Archive for environment
Global warming and the impact on human health
Posted by: | CommentsWhat is the impact of climate change on people’s health?
The World Health Organisation published findings as early as 2000 showing that global warming caused 150,000 deaths each year – deaths that would not have occurred in a normal context. We expect that number to rise to 500,000 deaths per year by 2030.
Yet the impact of climate change on our health is a little-known issue. People think it’s a marginal problem. We can see this even in the current summit at Copenhagen.
Which countries are most affected by climate-caused health problems?
As usual, developing countries are the most vulnerable. Climate change favours the spread of diseases transmitted by mosquito or tick bites, like dengue fever, malaria, or yellow fever, which are most rampant in sub-Saharan countries in Africa. The disease-carrying insects reproduce more and live longer in warmer temperatures. Global warming also causes natural disasters like floods, cyclones or massive draughts. There again, developing countries are the hardest hit.
Are rich countries also affected?
In developed countries, floods caused by climate change are already responsible for many human casualties. There are also heat waves: we expect there to be one major heatwave every two years in France at the end of the 21st century.
Children and people suffering from asthma are also particularly at risk, because they are particularly sensitive to air pollution. Global warming makes air pollution spikes more frequent and aggressive.
Mosquito-transmitted diseases also exist in Europe, although to a lesser degree. Lyme disease, an infection transmitted by ticks, is emerging everywhere in Europe. Certain people say that malaria could resurge in Europe – I think it’s very possible. France has a good healthcare system and is well equipped to fight the disease, but other Mediterranean countries may not be as well prepared.
Finally, climate change favours the development of all sorts of allergies: it is estimated that one out of two people will suffer from allergies by 2050. Spring pollen season, well known to all those who suffer from hay fever, lasts longer in warmer climates. And the pollen produced by plants growing in polluted atmospheres is more allergenic
“As nearly 200 nations begin important climate talks in Copenhagen this week, we are heartened to see that our government is recognizing the global warming threat. Earthjustice has been in the courts, in Congress, and in the international negotiations, pushing for actions to curb global warming pollution, require better energy efficiency in appliances and buildings, and promote cleaner, renewable energy sources. We urge the EPA and President Obama to advocate for action in Copenhagen and commit our country to significant global warming pollution cuts that will lead us towards a clean energy future.
Report: GarCo oil and gas dept. tiny despite growing complaints, workload
Posted by: | CommentsDespite a growing number of complaints from Garfield County residents about the environmental impacts of natural gas drilling, the county department charged with addressing those issues is one of the smallest and least staffed, according to the Glenwood Springs Post-Independent.
The paper reports that the oil and gas liaison’s department did add an employee in 2009 (from two to three) and will see a tripling in its budget from 2008 to 2010, if its proposed budget for next year is approved. But a key hydrologic study to check for contaminants from gas drilling in the Mamm Creek area was slashed from $180,000 to $20,000 in 2009.
That study is part of an ongoing effort to investigate findings from a private consultant that show elevated levels of methane in groundwater supplies since the most recent gas boom began in the late 1990s. There also is a push for more federal regulation of certain drilling practices in the wake of complaints from residents that their groundwater wells are being contaminated and they’re being sickened by gas drilling.
Oil and gas liaison officer Judy Jordan told the paper she was perplexed by the rising number of complaints given the drop-off in drilling in the county (from 70 active rigs a year ago to 16 currently operating). That slowdown is widely attributed to the global recession and drop in the commodity price, but some Republicans say it’s directly linked to more stringent state environmental regulations for gas drilling that went into effect in the spring.
“America is facing a painful recession, and this Governor’s policies have made a bad economic situation worse,” Penry writes in his most recent campaign fund-raising newsletter, blasting the “stifling oil and gas regulations [that] have done nothing to help get our economy turned around.”
Whatever the causes the latest natural gas downturn (or some would say bust), Garfield County’s Jordan said the number of drilling permits her department is seeing forwarded from the state for county review continues to go up.
It’s there hope in the jungle
Posted by: | CommentsImagine yourself in the Amazon Jungle.1 Deep in the jungle. Your friends convinced you to take a once-in-a-lifetime trip. You withdrew all your savings, called a travel agent, hooked up with an outfitter and a guide, and took off, seeking adventure. Two planes, an old pick up, a sputtering boat, and more mosquitoes that you can count, and you’re in the heart of the Amazon Jungle.
