Available January 5th, 2010. To read the first chapter, click here: http://bit.ly/1ajaxZ . For more information on both Raj Patel and The Value of Nothing, visit http://www.rajpatel.org .
Environmental Health
- The Canary Report
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Book: The Value of Nothing
20 Nov 2009 | 3:56 am -
Toxic construction, cancer, and biotech crops
18 Nov 2009 | 4:39 amCanary’s Cry. Post by Linda Sepp. The Colorado Daily reports on sidewalks finally getting built in the shopping district of Nederland, Colorado, but not everyone is happy with the construction project. Judith Thackray, a 17-year resident of Nederland, said she’s been forced to evacuate her home because it sits so close to the project’s construction yard. “There are so many vehicles, and Nederland sits in a bowl, that the level of toxicity from the diesel fumes is impossible for me,” said Thackray, 62, who has been diagnosed with acute chemical sensitivity. -
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity and Social Security Disability, Part 7
16 Nov 2009 | 3:21 pmThere are many pitfalls for people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity applying for Social Security Disability Insurance. I recommend that MCS clients get in touch with me before they make the Social Security Disability Insurance application, or maybe even while they are still working and trying to get accommodations from their employers. Post by Michael Walkup, attorney at law. This is the last part of a series on disability law as it relates to MCS claims. Representation on your claim One question people with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity always have is whether or not to retain a… -
Safe heat
16 Nov 2009 | 8:03 amCreature Comforts electricity ads -
Two tales about safe housing for the chemically sensitive
16 Nov 2009 | 4:22 amRich or poor, if you have Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, safe housing is precarious. Let’s take a comparative look at two stories in the news last week involving safe housing for chemically sensitive people. On Thursday, Canary Report contributor Linda Sepp (at left), a resident of Ontario, reported on an article in her local paper about her housing crisis. The reporter mangled the details of Linda’s situation, making her landlord look like a sympathetic figure and Linda a difficult and unreasonable tenant. In fact, Linda’s landlord has been anything but sympathetic and has not acted in…
- Beyond Pesticides Daily News Blog
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EPA Issues Minimal Fines to Three Companies for Pesticide Registration Violations
19 Nov 2009 | 9:06 pm(Beyond Pesticides, November 20, 2009) Three companies in Washington, Oregon and Idaho are the target of enforcement actions for their failure to follow federal pesticide laws, according to orders issued by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The fines range from $1,280 to $28,080, and are characterized by safety advocates as a mere slap on the [...] -
Cancelled U.S. Pesticide Reported To Be Cause of Child’s Death Abroad
19 Nov 2009 | 4:41 am(Beyond Pesticides, November 19, 2009) A three-year old child in Kenya died after eating the highly toxic pesticide carbofuran, according to a report attributed to the boy’s father, Nahashon Kigai. He said in an interview that, while he knew Furadan was toxic for pests, he had no idea it was so harmful to humans. Mr. [...] -
Report Finds GM Crops Increase Pesticide Use and Resistant Weeds
17 Nov 2009 | 9:23 pm(Beyond Pesticides, November 18, 2009) A report released yesterday and authored by Charles Benbrook, PhD, chief scientist at The Organic Center (TOC), finds that the rapid adoption by U.S. farmers of genetically modified corn, soybeans and cotton has promoted increased use of pesticides, an epidemic of herbicide-resistant weeds, and more chemical residues in foods. The [...] -
Low-Level Pesticide Exposure In Utero Linked to Impacts on Behavior and Hormones
17 Nov 2009 | 4:36 am(Beyond Pesticides, November 17, 2009) According to a new study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, exposure to low levels of the organophosphate insecticide chorpyrifos during pregnancy can impair learning, change brain function and alter thyroid levels of offspring into adulthood for tested mice, especially females. The study, “Long-term sex selective hormonal and behavior [...] -
Pesticides Used in Attempt to Evict Indigenous Community in Paraguay
15 Nov 2009 | 9:52 pm(Beyond Pesticides, November 16, 2009) Paraguayan authorities are being urged to step up their efforts to provide protection and health care to an indigenous community after toxic pesticides were used to intimidate them when they resisted being evicted from their ancestral lands. According to Amnesty International, on November 6, over 50 men apparently representing Brazilian [...]
- EHSToday.com RSS Feed
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Study: Strength Training Reduces Neck Pain in Office Workers
20 Nov 2009 | 11:59 amAn ongoing Danish study aimed at reducing repetitive strain injury caused by office work found that several specific exercises can help women suffering from trapezius myalgia, a tenderness and tightness in the trapezius, a large muscle that extends from the back of the head down the neck and into the upper back. -
Smokers Worldwide Support Workplace Smoking Bans
20 Nov 2009 | 11:53 amA new study shows the majority of smokers worldwide support smoking bans in the workplace. -
Global Survey Shows Businesses Turn to Wellness Programs to Improve Productivity
19 Nov 2009 | 7:25 amAccording to a recent global survey, improving productivity by keeping employees healthy and working is emerging as the top business objective for employer-sponsored wellness programs around the world – except in the United States, where reducing health care cost increases continues to be the top goal, and Asia, where the most important objective is improving work force morale. -
OSHA Releases Crowd Control Guidelines
19 Nov 2009 | 7:15 amJust in time for the holiday shopping season, OSHA has prepared a fact sheet providing crowd control guidelines for retailers to protect workers during major sales events. -
EPA’s Energy Star Program Hits 1 Million Milestone
18 Nov 2009 | 9:11 amEPA has reached a milestone for the Energy Star program by passing the 1 millionth Energy Star qualified home mark. Houston, Dallas and Las Vegas top the list for the most Energy Start homes.
- Enviroblog
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Being in the game is one thing. Changing it is another.
20 Nov 2009 | 3:41 pmBy Leeann Brown Changing a baby's diaper...it can be more of a public service than anything else. I'll never forget when I did it on a non-stop flight from Newark, NJ to Japan with two young boys. Through the turbulence and the inevitable tears, I just kept thinking to myself how thankful the passengers on the plane would be to have fresh air for the rest of the flight. Ken voted Ultimate Green Game Changer Changing today's environmental scene... that's a public service, too. And it's also what EWG President and co-founder Ken Cook was named by Huffington Post as doing better than anyone… -
Cell Phone Radiation Series - Part 4: What phones emit, bodies absorb
19 Nov 2009 | 5:59 amResearch is not yet settled on exactly how dangerous cell phone radiation is to your health. But we at Environmental Working Group have seen enough studies with enough troubling results that we think it's worth your while to reduce your exposure to cell phone radiation. When we talked a few weeks ago about insufficient government cell phone regulations, we discussed "SAR" values and the legal limits the government has set for the amount of radiation a phone can emit. But SAR values aren't always easy to pin down - so today we're going to look closely at what they are and how they can vary by… -
Toxic Waters: Hear it for yourself
17 Nov 2009 | 4:57 pmBack in September we wrote here about a West Virginia family with really, really toxic tap water. We learned about the Hall-Massey family's tragic situation in the New York Times' excellent investigative series about the pervasive water pollution allowed by too many Clean Water Act violations that too often go unpunished. It was an important series on an important issue that adds value to the clean water debate - even for people who are well aware of the problem. Which is why we're sharing this video conversation with NYT reporter Charles Duhigg, who authored the report, and Democracy Now… -
Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?
