Put food and trash away in closed containers to keep pests from coming into your home.
	Don’t use pesticides if you don’t have to - look for alternatives.
	Read product labels and follow directions.
	Use bait & traps instead of bug sprays when you can and put where kids can’t get them.
	Store where kids can’t reach them and never put in other containers that kids can mistake for food or drink.
	Keep children, toys & pets away when using pesticides and don’t let them play in fields, orchards and gardens after pesticides have been used.
	Wash fruits and vegetables under running water before eating.

Protect children from too much sun

	Have them wear hats, sunglasses, and protective clothing.
	Use sunscreen on kids over 6 months and keep infants out of the sun.
	Keep them out of the mid-day sun - the sun is most intense between 10 and 4.

Improve your air quality

Indoor Air Pollutants
Outdoor Air Pollutants

Indoor Air Pollutants 

1) Lead

Keep areas where children play as dust-free and clean as possible.

Mop floors and wipe window ledges and chewable surfaces such as cribs with a solution of powdered automatic dishwasher detergent in warm water.
(Dishwasher detergents are recommended because of their high content of phosphate.) Most multi-purpose cleaners will not remove lead in ordinary dust.
Wash toys and stuffed animals regularly. Make sure that children wash their hands before meals, nap time, and bedtime.

Do not bring lead dust into the home.

If you work in construction, demolition, painting, with batteries, in a radiator repair shop or lead factory, or your hobby involves lead, you may unknowingly bring lead into your home on your hands or clothes. You may also be tracking in lead from soil around your home. Encourage your children to play in sand and grassy areas instead of dirt which sticks to fingers and toys. Try to keep your children from eating dirt, and make sure they wash their hands when they come inside.

Find out about lead in drinking water.

Most well and city water does not usually contain lead. Water usually picks up lead inside the home from household plumbing that is made with lead materials.
The only way to know if there is lead in drinking water is to have it tested.

Eat right.

A child who gets enough iron, calcium, phosphorus and zinc and vitamins such as vitamins C,E and thiamin will absorb less lead. Foods rich in iron include eggs, red meats, and beans. Dairy products are high in calcium. Do not store food or liquid in lead crystal glassware or imported or old pottery. If you reuse old plastic bags to store or carry food, keep the printing on the outside of the bag.

Sources: Vehicular emissions, lead-glazed ceramicware, smelting, petrochemical processing, mining, recycling batteries, lead-based paint, dust, food, and water.

Health Effects:

Lead affects practically all systems within the body. Lead at high levels (lead levels at or above 80 micrograms per deciliter (80 µg/dl) of blood) can cause convulsions, coma, and even death. Lower levels of lead can cause adverse health effects on the central nervous system, kidney, and blood cells. Blood lead levels as low as 10 µg/dl can impair mental and physical development

2) Allergens

If using cool mist or ultrasonic humidifiers, clean appliances according to manufacturer's instructions and refill with fresh water daily.
Because these humidifiers can become breeding grounds for biological contaminants, they have the potential for causing diseases such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and humidifier fever. Evaporation trays in air conditioners,dehumidifiers, and refrigerators should also be cleaned frequently.

Keep the house clean. House dust mites, pollens, animal dander, and  other allergy-causing agents can be reduced, although not eliminated, through regular cleaning.

3) Asbestos

If you think your home may have asbestos, don't panic!

Usually it is best to leave asbestos material that is in good condition alone.
Generally, material in good condition will not release asbestos fiber. There is no danger unless fibers are released and inhaled into the lungs.

Do not cut, rip, or sand asbestos-containing materials

Leave undamaged materials alone and, to the extent possible, prevent them from being damaged, disturbed, or touched.

Sources:

Asbestos is most commonly found in older homes, in pipe and furnace insulation materials, asbestos shingles, millboard, textured paints and other coating materials, and floor tiles.

Health Effects:

The most dangerous asbestos fibers are too small to be visible. After they are inhaled, they can remain and accumulate in the lungs. Asbestos can cause lung cancer, mesothelioma (a cancer of the chest and abdominal linings), and asbestosis (irreversible lung scarring that can be fatal). Symptoms of these diseases do not show up until many years after exposure began. Most people with asbestos-related diseases were exposed to elevated concentrations on the job; some developed disease from exposure to clothing and equipment brought home from job sites.

4) Carbon Monoxide

Keep gas appliances properly adjusted and use proper fuel in kerosene space heaters

Do choose appliances that vent their fumes to the outside whenever possible, have them properly installed, and maintain them according to manufacturers' instructions.

DON'T idle the car in a garage -- even if the garage door to the outside is open.
Fumes can build up very quickly in the garage and living area of your home.

DON'T use a gas oven to heat your home, even for a short time.

DON'T ever use a charcoal grill indoors -- even in a fireplace.

DON'T sleep in any room with an unvested gas or kerosene space heater.

DON'T use any gasoline-powered engines (mowers, weed trimmers, snow blowers, chain saws, small engines or generators) in enclosed spaces.

