#vocs — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #vocs, aggregated by home.social.
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Should We All Be ‘#HouseBurping’?
The German practice of “#lüften” is gaining traction on social media. It may improve your home #AirQuality.
By Dorie Chevlen, Jan. 29, 2026
Excerpt: "Experts say lüften actually works. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends opening windows to reduce the concentration of volatile organic compounds [#VOCs] in the home, which are released by a vast array of household items, including furniture, mattresses, cosmetics and cleaning products. These compounds can cause adverse reactions like headaches, itchy eyes and breathing problems.
"According to Dr. Parham Azimi, research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there’s also reason to believe airing out a home regularly could help control household #mold. In his research, keeping windows closed correlated with a higher likelihood of mold.
"Dr. Joshua Nosanchuk, a professor and microbiology researcher at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an infectious disease physician at Montefiore Health System, said that better #ventilation could eliminate many airborne toxins that cause people irritation in the U.S. 'Part of the problem is that we hermetically seal our houses. We don’t want the air conditioning to get out and we don’t want the heat to get it out,' he said. 'No one opens their windows.' "
Learn more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/realestate/what-is-house-burping-luften.htmlArchived version:
https://archive.ph/pWByt#SolarPunkSunday #FreshAir #Nature #VentilateYourHomes #AirExchange
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Should We All Be ‘#HouseBurping’?
The German practice of “#lüften” is gaining traction on social media. It may improve your home #AirQuality.
By Dorie Chevlen, Jan. 29, 2026
Excerpt: "Experts say lüften actually works. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends opening windows to reduce the concentration of volatile organic compounds [#VOCs] in the home, which are released by a vast array of household items, including furniture, mattresses, cosmetics and cleaning products. These compounds can cause adverse reactions like headaches, itchy eyes and breathing problems.
"According to Dr. Parham Azimi, research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there’s also reason to believe airing out a home regularly could help control household #mold. In his research, keeping windows closed correlated with a higher likelihood of mold.
"Dr. Joshua Nosanchuk, a professor and microbiology researcher at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an infectious disease physician at Montefiore Health System, said that better #ventilation could eliminate many airborne toxins that cause people irritation in the U.S. 'Part of the problem is that we hermetically seal our houses. We don’t want the air conditioning to get out and we don’t want the heat to get it out,' he said. 'No one opens their windows.' "
Learn more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/realestate/what-is-house-burping-luften.htmlArchived version:
https://archive.ph/pWByt#SolarPunkSunday #FreshAir #Nature #VentilateYourHomes #AirExchange
-
Should We All Be ‘#HouseBurping’?
The German practice of “#lüften” is gaining traction on social media. It may improve your home #AirQuality.
By Dorie Chevlen, Jan. 29, 2026
Excerpt: "Experts say lüften actually works. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends opening windows to reduce the concentration of volatile organic compounds [#VOCs] in the home, which are released by a vast array of household items, including furniture, mattresses, cosmetics and cleaning products. These compounds can cause adverse reactions like headaches, itchy eyes and breathing problems.
"According to Dr. Parham Azimi, research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there’s also reason to believe airing out a home regularly could help control household #mold. In his research, keeping windows closed correlated with a higher likelihood of mold.
"Dr. Joshua Nosanchuk, a professor and microbiology researcher at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an infectious disease physician at Montefiore Health System, said that better #ventilation could eliminate many airborne toxins that cause people irritation in the U.S. 'Part of the problem is that we hermetically seal our houses. We don’t want the air conditioning to get out and we don’t want the heat to get it out,' he said. 'No one opens their windows.' "
Learn more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/realestate/what-is-house-burping-luften.htmlArchived version:
https://archive.ph/pWByt#SolarPunkSunday #FreshAir #Nature #VentilateYourHomes #AirExchange
-
Should We All Be ‘#HouseBurping’?
The German practice of “#lüften” is gaining traction on social media. It may improve your home #AirQuality.
By Dorie Chevlen, Jan. 29, 2026
Excerpt: "Experts say lüften actually works. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends opening windows to reduce the concentration of volatile organic compounds [#VOCs] in the home, which are released by a vast array of household items, including furniture, mattresses, cosmetics and cleaning products. These compounds can cause adverse reactions like headaches, itchy eyes and breathing problems.
"According to Dr. Parham Azimi, research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there’s also reason to believe airing out a home regularly could help control household #mold. In his research, keeping windows closed correlated with a higher likelihood of mold.
"Dr. Joshua Nosanchuk, a professor and microbiology researcher at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an infectious disease physician at Montefiore Health System, said that better #ventilation could eliminate many airborne toxins that cause people irritation in the U.S. 'Part of the problem is that we hermetically seal our houses. We don’t want the air conditioning to get out and we don’t want the heat to get it out,' he said. 'No one opens their windows.' "
Learn more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/realestate/what-is-house-burping-luften.htmlArchived version:
https://archive.ph/pWByt#SolarPunkSunday #FreshAir #Nature #VentilateYourHomes #AirExchange
-
Should We All Be ‘#HouseBurping’?
The German practice of “#lüften” is gaining traction on social media. It may improve your home #AirQuality.
By Dorie Chevlen, Jan. 29, 2026
Excerpt: "Experts say lüften actually works. The Environmental Protection Agency recommends opening windows to reduce the concentration of volatile organic compounds [#VOCs] in the home, which are released by a vast array of household items, including furniture, mattresses, cosmetics and cleaning products. These compounds can cause adverse reactions like headaches, itchy eyes and breathing problems.
"According to Dr. Parham Azimi, research associate at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, there’s also reason to believe airing out a home regularly could help control household #mold. In his research, keeping windows closed correlated with a higher likelihood of mold.
"Dr. Joshua Nosanchuk, a professor and microbiology researcher at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and an infectious disease physician at Montefiore Health System, said that better #ventilation could eliminate many airborne toxins that cause people irritation in the U.S. 'Part of the problem is that we hermetically seal our houses. We don’t want the air conditioning to get out and we don’t want the heat to get it out,' he said. 'No one opens their windows.' "
Learn more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/01/29/realestate/what-is-house-burping-luften.htmlArchived version:
https://archive.ph/pWByt#SolarPunkSunday #FreshAir #Nature #VentilateYourHomes #AirExchange
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6 Things to Know About Sheep’s #WoolInsulation
When it’s time to update your home’s insulation, consider what sheep’s wool has to offer.
By Alexa Erickson, Mar 24, 2021
"Sheep’s wool insulation uses a natural fiber base.
Among the most popular insulation materials today are #fiberglass and #rockwool (also known as mineral wool). Both consist of man-made fibers spun from, as their names suggest, molten glass or minerals such as basalt or diabase. While these insulation types are considered safe by institutes such as the U.S. National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, they do contain synthetic, hairlike fibers that can break off and become airborne during installation. They also contain #formaldehyde, which is known to release volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) into the air. Both airborne fibers and formaldehyde can irritate the skin and lungs, and long-term exposure to formaldehyde may cause some types of cancer. Even spray foam insulation can be especially dangerous due to the high level of VOCs that off-gas into the air during installation and before it cures completely.
Sheep’s wool insulation starts as sheared wool that grows naturally on sheep—often wool that is deemed too coarse to make into clothing or other fabric. It is important to note, however, that it is common manufacturing practice to treat sheep’s wool insulation with additives such as boric acid to repel insects and further reduce flammability. Ammonium sulfates may also be added as a fire retardant. So while the base material is inherently natural, the sheep’s wool insulation end product is also not completely free of toxins. Both additives are considered poisonous if ingested and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. Moreover, boric acid is classified as a reproductive toxin by the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation in Europe. [Boric acid does not pollute like #PFAS though]
When installing any type of insulation in your home, always use caution and wear the protective gear recommended by the insulation manufacturer."
Learn more:
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/sheeps-wool-insulation/#SolarPunkSunday #Insulation #AnimalProducts #Wool #SprayFoamAlternatives #FiberglassAlternatives #SyntheticAlternatives
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6 Things to Know About Sheep’s #WoolInsulation
When it’s time to update your home’s insulation, consider what sheep’s wool has to offer.
