El Diario NY

Long Beachs youngest mayor: Latino, openly gay and environmentally friendly

Impremedia — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 13:03:00 +0000

Long Beach has had better days. The pollution and environmental-unfriendly practices that prevail in this city leave something to be desired. A nice walk on…

January is National Radon Action Month

Impremedia — Thu, 15 Jan 2015 17:01:00 +0000

Most people have heard of radon and know it’s one of those “bad things,” but not many people understand just what radon is, where it comes from, or who is at-risk for its adverse health effects. To help spread awareness on this cancer-causing substance, January has been dubbed National Radon Action Month. Radon is a radioactive gas, and the National Cancer Institute indicates the substance can cause lung cancer in individuals who are exposed to it in high quantities. SEE ALSO: Do you know if your child’s school has toxic levels of radon? What most people don’t know, however, is that everyone is exposed to radon everyday. The gas is present in all air and is the natural by-product of normal decay of the elements uranium, thorium and radium in rocks and soil. “Radon is the number one cause of lung cancer among non-smokers, according to EPA estimates,” state materials from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). “Overall, radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer. Radon is responsible for about 21,000 lung cancer deaths every year. About 2,900 of these deaths occur among people who have never smoked.” How do people become over-exposed to radon? If radon naturally occurs in the environment, why is it that some people are exposed to enough to develop cancer? The answer to this question, according to the EPA, has to do with how mankind has evolved into living in modern homes. Thousands of years ago homes were not as airtight as they are today. Structures were sturdy enough to keep out rain and wind, but gasses released from the earth were able to filter out into the atmosphere. Now, with how modern building has sealed in homes, gasses like radon become trapped inside with nowhere to go. The EPA estimates as many as 1 in 15 homes in the United States have elevated radon levels. The gas enters the home through crack in the foundation, holes from plumbing, through poorly sealed joints and other gaps in building materials. Once it gets inside the home it starts to build up, sometimes even entering through well water itself. Because radon is an odorless, colorless gas, it is impossible to know if a home has elevated radon levels without actual testing. “Short-term detectors measure radon levels for 2 days to 90 days, depending on the device. Long-term tests determine the average concentration for more than 90 days. Because radon levels can vary from day to day and month to month, a long-term test is a better indicator of the average radon level,” states the American Cancer Society. “Homes that are next door to each other can have different indoor radon levels, making a neighbors test result a poor predictor of radon risk. In addition, rain or snow, barometric pressure, and other influences can cause radon levels to vary from month to month or day to day, which is why both short- and long-term tests are available.” How can you reduce radon in your home? According to the EPA, the only way to reduce the levels of radon in a home is to use a vent pipe system and fan, which pulls radon from beneath the house and vents it to the outside. While this system does not require any major changes to the home itself, it can be costly to install and still offers no guarantee radon levels will be reduced to a safe number. SEE ALSO: The health of Latin America depends on reducing black carbon Homeowners should take care to seal cracks in foundations and pipe systems; however, the same sealing practices that stop radon gas from entering a home can also trap it inside.

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The health of Latin America depends on reducing black carbon

