PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM FOOD POISONING

PROTECT YOUR FAMILY FROM FOOD POISONING

Home is the source of half of infectious intestinal illnesses, study shows. "The home is the source of about half of all intestinal illnesses in Ontario, according to a study published in the International Journal of Food Protection. The study, co-authored by Professor Marilyn Lee of Ryerson University and published in the June issue of the Journal, looked at more than 44,000 reported cases of intestinal illness in Ontario between 1997 and 2001 and found that half had their origin in the home."

Which room in your home would you believe to be the most prone to disease causing bacteria? It is not the bathroom as many would suspect but rather it is your kitchen which is a hot spot for microbes. Your common household disinfectant has been found to be effective against bacteria that cause food borne illnesses, and research has been proven that with regular use the incidence of food borne illnesses declines greatly. Dr. Charles Gerba, a microbiologist at the University of Arizona, Tucson, and his colleagues conducted a study by sampling sites within 15 different homes.

They found the highest levels of contamination to be in areas that remain damp, such as kitchen sponges and rags, kitchen sinks and the kitchen faucet handle. Kitchen counters, cutting boards and refrigerator handles should also be disinfected regularly. They found that regular cleaning had little effect on the bacteria but by regularly using disinfectants the bacteria level was reduced by 95%. They found the main cause of disease causing bacteria in the kitchen to be raw meat.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN KEEPING A HEALTHY AND BACTERIA FREE KITCHEN
Replace kitchen sponges and rags often, at least once a week. Sponges can be disinfected by putting them in the dishwasher. Wash dish rags in the washing machine then dry on high heat.

- Cutting boards are breeding grounds for bacteria. Wash with regular dish detergent then sanitize with a disinfectant. Keep two cutting boards, one for meat and one for fruits and vegetables. You may also put your cutting board in the dishwasher for sanitizing purposes.
- Kitchen counter tops should be disinfected regularly.
- Disinfect refrigerator handles, sinks and drains and sink faucets regularly.

PROPER HANDLING AND PREPARATION OF FOOD
The improper handling and preparing of food is also a major cause of food borne illnesses in the home. A very simple but often overlooked basic exercise in food safety is the thorough washing of hands before handling food. This will greatly reduce the risk of food contamination. When washing your hands, make sure to use a rubbing motion for 20 seconds because this rubbing does make a difference in removing pathogens.

HELPFUL AND HEALTHY TIPS TO AVOID FOOD CONTAMINATION:
- When grocery shopping, purchase your frozen and refrigerated items last and put them into the refrigerator or freezer promptly.
- Use different dishes for raw and cooked food.
- Defrost food in the refrigerator or microwave, not on the counter.
- Cook foods thoroughly and do not eat raw or partially cooked eggs.
- Cool and promptly store leftovers by either putting in refrigerator or freezer. Remember bacteria grow at room temperature.
- Don't leave perishable foods out more than two hours.
Brought to you by http://www.smartlivingnews.com

Environmental Innovation Award

Concrete Washout Systems, Inc. Awarded Environmental Innovation Award by the National Ready

Concrete Washout Systems, Inc., (CWS) announced today that it has been recognized by the National Ready Mixed Concrete Association (NRMCA) and awarded the 2004 Environmental Innovation Award for its development and implementation of the Concrete Washout Systems bin. CWS has also been recognized by the Sacramento Environmental Commission (SEC), in its 5th Annual Environmental Awards, for voluntarily exceeding environmental regulatory requirements.

We are elated that the NRMCA has chosen us for its 2004 Environmental Innovation Award and the recognition received from the SEC. We have put a lot of time and dedication into our system and company and believe we have developed a product that not only meets and exceeds Best Management Practices but what we feel is the Best Available Technology today, stated Mark Jenkins, President of Concrete Washout Systems, Inc. We are now striving to educate the construction and erosion control industry professionals on the potential impact of illegal concrete washwater discharges and how our product and service can benefit them, their industry and the environment, added Mr. Jenkins.

The patent pending CWS is a portable, self-contained and watertight bin that controls, captures and contains concrete washout material and wastewater. It allows trade personnel to easily washout concrete trucks, pumps and equipment on site and facilitates easy off site recycling of the same concrete materials and wastewater, while protecting the storm drain system from potential illegal discharges. The off site recycling component yet again creates an even more environmentally sound application. This system replaces other outdated washout BMPs, which are costly, unsightly and damaging to the environment since their containment value diminishes, due to inherently faulty material, over use and lack of maintenance.
About Concrete Washout Systems, Inc.

Concrete Washout Systems is striving to become the industry standard in concrete washout containment, removal and recycling. The patent-pending Concrete Washout Systems Bin provides a cost effective and environmentally friendly alternative for homebuilders and contractors. For more information visit http://www.concretewashout.com

Online Carbon Calculators

Best Online Carbon Calculators


All of us contribute to global warming - which is related to the amount of carbon and other greenhouse gases being emitted into the atmosphere- every day with ,almost, our every action.

By using below mentioned online tools, you can measure:
- your carbon dioxide emissions,
- compare them with others and
- find out how to start cutting pollution right away.