By Alexa Erickson, Mar 24, 2021
"Sheep’s wool insulation uses a natural fiber base.
Among the most popular insulation materials today are #fiberglass and #rockwool (also known as mineral wool). Both consist of man-made fibers spun from, as their names suggest, molten glass or minerals such as basalt or diabase. While these insulation types are considered safe by institutes such as the U.S. National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, they do contain synthetic, hairlike fibers that can break off and become airborne during installation. They also contain #formaldehyde, which is known to release volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) into the air. Both airborne fibers and formaldehyde can irritate the skin and lungs, and long-term exposure to formaldehyde may cause some types of cancer. Even spray foam insulation can be especially dangerous due to the high level of VOCs that off-gas into the air during installation and before it cures completely.
Sheep’s wool insulation starts as sheared wool that grows naturally on sheep—often wool that is deemed too coarse to make into clothing or other fabric. It is important to note, however, that it is common manufacturing practice to treat sheep’s wool insulation with additives such as boric acid to repel insects and further reduce flammability. Ammonium sulfates may also be added as a fire retardant. So while the base material is inherently natural, the sheep’s wool insulation end product is also not completely free of toxins. Both additives are considered poisonous if ingested and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. Moreover, boric acid is classified as a reproductive toxin by the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation in Europe. [Boric acid does not pollute like #PFAS though]
When installing any type of insulation in your home, always use caution and wear the protective gear recommended by the insulation manufacturer."
Learn more:
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/sheeps-wool-insulation/#SolarPunkSunday #Insulation #AnimalProducts #Wool #SprayFoamAlternatives #FiberglassAlternatives #SyntheticAlternatives
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6 Things to Know About Sheep’s #WoolInsulation
When it’s time to update your home’s insulation, consider what sheep’s wool has to offer.
By Alexa Erickson, Mar 24, 2021
"Sheep’s wool insulation uses a natural fiber base.
Among the most popular insulation materials today are #fiberglass and #rockwool (also known as mineral wool). Both consist of man-made fibers spun from, as their names suggest, molten glass or minerals such as basalt or diabase. While these insulation types are considered safe by institutes such as the U.S. National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, they do contain synthetic, hairlike fibers that can break off and become airborne during installation. They also contain #formaldehyde, which is known to release volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) into the air. Both airborne fibers and formaldehyde can irritate the skin and lungs, and long-term exposure to formaldehyde may cause some types of cancer. Even spray foam insulation can be especially dangerous due to the high level of VOCs that off-gas into the air during installation and before it cures completely.
Sheep’s wool insulation starts as sheared wool that grows naturally on sheep—often wool that is deemed too coarse to make into clothing or other fabric. It is important to note, however, that it is common manufacturing practice to treat sheep’s wool insulation with additives such as boric acid to repel insects and further reduce flammability. Ammonium sulfates may also be added as a fire retardant. So while the base material is inherently natural, the sheep’s wool insulation end product is also not completely free of toxins. Both additives are considered poisonous if ingested and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. Moreover, boric acid is classified as a reproductive toxin by the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation in Europe. [Boric acid does not pollute like #PFAS though]
When installing any type of insulation in your home, always use caution and wear the protective gear recommended by the insulation manufacturer."
Learn more:
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/sheeps-wool-insulation/#SolarPunkSunday #Insulation #AnimalProducts #Wool #SprayFoamAlternatives #FiberglassAlternatives #SyntheticAlternatives
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6 Things to Know About Sheep’s #WoolInsulation
When it’s time to update your home’s insulation, consider what sheep’s wool has to offer.
By Alexa Erickson, Mar 24, 2021
"Sheep’s wool insulation uses a natural fiber base.
Among the most popular insulation materials today are #fiberglass and #rockwool (also known as mineral wool). Both consist of man-made fibers spun from, as their names suggest, molten glass or minerals such as basalt or diabase. While these insulation types are considered safe by institutes such as the U.S. National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, they do contain synthetic, hairlike fibers that can break off and become airborne during installation. They also contain #formaldehyde, which is known to release volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) into the air. Both airborne fibers and formaldehyde can irritate the skin and lungs, and long-term exposure to formaldehyde may cause some types of cancer. Even spray foam insulation can be especially dangerous due to the high level of VOCs that off-gas into the air during installation and before it cures completely.
Sheep’s wool insulation starts as sheared wool that grows naturally on sheep—often wool that is deemed too coarse to make into clothing or other fabric. It is important to note, however, that it is common manufacturing practice to treat sheep’s wool insulation with additives such as boric acid to repel insects and further reduce flammability. Ammonium sulfates may also be added as a fire retardant. So while the base material is inherently natural, the sheep’s wool insulation end product is also not completely free of toxins. Both additives are considered poisonous if ingested and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. Moreover, boric acid is classified as a reproductive toxin by the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation in Europe. [Boric acid does not pollute like #PFAS though]
When installing any type of insulation in your home, always use caution and wear the protective gear recommended by the insulation manufacturer."
Learn more:
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/sheeps-wool-insulation/#SolarPunkSunday #Insulation #AnimalProducts #Wool #SprayFoamAlternatives #FiberglassAlternatives #SyntheticAlternatives
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6 Things to Know About Sheep’s #WoolInsulation
When it’s time to update your home’s insulation, consider what sheep’s wool has to offer.
By Alexa Erickson, Mar 24, 2021
"Sheep’s wool insulation uses a natural fiber base.
Among the most popular insulation materials today are #fiberglass and #rockwool (also known as mineral wool). Both consist of man-made fibers spun from, as their names suggest, molten glass or minerals such as basalt or diabase. While these insulation types are considered safe by institutes such as the U.S. National Toxicology Program and the International Agency for Research on Cancer, they do contain synthetic, hairlike fibers that can break off and become airborne during installation. They also contain #formaldehyde, which is known to release volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) into the air. Both airborne fibers and formaldehyde can irritate the skin and lungs, and long-term exposure to formaldehyde may cause some types of cancer. Even spray foam insulation can be especially dangerous due to the high level of VOCs that off-gas into the air during installation and before it cures completely.
Sheep’s wool insulation starts as sheared wool that grows naturally on sheep—often wool that is deemed too coarse to make into clothing or other fabric. It is important to note, however, that it is common manufacturing practice to treat sheep’s wool insulation with additives such as boric acid to repel insects and further reduce flammability. Ammonium sulfates may also be added as a fire retardant. So while the base material is inherently natural, the sheep’s wool insulation end product is also not completely free of toxins. Both additives are considered poisonous if ingested and can cause irritation to the skin, eyes, nose, and throat. Moreover, boric acid is classified as a reproductive toxin by the Classification, Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulation in Europe. [Boric acid does not pollute like #PFAS though]
When installing any type of insulation in your home, always use caution and wear the protective gear recommended by the insulation manufacturer."
