Autism Spectrum Disorders in Relation to Distribution of Hazardous Air Pollutants in the some areas. http://www.ehponline.org/members/2006/9120/9120.html 1Division of Environmental and Occupational Disease Control, California Department of Health Services, Richmond, California, USA; 2Impact Assessment, Inc., La Jolla, California, USA; 3Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program Division of Research, Oakland, California, USA Abstract Objective: To explore possible associations between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and environmental exposures, we linked the California autism surveillance system to estimated hazardous air pollutant (HAP) concentrations compiled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Methods: Subjects included 284 children with ASD and 657 controls, born in 1994 in the San Francisco Bay area. We assigned exposure level by census tract of birth residence for 19 chemicals we identified as potential neurotoxicants, developmental toxicants, and/or endo...

By: Gabriel Makuei Tor, JUBA,  The natural resources in South Sudan (S.S.) have been defiled, so stop  singing the “virgin land” song, like “a baby nation” clause in the  mouths of S.S. corrupted officials. In our times when we were kids,  way before 2nd civil war kicked in between South and North Sudan, over  30 years ago, there were rare cases of sickness and natural death.  Though we were drinking right direct from the rivers and rain waters,  we still remained healthy than a kid living on the same today, but  those days were true in their own style than these days!  So what happened? What has changed? To answer these questions, you may  have your own answers but let’s read through here below:  You heard of the climate change; the religion of the 21st century.  That everything we use has an effect and limitation, even the sun and  the waters of the Seas. The air, soil and water are being polluted by...

The Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania, forebearers of an ancient East African Empire…? Vast areas of Kenya and Tanzania bear Maasai related names, a sign that the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania were once the dominant community in East Africa. For instance, Nairobi, the capital city of Kenya, is drawn from “Enkare Nairob”, which means “Place of cool waters” in Maasai. Mt. Kenya is “Eru Kenya”, meaning “Snow from Laikipia”. Nakuru, Kenya’s third largest city, is also a Maasai name. Then across a vast length and breadth of about 1,000 kilometres and 800 kilometres respectively, transcending both Tanzania and Kenya, are numerous locations that have either Maasai names or Samburu names. The Samburu of Kenya are close kin of the Maasai, and the Maasai and Samburu converse with each other without much difficulty. The Maasai/Samburu names of key locations that spread across both Tanzania and Kenya include Serengeti, Ngorongoro, Mt. Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa’s ...

The 2010 Kenya constitution, chapter five stipulates the foundation of human rights is anchored on clean and healthy environment. Unfortunately in Tharaka- Nithi County bordering Embu County lies the snow capped Mt.Kenya Mountain second highest in Africa,located along the equator, Chuka town lies in a section of the larger Mt. Kenya forest which is known for its birds sanctuary, wildlife, splendid flora and fauna, streams of river and the century old trees, around the center of the mountain in 1997 was designated as a national park and listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, since time immemorial conservation efforts have been embraced by the indigenous forest community, on the other hand government Forest Officers in charge of national park and the larger forest have been plagued by widespread corruption activities, inefficiency, political servitude, low   standards of professionalism, mass production of "bhangi"( cannabis ), massive charcoal production within the...

Community Organizing: UN Science Panel shows importance of climate actio... : Climate scientists in the UN panel on climate change (IPCC) are wrapping up their latest meeting, held in Copenhagen over the past week. T...

Climate scientists in the UN panel on climate change (IPCC) are wrapping up their latest meeting, held in Copenhagen over the past week. Their fifth report is fresh on the table, and it is full of predictions about our future. The head of the ACT Alliance delegation to the meeting, Mattias Söderberg, says: “Scientists are giving us a preview of a huge bill we will have to pay for the effects of climate change. The cheapest path forwards - for people, companies and governments - is to invest in climate action now. Transforming our countries for a low carbon future will save lives and money”. “The report highlights that climate change will have an increasing impact on food security, and that there are limits for adaptation to the increasing global temperature. Sea level rise and persistent droughts will force many people to move.” Söderberg says. “For the families and communities that are going to be hardest hit, the report is a horrific prediction. We can’t adapt our way out o...

Soils are critical for all life—they act as a water filter and growing medium, supply nutrients for plant growth and contribute to biodiversity.  Yet, despite the universal importance of healthy soil, we continue to lose approximately 5 to 7 million hectares each year through soil degradation – 24 billion tons of this non-renewable resource have been lost over the last century from the world’s arable land. Today, land and soil degradation affect approximately 1.5 billion people, and not just in arid or dry environments. June 17 is World Day to Combat Desertification, and this year’s theme is ‘Land Belongs to the Future - Let’s Climate Proof’. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), through its technical cooperation programme and the Joint FAO/IAEA Division, is helping Member States to address this goal by supporting the collection of data on soil and water interactions. Nuclear technology, and radioactive and stable isotope techniques in particular, play a very importa...