O Beautiful For Spacious Skies-Air Pollution and Snow
Posted on February 27, 2010
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Growing up in New Jersey, I was acquainted with pollution at an early age. Waking up in the morning used the flame from the oil refinery tanks nearby to determine the weather. If our bathroom was glowing a soft red color, that meant the skies were clear and we could see the flame from the gasses being given off at the refinery. If the bathroom wasn’t red, it was either snowing or foggy out. Very primitive but it worked and was a family joke.
Also as a kid and even now, to a certain point, whenever I conjure up a picture of such states as Montana, the Dakotas and Minnesota, I think of beautiful snow covered mountains, pristine lakes and the fresh mountain air. It’s the kind of places you want to go to and get away from it all and enjoy nature at its best.
That isn’t necessarily so. The twin cities of Minneapolis/St.Paul have had a record number of air pollution alerts this winter due to the snow. Isn’t blanketing an area with fresh snow supposed to be a good thing??
Well evidently not. It appears that super fine particles of pollution become trapped in the snow instead of rising and blowing away. This type of pollution comes from automobiles, manufacturing and fireplaces and gets into lungs creating and exacerbating lung problems in sensitive individuals.
These altered weather patterns contribute to days at a time of poor air quality in the larger cities. With the record snow fall in places like Philadelphia and New York City, it may not be something they are looking at at a problem. Will we see an increase in respiratory ailments this winter. Probably yes.
New Health Risks Identified With Pollution
Posted on February 14, 2010
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
In previous posts the link between pollution from traffic and dementia, and a lower IQ in children was cited. Now studies are showing that people who live near major highways are developing atherosclerosis or hardening of the arteries at a rate that is twice as fast as individuals who live farther away from those highways.
Studies out of California and collaborated with scientists in other areas of the world confirm the findings that living in close approximation to major highways poses a significant cardiovascular risk.
Many California schools are located on or close to major highways, so naturally, concern is raised over what effect this will have on the children that attend those schools. They are also very concerned about the one and a half million people living in the Los Angeles area that are within the 1000 feet or so of a major highway. These people are all within the area of the study that reported these findings.
Already nearly a third of all residents of California have reported that either they or a family member suffers from asthma or other respiratory illnesses. As more and more highways are being built and expanded, that number only will get worse unless emissions from vehicular traffic is reduced.
Emissions from vehicles poses a significant health risk to not only the United States but other countries with major cities. A stepped up effort must be made to develop cleaner engines in order to avert a major health crisis as time goes on and this generation of children reach maturity.
For more information on pollution, visit The Pollution Website.
Can Air Pollution Lower Your Child’s IQ?
Posted on February 6, 2010
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
A recent study has been conducted by the Mailman School of Public Health in New York and has found a link between the amount of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that a pregnant woman is exposed to, affects their child’s IQ. PAHs is a common contaminant found in air pollution,
In the study, women wore monitors during their pregnancy and the resultant children were tested at age five. Taking into consideration a host of factors that may affect the outcome, it was found that those children exposed to high levels of PAHs had a lower IQ than children subjected to less exposure. The results in their verbal IQ scores were even lower.
PAHs have previously been linked to causing cancer and reproductive issues, but this is the first study to come out and link this air pollutant to alterations in child development.
To read more on how this study was conducted, visit The Keven Trudeau Show
To learn more about how you can easily make changes that will help reduce pollution visit the Pollution Website and send for your free report.
Reduce Pollution; Quit Smoking
Posted on January 31, 2010
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Most smokers, deep in their hearts, know that smoking is bad for their health, but what many don’t realize is the effect it has on the environment. Cigarette smoking is responsible for a considerable amount of air, water and land pollution. Cigarettes are full of toxic chemicals which are being pumped into the air by the millions of people who smoke in the United States. The problem is even worse in other countries who have a higher percentage of their population who smoke.
A recent report out of India showed that even though there are bans in place to prevent smoking in public buildings, the ban is generally ignored. The air quality in these public buildings if far above healthy standards.
The process of growing tobacco is a big pollutant. Tobacco is subject to a wide variety of pests, so pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers must be used in order to obtain an economically viable product.
Recently a new product has come on the market that will prove to help the environment and help the health of smokers. Electronic cigarettes, aka e-cigarettes are becoming the latest rage. Offering the smoker all the nicotine they need to keep up their addiction, but eliminating the cancer causing carcinogens, they are a viable alternative to smoking. e-cigarettes allow the smoker to taper off the amount of nicotine in the cigarette to eventually allow them to quit, or maintain the level of nicotine to continue to smoke.
Smokers who fear they will gain weight after they quit smoking will love e-cigarettes because they still fulfill that oral desire. Smokers who have asthmatic children or family members will now be able to smoke in front of them without damaging their health.
For more information on e-cigarettes, visit Green Smoke
Beverly Saltonstall
A Green Lady
Traffic Pollution and Dementia Linked
Posted on January 17, 2010
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
A recent study done in Germany has shown increasing evidence that women who have lived near high traffic areas for an extended period of time, are showing mild memory and cognitive decline.
The study looked at elderly women who had lived in the same residence for more than 20 years and correlated it with pollution records for the area. The study found that the closer the women got to the higher levels of pollution, the more memory impairment they showed. The study was quick to point out that other factors such as noise pollution may also have been a factor.
To read about this interesting study go to the Earth Times.org.
For going green tips visit AGreenLady.com
Rescued Turtle Sent Back to What??
Posted on January 10, 2010
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Florida, a mecca for sun worshipers is in the midst of a cold snap like no other in recent history. Native Floridians are freezing, many because Florida homes were not built with heating systems. Space heaters are flying off the store shelves and winter clothing racks are empty in the stores.
