Resources
DIY Air Cleaner
Improve the air quality in your home with a low-cost air cleaner. With just a box fan, a filter and duct tape, you can make an effective air cleaner for your home.
Instructions for DIY Air Cleaner
Air Sensor and DIY Air Cleaner Demo Video
Check out this video from partner Hitchcock Center for the Environment that shows 1) how the air sensor works and 2) how a DIY air cleaner can make a difference. Watch on youtube!
Asthma Clinic at Caring Health Center
Asthma is a chronic disease that affects the lungs. It is one of the most common long-term conditions of children in the United States, and has been linked to structural, social, biological, and behavioral factors. Low-income and minority groups — including Black, Hispanic, and Indigenous populations — are disproportionately affected by and more likely to be hospitalized due to asthma.
Caring Health Center’s specialized Asthma Clinic was developed to help improve the health of children and adults managing asthma in greater Springfield. Our program provides:
– Comprehensive primary care, clinical evaluation, and medication management delivered by an integrated team of Primary Care Providers, Nurse Educators, and Clinical Pharmacists.
– Individualized Asthma Action Plans with instructions to help patients manage asthma symptoms at home.
– Education on correct use of inhalers, spacers, and nebulizers.
– Home visits conducted by a Certified Community Health Worker to help families identify and address asthma triggers in their homes.
– Case management to help families improve housing conditions, address medical and social needs, and access community-based resources.
For more information on asthma services, contact Caring Health Center’s Wellness Nurse Manager at (413) 739-1100, extension 2175.
Idling Tip Form
Gasoline and diesel vehicles release harmful air emissions. Inhaling diesel exhaust can cause cancer, aggravated asthma, lung damage, and other serious health problems and is especially harmful to children, whose lungs are not yet fully developed. The significant risks from idling vehicles are particularly prevalent in communities of color, impoverished communities, and immigrant communities in Massachusetts. Minimizing idling cuts down on pollutants released into the air and can lower fuel costs and engine wear.
The Massachusetts Anti-Idling Laws generally prohibit unnecessary idling of motor vehicles longer than five minutes. If you spot any illegal idling of buses, trucks or other commercial vehicles, you can report using this online tip form.