Oct. 1 arrived and I threw open a window to bring in fresh air.
Ah, autumn, I thought.
And then I thought of what autumn brings after a hot spring and sizzling summer: outdoor events, especially Bayfest, that annual block party where full-timers on AMI welcome back seasonal friends flocking from the north before the snow falls.
Bayfest, presented by the Anna Maria Island Chamber of Commerce, is set for Saturday, Oct. 16, on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria, with a kickoff party the night before in City Pier Park.
The pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 festival and inclement weather pushed organizers to take the celebration indoors in 2019.
Now Bayfest is back.
And in these times, can there be a better weekend event than one that promises encounters with friends along with outdoor music, alfresco and an open-air marketplace?
Just consider the health-related benefits of getting fresh air:
- Improves blood pressure;
- Improves the heart rate;
- Good for the digestive system;
- Strengthens the immune system;
- Cleans the lungs;
- Sharpens the mind;
- Boosts energy;
- Generates happiness.
I’ve felt cooped up this summer, hiding in the air conditioning and wondering: What’s in the vents? Is the humidity low enough? Is the CO2 monitor working?
The coronavirus pandemic put a spotlight on “sick buildings” but such concerns aren’t new. The modern focus dates at least to the 1970s, when building for energy efficiency led to reduced ventilation, the buildup of pollutants and a syndrome associated with headaches, coughing, chest tightness and eye irritation.
A couple of weekends ago, I caught an episode of “People’s Pharmacy” on NPR — WUSF 89.7 FM radio — about sick buildings and the Healthy Building program at Harvard University.
The Harvard program focuses on making sick buildings healthy by improving air circulation and ventilation, buying office products and building materials with low chemical emissions, removing legacy pollutants such as lead and PCBs, limiting vapor intrusion, maintaining humidity, mitigating odor, cleaning surfaces to reduce dust and dirt and bringing in sunlight.
Research reveals the benefits:
- Higher productivity;
- Reduced illness, even colds;
- More strategic decisions;
- Better able to handle crises.
How do you go heal a sick building? By examining the flow of fresh air, monitoring air quality, keeping moisture in a healthy range, removing toxic materials and limiting exposure to chemicals.
One more thing: throw open a window.
More information
For more information about the Healthy Buildings program, go online to forhealth.org.
And, for details about Bayfest, turn to page 10 in the newspaper.