Learn more:
https://www.bobvila.com/articles/sheeps-wool-insulation/#SolarPunkSunday #Insulation #AnimalProducts #Wool #SprayFoamAlternatives #FiberglassAlternatives #SyntheticAlternatives
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Symptom: Mast Cell Itching
https://www.illmarks.com/symptom-mast-cell-itching/
#allergicreactions #Allergies #allergy #art #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #buildingSafety #chonicillness #chronicIllness #claws #eds #ehlersdanlossyndrome #environmentalIllness #environmentalillness #fingers #formaldehyde #heds #hypermobile #hypermobility #hypermobilityspectrumdisorder #immunology #itched #itching #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastcell #mastcellactivationsyndrome #mastcelldisease #mastocytosis #mcas #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #nails #POTS #prop65 #publicHealth #publicHealth #pwLC #pwme #scratched #scratching #scratchy #severeallergy #vocs
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Symptom: Mast Cell Itching
https://www.illmarks.com/symptom-mast-cell-itching/
#allergicreactions #Allergies #allergy #art #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #buildingSafety #chonicillness #chronicIllness #claws #eds #ehlersdanlossyndrome #environmentalIllness #environmentalillness #fingers #formaldehyde #heds #hypermobile #hypermobility #hypermobilityspectrumdisorder #immunology #itched #itching #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastcell #mastcellactivationsyndrome #mastcelldisease #mastocytosis #mcas #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #nails #POTS #prop65 #publicHealth #publicHealth #pwLC #pwme #scratched #scratching #scratchy #severeallergy #vocs
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Symptom: Mast Cell Itching
https://www.illmarks.com/symptom-mast-cell-itching/
#allergicreactions #Allergies #allergy #art #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #buildingSafety #chonicillness #chronicIllness #claws #eds #ehlersdanlossyndrome #environmentalIllness #environmentalillness #fingers #formaldehyde #heds #hypermobile #hypermobility #hypermobilityspectrumdisorder #immunology #itched #itching #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastcell #mastcellactivationsyndrome #mastcelldisease #mastocytosis #mcas #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #nails #POTS #prop65 #publicHealth #publicHealth #pwLC #pwme #scratched #scratching #scratchy #severeallergy #vocs
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Symptom: Mast Cell Itching
https://www.illmarks.com/symptom-mast-cell-itching/
#allergicreactions #Allergies #allergy #art #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #buildingSafety #chonicillness #chronicIllness #claws #eds #ehlersdanlossyndrome #environmentalIllness #environmentalillness #fingers #formaldehyde #heds #hypermobile #hypermobility #hypermobilityspectrumdisorder #immunology #itched #itching #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastcell #mastcellactivationsyndrome #mastcelldisease #mastocytosis #mcas #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #nails #POTS #prop65 #publicHealth #publicHealth #pwLC #pwme #scratched #scratching #scratchy #severeallergy #vocs
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Symptom: Mast Cell Itching
https://www.illmarks.com/symptom-mast-cell-itching/
#allergicreactions #Allergies #allergy #art #bodyHorror #bodyMapping #buildingSafety #chonicillness #chronicIllness #claws #eds #ehlersdanlossyndrome #environmentalIllness #environmentalillness #fingers #formaldehyde #heds #hypermobile #hypermobility #hypermobilityspectrumdisorder #immunology #itched #itching #longCovid #longcovid #mastCell #mastCellActivationSyndrome #mastcell #mastcellactivationsyndrome #mastcelldisease #mastocytosis #mcas #medicalArt #MillionsMissing #nails #POTS #prop65 #publicHealth #publicHealth #pwLC #pwme #scratched #scratching #scratchy #severeallergy #vocs
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In the wake of wildfires, toxic smoke is a lasting health concern >>
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2527308122
#bushfires #FossilFuels #fires #suburbia #UrbanWildfires #air #pollution #toxins #smoke #plastics #VOCs #AirPollution #ClimateChange #benzene #acetone #health #harm #NSWLogging #PublicHealth -
In the wake of wildfires, toxic smoke is a lasting health concern >>
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2527308122
#bushfires #FossilFuels #fires #suburbia #UrbanWildfires #air #pollution #toxins #smoke #plastics #VOCs #AirPollution #ClimateChange #benzene #acetone #health #harm #NSWLogging #PublicHealth -
In the wake of wildfires, toxic smoke is a lasting health concern >>
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2527308122
#bushfires #FossilFuels #fires #suburbia #UrbanWildfires #air #pollution #toxins #smoke #plastics #VOCs #AirPollution #ClimateChange #benzene #acetone #health #harm #NSWLogging #PublicHealth -
In the wake of wildfires, toxic smoke is a lasting health concern >>
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2527308122
#bushfires #FossilFuels #fires #suburbia #UrbanWildfires #air #pollution #toxins #smoke #plastics #VOCs #AirPollution #ClimateChange #benzene #acetone #health #harm #NSWLogging #PublicHealth -
In the wake of wildfires, toxic smoke is a lasting health concern >>
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2527308122
#bushfires #FossilFuels #fires #suburbia #UrbanWildfires #air #pollution #toxins #smoke #plastics #VOCs #AirPollution #ClimateChange #benzene #acetone #health #harm #NSWLogging #PublicHealth -
Unser #PaperdesMonats aus dem Themenfeld #Umwelt beschäftigt sich mit der Bestimmung von #Passivsammler-Aufnahmeraten zur Überwachung der #Innenraumluftqualität.
Ziel dieser Studie war es, die Rückführbarkeit und Vergleichbarkeit von mit Passivsammlern durchgeführten #Innenraumluftmessungen zu verbessern. Dafür wurden Aufnahmeraten von insgesamt 86 flüchtigen und schwerflüchtigen organischen Verbindungen (#VOCs und #SVOCs) für einen Zeitraum von 7Tagen bestimmt.
https://www.bam.de/Content/DE/Paper-des-Monats/2025/Umwelt/2025-10-01-paper-des-monats-umwelt.html
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BREAKING! Massive Fire Erupts at #Chevron #Refinery Near #LosAngeles, Sending Flames into the Sky
by Andrew Powell
October 3, 2025"Firefighters continued dousing a blaze Friday morning at a Chevron #OilRefinery in #ElSegundoCA, after a massive fire broke out the night before, lighting up the sky with flames visible for miles.
"According to The Associated Press, officials urged residents to stay indoors, though by early Friday the city said the fire was contained and posed no threat to public safety. No evacuations were ordered.
" 'All roads have been reopened after last night’s Chevron fire,' the city of El Segundo posted Friday morning. 'The fire is still burning but is contained at this time.'
"The South Coast Air Quality Management District said overnight monitoring detected 'elevated levels of volatile organic compounds” [#VOCs] at the refinery’s fence line, though local air quality readings Friday morning showed no major concerns. Officials noted that drizzle, marine layers, and light winds were keeping the plume aloft but warned conditions could shift as winds pick up."
#California #ChevronRefinery #RefineryFire #AirQuality #AQI #AirQualityAlerts
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BREAKING! Massive Fire Erupts at #Chevron #Refinery Near #LosAngeles, Sending Flames into the Sky
by Andrew Powell
October 3, 2025"Firefighters continued dousing a blaze Friday morning at a Chevron #OilRefinery in #ElSegundoCA, after a massive fire broke out the night before, lighting up the sky with flames visible for miles.
"According to The Associated Press, officials urged residents to stay indoors, though by early Friday the city said the fire was contained and posed no threat to public safety. No evacuations were ordered.
" 'All roads have been reopened after last night’s Chevron fire,' the city of El Segundo posted Friday morning. 'The fire is still burning but is contained at this time.'
"The South Coast Air Quality Management District said overnight monitoring detected 'elevated levels of volatile organic compounds” [#VOCs] at the refinery’s fence line, though local air quality readings Friday morning showed no major concerns. Officials noted that drizzle, marine layers, and light winds were keeping the plume aloft but warned conditions could shift as winds pick up."
#California #ChevronRefinery #RefineryFire #AirQuality #AQI #AirQualityAlerts
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BREAKING! Massive Fire Erupts at #Chevron #Refinery Near #LosAngeles, Sending Flames into the Sky
by Andrew Powell
October 3, 2025"Firefighters continued dousing a blaze Friday morning at a Chevron #OilRefinery in #ElSegundoCA, after a massive fire broke out the night before, lighting up the sky with flames visible for miles.
"According to The Associated Press, officials urged residents to stay indoors, though by early Friday the city said the fire was contained and posed no threat to public safety. No evacuations were ordered.
" 'All roads have been reopened after last night’s Chevron fire,' the city of El Segundo posted Friday morning. 'The fire is still burning but is contained at this time.'
"The South Coast Air Quality Management District said overnight monitoring detected 'elevated levels of volatile organic compounds” [#VOCs] at the refinery’s fence line, though local air quality readings Friday morning showed no major concerns. Officials noted that drizzle, marine layers, and light winds were keeping the plume aloft but warned conditions could shift as winds pick up."
#California #ChevronRefinery #RefineryFire #AirQuality #AQI #AirQualityAlerts
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BREAKING! Massive Fire Erupts at #Chevron #Refinery Near #LosAngeles, Sending Flames into the Sky
by Andrew Powell
October 3, 2025"Firefighters continued dousing a blaze Friday morning at a Chevron #OilRefinery in #ElSegundoCA, after a massive fire broke out the night before, lighting up the sky with flames visible for miles.
