Conservation Corner Archives

How To Recognize and Prevent CO Poisoning

Many people are aware of the threat posed by carbon monoxide, or CO. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 430 people die from accidental CO poisoning in the United States each year, while the Canada Safety Council notes that carbon monoxide is the leading cause of fatal poisonings throughout North America. The CDC points out that instances of CO poisoning are entirely preventable, which might surprise many of the estimated tens of thousands of people in the United States who visit emergency rooms to be treated for CO poisoning each year. Learning to recognize signs of CO poisoning and how to prevent it can help people avoid its harmful effects and potentially save lives. Recognizing CO poisoning. The National Center for Environmental Health says that breathing CO can cause a variety of symptoms, including headache, dizziness, vomiting or nausea. Infants, the elderly and people with chronic heart disease, anemia or breathing problems are more likely to get sick from CO exposure than children, adults and people without the aforementioned conditions. How can I prevent CO poisoning? Even those people who do not lose their lives to moderate or severe CO poisoning can suffer long-term health consequences, including an increased risk of heart disease, as a result of their exposure. So it behooves everyone to take steps to prevent CO poisoning from occurring. Do not run a motor vehicle, generator, pressure washer or any gasoline-powered engine within 20 feet of an open window, door or vent. The exhaust from such items can vent into enclosed areas, increasing the risk of CO exposure. Do not leave motor vehicles running in enclosed or partially enclosed spaces, such as a garage. Do not run generators, pressure washers or gasoline-powered engines inside basements, garages or other enclosed structures, even if windows are open. Do not operate charcoal grills, hibachis, lanterns or portable camping stoves indoors or insides tents or campers. CO poisoning can cause very serious consequences, including death. Fortunately, all instances of CO poisoning can be prevented.

Conservation Corner

Conservation Corner | December 2020

Did You Know? According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, e-waste refers to electronic products that have finished their useful life. Televisions, computers, tablets, audio and stereo equipment, cameras and mobile phones all qualify as e-waste when their usefulness has expired. Many people are unaware of how to safely dispose of such items, and simply throwing them into the trash can be harmful to the environment and even illegal. Electronics can typically be donated or recycled, but men and women donating old computers or mobile phones should have any personal or potentially sensitive information scrubbed from such devices before donating or recycling them.

Parentown KidShape

KidShape – August 2020

Music is everywhere: on the radio, in movies and television shows and as a backdrop when shopping or celebrating milestones. Music is an integral part of cultures all over the world. Music can express emotions not easily conveyed otherwise. It also provides a sense of community and belonging and can help unite the divided. Playing musical instruments or singing has a number of benefits. From the earliest days after their birth, children can be calmed by music. Music helps people work out their feelings and can be uplifting and comforting when people need a boost. While many people are familiar with the mood-enhancing benefits of music, they may not know that music also has developmental benefits. According to Don Campbell, internationally known educator and author of “The Mozart Effect for Children,” music enhances intelligence, coordination, emotional expression, creativity and socialization skills. Studies have suggested that music and movement affect all areas of development. Music can bolster listening skills, improve motor skills, assist with problem solving and promote spatial-temporal reasoning. Many others say that music can calm and focus the mind, which is why it is so often employed by therapists. In the book, “The Importance of Music,” author Ellen Judson cites a 10-year study that tracked more than 25,000 middle and high school students. The study showed that students in music classes receive higher scores on standardized tests than students with little to no musical involvement. In addition, singing and engaging in musical appreciation sharpens one’s ability to communicate. Learning a piece of information attached to a tune will more readily embed that information in the brain. For example, many children learn the alphabet via song. Pairing lessons with song can help anyone retain information more easily. Music also is fun, so much so that kids may not realize they’re actually learning while singing. Matthew Freeman, development manager of “Sing up,” a national singing project to help enhance music in children’s education, states that children don’t think of singing as work and may be more willing to participate. Song can be used to reinforce all different subjects, from language arts to mathematics. Children or adults who are apprehensive about meeting new people can use music as a means to open the door to new friendships. Joining a choral group will immediately introduce people to others who enjoy music as well. Group singing is less intimidating than singing alone, so it takes some of the pressure off of a person and can staunch performance anxiety. Music is beneficial throughout one’s life and can be an enjoyable way to make learning more fun.

Conservation Corner

Conservation Corner – July 2020

Did you know? Once a term that dominated newspaper headlines and environmental discourse, “global warming” is now heard far less frequently. Many may assume global warming has been rebranded as “climate change,” but the two are not one and the same. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, global warming refers exclusively to the earth’s rising surface temperature, while climate change includes global warming but also its side effects. Such side effects include the melting of the world’s glaciers and the growing frequency of drought and heavier rainstorms. Global warming is also used most often to refer to warming caused by humans, while climate change is a term used when discussing environmental changes that are human-caused or natural.

