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Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

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Re: Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

#141

Post by LorenPechtel »

permo-w wrote: post #26
sheepscreek wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My dad made a similar observation, assuming the children were young. However, upon reviewing the article, I noticed it doesn’t explicitly mention the grade level. Considering younger children have weaker immune systems, this could potentially lead to fewer missed classes and improved grades. Personally, my first grader misses out on a considerable number of classes. However, if these results were observed in grades 3…

do younger children have weaker immune systems?

It's not that they are weaker, but that many things actually confer long term immunity. The "common cold" is actually many viruses, once you've beaten one it's not likely to get you again but it's cousins will.

Re: Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

#142

Post by eru »

dzhiurgis wrote: post #132
eru wrote: post #69

Earlier quoted context omitted.

German schools open their windows in winter. It's the classic German Stoßlüften in action. However, the air outside also has lots of dusts. Opening the windows does nothing for that, but air filtration can potentially help.

We did it too, but it was huge ceremony around it. Kids shouldn’t be begging and screaming “too cold” for fresh air.

The ceremony is part of the fun.

Though for us the ceremony was only one or two mild complaints from the kids near the window, and the teacher firmly stating that the room reeks of sweaty teenagers and needs some airing out.

Re: Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

#143

Post by MPSFounder »

LorenPechtel wrote: post #136
MPSFounder wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish we made more efforts to check air quality. I went to a great school, and the water filter hadnt been replaced since 2005 (it was 2012 at the time, and filters were supposed to be replaced every 6 months). My point is people take it for granted that air quality or water quality in the US is great, but if we checked, I bet most of us are exposed to cancerous materials all the time that could be easily prevented…

Steel pipes? You realize steel that can be made into a pipe contains some metals you want to minimize your exposure to? As for painting over asbestos--that's actually considered acceptable. Asbestos sitting there isn't going to hurt you. Asbestos only hurts you when it's disturbed. Removing intact asbestos is likely to increase your exposure, not decrease it. As for cancer--why are you so sure it's chemicals and not…

I cannot be sure. Causation is very difficult to pinpoint. Not all steel leaches (hell, we use stainless steel cups often). I will take steel over plastics any given day of the week. Regarding paint, sure, but paint peels, and next you are breathing microdoses of asbestos.

Re: Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

#144

Post by im3w1l »

dzhiurgis wrote: post #130
im3w1l wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Installing air filters is an intervention that has a cost and thus needs to be verified and proven. You don't roll such a thing out on a broad scale based on "the effect could be large".

I find it bonkers we have better regulation around growing battery chickens than growing kids. You don’t need massive study to find out that kids don’t like suffocating in classrooms. It’s a bit like mandating reversing cameras on cars. Study says economically they do not make sense, but not squishing your kids trumps that.

Suffocating would be CO2 rather than particles?

Re: Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

#145

Post by socksy »

LorenPechtel wrote: post #139
Cthulhu_ wrote: post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's kinda worrying you need an app / appliance to remember to open the window. Rule of thumb is to have the windows open at least 10 minutes a day, every day.

You realize a lot of us live in places where that would be very expensive? Not to mention that the HVAC plants are usually not sized with that in mind.

Why is opening the window expensive? Climate control?

Re: Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

#146

Post by socksy »

yoshuaw wrote: post #27

A study published just yesterday [1] showed that just two airborne diseases [2] were responsible for approximately 85% of all sicks days in Greece during 2023-2024. Disregarding the common-sense argument that reducing collective suffering is a good thing overall - even by the cold hard logic of capital, being able to reduce company sick days by up to 85% is a huge opportunity. Imo we're way overdue standards and cont…

Might this be related to the fact that Greeks tend not to take sick days compared to other European countries[1]? Not coming to work because you have covid is far more culturally accepted (and maybe expected) than a common cold.

[1]: https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1255154/greek-work-ethi...

Re: Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

#147

Post by willlma »

socksy wrote: post #145
LorenPechtel wrote: post #139

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You realize a lot of us live in places where that would be very expensive? Not to mention that the HVAC plants are usually not sized with that in mind.

Why is opening the window expensive? Climate control?

Yep, it's cold outside. So there's a CO2, energy, comfort (choose two) tradeoff.

Re: Installing air filters in classrooms has surprisingly large educational benefits (2020)

#148

Post by jwpapi »

Cthulhu_ wrote: post #111
jwpapi wrote: post #5

Personal anecdote getting an airthings that reminds me to open the window (along with a pushover api setup) has probably been the biggest productivity improvement in 10 years.

It's kinda worrying you need an app / appliance to remember to open the window. Rule of thumb is to have the windows open at least 10 minutes a day, every day.

Sometimes I’m just too much in the zone working and I forget, leading to 10 mins more in the zone, but less overall focused work through the day.
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