"According to The Associated Press, officials urged residents to stay indoors, though by early Friday the city said the fire was contained and posed no threat to public safety. No evacuations were ordered.
" 'All roads have been reopened after last night’s Chevron fire,' the city of El Segundo posted Friday morning. 'The fire is still burning but is contained at this time.'
"The South Coast Air Quality Management District said overnight monitoring detected 'elevated levels of volatile organic compounds” [#VOCs] at the refinery’s fence line, though local air quality readings Friday morning showed no major concerns. Officials noted that drizzle, marine layers, and light winds were keeping the plume aloft but warned conditions could shift as winds pick up."
#California #ChevronRefinery #RefineryFire #AirQuality #AQI #AirQualityAlerts
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BREAKING! Massive Fire Erupts at #Chevron #Refinery Near #LosAngeles, Sending Flames into the Sky
by Andrew Powell
October 3, 2025"Firefighters continued dousing a blaze Friday morning at a Chevron #OilRefinery in #ElSegundoCA, after a massive fire broke out the night before, lighting up the sky with flames visible for miles.
"According to The Associated Press, officials urged residents to stay indoors, though by early Friday the city said the fire was contained and posed no threat to public safety. No evacuations were ordered.
" 'All roads have been reopened after last night’s Chevron fire,' the city of El Segundo posted Friday morning. 'The fire is still burning but is contained at this time.'
"The South Coast Air Quality Management District said overnight monitoring detected 'elevated levels of volatile organic compounds” [#VOCs] at the refinery’s fence line, though local air quality readings Friday morning showed no major concerns. Officials noted that drizzle, marine layers, and light winds were keeping the plume aloft but warned conditions could shift as winds pick up."
#California #ChevronRefinery #RefineryFire #AirQuality #AQI #AirQualityAlerts
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Not just human health! The #Toxic Blend of LA’s Urban #WildfireSmoke Will Have Lasting Health Consequences
Los Angeles residents are breathing bits of "cars, metal pipes, plastics."
By Zoya Teirstein, January 22, 2025“These fires are different from previous quote-unquote ‘wildfires,’ because there are so many structures that burned,” said Yifang Zhu, a professor of environmental health sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles. 'Everything in the households got burned — cars, metal pipes, plastics.'
"#Wildfiresmoke is toxic. Burning trees and shrubs produce very fine #particulatematter, known by the shorthand PM 2.5, which burrow deep into the lungs and can even infiltrate the bloodstream, causing cold- and flu-like symptoms in the short term, and heart disease, lung cancer, and other chronic issues over time.
"But the fires that raced through Los Angeles burned thousands of homes, schools, historic buildings, and even medical clinics, blanketing the city in thick smoke. For several days after the first fire started, the city’s air quality index, or #AQI, exceeded 100, the threshold, typically seen during wildfires, at which air becomes unhealthy to breathe for children, the elderly, and those with asthma. In some parts of the city, the AQI reached 500, a number rarely seen and always hazardous for everyone.
"At the moment, air pollution experts know how much smoke fills the air. That’s shown improvement in recent days. But they don’t know what’s in it. 'What are the chemical mixtures in this smoke?' asked Kai Chen, an environmental scientist at the Yale School of Public Health. 'In addition to fine particulate matter, there are potentially other hazardous and #carcinogenic organic compounds — gas pollutants, trace metals, and microplastics.'
"Previous research shows that the spikes in unhealthy air quality seen during such events lead to higher rates of hospitalizations for issues like asthma, and even contribute to heart attacks among those with that chronic disease. A 2024 study on the long-term effects of smoke exposure in California showed that particulate matter from wildfires in the state from 2008 to 2018 contributed to anywhere from 52,000 to 56,000 premature deaths. A health assessment of 148 firefighters who worked the Tubbs Fire, which burned more than 36,000 acres in Northern California in 2017 and destroyed an unusually high number of structures, found elevated levels of the #PFAS known as forever chemicals, #HeavyMetals, and flame retardants in their blood and urine.
"The L.A. County Department of Public Health has formally urged people to stay inside and wear masks to protect themselves from windblown toxic dust and ash. Air quality measurements don’t take these particles into account, which means the air quality index doesn’t reveal the extent of contaminants in the air.
"Zhu and her colleagues have been collecting samples of wildfire smoke in neighborhoods near the fires. It’ll be months before that data is fully analyzed, but Zhu suspects she will find a dangerous mix of chemicals, including, potentially, #asbestos and lead — materials used in many buildings constructed before the 1970s.
"The risk will linger even after the smoke clears. The plumes that wafted over the landscape will deposit chemicals into drinking #water supplies and #contaminate# soil. When rains do come, they’ll wash #ToxicAsh into streams and across the land, said Fernando Rosario-Ortiz, an environmental engineer and interim dean of the University of Colorado Boulder environmental engineering program. 'There’s a lot of manmade materials that are now being combusted. The potential is there for contamination,' he said, noting that little research on how toxic ash and other byproducts of wildfires in urban areas currently exists. 'What we don’t have a lot of information on is what happens now.'
"After the Camp Fire razed Paradise, California, in 2018, water utilities found high levels of volatile organic compounds [#VOCs] in #DrinkingWater. Similar issues have arisen in places like Boulder County, Colorado, where the Marshall Fire destroyed nearly 1,000 structures in 2021, Rosario-Ortiz said, though the presence of a contaminant in a home doesn’t necessarily mean it will be present in high levels in the water. Still, several municipal water agencies in Los Angeles issued preemptive advisories urging residents not to drink tap water in neighborhoods near the Palisades and Eaton fires. It’ll be weeks before they know exactly what’s in the water.
"As wildfires grow ever more intense and encroach upon urban areas, cities and counties must be prepared to monitor the health impacts and respond to them. 'This is the first time I’ve ever even witnessed or heard anything like this,' said Zhu, who raised her daughter in Los Angeles and has lived there for decades, said. 'Even being in the field studying wildfires and air quality impacts, I never imagined that a whole neighborhood, a whole community in Palisades, would burn down.'"
Read more:
https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/the-toxic-blend-of-las-urban-wildfire-smoke-will-have-lasting-health-consequences/?utm_source=flipboard&utm_medium=flipboard_rss&utm_campaign=znetwork
#AirPollution #WaterPollution #AirIsLife #WaterIsLife #ToxicMaterials #EnvironmentalDisaster #EnvironmentalDamage #Pyrocene #PyroceneEra -
🎉 Congratulations to Dr. Holly Leather on successfully defending her #PhD thesis! The work describes a novel approach to #diagnosis of #TB using #skin VOCS and methods to explain excretion rates of #VOCs from blood to skin surface longitudinally. The first PhD student to pass in my group, rest to follow soon!
Thank you to examiners Dr Nicholas Rattray and Prof Richard Unwin for making her #viva such an enjoyable experience. Here’s to Holly’s bright future! 🌟
-
#Journal, Day 1708
Thursday, 21 November 2024
Ukraine War: Day 1013
Hamas-Israel War: Day 410
Mass shootings in the USA in 2024: 465#vocs #deadlychemicals #formaldehyde #badlandlord #cheapmaterials #birdsofmastodon #nothealthy
-
#Trees don’t like to breathe #wildfire smoke, either – and they’ll hold their breath to avoid it
Published: July 30, 2024
"When wildfire smoke travels long distances, the smoke cooks in sunlight and chemically changes.
"Mixing volatile organic compounds [#VOCs], nitrogen oxides and sunlight will make ground-level #ozone, which can cause breathing problems in humans. It can also damage plants by degrading the #leaf surface, oxidizing plant tissue and slowing #photosynthesis."
#Wildfires #ClimateCrisis #ClimateCatastrophe #WildfireSmoke #AirQuality
-
Visit https://bl.ag/filter to learn all about activated charcoal filters and the benefits of using them when working with VOCs (volatile organic compounds).
'Filtering the Fumes: Air Purifier Advice' is the latest despatch from @jill_strong at bl.ag online.
