Corn and Dead Zones in the Gulf

While you get a lot or reporting on the BP spill, how about lack of coverage on the impact of the corn based ethanol dead zone in the gulf?

And has anyone bothered to ask how all the GMO corn and soy beans will effect the biochemistry of the Gulf waters as well as marine life or land life?

This isn't too different than the cover-up you never hear about in Idaho's Silver Valley at the nation's largest Superfund site.

Excerpt from Dead Zone in Gulf Linked to Ethanol Production
by Carolyn Lochhead, Chronicle Washington Bureau

Corn is biggest culprit

The gulf dead zone is the second-largest in the world, after one in the Baltic Sea. Scientists say the biggest culprit is industrial-scale corn production. Corn growers are heavy users of both nitrogen and pesticides. Vast monocultures of corn and soybeans, both subsidized by the federal government, have displaced diversified farms and grasslands throughout the Mississippi Basin.

"The subsidies are driving farmers toward more corn," said Gene Turner, a zoologist at Louisiana State University. "More nitrate comes off corn fields than it does off of any other crop by far. And nitrogen is driving the formation of the dead zone."

The dead zone, he said, is "a symptom of the homogenization of the landscape. We just have a few crops on what used to have all kinds of different vegetation."

In 2007, Congress passed a renewable fuels standard that requires ethanol production to triple in the next 12 years. The Department of Agriculture has just rolled out a plan to meet that goal, including building ethanol refineries in every state. The Environmental Protection Agency will decide soon whether to increase the amount of ethanol in gasoline blends from 10 percent to 15 percent.

A 2008 National Research Council report warned of a "considerable" increase in damage to the gulf if ethanol production is increased.

Pet cause of Congress

Read complete article http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2010/07/06/MNF91E84SL.DTL

Oil Spill and Your Health

Oil spill may endanger human health

Listen to today's episode of herbalYODA Says! LIVE on environmental effects and your health

See also: new at Natural Notes 

Fertility and the Environment

D. Mail 19.4.10
"MOTHERS-TO-BE 'CAN HARM SON'S FERTILITY' "
A man's fertility can depend on his mother's lifestyle. A large-scale review of factors affecting sperm production found that how a woman looks after herself in pregnancy could have a major effect on her unborn baby's ability to father a child in adulthood. Smoking & exposure to pesticides & traffic pollution do more harm in the first weeks of life than in the adult body, according to Richard Sharpe, one of UKs leading reproductive biologists. This could be because exposure to toxins in the womb cuts the number of sertoli cells, highly specialised cells needed to 'nurse' young sperm through to maturity during a man's life. With as many as 1 in 5 men having a low sperm count & UK couples spending almost £2billion a year at IVF clinics, it underlines the importance of a woman doing the best for her baby during pregnancy. A study of the after-effects of a major chemical leak from an Italian factory found males who were in the womb at the time grew up to have lower than expected sperm counts. The professor's research concluded that chemicals in food, cosmetics & cleaning products are to blame for some of the birth defects in baby boys' genitals & raise the risk of testicular cancer in later life. Dr. Allan Pacey, a Sheffied Uni expert in male fertility said this highlights the importance of women not exposing their baby to harmful chemicals during pregnancy. He said that men can damage their sperm production & would-be-fathers should limit their exposure to things that damage sperm production, such as recreation & prescription drugs.

Sustainable Textiles: Target and Bamboo

Econundrum: Bamboozled by Bamboo?

— By Kiera Butler

Mon November 9, 2009

When I needed new sheets last year, I didn't dream big: High thread counts are well outside my price range. So imagine my delight when I found bamboo sheets at my local Target. So soft! So cheap! And so sustainable: Bamboo is kind of an eco wonder crop, since it grows fast, absorbs more CO2 than most trees, and requires few pesticides. It’s also biodegradable and even naturally antimicrobial. I skedaddled out of Target in record time (phew), congratulated myself on this smart buy, and celebrated with a nap.

But last month, I had a rude awakening: I learned that my sheets are probably not as dreamy as Target claimed. Turns out most soft fabrics labeled bamboo are actually rayon, a synthetic fabric that can be made from the cellulose of any plant. In October, the Federal Trade Commission ruled that a company called, pricelessly, Bamboosa was not allowed to pass its bamboo-based rayon products off as "100 percent bamboo"—or claim they had bamboo's ecobenefits. The reason: Once you turn bamboo into rayon, it loses its biodegradable and antimicrobial properties. Bamboosa has changed its label to "viscose derived from bamboo." Cozy, huh?

My sheets aren't as bad as some of the cheapo synthetics out there. Since rayon is derived from plants, it's less carbon-intensive than fabrics made from petroleum (polyester, nylon, and acrylic, to name a few). But the chemical processes used to manufacture rayon can be awfully gnarly. Truly sustainable fabrics are hard to come by: Organic cotton is popular among ecodesigners, and while its water footprint is smaller than its conventional counterpart's, it's still not tiny. In general, determining a fabric's environmental impact requires a little homework. Organic Clothing blog has a great ecoclothing glossary.