17 Nov 2009 | 12:03 pmBy Lisa Frack Not so long ago, many of us were happily - and possibly a little smugly - sipping water from our reusable aluminum water bottles. Including my kids (such cute designs, right?). Until, that is, we learned that Sigg and Gaiam bottles weren't exactly the BPA-free solution we had spent all that money on. Naturally we rushed to dump them, exchange them, find something safer (and preferably cheaper!). And we heard the understandable question that rang throughout consumerland: Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle? At EWG we know (and knew) that all reusable aluminum… -
Public Health Assn Calls For Asbestos Ban
13 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amBy Elaine Shannon People think asbestos, a known carcinogen and cause of lung disease, has been banned - and it has, in about 40 countries. But not here in the United States, where, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, asbestos imports increased between 2007 and 2008 by nearly nine percent, to 1,880 tons. It is still being used in consumer products such as joint compounds and some construction materials. Asbestos can also be found in brakes and clutches of older vehicles, older buildings and as a contaminant in some vermiculite. On Nov. 11, 12,000 members of the American Public Health…
- EHP-in-Press
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Low Levels of the Herbicide Atrazine Alters Sex Ratios and Reduces Metamorphic Success in Rana pipiens Tadpoles Raised in Outdoor Mesocosms
18 Nov 2009 | 9:59 pmLanglois VS, Carew AC, Pauli BD, Wade MG, Cooke GM, Trudeau VL. 2009. Environ Health Perspect: doi:10.1289/ehp.0901418. [Online 19 November 2009] -
Bromination Pattern of Hydroxylated Metabolites of BDE-47 Affects their Potency to Release Calcium from Intracellular Stores in PC12 Cells
18 Nov 2009 | 9:58 pmDingemans MML, Heusinkveld HJ, Bergman A, van den Berg M, Westerink RHS. 2009. Environ Health Perspect: doi:10.1289/ehp.0901339. [Online 19 November 2009] -
Persistent Organic Pollutant Exposure Leads to Insulin Resistance Syndrome
18 Nov 2009 | 9:57 pmRuzzin J, Petersen R, Meugnier E, Madsen L, Lock EJ, Lillefosse H, Ma T, Pesenti S, Sonne SB, Marstrand TT, Malde MK, Du ZY, Chavey C, Fajas L, Lundebye AK, Brand CL, Vidal H, Kristiansen K, Froyland L. 2009. Environ Health Perspect: doi:10.1289/ehp.0901321. [Online 19 November 2009]
- MCS America ©
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The usefulness of chelation therapy for the remission of symptoms caused by previous treatment with mercury-containing pharmaceuticals: a case report
21 Nov 2009 | 8:00 pmThe usefulness of chelation therapy for the remission of symptoms caused by previous treatment with mercury-containing pharmaceuticals: a case report http://www.casesjournal.com/content/pdf/1757-1626-2-199.pdf Cases Journal 2009, 2:199 doi:10.1186/1757-1626-2-199Serafina Corsello (scorsello3@aol.com)Alessandro Fulgenzi (alessandro.fulgenzi@unimi.it)Daniele Vietti (danielevietti@gmail.com)Maria Elena Ferrero (mariaelena.ferrero@unimi.it)Abstract Introduction A great deal of data regarding the toxicology of mercury has beenrecently reported. Although the most common human exposures to mercury… -
NIEHS Director Birnbaum: "We kind of jump from the proverbial fry pan into the fire" when replacing chemicals
21 Nov 2009 | 6:07 pmNIEHS Director Birnbaum: "We kind of jump from the proverbial fry pan into the fire" when replacing chemicalshttp://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/q-a-with-linda-birnbaum "Nearly a year ago, toxicologist Linda Birnbaum was named director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program. She sat down with Environmental Health News journalist Jane Kay in San Francisco on Wednesday to answer questions about the environmental health risks we face today.As head of the federal institute examining environmental health, Birnbaum and her staff… -
Owners sue Quadrant Homes over 'sick' houses
21 Nov 2009 | 6:03 pmOwners sue Quadrant Homes over 'sick' houseshttp://www.seattlepi.com/local/412486_quadrant19.html "Mold, cold making residents ill, owners allegeWinter hits hard at Jon Sigafoos' home, harder, he says, than it ought.His family of four moved into the Quadrant Corp.-built home four years ago, taking up residence in a newly constructed neighborhood at Bonney Lake. It didn't take long, Jon Sigafoos said, to realize the house wasn't all it had been promised to be." -
Depleted Uranium and the Medical Mismanagement of Gulf War Veterans
21 Nov 2009 | 2:32 pmDepleted Uranium and the Medical Mismanagement of Gulf War Veteranshttp://www.truthout.org/1120097?print "The United States insists that weapons containing depleted uranium (DU) pose no health hazards to exposed populations. This charade persists because an artful propaganda matrix has infiltrated and corrupted certain aspects of the radiation and biological sciences. The facts which follow will introduce how our debilitated veterans are being misinformed of the possible role played by uranium in their illnesses." -
Interactions between effects of environmental chemicals and natural stressors: A review.
20 Nov 2009 | 11:32 pmInteractions between effects of environmental chemicals and natural stressors: A review. Holmstrup M, Bindesbøl AM, Oostingh GJ, Duschl A, Scheil V, Köhler HR, Loureiro S, Soares AM, Ferreira AL, Kienle C, Gerhardt A, Laskowski R, Kramarz PE, Bayley M, Svendsen C, Spurgeon DJ. Sci Total Environ. 2009 Nov 16. [Epub ahead of print] National Environmental Research Institute, Aarhus University, Department of Terrestrial Ecology, Vejlsøvej 25, DK-8600 Silkeborg, Denmark. Ecotoxicological effect studies often expose test organisms under optimal environmental conditions. However, organisms in…
- Switchboard, from NRDC › Jennifer Sass's Blog
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IARC confirms link between formaldehyde and leukemia
4 Nov 2009 | 7:45 pmI won't bury the lead: last week the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the most prestigious international body for cancer assessment in the world, determined that sufficient evidence exists to link formaldehyde with leukemia, a cancer of the blood or bone marrow. The link with leukemia means that the overall impact of formaldehyde on human cancers is much greater than previously thought. The recent history of formaldehyde provides important lessons on the current hurdles, both legal and political, that EPA faces in its efforts to protect the public, and… -
Thumbs up for our new EPA on toxic chemicals and pesticides
28 Oct 2009 | 8:23 amUnder the leadership of the Obama Administration, and with Administrator Lisa Jackson at the helm of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) all sorts of good things have been happening to increase public transparency, scientific integrity, and health protections. Many of them, though, are being reported in trade press, beltway press, or not at all. Since I often write here about things that EPA should be doing, i'd like to balance the blog with this two-thumbs-up list of the good stuff: Atrazine: This month EPA committed to a new review of atrazine, a toxic herbicide… -
Pet collars will no longer contain toxic pesticide carbaryl, effective 2010
21 Oct 2009 | 12:03 pmToday the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that the use of carbaryl, a highly toxic pesticide, in pet collars will be withdrawn! In 2005 NRDC filed a petition to cancel carbaryl. We asked that EPA cancel uses of carbaryl in pet flea collars because of the high exposures to children, and the availability of less toxic or non-toxic alternatives . In 2006 all pet products with carbaryl except collars were voluntarily cancelled by registrants. Wellmark International was the only hold-out, defending its collar registrations. In… -
News from the bee hive: fall/winter preparations
10 Sep 2009 | 11:52 amWith the colder weather coming, beekeepers all over the country are getting their hives winter-ready. The experienced beekeepers are harvesting the honey as well, but new-bees like me (get it? newbies? lame, I know) won't be taking any honey this year. My hive will need their whole load, about 50-60 lbs, to feed themselves through the winter, with no leftovers for me. Pesticides are coming up a lot in the winterizing conversations. We need to make sure that our hive is as healthy and strong as possible going into winter, and that means keeping in check all the potential life-threatening… -
Nano: the investor perspective from IEHN
9 Sep 2009 | 1:36 pmMy friend Rich Liroff runs an organization called Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN) that encourages companies to reduce or eliminate toxic chemicals from their product lines. Smart. IEHN uses shareholder resolutions along with direct meetings with companies to encourage them to make the transition away from toxics. I provide the nano-science support for a lot of the IEHN work, and often find our meetings with large corporations to be a positive experience. After just tossing around a few choice phrases like "toxic tort" and "product liability" I find that the companies seem…
- The Pump Handle
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APHA urges Obama to require N95s for healthcare workers
20 Nov 2009 | 12:06 pmThe American Public Health Association (APHA) sent a letter to President Obama urging support from the White House on CDC guidelines on N95 respiratory protection for healthcare workers from the H1N1 virus. APHA OHS Section members learned last week that three organizations—Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), Infectious Disease Society of American (IDSA), Association of Professionals in Infection Control and Epidemiology (APIC)—-asked President Obama to intervene in federal OSH policy, specifically to: modify the federal PPE guidance to allow the use of… -
OHS Rocks! at APHA
