Clean Water for All
RePurposing for your Garden
Mary, Mary quite contrary … WAIT A MINUTE! Why would Mary be "contrary" when we're talking about how her garden grows? She's pretty darn clear about how it grows, " … with silver bells and cockle shells and pretty maids all in row."
Putting aside the rhyme and it's probable religious and historical significance, any way we can make our gardens grow, is a good way!
Let's talk about garden repurposing!
LADYLUX Magazine with the skinny on drinking water and whether it's safe.
Author Katherine Sweet interviews PUR2o's Mizar Turdiu.
LADYLUX was founded by Elizabeth Wahler who's mission as a "Change Agent" is clear … fix what is wrong in the world and empower others to do the same.
Another way to think about Earth Day
April 22 – Earth Day. Hmmm? An important day for sure to create and increase awareness … to assure respect and love for Mother Earth continues from one generation to the next.
I just don't want Earth Day to become another Veterans' Day, Mother's Day or What-have-you DAY; a day we set aside once a year to remind folks of what's important. Veterans, Moms and the Earth are important every day!
Nonetheless, I can (modestly) say, I have been living Earth Day every day of my life. No one had to flip a switch to turn on that GREEN light. I think the light turned green and I shot out of the womb! Now that's a funny visual.
While I'm not going to cite chapter and verse about how I live, I'll share something I have always said … my children call these little ditties "Mizarisms" … "We have to go back to doing things the way our grandmothers did them." "Nuff" said.
For as long as I can remembers, my family has been doing 2-things:
1 – recycling
2 – composting
My dad would have us separating the clear from the green from the brown glass, etc., crushing cans and stacking newspapers before we taking the ride to the recycling center. Not as common in the late 60s but there were out there! About that same time, my mom and dad dug out a 40' x 20' garden. Read about it in an earlier post! And the composting began. It's a good thing too because where I grew up, the earth below our feet was red, hard clay!
My Dad's compost pile was simply done; wire fencing formed into a circle and voila! DONE.
Now … since Antonio and I have a home-based business, we receive deliveries on wood pallets .. A LOT of deliveries which means A LOT of wood pallets. So yesterday, without even paying attention to the fact Earth Day is today, I went out and re-purposed those pallets.
Tah-Daaaaah! Compost bins.
Although by visualizing this I knew I could build this … I have this knack … it serves me well, I went ahead and looked up a few tutorials just to get some different ideas. There are dozens of step by step instructions and videos out there.
Now I can go out into the woods behind my house, scoop up that 2-year old pile of egg shells, banana peels, coffee grounds, you name it and put all in my new compost bins.
It's probably going to stink … but it's a good Mother Earthy stink!
Sometimes the idea of "going green" or living a sustainable green lifestyle can be overwhelming and not very practical
or doable. You don't have to save the world but you CAN start making a few changes, one step at a time, which together, will
make a big difference. We're u
Our mission resonates with so many all across the county and folks are paying attention.
KIDNEY CANCER & DRINKING WATER QUALITY
When I was growing up, NO ONE, NOT EVER say the word "cancer" out loud. If someone was diagnosed with cancer, it was always talked about in small groups, in whispers. Either that or if someone had to tell someone else the news, cancer was refered to as "the C-word".
Now-a-days, I would put really good money down beting everyone … I mean EVERYONE, knows some one diagnosed with some type of cancer! It is beyond prevalent … it's epidemic. For the first time even my family, a traditionally healthy group of Northern Italians & Albanians, was blind-sided by cancer when a member of the youngest generation - 8-year old Vittorio – was diagnosed with brain cancer, specifically a Medulablastoma on the cerebellum at the base of his skull.
WHY?
I'm not a scientist, I'm not a medical researcher, I'm not an expert in health related issues. But I am a journalist, a mom, a member of this great human race I believe is slowly killing itself.
I believe it has everything to do with how we've selfishly taken advantage and disregarded our home; Planet Earth. All too often, I find articles written by those-in-the-know who talk about our environment, climate change, carbon emmissions, pollution, contaminants and contamination, water quality, etc. We have all heard it before … many times, over and over.
I am really fed up over all the rhetoric and frankly very frightened. Contaminants – natural and man-made – are everywhere in our water; in oceans, rivers, streams and lakes, ground water and aquifers, even in the rain. Most of us are aware of the harmful effects of man-made pollutants, but did you know chemicals which occur in nature can also be harmful to your health? Arsenic, radium, radon, and selenium can dissolve in water and at high leverls can be dangerous.
When we moved our home and offices coming up on 3-years ago, we bought property with a well. State law mandates every well be tested for impurities prior to closing. Results indicated arsenic levels in the water as way over the legal limit.
Arsenic is one of the greatest health hazards found in nature. Researchers with the International Journal of Epidemiology conducted studies in Córdoba, Argentina, where those living there have a long history of arsenic in drinking water. Scientists determined exposure to (inorganic) arsenic resulted in a high incidence of deaths from kidney, lung, liver skin and bladder cancers.
A study of people living in southwestern Taiwan, where arsenic is present in deep water wells, showed high incidents of death due to kidney and other cancers even when drinking small amounts of water contaminated with arsenic. (Doses of 170- 180 μg / l. (A microgram (μg) is one millionth of a gram.)
Between 1950 to 2000, when arsenic- infested river water was used for drinking in regions, including Chile, the mortality rate from kidney cancer went through the roof. Experiments on pregnant mice exposed to arsenic show kidney tumors in their babies.
Every year, more than 200-thousand new cases of kidney cancer are diagnosed world-wide. Most occur in Northern America. In 2008, kidney cancer killed about 13,010 people in the United States. The causes of kidney cancer – as for most types of cancer – can vary. Recdntly, however, the disease has been linked to contamination in drinking water. These include arsenic and radon.
The kidneys, like most internal organs, are one of the most important organs in the human body. It can be adversely affected by chemicals and heavy metals foundin water and air. In the case of water, a water filter that can remove the toxic and radioactive pollutants that can cause illness and disease, should be installed.
We did even before we moved in!
I bathe, cook & drink my water withour ever thinking twice about the arsenic in our well. My family's chances of developing kidney problems or kidney cancer are greatly reduced.
Former Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura may come off as the pro wrestler he once was … bombastic & course … but when it comes to his,
Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura "Great Lakes" he's dead-on.
It's a bit long and does have commercials but it's worth the time to watch.
Watch this short video about why drinking
ALKALINE water is so much healthier for you!
Most bottled water is ACIDIC. Acidic water has a pH which generally falls BELOW the body's natural pH – which hovers around 7.3 .
Our diets, stressful lifestyles, air pollution, etc., all add to the acidity in our bodies. Top that off with bottled water and you've got a huge mess.
Disease grows in acidic environments and acidic water dehydrates and actually leaches essential minerals AWAY from our bodies.
In addition, acidic water breaks down the PET plastic used to make the bottles most bottled water comes in … that means chemicals such as BPA will leach into the water, which is then consumed.
