Healthy and Green Living » Healthy Neighborhood

How to be an Effective Volunteer

Annie B. Bond — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:00:10 +0000

By the Care2 Staff

If you have a sincere desire to improve the environment and quality of life where you live, why wait? Here are the key steps to becoming an active and effective community service volunteer.

10 Ways to Have an Eco-Friendly Picnic

Annie B. Bond — Tue, 20 May 2008 21:00:03 +0000

The setting of a picnic is usually outdoors, and therein lies its allure and challenge.

11 Precautions and Tips for Safe Foraging

Cait Johnson — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 13:00:35 +0000

Edible wild food to forage for in the spring include cattail stalks, dandelion, chickweed, chives, nettles, wild lettuce, violet leaves, redbud flowers, mustard and rose family flowers, violets, strawberry, and gooseberries. It is a great time to dig burdock, dandelion, and wild parsnip roots.

Reducing School Bus Emissions: One Simple Solution

Annie B. Bond — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:00:13 +0000

So maybe your community isn�t ready to convert your school buses to biodiesel. There is still one free and simple way to reduce some of the toxic pollution and emissions from school buses across the nation.

Getting Clear About Wastewater

Melissa Breyer — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 16:52:34 +0000

My husband once suggested that we should all litter—his theory being that if we had to live among our trash, we would become more conscientious about our waste. As is, it's out of sight, out of mind. With the water supply it is even more of a problem. Groundwater and ocean depths are unseen to us, and the ways in which they become polluted are more abstract. We can pollute them mightily and not even know it. Have you ever flushed unused medication down the toilet? Swam in the ocean with sunscreen on? Rinsed shampoo out of your hair and down the drain? You get the picture.

Our fresh water and oceans are polluted in any number of ways, with much of the pollution coming from industry and agriculture. But studies are showing that an increasing amount of water pollution is the result of the day-to-day habits of normal life. Seemingly innocent products are introducing a variety of deleterious household chemicals into our water.

In a study published in 2002, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) collected and analyzed water samples from 139 streams in 30 states. The goal of the study was to measure concentrations of 95 wastewater-related organic chemicals in water. And guess what? One or more of these chemicals were found in 80 percent of the streams sampled. Half of the streams contained seven or more of these chemicals, and about one-third of the streams contained 10 or more of these chemicals.

Pharmaceutical and personal-care products are to blame for many of the chemicals found in the USGS study. Many of these make their way into the oceans, which also suffer from a staggering array of pollutants. Southern California toxicology researchers found chemicals from wastewater in coastal oceans that have been found to affect the hormone levels of fish. Male fish in the ocean are developing female characteristics.

The California study shows that a range of pharmaceuticals and beauty products, flame retardants and plastic additives are ending up in the ocean and appear to be working their way up the marine food chain. Culprits include phthalates, bisphenol A, and triclosan (found in antibacterial products).

The study goes on to explain that women taking birth control pills excrete estrogen in their urine, which is flushed down the toilet and ends up in the ocean. The same is true of antidepressants, tranquilizers, anti-inflammatory medicine and other drugs, as well as musk fragrances, sunscreens, soaps and additives to plastics, which are known to mimic or disrupt hormones.

Sewage treatment plants remove 50 to 70 percent of these chemicals. Fortunately, this study is expected to prompt more advanced forms of sewage treatment, which is within reach.

Easy Greening: Mosquitoes

Annie B. Bond — Sun, 15 Oct 2006 18:39:06 +0000

Nothing ruins outdoor fun like itchy bites from these pesky little whiners, but conventional bug sprays are toxic to the environment and contain neurotoxic ingredients. Instead, try these safe, effective tips: Find out what bananas, rosemary, and bats have to do with mosquito control, learn how to prevent the eggs from hatching, make simple, fragrant repellents, and effectively relieve the itch from those nasty bites.

Beautify Your Town

Annie B. Bond — Fri, 11 Aug 2006 11:11:42 +0000

By the Care2 Staff.

Here are some great and meaningful ideas for things you can do that will make your neighborhood a greener place to live. Share them with friends and see how much of a beautiful difference you can make.

Biodiesel Buses

Annie B. Bond — Wed, 09 Aug 2006 19:30:45 +0000

If they can do it, so can your community! Read these inspiring stories of these schools and towns committed to reducing the carbon footprint of their bus fleet:

Why Noise Hurts Our Health � What You Can Do

Annie B. Bond — Wed, 07 Aug 2002 12:32:46 +0000

What is the noise level in your home? It is estimated that noise levels in the United States increased more than 11 percent between 1986 and 1996.