Your guide leads your group of six or seven thrill seekers into the thick vegetation. For the first two days, you walk along in awe as your guide points out the various kinds of plant and animal life. On the third day, you happen to be taking up the rear of the group. You stop to lace up your boots. As you bend over, your backpack tips over and spills its contents.
When you’re done gathering and repacking your gear, you look up and your group is nowhere in sight. You jog ahead a little to try to catch up, but then the trail just disappears right before your eyes. There is a hint of a trail to your right, so you try that, but no luck. Before you know it, you’re standing in the middle of the jungle with no trail and no people in sight, and you’re not even sure which way you came from. By this time you’ve resorted to screaming, but your group is long gone.
The foliage is so thick that you can’t even see the sky. The ground is slippery in the humid air, so you’ve been slipping and falling a lot. Thorny vines have been cutting itchy lines in your shins. You run desperately in a hundred different directions, but eventually you must face the bitter truth. You are lost. Hopelessly lost.
“For some, even for many, hope is in short supply.”5 There seems to be no way out, no real answers, not when you’re stuck in the jungle.”
Drop you in a downtown and tell you to find a Starbucks – no problem. But here, it’s just too much. You just can’t handle the jungle. You sit down on a log, tired and depressed, burry your face in your hands and think, “It’s hopeless; I’ll never get out of here.”
“Can you freeze frame that emotion for a moment? Can you sense for just a second how it feels to be out of your element? Out of solutions? Out of ideas and energy? Can you imagine, for just a moment, how it feels to be out of hope?”
Often, life is a jungle. “Not a jungle of trees and beasts. … Our jungles are comprised of … failing health, broken hearts, and empty wallets. Our forests are framed with hospital walls and divorce courts. We don’t hear the screeching of birds or the roaring of lions, but we do hear the complaints of neighbors and the demands of bosses.”4 And tromping through the brush is exhausting.
Seasonal bear complaints on the rise in northwestern Minnesota
Posted by: | CommentsBears have become a nuisance the past couple of weeks in northwestern Minnesota, but conservation officials say homeowners can avoid most of the problems by removing obvious food sources.
That means bird feeders, barbecue grills, dog food and just about anything else a bear might find tasty. Typical for this time of year, bears also have caused problems for commercial beekeepers. That’s more difficult to prevent and often requires beekeepers to take action.
“That’s not unusual,” said Ted Dick, assistant area wildlife manager for the DNR in Baudette. “They have a lot of incidents up here every year. Those beehives in bear country get hit pretty hard.”
Like Birchem, Dick said it’s especially important for homeowners to remove the birdfeeders. When natural foods are hard to come by, as they are right now, birdfeeders are the first things a bear will hit.
“I’m a feeder, I like having birds around, but we pull our feeders in regardless,” Dick said. “Anything a bird will eat, a bear will eat.”
For some reason, the complaints seem to be more abundant in northwestern Minnesota than other parts of the state, based on the weekly report from DNR conservation officers. On the plus side, Birchem said he hasn’t gotten any reports of bears acting aggressively.
Still, he said, it’s important for people to remember bears are wild animals and avoid confronting them.
“Most of the bears we’re seeing are the smaller males — they’re the ones being the problems,” Birchem said. “We can usually tell if it’s really bad if we start seeing sows with cubs being a nuisance,” and so far that hasn’t been the case.
Birchem said the recent spike in complaints is nothing, compared with the years when there’s no berry crop. This year, he said, the outlook is good, and the problems of the past couple of weeks should disappear as soon as the berries ripen.
Evergreen Solar Plants Complaints
Posted by: | CommentsNoise complaints about wind farms are becoming an everyday occurrence, but solar power? The Boston Herald is reporting that neighbors of the new Evergreen Solar manufacturing plant in Devens, Mass. are complaining about noise levels high enough to sicken animals:
[It's] so noisy the horses have ulcers, the ducks have disappeared and a dog has started gnawing off doorknobs, angry neighbors say … “To work in my garden, I have to wear headphones,” said Janice Perry, an acupuncturist whose Harvard farm abuts Evergreen’s new 450,000-square-foot manufacturing plant …
Since the neighbors complained, the company has installed sound-dampening devices, replaced defective blower units, and changed its gas delivery schedules, Lawson said. The company has also hired a noise consultant. But neighbors say the noise problem hasn’t gotten any better and that could mean trouble for Evergreen.