Conservation Corner

Ticks

Ticks spread Lyme disease to people and other animals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that, in humans, untreated Lyme disease can create an array of symptoms, depending on the stage of infection. Anyone who has spent time outdoors should be aware of the potential symptoms, which can include fever, rash (classic erethema migrans rash, also called ‘bull’s-eye rash’), facial paralysis and arthritis. Some people with later stage Lyme disease may have rashes on other areas of their bodies; intermittent pain in tendons, muscles and bones; and experience heart palpitations. LymeDisease.org states that not every person suffering from Lyme disease will develop the same symptoms. The distinctive rash occurs in less than 10 percent of those who contact Lyme. If a tick bite is verified, promptly contact a physician.

Conservation Corner

Conservation Corner – May 2020

Dented cans have long been a source of confusion and concern for shoppers. They may be discounted and seem like a good deal, but some of the items in those dented cans may not be safe to eat. Damaged cans may be harboring food that contains botulism and other toxins. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Services, if a can of food has a small dent but is otherwise in good shape, the food should be safe to eat. However, deeply dented cans should be discarded. Dented cans of food that are safe will have smooth dents or dents that are not on the seams of the can. A person should avoid sharp dents, dents in the seam and dents where the seam and the can meet. In addition, if the can is bulging or swollen, it should be avoided. Dents in a seam can let in air and bacteria. Deep dents may have left pinholes where bacteria can enter. When in doubt, avoid dented cans.

Conservation Corner

Did You Know? Outdoor exercise can benefit both the planet and the people doing the exercising. By exercising outdoors instead of at home or at indoor fitness centers, men and women can reduce their carbon footprints. Exercising in the great outdoors does not require the use of energy-consuming fitness machines. In addition, when exercising outdoors during daylight hours, nature provides all the light men and women will need for their workouts, further reducing the average person’s energy consumption. And it’s not just adults who can benefit from spending more time outdoors. According to the Harvard Medical School, children are likely to get more exercise if they spend time outdoors than they are if they spend time indoors. A study from researchers in England used GPS devices and accelerometers to track the activity of 1,000 children. The children were more than twice as active when they were outside than they were when they were inside. When children spend ample time outdoors, that, too, can benefit the environment. According to the National Institutes of Health, the average youngster spends three hours per day watching television and gets as much as seven hours of screen time each day. When kids are outdoors, they are less likely to be staring at energy-consuming screens and devices than they are when they’re indoors.

Conservation Corner

Conservation Corner – March 2020

Preparing meals at home remains the least expensive way to eat. The budgeting resource Cheapism.com compared the costs of a classic chicken dinner, accounting for variables such as tip, food waste and family size, made at home and at a restaurant. The comparison determined that a home-cooked meal costs as much as 60 percent less than a dinner out. A simple chicken dinner for one costs between $6 and $8 at home, takeout costs more than $13 and dining out costs more than $15. The rates of savings are similar when accounting for paying for a family of four.

Kids

CONSERVATION CORNER – FEBRUARY 2020

Did You Know? Established in 1934, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the busiest park in the United States, annually attracting approximately 10 million visitors. e park, which covers 800 square miles of mountainous terrain in both North Carolina and Tennessee, typically draws 60,000 visitors on a weekend day in the summer. Many of those visitors experience the park on a scenic highway that stretches for several hundred miles, and traffic may be bumper-to-bumper on especially busy summer days. But Great Smoky Mountains National Park is more than roadways, as it includes 800 miles of hiking trails that range from a half-mile to 70 miles long. Those who want a more isolated park visit may prefer to hit the hiking trails, which are not nearly as busy as the highway roads. More than 1,600 species of flowering plants bloom inside the park, which was designated an International Biosphere Reserve in 1976 and a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983.

Conservation Corner

DID YOU KNOW | MARCH 2018

Did you know? The depletion of the ozone layer was once a hot topic, but this issue has largely fallen by the wayside in recent years. Even though the ozone layer might no longer be discussed on a daily basis, there is still widespread concern that it is deteriorating rapidly. To understand the implications, one must first know the purpose of the ozone layer. According to National Geographic, the ozone layer is a belt of gas that sits between 9.3 and 18.6 miles above the Earth. Its purpose is to shield the planet from harmful ultraviolet B radiation that is emitted by the sun. Due to the release of pollution containing the chemicals chlorine and bromine, as well as chlorofluorocarbons found in spray aerosols, the ozone layer is thinning and deteriorating in certain areas. This allows UVB radiation to reach the earth, contributing to higher rates of skin cancer and cataracts in humans. Exposure to UVB rays also may impact ecosystems. It is believed UVB radiation inhibits the production of phytoplankton that make up an important food source for marine animals. The good news is that measurements from satellites this year showed the hole in the earth’s ozone layer that forms over Antarctica each September was the smallest observed since 1988, according to scientists from NASA and NOAA. Reduction in environmental pollutants may be behind that development. However, scientists note warmer stratospheric temperatures also constrained the growth of the ozone hole.

Category - Conservation Corner

How To Recognize and Prevent CO Poisoning

Conservation Corner | December 2020

KidShape – August 2020

Conservation Corner – July 2020

Ticks

Conservation Corner – May 2020