Bears From Golden Launch Radon Awareness Project

January is National Radon Action Month. 11-year old Eric Bear and his sister, 13-year old Christina Bear are on a mission to spread awareness about Radon. They each won the Radon Poster contest for the State of Colorado in 2008 and 2010 and Christina again in 2011. See their winning posters above and below! Their goal is make Colorado Radon safe! Their project is called RAP-Detect to Protect. It is a Radon Awareness Project (RAP) for the State of Colorado.

Surprisingly, over 21,000 people die of non-smoking lung cancer each year. Radon is a leading cause of lung cancer second only to cigarette smoking. Colorado has a high concentration of uranium in the ground, which is where Radon comes from. Detection is the most important step to protect our lungs. Radon is one form of radioactivity we can prevent from getting into our lungs.

Christina and Eric have formed a RAP Collaborative with the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, American Lung Association and Environmental Protection Agency.

On December 16th, Christina spoke with Golden City Council to find out if new homes are built to keep Radon from entering homes. Eric and Christina have also spoken to Littleton and Lakewood City Councils. They also are meeting local County Health Departments to learn their methods of testing for Radon and to find out how they educate their residents about this radioactive gas. They want to use a grassroots strategy to inform all homeowners in every county in Colorado. The next step is to address schools.

Since Radon is colorless, odorless and tasteless, people do not think it can harm them. A demonstration of radioactive particles in a cloud chamber shows us how radioactive particles affect our lungs. Radon's not just a real estate issue, it's a killer! We want all children to breathe clean air at home and in their schools. We want our air to be Radon Clean!

Press, TV and Web Appearances:

Link to Article in The Denver Post YourHub on January 6, 2011 "Golden Kids carry message about the dangers of Radon to all Jeffco"

Link to Channel 9 News Report January 11, 2011 on Radon featuring Eric and Christina and CDPHE's Warren Smith

Link to Lakewood Edge Online  "Jeffco youngsters take radon awareness message to another level"

Activities to rally for Radon Awareness

• City Council presentations given at Golden, Littleton and Lakewood in Colorado.
  
• City Councils planned presentations at Arvada, Denver, Aurora, Northglenn and Thornton.
• American Lung Association presentation given on January 19, 2011
• EPA  invited them to speak for National Radon Action Month event at the HUD office on February 9, 2011
• American Lung Association 2011 FIGHT for AIR Stair Climb, February 27, 2011 at the Republic Plaza Building, Denver