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Ten Simple Things You Can Do to Help the Environment
Here are 10 things you can do in the New Year to do your part for the environment:
§ Use compact fluorescent bulbs. Replace three frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs and save 300 pounds of carbon dioxide and about $60 a year.
§ Save the water bottle. Sick of watching your recycle bin fill up with water bottles? Time to buy a reusable water bottle.
§ Pull the plug on electronics and chargers. Mobile phones, BlackBerry devices, iPods, digital cameras and other electronics use energy, even if they are turned off, if the charger is still going.
§ Take shorter showers. Water for bathing accounts for two-thirds of all water-heating costs.
§ Buy a hybrid car.
§ Create idle-free zones. Schools, churches, synagogues, libraries, shopping malls and anywhere that accommodates a large number of vehicles are prime spots for signs requiring vehicle engines to be turned off to help cut fuel emissions and improve air quality.
§ Buy local food products. You may pay a bit more in the grocery store, but buying locally grown products helps the earth because less fuel is required to transport your products to market. Additionally, buying goods that require less packaging may help reduce your garbage.
§ Bring cloth bags to the market. Tote your own cloth bags to the store instead of plastic and paper bags, reducing waste and requiring no additional energy.
§ Put on a sweater instead of turning up the heat in your home.
§ Use recycled paper. Switch your home and business paper products to 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper, saving countless trees and five pounds of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.
Ways to Reduce Toxic Metal Exposure At Home
Exposure to heavy metals -- lead, mercury
and arsenic -- at home? Yes, it's possible and
through means that might surprise you, from glazed
pottery to herbal supplements, the Mayo Clinic
states.
While limited exposure to everyday sources
of toxic metals isn't likely to result in harmful
health effects, it's wise to be aware of them,
especially if you encounter heavy metals on a
regular basis. Some general symptoms of heavy
metal toxicity include loss of feeling, especially
in the fingertips; hearing loss; impaired
concentration; and personality changes.
Some of the ways exposure might occur at
home:
·
Lead exposure: Lead can find its way into
the body if it's inhaled as dust or fumes, or in
the case of small children, inadvertently ingested
in the form of old paint chips. Lead-based paint
was commonly used in homes built before 1978.
Children who ingest flakes of lead-based paint may
experience anemia, unexplained stomachaches and
developmental delays.
·
Some tableware, such as leaded crystal,
pewter and some glazed pottery, can be a source of
lead, even more so if acidic foods or liquids are
served from them. Hobbyists who create stained
glass or pottery can be at risk. Soldering to
create stained glass can produce lead-laden fumes.
Pottery glazes with white or yellow finishes can
contain lead.
·
Be aware that small jewelry crafted in China
may be made with lead. And be cautious using
dietary supplements, especially products
originating in China, where lead exposure risks
are not as well known.
·
Mercury exposure: You are most likely to
encounter mercury in its organic form, methyl
mercury, when eating certain fish or shellfish.
Mercury can be especially high in shark,
swordfish, tuna, pike, walleye, bass and Atlantic
salmon.
·
Over the years, some have raised questions
about mercury in dental fillings. So far, no link
has been made between metal dental fillings and
changes in the central nervous system.
·
Arsenic exposure: Garden pesticides and
herbicides may contain arsenic. Check the label
and always follow instructions. Until recently,
arsenic could be found in pressure-treated lumber.
If you work with older, treated lumber, take
precautions. Wear gloves and a dust mask and work
outdoors.
·
Alternative health treatments: If you take
any homeopathic, herbal or complementary health
products, be aware there is no government
oversight on what these products might contain.
It's possible they could include heavy metals.
For additional information about lead, mercury and
arsenic can be found at EPA's Prevention,
Pesticide and Toxic Substance Web page at http://www.epa.gov/oppts.
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