Low exposure to Bisphenol A Canadian than American
Bisphenol A is one of the chemicals most commonly produced in the world, with over three million tons produced annually. It is a component of polycarbonate plastic and is found in a wide range of common materials and food packaging. Because of its estrogenic properties and effects of chemicals on the reproductive system of animals, there are concerns about bisphenol A may have similar adverse effects in humans.While labeling BPA as a toxic substance is a positive step, “Health Canada continues to maintain that bisphenol A is safe at current exposure levels and poses no risk to general population norms to eliminate sources of bisphenol A contact with food, or a total ban, they are still close, with a conflict that threatens to confuse the public. ”
The analysis is based on a recent study on the levels of bisphenol A in Canada, the largest of its kind to date. Compare levels to those of Americans. Children and adolescents had higher levels. These higher levels may be due to exposure of children’s toys and baby bottles, or because children eat more food relative to their body mass in adults.
Statement from Health Canada that BPA is a health hazard makes it unique in the world, but now must follow through legislation to protect people against exposure, says a study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal of.
However, concentrations of bisphenol A in Canada are lower than for the Americans, although the reason is unknown.
“Invoking the principle of precaution, Health Canada has the authority and responsibility to limit human exposure to bisphenol A, by taking steps to label bisphenol A a toxic chemical, Health Canada must now follow with strong legislation to protect the population Canada’s continued exposure, “says the author.
“My dad used to say that the holidays are when you get a whole bunch of people that really aren’t that close and don’t know each other that well and overcrowd them into a small room for an extended period of time so they can make each other miserable.” –Dr. Phil McGraw
As we approach the holiday season, that sense of “overwhelm” rings as loud as the Salvation Army bells. For some, the holiday season represents stress, pressure, expectations, guilt, disappointment, pain, loneliness, exhaustion … and the list goes on. And it doesn’t have to be that way! We choose who we spend time with. We choose what activities we say yes and no to. We choose where we go. Your holiday season can be as simple or as elaborate as you choose to make it, and it can be a lot of fun if you plan accordingly.
Take some time now to think about what’s most important to you as we enter the busiest holiday month of the year, and then do a little planning. Here are some tips to help you save time and reduce stress.
1. Create a list of holiday rituals that are important to you. Seek your family’s input on holiday decisions. Ask family members you care about what they liked and disliked about last year’s holidays. Write down the most important elements and activities you wish to include this year, and plan to make it happen. Keeping time-consuming and irrelevant traditions or rituals “just because we’ve always done it that way” can increase stress. Plan to say no to the rituals that are not meaningful to you and others you care about. Keep only those traditions that have meaning to you, or create some new ones. Give yourself permission to be in the moment and enjoy the smells, sounds, feel, and tastes that are unique to this season of the year.
2. Make a list of those you want to spend time with during the holidays. Who nourishes you? Who are the family members, friends, and colleagues you enjoy being with? Who brings you down? Maybe this is not the year to get together with them! Do you want to do any entertaining? If so, when and with whom? Plan ahead and ask for help if you want it. True friends and loved ones will not care how many hours you slaved over the stove. Spending time with you is what they’ll cherish most. You don’t have to be Martha Stewart to throw a great party! Are you invited to holiday parties that you really don’t want to go to, but you’ve gone in the past because you should? Be at choice — don’t play the victim! This is not about whom you should see, but rather whom you choose to spend time with.
3. Send holiday greeting cards with ease. I’ve found a great service that enables you to send a real card in the mail for about a dollar, without leaving the comfort of your home or office. I have been using this service six years and I can vouch for the quality of their greeting cards. With a simple click of your computer mouse, you can select from several hundred holiday cards, write a message — using your own handwriting font and signature if you wish — and send a printed greeting card. Or you can create your own customized paper greeting cards, using your own photos, as I did with my family photo above. SendOutCards will print it, stuff it, stamp it (with a real stamp), and send it in the mail for you.
Most cards are less than a dollar. After trying and enjoying the product myself, I became a distributor and would be happy to provide you with a free guest account so you can try it yourself. Click here for more information and to request a free guest account. I’ll show you how easy it is to create a custom paper greeting card with the click of a mouse. NOTE: SendOutCards now has Big Cards (for that special person in your life). You can also add a QR code (video) into your card, and you can also send gifts with a greeting card.
4. Mail packages with ease. Mail packages early in December to avoid longer lines at the post office and ensure they will arrive in time. Or, better yet, sign up with an online postage service and avoid the lines altogether. You can mail large packages without standing in any lines — as long as you have an accurate way to weigh them before you purchase the postage online. Once you have added the correct postage (printed from your computer), you can drop the packages off at the loading dock of your local post office and avoid those long lines.
5. Thoughtfully plan your gift-giving. “Once again we find ourselves enmeshed in the Holiday Season, that very special time of year when we join with our loved ones in sharing centuries-old traditions such as trying to find a parking space at the mall. We traditionally do this in my family by driving around the parking lot until we see a shopper emerge from the mall, then we follow her, in very much the same spirit as the Three Wise Men, who 2,000 years ago followed a star, week after week, until it led them to a parking space.” –Dave Barry
Give from the heart, not out of obligation. Decide whom you choose to give to and make a list. This will help you avoid overspending through impulse buying. If you think back to the most cherished gifts you have received, they are often homemade or from the heart. A gift of time–such as a gift certificate redeemable for an activity you can do together–can be very meaningful. Among the most prized gifts I’ve ever received have been homemade cards with a heartfelt note written inside. Value goes far beyond the cost of the gift.