20 Nov 2009 | 9:15 amIt’s time for me to boast about the most amazing assembly of worker H&S researchers and activists: the OHS Section of the American Public Health Association. We closed out our 95th year with the association adopting three progressive policy resolutions and electing Linda Rae Murray, MD, MPH as the next APHA president. First, CONGRATULATIONS! to the OHS Section’s own Linda Rae Murray who is a 30-year member of APHA—-the largest and most diverse public health organization in the world. Dr. Murray is the chief medical officer for the Cook County (IL) Dept of Public… -
Chemical Safety Board votes lack transparency
20 Nov 2009 | 7:11 amCong. George Miller (D-CA) and Lynn Woolsey (D-CA) of the House Education and Labor Committee sent a letter to the chair of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) urging him to take immediate action to make public all of their votes. It turns out that about 99% of the CSB’s votes are conducted through a “paper notation process, in which documents are circulated for individual voting without public discussion between Board members.” Thus, these paper deliberations are not subject to the Sunshine Act. Miller and Woolsey’s letter notes… -
Occupational Health News Roundup
19 Nov 2009 | 8:06 amEarlier this week, Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Peter W. Chiarelli reported a record number of suicides in the Army: 140 active-duty soldiers and 71 not on active duty are suspected of taking their own lives. Last year’s suicide total set a record, and this year’s total is on track to surpass it. The Washington Post’s Ann Scott Tyson got Gen. Chiarelli’s perspective on the effectiveness of current suicide-prevention efforts, which include improved screening and training, and the barriers that remain: In January and February, there were about 40 suicides, or about one-third of the… -
Senate Committee Votes David Michaels’ Nomination out of Committee
18 Nov 2009 | 8:56 amThe Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee voted out the nomination of David Michaels, PhD, MPH for the position of Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. The voice vote crossed party lines, with Republican Senators Isakson, Enzi, Alexander, Gregg, Murkowski, as well as all the Democratic Senators, voting in favor of sending the nomination on to the full Senate. Senators Richard Burr (R-North Carolina) and Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma) recorded their votes as no. Congratulations, Professor David Michaels! Read the media release issued by the…
- I learned something today
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why burgers will kill you
21 Nov 2009 | 10:05 amToday I learned that they really do feed cows moldy food, and that if you're making your cows sick, you should feed them less mold. Also, if you want to feed your cows leftovers from the ethanol distillation plant, distillation triples the mycotoxin content of resultant food substance, and, if you've been paying attention, you are well aware that excess toxic stuff like mycotoxins is stored in fat. It seems reasonable to assume that the storage of things like mycotoxins is probably why cow fat is bad for you. I'd rather eat no cow at all, but this is why I won't eat conventional cow. Well,… -
reversible brain damage
14 Nov 2009 | 8:07 amRecently I learned that I like reading graduate-level mathematical physics textbooks, and they're better with loud classical music in the background. So far I recognize lots of equations and things, but trying to do the problems at the end of the first chapter feels like touch typing on a keyboard where someone has moved only some of the keys. I'll be chugging along ok until I can't remember something really basic and have to move on to something else, and then two hours later I'll be chatting with the really, really sick lady, and she'll get to hear about it when the missing equation pops… -
real time, baby
28 Oct 2009 | 7:59 pmMy husband is right now talking to someone from craigslist trying to help the guy figure out what kind of car he has for sale. I'm betting it's hard to sell a generic 4-door car with instructions to 'cakk' for information.But onward to what I learned recently: A serious wind storm can still mess me up, but it mostly just makes me tired. I forgot which kind of submarine (it starts with a 't') takes 40 minutes to turn around, but in 70 degree water, 40 minutes is long enough to develop a serious case of hypothermia, so they take their man-overboard drills pretty seriously. From what I'm hearing… -
things to see
24 Oct 2009 | 9:15 pmToday I learned that I forgot to check my blog email long enough that my account got deactivated. It's back under control now, and I guess even if you mostly get spam, it's at least good to look at.Speaking of things to look at, here is a short video on how to launch an anvil 100 feet into the air. -
pretty tired
21 Oct 2009 | 6:09 pmToday I cleaned a new-to-us washing machine motor with hydrogen peroxide and a Q-tip. Yesterday I soaked new-to-a-friend seat belts in dilute vinegar, and the water turned all yellowish-brown. I am ready to not need to do these things.Also I learned that I tolerate the paint that used to be Glidden 2000, but I can't remember the new name now. It's something like Duralast Somethingmaster 9300 -- something that sounds like a battery-powered exercycle.
- Living w/Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
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Why I Like Madison
20 Nov 2009 | 4:46 pmEven in one of the biggest economic downturns that this country has seen in generations, people in Madison donated more money to charity than any other city. And that's just the cash, I pass by a Goodwill store from the way back from work and almost every day there's a line of cars waiting in the donation line to give the store clothes and appliances. It's probably an outgrowth of the city's progressive political outlook and it's recycling lifestyle, although I sometimes suspect it could be related to over-consumption of all the high quality cheese that's produced in the area. This of course… -
Thanks Facebook
18 Nov 2009 | 6:13 pmThanks for making a guy with H1N1 in his system and four chronic incurable diseases feel good about himself. And I'm serious, this isn't sarcasm.I really don't chat, IM, or social network much. I work, buy groceries, cook, and sleep. When you need 10-12 hours a night for the body to repair itself and you work 8 hours a day, there isn't time for much else. And although I'm surprised that people haven't adopted these communication tools for more practical uses (like starting a traffic reporting Twitter group for people living a big city), I'm sure as heck not going to sign up for something like… -
H1 N1ce guy!
16 Nov 2009 | 4:10 pmDude.....nice respirator. That's not me, but I did try to work through most of thisI've been sick for exactly one week now. I just saw the doc. I've got a mild case of the H1N1 virus, aka the swine flu.I'm really glad it's only a mild case, 'cuz when I was spitting up blood Friday I was thinking it was pretty serious.If you want to know what it's like to have multiple chemical sensitivity and then get the fashionable flu of the year (anyone remember the avian flu?) I'll tell you all about it. Here's how it went down:The previous 2 weeks 10/26-11/09-weakened defenses due to attending some… -
Ham Sandwich On Pretzel Bread With An Organic Apple Slaw And Reduced Honey Dijon Mustard Sauce
5 Nov 2009 | 4:35 pmI tried to think of a catchy name for the sandwich and this post, but nothing came to mind. I actually made this sandwich about two weeks ago, and even with all that time I still couldn't come up with anything clever....but this sandwich is AWESOME! The best that I've ever made. About a month ago I decided to start baking my own bread. The organic variety is too expensive and too much trouble to get in Madison. Around that same time I thought I would challenge myself by running a zero-waste kitchen, meaning nothing that goes into the kitchen gets thrown in the trash. There wasn't really a… -
MCS: Is It The Thyroid's Fault?
31 Oct 2009 | 3:37 pmOh, you cheap bastards!!! Hey Walmart, is a little profit more important than people's health? (And their slogan is "Save money, live better"). You'll see the spurious nature of that catchphrase belowMy final opinion is going to be no, the thyroid is not entirely to blame for MCS, but thyroid performance (and what it needs to function properly) may be a big part of the story. Or at least it seems to be for me, this could be entirely different for someone else since there is such a great variation with multiple chemical sensitivity. I got it from working at an unventilated indoor construction…
- The Öko Box
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Animal Tracking: Wild Turkey Scat
19 Nov 2009 | 9:48 amThe other day I was walking in the woods when I stopped because I thought I smelled something odd. Within about 30 seconds I saw far up the hill behind some trees were a group of wild turkeys sneaking away! After crouching down and watching them slink out of sight I stood up to continue my walk... I then realized I was standing in a spot with turkey poop (aka- scat) on the ground and that was what I had been smelling.Yay for my nose!XoXo -
Small Grey Snake
19 Nov 2009 | 9:34 amI did not expect to see a snake in mid November! Usually they are hiding away from the cold, but it just has not been cold the last few weeks- and after more of days rain this snake came out into the morning sun to heat up his cold blooded body. It was a rather small snake and very well camoflauged into it's surroundings- so well in fact that i had no idea i was sitting about 8 inches from it, while i was scraping some sap off the bottom of a pine tree.Look in the pic below and see if you can spot it?It's scales were mainly a grey color but there were tan bits and a tan belly. It was highly… -
Animal Tracking: Kids and Critters (and a worm too!)
