by Bob Huffman
With trace amounts of pharmaceuticals showing up in the drinking water of major cities, authorities are encouraging consumers around the Great Lakes to drop off leftover and expired medicine at collection centers.
The Environmental Protection Agency has set a goal of collecting 1 million pills and 1 million pounds of electronics during an Earth Day initiative aimed at the more than 30 million people who live around the Great Lakes, which are by far the largest source of fresh drinking water on the planet.
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by Laurel Turk
April 1st, 2008
Recent research appears to indicate that some products made with polycarbonate plastic could become dangerous over their lifespan. A chemical called bisphenol A or BPA, used to make most plastic baby bottles, many food and beverage containers, aluminum can linings and even some kinds of dental sealants, can leach into liquids and food to which it comes into contact. The leaching occurs over time as the plastic breaks down due to normal use, repeated heating and cooling, and being washed with harsh detergents. Although there have been no studies conducted on humans, scientists have linked very low doses of bisphenol A exposure to cancers and impaired immune and reproductive function in mice.
So what can you do to avoid coming into contact with BPA? Well the obvious and “greener” choice is to use less plastic or as little as possible. You can also avoid heating your leftovers in the plastic storage container and wash with a mild detergent in lukewarm water. Or if you are a concerned parent, switch your baby’s bottles to glass or a safer non-polycarbonate plastic.
by C. Commisso
That’s according to a report issued Monday by the American Public Health Association (APHA). The connection between the two is the focus of a new campaign the APHA is launching to combat the health effects of climate change.
“Few Americans are aware of the very real consequences of climate change on the health of our communities, our families and our children,” says APHA.
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by Rod Weston
You know what scares me environmentally? No, it is not global warming. It’s not pollution and it is not desertrification. What scares me is bees. You’ve probably read a few things about bees dying off in record numbers. There’s more detailed reading on this subject here.
The state of California is about to set aside $20 million dollars to look further into what is happening with the bees. Where is our federal government with this? If any of you are thinking “oh, this will blow over and the bees will come back,” think again. This is an unprecedented die-off that beekeepers have never seen before. Bees pollinate most of our food. Some things wouldn’t be able to be grown without them. If the bees die, we starve. It is that simple. As much as all the other environmental problems scare me, nothing has me this worried.
Take a minute to find your US rep and send them a quick email that you are concerned about this and you feel your tax dollars should be put into this. This is how change happens—when our reps are informed of the needs and desires of their constituents. We need to figure this out and figure it out fast.
