Mold at the center of controversy

Melissa Gluckmann of New York is fighting the good fight to get a sick building closed. The building where she started work in 2005 had been found to be contaminated with stachybotrys and other dangerous molds back in 2000 after an employee got very ill. There was a partial attempt to remedy the problem, but the money ran out and no attempt was made to secure more money to continue.

“Reports show all types of molds that were remediated and then show recommendations to avoid future mold, none of which were followed,” she told me in email correspondence today. “I have photos of leaks and water damage, as do others.”

After just two months in the building at Rockland Community College, Melissa tells me she ended up on oxygen, horribly sick. Three months later she suffered rashes, ear pain, sinus issues, confusion, dizziness, numbness, short term memory loss, multiple chemical sensitivity and joint pain. Finally, after tests showed toxigenic mold in her bloodstream, she moved out, eventually leaving the job.

But employees in the building are still getting sick. And so Melissa has taken up the cause to get the building closed — while still struggling herself with respiratory problems and MCS. Tuesday night she and others will again attempt to prompt elected officials to do their job to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public.

The local NBC affiliate picked up the story (vid above, just click on photo):

June 26, 2008 The problem of toxic mold poisoning in Rockland Community College’s offices housed in Brucker Hall was to be the subject of a County Legislature Multi-Services Committee meeting yesterday, but several of the affected employees were denied a chance to speak when the Chairman Philip Soskin, D-Monsey, abruptly canceled the meeting after speaking to an attorney hired by the county Insurance Department.

Since 2007, nine worker’s compensation claims have been filed by employees based on exposure to mold and unidentified toxins. Eight employees, including executive officers, have been moved out of the 171-year-old Alms House that now serves as the college’s administration building.

Legislator Joseph Meyers, D-Airmont, had called for the hearing and was unhappy that the employees were not heard. On Tuesday, July 1st at 8pm, at the regular County Legislative meeting in New City, Melissa Gluckmann, perhaps the most seriously affected employee, will return with others to speak in the public comment portion of the meeting. She has written to her supporters asking them to come out and support her attempt to remove her co-workers still at risk in the building until some remedy for the situation is found.

Stay tuned.

Link, which came from this site.

What is fragrance?

This is an excellent description of the problems with fragrance from the Environmental Working Group.

When the researchers at EWG are asked the question, “Is it true that the cosmetics industry can put any chemical into a product’s fragrance without showing it on the ingredients list?”, the answer in a word is, “Yes.”

Here’s the transcript from the vid:

It’s true. When you see “fragrance” on a personal care product’s label, read it as “hidden chemicals.” A major loophole in FDA’s federal law lets manufacturers of products like shampoo, lotion, and body wash include nearly any ingredient in their products under the name “fragrance” without actually listing the chemical.

Companies that manufacture personal care products are required by law to list the ingredients they use, but fragrances and trade-secret formulas are exempt. An analysis of the chemical contents of products reveals that the innocuous-looking “fragrance” often contains chemicals linked to negative health effects. Phthalates, used to make fragrances last longer, are associated damage to the male reproductive system, and artificial musks accumulate in our bodies and can be found in breast milk. Some artificial musks are even linked to cancer. And if you’ve got asthma, watch out– fragrance formulas are considered to be among the top 5 known allergens, and can trigger asthma attacks. The same kinds of chemicals are often used for fragrances in cleaning products, scented candles, and air fresheners.

To avoid those unpleasant side effects, choose fragrance-free products, but beware labels that say “unscented.” It may only mean that the manufacturer has added yet another fragrance to mask the original odor. Check ingredient labels carefully, or search Skin Deep to find products that do not list “fragrance” as an ingredient.

The best solution is not to allow cosmetics companies to get through this loophole. They should be required to list all of their ingredients on the label where consumers can find out what they’re buying. On top of that, cosmetics manufacturers regularly include ingredients with known or suspected links to cancer, reproductive toxicity and other negative health effects. The federal government must set safety standards for personal care products.