16 Nov 2009 | 5:06 amLast night my cousin Jessica came for a visit with her kids - as the sun went down and they were just arriving I had to think up something fun to do in the dark! Knowing nature related thrill seeking was most likely in their DNA too I suggested we go out in the woods with flashlights, leave out some food on a rock and wait for wild animals to come while we hide. There was no contemplating this one- they grabbed the flashlights and were like "are we going now?"What I didn't realize was how amazed and adventurous it would be for them to find all the animal tracks I have been following... -
Wheel Bug
15 Nov 2009 | 4:25 amWheel Bug!!! I never thought I would see another one of these again- the first time I encountered one I got a call from my neighbor in Asheville saying "Leslie, CoMe SEe ThIS CraZy BuG On My PorCh!" We had no idea what it was till a commenter on this blog identified it as the rarely (or never) seen by humans wheel bug.Given the name wheel bug I am sure from the saw like jagged wheel shape on it's back, it is one amazing and prehistoric looking creature. It's big tooth is larger then it's micro sized head, and penetrates soft bodied insects for a meal. It can also be used to give a vicious… -
Mouse Nests
14 Nov 2009 | 5:28 amAnimals are hunkering down for the winter, and the mice have built some really well insulated nests! These were found when lifting up various pieces of canvas that had been stored outside and were going to be used for a project...that is till the puffy spectacular mouse houses were discovered. This first nest was near a few colored tarps which ended up making it's nest speckled with brightly colored string. :) I like to think about how when our backs are turned the mice are pulling our fabric apart.This second mouse nest was found under thicker tarp in a field near the pig pen. It had access…
- ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH news - Google News
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Location near UWM is the better option - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
21 Nov 2009 | 2:57 pmLocation near UWM is the better optionMilwaukee Journal SentinelIt offers prime space for the School of Public Health. Here is why: Public health researchers understand that ill health is caused by environmental and Still a perfect fitMilwaukee Journal Sentinelall 3 news articles » -
County health dept. division on the move - Marion Star
21 Nov 2009 | 4:08 amCounty health dept. division on the moveMarion Star30, the Marion County Health Department environmental health division will be relocated to the third floor of City Hall, 233 W. Center St. Services include -
New discovery shows cigarettes full of disease causing bacteria - Examiner.com
20 Nov 2009 | 9:19 pmExaminer.comNew discovery shows cigarettes full of disease causing bacteriaExaminer.comThe study comes from University of Maryland environmental health researcher and microbial ecologists at the Ecole Centrale de Lyon in France and is Popular cigarette brands loaded with bacteriaScience a GogoCiggies contaminated with disease causing bacteriaTimes of IndiaNewly discovered bacteria found in cigaretteseMaxHealthEureka! Science Newsall 28 news articles » -
Air Pollution Departmet To Join Health Department - MyWabashValley
20 Nov 2009 | 1:44 pmAir Pollution Departmet To Join Health DepartmentMyWabashValleyIn an effort to continue it's services the board voted to join with the Environmental Health section of the Health Department. The hiring process will begin Vigo Air Pollution Control to be dismantledTerre Haute Tribune StarVigo County Establishes Air Pollution Control DivisionMyWabashValleyall 4 news articles » -
DNREC statement on Valero refinery closing - Newark Post
20 Nov 2009 | 9:57 amWashington PostDNREC statement on Valero refinery closingNewark Post“We have mobilized a team of experts in our air, waste and water programs and are also coordinating with environmental health staff with the Department of Valero closing Del. refinery; 550 to lose jobsPhiladelphia InquirerPlant's closing a sign of industry's declineCherry Hill Courier PostDelaware environmental advocates saw Valero refinery as nemesisThe News Journalall 375 news articles »
- Environmental Health (News)
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Richmond and Chevron Choose Fork in the Road
3 Nov 2009 | 3:57 pmread more -
Richmond bans plastic foam food containers
22 Oct 2009 | 4:17 pmNo more plastic foam food containers, Richmond says. Starting July 1, restaurants and vendors must switch from serving food and drinks in plastic foam containers to biodegradable or compostable ones made out of paper, plant-based plastics or components such as sugar cane that break down easily. Aluminum is allowed because it can be recycled. Richmond city leaders approved a ban on plastic foam containers Tuesday night and provided eight months for restaurants to use up any they have in stock before the law goes into effect. read more -
Popsicle Project puts North Richmond safety in the spotlight
13 Oct 2009 | 3:51 pmFor one day at least, Cynthia Barrone didn't have to worry too much about the children walking from school to a nearby community center. Several dozen students from Verde Elementary in North Richmond walked together on International Walk to School Day on Wednesday with parent volunteers, who helped the kids cross the street and hurried them away from the snow-cone vendor. But parents can't be there every day, and many community members such as Barrone, a volunteer coordinator at Verde, worry about children making their way alone through the streets of this often-dangerous unincorporated… -
Mother Speaks Out on Insurance Giant CIGNA’s Denial of Healthcare to Cancer-Stricken Twin Daughters Twin
7 Oct 2009 | 4:03 pmStacie Ritter’s twin daughters were diagnosed with cancer at the age of four. Their insurance provider, CIGNA, denied them coverage even though they had been covered by the family’s former insurer. The incident marked just the latest chapter in the family’s ongoing troubles with the health insurance industry. A few years ago, the Ritters filed for bankruptcy due to their high medical expenses—even though they had health insurance at the time. Stacie Ritter joins us to tell her story. read more -
Community cleans local waterfront: Effort invites West County natives to pick up bay’s trash
7 Oct 2009 | 3:08 pmBy Diana Reyes, staff writer Group effort — Bay Area volunteers work together to tidy up their environment Saturday at the California Coastal Cleanup in Shimada Friendship Park located at the southern end of the Marina Bay Parkway in Richmond. West County volunteers gave back to their community Saturday at the 25th annual California Coastal Cleanup held in Shimada Friendship Park located at the southern end of the Marina Bay Parkway in Richmond. Coordinated by the California Coastal Commission, the worldwide Coastal Cleanup has been taking place for more than 25 years. Also, the event was…
- WordPress Tag: Environmental Health
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TSCA Reform: from quick start to choke point
18 Nov 2009 | 7:52 amby Richard Denison, PhD, cross-posted from EDF’s ChemNano Blog Over the last few months, I was heartened to hear a number of industry stakeholders in the debate over TSCA reform embrace the idea of designating in TSCA reform legislation a “jump-start” or “quick-start” list of chemicals of high concern or priority. The idea was to allow EPA to hit the ground running, by having an agreed-to list of chemicals on which it could immediately initiate action. Well it now appears many in industry actually have something far slower and far more cumbersome in mind. The… -
Good Clean Food For Everyone! The Food Security Revolution and Environmental Health
17 Nov 2009 | 10:00 amby Gramma Willi Relatives – like so many of us, I find myself more and more pleased that being an activist has become an easier road to walk. Victories for human rights and for the Earth increase in number and significance and we hear about them sooner than we used to. Everyone’s talking about green jobs. Our hopes are up, we may actually have an activist leading the free world – Yes We Can! It’s quite a time to be a part of it all, isn’t it? One of my favorite stories about the changes in public attitude towards environment and health concerns feeding our… -
Lead exposure and psychiatric disorders.
17 Nov 2009 | 6:17 amBouchard M, Bellinger DC, Weuve J, Mathews-Bellinger J, Gilman SE, Wright RO, Schwartz J, Weisskopf MG. Blood lead levels and major depressive disorder, panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder in U.S. young adults. Archives of General Psychiatry (in press). -
Guyana Dengue doubled up this year
16 Nov 2009 | 1:32 pmGuyana At 1000 new Dengue cases, Guyana has recorded twice as many cases this year as the last up to -
BPA and Male Sexual Problems
16 Nov 2009 | 12:39 pmThere are plenty of studies about the effects of bisphenol A on animals, but it’s always challenging to study the effects of a ubiquitous chemical in humans. Findings from a new epidemiologic study helps fill in some of the gaps in understanding BPA’s effects on humans. The NIOSH-funded study conducted by the Kaiser Foundation Research Institute followed 634 male workers who were exposed to high levels of BPA at Chinese factories, and compared their sexual health to that of male counterparts whose workplaces did not involve the chemical. The Washington Post’s Lindsey Layton…
- Enviroblog
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Being in the game is one thing. Changing it is another.