A great resource for homemade gift ideas is a book called The Perfect Mix. It contains creative edible gift ideas, including wrapping suggestions and tag instructions, along with a source guide for supplies. The book offers more than 90 recipes for soups, breads, muffins, cookies, and other gifts. The gifts I’ve created from this book have been very well received and appreciated. Instead of exchanging gifts with friends, consider having a holiday or post-holiday party with them. Avoid parking hassles, gridlock traffic around the malls, and long lines at the register by shopping online and through catalogs. Many retail stores offer merchandise online, as well.
If you are purchasing a gift that needs to be mailed, you can arrange to have it sent directly to the recipient, thus avoiding the extra steps of wrapping, labeling, and mailing the gift. Wrapping gifts can take a lot of time. Instead of wrapping all of them, use a gift bag with a nice bow tied at the top, use a decorated gift box, or utilize the services of a non-profit organization offering holiday gift-wrapping services, with proceeds supporting the organization’s mission. Consider giving an alternative gift to a friend or loved one by making a contribution to a charity in their name. Two of my favorite charities are Heifer Project International (visit HPI’s gift catalog) and World Vision (visit WV’s gift catalog). Through living gifts of animals, HPI and World Vision are both helping families worldwide to become self-reliant. You can buy an animal that can change the life of a hungry family and at the same time honor family and friends. They will send you a nice gift card that you can give to the person you are honoring with your donation.
6. Spread holiday cheer with those in need. Volunteer to serve a holiday meal to the homeless, work in a soup kitchen, or work at a food bank. Adopt a family for the holidays and provide them with gifts or holiday foods. Many churches and non-profit organizations can match you with a needy family. Look for a Giving Tree in your local retail stores. The tree is filled with cards that list a specific gift desired by someone in need. You select a card off the tree, purchase the suggested gift listed on the card, and return the gift to the tree with the card attached. The store wraps the gift and delivers it to the intended recipient. The end of the tax year is a great time to review your budget and consider a year-end gift to your favorite charities. This can represent a significant tax deduction if you itemize, while doing great things locally and globally.
7. Use your calendar to help organize your time to reflect your priorities. Once you are clear about your intentions, calendar them in. Writing them down for follow-up on a specific date will help you to remember to do it and will keep things from falling to the last minute. In other words, make appointments with yourself to follow through with specific tasks by a specific time. This one action alone may drastically reduce the overwhelm that many people experience during the holiday season. Once you have a plan, you can let go of your long to-do list and can be more fully present and in the moment with whatever you choose to focus on right now. As you prepare for the holidays, remember that the greatest gifts of all won’t be found under the gift wrap. They’ll be found during those special moments when you make a heart connection with those you care about.
Endowed with special planet-saving powers – e.coli, fungi, termites, flies and bacteria are like the SuperFriends of Saturday mornings past.
Mom taught you well, I’ll bet.
Swat the flies, pour disinfectant on a slimy mold, and shock a pool or pond that has algae in it. Never touch anything riddled with a fungus, avoid bacteria like the plague.
If you see a termite, call Orkin, and if you see e.coli (well you wouldn’t, unless you have Superman-like vision, but you get the idea), run screaming into the night.
Of course, in biofuels, you don’t avoid any of the above.
In the world at large, they are generally called pests. We call them ‘magic bugs’. They are like the SuperFriends of Saturday morning cartoons – Nature has certainly endowed them with magic powers.
In your own human genome, you have the (considerably useful) ability to break down a pretty good range of biomass into energy. Anything from the sugar rush from a Coca-Cola to the complex sea of carbohydrates and proteins in contemporary pizza. We’ve planted the world over with things that grow fast and we like to eat.
But make a carbohydrate, protein or lipid from thin air, with a little water and maybe a little sunshine? No can do. That’s where the magic bugs come in.
Beyond microalgae
Too often, public curiosity over microbial fuels begins and ends with microalgae. But there are two ways these other critters serve the general search for an energy solution.
1. Fermenting one low-value material into a higher-value one. For instance, converting hops into beer, corn mash into ethanol, or sugar cane syrup into alkane diesel.
2. Fixing atmospheric CO2, and freshwater or sea-water, into lipids, carbs and protein, which we capture and convert to feed, food, fiber and fuel.
Bottom lime, some mighty business models are depending on the unpaid services of some awfully small and occasionally icky organisms. Ranging from one cell to small insect size.
The yeoman service of the Soldier Fly
A company called Organic Nutrition is training soldier fly larvae to eat waste biomass, thereby converting it into insect protein. The hungry little varmints eat as much as twice their own body mass, per day. The aggregated insect protein is captured and crushed as animal feed. Kind of an appalling food source, but a lot of critters like insects just fine, thank you very much.
It appears to be a re-think of an older company called Neptune Industries, which disappeared to the bottom of the financial ocean a few years back.
