Despite my frustration with them, I must say the Water Dept is coming through for us in some major ways.... not only keeping it flowing (as long as we pay in dollars) but helping with conservation measures. The Vallejo department is offering free low-flow shower heads (nice ones, with massage and various other stream options) and a lawn watering guide- it's a chart that shows how long to leave the water on, calculated by the length of time it takes to fill an empty can with 1.5 inches of water, and more helpful hints like adjusting sprinkers so the water goes to the plants, not the sidewalks; surprising how many of us water the sidewalks!
They've also issued an important Alert regarding antibacterial soaps and other products containing Triclosan- which is all of them. I've been interested in antibacterial products since working as an Infection Control Nurse; I wondered whether these pervasive products would promote ARMs (anti-bacterial resistant microbes) in the same way antibiotics do. I found plenty research on the subject- the answer is NO, there's no danger of promoting ARMs from using those products; Triclosan, the common anti-bacterial agent in soaps and plastics, is powerful enough that it kills everything in its path, rather like bleach but easier on the skin. I also found out that it's really unneccessary to use antibacterials instead of plain old soap- the best cleaning is accomplished by friction and the slipperiness of soap, which effectively sluices off dirt and microbes.
Unfortunately, killing microbes isn't all Triclosan does. According to the Water Dept, small amounts of Triclosan are showing up in our water supply. While not apparently harmful when used on skin, it's potentially deadly when ingested. No real danger from the tiny amounts we ingest daily from the overloaded public water supply- the problem is, Triclosan is stored in the body rather than safely excreted, meaning it builds up over time to potentially toxic levels..... and there's no way to completely remove it from our water or our bodies.
What to do? First of course, stop using antibacterial products. We don't need em. Second, harvest rainwater- it's still the purest drinking water around!
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Alma: Homeless, With Garden
I asked some friends whether they’d seen her around: You mean that big pile of moving clothes & blankets? Oh yes, she’s been around for years…
I never noticed her until yesterday. It wasn’t the big moving pile of clothes & blankets, or the beach umbrella cocked at an angle to keep out the sun, or the overflowing grocery cart holding the umbrella up that opened my eyes to her- it was the garden. A little row of tin cans with green, green billowing out: tiny purple flowers, a few green onions, a potato vine…. obviously carefully tended to.
I parked in the lot behind her and walked over to her bench; she was bent double over her big lap… sleeping? Dead? Will she mind an intrusion?
Excuse me… Ma’am? Hello? I knocked on the back of the bench, the closest she has to a door to her home… Hello?
She unfolded slowly, blinking at me- Yes?
Hello- my name is Pam. I noticed your beautiful garden….
Oh, thank you!
Her face is enormous, round; yellow sclera and an unnatural golden glow to her brown skin; hepatitis, for sure…. usually accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, and swelling… her feet and ankles, covered only by white socks, are huge; partly healing and newer open sores visible on her calves. Front teeth missing….. and her Smile! Her face opened to it like the sun coming up; no, she seemed not to mind my intrusion.
What’s your name? I held out my hand; her answering fingers are long, delicate, strong-looking; her palm over mine is gentle, no pressure…. blackened nails, dry crusty skin- My name is Alma. How nice to meet you.
She has the gentlest voice, soft, but carrying over the traffic sounds; a British accent. Gracious, kind- the voice of a Lady or a benevolent queen.
What do you have growing here? (The onions seem to be leaning over in the little can, very little soil)-
These were planted in sand, but I think someone wanted it, you know. This one is a potato vine- Oh, the flowers are so pretty! I’d like to water them, but they had no water today….
I know where I can get water, Ma’am… may I bring some back to you?
How kind! I could use some water…
Is there anything else you could use? I have some of that waterless handwashing stuff if you like; it’s very good stuff when there’s no water….. Why yes, (gesturing toward her cart with a twinkling laugh) I think I have some in here, but I’m not sure it's still there- people do like to go shopping, you know-
I got home fast as a rabbit on the run. A big jar of water; an Aloe Vera pup planted in a coffee can; another can of soil; a fresh bottle of waterless cleaner…..
