A letter from Gina Ciganik, CEO and Bill Walsh, Founder and Board President
Reflecting on 2018, we think of two words: Progress and Possibility. We’ve achieved great momentum toward our vision, which we know you share—a future where all people and the planet thrive when the environment is free of hazardous chemicals. And we see the potential for acceleration toward a healthier world.
As we celebrate progress together, we also imagine the possibilities that will arise as we collectively Know Better. Your contribution will help fund the research, education, and initiatives needed to advance human and environmental health and inspire critical product innovation in the building industry and beyond.
Let us celebrate the Progress.
Health Equity. Change is being driven by the needs of marginalized communities disproportionately exposed to chemicals of concern. Through our HomeFree initiative, affordable housing advocates are discovering, demanding, and prioritizing healthier products accessible to those who need them most. Ultimately, these cost-effective solutions benefit us all.
Industry Engagement. Leading manufacturers are creating green chemistry solutions, disclosing their product ingredients, and seeking Healthy Building Network research to inform their decisions. Our recently launched global Chlorine and Building Materials report was born out of manufacturers interested in cleaning up pollution in the global vinyl supply chain.
Know Better. When we know better, we do better. Insights revealed in our research and data tools have improved knowledge and resulted in healthier product decisions made by those interested in building a healthier world. Our Pharos and Data Commons tools detail health hazards associated with more than 100,000 chemicals, creating a strong foundation for scaled change.
Let us build Possibility.
Healthier Children. Today, children are being exposed to unrecognized toxic chemicals that are silently eroding intelligence, disrupting behaviors, truncating future achievements, and thereby damaging societies.1 Your support of HBN’s work to reduce toxic chemical exposures is an investment in children’s health and prosperity.
Product Transformation. In 2019, HBN will launch our innovative Transformation Targets. Using our deep research and product data collected over the years, we’ve identified certain products with available green chemistry solutions. By educating the industry and purchasers about the targets ripe for transformation, we will accelerate the demand and availability of healthier options.
We’ve made great strides, but we’re not done yet.
Your gift to Healthy Building Network will fuel the research, tools, and solutions that inspire innovation toward healthier products, resulting in healthier lives. It will mean schools can be safer for our kids. Developers, architects, and contractors will have more eco-friendly choices when they build our offices. And families of all socioeconomic backgrounds will be able to breathe easy in the very special places they call home.
Please give the gift of a healthier tomorrow. Together, we can achieve our vision of a world free of hazardous chemicals, where people and the planet thrive.
Sincerely,
Gina Ciganik, Chief Executive Officer
Bill Walsh, Founder and Board President
P.S. On November 27, HBN is participating in GivingTuesday. This is a great opportunity to ask your colleagues or workplace to match your gift. Thank you for your support!
Footnotes
[1] Bellinger, David. “A Strategy for Comparing the Contributions of Environmental Chemicals and Other Risk Factors to Neurodevelopment of Children.” nih.gov. https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/full/10.1289/ehp.1104170 (accessed November 4, 2018).