Termites and their Symbiotic Liberation Army
Over at Purdue, research into the extreme environments in the termite gut, including termite’s own native enzymes, and symbiontic bacteria, is the subject of some breakthroughs out of the Mike Scharf lab. Researchers there, publishing in PLoS One, have discovered a cocktail of enzymes instrumental in the insects’ ability to break down the wood they eat.
The researchers are the first to measure the sugar output from enzymes created by the termites themselves and the output from symbionts, small protozoa that live in termite guts and aid in digestion of woody material.
“For the most part, people have overlooked the host termite as a source of enzymes that could be used in the production of biofuels. For a long time it was thought that the symbionts were solely responsible for digestion,” Scharf said. “Certainly the symbionts do a lot, but what we’ve shown is that the host produces enzymes that work in synergy with the enzymes produced by those symbionts. When you combine the functions of the host enzymes with the symbionts, it’s like one plus one equals four.”
In Florida, researchers at the University of Florida have isolated two enzymes termites use to break up lignin, which may provide a key to more efficient cellulosic ethanol production. The study follows more than two years of work to identify nearly 7,000 genes associated with the termite gut. The researchers are wading through the genes to identify which ones are associated with enzymes that could be useful, and they are hopeful that many more such exciting discoveries are yet to come.
With the new technique, cellulose must only be broken down into an intermediate stage known as cellodextrin, rather than into glucose, and the new yeast will get to work. It could be five years before the new technique is ready for commercial use.
In related news, the DOE has granted researchers at the University of California, Berkeley-hosted Energy Biosciences Institute $793,000 for a three-year program to study the genetic diversity of corn to create better strains for biofuels.
In this story from last year, “Turn and Face the Strange,” we looked at WWII canvas rotting fungi as a biomass conversion technology, a fungus that produces diesel, a fungus that synthesizes ethanol, one that produces cellulase, and a symbiotic garden of fungi managed by leafcutter ants to assist in their leaf-converting activities.
“A heft amount of carbon is sequestered by endophyte-infected fescue, so it has some carbon benefit. But that is courtesy of its ability to powerfully eradicate microbial life in its growing path and, by creating a nanoscopic, underground Chernobyl, storing carbon that otherwise would be munched and released by those pesky organisms known as life forms.”
In Illinois, researchers from the University of Illinois, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the University of California and BP have discovered a newly engineered yeast strain that can simultaneously consume both glucose and xylose from plants to produce ethanol. The new strain, made by combining, optimizing and adding to earlier advances, reduces or eliminates several major inefficiencies associated with current biofuel production methods.
In Maryland, Johns Hopkins researchers have engineered from scratch a computer-designed yeast chromosome and incorporated into their creation a new system that lets scientists intentionally rearrange the yeast’s genetic material. Jef D. Boeke, Ph.D., Sc.D., professor, explains, “We developed SCRaMbLE to enable us to pull a mutation trigger — essentially causing the synthetic chromosome to rearrange itself and introducing changes similar to what might happen during evolution, but without the long wait.”
“By shuffling the DNA according to our specifications, Boeke added, “we hope to be able to custom design organisms that perhaps will grow better in adverse environments, or maybe make one percent more ethanol than native yeast.”
In Germany, researchers at the Ruhr-Universität and a group from the Tokyo Institute of Technology have found a genetic switch in cyanobacteria, which when removed allows use of excess energy for biotechnological purposes, such as hydrogen production.
Professor Roegner of Ruhr-Universität estimated, “This should make it possible to use at least 50% of the energy gained from light-driven water splitting for other processes in the future, e.g. for solar-powered biological hydrogen production through cyanobacterial mass cultures in photobioreactors.”
Pass the salt, I need sugar
In New Jersey, Proterro has developed technology to produce sugar by using engineered cyanobacteria, photosynthetic organisms that can produce sucrose through a normally-occurring defense system. Their engineered cyanobacteria produces sucrose when the water they’re growing in is too salty. They claim that the water required to grow the cyanobacteria is much less than what is required to grow sugar traditionally, such as with corn and cane.
Your friend, E.coli bacteria
In the article “Microbial Biosynthesis of Alkanes” published in Science magazine last year, a team of LS9 scientists announced the discovery of novel genes that, when expressed in E.coli, produce alkanes, the primary hydrocarbon components of gasoline, diesel and jet fuel. This discovery is the first description of the genes responsible for alkane biosynthesis and the first example of a single step conversion of sugar to fuel?grade alkanes by an engineered microorganism.
For over 20 years scientists have tried to identify the genes that enable particular natural organisms to directly convert biomass into alkanes. However, previous scientific research has failed to identify these genes. To solve this mystery, the LS9 team looked into the genomes of bacteria that produce alkanes in nature known as cyanobacteria. “We evaluated many cyanobacteria that made alkanes and identified one that was not capable of producing them. By comparing the genome sequences of the producing and non?producing organisms, we were able to identify the responsible genes,” said Andreas Schirmer, Associate Director of Metabolic Engineering at LS9.
The mysterious Archaea
In Arkansas, researchers at the University of Arkansas created the first methane-producing microorganism that can metabolize complex carbon structures, which could lead to microbial recycling of waste products and their transformation into methane. Daniel J. Lessner, assistant professor of biological sciences, and his colleagues Lexhan Lhu, Christopher S. Wahal and James G. Ferry of Pennsylvania State University worked with methanogens, methane-producing anaerobic microorganisms from the domain archaea.
