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Last month the EPA awarded funds to MIT, Harvard and UMass Amherst among others to study the consequences of climate change. Harvard will be working with UMass Amherst to study allergies and asthma. Separately it will be researching the health impacts of pollution from forest fires. MIT will be modeling transit policy’s effects on air pollution and the resulting impacts on human health. Full news release
“New diesel engines are more than 90 percent cleaner than a few years ago, far exceeding the emission reductions required by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency”
An Environmental Health News story has put context to a new, 158-page report from The Coordinating Research Council on the new standard diesel truck and bus engines that have been in use since 2007.
The new engines, implemented on a large scale, should reduce, smog, airborne carcinogens, and incidents of lung and heart problems.
To see a new short film on the air quality problems in the South Bronx, many of which emanate from heavy diesel traffic, see Breathe Easy by Jesse Ash and Sustainable South Bronx.
Did you know that many of the cleaning products we purchase to use in our home can be harmful to our health?
Each time you spray a counter down, clean a window, or wash a load of laundry, harmful chemicals are potentially being left behind – finding their way into our lungs and onto our clothing and skin. Learn how to own non-toxic cleaning products and make a safer home for your family and pets.
Here are a few simple non-toxic cleaning recipes from eartheasy.com:
All-Purpose Cleaner:
Mix 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda (or 2 teaspoons borax) into 1/2 gallon (2 liters) water. Store and keep. Use for removal of water deposit stains on shower stall panels, bathroom chrome fixtures, windows, bathroom mirrors, etc.
Another alternative is microfiber cloths which lift off dirt, grease and dust without the need for cleaning chemicals, because they are formulated to penetrate and trap dirt. There are a number of different brands. A good quality cloth can last for several years.
Carpet stains:
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray directly on stain, let sit for several minutes, and clean with a brush or sponge using warm soapy water. For a heavy duty carpet cleaner, mix 1/4 cup each of salt, borax and vinegar. Rub paste into carpet and leave for a few hours. Vacuum.
Laundry Detergent:
Mix 1 cup Ivory soap (or Fels Naptha soap), 1/2 cup washing soda and 1/2 cup borax. Use 1 tbsp for light loads; 2 tbsp for heavy loads.
Window Cleaner:
Mix 2 teaspoons of white vinegar with 1 liter (qt) warm water. Use crumpled newspaper or cotton cloth to clean. Don’t clean windows if the sun is on them, or if they are warm, or streaks will show on drying. The All-Purpose Cleaner (above) also works well on windows. Be sure to follow the recipe, because using too strong a solution of vinegar will etch the glass and eventually cloud it.