If you’re concerned about the chemicals you use on your body every day, sign EWG’s petition at cosmeticsdatabase.com and urge the FDA to make personal care products safe.

Link

Morning treasure

From my hens. Yum.

No more fear

A young woman struggling with multiple chemical sensitivities blogs at the Gaia Community about overcoming fear. Despite respiratory damage from a traumatic mold exposure that leaves her feeling fatigued and frightened most of the time, she pulled herself together Sunday and headed out to the town pool to face the diving board. “My life is good,” she writes, “I just have to get used to the disability that I live with now. That is how I have to look at it, or it will consume me.”

And I saw the diving board staring at me saying “you can’t jump off of this - you’re afraid. What happens if you can’t breathe in deep enough? What happens if you swallow some water? What happens if (fill in the blank)??? Today, I said NO MORE FEAR. I went to the high diving board, wanted to cling on for dear life and said “don’t overthink this one” and just jumped. Hey, if the 8 year old kids can spend 40 minutes straight doing it, I could do one lousy jump. And I did! And while I was underwater it felt like I’d never have air again. But I didn’t panic. I just knew that I’d rise to the top and I’d be ok. And it was scary, but I DID IT. And even though for the 2 hours outside the house today I simply sat near the pool reading a book, used my inhaler to relieve the tightness in my chest and did have to come home and take a 2 hour nap, I overcame the fear of jumping off the board into deep water. Fear, you may have a grip on me 99% of the time, but today, I won over you! And I’ll keep fighting until you’re 1% of my day, not 99% of it.

Brava!

Link

Sunday comics: Fresh Air by Eloise

Made by my friend Eloise– how cute is this?! Puts a big smile on my face. She and Will look EXACTLY like this. Heh. I can’t get over it. The whole concept is adorable. You can play, too, at bitstrips.com. Thanks, Eloise!!

A shot of fresh air: From a car!

As the automotive industry makes its push to find cleaner alternatives to today’s common cars, there are certain designers who are taking the initiative in that regard. Auto designer Guy Negre seems to have done that with his new MDI Compressed Air Car (CAT). The Compressed Air Car, which is represented by its designers as “The World’s Cleanest Car”, is a new idea in the automotive industry because it runs exclusively on air. The compressed air engine, designed specifically for this vehicle, allows the car to run without burning up any precious fossil fuels.

Link

A shot of fresh air: C’mon, let’s take a walk

El Caminito del Rey (The King’s Pathway) is a walkway, now fallen into disrepair, pinned along the steep walls of a narrow gorge in El Chorro, near Alora in Málaga, Spain. The walkway has gone many years without maintenance, and is in a highly deteriorated and dangerous state. It is only one meter in width above a 700-meter fall, and over time it has also lost its handrail. Some parts of the walkway have completely collapsed and been replaced by a beam and a metallic wire on the wall. Many people have lost their lives on the walkway in recent years. After four people died in two accidents in 1999 and 2000, the local government closed the entrances. However, adventurous tourists still find their way onto the walkway. The view and the music are almost like being in a video game … very cool!

Be sure to click for the full screen view.

Snitched from Walk This Way.

Sickening sell out: Spreading the stink

Scanning the New York Times this morning, I found an interesting story on perfume advertising.

Times reporter Natasha Singer, in a story entitled “A Cover, 40 Pages, 4 Faces and One Perfume,” notes that the July issue of Harper’s Bazaar, a fashion mag by mega-publisher Hearst Communications, Inc., has ramped up perfume promotion by dedicating FORTY of its editorial pages to models used for a new fragrance from Estée Lauder (including covergirl Gwyneth Paltrow).

“Boy, they really sold out — Hearst — didn’t they?” said Allan Mottus, a beauty industry analyst who publishes the Informationist, a trade publication. Mr. Mottus added: “You have to take your hat off to Lauder. It is an enormous coup.”