Why, hello! How kind of you! Oh yes, I know Aloe Vera….. very good for the skin. I used it when I was working; I’d come home and take off my…. Gentle hands make a scrubbing motion across her face; Take off your makeup? Yes, makeup! And then I’d rub the Aloe on my face; very good for the skin….
Ma’am, I have no wish to intrude- but I think it’s going to rain…..
Yes, good for the garden!
Yes…. good for the garden, not so good for the feet… Ms Alma, I’m worried about your feet…. could you use some shoes?
Oh dear, I have shoes in here! Then her light little laugh….
You see, I’m a nurse- I can’t help but notice these things; do you want to go inside? Do you have the services you need? Do you have a doctor?
My words came out in a rush of anxiety for her, for me, for Us…
Well, I have my social security, and that insurance… what is it… yes, I have everything I need.
Do you want to be inside, Alma? There’re places you could go- Casa de Vallejo is nice-
Oh no, no, no- she’s smiling, shaking her head, looking at her lap- I’d like to buy a little house- just a little one, with a roof over my head and running water… and again that soft little laugh. No, I have everything I need....
Ma’am, I’m so happy to meet you, so glad you welcomed me here- she looked surprised, stumbling over her words- Why, I’m glad I could be here for you to meet!
Me too, Alma. Me too. Thank-you.
I never noticed her until yesterday. It wasn’t the big moving pile of clothes & blankets, or the beach umbrella cocked at an angle to keep out the sun, or the overflowing grocery cart holding the umbrella up that opened my eyes to her- it was the garden. A little row of tin cans with green, green billowing out: tiny purple flowers, a few green onions, a potato vine…. obviously carefully tended to.
I parked in the lot behind her and walked over to her bench; she was bent double over her big lap… sleeping? Dead? Will she mind an intrusion?
Excuse me… Ma’am? Hello? I knocked on the back of the bench, the closest she has to a door to her home… Hello?
She unfolded slowly, blinking at me- Yes?
Hello- my name is Pam. I noticed your beautiful garden….
Oh, thank you!
Her face is enormous, round; yellow sclera and an unnatural golden glow to her brown skin; hepatitis, for sure…. usually accompanied by abdominal pain, nausea, and swelling… her feet and ankles, covered only by white socks, are huge; partly healing and newer open sores visible on her calves. Front teeth missing….. and her Smile! Her face opened to it like the sun coming up; no, she seemed not to mind my intrusion.
What’s your name? I held out my hand; her answering fingers are long, delicate, strong-looking; her palm over mine is gentle, no pressure…. blackened nails, dry crusty skin- My name is Alma. How nice to meet you.
She has the gentlest voice, soft, but carrying over the traffic sounds; a British accent. Gracious, kind- the voice of a Lady or a benevolent queen.
What do you have growing here? (The onions seem to be leaning over in the little can, very little soil)-
These were planted in sand, but I think someone wanted it, you know. This one is a potato vine- Oh, the flowers are so pretty! I’d like to water them, but they had no water today….
I know where I can get water, Ma’am… may I bring some back to you?
How kind! I could use some water…
Is there anything else you could use? I have some of that waterless handwashing stuff if you like; it’s very good stuff when there’s no water….. Why yes, (gesturing toward her cart with a twinkling laugh) I think I have some in here, but I’m not sure it's still there- people do like to go shopping, you know-
I got home fast as a rabbit on the run. A big jar of water; an Aloe Vera pup planted in a coffee can; another can of soil; a fresh bottle of waterless cleaner…..
Why, hello! How kind of you! Oh yes, I know Aloe Vera….. very good for the skin. I used it when I was working; I’d come home and take off my…. Gentle hands make a scrubbing motion across her face; Take off your makeup? Yes, makeup! And then I’d rub the Aloe on my face; very good for the skin….
Ma’am, I have no wish to intrude- but I think it’s going to rain…..
Yes, good for the garden!
Yes…. good for the garden, not so good for the feet… Ms Alma, I’m worried about your feet…. could you use some shoes?
Oh dear, I have shoes in here! Then her light little laugh….