The researchers introduced a gene into a methanogen that would allow it to break down more complex molecules for its own consumption by introducing a gene that would cause the organism to express an enzyme that breaks down esters. Esters can be found in nature and also solvents used in paints and paint thinners. Future research will look at developing a platform to engineer organisms, including a methanogen that can break down glycerol, a waste product from biodiesel fuel, and have it produce methane, allowing for possible production of useful chemicals or even as an energy source for a biodiesel plant.
Alternatively Speaking: Coping with depression By NATALIE MARX 10/03/2011 21:57
Alternative medicine enthusiast Natalie Marx answers your questions: Are there any natural remedies for depression? What physical activities can be helpful? Over the past few weeks, I have received rather a large number of letters regarding depression and how to treat it with alternative methods. I decided to dedicate an entire column to this rather ‘misunderstood’ disease since there is rather a lot of ground to cover. The impact that mild depression can have on ones personal life and those around us is indeed great. For the sufferer, motivation becomes a real issue and important aspects of life and relationships may be neglected causing further problems and isolation. Untreated at this point, depression can exacerbate into severe depression. For the relative or friend, this can be just as hard to see and know how to deal with.
Q. Dear Natalie, I have been suffering from mild depression for almost a year. My therapist has offered me anti depressants whilst I still continue my therapy sessions with her. I wondered if there was anything natural that you can recommend for depression.
A. The alternative medicine strategy I offer below for relieving depression focuses not only on easing the depression, but also includes herbs that help to restore balance to the endocrine and nervous systems. Since depression is often accompanied by lack of energy and insomnia, it is helpful to take energizing herbs such as ginseng in the morning and herbs that encourage restful sleep such as passionflower and valerian at night. You should of course always seek advice and approval from your doctor especially if you are taking any other medication. I strongly encourage you to continue to visit your therapist as this is a powerful way you can learn the tools designed to help you work out how to deal with your depression. The following are some of the most effective natural treatments for mild depression I have seen through my own practice with patients. St John’s wort is probably the most popular non-prescription herbal remedy for mild depression. It contains the active ingredient Hypericum perforatum. Hypericum extract works in a similar way to antidepressant medicines, by affecting levels of neurotransmitters such as serotonin in the brain. Research found in the British Medical Journal has suggested that St John’s wort is as effective as imipramine in controlling symptoms of mild to moderate depression. Other research has also shown that this herb may be as effective as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in treating mild to moderate depression. You can find St John’s wort available at health food stores, drug stores, and online in the form of capsules, tablets, liquid extracts, or tea. You need to take four to six weeks to notice the full effects. Certain medicines should not be used whilst taking St John’s wort, so please check with your doctor before taking. The normal dosage, according to the original study by the British Medical Journal, is three capsules of St. John’s Wort extract per day, 300 mg each, standardized to contain 0.3 percent hypericin. (Note: This is a total of 900 mg per day at 0.3% – too little might not be effective, but some people prefer to start out with a lower dosage anyway or for those who have a smaller body size.) Many of my patients report that it is more and/or just as effective than many prescription medications but with fewer risks. The active compounds in St. John’s wort help naturally reduce feelings of sadness, anxiety and worthlessness, and many who take it also report less exhaustion and fewer headaches. Best of all, this herb often produces no side effects, although some might experience sensitivity to sun or other minor side effects.
Studies suggest that populations that eat more fish per capita, such as Japan (147 pounds a year) and Iceland (225 pounds a year), have unexpectedly low rates of mild depression. Emerging research suggests it may be effective for people with mild depression or as an aid to anti depressants. Studies of patients taking medication for mild depression have found that 1 to 2 grams a day of an omega-3 supplement led to a measurable reduction in symptoms.
Q. Can you recommend any specific herbal remedies that are good for treating depression?
A. Siberian Ginseng is another wonderful herb that aids the balance of essential neurotransmitters like serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine in the brain. Taking Siberian Ginseng regularly can lead to improved feelings of general well-being. Siberian ginseng restores healthy adrenal function. Weak adrenal function is clearly associated with depression, emotional and physical stress being a primary cause. Take a standardized extract of Siberian ginseng, approximately 250 milligrams twice daily. Take Siberian ginseng consistently for two months, with a two-week break before resuming the dosage. Avoid taking close to bedtime since ginseng can be stimulating. Studies show that ginkgo biloba extracts can help reduce depression, especially in the elderly. Ginkgo biloba contains active substances that can increase protein synthesis. Ginkgo also contains potent antioxidants that destroy free radicals to counter the damaging effects of aging. These free radicals affect the serotonin receptor sites, making older people susceptible to depression.
