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February 12, 2006
Listen to the Canary's Song
| Indoor air quality has deteriorated over the past few decades, to the point that chemical sensitivities and allergies are higher than ever before. People with sensitivities are illustrating how bad the air is and should be paid attention to. Improving indoor air quality will help not only the guests in your hospitality venue, but also the employees. |
Recently I attended a Natural Home Building Expo, acting as emcee for the panel discussion of builders. In addition to meeting lots of wonderful people pushing the envelope on healthy building practices, I had my eyes open to an area that I was aware of, but not sensitive enough to (please excuse my pun!) -- chemically sensitive people. And I'd like to expand that category of canaries to people sensitive to a wide range of things found in hospitality venues, not just chemicals.
In the early years of mining, men carried canaries into the mines with them so they could be alerted to toxic gases sometimes found in mines. The miners were grateful to the sensitivities of the canaries because the pretty songbirds saved their lives. Today, in our air-tight buildings, harmful gases build up, but we don't have canaries to warn us of the dangers we are breathing. But interestingly, we do have warning systems, they just doesn't look like the pretty songbirds we think of as canaries -- the warning systems are people with sensitivities and allergies.
Today, in my observations of human behavior, our people-canaries don't get the same respect the miner's gave their bird-canaries. Rather than be thankful that the canaries are sensing something that the average person isn't aware of, most people are scornful of the "delicate nature" of the person they are serving or interacting with. What a shame.
I remember years ago watching a neighbor couple interact about a common garden poison -- rose dust. When the wind shifted, the wife was caught in a huge cloud of the chemical her husband was applying in the garden. Within five minutes she was congested and not feeling well. The husband's reaction wasn't one of sympathy or caring, but one of derision. I still can hear him say, "It's too bad you are so sensitive. You should be like me and not be affected by such things." Granted, he is an extreme example, but his reaction isn't that much different than many people I encounter -- just more loudly and boldly stated than usual.
What kinds of sensitivities can you expect your guests to have?
Chemicals:
* smoke
* skin mites
* animal dander
* perfumed cleaning products
* chlorine, found in water and cleaning supplies
* VOCs found in building materials, furnishings, and fixtures
Food Items:
* nuts
* dairy
* eggs
* aspartame
* tomatoes
Fabrics:
* wool
* down or feathers
* latex (though that tends to be a contact allergy, rather than an airborne allergy, thus a bit easier to manage
With the reduction of fresh and clean air in buildings, and the increased use of petrochemicals which offgas, we are polluting the very air that we depend on for life. It's time to pay attention to the warnings people-canaries give about the air in your hospitality venue. Rather than be derisive or annoyed at the change in routine being asked of you by these people, be thankful.
Indoor air quality is too often worse than outdoor air quality. There are lots of things you can do to fix it, if you make the effort. Start acting now to clean your inside air so that your guests (the people you serve) and your employees (those who work for you) are kept healthy. The canaries will confirm how well you are doing as they pass through your doors.
Canaries are a great gift. Appreciate them and keep them singing to you as long as you can.
Posted by Kit Cassingham
