Scientist at the Climate, Air Pollution, Nature and Urban Health Program, Barcelona Institute for Global Health
ISGlobal
FAIZAL HASHAM
General Manager
AQM
DR SAFEENA KHERANI
Paediatric Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery Consultant
Al Jalila Children's Hospital
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