Most manufacturing processes are pretty noisy, but it may be that Evergreen has some special circumstances — considering that the residents once abided having a military base next door, their complaints are probably more than idle NIMBYism. And if it’s noisy now, the problem could get worse later; the company hasn’t even reached its full 40MW manufacturing capacity at the plant yet.
The “trouble” for Evergreen could also be more than just the regular fines that the company has started to attract for the noise. If they don’t find a way to correct the problem, the plant could have its permanent occupancy permit withheld, which would threaten its viability in the area. With Evergreen already loaded with debt and vulnerable from the recession, unhappy neighbors could be a serious threat.
A PRICE WORTH PAYING?
Posted by: | CommentsThe hazards of pesticide use are now widely recognized, although statistics are hard to gather. The World Health Organization estimates that at least three million people are poisoned by pesticides every year and more than 200,000 die. It is estimated that up to 25 million agricultural workers are poisoned every year.
• In Malaysia and Sri Lanka, 7 to 15 per cent of farmers experience poisoning at least once in their lives.
• In Thailand, a survey of 250 government hospitals and health centres revealed that some 5,500 people were admitted for pesticide poisoning in 1985 alone, of whom 384 died.
• In the Philippines, 50 per cent of rice farmers have suffered from sickness due to pesticide use.
• In Latin America, 10 to 30 per cent of agricultural workers show inhibition of the blood enzyme, cholinesterase, which is a sign of organophosphate poisoning.
• In Venezuela, 10,300 cases of poisoning with 576 deaths occurred between 1980 and 1990.
• In Brazil, 28 per cent of farmers in Santa Catarina state say they have been poisoned at least once and in Parana state some 7,800 people were poisoned between 1982 and 1992.
• In Egypt, more than 50 per cent of cotton workers in the 1990s suffered symptoms of chronic pesticide poisoning, including neurological and vision disorders.
• In China, 42,800 new cases of pesticide poisoning were reported in 1994, including 3,900 fatalities. Many were said to be victims of home-made cocktails marketed illegally.7
Noise Complaints
Posted by: | CommentsNoise can seriously disrupt peoples’ live, causing loss of sleep, interference to activities and emotional stress. Fortunately, most complaints can be resolved between neighbours though a direct approach, however, if this is not successful Council’s Environmental Health Officers or local Police can assist.
The Environmental Protection (Noise) Regulations 1997 set prescribed standards for noise so that it is kept to acceptable levels. The noise regulations also define procedures and penalties if the prescribed standards are exceeded. Council’s Environmental Health Officers are authorized persons under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1986 and have been trained in the use of noise monitoring equipment to measure noise levels.
Noise complaints commonly dealt with by Environmental Health Officers are those of a continuous and excessive nature and include air conditioners, swimming pool filters, stereo music, construction noise and power tools.
The noise regulations aim to be fair and some allowances are made in the noise regulations for the use of equipment on residential premises such as power tools, lawn mowers and musical instruments providing the time of day, duration of use and volume is not unreasonable. Construction noise is also exempted providing it is not unreasonable and does not occur before 7.00 am and after 7.00 pm between Monday and Saturday. Construction noise is not allowed on Sundays or Public Holidays without special approval.
Police Officers are also empowered under the noise regulations to deal with noise complaints and should be contacted for after hours complaints particularly when involving noisy parties and antisocial behaviour.
If you wish to lodge a noise complaint you will need to complete a form which can be obtained by phoning Council’s Environmental Health Section on 92720648 during office hours. Police Communications should be contacted for complaints involving noisy parties, loud music or disturbances after office hours
AlienScientist goes to MIT to Promote Anti-Gravity Disclosure
Posted by: | CommentsDay 93 (of 100 days of antigravity disclosure): I went to Cambridge, MA to hand out flyers and discuss anti-gravity technology with students and professors from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
I also thought I would put some of my jam sessions on this video as background music. Here are two multi track recordings where I play both guitars with my friend on drums.
The response was overwhelmingly positive with only a group of 3 MIT Frat boys who told me they didn’t think Obama should declassify anti-gravity. (however they didn’t actually bother to take the time to look at it and review my National Security Risk Assessment)
This is only the beginning…
Here is a memo you should FAX to:
National Security Advisor James L. Jones
National Intelligence Advisor Dennis Blair
Here’s that memo:
Day 93 (of 100 days of antigravity disclosure): I went to Cambridge, MA to hand out flyers and discuss anti-gravity technology with students and professors from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
also thought I would put some of my jam sessions on this video as background music. Here are two multi track recordings where I play both guitars with my friend on drums.