20 Nov 2009 | 3:41 pmBy Leeann Brown Changing a baby's diaper...it can be more of a public service than anything else. I'll never forget when I did it on a non-stop flight from Newark, NJ to Japan with two young boys. Through the turbulence and the inevitable tears, I just kept thinking to myself how thankful the passengers on the plane would be to have fresh air for the rest of the flight. Ken voted Ultimate Green Game Changer Changing today's environmental scene... that's a public service, too. And it's also what EWG President and co-founder Ken Cook was named by Huffington Post as doing better than anyone… -
Cell Phone Radiation Series - Part 4: What phones emit, bodies absorb
19 Nov 2009 | 5:59 amResearch is not yet settled on exactly how dangerous cell phone radiation is to your health. But we at Environmental Working Group have seen enough studies with enough troubling results that we think it's worth your while to reduce your exposure to cell phone radiation. When we talked a few weeks ago about insufficient government cell phone regulations, we discussed "SAR" values and the legal limits the government has set for the amount of radiation a phone can emit. But SAR values aren't always easy to pin down - so today we're going to look closely at what they are and how they can vary by… -
Toxic Waters: Hear it for yourself
17 Nov 2009 | 4:57 pmBack in September we wrote here about a West Virginia family with really, really toxic tap water. We learned about the Hall-Massey family's tragic situation in the New York Times' excellent investigative series about the pervasive water pollution allowed by too many Clean Water Act violations that too often go unpunished. It was an important series on an important issue that adds value to the clean water debate - even for people who are well aware of the problem. Which is why we're sharing this video conversation with NYT reporter Charles Duhigg, who authored the report, and Democracy Now… -
Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle?
17 Nov 2009 | 12:03 pmBy Lisa Frack Not so long ago, many of us were happily - and possibly a little smugly - sipping water from our reusable aluminum water bottles. Including my kids (such cute designs, right?). Until, that is, we learned that Sigg and Gaiam bottles weren't exactly the BPA-free solution we had spent all that money on. Naturally we rushed to dump them, exchange them, find something safer (and preferably cheaper!). And we heard the understandable question that rang throughout consumerland: Why, oh why is there plastic in my aluminum water bottle? At EWG we know (and knew) that all reusable aluminum… -
Public Health Assn Calls For Asbestos Ban
13 Nov 2009 | 6:00 amBy Elaine Shannon People think asbestos, a known carcinogen and cause of lung disease, has been banned - and it has, in about 40 countries. But not here in the United States, where, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, asbestos imports increased between 2007 and 2008 by nearly nine percent, to 1,880 tons. It is still being used in consumer products such as joint compounds and some construction materials. Asbestos can also be found in brakes and clutches of older vehicles, older buildings and as a contaminant in some vermiculite. On Nov. 11, 12,000 members of the American Public Health…
- Environmental Health News: Blogs
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An article lists the pros – but not the cons – of a bed bug pesticide.
19 Nov 2009 | 5:08 amThe Columbus Dispatch article did not include the unintended human health consequences of indoor exposure to the toxic pesticides meant to kill bed bugs. -
Nanoparticles damage DNA? But which type?
17 Nov 2009 | 9:57 amAn ABC-Australia news report falsely implies that all nanoparticles are alike. -
Reporter deprives listeners of reliable BPA science coverage.
12 Nov 2009 | 1:29 pmNPR science correspondent oversteps study's conclusions in a blog about BPA science. -
How are people exposed to chemicals in driveway sealants?
12 Nov 2009 | 10:44 amMinnesota Public Radio clearly covered the health issue of PAH pollution from blacktop sealants but didn't fully explain how people can be exposed to the carcinogen. -
Factual article explains Dow Chemical's dioxin legacy.
5 Nov 2009 | 4:43 amA Chicago Tribune reporter writes an excellent article about dioxin contamination along the Saginaw River in Michigan.
- Toxicology News
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Medical Marijuana and the By-Product Industry: Drug Counselors, e.g. Roger Burt MSW
12 Nov 2009 | 10:40 pmI hope everybody knows that I am a strong advocate for Medical Marijuana/Cannabis based upon its effective, safe medical use for the last 4000 years. -
Anchorage Woman "Fired" For Reporting Sick Building
12 Nov 2009 | 5:02 pmSix years ago, Marilyn Coppe was vivacious, energetic and healthy. Today, she can barely get a sentence out at times. -
State toxicologist testifies that Las Brisas is just dandy
12 Nov 2009 | 8:45 amI'll believe that testimony when he brings his precious family to live as close to the facility as possible with outdoor play areas committed to daily use. -
Chinese drywall no danger to health, experts say
7 Nov 2009 | 4:34 pmTwo critical answers to myriad questions surrounding the corrosive causes and effects of defective Chinese drywall were provided by experts at a two-day Tampa symposium that ended Friday. -
Affygility Solutions to Provide Global Harmonization System (GHS) - Strategies for Implementation
22 Oct 2009 | 2:22 pmAffygility Solutions , a leading environmental, industrial hygiene, safety and toxicology services company, today announced an expansion of its webinar offerings to include the upcoming webinar entitled, "Global Harmonization System - Are You Ready?" on Thurs, Nov 5th, 2009 at 10 am MST.
- toxicology news - Google News
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Biomarkers in Environmental Toxicology - About - News & Issues (blog)
21 Nov 2009 | 7:06 pmBiomarkers in Environmental ToxicologyAbout - News & Issues (blog)Biomarkers are an important tool used by toxicologists and environmental scientists, to study environmental exposures of plants and animals to potentially -
Mina Brees Death Ruled Suicide: Drew Brees Mother Died of Overdose - Right Juris
21 Nov 2009 | 12:33 pmBoston GlobeMina Brees Death Ruled Suicide: Drew Brees Mother Died of OverdoseRight JurisFollowing an autopsy and toxicology testing, her death has now been ruled a suicide by overdose of prescription drugs. The announcement was made by Grand Brees' mother died from an ODWinston-Salem JournalMina Brees SUICIDELALATE (blog)NFL QB Brees' mom's death ruled suicideExaminer.comThe Next Reporter (blog) -Daily World Buzz -Entertainment and Showbiz!all 329 news articles » -
Officials Await Inmate's Autopsy - Fort Smith Times Record
21 Nov 2009 | 9:42 amOfficials Await Inmate's AutopsyFort Smith Times RecordAuthorities are awaiting toxicology results, which take much longer than the rest of the autopsy, Brown said. Investigators want to know what Odum ingested -
2 Killed In Independence Crashes - KMBC.com
21 Nov 2009 | 7:15 amfox4kc.com2 Killed In Independence CrashesKMBC.comThey said they were also awaiting toxicology reports on both men before issuing any conclusions about what caused the crashes.Alcohol possibly to blame in two fatal accidentsBlue Springs ExaminerTwo killed in Independence crashesKansas City StarDriver Killed in Early Morning Independence Crashfox4kc.comKCTV5 Newsall 5 news articles » -
'It's good science' - Columbus Dispatch
21 Nov 2009 | 3:02 am'It's good science'Columbus DispatchIn a lab at the Franklin County coroner's office, a toxicology team is trying to find out what killed their latest customers: Carbon monoxide? Cocaine?
- WordPress Tag: Mold
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Corn crop mold
21 Nov 2009 | 4:00 amDryer weather has finally allowed farmers to get in the fields for the corn harvest. But they must b -
Mold and Neuropathy
20 Nov 2009 | 6:08 amI am not a fan of self-diagnosis or medical criticism that many love to espouse with little or no medical training. This, however, is a story that resonates with me because of the lack of medical awareness. We have a very close friend who began experiencing neuropathy in both of his legs about 2 years ago. This made it very difficult to walk, and he has suffered a vast amount of increasing pain during this time. He was placed on oxycontin in increasing dosages and likely has become addicted to the pain killer. To make matters worse, he and his wife live at the coast in a home that is… -
แม่พิมพ์และดาย
19 Nov 2009 | 7:34 pm211361 แม่พิมพ์และดาย Mold and Die (Machine for mold and die, limitation and structure of machines, basic operation of injection machine and punching machine, components for mold and die, standard moldbases, injection mold and die design, finishing processes, selection of materials and their properties.) (211361 มหาวิทยาลัยเกษตรศาสตร์) -
National Apartment Association - Real-Life Story: How Ratings Sites Can Hurt a Manager’s Reputation
19 Nov 2009 | 7:11 pm“If SEO and SEM (search engine optimization and search engine marketing) were the apartment industry -
Whats a Mycotoxin? Why should I care?
