Water is Precious
Many of us are familiar with the verse “Water, water everywhere, nor any drop to drink” from the poem: “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner”. Most of us, however, probably dont realize how true those words are in terms of the amount of freshwater available to us.
Have you ever wondered where our water is stored? As you probably guessed, most of it is in the oceans. In fact, over 97% of all water on the planet is too salty for us to drink. Of the remaining 3% that is freshwater, about 2% is tied up in ice caps and glaciers and about 0.9% is stored as water in the ground. That leaves less than 0.1% of the worlds total water supply to be split up between rivers, lakes, and the atmosphere (stored as water vapor)!
More information about the water cycle can be found at: http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/watercycle.html
Schuylkill County’s children health study
Children from Schuylkill County will participate in the largest national study of how genetics and the environment affect children’s health
The $3.2 billion National Children’s Study, which will follow 100,000 children in 105 areas across the country from conception — or before — to age 21, will begin in Montgomery County in November 2008 and in Schuylkill County in July 2009.
Schuylkill, Montgomery, Westmoreland and Philadelphia counties in Pennsylvania are among the 105 locations that will recruit participants. Each site will have a goal of enrolling at least 250 newborns each year for four or five years.
Physicians in the study will visit mothers during pregnancy, collect specimens and information during delivery and follow-up with visits at 6 and 12 months of age, then every three years after.
“People are born with certain genes, but we don’t know what turns them on or off,” Schwarz said. “The study will look at what happens before birth and sometimes even before conception, that influences how genes are turned on or off.”
It will also examine environmental influences – such as air and water pollution – and other factors, including what children eat, how they are cared for and the safety of their neighborhoods, National Institutes of Health officials say.
NIH has selected “study centers” to lead the recruitment and enrollment efforts. Among them is Pottsville Hospital and Warne Clinic in Schuylkill County.
“We’re excited about it. Most definitely,” said Mike Peckman, spokesman for Pottsville Hospital, which is the only facility in the county that delivers babies.
This post was abstracted, with permission, from an article written by Chris Parker of the Morning Call.
Babies and Arsenic Exposure
Researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found for the first time that mothers who drink water contaminated with arsenic during pregnancy increase the risk of their children to cancer and other diseases. This prenatal exposure causes gene changes that last a lifetime.
These scientists found the function of up to 450 genes can be changed in babies exposed to arsenic in the womb.
You can read more at this Environmental News Service publication.
Some private water supplies in Carbon County are contaminated with arsenic. I know this for sure because I have arsenic in my well water. What about your well water?
For the sake of your children, please have your water tested.
There’s Drought About!
The National Integrated Drought Information System (NIDIS) just launched a new website to keep us informed about drought — current conditions, impacts and forecasts.
http://www.drought.gov/portal/server.pt
CoCoRaHS volunteers < http://www.cocorahs.org/ >will play several important roles in NIDIS. Our data are used to help monitor both emerging and improving drought conditions and are especially important in showing how moisture is varying within our individual counties. We will be encouraged to report drought impacts within our counties and communities. Also, we can help share information about drought conditions, preparation and mitigation.
National foundation honors Carbon County
http://www.tnonline.com/node/230258
Times News
October 20, 2007
National foundation honors Carbon Co. for its groundwater protection efforts
Carbon County has been designated as a Groundwater Guardian Community by The Groundwater Foundation in recognition of its efforts to protect local groundwater supplies.
The county received this designation for the foundation’s 2007 program year and is among 139 communities in 34 states and one Canadian province to receive this designation.
Groundwater Guardians is a program of The Groundwater Foundation which encourages citizen involvement in groundwater education and protection at the local level. Groundwater Guardians form diverse teams of citizens, business/agriculture, local government and educators and work together to implement activities that address the groundwater concerns and issues of the community ranging from youth water festivals to household hazardous waste pickups to wellhead protection ordinances. Carbon County has been designated as a Groundwater Guardian since 2000.
Carbon County will be nationally recognized for its work on behalf of groundwater at the National Groundwater Guardian Designation Celebration, held in conjunction with The Groundwater Foundation’s National Conference. The 2007 conference, “Groundwater Protection: Bridging the Gap Between What is Known and What is Practiced,” will be held Nov. 28 through 30 at the Denver Sheraton West Hotel in Lakewood, Col. This year’s celebration will include the official Groundwater Guardian Designation Ceremony, a reception, silent auction and banquet.
The Groundwater Foundation is a nonprofit organization with a mission to educate and motivate the public to care about and for groundwater. Since it began in 9185, the foundation has developed programs, projects and publications that have educated youth and adults about the importance of groundwater and ways they can protect it.
For more information about Carbon County’s Groundwater Guardian activities, Groundwater Guardian or The Groundwater Foundation, contact either 1 (800) 858-4844 or at guardian@groundwater.org or visit the foundation’s Web site at www.groundwater.org.
Polycythemia vera Cancer report ready
The region will receive its cancer diagnosis Oct. 24, and some concerned citizens believe the prognosis is poor.
The state Department of Health announced Tuesday a public meeting to release findings on incidence of a rare blood cancer called polycythemia vera from 7 to 9 p.m. at Best Western Genetti Inn & Suites, Hazleton.
The Carbon County Groundwater Guardians uncovered the three initial diagnosed cases of polycythemia vera on Ben Titus Road, Rush Township in 2003 and made their findings public at a press conference in June, 2004.
Representatives from the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry and the state Department of Health, along with a national polycythemia vera expert and local doctors, will attend the meeting.
Read more at republicanherald.com
Elevated blood mercury levels found in those who eat more fish.
September 19, 2007
Because of copyright issues, I cannot reproduce the article.
http://blogs.consumerreports.org/safety/
ENVIRO-TIP OF THE MONTH
Reduce your carbon footprint. Use public transportation, carpool, walk, or bike whenever possible to avoid using your car. Learn about greenhouse gas emissions on the road. http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/wycd/road.html
CCGG Meeting on September 10, 2007
The Carbon County Groundwater Guardians hold their regular monthly meetings on the first Monday of each month. Due to the Labor Day holiday, the meeting date has been changed. I
Electronics Recycling On Sept. 24 & 25
The Times News
http://www.tnonline.com/taxonomy/term/1837
Carbon to hold annual electronics recycling event in September
The Carbon County Department of Solid Waste announced that they will be holding their fall electronics recycling collection event two days in September.
In cooperation with Towamensing Township and A-Plus Industries, the could will host the event at the Towamensing Township Municipal Building, located at 120 Stable Road in Lehighton, on Monday, Sept. 24, from noon to 6 p.m. and Tuesday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Electronic devices will be accepted at no charge to the county or its residents. Acceptable materials include: VCRs, DVD players, radios, stereo equipment, computers (monitors, towers, printers, scanners, keyboards), main frame and telecom equipment, application (OEM) equipment, circuit boards of any kind, fax machines, typewriters and telephones. TVs and white goods or items that contain freon will not be accepted.
If you have any questions, contact the Solid Waste office at (610) 852-5111.