Menu

Conservation Corner

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.

Continue Reading...

Parents

STEAM Books Make Great Gifts for children This Holiday Season

Add joy to the holiday season with exciting books for kids. Think about choices focusing on STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) that encourage the pursuit for knowledge and offer opportunities for immersive learning experiences. Here are a few fun ideas. Ultimate Book of Knowledge Packed with information, “DK Children’s Encyclopedia” explains virtually everything! Each entry features a key topic explained in a visual way with fun facts and cross-references, revealing the links between subjects. Covering arts, people, history, Earth, nature, science, technology, space and the human body, this is an essential reference book for children who wants to discover as much as possible about the world around them. Cool Coding Kids can learn to code games and use Scratch with “Star Wars Coding Projects,” a visual guide that shows readers everything they need to know to create cool computer projects, animations and games. Readers can build a game where they navigate a spaceship through an asteroid belt, as well as a jetpack simulation game. Kids can share projects with friends and challenge them to beat their scores. Each project consists of simple, illustrated steps. Nature Up-Close A visual reference for kids that explores the natural world in stunning detail, “Explanatorium of Nature,” created in association with the Smithsonian Institution, is the first in a brand-new book series. Through close-ups and cross-sections, exploded images, X-rays and more, the book explores everything from fruit to flies, coral to clouds, and mountains to mammals – and is a nice tool for curious minds to find out how things work and why they exist. Virtual Reality Created in association with an educational virtual reality company, “Virtual Reality” explores the history of VR and includes an app download for five VR experiences and a cardboard viewer with stickers to make it your own. Kids can come face-to-face with a T. rex, look inside a volcano, explore the Roman Colosseum, hop aboard the International Space Station and peek under the surface of a pond. DIY Everything Using freely available software, “3D Printing Projects” provides inspiration and step-by-step visual instruction for simple builds and complicated pieces, from small treasure boxes to chess sets and model cars. This how-to guide covers such subjects as designing, scanning, modeling, digital sculpting, slicing and printing. Information on the 3D printing revolution and the science behind how it works is also included. This holiday season, give the gift of knowledge and fun, with great books that explore the world.

Continue Reading...

Parents

KidSmart |

As we become increasingly reliant on digital content available on-demand, what happens to our repositories for printed material? The answer may be simpler than you think: Libraries aren’t just about books anymore. Most have shifted focus from their book collections to the communities they serve and adjusted their designs to match. Library-sponsored programs, such as children’s reading hours and job-search assistance sessions, are bolstering many branches’ outreach and education efforts. A 2016 library use study from the Pew Research Center indicates an increase in the number of people visiting libraries for educational purposes: 27 percent of library users said they’d attended classes, programs or lectures at their local institutions, a 10 percent increase from 2015. But the breadth of events a modern library can host relies upon the physical space within each building, which is why a major part of this change comes in the form of reconfigured spaces. To accommodate shifts in usage, library systems have been improving their physical structures. For example, marquee projects by renowned architects have reinvigorated the Washington, D.C., Public Library system, with 15 completed remodels (two of which were designed by the pairing of Adjaye Associates and the Freelon Group, of National Museum of African- American History & Culture fame). Six more library upgrades are currently on the horizon in D.C., including a renovation and addition to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library. An architectural team comprised of Martinez + Johnson Architecture and Mecanoo will modernize that facility, aiming to improve overall transparency and visibility while adding amenities such as a café, a roof terrace event space and spaces for music production and fabrication. The end goal, according to D.C. Public Library, is to position the library as an engine for social improvement as opposed to simply being a place to pick up or drop off a book. To learn more about how libraries are changing in communities nationwide, visit Topic Architecture. Even as new digital technologies emerge, modern libraries will always remain home to large holdings of printed material. Many collections have already expanded to include e-reader versions of popular titles, music and video on a variety of media. The latest design improvements to libraries make them not only enjoyable venues for reading, but also welcoming places to build community.

Continue Reading...

Parentown KidSmart

Facts and Myths about Germs at School

Everybody seems to have an opinion about germs — what causes them, where they’re located, how to avoid them — especially when it comes to children. Experts say that American children miss 22 million days of school annually due to colds, flu and other infections. “Avoiding germs at schools isn’t as simple as just washing your hands in the bathroom or sneezing into your sleeve,” says Charles Gerba, Ph.D., professor of microbiology and environmental sciences at the University of Arizona. “Germs are on everything kids touch in the classroom, as well as around the hallways, cafeteria and playground.” With this in mind, it is important to separate facts from myths about germs in schools. • Fact: Desks Are Among the Most Germ-Prone Items. It’s true! Students spend most of the day at their desks — sneezes, coughs and all — and, in some schools, they often switch classrooms and share desks with others. At the end of the day, students bring home that cocktail of germs to their families. • Myth: Any Hand Sanitizer Will Do. According to research from the University of Colorado at Boulder, people carry an average of 3,200 bacteria on their hands. While most hand sanitizers are 99.9 percent effective at killing germs, some only last for a few minutes or until the application dries on the skin. Therefore, parents should consider applying hand sanitizers for their children that last throughout the day, such as Zoono’s GermFree24, which is proven to last for 24 hours on skin and is available as both a foam and a spray. • Fact: Germs Can Affect Kids Outside the Classroom. Germs in schools aren’t just isolated to classrooms. They are everywhere, including cafeteria trays, playground jungle gyms and sports equipment. In fact, the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine found 63 percent of gym equipment is contaminated with rhinovirus, which causes the common cold. Reminding children to wash their hands before and after using these items (and wiping them down) will go a long way toward preventing sickness. • Myth: Sticking Things in Your Mouth Is Child’s Play. Sure, curiosity might drive preschoolers to stick items in their mouths that don’t belong. However, older students who nervously chew on pen caps, especially ones they borrow from classmates, or on their own fingernails during tough tests, are susceptible to picking up the germs that are traversing through school. • Fact: Backpacks Carry More Than Just Books. Backpacks go everywhere ­— to classrooms, inside lockers, in the cafeteria, in locker rooms — and collect various germs throughout the day. Periodically clean backpacks inside and out. And make sure lunches and other food items, as well as gym clothes, are packed in separate bags to avoid cross-contamination of germs. • Myth: Sharing Is Always Caring. Just about every school supply — from pens and pencils to headphones to sport jerseys — can be a vehicle for harmful bacteria. Make sure children are armed with their own items, including mechanical pencils, to avoid using the classroom’s pencil sharpener, and avoid sharing their supplies with classmates. When it comes to germs, separating myths from facts can help you have a happier, healthier school year.

Continue Reading...