95% of the world’s population is breathing unsafe air. According to a new report from the Health Effects Institute, people in developing countries are hit especially hard, with a one-two punch of polluted air outside and inside their homes. This Sunday, April 22nd, is Earth Day — a chance to take action to protect the environment and our health. You, or the organization you work for, can scale the enthusiasm of Earth Day by putting Hesperian’s A Community Guide to Environmental Health to use every day.

This book shows how to make small changes that generate big impacts. Sections on identifying air pollutants with low-cost techniques like a bucket brigade show how anyone can use simple equipment to find out what’s in the air they breathe, and then use that information to change the behavior of governments and polluting companies. This book includes simple, clearly written information on improving indoor ventilation, building stoves that don’t fill homes with smoke, and much more.

As the US Environmental Protection Agency rolls back standards on vehicle emissions, coal-burning power plants, and industrial air pollution, you can use A Community Guide to Environmental Health to prevent, monitor, and protect yourself and your community from the health problems caused by air pollution (and many other topics!).