It is important to speak out when your community is endangered by government and private programs that risk your health. Of course, some people will use this as an opportunity to attack “capitalism.”

Personally, I prefer the term “free market” because it separates the basic economic idea from an ideological “ism.”

Luckily, there are things you can do to protect yourself and your family from pollution.

• Carefully investigate real estate before buying. Ask questions concerning the landfill for your property and surrounding properties. Never live near a golf course or on land that was once a farm using pesticides. Avoid property near waste incineration plants, sewage treatment plants, factories or businesses using industrial chemicals. Avoid living in cities, especially large cities.

• Use an air filtration system. Many modern homes are filled with gases that are given off by the building materials used to make them. In well-sealed homes, this can concentrate pollution. If you are building a home, use only “green” building materials. I knew a couple who had just built their dream home, but when they moved in the husband became violently ill because of the gases the building materials gave off. Eventually, they had to abandon their new home.

• Put plants in your house or workplace. Trees, especially poplar trees, have been found to be very effective for clearing the air of volatile gases. The more trees you have around your house, the better. English ivy, Peace lilies, chrysanthemums, and Boston ferns are also high on the list of air cleaners. Use only organic soils for planting. While most plants clean the air of pollutants, some, such as Kudzu can actually make it worse. Kudzu significantly raises ozone levels near the ground.