The response was overwhelmingly positive with only a group of 3 MIT Frat boys who told me they didn’t think Obama should declassify anti-gravity. (however they didn’t actually bother to take the time to look at it and review my National Security Risk Assessment)
This is only the beginning…
Here is a memo you should FAX to:
National Security Advisor James L. Jones
National Intelligence Advisor Dennis Blair
Here’s that memo:
SUBJ: National Security Risk assessment for disclosure of UFO / Antigravity files.
What we know: Unidentified Flying Objects have been witnessed and photographed. Flying saucers or disc shaped craft, as well as a flying triangle shaped craft have been spotted, yet neither has been confirmed as belonging to the US Military.
1. NASA was ordered to hand over documents in response to a March 27, 2007 federal Court ruling by Judge Emmet G. Sullivan (Case#1:03CV02509) regarding the Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by Leslie Kean. NASA is withholding secret documents and materials that were seized from a crash site in Kecksburg, PA on December 9, 1965.
(www.freedomofinfo.org/foi/complaint.pdf )
2. Former Area 51 employee and whistle blower Edgar Fouche says he worked on the Aurora Project for the US Military where he helped design the anti-gravity propulsion system for the TR3-b Flying Triangle which uses rotating mercury based plasma to achieve anti-gravity. The fundamental scientific principals behind this technology (anomalous effects of rotating Bose-Einstein Condensates) have been investigated by Boeings [GRASP], NASAs Advance Concepts Office, & NASAs Gravity Probe B.
What we don’t know: The origins of this technology, and why the Government is being so secretive about it? Many have suspicions that these craft are extraterrestrial in origin or that the technology was back-engineered from crashed alien space craft. Conspiracy theories abound as the American people receive lies and cover-ups from their Government instead of answers.
National Security Risk Assessment: There are several Risk Factors associated with disclosing the truth about extraterrestrial life, however there are no risks associated with disclosing anti-gravity technology. The notion that our enemies could use this technology against us is completely nullified by the technical feasibility of such a project. Russia, Iran and China are perhaps the only countries with the economic infrastructure capable of even producing such technology. An assembly line capable of manufacturing fleets of these aircraft would require an impossible feat of engineering. The only realistic applications for this technology are in space exploration through NASA
Thank you for your time and dedicated service to the American people. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this remarkable era of human history.
IT’S NOT FUNNY
Posted by: | Comments
On July 17th, 2007, the City of Rye Building Department inspector, Vincent Tamburro, Ron Gatto, Westchester’s lead investigator on The Westchester County Environmental Enforcement Unit and The Westchester County Health Department Sanitarian, Matthew Smith conducted an inspection/investigation on Hen Island.
Vincent Tamburro Rye’s building inspector, as well as the other officials, agreed on the many volatile violations present on Hen Island. The Island was to be closed until the violations were corrected. The only questions at the time were who the lead agency would be and to whom the County legal department or the City of Rye would issue summonses to, the homeowners or the corporate owners (Kuder Island Colony Inc).
It was evident that the violations were present and serious. (Westchester County Environmental Security Specialist, Steven Carol documented this investigation in video).
At the time of the investigation, Mr. Tamburro was given a list of building and safety code violations in addition to the sewer, water and mosquito infestation complaints. The list included items such as a staircase with a missing rail, rodent infestations, electrical and propane systems installed improperly and without permits, new wall construction, wall expansions, new walkways, debris being used as fill in the buffer zone, steel buried on the beaches for erosion control, sea walls installed below the high-tide water line, and sewage pits along the shores of the Long Island Sound all installed without any permits from the required agencies.
After the investigation, we contacted the building department to inquire why the City of Rye had not answered our complaint. We were given the response that “The city attorney’s instructions were not to respond in writing to any of the complaints with regards to Hen Island.”
Following his conversation with the building department, We e-mailed a letter to Mayor Steven Otis and the city council. To date, the only answer he has received as to the violations was as a result of reading the comments in local newspapers.
Assistant City Manager Scott Pickup said, “The City feels that the Island has complied with everything that has been asked of it by the City’s building department based on recent inspections over this summer.” (Ref: Rye Sound Shore Review September 21st, 2007)
Paul Shew, Rye’s city manager, also questioned the validity of Mr. Tartaglione’s claims. Mr. Shew said, “No violations were found when Rye’s building inspector, along with county health and environment officials, inspected the island in July.” (Ref: New York Times September 9th, 2007)
Mr. Shew added, “The city building inspector had last visited Hen Island in July with county Health Department officials and members of the county environmental police. No health violations were observed.
