TUR for Lowell Households

Project Details

Year: 2004
Location: Lowell
Project Manager: Lynn Bernat
Partners: Center for Family, Work, and Community (CFWC) at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and the Greater Lowell Community Health Center (GLCHC).

Overview

Working in partnership with existing local healthy home efforts the Coalition for a Better Acre (CBA) broadened awareness in Lowell's Cambodian, Portuguese and Hispanic communities about alternatives to standard household and cleaning products. Using existing training materials developed through the Institute's TURN Program, CBA developed a Reduce Toxics in Your Home presentation for existing community and household meetings. CBA constructed a display board and translated informational brochures into Khmer, Portuguese and Spanish for distribution throughout the community. This project is part of a larger effort to involve members of these communities in decisions about environmental issues in the city of Lowell.

Project Accomplishments

• Development of a Community Training Presentation explaining health risks of chemicals, reasons to minimize use of toxins in the home/garden, recipes for using natural products that are less expensive and just as effective in cleaning and pest control.

• Development of a Display Board and Informational Brochures on Cleaning Products in Spanish, Portuguese, Khmer and English.

• Eight Presentations to the Cambodian Association, The African Association, the Senior Center, Teen Pregnancy Group and various Hispanic community groups, and the neighborhood "net" meetings.

• Development of "Natural cleaning baskets" with labeled containers used to mix natural ingredients and use in and around the home. Recipes included specifics on how to mix distilled water, vinegar, borax and other less toxic materials to clean, and how to eliminate pests using less toxic substances such as chili powder for ants.

Beyond Turn

The Lowell Community Health Center and the Center for Family, Work and Community are willing to advertise the Program's availability and gather groups for presentations.