ENN: Environmental News Network -- Know Your Environment

When you look into the eyes of man’s best friend, what do you think they see? Their food source? Their home? The lazy guy who only watches football on Sundays instead of taking them to the park to play frisbee? Well, if you really are interested in finding out what your pup is actually thinking, researchers from Emory University in Atlanta have developed a new technology that can actually capture what is actually going on inside your canine pals’ minds.

A team led by Dr. Gregory Berns, Director of the Emory Center for Neuropolicy, has developed a new tactic to scan the brains of alert dogs and explore the minds of the oldest domesticated species. The new technology uses risk-free functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) to search through dogs’ brains. This is also the same technology that neuroscience researchers are using to explore the depths of the human brain. But how does Berns’ team do this?

Image Credit: AlmostMakesSense.com

The researchers first trained two different breeds of canine, a southern squirrel-hunting dog and a collie, to walk into a fMRI machine and then stay completely still in it for five minutes while brain scans were taking place. In the first experiment, Berns’ team studied the response neurons in a dog’s brain. During the trial, one dog received a hot dog treat and one did not; the scans suggested that both dogs were exuding signals when the treat was given, but not when there was no reward system involved. Because of this, Berns said that dogs have a rewards-oriented system similar to humans because domesticated dogs pay very close attention to human signals, and are then tied to a dog’s specific neurological rewards system.

What is your dog thinking?

Berns also said that this research also supports the theory that dogs were the first domesticated species dating back at least 10,000 years, possibly over 30,000 years. This relationship is a major reason why humans and domesticated animals work so well together, said Berns. “There is even a chance that dogs affected human evolution.”

Next time you are walking your dog or even sitting with it on your couch watching Animal Planet, just think, “Wow, this could change history! What do you think about that?”

Public bicycle sharing programs are showing up in American cities.

I’ve got good news and bad news. The good news is that public bike sharing programs are becoming popular, which could mean less air pollution and more Americans recieving physical activity. The bad news is that the majority of the people who participate in these programs  do not use helmets while biking.

Originally popular in European cities, like Paris and Barcelona, public bike sharing programs are now popping up in cities across the United States.  Currently there are 15 programs in the United States, including Boston (Hubway) and Washington D.C. (Capital Bikeshare), and another 30 are in development.  To use the bicycles you first need to pay an initial joining fee, then you are given a card that can unlock bikes from the bike hubs, the rider is then free to ride and  return the bike to the most convenient bike hub. The first 30 minutes of the bike rental are free but after that timely fees apply.  Public bike sharing programs are a great option for commuters who work and live near bike hubs or need a bike to run short errands.

When bike sharing programs are successful they not only provide health benefits for the individuals who use them bikes but also for the community, by reducing the air pollution from cars. Unfortunately research conducted by Boston’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) found that only 1 in 5 bike riders using the shared bikes wear helmets, putting the riders at significant risk for head injury. For their study BIDMC trained observers in Boston and Washington D.C., which in total have over 1,800 bikes available for riding, to collect data on adult helmet use. The observation sites were located near bike hubs but the observers were instructed to observe all bikers. Observations took place over 43 periods lasting a total of over 50 hours and included over 3,000 bikes, 562 were using shared bicycles.

The study found that overall 54.5% of riders did not use helmets.  Bicyclist using shared bikes was significantly less likely to use helmets then bicyclists using personal bikes, with 80.8% of shared bicyclists unhelmeted versus 48.6% of personal bike owners.  Helmet use varied by sex, day of use, and type of city. Men and weekend riders were more likely to not be wearing a helmet.

According to a new study only 1 in 5 bicyclists who use shared bicycles wear a helmet

According to Dr. Christopher Fischer of BIDMC “Head injury accounts for about a third of all bicycle injuries and about three-quarters of bicycle related deaths”, “helmet use is associated with decreased rates of head injury and mortality in riders of all ages, with bicycle helmets decreasing the risk of head and brain injury by 65 to 88 percent,”. Currently though they recommend helmet usage, Boston and Washintgton D.C’s bike share programs do not require users to use helmets, which put the riders at serious risk.

