From today's MomsRising.org newsletter:

"Each year, some children who want to participate in school or community sports are sidelined because they don't have health insurance."

"Now, low or no-cost health insurance is available for children. Call 1-877-KIDS-NOW toll-free or check out InsureKidsNow.gov ((link...))... to find out if your child is eligible."

Do you consider yourself environmentally conscious and responsible?? You might not know that all those colorful explosives used to celebrate special occasions.... (your firecrackers, skyrockets, Roman candles and yes even those so-called "harmless" sparklers)... pose a serious environmental and health danger from heavy metals and other toxic firework fallout.

It turns out that besides rotting teeth and contributing to user obesity, Coca Cola has a beneficial use for gardeners. According to a recent news item in an agricultural journal, many farmers in India have been using Coca-Cola as a pesticide for at least five years. Britains's Guardian reported that Gotu Laxmaiah, a farmer from Andra Pradesh is delighted with his cola spray. "I observed that the pests began to die after the soft drink was sprayed on my cotton," he said. He and others say their cola spray is invaluable because it does not need to be diluted, is many times cheaper than conventional pesticides, and is safer to handle by a country mile.

From the "TESTIMONY OF STAN MEIBURG
ACTING REGIONAL ADMINISTRATOR, REGION 4
U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON WATER RESOURCES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
March 31, 2009"
(link...)
"In the aftermath of the incident, EPA sampled the coal ash and residential soil to determine if the release posed an immediate threat to human health. Sampling results for coal ash contaminated residential soil showed arsenic, cobalt, iron, and thallium levels above the residential Superfund soil screening values. Sampling results also showed average arsenic levels in the Kingston coal ash and coal ash contaminated residential soil above the EPA Region 4 Residential Removal Action Levels (RALs). RALs are used to trigger TIME-CRITICAL REMOVAL actions while soil screening values, are used as a point of departure for EPA to take any action to investigate and/or remediate a release. In response to exceedances of RALs for ash contaminated residential soils, TVA relocated RESIDENTS TO INTERRUPT THIS SOIL EXPOSURE PATHWAY. "

(Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry)
(link...)
(WC's blog entry (link...) )

The American Lung Association has released this year's county-by-county study of air quality: (link...), (link...)