19 Nov 2009 | 3:46 pmWhen you hear the term, “Toxic Mold”, what do you think? Most folks think of the “Black Mold” as toxic. The full truth is that the term Toxic Mold is misleading. The truth is certian types of mold produce matabolites that produce toxins. The Term “Mycotoxin” is a bi-product of mold growth. Mycotoxins in high concentrations can make people very sick. Many of my clients are unaware that they are breathing mold spores and mycotoxins until they are very sick. Some people have minor allergic reactions to moderate levels of mold. Often times when…
- JD Supra Legal Alerts: Environment & Energy
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Renewable Energy Update - November 18, 2009
19 Nov 2009 | 9:25 amAllen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis -
EPA Mandates Reporting of Greenhouse Gases/ Williams Kastner Environmental Law Alert
19 Nov 2009 | 2:54 amWilliams Kastner -
Energy and Clean Tech Connections - November 2009
19 Nov 2009 | 1:08 amMintz Levin - Corporate Practice -
Green Building Update - November 18, 2009
19 Nov 2009 | 12:26 amAllen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natsis -
Australian Researchers Pioneering New Mesothelioma Treatment Using Radiotherapy
18 Nov 2009 | 9:24 pmThomas J. Lamb
- The Soft Landing Blog
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Plastics: An Important Part of Your Healthy Diet
19 Nov 2009 | 9:37 amI came across this crazy advertisement today while reading through the growing list of chemicals implicated in hormone disrutpion on OurStolenFuture.org. The ad was part of a series run widely in the 1990’s recommending that people think of plastic as “your sixth basic food group.” It’s amazing to think about what the chemical industry spends to convince people of the safety of their products – whether load with bisphenol-a or not! The ad copy is a little hard to read, so here’s the full text: Plastics: An Important Part Of Your Healthy Diet… -
Twitter Tuesday Giveaway: Boon PVC-free Odd Ducks
17 Nov 2009 | 9:33 amIf you’ve spent any time looking for PVC-free Christmas gifts, then you know how difficult it is to find them. PVC-free “rubber” duckies are very rare, but Boon, Inc. has you covered with Squish, Slim, Bob and Jane. They’re perfect for stocking stuffers and will be 30% off during our Christmas Bath Toy Sale starting Monday November 23, 2009. Use the code “christmas1123″ at checkout by November 25, 2009. If you’re still not sure why you should avoid PVC or how to go about doing it, be sure to check out the series of articles I shared on… -
Exposing the Myth of Promoting Health with Disinfectants
16 Nov 2009 | 6:50 amWomen’s Voices for the Earth has released a report that debunks the myths surrounding the s0-called benefits of using disinfectants to clean our homes, daycares and schools. They discuss chlorine bleach, ammonia, triclosan and triclocarban, ammonia quaternary compounds and nano silver, explaining the true consequences of our cultural obsession with their routine use. Powerful antimicrobial chemicals (also known as disinfectants) are increasingly found in household cleaners, from laundry detergent to kitchen cleaners to handy wipes. Yet research has shown that some of the most common… -
Twitter Tuesday Giveaway: Stainless Steel Beer Mug for Dad
10 Nov 2009 | 9:22 amThe guys in my family have responded with equal shock and dismay after watching me drink coffee from my double-walled stainless steel mug, “Why are you ruining the ultimate beer mug with your coffee?!” It may sound strange, but I enjoy sipping from a heavy duty mug that keeps my coffee hot – even without a lid! My husband insists that he get to use it for his frosty beer too – and I’m willing to share, but he has to put in a reservation ahead of time. And it’s only available in the evenings Our Favorite Features Its double wall design… -
Meet Me at Dr. Greene’s for a Series on Toxic Plastic
9 Nov 2009 | 6:33 amI’m honored to be featured as Dr. Greene’s Perspectives blogger this week for a brand new, updated series on Toxic Plastic! Here’s our schedule of topics for this week: Monday: A little background on why I left nursing to research endocrine-disruptors found in food storage, baby teethers and toys Tuesday: What is BPA? Wednesday: What are Phthalates? Thursday: What is PVC? Friday: How to Avoid BPA, PVC and phthalates We’ll be offering all of these new updates and how-to’s in a downloadable format soon, so you can take it with you to share with friends…
- Carbon Footprints
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Carbon Market Expo 2009 at the Gold Coast
27 Oct 2009 | 2:34 pmSimon from Carbon Planet at the Carbon Markets Expo Stand at the Gold Coast It’s Carbon Markets Expo time again at the Gold Coast and, as usual, Carbon Planet is there. I’m speaking today on the role of the Voluntary Carbon Markets if you happen to be passing the Gold Coast’s Convention Centre. The Expo is a global event that tours the world bringing carbon market participants together to exchange knowledge, do deals and share insights into how we all might work better, smarter, and faster to help solve the market failure that is the direct driver of global warming. -
Turning Copenhagen into Hopenhagen
20 Oct 2009 | 10:31 pmWith less than 7 weeks now to go until COP15 climate change talks start in Copenhagen, the Hopenhagen project is gaining momentum. When you go to the Hopenhagen website and sign their petition, you get to add a message of hope to the system. As you watch the map, the various messages pop up all over the planet, showing both the diversity of people’s hopes and also the consistency of the message. Hopenhagen is a movement, a moment and a chance at a new beginning. The hope that in Copenhagen this December – during the United Nations Climate Change Conference – we can build a better… -
Dealing with climate change means dealing with poverty
7 Oct 2009 | 8:55 amOne of Australia’s most brilliant economists, Professor Ross Garnaut, answers questions after a speech on the economics of climate change at ANU last year. I recently had the opportunity to write a couple of guest posts for the Brisbane based Courier Mail’s Green Blog. (See Part 1 and Part 2). Some of the comments below those posts are quite astounding and, true to form with many many other sites, it’s easy to spot the climate sceptics by their grammar, their spelling and their ability to express their thoughts in writing. Alas, as a barometer of climate scepticism, written… -
Tck, tck, tck – Copenhagen draws near
1 Oct 2009 | 9:07 pmBeds are Burning, The classic Midnight Oil protest song about Aboriginal Land Rights has been adapted by some of the most famous faces in contemporary pop music to become a stirring call for action in the lead up to COP15 climate negotiations in Copenhagen in December. The lyrics have not ben changed much and so much of the original sentiment is wonderfully recontextualised. ‘The time has come, a fact’s a fact.’ Yes indeed. — DSviagra patent levitra Viva Viagra viagra anxiety taking viagra woman Viagra By Post cheap gerneric viagra generic viagra levitra and cialis pills? -
US$10 Million Prize to Build a Better Bulb
25 Sep 2009 | 2:19 pmThe New York Times is reporting, in a story Build a Better Bulb for a $10 Million Prize, that Dutch electronics giant Philips has announced that it has already developed an LED based light that meets all of the ‘L Prize’s conditions. The bulb is now being tested in what the US Energy Department describes as the most publicly tested bulb ever. “Philips is confident that the product submitted meets or exceeds all of the criteria for the L Prize,” Rudy Provoost, chief of Philips Lighting, said in a statement. The $10 million is almost beside the point. More important, the contest…
- Safer States
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Pregnant moms are exposed to toxic chemicals
18 Nov 2009 | 12:37 pmThe Washington Toxics Coalition yesterday released a study which is being called the first of its kind. The project tested nine pregnant women from Washington, Oregon and California for levels of toxic chemicals in their bodies, and thus being exposed to their fetuses. This study was completed in collaboration with Commonweal Biomonitoring Resource Center and the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition. The women were tested in their second trimester of pregnancy. Every woman tested was found to have levels of bisphenol A, mercury, phthalates, and perfluorinated -- or "Teflon" -- chemicals in… -
Million Baby Crawl Events - November 18
