Technology

Breathe a little easier being a teleworker

Be a teleworker and you can maybe save a life.

Federal News Network Staff

December 4, 2009 5:40 pm

< a min read

Here’s how you know teleworking is good for you: the American Lung Association is all for it.

At a Telework Exchange Town Hall Meeting this fall, keynote speaker Janice Nolen, Assistant Vice President for National Policy and Advocacy at the American Lung Association, made a rather startling statement: Telework can actually save lives.

“Lung disease is the third leading cause of death in the U.S.,” Nolen said. Traffic jams and extreme commuting add to the problem.

“Bear in mind that it’s not just the traffic exhaust,” Nolen said. “We’re learning that things like tires and brakes as they wear – those particles get caught in the air too.”

In addition to lung disease, Nolen pointed out that teleworking could reduce cancer and heart attack rates. “The cars you keep off the road are enormously helpful, and I want you to appreciate how much that means,” she said.

We can all breathe a little easier when more people telework.