If bicycle programs are to continue expanding in the United States, the programs need to do more to increase bicycle helmet use. Having suggestions on where to buy or rent helmets on their website is not enough. Neither is a page on basic bicycle safety.  I know people worry about sanitization issues surrounding shared helmets but maybe the usage of a disposable sanitary liner could make it possible to have the bike rental include a helmet rental. If this is not an option, what about creating policies that encourage helmet usage while riding bicycles? Another idea would be using more prolific public health warnings on the helmet usage.  The non-usage of bicycle helmets is extremely dangerous and as the BIDMC study suggests should to be addressed before expansion continues.

The complete article can be found in the April 30 Edition of The Annals of Emergency Medicine.

bicycles via shutterstock

woman biking via shutterstock

Now, I may love cinnamon more than the next guy. I put it in my oatmeal, I put it in my applesauce, and I sometimes even put it in my chicken parmigiana (it adds a really sweet contrast to it). But who knew that it could make you live a healthier life. A very common disorder for Americans as they age is Alzheimer’s disease. However, groundbreaking Israeli research says that consuming a regular dose of cinnamon could delay Alzheimer’s, or possibly cure it.

A team of Tel Aviv University researchers, led by Professor Michael Ovadia, were able to isolate a section of the cinnamon plant which could, in turn, be responsible for delaying the onset of the disorder in people around the world. During Ovadia’s research, a material found in the cinnamon plant, known as CEppt, was able to delay Alzheimer’s in laboratory mice bred with a gene that creates toxic amyloid molecules which gather in the brain as the disease progresses.

Image Credit: LearningHerbs.com

Previously, Ovadia’s research team discovered that materials in the cinnamon bark may inhibit the activity of coated viruses, such as herpes and influenza. During the research stage, Ovadia’s team saw the isolation of the CEppt from the cinnamon in an electronic microscope. In order to create the CEppt, the research team generated powder from the cinnamon sticks before isolating the material in a refrigerator. The material was then tested in a test tube and the experiment then revealed that the substance helps break down amyloids that have already been created. “The finding points to the possibility that the detected material may not only prevent Alzheimer’s, but also holds healing properties after molecules which lead to Alzheimer’s have been created,” explains Ovadia.

Ovadia recommends that you not overload yourselves in cinnamon because having too much cinnamon can harm the functioning of the liver. So whenever you eat that cinnamon bun, just think, this might help me live a longer and healthier life!

This coming Sunday, April 22^nd, will be the 42^nd Annual Earth Day. During the premier Earth Day, in 1970, 20 million Americans participated by demonstrated against the deterioration of the environment leading to the creation of the EPA, the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Endangered Species Act.   Earth Day began in the United States but is now celebrated worldwide.  Though Earth Day is less than a week away it is not too late to attend a pre planned even or even start one of your own. 

Below I have compiled a list of interesting events in a few major US Cities. If you do not see any local events below I suggest visiting Earthday.org and using the Events Tool Bar (find the local events search on the right). You can also join the Billion Acts of Green Campaign or Mobilize the Earth Campaign.

 1. Washington DC

The Annual Earth Day On the Mall will take place on April 22 from 11 am to 7 pm at the National Mall between 8th and 14th streets.  In 2010 the event included musical headliners like Sting, John Legend, Joss Stone, and the Roots and included speakers like Jesse Jackson, and James Cameron. This years the event will included musical performances (TBA), prominent speakers (TBA), and exhibits including the EPA National Sustainable Design Expo.