Q. Are there any vitamin supplement deficiencies that can be associated to sufferers of depression?
A. Vitamins B6, B12 and Folate (Folic Acid) are commonly recognized natural medicine for depression. Though found in many food sources, low levels of vitamin B-12, B-6 and Folate have been associated with symptoms of depression. Magnesium: Most people do not get enough magnesium in their diets. Good sources of magnesium are legumes, nuts, whole grains and green vegetables. Like vitamin B6, magnesium is needed for serotonin production. Stress depletes magnesium, so although you may not ‘think’ that the stress in your life is a cause of your depression…perhaps it may well be. Another supplement to consider is L-Tyrosine. This I have found to be very effective for depression, brain-fog, low energy, and those who have had little benefit from antidepressant medication, but feel better with amphetamines (or caffeine). L-Tyrososine has a stimulating effect. Caution: May trigger mania for those with Bipolar Disorder. This is for depression only.
Q. Natalie, I have been suffering from chronic depression for several years and have recently been advised by my doctor to take up more exercise. I have very little energy and do not feel like participating in any vigorous exercise. Can you recommend anything that can be beneficial for depression but at the same time not too strenuous?
A. Exercise and focused breathing will also positively impact your mood and state of mind by restoring balance to the body’s internal chemical state. Endorphins are created through exercise. As a Yoga Practitioner I have seen hundreds of clients benefit from Yoga as part of their treatment plan for depression. The breathing exercises in yoga focus on slow, fluid breath effectively relax the body, reducing stress and anxiety, both effective in the fight against depression. Yoga postures work in sync with important hormonal glands and organs. The postures help produce the healing and soothing chemical balance that is needed to feel relief and full of life. Yoga exercises improve circulation throughout the body, sending oxygen to your brain and all your muscles. So both the new breath and the stretching and strengthening movements in yoga flush toxins from the body. If you prefer to try other techniques focus on those that use breathing as the core of their practice (e.g tai chi). The fresh oxygen we are able to bring to the brain and to other parts of the body flows through our system and brings new light and strength to the unused parts of the body and mind where depression hides.
This column is brought to you as general information only and unless stated otherwise is not medical advice nor is it based on medical experiments. This column is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. For more information about specific problems, please contact a doctor. Ask Natalie:
If you have a health query and would like an alternative answer then email Natalie with your question at nateopath@gmail.com.
Thought of the day: “You don’t have to control your thoughts; you just have to stop letting them control you.” -Dan Millman
One Saturday in August, I took my kids to a wonderful outdoor science center in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire. The center is a place where visitors can learn about animals native to the area.
I was impressed that the center uses solar hot water in its bathrooms and explains how it works through an informational sign right at the faucet. I also appreciated that the center has a display about climate change. I like it that visitors who come to learn about animals are also taught about renewable energy and climate change.
But it got me thinking further about a topic that we discuss in the newsroom a lot: environmental protection and renewables. For the most part, if you consider yourself an environmentalist, you probably support renewable energy. Renewables are the clearest path to mitigating climate change by using the wind, sun and other naturally replenished resources for energy.
So when renewable energy projects are fought tooth and nail in the name of environmentalism, it always leaves me scratching my head.
Take for example a settlement agreement that was reached between the Sierra Club and other environmental groups and solar companies regarding San Luis Obispo solar projects, where SunPower’s 250-MW California Valley Solar Ranch and Topaz’s 550-MW Topaz Solar Farm were planned:
The projects are located in the Carrizo Plain, a core recovery area for endangered San Joaquin kit fox and giant kangaroo rats. While both companies have previously agreed to significant commitments to protect and preserve species in this important habitat area and have received project approvals based on environmental reviews by various federal, state and local agencies, with this agreement SunPower and Topaz commit to provide a suite of additional environmental benefits to further increase protection of the area. This agreement provides for additional conservation for the remaining unprotected lands in the northern Carrizo Plain above and beyond those provided under existing local, state and federal permits. [emphasis mine]
Going above and beyond anything always means adding cost. The agreements that the companies have made, which include stipulations such as helping fund the “efforts to eliminate rodenticides on the Carrizo Plain and other San Joaquin kit fox conservation areas” and “acquiring lots in the largely undeveloped subdivision in the Carrizo Plain to restore for wildlife conservation,” will most definitely add to the developer’s costs. Aren’t we supposed to be working to reduce the cost of solar?
Yesterday, First Solar announced that it would not be able to meet DOE requirements to accept the $1.9 billion loan that it had been offered conditionally back in June to build the Topaz Solar Farm. I can’t help but wonder if these environmental regulations — the ones that are adding cost to develop the project — factored into First Solar’s decision to back away from the project overall. The company said it is in advance talks to sell the project to potential buyers.
Environmentalism or NIMBYism?
In the newsroom, we often wonder if objections to projects on the grounds of environmentalism are really just a front for NIMBYism. Cape Wind is an example. Last year a coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit alleging that the Minerals Management Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service violated the Endangered Species Act by allowing the project to “take” roseate terns and piping plovers without sufficient safeguards.
Could the very same people who object to Cape Wind on the grounds that it would distort their pristine view of Nantucket sound somehow be involved in bringing this lawsuit to fruition? Of course the animals can’t advocate for themselves and environmental groups must fight for them if we want them to exist. That’s a given. But environmental groups advocate for renewable energy, too, and sometimes the simple fact is that the two cannot peacefully coexist, at least not without some sacrifice on one or the other’s part. If environmentalists support the idea that we use less fossil fuels in order to stave off the catastrophic effects of climate change but don’t want to see any species harmed in the development of renewables, where does that leave us? How do we further a new energy agenda if we keep fighting amongst ourselves?