16 Nov 2009 | 9:10 amA couple weeks ago, we told you about the Million Baby Crawl -- a campaign that is being sponsored by Seventh Generation in conjunction with Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families to encourage legislative change to tighten federal restrictions on toxic chemicals. This Wednesday, November 18, several events will occur nationwide in support of the Million Baby Crawl. Events will feature educational information, presentations by experts from the Safer States coalition, entertainment, and opportunities to show your support for regulation of toxic chemicals. The events are listed below -- we hope to… -
EPA needs to look to states for reform
12 Nov 2009 | 9:07 pmby Laurie Valeriano, Policy Director for the Washington Toxics Coalition It was a moment I had been waiting for, for over a decade as an environmental health advocate -- the day that the federal government would finally acknowledge there is something wrong when lead winds up in toys, baby bottles are made from toxic plastic, and harmful flame retardants get into breast milk. And that day finally came in September when the head of the EPA, Lisa Jackson, admitted that there are serious problems with the federal toxics law that prevents her agency from being able to protect kids and their… -
BPA found in a wide range of food products
9 Nov 2009 | 2:53 pmConsumer Reports Magazine released a report last week about bisphenol-A that is found in common canned products including soups, tuna and vegetables. The results showed that BPA exists in nearly every canned product, in amounts greater than outdated federal suggested guidelines. News of the Consumer Reports study moved quickly through the food community, as it affects nearly household. According to the study, "Consumers eating just one serving of the canned vegetable soup we tested would get about double what the FDA now considers typical average dietary daily exposure." It is possible to… -
BPA tied to Behavior of Children
30 Oct 2009 | 10:00 amA study published in Environmental Health Perspectives this month states that bisphenol-A has been linked to behavior in children who were exposed to BPA in utero: young girls display more masculine tendencies and young boys display more feminine tendencies. The study was conducted by testing BPA levels in the urine of pregnant women. The behavioral abnormalities seem to be affected by BPA level (the higher the mother’s BPA count, the larger deviation from norm was found in the children), and are most pronounced in children of women with high BPA levels during the first 16 weeks of…
- About.com: Environmental Issues
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Chrysler Abandons Electric Vehicle Program After Pocketing Taxpayer Bailout
12 Nov 2009 | 5:14 pmDuring the federal government's bailout of the auto industry earlier this year, Chrysler Corporation received $15.3 billion in taxpayer money to keep its factories humming--partly in exchange for the company's aggressive plan to produce a fleet of electric vehicles. Now that the money is safely in the Chrysler coffers, however, the automaker has announced a new plan to disband its electric vehicle team and to produce only a token number of electric cars. Read more...Chrysler Abandons Electric Vehicle Program After Pocketing Taxpayer Bailout originally appeared on About.com Environmental… -
Crikey! Scientists Name Rare Snail After Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin
12 Nov 2009 | 3:07 pmThe late Steve Irwin, who became an international television star as the host of The Crocodile Hunter, has been immortalized by scientists who discovered a rare Australian land snail and named it in honor of the enthusiastic conservationist and wildlife advocate. Queensland Museum Honorary Research Fellow Dr. John Stanisic and his colleagues named the snail Crikey steveirwini, which combines Irwin's first and last names with his signature cry of "Crikey!" The snail was discovered in the mountainous regions of north Queensland's Wet Tropics near Cairns. Read more...Crikey! Scientists Name Rare… -
BPA Exposure Causes Sexual Problems in Men, Study Shows
11 Nov 2009 | 3:17 amThe growing controversy over the health effects of bisphenol A, more commonly called BPA, is bound to heat up even more with the publication this week of a new study that links BPA exposure to erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in men. Over the course of five years, the federally funded study followed 634 male workers at four factories in China who were exposed to high levels of BPA, comparing their sexual health with that of male workers in other Chinese factories where BPA exposure was not part of the work environment. Read more...BPA Exposure Causes Sexual Problems in Men,… -
Technology is Helping Americans Use Less Water
5 Nov 2009 | 10:02 pmAmericans are using less water than they did 30 years ago, despite a 30 percent population increase during the same period, according to a new U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) report that details estimated U.S. water use for 2005. Most of the decrease is due to more efficient technologies at power plants and improved irrigation systems. That's not too surprising since 80 percent of the 410 billion gallons of water Americans use every day goes to generate electrical power (49 percent) and irrigate crops (31 percent). Although water withdrawals for public supply have increased steadily since the… -
Republicans to Boycott Senate Climate Bill Mark Up; Boxer to Proceed Regardless
2 Nov 2009 | 11:51 amSenate Environment and Public Works Committee Chairman Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) has promised to mark up climate legislation in her committee on Tuesday, as planned, despite an expected boycott of the work session by the committee's Republican members. While two members from the minority party (currently, the Republicans) are usually required for a quorum when the committee is marking up a bill, Boxer plans to use a provision in the rules that will allow the Democrats to proceed as long as a majority of committee members are present and votes in favor of the bill. Democrats outnumber…
- Dot Earth
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Private Climate Conversations on Display
20 Nov 2009 | 3:32 pmMore than a decade of climatologists' private chatter gets a Web airing. -
Japan's Fleet Departs to Hunt 900 Whales
19 Nov 2009 | 5:08 pmJapan's whaling fleet heads to sea, and a marine conservationist and scientist decries the impending kill. -
A Dim View of U.S.-China Electric Car Plan
19 Nov 2009 | 4:57 amA specialist in energy and transportation says China needs efficient cities more than efficient cars. -
Innovative Countries, Energized Campuses
18 Nov 2009 | 11:05 amReports examine countries and campuses for innovations focused on building a better world. -
No Free (CO2) Lunch for Frequent Fliers?
18 Nov 2009 | 8:05 amA company promoting responsible travel cancels sales of "carbon offsets" to compensate for greenhouse gases from flying.
- Chai Life
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“Going Rogue” Goes Rogue
18 Nov 2009 | 8:39 amThis aired on Jimmy Fallon’s show last night and is absolutely hilarious. To sum it up, Sarah Palin’s new book goes rogue, flees, and shoots Rachel Maddow. Enjoy the surprise ending! Share this on FacebookTweet This!Digg this!Share this on del.icio.usShare this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on MixxEmail this to a friend? -
I couldn’t agree more…
14 Nov 2009 | 7:19 pmShare this on FacebookTweet This!Digg this!Share this on del.icio.usShare this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on MixxEmail this to a friend? -
RIP Dollhouse
11 Nov 2009 | 6:09 pmAccording to the AP, Fox has officially cancelled Dollhouse. If you, like myself, are a big fan of just about everything Joss Whedon has ever done, then you are distraught at this news. Sure we all saw it coming after the cancellation of The Sarah Connor Chronicles, but it is still sad. Reports are saying that they will finish out this season and Joss is promising a big finale, but it will be a finale none-the-less. Lets just hope his new project comes sooner rather than later and he has the foresight to market it to a cable channel that will treat his shows the way they deserve, such as SyFy… -
Can’t find the book you want?
6 Nov 2009 | 7:43 pmShare this on FacebookTweet This!Digg this!Share this on del.icio.usShare this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on MixxEmail this to a friend? -
Best Month Ever!
1 Nov 2009 | 10:25 amThis has been the most active month that this blog has ever seen. I’d like to personally thank everyone who has stopped here at Chai Life throughout October of 2009, but with a total of 12,096 unique visitors, that would be tough to do. Instead, I’ll just post my thanks here. Thanks for reading! Share this on FacebookTweet This!Digg this!Share this on del.icio.usShare this on RedditStumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUponShare this on MixxEmail this to a friend?
