Beccane’s Recent Comments

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  also--RECYCLE

  I know this is not as easy as working with virgin fabric but it can be fun going to goodwill, taking apart other clothing and refashioning into something new. My friend used to make wonderful stuff that way.
  On Umbra on organic fabric posted 9 months, 3 weeks ago 17 Responses

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  show kids they are a part of the world

  I am biased, since I develop conservation biology ed programs in NYC schools. BUT it's clear to me that the old adage is true:
  " People will only conserve what they love; that they will only love what they understand; and that they will only understand what they are taught."

  Why should anyone--adult or child--feel any urgency toward an abstract notion of the environment that means nothing to them personally or in their daily lives?

  WE NEED TO GIVE KIDS DIRECT EXPERIENCE OF THE NATURAL WORLD. They need to understand that nature isn't something you see behind glass in a museum or zoo. That it exists all around us, even in cities. That their own lives depend heavily on natural systems and that nature is a joy and pleasure for all of us. Every human being--and every product, service and dollar of the economy--relies on a healthy environment. They need to understand that they are part of an incredible system with complex and marvelous interconnecting parts, most of which are alive. How cool is that?

  Kids need to feel the same connection to the environment as they would to their home. If their house were burning down, you bet they'd be engaged, motivated and completely committed to learning how to put out the fire. It stops being an abstract, "do-good" luxury and something of vital personal importance.

  But only if they experience it first hand. Unless kids feel that they are IN nature already, and not just studying it from outside,  top 10 lists will be worthless. On Umbra on eco-actions for kids posted 10 months, 3 weeks ago 12 Responses

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  national security and economic sense = no nukes

  I'm not entirely decided yet but definitely lean against nuclear, especially after a conference given by the NY Society of Security Analysts--with a prior head of the US Nuclear Regulatory Committee speaking-- on the economic viability of nuclear. Whatever you think about safety, nuclear plants are outrageously expensive to build and run and never once have broken even. They've been subsidized to the tune of billions of dollars, NOT including R&D --just for building and operating costs. And economic risk assessments DO take safety into account with not very positive results. The risks are high enough to make investors uneasy. Finally, while I feel for the poor archeologists of the future, I'm much more worried about nuclear fuel getting into the wrong hands now. There is dangerous nuclear black market and until we figure out how to safely store nuclear materials they pose a risk not only to health but to security in the short run.On Safety is for extremists posted 1 year, 1 month ago 10 Responses

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  choose your poison

  Choose wisely: If the overall impacts are the same, then pick the choice whose particular TYPE or source of impact hurts your region the least

  If you live in the desert where water is scarce, and landfill space plenty, then eschew the water usage of cloth and go for disposables

  If you live in an urban area with overburdened landfill space and relatively plenty of water-go with the cloth and leave disposables on the shelf.On Umbra on the never-ending diaper ado posted 1 year, 5 months ago 25 Responses

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  long-term effects of lead

  to answerjenconsipiracy: lead never leaves the body or does so very slowly. to remove lead you have to have "chelation therapy" in which you ingest other metals that bind to the lead to remove it. Very icky and often dangerous to the patient.
  brain damage from lead poisoning is permanent--there is no cure. High level ingestion causes clear immeidate damage but long-term low levels have been proven to lower the intelligence and functioning of children over years. Lead also binds into your bones, taking the place of other minerals.

  It's nasty stuff. On Umbra on lead and gardens posted 1 year, 6 months ago 8 Responses