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American kids still pretty lead-poisoned

American kids still pretty lead-poisoned

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Lead-free gasoline: It’s pretty great, as far as gasoline-without-extra-toxins goes. But even though we’ve made great strides in reducing lead pollution over the last few decades, America’s still full of the stuff.

More than half a million American children under 5, or 1 in 38 young kids, have low-grade lead poisoning, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The surveys from 2007 to 2010 showed an 8.6 percent decrease in childhood lead poisoning compared to 1999-2002.

Until last year, the CDC only tracked people with 10 micrograms of lead per deciliter of blood, considered the threshold for lead poisoning by the CDC, World Heath Organization, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. But five micrograms per deciliter is considered enough to potentially cause damage.

Those approximately 535,000 kids aren’t really a representative sample of American youth, though.

“Persistent differences between the mean [blood lead levels] of different racial/ethnic and income groups can be traced to differences in housing quality, environmental conditions, nutrition, and other factors,” the CDC said in a statement. In other words: This is way worse for poor kids of color who live in our urban sacrifice zones.

From the Associated Press:

Often, children who get lead poisoning live in old homes that are dilapidated or under renovation. They pick up paint chips or dust and put it in their mouth. Children have also picked up lead poisoning from soil contaminated by old leaded gasoline, from dust tracked in from industrial worksites, from tainted drinking water, and other sources.

Some have linked a reduction in environmental lead exposure to a reduction in violent crime nationwide over the last few decades. Regardless, I think we can all agree that we’d prefer lead-free kids. The CDC suggests that children can counteract high blood lead levels by increasing their iron and calcium intake. But wouldn’t a strong lead abatement effort  be even more effective?

Susie Cagle writes and draws news for Grist. She also writes and draws tweets for

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American kids still pretty lead-poisoned

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Green Energy and You: Tips On How To Make Positive Changes

People have computers, ovens, refrigerators, dishwashers, washing machines … the list goes on and on! Power is hugely important in everyday life, and without it many would be lost. Green energy is the best way to power someone’s life without hurting the environment, and this article contains some simple strategies here for you to leverage in your own home.

Know when your appliances need to be replaced. If you have a major appliance, such as a furnace or air conditioner that is over 10 years old, you should replace them with newer, more energy-efficient models. Buying the newer, Energy Star appliances can save you a lot in the years to come.

Conserving energy and preserving the earth are the best ways to utilize efficient green energy. While the technology is catching up with the consumer demand, we need to realize that conservation is the best alternative to green energy. If we do not use as much energy, there is not as large of a demand, and we will allow the technology the time it needs to catch up.

When you think about green technology you don’t have to think about solar panels and electric cars alone. There are many little things you can do in your everyday life that can contribute to the environment. Think about an electric lawnmower, or changing the light bulbs you use in your home. Every little effort counts.

Avoid putting hot foods in their fridge or freezer for people looking to save energy. When you put hot foods in the fridge, it warms the total internal temperature causing your appliance to run longer to get it back down to the desired temperature. Rather, let your food cool before you refrigerate it.

Make sure that your air vents aren’t blocked in some way. Blocked air vents can lead to increased energy usage due to the fact that you will turn up the cooling in your home because you don’t feel the air coming out. Thoroughly inspect them to ensure nothing is blocking the air. If there is, you’ll be surprised at the difference once you eliminate the problem.

A great way to help save energy when using a dishwasher is to avoid using the dry cycle. The heat generated during this cycle uses lots of energy and can be completely avoided if you just leave your dishwasher open and letting them dry naturally in the open air.

A wind turbine could help you cut down your electric bill by as much as 90%. Before you invest in this type of equipment, find out if the wind is strong enough to produce the amount of energy you need and get a professional to help you choose the right size of turbine.

For the sake of the future of the earth, people should not be wasteful when it comes to energy. Sadly, most people are, especially in their homes. However, this can be rectified with the use of green energy. Use the advice that was provided in this article and you can avoid wasting energy in your home.

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