Singer points out that this means perfume is becoming as highly regarded in the fashion industry as apparel. This is quite amazing, given that the canaries of the word and many others are trying to alert everyone that commercial perfumes contain unregulated toxic chemicals.

In fact, for Estée Lauder products, according to the Environmental Working Group’s cosmetic safety database, three of the four perfumes listed are high hazard. Given that 94% of all Lauder’s cosmetics have absolutely no FDA review, and chemically sensitive people are saying that most commercial perfumes are toxic… well, you decide whether or not you want to wear the stuff.

I’m just sayin’, on my personal list of things that get me sick from exposure, perfume (synthetic fragrance) is the NUMBER ONE problem. It’s really nasty, toxic stuff.

Link

Link to photo

Back by popular demand: Be patient, this gets amazing

I posted this video several days ago, and then took it down last night for two reasons: 1) I thought it was too off topic, and 2) I am trying REALLY HARD not to make this a political site. The second point is kinda like asking me not to breathe because I relate everything to politics and policy, it’s just who I am.

Anyway, I had an email this morning from a friend asking why I took it down, after I had recommended that she view it. Call me confoosled about my own website, ok?

So, here again is a video about a story so insane that I can’t even post a serious report about it– only John Stewart can tell the story so that it makes any sense at all.

The Bush administration gets the EPA to rewrite their policy on greenhouse gases by not opening the e-mail.

Link

Spraying to control West Nile Virus

Here’s a notice about spraying for mosquitoes in Gurnee, Illinois, last night. Nowhere in the notice do I see any info about the chemical used.

Village-wide Mosquito Adulticiding Treatment to Take Place TONIGHT in Gurnee - 6/26/08 - 6/27/08

GURNEE - June 26, 2008 - The Village of Gurnee will undergo a Village-wide mosquito adulticiding treatment during the evening hours of Thursday, June 26th and continuing into the morning hours of Friday, June 27, 2008, weather permitting. The spraying will take place in conjunction with a treatment in Warren Township. While the spraying does not pose a risk to residents, those who are sensitive to odors or have chemical sensitivities may want to keep their windows and doors closed on spray dates. The treatment will be conducted by Clarke Environmental Mosquito Management, Inc and is part of the Village’s ongoing mosquito abatement program.

They are spraying because of West Nile Virus; I don’t know what alternative they have. But if it’s so harmless, why are people with chemical sensitivities told to keep windows and doors closed on spray dates? I don’t think that’s a proper directive for people with chemical sensitivity– the authorities are not understanding the condition. If I lived there and they sprayed any of the chemicals listed on the Clarke website, I would need to leave the area in order to stay safe from trauma.

Link

Photo by Mark Plonsky.

Reverse graffiti project in San Francisco

Doug Pray made a great video about Paul Curtis (aka Moose) working on an installation for his Reverse Graffiti Project where he created environmentally clean street art by removing dirt and grime from walls of San Francisco’s Broadway Tunnel. The project was a promo for Green Works plant based cleaning products.

Snitched from Laughing Squid.

A shot of fresh air: Longwood Gardens

Today’s shot of fresh air comes from Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania! That’s because I was on the cell today off and on for over two hours with my husband, Scott, while he strolled through the incredible duPont estate.

In 1906, Pierre S. du Pont purchased the Peirce Arboretum to save its trees from being cut for lumber. Over the next nearly half century, Mr. du Pont developed Longwood Gardens into what it is today, a magnificent horticultural showplace.

Exquisite flowers, majestic trees, dazzling fountains, extravagant conservatory, starlit theatre, thunderous organ—all describe the magic of Longwood Gardens, a horticultural showstopper where the gardening arts are encased in classic forms and enhanced by modern technology. Many generations helped create Longwood Gardens, but one individual—Pierre S. du Pont (1870-1954), industrialist, conservationist, farmer, designer, impresario, and philanthropist—made the most enduring contribution.

