Pollution and Asthma

America is in the midst of an asthma epidemic caused by the explosion of toxins in our environment, an epidemic that has rendered million of children afraid to go out and play without bringing along their inhalers. For many people, the signature image signifying threats to our environment is the disappearing snowcap atop Mt. Kilimanjaro. Sloan Barnett epitomizes the new image. She is a former consumer reporter who became an environmental activist when her son developed asthma. Starting this week, we are delighted to welcome Sloan -- whose book, Green Goes With Everything, has become a best-seller -- as a featured regular on our Green section, blogging about the many ways we can protect ourselves and our families by detoxifying our lives. Check out her first post below.

A study of nearly 6,000 children in Munich has found that children are much more likely to develop asthma, allergies and skin rashes if they live near...