#voc #vocs #filter #filters #airpurifier #healthandsafety #hands #fumes #safetyfirst #paint #solvent #solvents #paints #porkiepie
-
Devastating Community Health Study on #Drax #WoodPellet Plant
Written by Naya Black, August 7th, 2024
"#GlosterMississippi is a small, rural, mostly Black community in Amite County, Mississippi. It spans 1.8 square miles with around 900 residents. Residents are facing the harsh reality of a median income below $15,000 in 2021.
Introduction of the #AmiteBioEnergy Pellet Plant"In 2015, Amite BioEnergy, a part of the UK’s #DraxGroup, started making #WoodPellets pellets in Gloster. Industry markets wood pellets as #ecofriendly . They get big subsidies from the #EU to supposedly fight climate change. Drax has a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year. But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits. Drax even paid a $2.5 million fine for it.
What Types of Pollutants Do Wood Pellet Plants Produce?
"#WoodPelletPlants emit many #AirPollutants , including:
nitrogen oxides (#NOx)
#GreenhouseGas like carbon dioxide, methane, and sulfur dioxide
volatile organic compounds (#VOCs)
particulate matter (#PM) 2.5"Sleep is critical to health, so 24/7 #NoisePollution is also a concern.
What Are the Short-term Effects of This Air Pollution?"These air pollutants are harmful to residents breathing them in. They can cause:
coughing
trouble breathing
skin rashes
severe allergic reactionsWhat Are the Long-term Effects of This Air Pollution?
"The long-term effects of air pollution are #chronic. They’re also much worse than the short-term effects. Some are even life-threatening. Added to the short-term effects, the long-term effects can be:
shortness of breath
nausea
headaches
cardiovascular disease
lung disease
heart attack
stroke"Read more:
https://dogwoodalliance.org/2024/08/devastating-community-health-study-on-drax-wood-pellet-plant/#EnvironmentalRacism #AirPollution #ProfitOverPeople
#CorporateColonialism
#SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest
#OldGrowthForests #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism
#BigForest #DraxPowerStation -
Devastating Community Health Study on #Drax #WoodPellet Plant
Written by Naya Black, August 7th, 2024
"#GlosterMississippi is a small, rural, mostly Black community in Amite County, Mississippi. It spans 1.8 square miles with around 900 residents. Residents are facing the harsh reality of a median income below $15,000 in 2021.
Introduction of the #AmiteBioEnergy Pellet Plant"In 2015, Amite BioEnergy, a part of the UK’s #DraxGroup, started making #WoodPellets pellets in Gloster. Industry markets wood pellets as #ecofriendly . They get big subsidies from the #EU to supposedly fight climate change. Drax has a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year. But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits. Drax even paid a $2.5 million fine for it.
What Types of Pollutants Do Wood Pellet Plants Produce?
"#WoodPelletPlants emit many #AirPollutants , including:
nitrogen oxides (#NOx)
#GreenhouseGas like carbon dioxide, methane, and sulfur dioxide
volatile organic compounds (#VOCs)
particulate matter (#PM) 2.5"Sleep is critical to health, so 24/7 #NoisePollution is also a concern.
What Are the Short-term Effects of This Air Pollution?"These air pollutants are harmful to residents breathing them in. They can cause:
coughing
trouble breathing
skin rashes
severe allergic reactionsWhat Are the Long-term Effects of This Air Pollution?
"The long-term effects of air pollution are #chronic. They’re also much worse than the short-term effects. Some are even life-threatening. Added to the short-term effects, the long-term effects can be:
shortness of breath
nausea
headaches
cardiovascular disease
lung disease
heart attack
stroke"Read more:
https://dogwoodalliance.org/2024/08/devastating-community-health-study-on-drax-wood-pellet-plant/#EnvironmentalRacism #AirPollution #ProfitOverPeople
#CorporateColonialism
#SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest
#OldGrowthForests #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism
#BigForest #DraxPowerStation -
Devastating Community Health Study on #Drax #WoodPellet Plant
Written by Naya Black, August 7th, 2024
"#GlosterMississippi is a small, rural, mostly Black community in Amite County, Mississippi. It spans 1.8 square miles with around 900 residents. Residents are facing the harsh reality of a median income below $15,000 in 2021.
Introduction of the #AmiteBioEnergy Pellet Plant"In 2015, Amite BioEnergy, a part of the UK’s #DraxGroup, started making #WoodPellets pellets in Gloster. Industry markets wood pellets as #ecofriendly . They get big subsidies from the #EU to supposedly fight climate change. Drax has a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year. But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits. Drax even paid a $2.5 million fine for it.
What Types of Pollutants Do Wood Pellet Plants Produce?
"#WoodPelletPlants emit many #AirPollutants , including:
nitrogen oxides (#NOx)
#GreenhouseGas like carbon dioxide, methane, and sulfur dioxide
volatile organic compounds (#VOCs)
particulate matter (#PM) 2.5"Sleep is critical to health, so 24/7 #NoisePollution is also a concern.
What Are the Short-term Effects of This Air Pollution?"These air pollutants are harmful to residents breathing them in. They can cause:
coughing
trouble breathing
skin rashes
severe allergic reactionsWhat Are the Long-term Effects of This Air Pollution?
"The long-term effects of air pollution are #chronic. They’re also much worse than the short-term effects. Some are even life-threatening. Added to the short-term effects, the long-term effects can be:
shortness of breath
nausea
headaches
cardiovascular disease
lung disease
heart attack
stroke"Read more:
https://dogwoodalliance.org/2024/08/devastating-community-health-study-on-drax-wood-pellet-plant/#EnvironmentalRacism #AirPollution #ProfitOverPeople
#CorporateColonialism
#SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest
#OldGrowthForests #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism
#BigForest #DraxPowerStation -
Devastating Community Health Study on #Drax #WoodPellet Plant
Written by Naya Black, August 7th, 2024
"#GlosterMississippi is a small, rural, mostly Black community in Amite County, Mississippi. It spans 1.8 square miles with around 900 residents. Residents are facing the harsh reality of a median income below $15,000 in 2021.
Introduction of the #AmiteBioEnergy Pellet Plant"In 2015, Amite BioEnergy, a part of the UK’s #DraxGroup, started making #WoodPellets pellets in Gloster. Industry markets wood pellets as #ecofriendly . They get big subsidies from the #EU to supposedly fight climate change. Drax has a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year. But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits. Drax even paid a $2.5 million fine for it.
What Types of Pollutants Do Wood Pellet Plants Produce?
"#WoodPelletPlants emit many #AirPollutants , including:
nitrogen oxides (#NOx)
#GreenhouseGas like carbon dioxide, methane, and sulfur dioxide
volatile organic compounds (#VOCs)
particulate matter (#PM) 2.5"Sleep is critical to health, so 24/7 #NoisePollution is also a concern.
What Are the Short-term Effects of This Air Pollution?"These air pollutants are harmful to residents breathing them in. They can cause:
coughing
trouble breathing
skin rashes
severe allergic reactionsWhat Are the Long-term Effects of This Air Pollution?
"The long-term effects of air pollution are #chronic. They’re also much worse than the short-term effects. Some are even life-threatening. Added to the short-term effects, the long-term effects can be:
shortness of breath
nausea
headaches
cardiovascular disease
lung disease
heart attack
stroke"Read more:
https://dogwoodalliance.org/2024/08/devastating-community-health-study-on-drax-wood-pellet-plant/#EnvironmentalRacism #AirPollution #ProfitOverPeople
#CorporateColonialism
#SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest
#OldGrowthForests #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism
#BigForest #DraxPowerStation -
Devastating Community Health Study on #Drax #WoodPellet Plant
Written by Naya Black, August 7th, 2024
"#GlosterMississippi is a small, rural, mostly Black community in Amite County, Mississippi. It spans 1.8 square miles with around 900 residents. Residents are facing the harsh reality of a median income below $15,000 in 2021.
Introduction of the #AmiteBioEnergy Pellet Plant"In 2015, Amite BioEnergy, a part of the UK’s #DraxGroup, started making #WoodPellets pellets in Gloster. Industry markets wood pellets as #ecofriendly . They get big subsidies from the #EU to supposedly fight climate change. Drax has a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year. But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits. Drax even paid a $2.5 million fine for it.
