One of the more interesting stories that has cropped up lately is that of Toxic Chinese Drywall, used heavily during the building boom of the last few years. Homeowners of new construction have been reporting significant rotten egg smells, corrosion to metal fixtures, and respiratory problems in their homes. A 51 home study has found elevated levels of Hydrogen Sulfide. Drywall linked to Chinese manufacturers has been shown in the study to contain elevated levels of “elemental sulfur”, and elevated levels of formaldehyde were also noted. “Investigators believe that the additive or synergistic effects of these and other compounds in the subject homes could cause irritant effects evident in the homes.”
This has not been a big story out west, as most of the drywall was apparently used in the South and along the East Coast, but the way the modern supply chain works, who really knows? This may well pop up in a house near you, so be aware.
Here is a video that shows first hand what is happening.
Ok, I did not call my Senators today, I suck. Tomorrow morning. To tide you over here is a video from Safeco2.org . It is a little low energy, but it is pretty spot on in terms of what needs to be done.
When we think about climate change a.k.a. “global warming” one of the first things we westerners think about is our cars & power plants, and with good reason, since the EPA says “Transportation sources accounted for approximately 29 percent of total U.S. Green House Gas emissions…” Globally cars pump thousands of tons CO2 and other pollutants into the air every day. And of course things like coal fired power plants do nothing good for the environment.
But right behind cars and coal are … trees?
Yeah, trees.
Not the trees themselves, but the cutting and burning of forests to subsidize our consumption. How much, let’s say 80,000 acres a a year.
Here is a video for you, and think about the wood the next time you go to Ikea for furniture, or the Home Depot for your lumber. The next time you see something with wood in it for sale you ask yourself is it worth it? Do you need it?
Sometimes I get so deep into the details of climate change, I forget that not everyone is with me. As we approach Copenhagen, 24 days and counting, there is a basic review of the problem, what causes it, and what it means for us. This is really basic stuff, but also basically correct. Copenhagen is our next best chance to do something about the coming storm, don’t let what happen to the Kyoto Protocols happen with Copenhagen, don’t let them convince you to wallow in apathy and denial.
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