With deference to the Talking Heads, I would like to start a campaign to “stop making scents.” Earth Day is coming up, and I would like to remind people about a different type of pollution—indoor air pollution, specifically that caused by artificial scents from air fresheners. It seems to be ubiquitous in public places around town—libraries, movie theaters, department stores, concert venues, etc. If we must have scents, why can’t they be naturally created? The smells of pine trees, flowers, spices and baking bread fill my soul. But the cloying, pungent odors of chemically laden air fresheners suck the life out of me and leave me with a sick headache.I know this campaign will bring little change, but I dream of the day when we will have a greener world with fewer chemicals. In the meantime, I make accommodations for myself. So, if you see a woman about town with kind eyes and a scarf around her face, don’t be afraid to speak to her. It’s just me trying to breathe.
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