The information and views expressed in this blog post are solely those of the author and not necessarily those of RenewableEnergyWorld.com or the companies that advertise on this Web site and other publications. This blog was posted directly by the author and was not reviewed for accuracy, spelling or grammar.
2 Reader Comments
Comment 1 of 2 Anonymous September 23, 2011
The meaning of “environmentalism” has been strangely corrupted since it was heavily politicized by the Ronald Reagan administrations of 1981-1989.
Today, “environmental” organizations speak with no clear and consistent voice on almost any matters of scientifically verifiable environmental concern. Some groups voice a concept of protecting a sacred nature functioning apart from humanity – a concept without scientific validation when all near surface waters, lands, vegetation systems, and atmosphere of our planet are polluted to some degree by greenhouse gases and other anthropogenic emissions. One can find “environmental” organizations strongly supporting nuclear power and “clean coal” energy. Simultaneously, other “environmentalists” are using all their valuable resources to fight wind and solar power developments at many different scales, and to the remarkable exclusion of even considering the impacts of fossil fuel energy alternatives. The variety of conflicting positions and approaches of “environmental” groups is disheartening, especially in terms of messaging to a hopelessly confused and largely uninterested public. Meanwhile, the messaging of the fossil fuels industries is clear, consistent, unambiguous, and unrelenting. The start of a new agenda would be to establish a new set of core values to govern the actions of competing environmental groups, and develop tight messaging consistent with those values.
Comment 2 of 2 Anumakonda September 26, 2011
Excellent post on Environmentalism Jennifer Runyon . I very much liked it. Thanks. Dr.A.jagadeesh Nellore(AP),India Wind Energy Expert E-mail: anumakonda.jagadeesh@gmail.com
Bisphenol-A causes normal breast cells to act like cancer BPA may limit the effectiveness of commonly used anti-cancer drugs Contact: Kevin McCormack, (415) 600-7484 or pager (415) 232-6463 McCormKD@sutterhealth.org San Francisco, CA, September 12, 2011 – A study published in the Oxford University Press journal, Carcinogenesis, concludes that healthy breast cells exposed to bisphenol-A (BPA) and methylparaben, a common ingredient in beauty products, change from normal and begin to grow and survive like cancer cells.
This new research also indicates that BPA exposure may reduce the effectiveness of certain popular and promising breast cancer drugs. “Flipping the Switch” for Growth Exposure to the chemicals BPA and methylparaben activates mTOR, a cell’s central mechanism to control cancer growth. When the mTOR signal is turned off, cancer cells do not survive, however, once mTOR is activated, cancer cells can grow and thrive. “Not every cell exposed to BPA or methylparaben will become cancer, but anything – any chemical exposure – that “flips the switch” and causes healthy cells to act like cancer is cause for concern,” says Dr. William Goodson, lead author and Senior Clinical Research Scientist at California Pacific Medical Center Research Institute. Effects of BPA are important because of the chemical’s widespread exposure. BPA is found in many household items, including plastic food containers, the lining of canned food and soda cans, water bottles, other plastic items, and some types of cash register receipts.
Random samples taken by the Centers for Disease Control and Statistics Canada have shown that more than 95 percent of Americans and 90 percent of Canadians test positive for BPA. Impact on Cancer Fighting Drugs In addition to changing the way cells act, the study concludes that BPA has an impact on the effectiveness of popular cancer fighting drugs. “Healthy breast cells exposed to the cancer preventing and cancer treating drug Tamoxifen should undergo “programmed cell death” or apoptosis, but after BPA exposure they don’t,” explains Dr. Shanaz Dairkee, co-leader of the project and Senior Scientist at CPMC Research Institute. BPA also prevents apoptosis by the drug Rapamycin, the lead drug in a new class of cancer drugs designed to turn off the mTOR gene. She continued, “Having two breast cancer drugs rendered ineffective by BPA exposure is very concerning for women who are battling breast cancer.” “We don’t know yet how reversible these effects of BPA are, particularly if cancer has already developed,” says Dr. Goodson. “But it is intriguing to speculate that reducing BPA exposure might have a beneficial effect on any malignant changes that have been induced, and even decrease the overall risk of cancer.”
New Research Methodology Used Unlike studies that focus on cells after they become cancerous, this study breaks new ground by focusing on the role of BPA and methylparaben in changing the growth of healthy cells before they become cancer. Using techniques developed by Dr. Dairkee at the CPMC Research Institute, Drs. Goodson and Dairkee took healthy breast epithelial cells from women considered at high risk for developing breast cancer. The samples came from 23 women; 16 of the women had a personal history of breast cancer, the other seven were considered at high risk of developing breast cancer. The samples were then grown and exposed to BPA at levels consistent with those found today in human blood, placenta and breast milk. This new methods allows a wider sample from the whole population so the results are more applicable to women in general. Dr. Goodson says, “The evidence is strong and getting stronger, that BPA poses a real threat to people, and it’s time to take it out of the food chain.” He continued, “But real change will need the support of everyone. Up to now, industry has avoided having to prove that the chemicals they use are not harmful. This kind of data shifts the responsibility. Industry should now be told to show us that these chemicals are safe.”
