By Ron McGrath
Megaphone Vendor Cambie and 8th
I am Ron and I have environmental illness. This means that I am very sensitive to the environment around me, especially fragrance and chemicals that we use in our everyday lives.
I call this illness a gift because I have the ability to experience how every different chemical triggers a sensation in my body and my mind. For me to survive, I have had to educate myself and try to protect myself from these harms.
Only a small percentage of Canadians have this illness, but many more are sensitive to one or two things in our environment.
One trigger for me is construction of any kind. My only bug-bear is people doing work in our public places without any signs of caution. I also keep my eye out for stores with their doors open because strong paints and other chemicals are often coming out of these doors.
Because my senses are so keen I can look at people and tell 80 per cent of the time if they are wearing perfume or scent. Some of the things I look for in men are grease, gel or dye in the hair. With women, I look for makeup and hair dye. I also go by character—people that wear fragrance have a certain kind of distant look, meaning unfocused.
Cabs are almost impossible to take be- cause of the driver’s cologne or the fragrance deodorizers hanging in the car. A lot of carpets are also bad in public places.
Last week I was sitting on a bus when a lady with a baby sat next to me. I always get uncomfortable when someone sits next to me because they may be wearing fragrance, but I soon relaxed and began to strike up a conversation. I actually gave her congratulations for being scent-free with a baby in her arms.
I asked her if she was educated by a precare centre about scent and she told me she worked in the health field. I said that lots of people in the health field still wear fragrance. She was silent, but I knew she agreed with me. I had so much admiration for her; it made me feel good that some people are getting the right idea about not wearing scent around babies. We had a great talk and said our goodbyes. It’s really good to connect in a positive way!
Later that day, while selling Megaphone at the corner of Cambie and 8th, I noticed about seven more people with babies in slings. Being so sensitive I can tell these things. Only one of those mothers was wearing fragrance. That’s really good since a couple of years back, I noticed too many people with babies wearing fragrance. I know a newborn is very vulnerable and should not be exposed to fragrance and other chemicals we use.
A baby also needs a safe environment to live in. So when you have children and family or friends come over, don’t be shy to let them know you don’t want fragrance around your baby.
I don’t believe chemicals and fragrance are good for any of us. There are alternative products out there, ranging from soaps that we use on our bodies and for washing our clothes to the cleaners we use on our floors and walls. There is even a dry cleaner in Vancouver that is chemical-free. What I look for on labels are ‘no harsh chemicals’, ‘fragrance free’ and ‘no alcohol’.
Our homes are supposed to be safe places to live, but I’ve had to abandon many apartments because of what other people do. We should be aware of other tenants’ habits, and be ready to move. Most of them won’t stop, even if you say burning things, like candles and incense, makes you ill.
Outside the home is an even bigger challenge since scent is everywhere in our public places. Nurses and caregivers, dentists and their assistants, police, ambulance staff, security people and restaurant staff should not be wearing cosmetics or fragrance, but a lot of times people don’t realize.
I was about to start a two-year college course—I wrote in my application that I am sensitive to fragrance and they accepted me—but when I arrived at school I realized there was a time-release fragrance dispenser on the wall. I told my counselor and she said it bothered her too, and that she would talk to the director to have it removed.
When I went back it was still there. I told the counselor I was very uncomfortable and she said the director didn’t want to have it removed. I had to leave because I couldn’t go to school with that on the wall. I’m not in school now and feel really stripped of my right to an education. I pray for the day these items are banned.
This is my first published article and I’d just like to say thanks to Megaphone; to Paul Woodward and Dr. Margo Butler of Humanities 101 and 100, where I did a creative writing course; and to my mom and dad back in Newfoundland—Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
