As a well-intended pet owner, you might apply off-the-shelf products to your furry friend to help kill fleas and ticks. But those collars, sprays, and dusts contain toxic chemicals that can poison pets and harm people. Even when applied as instructed on the box, the chemicals in many of these products are not safe, either for pets or humans.
Many of the products sold by the millions in grocery, drug and pet supply stores, contain organophosphates and carbamates, two classes of chemicals that work by interfering with the transmission of nerve signals in the brains and nervous system. In overdoses, they can be deadly to people and pets. But even with normal use of flea-control products, pets and children may be in danger.
Arsenic is a deadly poison so what's it doing at the playground? Since the 1970s, wood filled with arsenic has been hammered into outdoor decks, benches, picnic tables and playsets. The federal government banned arsenic-treated wood in 2004 for playgrounds and home use. But if the climber or deck your child plays on was built before 2004, chances are it's loaded with arsenic.
Plan a picnic and enjoy the fruits of summer.
Sunshine, longer days, green grass and summer's bounty of fruit and produce
make eating outside a pleasure. Spread a blanket and enjoy the outdoors with a
picnic of fresh, locally grown food.
Changing your light bulbs to compact fluorescent bulbs is among the easiest things you can do to save energy at home. CFLs use far less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs which means less pollution from power plants as well as a lower electricity bill. But unlike incandescents, CFLs shouldn't just be thrown in the trash when they burn out. CFLs contain a small amount of mercury inside their glass tubing and should be disposed of properly.
Mercury in CFLs is miniscule compared to mercury emissions from coal-fired electrical power plants.
Could swimming at your local beach be hazardous to your health? Swimming in contaminated water can cause a range of diseases, including rashes, pinkeye, ear infections and respiratory ailments. NRDC's annual survey of beachwater quality found that American beaches continue to be unsafe for swimming. This year, NRDC rated more than 100 popular beaches based on the cleanliness of the water and their monitoring and public notification practices. How clean is your beach? Find out.
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