The Ecology Center is partnered with the City of Berkeley’s office of Energy and Sustainable Development on a Climate Equity Fund project that is aimed at supporting and uplifting the Berkeley community with Education and Resources to build resiliency in the face of climate change and environmental hazards. These resiliency resources include physical items like air filters and electric induction cooktops.
On January 22nd, we partnered with the city of Berkeley Parks and Recreation department to attend a Families Grow meeting, where we were able to connect with 9 families who demonstrated a need for resiliency resources. During the meeting we were able to have a short conversation about climate change, pollution, poor air quality and ensuing hazards to health and well being. We also shared actions and measures that community members can take and use to have a positive effect on their indoor air quality at home.
In addition to offering links to local resources for sustainable transportation, access to healthy food from farmer’s markets and other local offerings, we were able to supply 6 electric induction cooktops paired with induction pans to 6 families, and 3 air purifiers with replacement air filters to the an additional 3 families.
See below for some pictures of this fun and resiliency boosting event:
A large stack of resiliency measures ready for Community members.
Some of the community resources we shared to Community for greener shared transportation options and access to healthy food at the Farmers Market.
Dispersing the resiliency measures to Community meant the transportation of dozens of boxes full of air filters and induction items!
Why is Indoor Air Quality an issue?
We spend on average about 90% of our time indoors. Indoors, pollutants can have a great affect on our overall health and those pollutants may be on the rise. Chemicals in cleaning and household products, furniture, carpets and other items in our homes can off-gas. Other facts including increasing temperatures, higher humidity and using gas in the home for cooking are tied to poor indoor air quality. Add on to that increased outdoor pollution or fire smoke from wildfires, and the air trapped in our homes can put us at increase health risk. Take a look at this post from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences.
What can you do to improve indoor Air Quality?
Some of the easiest ways to improve air quality include ventilating with fresh and clean air often, ventilate while using indoor toxins like chemical cleaners, glues or sprays and ventilate well while cooking with gas. Paying attention to the chemicals in household products and opting for low or no voc options for carpets, paints and other items in the home can also reduce indoor pollutants.
Another way to improve indoor air quality might be to run an air purifier. This may be especially helpful during wildfire season or when there is too much smoke in the home from burning the toast.
And considering that cooking with gas can increase indoor air pollutants, switching over to electric could be another great option. (it also reduces the use and need for petroleum, and introduces a greener power option) Electric induction cooktops are a great option for those who are slowly making the switch, don’t have the funds to replace a gas stove or who rent and don’t have the option. These cooktops are small, fit on the counter and plug in easily. The benefit of induction is that is work by magnetism, meaning the energy from the induction cooktop will transfer directly to the food in the pot, reducing excess energy consumption and reducing fire and burn risk.
For more information about induction and to learn about the local cooktop lending program please visit our partners at Acterra.
The Induction Lending program at the Ecology Center through this Acterra partnership will be up and running again in February 2025. Stay tuned for updates!