” It’s private property. We have to get permission to go on-site,” Shew said. “If there’s something that comes to our attention, we’ll look at it.” Please visit our website (HEALtheHARBOR.com)and see the truth about what is going on with regard to environmental injustice in Rye.
Mickaboo Rescuer of Hurt Angels
Posted by: | CommentsThese cockatiels were lucky has been adopted by an angel volunteer who takes in medically fragile birds.
Charly is missing one leg completely and, on the other leg, his foot has grown backwards. Perhaps something terrible happened to him when he was young. He can never sit on a perch, so he has a special cage setup with soft blankets. Charly is the sweetest, most loving bird who loves to be held, cuddled and kissed over and over. He plays all day with his toys, especially untying knots from leather strings. He has taught us that no matter what happens with the body, the heart is most important.
Caillou is missing one foot, but that doesn’t stop him from getting all around his cage and playing with the other cockatiels! He’s in love with Lucky—they are inseparable when out of their cages. Caillou sings songs to Lucy in his sweet little voice
Levi nearly died in horrible living conditions in a pet store for reptiles and snakes. Mickaboo took her in, hospitalized and treated her. She has a wonderful new life and fills her world with her smiles.
JJ went from being very scared to charismatic and sweet, hanging out on the play station & trying to get the girls’ attention. Though he needed medication frequently, he willingly cuddled in his towel for it. He would say “JJ, hi JJ!” over and over… but, sadly, poor JJ lost his battle with cancer this past August. Though he was here only briefly, he will always be remembered. Good luck, JJ—we love you.
Luc is very outgoing, with lots of personality! He loves stepping up and giving kisses. He’s very healthy and loves to play with his toys and his friends.
Lucy was originally diagnosed with terminal heart disease and only weeks to live. Now, seven months later, she still has an enlarged heart but continues to do better than ever! She takes her medications with no complaints and now is doing so well that she can fly without having to catch her breath.
Lark has a pretty large mass in her lower body, putting pressure on her organs and air sacs. Though this creates some trouble for her when pooping, she’s otherwise in pretty good shape. The mass is still under investigation.
Jasmine is on her second Mickaboo go-’round. Her adoptive parent’s life has changed, and Jasmine is not getting the attention she needs. She loves to hang around people as they enjoy music and TV, but she may need a little gentle coaching to feel as confident and safe as she wants to be.
Kiki (Pippi) has an enlarged liver. Fortunately, no tumor is present; the cause remains a mystery (maybe an infection?). She takes an herbal medication for now and loves to sit on Friederike’s shoulder and cuddle.
Moon Pie tested positive for giardia. He had to stay in his cage for so long while he was being treated that just flying out of his cage now brings him great happiness! Not big on stepping up to fingers, he decides when to come out of his cage, though he will usually allow a human to carry him back. He sings and whistles, especially when we are near.
Missy rubs her head on our hands every chance she gets. Her lower beak grows too much, so we have to trim it back at least once a month. But she eats well and is very sweet and loving!
Maisie recently had an ultrasound to check her heart; the heart murmurs with which she came to us are almost completely gone. She’s content, active and fun to watch as her feathers grow back. She has a beautiful bright yellow “crown,” doesn’t she?
Nora is a petite lutino who was extremely thin when she came to Mickaboo. After lots of good food, she’s much better, and she enjoys the other cockatiels very much. She loves being talked to and cuddled, and she has lots of love to give.
Twelve years after adopting Sunny, the daughter of Sunny’s family moved away to college, leaving Sunny to be returned to the pet store from which she came. She was so sad that she refused to eat and spent every day on the bottom of the cage. Because she had also lost a lot of calcium due to much egg laying in her life, her bones are very thin, too. But she’s now back to her old self and loves her head scratches!
Turkey was rescued from a pet store after a manager found him covered with blood. He’d mutilated his back and nearly died of blood loss. Medications for infections and a recent surgery have put him on the track of recovery, but he may always need special attention. Even now, picking at his back is so tempting that he has to wear a collar.
Ms. Valentine has a tendency toward weight gain, so she must stay on a consistent diet. For exercise, she runs across the living room for a couple of hours every day, occasionally foraging for food here and there. She loves showers and head scratches!
Author: katieslider
Keywords: bird love parrot pet cockatiel friends conures macaw greys
Added: August 24, 2008