The bottom line: Don't let fabric manufacturers pull the wool over your eyes: "Made from bamboo" often means rayon derived from bamboo, which isn't as sustainable as pure bamboo fibers.

Why You Should Go Organic

In today’s society – with an ever vigilant eye towards health consciousness – we are forever in search of those factors that will give us the edge in achieving maximum health. As we’ve learned, a healthy diet, a consistent regime of physical activity, and plenty of rest all has a profound impact on our overall vitality. Subsequently, there has been an overwhelming group of people that swear by the benefit of organic food.

Produced by organic farms, organic food is grown under strict government supervision. Under these guidelines, organic produce is grown and packaged without the use of any chemicals or pesticides. Traditionally grown, non-organic produce is subjected to a myriad of chemicals – most of which are have not been studied thoroughly enough to understand or contemplate their long-term effects on the human body. Researchers are still undecided as to whether or not these chemicals can be linked to everything from food allergies to certain types of cancer. The benefit of organic food is that they are not subjected to these unreliable substances.

Meat and dairy produced under organic guidelines are also chemical free. Traditional agricultural farmers often subject livestock to a bevy of chemical supplements designed to speed their growth and weight. Further, dairy cows are often given chemicals to increase their milk production. The benefit of organic food is that livestock is given only organic feed that is chemical and supplement free.

Another benefit of organic food is its advantage to the environment. Traditionally grown produce are treated with chemicals; naturally the chemicals are then in the soil, changing the landscape and contaminating the ground and surrounding water supplies. The benefit of organic food is the ground in which it is grown is left unchanged.

Making a commitment to organic food means making a commitment to your health; the benefit of organic food lies in the chemical free enjoyment of natural whole food. Further, the benefits to the environment are varied and long lasting. The decision to go organic is a healthy and responsible one.

Cancer: A Nutritional and Environmental Dis-Ease

This last sentence from the following story tells it all.

"One theory is that the change in caloric intake beefs up cell repair mechanisms against destructive agents called free radicals."

Since 1962 we have been told that cancer is a nutritional disease. Now we have the added and cumulative effect of environment, including vaccines. Even veterinarians are relating cancer in companion animals to the vaccines.

The use of the term "free radicals" also tells you that there is a very real reason why sound nutrition and vitamins are helpful in the process of recovering from cancer.

Articles like this make me wonder if any of the so called researchers know what they are doing, or even what they are saying.

If I look at just one cancer drug, 5 FU, a fluoride based long used chemo drug, I find that it depletes these nutrients -

NB:Limited test tube research occasionally does support the idea that an antioxidant can interfere with oxidative damage to cancer cells. However, most scientific research does not support this supposition.

Antioxidants*

Multiple nutrients* (malabsorption)
Taurine* reduces the likelihood and/or severity of a potential side effect caused by the medication.
Beta-carotene* (mouth sores)
Chamomile* (mouth sores)
Eleuthero* (Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
Russian research has looked at using eleuthero with chemotherapy. One study of patients with melanoma found that chemotherapy was less toxic when eleuthero was given simultaneously. Similarly, women with inoperable breast cancer given eleuthero were reported to tolerate more chemotherapy.45 Eleuthero treatment was also associated with improved immune function in women with breast cancer treated with chemotherapy and radiation.)
Ginger* (nausea)
Glutamine* (mouth sores)(intestinal toxicity)
Melatonin
N-acetyl cysteine* (NAC)
Probiotics (Lactobacillus GG)
Spleen peptide extract* (see text)
Thymus peptides* (see text)
Vitamin B6
Vitamin E*, topical (mouth sores)(also prevents hair loss)
Milk thistle*
PSK* (Coriolus versicolor)- The mushroom Coriolus versicolor contains an immune-stimulating substance called polysaccharide krestin, or PSK. PSK has been shown in several studies to help cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. One study involved women with estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer. PSK combined with chemotherapy significantly prolonged survival time compared with chemotherapy alone. Another study followed women with breast cancer who were given chemotherapy with or without PSK. The PSK-plus-chemotherapy group had a 25% better chance of survival after ten years compared with those taking chemotherapy without PSK. Another study investigated people who had surgically removed colon cancer. They were given chemotherapy with or without PSK. Those given PSK had a longer disease-free period and longer survival time. Three grams of PSK were taken orally each day in these studies.)

New clue on why cancer spread is linked to diet Mar 11, 2009
PARIS (AFP) – Investigators on Wednesday said there could be a clue to explain why dietary restriction succeeds or fails in braking the growth of cancer.

Scientists spotted a century ago the link between calorie intake and the progression of certain kinds of tumour.

But how this works at the molecular level has been unclear. In addition, tumours may remain puzzlingly immune to fasting among some individuals but not among others, which is partly why the practice has not been incorporated into cancer treatment.

