US residents can now check out what they’re being poisoned with by checking out this new tool provided by the US Environmental Protection Agency and Google Earth. It’s a useful tool to track air quality in your community or if you are planning to move to another area to escape airborne toxins. Check for levels of carbon monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, VOCs, particulate matter and sulfur dioxide. You can also identify big emitters easily, like cement plants, chemical manufacturers and petroleum refineries, amongst others. Focus on a particular state or sector to get the most accurate details. You need to have Google Earth already installed on your computer for the EPA file to work, or if you’d prefer not to install it, you can download the text version. It’s not as much fun to use as the Google Earth file, but it contains all the information you’ll need.
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This is a guest post by Lorna Li, of Lorna Li : Green 2.0 Marketing.
As oil prices skyrocket and the climate heats up, the debate around the 2007 Energy Bill, currently being debated in U.S. Congress behind closed doors, is getting hotter. Environmentalists, students, rock stars, and even auto industry workers in the United States are clamoring for a strong, clean 2007 Energy Bill that includes high fuel efficiency standards, more renewable electricity and no nukes. The U.S. auto industry is contentiously divided, as American students rally across the nation, and everyone launches YouTube video campaigns.
Can the U.S. Ever Reach 35 mpg by 2020?
The United States Congress is hard-pressed to choose between 2 fuel efficiency standards - the 35 mpg Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) Standard, which was approved by the Senate in June, and the U.S. Auto Industry counter-proposal of 32 mpg by 2022.
A large group of auto workers and dealers have broken from the industry in order to support the 35 mpg by 2020 fuel efficiency standard. As oil prices continue to rise, what is at stake in the debate over fuel efficiency is the future of the American auto industry and the livelihood of U.S. autoworkers, not to mention the wallets of American drivers in the years to come.
Adam Lee, a third generation auto dealer, makes this personal plea in his 3-minute video clip.
“My family has been selling American made cars since 1936. My livelihood and the livelihood of over 350 employees who work for us depend upon the success of the automobile industry. Today that strength is severely compromised by the lack of fuel-efficient cars and trucks customers want to buy. …
Without a 35 mile-per-gallon mandate, I’m afraid, global warming and our dependence on foreign oil will continue to get much worse in the long run. And, in the short run, I’m afraid I’ll be stuck with a lot full of cars that no one wants to buy or even worse: This country will no longer have an American auto industry.”
To emphasize the difference between the 2 fuel efficiency proposals, the Pew Campaign for Fuel Efficiency delivered Trick or Treat bags to members of Congress, illustrating the Spooky Truth about the32 mpg by 2022 Auto Lobby proposal.
Click here to read more…
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In our efforts to save energy resources, we are increasingly sealing our homes and other buildings off from the outside air. This also means that we are sealing in gases from synthetic materials that we furnish and equip our homes and offices with. As a result, indoor air pollution has become a widespread problem and ranks as one of the top five threats to public health. Yet many people are unaware of this problem, and are inadvertently putting themselves and their families at risk.
What synthetic materials? What gases?
In our modern society, where we expect goods to be more affordable, items that used to be made out of natural materials like solid wood are being replaced with cheaper pressed wood and synthetic materials held together with a variety of glues and resins. These synthetic materials release hundreds of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) into the air. Common household items responsible for chemical emissions include upholstery, curtains, plywood, particleboard, stains and varnishes, paints, paper towels, tissues, carpets, permanent-press clothing, fabrics.
What are the symptoms to watch for?
Symptoms of “sick building syndrome” include allergies, asthma, eye, nose and throat irritations, fatigue, headaches, nervous-system disorders, respiratory congestion and sinus congestion.
What can I do about it?
Prevention is better than cure, and there’s no better way to avoid VOCs in the home than to eliminate them. Fortunately, you won’t have to rebuild, redecorate and refurnish your house to achieve this. You can dramatically influence air quality by using certain plants in your home or office.
Click here to see a list of plants that will purify your environment.
Using these plants will effectively clear the air in your home of most common airborne toxins. To achieve optimal detoxification, you will need to place between 15 and 20 air purifying plants in a home with the area of 1800 square feet (170 sq. metres).
For more information, click here.
Recommended reading: How To Grow Fresh Air by B.C. Wolverton
See you at the garden centre!
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