The Environment
Posted on October 28, 2011 in Health & Medicine, The Environment
Non-smokers who live in areas with high pollution are 20% more likely to die from lung cancer than people who live in cleaner environments, a new study shows. The fine particles in air pollution may irritate the lungs and cause inflammation, increasing the odds of developing lung cancer.
The study tracked 180,000 non-smokers for 26 years. Throughout the study period, 1,100 people died from lung cancer. The participants lived in all 50 states and in Puerto Rico, and based on their zip codes, the researchers estimated how much air pollution they were exposed to, ranging from a low of about six units to a high of 38.
After the researchers accounted for other cancer risk factors, such as second-hand smoke and radon exposure, they found that for every 10 extra units of air pollution exposure, a person’s risk of lung cancer rose by 15 to 27 percent. In all cases, the levels of pollution were within regulatory standards.
Do you live in an area with high pollution?
Posted on October 14, 2011 in Health & Medicine, The Environment
Researchers in Sweden have linked exposure to environmental toxins to an increased risk of atherosclerosis–or a hardening of the arteries—in the first study of its kind. The study supplements previous research that links exposure to pollutants like PCB, dioxin, and pesticides to cardiovascular problems.
Researchers studied 1,016 adults age 70 or older in the small town of Uppsala, Sweden. Participants were tested for a total of 23 toxins, some of which had been banned. Participants’ levels of exposure to pollutants were then compared to the health of their arteries.
A strong link was found between seven of the 23 environmental pollutants tested and plaque build-up in the carotid artery. When plaque accumulates on the inner walls of the coronary arteries, it may reduce blood flow to the heart and increase the risk of a heart attack.
The researchers recommended that potential environmental pollutants be investigated further to lower the risk of heart disease. They will continue to follow study participants to see whether exposure to the pollutants raises the risk of heart attack or stroke.
Are you concerned about environmental pollutants?
Posted on October 7, 2011 in Consumer Goods, Food, Health & Medicine, The Environment
The farmers market trend has taken off in recent years, attracting hordes of “locavores”—
people who prefer to eat locally-grown food–with its fresh produce. Are small-business-
friendly farmers markets really better?
Although the food sold at farmers markets is generally seen as healthier than grocery-
aisle fare, it also receives less federal and local oversight. Few pathogen outbreaks have
been linked to farmers markets, but most sources of foodborne illness go undetected.
Recently, Congress exempted small farms from the safety requirements of the new Food
Safety Modernization Act. Farms that gross under $50,000 annually and sell most of their
products directly to consumers within 275 miles of the farm qualified for the exemption,
spelled out the act’s Tester-Hagan Amendment. Small farmers argued that they wouldn’t
be able to afford the expensive new requirements.
Still, state and local governments have jurisdiction over farmers markets. Some well-
known markets, like the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market in San Francisco, have farmers
undergo multiple screenings and on-site investigations to make sure their food is safe. At
many of these markets, market managers make sure vendors are following health codes
and make the local food experience pleasant—and safe.
Do you buy food from farmers markets?
Posted on September 6, 2011 in Business/Law, The Environment
A clean-air initiative that would limit smog pollution was unexpectedly halted on Friday by White House administration, causing concern among doctors and health experts who say the current ozone levels are harmful. Under the proposed rule, factories and oil, natural gas and power generators would have been forced to cut emissions of ozone, nitrogen oxides and other chemicals, which form smog when they react with sunlight.
Ozone directly impacts lung tissue and may cause coughing and wheezing even in healthy people. Patients with chronic asthma or bronchitis may experience flare-ups after ozone exposure. Ozone may also inhibit the release of oxygen in the blood stream, increasing the chances of heart attack and stroke among people with heart problems.
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has said the ozone rules would save as much as $100 billion in health costs, and help prevent as many as 12,000 premature deaths from heart and lung complications. Jackson said that the EPA would revisit the ozone standard in compliance with the Clean Air Act.
Do you know someone impacted by ozone pollution?
Posted on September 1, 2011 in Health & Medicine, The Environment
The days immediately following Hurricane Irene may be more dangerous, health experts are warning in the wake of the natural disaster. While the wind and rain persist, people tend to lay low. But emergency rooms will likely admit more injured patients in the days after a storm.
That’s when people head outside to assess and repair damage, and typically take more risks while cleaning up. More than 4.5 million homes and businesses on the East Coast lost power this weekend during Irene.
Fallen power lines may pose the biggest risk, since people don’t have to actually touch them to be badly burned. Fire and carbon monoxide poisoning are more likely after the storm, as people light candles and run portable generators after losing electricity. Generator-related carbon monoxide poisoning kills at least 80 people per year.
If you must set up a generator, make sure to do it on a permanent concrete slab at least 50 yards away from the house. Install a carbon monoxide alarm to safeguard against accidents, and remember to never leave burning candles attended.
What safety precautions will you take post-Irene?
Posted on August 24, 2011 in Consumer Goods, Health & Medicine, Recent Studies, The Environment
Mounting evidence suggests that people with higher levels of pesticide in their blood may have an increased risk of type 2 diabetes. The newest study, published in Diabetes Care, finds that the link appears to be limited to people who are overweight or obese.