What Types of Pollutants Do Wood Pellet Plants Produce?
"#WoodPelletPlants emit many #AirPollutants , including:
nitrogen oxides (#NOx)
#GreenhouseGas like carbon dioxide, methane, and sulfur dioxide
volatile organic compounds (#VOCs)
particulate matter (#PM) 2.5"Sleep is critical to health, so 24/7 #NoisePollution is also a concern.
What Are the Short-term Effects of This Air Pollution?"These air pollutants are harmful to residents breathing them in. They can cause:
coughing
trouble breathing
skin rashes
severe allergic reactionsWhat Are the Long-term Effects of This Air Pollution?
"The long-term effects of air pollution are #chronic. They’re also much worse than the short-term effects. Some are even life-threatening. Added to the short-term effects, the long-term effects can be:
shortness of breath
nausea
headaches
cardiovascular disease
lung disease
heart attack
stroke"Read more:
https://dogwoodalliance.org/2024/08/devastating-community-health-study-on-drax-wood-pellet-plant/#EnvironmentalRacism #AirPollution #ProfitOverPeople
#CorporateColonialism
#SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest
#OldGrowthForests #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism
#BigForest #DraxPowerStation -
Holding #Drax accountable
via @Freedom_Press
Aug 12thDespite raid on #CimateCamp, #activists link up with #Mississippi fence-line community
"Climate campaigners this weekend Saturday (August 10) held an online conversation with community activists in #GlosterMississippi, who shared their experiences of resisting a polluting #WoodPellet factory owned by UK multinational Drax. The UK climate camp, planned to take place last weekend near Drax power station, was cancelled after a pre-emptive raid by police.
"The 22 arrestees have since been released, but the police impounded essential infrastructure, effectively shtting down the event. Nevertheless, the event went ahead after moving indoors.
"Gloster is a low-income, mostly Black community in Amite County, #Mississippi. In 2015, #AmiteBioEnergy, a part of the #DraxGroup, started making wood pellets in Gloster. #Biomass wood pellets are compressed dried wood chips and sawdust, compressed into pellets at high pressure. The Drax factory received a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year.
"But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits, in one instance being fined $2.5 million. This was the largest in a much longer series of fines for environmental violations by various companies operating wood pellet factories in the US.
"In the online event, the campaigners from Mississippi discussed the physical and mental health effects of persistent #AirPollution, including the highest rate of mortaility from heart disease in the state of Mississippi. The community has no local medical doctors, and residents have to spend hours commuting to access medical.
"According to local resident Jimmy Brown, 'our legislators aren’t doing us any justice because they didn’t inform any citizens about what going on, so that’s up to us'.
"Activists on both sides of the Atlantic vowed to hold Drax accountable. 'We cannot let them continue to put profit over the planet and over our people', said Gloster organiser Krystal Nicole Martin, 'they need to leave tour community'.
~ Jane Alison
https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/08/12/holding-drax-accountable/
#ProfitOverPeople #CorporateColonialism #SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest #OldGrowthForsts #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism #BigForest #DraxPowerStation #SilencingDissent
-
Holding #Drax accountable
via @Freedom_Press
Aug 12thDespite raid on #CimateCamp, #activists link up with #Mississippi fence-line community
"Climate campaigners this weekend Saturday (August 10) held an online conversation with community activists in #GlosterMississippi, who shared their experiences of resisting a polluting #WoodPellet factory owned by UK multinational Drax. The UK climate camp, planned to take place last weekend near Drax power station, was cancelled after a pre-emptive raid by police.
"The 22 arrestees have since been released, but the police impounded essential infrastructure, effectively shtting down the event. Nevertheless, the event went ahead after moving indoors.
"Gloster is a low-income, mostly Black community in Amite County, #Mississippi. In 2015, #AmiteBioEnergy, a part of the #DraxGroup, started making wood pellets in Gloster. #Biomass wood pellets are compressed dried wood chips and sawdust, compressed into pellets at high pressure. The Drax factory received a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year.
"But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits, in one instance being fined $2.5 million. This was the largest in a much longer series of fines for environmental violations by various companies operating wood pellet factories in the US.
"In the online event, the campaigners from Mississippi discussed the physical and mental health effects of persistent #AirPollution, including the highest rate of mortaility from heart disease in the state of Mississippi. The community has no local medical doctors, and residents have to spend hours commuting to access medical.
"According to local resident Jimmy Brown, 'our legislators aren’t doing us any justice because they didn’t inform any citizens about what going on, so that’s up to us'.
"Activists on both sides of the Atlantic vowed to hold Drax accountable. 'We cannot let them continue to put profit over the planet and over our people', said Gloster organiser Krystal Nicole Martin, 'they need to leave tour community'.
~ Jane Alison
https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/08/12/holding-drax-accountable/
#ProfitOverPeople #CorporateColonialism #SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest #OldGrowthForsts #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism #BigForest #DraxPowerStation #SilencingDissent
-
Holding #Drax accountable
via @Freedom_Press
Aug 12thDespite raid on #CimateCamp, #activists link up with #Mississippi fence-line community
"Climate campaigners this weekend Saturday (August 10) held an online conversation with community activists in #GlosterMississippi, who shared their experiences of resisting a polluting #WoodPellet factory owned by UK multinational Drax. The UK climate camp, planned to take place last weekend near Drax power station, was cancelled after a pre-emptive raid by police.
"The 22 arrestees have since been released, but the police impounded essential infrastructure, effectively shtting down the event. Nevertheless, the event went ahead after moving indoors.
"Gloster is a low-income, mostly Black community in Amite County, #Mississippi. In 2015, #AmiteBioEnergy, a part of the #DraxGroup, started making wood pellets in Gloster. #Biomass wood pellets are compressed dried wood chips and sawdust, compressed into pellets at high pressure. The Drax factory received a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year.
"But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits, in one instance being fined $2.5 million. This was the largest in a much longer series of fines for environmental violations by various companies operating wood pellet factories in the US.
"In the online event, the campaigners from Mississippi discussed the physical and mental health effects of persistent #AirPollution, including the highest rate of mortaility from heart disease in the state of Mississippi. The community has no local medical doctors, and residents have to spend hours commuting to access medical.
"According to local resident Jimmy Brown, 'our legislators aren’t doing us any justice because they didn’t inform any citizens about what going on, so that’s up to us'.
"Activists on both sides of the Atlantic vowed to hold Drax accountable. 'We cannot let them continue to put profit over the planet and over our people', said Gloster organiser Krystal Nicole Martin, 'they need to leave tour community'.
~ Jane Alison
https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/08/12/holding-drax-accountable/
#ProfitOverPeople #CorporateColonialism #SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest #OldGrowthForsts #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism #BigForest #DraxPowerStation #SilencingDissent
-
Holding #Drax accountable
via @Freedom_Press
Aug 12thDespite raid on #CimateCamp, #activists link up with #Mississippi fence-line community
"Climate campaigners this weekend Saturday (August 10) held an online conversation with community activists in #GlosterMississippi, who shared their experiences of resisting a polluting #WoodPellet factory owned by UK multinational Drax. The UK climate camp, planned to take place last weekend near Drax power station, was cancelled after a pre-emptive raid by police.
"The 22 arrestees have since been released, but the police impounded essential infrastructure, effectively shtting down the event. Nevertheless, the event went ahead after moving indoors.
"Gloster is a low-income, mostly Black community in Amite County, #Mississippi. In 2015, #AmiteBioEnergy, a part of the #DraxGroup, started making wood pellets in Gloster. #Biomass wood pellets are compressed dried wood chips and sawdust, compressed into pellets at high pressure. The Drax factory received a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year.
"But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits, in one instance being fined $2.5 million. This was the largest in a much longer series of fines for environmental violations by various companies operating wood pellet factories in the US.
"In the online event, the campaigners from Mississippi discussed the physical and mental health effects of persistent #AirPollution, including the highest rate of mortaility from heart disease in the state of Mississippi. The community has no local medical doctors, and residents have to spend hours commuting to access medical.