- Von Löwen Designs
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The NFRC Window Label
17 Nov 2009 | 2:46 pmThe National Fenestration Rating Council (NFRC) is a nonprofit organization created by the window, door, and skylight industry. Membership includes manufacturers, suppliers, builders, architects, designers, specifiers, code officials, utilities and government agencies. The NFRC label provides the only accurate and concise method to ascertain fenestration energy performance features that will help establish how well a product will aid with cooling your home in … [visit site to read more] -
Daylighting
11 Nov 2009 | 11:57 amBy cutting back on your requirements for electrically powered light, daylighting can considerably lower a home’s energy consumption. However, utilizing too much daylighting and over doing it, homeowners will have a strong possibility of increasing both their heating and cooling demands. A balanced approach to daylighting involves a whole home design starting with the location and orientation of the house itself (if possible) and continues with proper room location and design, window sizing and placement, and selection of room finishes. In addition to reducing the need for electric… -
Commitment
3 Nov 2009 | 12:19 pmWithout commitment, design advice or any advice for that matter, is merely the expression of opinions. When addressing commitment here I am not referring to such things as drawing up a contract or ‘closing the deal.’ Instead, I would like to discuss the designer’s role with ensuring that the client understands exactly what will be necessary to have a successful remodeling project and is clear on what it takes to achieve our goals. The dictionary gives two … [visit site to read more] -
Custom-Bilt Metals - Energy Efficient Metal Roofing
28 Oct 2009 | 11:26 amWith the ever increasing awareness of the green movement and realization of the actual environmental impact of their purchasing decisions, a developing number of homeowners are turning to metal roofing as an Earth friendly alternative to … [visit site to read more] -
Environment Furniture - Organic Contemporary Furniture
21 Oct 2009 | 12:08 pmEnvironment Furniture is another one of those few hardcore companies that in addition to designing a notably unique and engaging product are absolutely and fully … [visit site to read more]
- IPS Inter Press Service - Environment
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Q&A: ‘Creating Artificial Glaciers Is Simple, Easy and Replicable’
LADAKH, India, Nov 22 (IPS) - His is a classic case of a man’s fight against nature in this trans-Himalayan region of Ladakh, as he battles climate change. -
INDIA: ‘Glacier Man’ Vows to Build More Artificial Glaciers
LADAKH, India, Nov 22 (IPS) - He is well known as India’s ‘glacier man’, but for 74-year-old retired government civil engineer, Chewang Norphel, accolades have made little dent in his quiet determination to build more high-altitude water conservation systems, or ‘artificial glaciers’, to beat the lack of water from receding Himalayan glaciers. -
CLIMATE CHANGE: Health at Risk
HAVANA, Nov 20 (IPS) - The impacts of climate change on human health will require new approaches to development, based on mitigation and adaptation programmes in line with policies that ensure equal access to health care. -
CLIMATE CHANGE: The Danish Example
COPENHAGEN, Nov 20 (IPS/IFEJ) - Whether a new internationally binding treaty to reduce greenhouse gases and forestall climate change will be signed next month remains to be seen. What is clear though, is that if there is a place in the world that deserves to be the stage where this treaty ought to be signed, it is the Danish capital of Copenhagen. -
CLIMATE CHANGE-MEXICO: A Policy of Pretence
MEXICO CITY, Nov 20 (IPS) - Although it is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gases in Latin America and the Caribbean, after Brazil, and will be hosting next year's United Nations climate meeting, Mexico is heading to the Cophenhagen summit practically empty-handed.
- The Zeitgeist is Changing
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CLIMATE CHANGE: Kyoto Protocol in the Limelight
20 Nov 2009 | 4:27 amBy Klaus H Hemsath Representatives of the 16 largest greenhouse gas emitting countries, who met in preparation for the upcoming Copenhagen Climate Conference 2009, concluded that they had settled on the architecture of an agreement in Copenhagen. They also admitted that a binding treaty was unlikely. The problems in Copenhagen are proving once more that the concepts, which are the foundation of the Kyoto Protocol of 1997, are not suited for arresting continuing global warming and cannot be adapted to the realities of energy demands of fast growing economies at the beginning of the… -
ZEITGEIST: Healing Mother Earth - What Women Can Do
20 Nov 2009 | 4:22 amBy Padma Hassaram Going green is the new mantra as humanity grapples with the most serious challenge to its continued existence. What can we, as women, do to save our environment? In primitive times, women were the first environmentalists. Observing nature's growth processes, they harnessed this knowledge for agricultural practice. Since survival was precarious, natural resources were carefully husbanded. Waste was not an option. Now more than ever, it's time to hark back to those women of old, feel their respect and love for the earth and translate that feeling into action. Catch 'em young… -
ZEITIGEIST: Deep Ecology - An Old Idea That Could Save Us All
20 Nov 2009 | 4:20 amby Thomas Maurer Before the rise of civilization the world was populated with tens of thousands of different cultures. Each one of these cultures had a common thread. They all believed that man belonged to the world. Not a single one of them thought that the world belonged to man. Although they would never have used this term all of these cultures had a deep ecological view of the world. They saw value in nature for its own sake. The world was not cut up, divided and measured into how useful it was for man. The forests were good in their own right regardless of the fact that they provided us… -
ALTERNATIVE ENERGY: Implementation of Alternate Energy - The Role of the Government
20 Nov 2009 | 4:14 amBy Ron Harene However much the people of America may appreciate the need to switch over to alternate energy sources, it cannot become a reality unless the federal, state and local governments work in conjunction to make several mandatory programs. These include that all homes that are under construction or being remodeled must use alternative energy sources. Ultimately a time would come when all homes as well as corporate buildings would use alternate energies for 100% of their energy needs. The other important mandate that is expected from the government is that all new vehicles built in… -
GREEN LIVING: Preventing the Global Warming Ice Age
20 Nov 2009 | 4:12 amBy Brian Steven Politicians and other individuals find it all too easy to dismiss the "global warming myth," citing that it is all just doomsday rubbish concocted by crazy loons. First of all, these 'crazy loons' are experts in climate change; who dedicate their entire lives to studying our planet and where it's going in the near future. Second, this 'doomsday rubbish' is not rubbish: it is happening today. More than 2,500 researchers who plan to attend 2009's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in Copenhagen will assess the situation. And they will be presented with the inevitability…
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EarthForEnergy - Breakthrough Green Energy Guide Review
20 Nov 2009 | 3:52 amBy Tristan WestTaking advantage of solar energy to power our homes is definitely the wave of the future. The problem is however, that it can be incredibly expensive to buy photovoltaic solar panels and have them installed. Depending on the size of the solar power system, the cost can begin at $20,000 and rise from there.The high cost, of course, makes it rather prohibitive for the average homeowner. Even though the savings will be substantial on your monthly utility bills it will take many, many years to cover the cost. But now, thanks to the revolutionary do-it-yourself guide EarthforEnergy,… -
Earth4Energy - The Detailed Truth Before Purchasing It
13 Nov 2009 | 10:29 pmBy Brown LauraIf you haven't already heard, Earth4Energy is a step-by-step guide that claims it can cut your electricity bill up to 80% or even eliminate it. How true is this? My Earth4Energy opinion is that yes you can save huge amounts on your electric bill.It is certainly possible to eliminate your entire electric bill, but it would take more than one windmill and you would have to live in a fairly windy place. So of course, the more windmills or solar panels you make, the more you will save.With just a single windmill or solar power system (for both it will be less than $200) you can… -
The Easy Way to Reduce Power Bill Costs by Installing Your Own Solar Panels!
13 Nov 2009 | 10:21 pmBy Glaiza VicenteHave you ever wondered how you could do your part in the eco-consciousness movement? Well how about installing solar panels to produce solar electricity for your home? Yes, it is quite simple, and also, did I add that you will be able to cut major costs off your monthly power bills? Undoubtedly!With an Earth4Energy kit, you can do all this and so much more. Costing you only $200, you can turn this brilliant idea into a profitable business, installing many solar panels via this kit for $500 or more, earning yourself a reasonable profit! But I am sure you might be wondering,… -
Homemade Wind Saves the Cloudy Days!
13 Nov 2009 | 10:18 pmBy Glaiza VicenteIn recent times, there has been much talk about solar energy and its many benefits. Indeed people are being encouraged to use this source of energy to provide electricity in their homes so as to cut power bill costs and hence promote a 'green' earth! But what about those days when the sun is down and hence our solar panels become unusable? Well that is where homemade wind comes in! By simply making a wind turbine, home owners can produce the energy they need for their homes from the wind until the sun solar energy becomes available once more!With an Earth4Energy kit,… -
Earth4Energy Kit Creates the Best Homemade Wind!
13 Nov 2009 | 10:12 pmBy Glaiza VicenteHave you ever thought of building your own wind turbine for your home but just do not know how to or where to start? Well fret not, because Earth4Energy is here to save the day.With their amazing kit that has two great major incentives, that is, installing solar panels and a wind turbine, customers are able to save thousands not only on their power bills, but by producing homemade wind and solar power as against to purchasing retail finished products. Are you interested? Do you want to hear more? Well listen closely, and expect to be amazed!The Earth4Energy kit is available…