1- Direct Gov

2- Carboncalculator.com

3- Climatecrisis.net

4- Nature.org

5- Carboncalculator.co.uk

6- Carbonfund.org

7- Fightglobalwarming.com

8- Carbon Footprint Calculator

9- Conservation.org

10- EcoNeutral Carbon Calculator

11- Personal Emissions Calculator

12- Simple Carbon Calculator

13- My carbon footprint.eu

14-Stopglobalwarming.org

Obama's Victory, Solar Companies and Stock Prices

Obama's Victory, Solar Companies and Stock Prices

It was expected that the green companies stock prices will skyrocket after Obama's victory.
Really?

Compare the stock prices beginning of the year with current prices:
(the first indicated price is the current one)

Akeena Solar $2.- / $17.-
Ascent Solar $4.- / $25
Evergreen Solar $3 / 18$
JA Solar Holdings Ltd. $3 / $27
Suntech Power $10 / 90$
Yingli Solar $4 / $40

Wave Power and PowerBuoy®

Wave Power and PowerBuoy®




A New Jersey-based company, namely Ocean Power Technologies, will be installing a water-power buoy system to tie into Hawaii's Oahu Island power grid.
According to PowerBuoy® wave generation system, ocean-going buoy to capture and convert wave energy into low-cost, clean electricity.

"The rising and falling of the waves off shore causes the buoy to move freely up and down. The resultant mechanical stroking is converted via a sophisticated power take-off to drive an electrical generator. The generated power is transmitted ashore via an underwater power cable."

Source & video for wave power generation: OPT

Electric Scooters

Electric Scooters



Electric Scooters are a serious green alternative to the cars in the cities.
The company IKOO offers one of them.
Below are the specifications:

Made out of T304 stainless surgical steel, the Ikoo uses an EQuake S6 600w electric motor to propel riders at 18 mph for a maximum range of 18 miles. The Ikoo electric scooter uses dual disc brakes to slow down the action.

The recharge time is a respectable 4 – 6 hours as well as the price tag of around $999. Key ignition, meshed headlight, twist throttle and power gauge are standard features of the Ikoo. Rear view mirrors, extension seat and an anti-theft device are optional.
http://www.ikoo.us/

Suppliers of Wind Power Generators

Builders and Suppliers of Wind Power Generators in the World


1- General Electric
U. S., Canada, Germany, Spain, China

2- Vestas
Denmark

3- Siemens
Germany

4- Gamesa
Spain

5- Suzlon
India

6- Helix
USA

7- Bergey WindPower
USA

8- Entegrity Wind Systems
USA

Green Driving

How to Drive "Green"

Style of your driving and vehicle maintanance are two keywords of green driving.
If you drive "green" you can save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants.

1 - Obey the officially declared speed limits.
Increasing your speed from 90km/h to 120km/h can raise fuel consumption as much as 20%.

2- Be not aggressive during driving
Hard braking and hard starts can increase fuel consumption by approximately 40% and toxic emissions five times higher.

3- Check tire pressure
Under-inflated tires can cause to the increase on your fuel consumptionon by as much as 7%. Check tire pressure at least once a month.

4- Turn off the engine when you are waiting for your wife
Idling wastes fuel and as the conclusion, produces unnecessary greenhouse gases, toxic emissions.

5 -Choose the right fuel for your car
High-octane fuels may not mean the right choise. Read your owner's manual to choose the right fuel.

6- Select the right gear
Driving in a gear lower than you need wastes fuel.

7- Tighten your gas cap

8- Park in the shade

9- Monitor power accessories

Or rather bike:

Environmental Science Journals free and online

Environmental Science Journals free / online


Environmental Research Letters

EARSeL eProceedings

Baltica

Conservation & Society

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics Discussions

Ambiente e Agua : An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Science

African Journal of Environmental Assessment and Management

American Journal of Environmental Sciences

Annals of Agricultural and Environmental Medicine

Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics

Current Science

Ekoloji

Electronic Green Journal

Climate of the Past Discussions

Climate of the Past

Environmental Health Perspectives

Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement - Biotechnology, Agronomy, Society and Environment

Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics


Source: Handy Archive

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Obama and Environmental Issues

Obama and Environmental Issues

Obama's opinions and strategies about environmental issues are vitally important for the green and environmentally friendly business.
Obama's thoughts about Kyoto, Carbon cap-and-trade, Renewables, Transport, Oil, and Nuclear issues are listed below.
Please find below the list of the articles and the speeches of B. Obama about environmental issues:




* Canada sees common ground with Obama on environment
Source: Reuters

* The Restoration of American Environmental Leadership
Source: MarketWatch

* How green will president Obama be?
Source: New Scientist

* Where Obama stands on the issues
Source: A.P.

* Obama the only winner when it comes to the environment
Source: Business Green

* The Obama White House – what can green business expect?
Source: Business Green


Barrack Obama's speech about energy and environment His plans clean energy.

Free Green Screensavers and Wallpapers

Free Green Screensavers and Wallpapers

1-
New Scientist magazine has released the environmental illustrations used on the cover of the magazine for your use as screensavers and as wallpapers.

Just click to download the screensavers and wallpapers.



2-

Other sources for the environmental themed wallpapers and screensavers:

* FLASH SCREEN. COM
* NT WALLPAPERS.COM
* BALLARD DESIGN.COM
* POPULAR PICS.COM