Record Rain in Chicago Area for First Half of 2013
Fast Fact: Does it feel like we’ve had a lot of rain this year? That may be because we’ve had more than ever. The first half of 2013 has been the wettest on record for the Chicago area. Overflowing rivers, water-logged basements, and cars stalled in flooded underpasses have been a big part of the overall weather picture this past year. By the end of June, total precipitation had reached 28.46 inches. That’s more than all of 2012. The next highest measurement on record is 26.19 inches in 1975. Bussey Environmental Inc. offers the full range of environmental services, including testing,...
read moreWinter and Indoor Air Pollution: What You Can Do
Air Pollution. The term usually conjures the image of factory chimneys belching out toxic black smoke. But most people don’t realize the biggest threat lurks inside their homes. According to the EPA, indoor air levels of many pollutants may be 2 to 5 times and occasionally up to 100 times higher than outdoor levels. Most people spend as much as 90% of their time indoors, which underscores the importance of indoor air quality as a factor in our overall health.[i] Indoor air pollution becomes even more critical at this time of year since we don’t get frequent exchanges of outside air in...
read more‘Tis the Season — Christmas Trees and Indoor Air Quality
Can a Christmas tree bring on an asthma attack? The answer is yes — a live one can. Live Christmas trees can carry pathogenic mold spores that proliferate rapidly in the cozy warmth of your living room. One study showed that indoor mold counts went from 800 to 5,000 spores per cubic meter by the fourteenth day a Christmas tree had been kept indoors. In terms of indoor air quality, this amounts to an explosion of mold growth — especially when you consider that the average healthy home tests at 600 mold spores per cubic meter. The study was initiated by researchers John...
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