California Pacific Medical Center. Beyond Medicine At San Francisco’s California Pacific Medical Center, we believe in the power of medicine. We research the most up-to-date treatments, hire the most qualified individuals, and practice the most modern, innovative medicine available. We deliver the highest quality expert care, with kindness and compassion, in acute, post-acute and outpatient services, as well as preventive and complementary medicine. But we also believe that medicine alone is only part of the solution. That’s why we look intently at each individual case and treat the whole person, not just the illness. It’s why we go beyond medical care and provide our patients with things like disease counseling, family support and wellness treatments. As one of California’s largest private, community-based, not-for-profit, teaching medical centers, and a Sutter Health affiliate, we are able to reach deep into our community to provide education, screening and financial support in some of the city’s most underserved neighborhoods. Medicine can transform a body. But going beyond medicine can transform a life. www.cpmc.org
Most of us are genuinely trying to do our best to be healthy — we buy organic food, try to drink filtered water, include more fruits and vegetables with every meal, the list goes on and on. But what about the plastic our organic vegetables are wrapped in? What about the plastic bottles holding our filtered water? And the microwaveable plastic bag we sometimes use to cook our extra veggies in because it’s so easy? While the science is still relatively preliminary at this point, there is a possibility that the packaging surrounding our food may be just as influential on our health as what is inside.
Chemicals like Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates and PCV (polyvinyl chloride) have all been found in plastic food packaging, the linings of soda cans and canned food. These chemicals, often referred to as endocrine disruptors, do much more than simply help to protect and contain our food. They can mimic our natural hormones, turning on or off the body’s native hormone signals to block natural responses or trigger excessive action.
BPA, in particular, could possibly disrupt the way our hormones communicate, and may, in certain amounts, lead to fertility issues, cancer, impaired brain function, Type-2 diabetes and obesity. But the problem is bigger than BPA alone. A recent study found that even the BPA-free plastic can potentially release “estrogenic chemicals” into food and beverages as well.
It’s amazing to me that 100 years ago plastic packaging wasn’t even a thought. The truth is, we simply don’t know the long-term implications of these synthetic materials. I do know that our health and the health of our children is a steep price to pay for these modern conveniences.
New research offers hope
From baby bottles and toys to the lining of milk cartons, it may seem like plastic is everywhere and there this no way to reduce your exposure. But a recent study — though small — offers an opportunity for us to be hopeful and puts the power in our own hands. The researchers looked at levels of BPA and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in individuals who were eating canned and packaged foods and drinking out of plastic water bottles. They were told to eat their normal diet and then were given fresh foods for three days that didn’t come from cans or plastic. The researchers made sure the fresh food wasn’t cooked or prepared in plastic or stirred with plastic utensils.
In just three days, the participants reduced their levels of BPA and DEHP by more than 50 percent!
In a time when we are hearing so many negative things about our food and our environment, it’s refreshing to know that we can do something about the modern toxins we’re surrounded by — simply by making different choices around food and packaging. You can also make a difference in the way you eat as well. For tips on low-pesticide veggies, fish with low PCBs and mercury and an easy veggie spray recipe to clean your food, see my article six ways to enhance the quality of your food.
Tips to reduce your plastic exposure
Here are some of the tips I give to my patients and follow myself to reduce exposure to unwanted toxins:
Avoid using plastic as much as you possibly can. If you have to use plastic, look for items with recycling #1, #2, and #4 because they don’t contain BPA.
Go back to glass, cast iron, stainless steel, ceramic and wood to cook, serve and store your food. Save old jars and lids to put your leftovers in instead of using Tupperware or other plastic storage containers.
Use canvas bags for your produce instead of the plastic they offer at the store. Use only glass in the microwave or get rid of your microwave altogether.
Use wooden and stainless steel utensils while cooking your food and silver or stainless steel for eating it.
Investigate local farms for fresh “unpackaged” vegetables and naturally raised meat. When my children were at home, we purchased pork and beef in bulk from a local farm and split the cost with other families. We stored it in our freezer and it fed us for the year.
If you’re traveling, bring as much of your own food as you can and find the local grocery store or natural market for other fresh items.
Use a glass or stainless steel water bottle instead of drinking from plastic.
On a recent trip to Europe to visit my father, I was absolutely astounded by the fresh food available everywhere — even the gas stations were stocked with homemade sandwiches, salad bars, fruit baskets and assorted cheeses. This is such a stark contrast to all the packaged food we find in our grocery markets.
I urge you to pay attention to what you eat and how it is packaged. Even if you only follow one of the tips above, you’ll be making a difference. Don’t let anyone tell you there’s no hope. I know that our gas stations probably won’t offer delicious, fresh food like I saw all over Europe any time soon, but you have a lot more power over your food choices than you may think. And every little bit counts.
When it comes to food choices, fresh is best. More research shows that the chemicals used in packaging foods, such as BPA (bisphenol A) and phthalates, are ending up in consumer’s bodies, not just the trash can. BPA has actually already been banned in Canada because of its toxicity.