A research team measured blood levels of several persistent organic pollutants in around 2,000 adults. Older pesticides known as known as organochlorines, PCBs and other chemicals are classified under the category of “persistent organic pollutants.” Although organochlorines are now banned in the U.S., they remain in the environment for years.
Around 15 percent of the adults surveyed had type 2 diabetes. The risk was higher, the researchers found, among people with the highest levels of organochlorine pesticides. Those with levels in the top 10 percent were about twice as likely to have diabetes as their counterparts in the bottom 10 percent.
You can limit your exposure to organochlorines by limiting the animal fat in your diet. Dairy products and oily fish are main sources of exposure, although salmon and tuna are generally considered healthy.
Do you try to limit your exposure to organochlorines?
Posted on August 20, 2011 in Business/Law, Consumer Goods, Health & Medicine, The Environment
Lobbyists for the plastics industry have persuaded the California Department of Education to include positive messages about plastic shopping bags in school curriculums, according to interviews and documents. The rewritten textbooks suggest that plastic bags are more convenient than paper alternatives.
But environmental activists are disputing the curriculum changes and the positive messages about the plastics industry. They say that plastic bags take an estimated 1,000 years to decompose in landfills and leach toxic chemicals. The rewritten textbooks and teacher’s guides are part of an effort by the American Chemistry Council to fight proposed plastic bag bans throughout the country.
In 2009, a private consultant hired by California school officials added language to an 11th-grade teacher’s edition textbook that supported the use of plastic bags, some of which was taken directly from letters written by the American Chemistry Council. The section was titled “The Advantages of Plastic Shopping Bags.”
The environmental curriculum, which took seven years to develop, is being tested at 20 school districts that include 140 schools and more than 14,000 students.
Would you object to these curriculum changes?
Posted on August 9, 2011 in Consumer Goods, Health & Medicine, Parenting, Recent Studies, The Environment
Car seats should be designed to keep children from harm. But one consumer research group wants to make sure parents know about the toxic chemicals that may be contained in seat material.
HealthyStuff.org, a project of non-profit organization Ecology Center, found flame-retarding chemicals such as bromine, chlorine, and lead in several brands of car seats. These substances have been linked to developmental problems and learning disabilities, although it’s not clear how much exposure it would take. Researchers cautioned that parents should use a car seat regardless of what the tests show, since the seat’s primary purpose is to protect in case of an accident.
The worst car seat to purchase, according to the study, is the Recaro Pro Booster in Blue Opal. This seat contained 2,193 ppm of bromine and 61,130 ppm of chlorine in the seat, and 36 ppm of copper in the base. Other seats that tested high for toxic chemicals included the Britax Marathon 70 in Jet Set and the Recaro ProSPORT Toddler in Misty.
On the other hand, good news for parents who own the Graco Turbo Booster in Anders: this seat was the only one that did not contain any chlorine, bromide or the nine metals tested. Graco SnugRide 35 in Laguna Bay also tested well, as did the Chicco Keyfit 30 in Limonata and the Combi Shuttle 33 in Cranberry Noche.
Do you know what chemicals are contained in your child’s car seat?
Posted on August 7, 2011 in Consumer Goods, Technology, The Environment
Those of us who are prepared for the unlikely event of an electrical blackout may have flashlights, extra matches and a generator stored away in the garage. But a new car due to be on the market within a year could pose a simpler solution: Nissan Leaf drivers will be able to use the electrical car’s batteries to power their homes.
The Nissan Leaf to Home system will be commercialized in Japan within the next year. The system uses the Leaf charging station to draw from the car’s lithium ion batteries and feed current into a home’s electricity distribution panel.
The 24 kilowatt-hours of energy storage in the Leaf is enough to power an average Japanese home, which uses about half the energy of an average U.S. household, for about two days. After the system has been used and adapted to local electricity systems, Nissan expects to make the car available in other countries.
It might also save consumers money: charging the battery at night and using it during peak times could cut electricity costs. Other companies have already designed lithium ion batteries for cars for a similar purpose, but Nissan’s model would be included with the car.
Posted on July 5, 2011 in Health & Medicine, Recent Studies, The Environment
The impact of environmental factors in autism may be larger than originally thought, according to a study published in the Archives of General Psychiatry. The Stanford University study examined the genes and environment twins share.
Using state records, researchers studied 192 pairs of twins in which at least one of the two had some form of autism. The twins were then evaluated for autism by the researchers themselves using standard diagnosing tools.
The results, determined by mathematical formulas, showed that the genes twins share increase the risk of autism by about 38%. The environment shared by twins in the womb and immediately after birth impacted the risk of autism even more: around 58%. Environmental triggers could include bacteria and viruses the twins were exposed to after birth and breast milk.
The study indicates that more research on environmental factors is needed, something scientists have been suggesting for years. Approximately 1 in 110 children in the United States have some form of developmental delay known as autism spectral disorder, according to data published by the CDC.
