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NEW 54.5 MPG FUEL EFFICIENCY STANDARD
August 31, 2012NEW 54.5 MPG FUEL EFFICIENCY STANDARD TO IMPROVE GAS ECONOMY AND REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION
Just a few days ago, the Obama administration finalized a landmark standard to increase fuel economy to the equivalent of 54.5 mpg for cars and light duty trucks for 2025 models.
According to Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, “this groundbreaking program will result in vehicles that use less gas, travel farther, and provide more efficiency for consumers than ever before—all while protecting the air we breathe and giving automakers the regulatory certainty to build the cars of the future here in America”.
By purchasing a 2025 Model car or light truck, the savings will be comparable to lowering the price of a gallon of gas by $1.
In addition, the new standard is expected to cut greenhouse gases from cars and trucks in half. As I have discussed before, greenhouse gases endanger public health. They can increase temperatures causing heat related death as well as worsen ground level ozone pollution causing several respiratory heath diseases and deaths.
The new standard is a great achievement not only for our pocket but also for our health!
WATERSENSE
August 31, 2012We all know that water is a vital component to our survival but most of us take it for granted. Why save water?
For one, although 70% of the earth’s surface is covered by water, less that 1% is available for human use.
And did you know that at least 36 states are predicting water shortages in 2013. That’s just right around the corner!
In an effort to protect the future of our water supply, WaterSense was created in 2006. It’s a partnership program by the U.S. EPA that offers simple ways to use less water with water efficient products, new homes and services.
According to the, U.S. EPA, if 1 in every 10 homes in the U.S. installed a WaterSense labeled faucet or faucet accessories in their bathroom, 6 billion gallons of water and $50 million in energy cost could be saved.
Products that bear the WaterSense logo can save 20% more water than their non-efficient counterparts.
In addition to buying WaterSense labeled products, we can all use less water. When brushing our teeth we can turn off the water until it’s needed for rinsing, take shorter showers and baths, and water our lawn less frequently.
I encourage all to practice water efficient practices. After all, our water supply is not unlimited.
Deadly Nerve Agent Detected at Bluegrass Army Depot
August 29, 2012Low levels of the deadly nerve agent known as M55 GB, or sarin has been detected in an Igloo in Richmond,KY.
Sarin is a colorless, odorless liquid used as a chemical weapon. The igloo inRichmondstores these weapons. Exposure by inhalation or absorption can cause neurological damage and even death.
According to the Army Chemical Materials Agency , this leak poses no danger to the people living in the county or surrounding areas.
For more information http://www.cma.army.mil/
Illinois Man Sentenced to 10 Years Prison for Environmental Crime
August 03, 2012On September 26, 2011 a federal jury convicted, Duane “Butch” O’Malley for the illegal removal, handling and disposal of asbestos form anIllinoisbuilding in violation of several Clean Air Act regulations.
When asbestos is removed improperly, microscopic fibers become airborne and if inhaled can cause serious health problems including mesothelioma and cancer. By failing to abide the safe handling guidelines for asbestos removal, Mr. O’Malley endangered not only his employees who assisted with the removal but also those living in the surrounding community.
Though he was convicted in 2011 his sentencing was just recently held. As a result of his actions, he will now serve a 10 year federal prison sentence, pay $47,086 restitution to the U.S. E.P.A. related to the proper clean up, and pay a $15,000 fine.
For more information http://www.hughesandcoleman.com/environmental-injury-lawyer.php
3 Strategies to Improve Indoor Air Quality
July 24, 2012What we breath in can be crucial to our respiratory health. Whether exposure be to molds or asbestos or dust mites, all can have an affect on our ability to breath easy. By being aware of potential hazardous exposure and ways to improve our air supply one can lead a better quality of life.
The best way to improve Indoor Air Quality is to eliminate the source. If you have asbestos, mold or lead paint have a professional remove it. It may seem expensive to eliminate the source but often times it can be more economically efficient because without removal more ventilation is needed which likely will increase energy cost.
Another way to improve Indoor Air Quality is to improve ventilation. Painting, cooking, and even heating our homes with kerosene heaters can produce high levels of pollutants. Most heating and cooling systems in our homes don’t transfer fresh air in exchange for polluted air and so it can become trapped in the home. By opening windows and doors and operating fans that exhaust outdoors, it can help to reduce contaminates in the home.
Finally, the last way to improve Indoor Air Quality is to use air cleaners. There are many different air cleaners on the market but all should not be treated the same. When purchasing an air cleaner one should look at the efficiency rate as well as how much air it will circulate per minute. The better the efficiency rate and circulation rate the better the cleaner.
For more information on improving indoor air quality please visit the EPA website at http://www.epa.gov/iaq/is-imprv.html .