2. Chicago

 Friends of the Parks will be hosting a Parks and Preserves Cleanup in over 100 Chicago Parks on Saturday April 21 from 9 am until noon. To find the park nearest you go to http://www.earthdaychicago.com/ and click on “View Registered Sites”

3. New York City

Earth Day New York, a non profit, is holding events this Earth Day weekend.  Beginning Thursday April 19^th, they will be holding exhibits, environmental programming, and children’s activities in Grand Central and Times Square. For a more complete schedule of events including a green car show click here.

The Jacob Javitz Center will also be hosting  “The Green Festival” on April 21rst and 22nd . The Green Festival is the largest sustainability event in the world and includes an array of speakers and exhibits addressing fair trade, green business, jobs, food, social justice, and fashion.

Other events of interest in New York City include Earth Day on The Highline, Staten Island Stop and Swap, and Harlem Earth Day. You can also visit NYC Parks and Recreation or Million Trees NYC.

4. New Orleans

The New Orleans Earth Day Festival and Green Business Expo, organized by the Louisiana Bucket Brigade, is taking place April 22 at Bayou ST. John. This year’s festival themes include Sustainable Design; Alternative Products & Lifestyles; and Healthy Eating & Growing. Activities include a bike treasure hunt, yoga by the bayou, crafts, and musical performances by a multitude of artists including Cyril Neville.

5. San Francisco

Earth Day San Francisco is scheduled to take place April 22 at Civic Center Plaza.  The event includes 3 stages , which will show movies, dance, a trashion show, death defying bike tricks,  and “The World’s Youngest Rock Band” (just to name a few). Earth Day San Francisco includes demonstration and exhibits dedicated to inspire living a more sustainable lifestyle like an electric car showcase,  bee keeping, holistic health, youth empowerment, and an artist grove.

Please feel free to post your (or your city’s) events in the comments section.

Happy Earth Day!

heart earth hands via shutterstock

I know when I usually go to the bathroom, there is potential to smell up the entire place and cause quite a stink. However, there is a new product on the market that could reduce that nasty odor and help save the environment. The Sun-Mar composting toilet is a new invention that will help homeowners and businesses save 27 percent on their water bills. It could be the ultimate for charter buses, RVs and rural homes to stop the lingering smell of poop in the air.

Sun-Mar Composting Toilet

The innovative lavatory requires no plumbing, local sewage connection or septic system. It works by evaporating urine and composting solid waste without any ground water being needed or being contaminated. The alternative to conventional toilets also uses organic processes to convert the waste into a safe fertilizing soil. The Sun-Mar toilet uses a very unique system to decompose the waste in a clean and efficient manner. It uses a distinct three-chamber system, which includes a patented drum

Image Credit: Sun-Mar Composting Toilet

technology—called a Bio-drum—which speeds up the breakdown of human waste and toilet paper. The three-chamber technology also has a section for evaporating urine and a finishing drawer to remove the sanitized compost. Instead of flushing, toilet owners place inexpensive chemical-free bulking material to the drum chamber to fast-track the breakdown of nutrients in the human waste. It then periodically uses a handle to freshen the waste while being mixed. The waste should be dumped outside, preferably in a garden, but it only needs to be done a few times of year.

The Sun-Mar composting toilet is designed for air to be constantly circulating through the toilet so that there would be as little smell as possible. The innovative piece of equipment has been certified for residential and cottage use by the National Sanitation Foundation. Fraser Sneddon, Manager of Sun-Mar Corp., said that getting rid of an odor is a challenge with composting toilets, but that it isn’t a problem with the innovative green technology. “Many people tend to feel uncomfortable about the idea of composting their own waste, which often conjures up images of smelly outhouses or compost heaps in the garden, but Sun-Mar’s product eradicates that notion because it’s so easy to install and effortless to operate, creating a sanitary and odor-free environment,” Sneddon said.

For those of you who have been living under a rock, the world is scheduled to end (or begin ending) this coming December 21, 2012.  Google “2012” and thousands of pages will come up with names like the-end.com or survive2012.com.   Whether or not this threat is real it is important to be prepared for any disaster.