DON'T ignore symptoms, particularly if more than one person is feeling them.
You could lose consciousness and die if you do nothing.

Sources:

Unvested kerosene and gas space heaters; leaking chimneys and furnaces; back-drafting from furnaces, gas water heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces; gas stoves. Automobile exhaust from attached garages. Environmental tobacco smoke.

Health Effects:

At low concentrations, fatigue in healthy people and chest pain in people with heart disease. At higher concentrations, impaired vision and coordination; headaches; dizziness; confusion; nausea. Can cause flu-like symptoms that clear up after leaving home. Fatal at very high concentrations.

Outdoor Air Pollutants

Since automobiles are a major source of air pollution in most area, your driving habits and your car maintenance can either add to the problem or help to solve it.

Driving Tips

Organize your trips. Driving fewer kilometers will help reduce air pollution. Combine several errands into one trip. Avoid driving during peak traffic periods when stop-and-go traffic is at its worst. Try walking or bicycling for short errands and leisure activities.

Carpools and public transportation reduce the number of cars on the road and kilometers driven. If you own or manage a business, create incentives that encourage employees to carpool. As an employee, form a carpool with others at work or in your neighborhood. Consider taking public transportation as an alternative to driving.

Use Clean Fuels

Reformulated or "clean" gasolines are becoming more widely available. Use them when possible.

Travel Light

The more weight your car carries, the less fuel-efficient it becomes. Take unnecessary items out of the trunk.

Keep Car Filters and Catalytic Converters Clean

Dirty Air Filters increase fuel consumption; and your car's pollution control devices need to be in good working order to be effective.

Use Your Car Air Conditioner Wisely

Air conditioning is a drag on your car's engine, reducing gas mileage by as much as 20 percent. On not-so-hot days or while in stop-and-go traffic, roll down your window instead.

Conserve Electricity

Electricity generation can be a major source of air pollution. New home and office oriented technology can help. At home or work you can save electricity by using energy-efficient lighting wherever possible. Replacing a common incandescent light bulb with an energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulb saves 45 watts and 157 kilowatt hours.

Properly Dispose of Household Paints, Solvents, and Pesticides

Do not pour these chemicals down the drain, into the ground, or put them into the garbage. Call your local environmental agency for information on proper disposal of these products.

Seal Containers Tightly

Make sure that containers of household cleaners, workshop chemicals and solvents, and garden chemicals are tightly sealed to prevent volatile chemicals from evaporating into the air. Don't leave containers standing open when not in use.

Reduce Waste

When you make purchases, consider using products that are durable, reusable, or use less packaging. Repair broken items rather than buying new ones. Recycle and compost potential wastes before they become part of the waste stream. Such actions help reduce the pollutants that might reach the air during the manufacturing process or during the collection and processing of wastes for incineration or landfill disposal.

Use Wood Stoves and Fireplaces Wisely and Sparingly

If you have a wood stove, learn how to burn cleanly and more efficiently.
Remember to burn dry, well-seasoned wood, and build efficient fires that burn hot and clean. Check your stack, clean your chimney, and inspect your catalyst annually.

Properly Dispose of Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Equipment

The Clean Air Act prohibits the release into the atmosphere of refrigerants from automobiles and home appliances during the disposal of this equipment.

Reference:

United States Environmental protection Agency, web site: http:// www.epa.gov

Improve your water quality

Water sources may be contaminated by unseen pollutants. While the clear water in that cold mountain stream may look inviting, there may be a number of harmful parasites or bacteria floating in it. Particularly troublesome is Giardia lamblia, a microscopic parasite that can be found in fresh waters. Ingestion of Giardia causes intestinal discomfort, diarrhea, and cramps that may last several months. To avoid the risk of ingesting this organism, treat all water before drinking it.

Water treatment methods include: 

• Water filters. The most convenient method of water treatment is a lightweight filtration system consisting of a pump and filter material capable of trapping Giardia. Though somewhat expensive, the filtration system is an increasingly popular alternative. Read the label to see if the filter is effective against Giardia.

• Iodine tablets. Far cheaper, iodine tablets are easy to use, lightweight, and take up hardly any space in a pack. Iodine pill treatment can take 20 minutes or longer, and the pill's effectiveness is lessened in cold or murky water. Read the label to see if the manufacturer guarantees the tablet's effectiveness against Giardia, and follow directions for use. Chemical treatment can give a mild unpleasant taste to the water. If desired, add powdered, flavored drink mix to the water to improve the taste.

• Chlorine treatment. Household bleach can be used to disinfect water. The recommended treatment: Add four drops of bleach (sodium hypochlorite) per quart and let stand for 30 minutes before drinking. Chemical treatment can impart an unpleasant taste to water.

• Boiling water. Keep water at a boil for at least one minute (up to five minutes at high altitudes). Boiling water is a reliable method of destroying Giardia.

Reference: National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (NIDDK)

http://www.niddk.nih.gov/health/digest/pubs/diarrhea.htm