"According to local resident Jimmy Brown, 'our legislators aren’t doing us any justice because they didn’t inform any citizens about what going on, so that’s up to us'.
"Activists on both sides of the Atlantic vowed to hold Drax accountable. 'We cannot let them continue to put profit over the planet and over our people', said Gloster organiser Krystal Nicole Martin, 'they need to leave tour community'.
~ Jane Alison
https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/08/12/holding-drax-accountable/
#ProfitOverPeople #CorporateColonialism #SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest #OldGrowthForsts #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism #BigForest #DraxPowerStation #SilencingDissent
-
Holding #Drax accountable
via @Freedom_Press
Aug 12thDespite raid on #CimateCamp, #activists link up with #Mississippi fence-line community
"Climate campaigners this weekend Saturday (August 10) held an online conversation with community activists in #GlosterMississippi, who shared their experiences of resisting a polluting #WoodPellet factory owned by UK multinational Drax. The UK climate camp, planned to take place last weekend near Drax power station, was cancelled after a pre-emptive raid by police.
"The 22 arrestees have since been released, but the police impounded essential infrastructure, effectively shtting down the event. Nevertheless, the event went ahead after moving indoors.
"Gloster is a low-income, mostly Black community in Amite County, #Mississippi. In 2015, #AmiteBioEnergy, a part of the #DraxGroup, started making wood pellets in Gloster. #Biomass wood pellets are compressed dried wood chips and sawdust, compressed into pellets at high pressure. The Drax factory received a permit to emit up to 25 tons of harmful #AirPollutants and 249 tons of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) per year.
"But since 2016, Drax has consistently gone over these limits, in one instance being fined $2.5 million. This was the largest in a much longer series of fines for environmental violations by various companies operating wood pellet factories in the US.
"In the online event, the campaigners from Mississippi discussed the physical and mental health effects of persistent #AirPollution, including the highest rate of mortaility from heart disease in the state of Mississippi. The community has no local medical doctors, and residents have to spend hours commuting to access medical.
"According to local resident Jimmy Brown, 'our legislators aren’t doing us any justice because they didn’t inform any citizens about what going on, so that’s up to us'.
"Activists on both sides of the Atlantic vowed to hold Drax accountable. 'We cannot let them continue to put profit over the planet and over our people', said Gloster organiser Krystal Nicole Martin, 'they need to leave tour community'.
~ Jane Alison
https://freedomnews.org.uk/2024/08/12/holding-drax-accountable/
#ProfitOverPeople #CorporateColonialism #SaveCanadianForests #SaveUKForests #SaveCaliforniaForests #SaveTheForest #OldGrowthForsts #Greenwashing #EnvironmentalActivism #BigForest #DraxPowerStation #SilencingDissent
-
20-JUN-2024
Sunlight and plastic: the risky combination for bottled water safety
A new study delves into the potential #health risks posed by the release of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) from plastic water bottles when exposed to sunlight. The research, which examined the composition and toxicity of VOCs emitted under ultraviolet-A (UV-A) and solar irradiation, underscores the need for safer storage practices to ensure #drinkingWater safety. -
Good Muggy Morning SARS2PAians! ☁️💐☁️
I hope you are having a safe Spring!
The top news lately are the newest variants causing country-wide summer waves including Spain: https://ibb.co/hRpvjt5
and Portugal: https://ibb.co/khTtyJX
They are KP.3.x.y and LB.x.y.
These new immune evasive variants are filling up hospitals and causing notable increases in deaths.
KP.3 is now the variant "grandfather" that is the fastest, the most immune evasive, and the most easily bound to cells. Specifically, the most watched upcoming variant is its grandchild, KP.3.1.1.
The newest variants that have a very good chance of causing a sizeable increase in numbers, if not a full blown-out wave, are variants of KP.3 that already have immune evasive mutations (FLuQE) but also have an advantageous specific spike deletion (S:S31del).
These new and fastest variants are immune evasive to BOTH current vaccinations, AND prior infections.
Nationally, KP.2 is still just barely at the top of the leaderboard. KP.2.3 is right behind it, already a variant that is being watched.: https://ibb.co/p0d8G8n
🔴KP.3.1.1 is absolutely blazing fast and burning through Spain, Portugal and other countries, and is part of KP-DEL31.
_____
NOTE: "KP-DEL31" is gonna be my nickname for it, not variant hunters or virologists. Just to call it something easily condensed and recognizeable for now. They might decide on a different nickname soon. These names are just for convenience. (You don't call your cousin Mister James Robert Smith every time, do you? You call him JimBob or Smitty. It just makes talking easier.)
_____
I've highlighted FLiRT in pink on the national screenshot but I'll drop it soon as KP-DEL31 becomes more and more relevant.
There's no specific results for PA on the Tableau site. Probably not enough testing here.
In NY/NJ, I've highlighted KP-DEL31 in green on the NY/NJ leaderboard, and as you can see, all the top 5 variants there have this very important spike deletion. But KP.3.1.1 is the variant to keep eyes on.: https://ibb.co/Jcv0rF7
KP.3.1.1 is already found (in only a few days!) in TX, NY, CA, CO, NJ, WA, and VA.
🔴If you've dropped wearing respirators for now you might want to reconsider putting them back on as KP.3.1.1 makes gains and spring moves along.
________________
Wastewater has returned to HIGH levels in the Eastern and Southern states. KP.2, KP.3 and LB.x.y variants are working together on driving this.: https://ibb.co/0nHqQPS
In our region, specifically testing in Maryland is showing a return to higher levels.: https://ibb.co/99MSpy0
The PA wastewater dashboard is showing LARGE increases in Philly, and sizeable increases in Centre and Indiana counties.: https://ibb.co/0J14Tty
MASK UP, oh my Philly ❤️️!
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Whoa I had a whole angry thing typed out here and juuuuuuust checked back on Twitter, and Dr. Eric Topol wrote just 2 hrs ago that the US FDA has changed its decision for the upcoming vaccine base!!: https://ibb.co/xzB6GVb
The newest mRNA vaccines will be based on KP.2 and NOT JN.1!
This is a wise decision and fantastic news!!
This will certainly better prepare us for Summer.
(NOTE: **Novavax** will have a JN.1 based booster. Novavax is completely different as it has proven effective through multiple years with ONE base so that vaccine will probably not have to be changed as often.)
_______________
🔴Even with vaccines, there are always other things we can do to practice source control!keep those windows OPEN
wear a respirator
keep the air clean
move meetings outside
work from home
build a Corsi-Rosenthal box
stay home if you are sick!
Continue to have a great and safe Spring!! 💐💐💐
#COVID19 #COVID #COVIDisNotOver #SARS2PA #Pennsylvania #PA
#FLiRT #F456L #R346T #spike_f456l #spike_r346t
#FLuQE #Q493E
#KP2 #KP3 #LB1 #Moderna #Pfizer #Novavax
#WearAMask #CleanTheAir #WashHands #VaccinesSaveLives #StayHomeIfSick ! -
Na toll, noch mehr #Nanoplastik, diesmal betrifft es #Enthusiasten vom #3DDruck:
Beim 3D-Druck #Druckprozess werden schädliche #Nanopartikel und flüchtige organische Verbindungen (#VOCs) freigesetzt. Die Empfehlungen für Nutzer:innen umfassen das #Drucken in gut belüfteten Räumen, die Verwendung der niedrigstmöglichen #Drucktemperaturen und Vorsicht bei Filamenten mit Zusatzstoffen.
#DOI: 10.1016/j.atmosenv.2022.119501
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1352231022005660
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Perception of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) from wounded #arabidopsis plants identifies two green leaf volatiles (#GLVs), (Z)-3-hexenal and (E)-2-hexenal. Perception starts in #guard cells and subsequently in #mesophyll cells, triggering the expression of biotic and abiotic stress-responsive genes in a calcium-dependent manner.
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Wool can be made without killing animals. I think we need to go back to using #hemp, #wood and #wool -- and less synthetics. But most of all, make furniture and rugs that last -- so generation after generation can use them!