Last year the Center for Disease Control used the threat of a Zombie Apocalypse to educate the public on how to prepare for a severe disaster.  Their tips can easily be applied to our upcoming apocalypse, whether it be by a planet named Nbiru or zombies created by a mutated virus. It’s never too early to start preparing and make emergency supply kit.

1. Water

You should allot 1 gallon of water per person per day. A normal person needs to drink a half a gallon a day and the rest should go towards food preparation and hygiene.  You should try to stock two weeks of water for every person in case you are stuck in your home.

2. Food

You should store about two weeks of non perishable food. Try to store foods that you eat regularly. You should also have available vitamin, mineral, and protein supplements available. Unlike water, food can be rationed. A healthy person can go an extended period of time on half their regular food intake.

3. Tools and Supplies

You should have a First Aid Kit available to treat any lacerations or minor injuries sustained during the disaster. Tools like utility knife, flashlight, duct tape, a battery powered radio, and extra batteries will also be helpful.  For emergency cooking you can use a fireplace, cooking grill, or camp stove. If you are cooking canned food make sure to open it and remove the label before you begin cooking. Sanitation supplies are also important for keeping your family healthy.

4. Important Documents and Medicine

If you’re in a disaster it might be a while until you have access to a pharmacy, so it is important to have a small supply of your prescriptive or non prescriptive available. You should also have copies of important documents like your driver’s license, passport and birth certificate.

5. Have a Plan

Every family should have an emergency plan. Pick a place for your family to regroup in case a meteor or tornado hits your home. You should also plan an evacuation route in case you have time to evacuate.  For more preparedness advice visit the American Red Cross

For the CDC’s complete guide visit:  http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/kit/disasters/

Happy Preparing!

gas masks via Shuttersock

Springtime means the return of birds from their southern winter getaway. If you are anything like me, you are excited for the appearance of your feathery neighbors and want to make your yard a safe place for them to visit. I have put together a list of suggestions to keep your yard a safe.

1. Keep Your Pet Cat Indoors

The American Bird Conservatory estimates that up to 500 million birds are killed each year by cats.  Studies have found that declawing cats or arming cats with a belled collar does not work in reducing the cat’s killer efficiency. Domesticated outdoor cats are not a natural part of our ecosystems and have an advantage over natural because they receive shelter and sustenance from their owners. Keeping your domesticated cat indoors is the only way to prevent your cat from raiding a nest or pouncing on a feeding bird.  

2. Prevent Window Strikes

According to research by the Ornithology Department at Cornell University, the number of birds killed a year by window collisions may be as high 100 million. If you plan on hanging a feeder in front of your window it is important to reduce the windows reflective qualities by having tinted glass or using window treatments.  For more tips on window safety click here.

3. Limit Predator Access

Songbirds and their eggs have a wide range of predators, including birds of prey like hawks and owls, and other creatures like snakes, raccoons, and squirrels.  To prevent surprise attacks, bird feeders should be placed in an open space away from underbrush. To prevent predators from reaching into your birdhouse from the top, the roof should hang at least 6 inches over the front of the birdhouse. For more birdhouse placement tips click here.

4. Prevent Disease at the Feeder

According to the University of Maine there are 5 bird diseases associated with bird feeders, salmonellosis, trichomoniasis, aspergillosis, avian pox and mycoplasmosis. To prevent the spread of these diseases at your birdfeeder it is important to try and keep your feeder free of mold, fungus, and feces. Feeders should be cleaned and disinfected once or twice a month. Make sure to wear gloves while you clean. Before putting food in your birdfeeder check to make sure there is no mold growing in your feed. If you suspect an outbreak in your local bird population, try to encourage them to disperse and take down your feeders.  If you find a dead bird do not have direct contact with it and dispose of it immediately. If you find several dead birds in a short period of time call your local wildlife office or Audubon chapter.