Nada Kalaany and David Sabatini of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) looked at the impact of food curbs on six types of human cancers that had been grafted onto mice which had been genetically modified to lack immune resistance.

The mice were then split into two groups, with one batch able to tuck into a standard rodent diet for two to three weeks. The others received daily meals that amounted to a 40 percent reduction in calories compared to their counterparts, which led to a fall of between 20 and 30 percent in body weight.

The researchers conclude that tumours' sensitivity to fasting depends on a key pathway -- activation of an enzyme called phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, also called PI3K, which plays an important role in the proliferation of cancer cells.

If the PI3K pathway is closed, tumours respond to dietary restriction, and vice versa.

The study is important because it helps drug designers who are working hard on prototype treatments that mimic the effects of dietary curbs on cancer.

As several cancer types carry mutations that could cause the PI3K mechanism to open up, the paper suggests that the approach will not work in certain cases.

The paper is published by the British-based journal Nature.

Previous research on lab rodents suggests that a calorie decrease of 10 to 50 percent leads to a reduction in the incidence of certain cancers and brakes the speed at which they spread.

One theory is that the change in caloric intake beefs up cell repair mechanisms against destructive agents called free radicals.

Water Tower Antennae

Birds have historically been adaptable to pollution. Now with ever increasing electro-magnetic pollution (ElectroSmog) from cell phone towers, WI-FI and DTV, even birds cannot sustain.
As the crow flies: birds flee

Want To Live A Better Life? Help The Environment

If you start to live green now you will be adding more time
to your life because natural food is better for your health.
It is also better for the environment. Eating naturally
grown food and walking more will definitely improve anyone's
health. There are many more things you can do to improve your
health and at the same time make the earth a greener place
to live.

There are several ways you can live a greener life that
are easy to implement. Most cities have garbage services
that pick up recyclable materials in addition to your trash.
It is simple to set up a separate container for cardboard,
plastics and other recyclables. On trash day, your garbage
service takes it away and does all the hard work of
recycling all those materials.

Try to drive less. By combining your errands, you not only
save fuel and reduce the traffic on the roads; you are
giving yourself less stress from dealing with traffic jams
and other drivers. Carpool or use public transit when you
can. If you choose to ride a bike or walk for some of your
errands, you also get needed exercise. This will help keep
your heart healthy and keep you limber and toned.

Instead of tossing everything in the garbage, try tossing it
on a compost pile to fertilize your garden in the spring. It
will save you money because you won't have to go to the
store and buy organic fertilizer, in fact it may even save
you a trip to the store. Throw all the old vegetables and
fruit in and any clippings you have from cooking in the
pile. Coffee grounds, egg shells, leaves and grass can all
go in the compost pile. Do not put in meat or bones as it
will attract insects and takes too long to decompose. Hose
down the pile occasionally to keep it from drying out; it
won't break down as well if it is dry.

There is a lot you can do in your home to get more green.
Open up the curtains and let the light in. Natural light is
the best light to see by and you can avoid using energy by
leaving your lights off more. Start using the new compact
fluorescent light bulbs and stop wasting money and energy on
the standard bulbs. These bulbs will last much longer and
use less energy. You will love not having to change light
bulbs all the time.

Small things like recycling cans, bottles and plastic
packaging helps lower your garbage bills and helps reduce
your carbon footprint. Use cloth bags when you shop instead
of taking their paper or plastic bags. Some stores even
knock off a few cents when you use your own bags. All of
this will help reduce pollution, which is healthier for you
because you'll be breathing cleaner air.

Once you get started, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to
live greener. You'll be amazed at how much better you feel?
both physically and mentally. Plus, you'll feel better
knowing you're doing your part to have a healthier planet to
live on. So go ahead? live greener and live longer. You'll
be happy you gave it a try.

Green Living: Making Your Own Non-Toxic Cleaners

Back in 1991 I started teaching a series of classes under the broad heading of "Green Living". The classes came as the result of the naturally oriented column I was writing at that time and some local presentations in and around the Puget Sound region.

Probably one of my most popular classes from that time is one where I talk about all the ingredients in mass market cleaners and why they are not health promoting.

During this program I teach how to clean just about anything you can imagine with a select few ingredients, bought cheaply at the supermarket or in bulk if you know where to access these in your local area.

Of course now the big producers of mass market cleaners are flooding the market with their brands hoping you'll keep up their $10 billion market share. While these products aren't totally toxic, under the guise of green they still include some known irritants and toxins.

Generally most people aren't as interested as I am in reading the chemical index, a standard resource for the cleaning products and HABA crowd. You can find this in the library and you'd really be amazed and what you find. You can also look up things under MSDS (material safety data sheet) system.

The problem is that while single items may be "approved" the mixtures resulting from adding two or more ingredients together are not required to be tested for health or environmental risks.

Back at that time we prepared one of our Healthy Handouts© on the topic of making your own cleaning products. This might be something you'd like to purchase as it seems that you can save - on the average - over $400 a year doing some very simple things along these lines.