Impremedia — Wed, 10 Dec 2014 18:12:00 +0000

Black carbon is an air pollutant described by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as “the most strongly light-absorbing component of particulate matter (PM)” that results from incomplete combustion of fossil fuel. It is considered the second most dangerous air pollutant globally, and is emitted by everything from major manufacturing processes to residential cooking. SEE ALSO: Hispanic children are more likely to die from asthma, but why? When it comes to those who suffer the most from black carbon, countries with few or no regulations on carbon emissions fare the worst, and Latin American nations top the list. “Black carbon emissions threaten the health of millions in Latin America and contribute to climate disruption already seen in declining Andean glaciers and a drier Amazon Basin, Jake Schmidt, Natural Resources Defense Council’s (NRDCs) international program director, said during a recent UN climate summit. The good news is some Latin American countries are already taking steps to curb this dangerous climate pollutant. We hope many countries will follow and add additional practical and proven measures to dramatically reduce black carbon. They can improve both public health and the climate that Latin Americans depend on for their livelihood. The NRDC explained on their blog most countries in Latin America do not adequately monitor or try to combat black carbon, but the good news is that, unlike other air pollutants, black carbon lingers only for days. This means that organized efforts to control black carbon would have immediate positive impacts on public health. The EPA notes health consequences of black carbon include nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, coughing, difficulty breathing, and premature death in people with lung or heart disease. Children and older adults are the most susceptible to the negative effects of black carbon. “When we surveyed existing research about black carbons impacts on both climate change and public health, we and our partners at GNA found that in contrast to global information data about these impacts specifically in Latin America was quite sparse,” stated the NRDC. “Much more study needs to be done on both topics to understand the type and extent of the effects that black carbon emissions in Latin America are having on people and the environment. Nevertheless, enough data does exist to show that the problem is serious and warrants government action.” The NRDC report found that in Latin America: Only nine of the 15 countries monitor for fine particulate matter emissions (which covers black carbon); The air quality in all of the ten major cities that measure for particulate matter and fine particulate matter exceeded World Health Organization (WHO) recommended levels; Brazil, Mexico and Argentina combined have 80 percent of the vehicles in Latin America; The countries with the highest growth rate in vehicle fleets were Honduras and Nicaragua; Chile and Mexico are the only countries with stringent vehicle emissions standards; and Only Chile has fuel quality standards strict enough to allow for major reductions in black carbon. In order to combat the dangers of black carbon, experts recommended Latin American countries make a few specific changes, including: establishing better air quality monitoring procedures, offer initiatives to encourage people to replace old vehicles, create fuel requirements for vehicles, and establish low emission zones in urban areas that limit vehicle access. SEE ALSO: Worried about air pollution? Maybe you need broccoli sprouts! Countries around the world can chart many paths to reduce the threat that climate change poses to our health and to future generations, Amanda Maxwell, NRDCs Latin America Project director, during the summit. Reducing black carbon emissions from cars and trucks is a simple, proven path that Latin America can take advantage of to the benefit of millions of people.

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Will the Mexican government right the damage done to the Sonora River?

Impremedia — Mon, 18 Aug 2014 15:08:00 +0000

In the Mexican state of Sonora, a mining company recently discharged sulfuric acid into the Sonora River and its tributaries. The occurrence prompted the government…

Environmental group encourages Latinos to push for clean energy

Impremedia — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 13:07:00 +0000

An environmental group called the League of Conservation Voters (LCV) is encouraging Latinos living in the Southwest to push for clean energy and less pollution…

Worried about air pollution? Maybe you need broccoli sprouts!

Impremedia — Wed, 02 Jul 2014 18:07:00 +0000

A beverage made from broccoli sprouts may help provide a modest shield from certain air pollutants, say researchers who published a study in the journal…

The pollution map

Impremedia — Wed, 23 Apr 2014 14:04:04 +0000

It has long been known that African-Americans and Latinos in California live in low-income communities exposed to the worst environmental pollution. Now the hardest hit areas are also known in sufficient detail to undertake more targeted efforts to respond to the problem.The new pollution map released by the California Environmental Protection Agencybreaks the state down […]

Latinos should advocate for a healthy future this Earth Day

Impremedia — Tue, 22 Apr 2014 09:04:00 +0000

OPINION By Xavier Morales For many, Earth Day represents an opportunity to celebrate the planet, rejoice outdoors, and perhaps plant a tree. For us, however,…

Lead from Exide

Impremedia — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 13:03:08 +0000

Life in two neighborhoods near the Exide Technologies plant in Vernon has been disrupted.According to officials from the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC), lead pollution has made it dangerous for children to play in the soil of their backyards, people must place mats inside and outside their entrances and if they plant vegetables, […]

Pollution in Vernon

Impremedia — Fri, 06 Sep 2013 13:09:03 +0000

The Exide facility in Vernon has a long history of air pollution irregularities that have put at risk the lives of tens of thousands of local residents. At this point in the sad story, it should be shut down once and for all.The manufacturing facility recycles close to 22 million batteries a year, employing roughly […]