The best way to avoid exposure to these chemicals is to buy fresh, unpackaged foods. Aside from that, avoid plastic and cans. Why? Think about a plastic bottle left in the sun. The heat melts the plastic and increases leaching of those chemicals into your food and drink. Here are some ways to cut down on toxin exposure:
Use glass or ceramic to microwave and store your food. If you absolutely must use plastic (which we don’t recommend) to store your leftovers, make sure that the food is cold or room temperature before putting it in the container.
Same for traveling. Bring your lunch to work in a glass container instead of plastic.
Use stainless steel to cook food.
Don’t cover anything with plastic wrap except cold foods kept in the refrigerator.
Choose frozen foods and soups packaged in cartons over cans.
Don’t reuse plastic bottles. Buy a reusable aluminum bottle instead.
Throw out any container with a scratch. That groove can harbor bacteria and increase the leaching of chemicals into your food or drink.
If all this makes your head spin, just keep it simple and go for fresh. Spend some quality time in the produce section at your grocery store or farmer’s market, bring your own (non-plastic) bag, and steam, roast or eat it raw. Research shows that by eliminating processed food and plastics from your daily diet for just three days, you can reduce the toxins in your body. Time to start a real detox diet!
If you sometimes can’t remember where you put the car keys — or like author Joshua Foer, the car itself — don’t panic. You can do something about it, Foer promises, in an intriguing-sounding new book calledMoonwalking with Einstein.
Foer is a science journalist who participated in the U.S. Memory Championship and went from a guy with an average memory to actually winning the competition.
Moonwalking with Einstein is on the bestseller list now because so many people, like me, are obsessed with memory and how to improve it. I’m anxious to read this book, which Maureen Dowd in the New York Times, called “both fun and reassuring. All it takes to have a better memory, he (Foer) contends, are a few tricks and a good erotic imagination.”
Foer’s book is at the top of my reading list this summer. I don’t get as much new book information as I did when I edited the book pages of the defunct Houston Post, but I still read book sections online from around the country, get catalogs from publishers and review books. And here are some titles — four more nonfiction books and five novels — that sound like great summer reading.
Trillin on Texas is by the wonderfully amusing Calvin Trillin, a writer for The New Yorker who has, surprisingly, a Texas connection. His family immigrated to the United States through the port of Galveston, and he seems to love writing about Texas. Included in this collection are previously published articles and poems in various publications about everything from Houston’s colorful immigration lawyers and scouting for books with Larry McMurtry to his sardonic take on the Bush dynasty and their tendency toward fractured syntax.
The Only Game in Town: Sportswriting from The New Yorker, edited by David Remnick, is a paperback collection coming out next month that also promises to be fun reading. Here is John Updike on Ted Williams, Henry Louis Gates Jr. on Michael Jordan, David Owen on Tiger Woods, and Martin Amis writing about several tennis personalities.
I love biographies of interesting people, and here are two that sound promising:
Ben: A Personal Portrait of Ben Bradlee, Journalism’s Legendary Editor,by Jeff Himmelman, is about the crusty Washington Post editor who led the fight to publish the Pentagon Papers. Famous for his brashness and charm, Bradlee was depicted by Jason Robards in All the President’s Men. This short (192 pages) biography will be in bookstores next month.
Will Rogers: A Political Life by Richard D.White is about the Great American Humorist who died in a 1935 plane crash. It got a rave review recently in The New York Times, which pointed out that Rogers in his day was bigger than Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert and even Rush Limbaugh.
In fiction this summer? A lot of people are still reading and talking aboutThe Help, Kathryn Stockett’s compellingly-readable novel about black maids in 1960s Mississippi (and soon to become a movie). But here are several newer novels to check out:
In The Social Animal, New York Times columnist David Brooks explores the unconscious mind and how it shapes the way we eat, love, live, vacation and relate to other people. The novel focuses on one couple, and one of my book club members who is always looking for good new fiction found this one fascinating and funny.
An Object of Beauty is a new novel about the New York art world by actor and comedian Steve Martin, who is also a wonderfully-amusing writer. His bestselling novella Shopgirl was made into a movie.
The new book focuses on an ambitious young woman who will do anything to get ahead, including indulging in questionable deals and possible felonies. Martin, himself an art collector, knows his subject well, and may have another bestseller on his hands.
The Paris Wife by Paula Mclain is a new novel based on Ernest Hemingway’s first wife that several friends are reading this summer. Though doomed, Hadley Richardson’s marriage to Hemingway had its giddy high points, including a whirlwind courtship and a few fast and furious years in Paris in the Jazz Age. Reviews have been mixed, but USA Today predicted that women and book groups “are going to eat up this novel.”
And here’s another blending of fact and fiction called Not Between Brothers: An Epic Novel of Texas by David Marion Wilkinson. A bloody and gripping tale of the birth of the Lone Star State, the book portrays three cultures — Mexican, white immigrant and Comanche — in collision.
It’s not a new book — the 15th anniversary edition was published last year in paperback — but Not Between Brothers has been optioned for a TV mini-series and received a number of awards.
Finally, the most talked-about book in literary circles in 2010 was Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen. It’s been called, like Franzen’s previous novel, The Corrections, a masterpiece of American fiction. Book critics who reviewed it pronounced it “a page turner” and “the great American novel.”
This one has been on my list for months, and this summer, at last, I’m hoping to read it.