5. Birdbath Maintenance

Birdbaths should be rinsed and have their water replaced daily. Still water can serve as a breeding ground for container breeding mosquitoes. Cleaning your birdbath everyday prevents this from happening and reduces the risk of birdbath acquired disease.

Depending on where you live the birds that call your yard home may vary. Different birds require different food and housing so I would suggest you do some research before you buy birdseed or put up your birdhouse. I would suggest visiting Cornell University’s Ornithology page: birds.cornell.edu

Happy Bird Watching!

Nest of Marsh Wabler via Shuttestock

Everyone uses batteries at some point in their lives.  Whether it is for your Game Boy, flashlight, or an electric can opener of some sort, batteries are very useful in our lives during this 21^st century, electronic based culture. However, most people do not even fathom where the batteries even come from. So there is a chance that some people will be shocked to find out that some new kinds of renewable batteries are made with trash. But when two European scientists combined chemicals and waste, there was a way to make batteries more environmentally friendly.

Grzegorz Milczarek from Poznan University of Technology in Poznan, Poland, and Olle Inganäs from Linköping University in Linköping, Sweden created a new design that is made up of paper byproducts and other fiber-heavy waste. The exact trash used in the design is lignin, which is a compound deprived from wood in the paper making process. During the paper-making process, wood is chopped in to small pieces and then cooked. When the wood finishes cooking, there is a liquid

Image Credit: greeningfamilies.com

substance called “brown liquor” that is lingering, which has lots of lignin. Milczarek and Inganäs combined lignin from brown liquor, with a large polymer called polypyrrole to form a renewable battery cathode.

When constructing the design, Milczarek and Inganäs looked at the different designs to see what was more efficient and better for the environment. They realized that battery cathodes are usually made up of metals such as nickel, lithium, cobalt and manganese, which are not renewable. They decided to choose lignin because it is the second-most universal polymer produced by living organisms. It also is much more renewable and is almost always available due to the paper industry.

Milczarek and Inganäs said they are working on a way to be able to mass-produce their design of environmentally-friendly and renewable battery cathodes. But for now, we will work with the battery cathodes we have right now as we wait for the next revolution of the battery.

For more information, go to: http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=rechargeable-battery-green .

I consider myself an environmentally minded individual. In undergraduate I was a member of NYPIRG where I worked on a dorm recycling campaign, and in graduate school I paddled deep into the Louisiana Bayou to help clean up trash swept in from the city by Hurricane Gustav. I do not expect my all my peers to feel the same way as me about the environment, but I was shocked to find that according to a new academic study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Millenials, the generation born after 1982 , are less environmentally conscious then their older counterparts (e.g. Baby boomers, GenXers).

The article, titled “Generational Differences in Young Adults’ Life Goals, Concern for Others, and Civic Orientation, 1966-2009”, was the product of Jean M. Twenge, and Elise C. Freeman of San Diego University and W. Keith Campbell of Georgia State University. The article was based on 40 years of surveys of high school seniors and college freshman. The surveys asked students a variety of questions addressing their life goals, values, and civic orientations. The surveys found a steep decline in the concern young people have towards the environment and the actions they take to protect it.  The survey found that 30% of Baby boomers (those born 1946-1961), thought that it was important to be involved in programs to clean up the environment, while only 21% of Millenials felt the same. 15 % of Millenials said they have never made an effort to help the environment compared to 8 percent of Gen Xers( those born 1962-1981), and only 5% of Baby Boomers. Millenials were also less likely to reduce their consumption of electricity and fuel.