You see, I’m a nurse- I can’t help but notice these things; do you want to go inside? Do you have the services you need? Do you have a doctor?
My words came out in a rush of anxiety for her, for me, for Us…
Well, I have my social security, and that insurance… what is it… yes, I have everything I need.
Do you want to be inside, Alma? There’re places you could go- Casa de Vallejo is nice-
Oh no, no, no- she’s smiling, shaking her head, looking at her lap- I’d like to buy a little house- just a little one, with a roof over my head and running water… and again that soft little laugh. No, I have everything I need....
Ma’am, I’m so happy to meet you, so glad you welcomed me here- she looked surprised, stumbling over her words- Why, I’m glad I could be here for you to meet!
Me too, Alma. Me too. Thank-you.
Monday, October 1, 2007
Keeping Clean
Ever since working as an infection control nurse, I've been interested in the rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant microbes (ARMs). I'd known from childhood that taking antibiotics uneccessarily or not following the prescription- usually taking only PART of the pills, until I felt better- would open the door to future antibiotics "not working". I thought that meant that they wouldn't work on me. Imagine my surprise when I learned that this cavalier use of antibiotics poses a major public health risk! In fact, since the first use of penicillin in the 1940s, ARMs have been observed; some microbes were observed to have developed penicillin resistance in the first few years of use.... and of course, it hasn't ended there; the new "superbugs" surface regularly- overwhelming staph infection in a healthy young man was reported just last week in the local news; from a small cut, the guy went septic- infection carried in the blood stream.
Safe Home Cleaning
Some time ago, Mom asked me what cleaning products we can use to replace the most widely available toxics- here's a great link with answers: http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/09/11/green-cleaning-easy-and-natural-ways-to-clean-and-freshen-your-home/.
For sometime I've been using baking soda for cleanser- with regular desperate in-betweens with Ajax to get the stains out of the sink & tub. Well, no more! It turns out that borax, lemon juice, salt and vinegar are not only safer- they work just as well! Check it out.
For sometime I've been using baking soda for cleanser- with regular desperate in-betweens with Ajax to get the stains out of the sink & tub. Well, no more! It turns out that borax, lemon juice, salt and vinegar are not only safer- they work just as well! Check it out.
Peak Oil
The following links are to reports sponsored by the U.S. government regarding peak oil. There's been a lot of talk about this, of course, from conservative geologists to radical solutionists who say that peak oil may occur as soon as 2010..... the one thing they all agree on: peak oil is coming. The lifeblood of modern civilization is thinning, decreasing, while we use more & more to sustain our lifestyles. I've included the links in answer to the Many who say that Hubbert ( the original peak oil theorist) was wrong, wrong wrong.....and yes, he was wrong in some specifics- he didn't include new oil recovery technologies, frinstance. Or the incredible increase in demand- think China, think SUVs- but overall, peak oil theory is accepted as fact- even by the US government. Check out the links:
http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/others/pdf/Oil_Peaking_NETL.pdf
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:9SOVttckKiAJ:www.projectcensored.org/newsflash/The_Hirsch_Report_Proj_Cens.pdf+peak+oil+government+report&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us
Interesting, too, that one of our major oil rich families- the Bush Dynasty- is now investing in water-rich land in Paraguay- they now own the world's second largest natural water source.(http://www.progressiveindependent.com/dc/dcboard.phpaz=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=24247)
Is it really just paranoia that makes me fearful of these people controlling our oil, our water? ....when's control of the air we breathe coming?
http://www.netl.doe.gov/publications/others/pdf/Oil_Peaking_NETL.pdf
http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:9SOVttckKiAJ:www.projectcensored.org/newsflash/The_Hirsch_Report_Proj_Cens.pdf+peak+oil+government+report&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=us
Interesting, too, that one of our major oil rich families- the Bush Dynasty- is now investing in water-rich land in Paraguay- they now own the world's second largest natural water source.(http://www.progressiveindependent.com/dc/dcboard.phpaz=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=24247)
Is it really just paranoia that makes me fearful of these people controlling our oil, our water? ....when's control of the air we breathe coming?
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