M4.6 Blog Assignment: Radon

Most people do not know that radon is the second leading cause for lung cancer (I was unaware of this prior to the video clip). Radon is just as easily preventable as cigarette smoke. Just as you were to remove cigarettes from your home, you can work to reduce radon exposure within your home.

Radon is a naturally occuring odorless chemical that is radioctive from decaying uranium in the ground. To assess whether your home has unsafe level exposures of radon, you will first need to buy a radon kit and send it in for results. If the results come back at safe levels, you will need to retest in a few years as radon levels constantly change. If the results come back at unsafe levels, you will need to hire an EPA Certified radon professional.

A national awareness campaign should be implemented so all citizens are aware of the potential dangers. Extra focus should be put on areas where homes are more likely to have people living in basements as they are closer to exposures. I am thinking this applies mostly to suburban neighborhoods where the houses are larger. Some of the stakeholders to engage for this are schools, community centers, and physicians. Schools and community centers will engage families who care about each other's health. Physicians should be aware of this hazard, should patients come in with any symptoms.