What You Need to Know About #OffGassing
Even after an install, a project’s furnishings and finishes can leach harmful chemicals into the air for years through a process called off-gassing. Here’s how you can combat it.
by Audrey Gray
"'Okay, I want to tell you about some things,' she recalls telling her client, going on to carefully explain the dangers inherent in both flooring choices—primarily the health impacts of chemical inhalants. Not only would these #chemicals flood a home during the installation of new #carpet or #vinyl planks, but they would continue to gradually leach into the air for years to come—a more subtle (but dangerous) process referred to as off-gassing. Thompson didn’t want her client’s family exposed to a vapor stew of chemicals every day, least of all in the yoga space, where the whole point was to breathe deeply while near the floor.
"She offered her client some carefully sourced options such as an all-wool carpet with a natural #rubber pad, and advocated for solid, #sustainably sourced wood downstairs instead of a composite of plastics. 'I thought she’d be excited,' Thompson says. 'But because of her beliefs about animal rights, I learned that wool wasn’t acceptable to her…and there were price point issues too. I thought, ‘Wow, this is a whole new level I hadn’t encountered.’”
"Welcome to what materials experts call 'one of the most complicated issues in health and wellness,' the murky and unregulated (at least in the U.S.—Europe is much stricter) relationships humans have with thousands of airborne #toxins emanating from our building materials, #furnishings, #CleaningProducts, #CarInteriors, #iPads, and even #candles.
"'Nobody’s telling you what is coming from all those vapors mixing in the air,' says Jillian Pritchard Cooke, the founder of Wellness Within Your Walls, an education consultancy focused on dramatically reducing the dangers of off-gassing in the built environment. 'It’s up to us to understand the individual effects each chemical can have on your #NervousSystem, your #lungs, and your cellular makeup. We need to be doing right by our clients.'
"Designers have, of course, been aware of the dangers of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) for a long time, and have helped influence some wins in the marketplace, like the rising popularity of low- or no-VOC paints and the 2015 ban Home Depot and Lowe’s instituted in 2015 on toxic #phthalates (a class of industrial chemicals that help make plastic bendy) in flooring.
"But the problem endures, and unfortunately, many of the worst effects of VOCs—showing up in health conditions—accumulate over long periods of time.
"One of the best arguments for incorporating #vintage pieces in design, apart from saving space in landfills and decreasing carbon emissions, is that they are far safer from an off-gassing perspective. #Recycling building materials (for instance, saving the doors during a retrofit) helps too."
#Recycle #Repair #Reuse
#ThrowawayCulture #Synthetics #Plastics #Pollution #Underconsumption -
Wool can be made without killing animals. I think we need to go back to using #hemp, #wood and #wool -- and less synthetics. But most of all, make furniture and rugs that last -- so generation after generation can use them!
What You Need to Know About #OffGassing
Even after an install, a project’s furnishings and finishes can leach harmful chemicals into the air for years through a process called off-gassing. Here’s how you can combat it.
by Audrey Gray
"'Okay, I want to tell you about some things,' she recalls telling her client, going on to carefully explain the dangers inherent in both flooring choices—primarily the health impacts of chemical inhalants. Not only would these #chemicals flood a home during the installation of new #carpet or #vinyl planks, but they would continue to gradually leach into the air for years to come—a more subtle (but dangerous) process referred to as off-gassing. Thompson didn’t want her client’s family exposed to a vapor stew of chemicals every day, least of all in the yoga space, where the whole point was to breathe deeply while near the floor.
"She offered her client some carefully sourced options such as an all-wool carpet with a natural #rubber pad, and advocated for solid, #sustainably sourced wood downstairs instead of a composite of plastics. 'I thought she’d be excited,' Thompson says. 'But because of her beliefs about animal rights, I learned that wool wasn’t acceptable to her…and there were price point issues too. I thought, ‘Wow, this is a whole new level I hadn’t encountered.’”
"Welcome to what materials experts call 'one of the most complicated issues in health and wellness,' the murky and unregulated (at least in the U.S.—Europe is much stricter) relationships humans have with thousands of airborne #toxins emanating from our building materials, #furnishings, #CleaningProducts, #CarInteriors, #iPads, and even #candles.
"'Nobody’s telling you what is coming from all those vapors mixing in the air,' says Jillian Pritchard Cooke, the founder of Wellness Within Your Walls, an education consultancy focused on dramatically reducing the dangers of off-gassing in the built environment. 'It’s up to us to understand the individual effects each chemical can have on your #NervousSystem, your #lungs, and your cellular makeup. We need to be doing right by our clients.'
"Designers have, of course, been aware of the dangers of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) for a long time, and have helped influence some wins in the marketplace, like the rising popularity of low- or no-VOC paints and the 2015 ban Home Depot and Lowe’s instituted in 2015 on toxic #phthalates (a class of industrial chemicals that help make plastic bendy) in flooring.
"But the problem endures, and unfortunately, many of the worst effects of VOCs—showing up in health conditions—accumulate over long periods of time.
"One of the best arguments for incorporating #vintage pieces in design, apart from saving space in landfills and decreasing carbon emissions, is that they are far safer from an off-gassing perspective. #Recycling building materials (for instance, saving the doors during a retrofit) helps too."
#Recycle #Repair #Reuse
#ThrowawayCulture #Synthetics #Plastics #Pollution #Underconsumption -
Wool can be made without killing animals. I think we need to go back to using #hemp, #wood and #wool -- and less synthetics. But most of all, make furniture and rugs that last -- so generation after generation can use them!
What You Need to Know About #OffGassing
Even after an install, a project’s furnishings and finishes can leach harmful chemicals into the air for years through a process called off-gassing. Here’s how you can combat it.
by Audrey Gray
"'Okay, I want to tell you about some things,' she recalls telling her client, going on to carefully explain the dangers inherent in both flooring choices—primarily the health impacts of chemical inhalants. Not only would these #chemicals flood a home during the installation of new #carpet or #vinyl planks, but they would continue to gradually leach into the air for years to come—a more subtle (but dangerous) process referred to as off-gassing. Thompson didn’t want her client’s family exposed to a vapor stew of chemicals every day, least of all in the yoga space, where the whole point was to breathe deeply while near the floor.
"She offered her client some carefully sourced options such as an all-wool carpet with a natural #rubber pad, and advocated for solid, #sustainably sourced wood downstairs instead of a composite of plastics. 'I thought she’d be excited,' Thompson says. 'But because of her beliefs about animal rights, I learned that wool wasn’t acceptable to her…and there were price point issues too. I thought, ‘Wow, this is a whole new level I hadn’t encountered.’”
"Welcome to what materials experts call 'one of the most complicated issues in health and wellness,' the murky and unregulated (at least in the U.S.—Europe is much stricter) relationships humans have with thousands of airborne #toxins emanating from our building materials, #furnishings, #CleaningProducts, #CarInteriors, #iPads, and even #candles.
"'Nobody’s telling you what is coming from all those vapors mixing in the air,' says Jillian Pritchard Cooke, the founder of Wellness Within Your Walls, an education consultancy focused on dramatically reducing the dangers of off-gassing in the built environment. 'It’s up to us to understand the individual effects each chemical can have on your #NervousSystem, your #lungs, and your cellular makeup. We need to be doing right by our clients.'
"Designers have, of course, been aware of the dangers of volatile organic compounds (#VOCs) for a long time, and have helped influence some wins in the marketplace, like the rising popularity of low- or no-VOC paints and the 2015 ban Home Depot and Lowe’s instituted in 2015 on toxic #phthalates (a class of industrial chemicals that help make plastic bendy) in flooring.
"But the problem endures, and unfortunately, many of the worst effects of VOCs—showing up in health conditions—accumulate over long periods of time.
"One of the best arguments for incorporating #vintage pieces in design, apart from saving space in landfills and decreasing carbon emissions, is that they are far safer from an off-gassing perspective. #Recycling building materials (for instance, saving the doors during a retrofit) helps too."
#Recycle #Repair #Reuse
#ThrowawayCulture #Synthetics #Plastics #Pollution #Underconsumption