The wildlife is also suffering from the cold. Hundreds of manatees are huddling at the power plants to keep warm and iguana’s are falling out of the trees, unable to cope with the cold.
The sea turtles are also being affected. They are warm water animals and do not tolerate cold water, which has been the case for Florida in recent weeks.
In the news was the dramatic rescue of a 787 pound leatherback turtle named Lizzy. This rescue took place only a few miles from my home, so it has made big headlines here. The turtle was acting strange, and exhibiting behaviors not typical of the species and was thought to be cold-stunned. She was lifted by crane and taken to Mote Marine Laboratories, where she was examined and later released into the Gulf of Mexico.
You many wonder what this has to do with pollution. My thoughts were, what was she returned to???
A Gulf of Mexico that is full of pesticides and fertilizers.
Beachfront sprawl with lights that will disorientate her hatchlings and cause them to swim to shore instead of their life giving waters.
Red tide?
Fishing lines that can entangle her?
Mountains of trash on the seabed floor?
6-pack rings?
plastic bags to choke on?
Human sewage?
oil spills,
boat propellers?
It’s a wonder she has survived so long and what a bleak future she has to look forward to.
Beverly Saltonstall
A Green Lady
Cold Snap and Air Pollution
Posted on January 10, 2010
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Cities across the United States have imposed bans on the usage of fireplaces, wood burning stoves, pellet stoves and outdoor fire pits have become illegal. Unless of course they are the only source of heat in a home.
Fireplace lovers call these bans a product of the “smoke police” and fail to recognize the major pollution emitted by these archaic methods of heating. Centuries ago, fireplaces were a necessity as there was no other choice to heat a home. Today a fireplace ranks up there with Hummers as a total waste of natural resources.
Granted, everyone loves the ambiance and smell of a wood burning fireplace, but if you think about it, it isn’t such a great idea. If you are building a home with the latest modern heating system and spending buco-bucks on insulation, and your builder said to you that he was cutting a whole in the wall to allow the heat/AC to escape, you would probably fire him. Well that is exactly what a fire place is, a place to allow the heat/AC to escape.
This leads to several major issues, one you are wasting precious resources by allowing heated or cooled air to escape from your home unused, and when the fireplace is in use in new modern tighter housing, indoor air quality is being compromised.
Traditional fireplaces are extremely inefficient and the fuel burned spews toxic particles into the atmosphere.
Other than sitting immediately in front of a fireplace for the ambience, there is nothing good to say about a fireplace. If you are thinking about going green, and you have a fireplace in your home, you need to rethink the usage of that fireplace and it’s impact on both the indoor and out door air quality.
To read more about the thoughts on fireplaces, read Should Fireplaces Be Illegal?
Beverly Saltonstall
Noise Pollution and Your Health
Posted on January 3, 2010
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
There is no doubt that noise pollution is annoying at best, but more and more health issues are being linked to high levels of noise. Every day, unless we are in a secluded cabin in the woods, we are being subjected to noise. Be it from traffic, loud music, a dog barking or the annoying hum from appliances, noise is nearly everywhere.
Being subjected to constant noise has been linked to irritability and frustration at the least and ranging up to hearing loss and physical health problems at it’s extreme.
Sometimes the noise is simply annoying, for example, loud people, barking dog or loud stereo system registering at a decibel level low enough not to cause damage but to still produce symptoms such as irritability, or frustration.
Studies have shown that hypertension (high blood pressure) can be attributed to noise pollution, as well as lack of sleep, indigestion, confusion and forgetfulness
People get high blood pressure, lack of sleep, indigestion, confusion and forgetfulness. This when they are exposed to high noise even for short periods. Over longer terms, even more serious health problems develop.
The exposure what the person is exposed whether in his work place or residence can result in serious problems over their health. The effects may include heart disease, ulcers, permanent hearing loss and can even lead to mental illness.
Trying to minimize your exposure to noise pollution is your best bet. Proper hearing protection is a must if you are subject to constant exposure to noise.
For information on how to go green in your home, visit http://agreenlady.com
Are Toxins Lurking in Your Mattress?
Posted on December 29, 2009
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Ever since the US government required that manufacturers of synthetic mattresses apply a flame retardant product, interest has grown over just what toxic chemicals are lurking in our mattresses. It is known that the synthetic materials used in modern mattresses contain a toxic soup of chemicals. Add to that the addition of cheap fire retardant materials, and you have a virtual hot spot of chemicals, lurking right under your nose.
Many of these toxic chemicals are linked to serious health issues, especially in children and may be the cause for the rise in autism. To read more visit http:// AGreenLady.com
Can Coal be a Clean Technology?
Posted on December 20, 2009
Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment
Coal is considered to be the least environmentally friendly option for power generation.
For centuries, coal fired plants have spewed out huge amounts of mercury, soot and other pollutants that are known to cause respiratory ailments. This is evidenced by the fact that several thousand people a year, who have worked in the coal mines, die from coal-related illnesses each year.
Frequently heard is the term clean coal technology, that has been very regularly used as a buzz-word in recent years as a way to utilize a “home grown” energy source. Clean coal is produced by the use of “scrubbers” to cut down on the amount of sulfur dioxide that is emitted.
Though this smog and acid rain producing chemical is removed from the stack output, it is still deposited in the materials that are used to “scrub” it out of the emissions. Regulations are such that this also allows much lower grades of coal to be legally used, with little or no net improvement in emissions.
Clean technologies are critically needed to replace coal as a source of fuel. That will eliminate the issue of clean vs dirty coal entirely.
keep looking »