Other time trends revealed by the study include:

• Increase in importance of goals relating to extrinsic values (money, image, fame) and a decrease of importance of goals relating to intrinsic values (self-acceptance, affiliation, community)
•  A rise in community service participation (probably related to a rise in community service requirements in high school)
•  A decline in Civic orientation (e.g., interest in social problems, political participation, trust in government, taking action to help the environment and save energy) and slight decline in concern for others (e.g., empathy for out groups, charity donations, the importance of having a job worthwhile to society)

To many people, me included, these attitude and behavior trends may be upsetting. What will happen to the environment, and society as a whole, if each generation progressively finds the environment less important and continues to embrace extrinsic values over intrinsic values? Will these trends continue or will events like the 2007-2009 recession alter values trends?  The authors of the study are unsure as well, and only the future will tell us how these attitudes and behaviors will effect us all.

For the Complete article and study results visit:: http://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-ofp-twenge.pdf

Young People on Phone Via Shutterstock

By Cameron, 2nd grader, Atlanta, GA, USA

I am 8 years old and like most kids I like balloons. But I’m really worried about what they are doing to our environment and wildlife. Why is throwing trash along the side of a road illegal, but releasing balloons in the sky to explode and fall to the ground in pieces legal? To me it seems that releasing balloons into the air is the same thing as littering and laws need to be put in place to protect both our marine and terrestrial wildlife.

According to Carolyn Shea of the National Audubon Society:

“Once airborne, balloons can travel far afield and often end up joining the flotsam (floating debris) riding the world’s oceans. One that was unleashed in a science fair experiment to investigate wind direction was retrieved on an island 1,300 miles from its release site.” *

On land or in water, balloons can easily be mistaken for prey and eaten by animals. They are especially harmful in an aquatic environment because they look like jellyfish – a major source of food for marine animals including sea turtles, dolphins, whales, fish and seabirds. When these marine animals ingest balloons a valve at the top of the stomach can get blocked so that food cannot pass through, causing slow, painful starvation. Attachments such as ribbons and string tied to balloons are a particular problem for land and sea animals as they can get tangled around the mouths and beaks making it impossible for these animals to eat.

Those in the balloon industry would have us believe that latex balloons are bio-degradable, meaning that balloons have the ability to break down, or decompose back into the natural environment without causing harm, as fast as an oak leaf. However, research published in Soil Biology and Biochemistry found that 54% of oak leaves decomposed in a two-year period, and it takes about four years for oak leaves to completely degrade under natural conditions. This gives wildlife plenty of time to encounter this seemingly harmless killer.** Keep in mind that Mylar balloons (balloons that feature a metallic foil and are made of nylon that can stay inflated from days to weeks), as well as ribbons and strings, are NOT bio-degradable at all.

Balloon releases are illegal in several states including: Virginia, Connecticut, Florida, Tennessee, New York, Texas and California. I recently moved to Georgia from Florida where it is a crime to intentionally release more than (10) balloons in a 24-hour period.

Several years ago, (21) 3rd grade students from Nassakeag School in Long Island, New York successfully asked their county officials to outlaw the mass release of more than 24 balloons into the air. The law imposes fines of $500 for the first violation, $750 for the second, and $1,000 for the third. It also requires balloon sellers to post notices about the new ban.

I would like to see mass balloon releases made illegal in all 50 states. I have started an on-line petition regarding this topic. My hope is that I can present this petition, along with additional information, to my local state representative so that legislation can be put in place to stop mass balloon releases in Georgia. If you’d like to help in my efforts, please go to http://www.change.org/petitions/georgia-politicians-make-mass-balloon-releases-illegal and sign my petition. Together, we can help save one of our world’s most precious resources – its wildlife!

“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing’s going to get better. It’s not.” Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax.

*Audubon Magazine, http://archive.audubonmagazine.org/ask/ask0209.html

**Clean Virginia Waterways, http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/balloons.htm

If you’d like more information about this issue, please contact Amie Koporc at akoporc@gmail.com.

Balloon release image via Shutterstock

Oak leaf image via Shutterstock

Dolphin image via Shutterstock

Cameron Koporc is passionate about nature and the environment. Coming soon, Juno’s Journey, a book she wrote to benefit sea turtle rescue organizations. Visit www.makeyourmarkpublishing.com for more information about her work.