Scott visited the conservatory’s water lily display, Mediterranean Garden, Palm House, Bonsai display, Fruit House (the original purpose of the estate), Cascade Garden, Tropical Terrace, Orchid House, and more. Then he found more water gardens outside (some with HUGE water platters, below), and hunted until he found two tree houses (one at left), dozens of spectacular fountains and more.

He also attended a lecture about water gardens, and he stood very close to the docent and let me listen—we learned all kinds of things about lilies and other water plants. The most interesting thing we learned about was a nontoxic black dye for ponds that keeps the algae growth down (a constant struggle with our ponds) and the dark color creates a beautiful foil for the plants. He purchased some in the gift shop to bring home.

These photos are from the Longwood website. As Scott walked through the gardens and talked to me about what he was seeing, I found the matching photos on their website, so I could see what he was describing. It was as if we took the walk together, very fun– at one point, I described the plant that was coming up ahead of him! I’ll post some of Scott’s pics when he sends.

Link

BIG toxic stink!

So I was in Hilo on Tuesday for a haircut– a challenge every couple months because of all the toxic fumes in the salon– and afterwards I stopped at a downtown business to drop off fresh eggs to a friend. It was very hot. I parked about a block away from the building I needed to visit, and as I got out of the car, I got hit upside the snooter with the wicked stench of concentrated chemicals. Most canaries can identify a smell’s source pretty quick, and I knew it was the stink of a utility pole. Pleh! I usually just ignore assaults like this when running errands (hold it together until I can get home and crash), but as I rounded the corner, this is what I saw:

OMG. It wasn’t just that the pole STANK, it was that the chemicals were literally melting off the pole into a pool of toxic crap at the base! I thought I was going to fall over right there splat (but I knew you’d want to see, so I got a pic for you).

I wrote earlier this month about how the EPA left out treated utility poles from the revised risk assessments for highly toxic wood preservatives like pentachlorophenol, dioxin, furans and hexachlorobenzene, which are known to cause cancer, kidney & liver disease and reproductive effects. They argued that people never come in contact with utility poles (?!).

A shot of fresh air: Papiroflexia

Check out this incredible short film Papiroflexia.

Today on Boing Boing tv, two short works from the young Paraguay-born animator and web designer Joaquin Baldwin, now a student at UCLA in Los Angeles. First, Papiroflexia, “An origami tale of a skillful paper folder who could shape the world with his hands.” Next, Placenta, an “autobiographical film using photography, motion graphics and rotoscoped video.”

Link

What the world eats

This is kinda off topic, but not really. You’ll see why. This is a fascinating photo series about “What the World Eats.” Can you guess what country each family is from? Can you guess which one is the American family? Answers here, no cheating! (Thanks, Lisa!)

After Settling Suit, FDA Changes Tune On Mercury Fillings

I had all my amalgams removed 20 years ago, before I got chemical sensitivities. I just didn’t want to risk having something toxic in my mouth, and I had it done by a holistic dentist who knew how to do it right so as not to poison me in the process. If you choose to remove your amalgams, just be sure you find a dentist you can consult who knows what he or she is doing, because removing mercury fillings can make more trouble than just leaving them alone if not removed correctly.

Oh, and look, the FDA was FORCED by a lawsuit to finally issue a warning about mercury fillings.

Agency finally concedes mercury dental fillings may be dangerous

The FDA has issued a warning that mercury dental fillings may pose a threat to people with a weakened immune system. Mercury has been linked to a number of illnesses, including brain and kidney damage.

“Dental amalgams contain mercury, which may have neurotoxic effects on the nervous systems of developing children and fetuses,” the FDA says in an update fact sheet on its Web site.

[…] The agency has agreed to release a new ruling on mercury fillings by July 2009.

That agreement was part of a settlement of a suit brought against the FDA by Moms Against Mercury and other consumer groups. Michael Bender, Director of the Mercury Policy Project and a plaintiff in the suit, said the settlement forced FDA to end “32 years of delay” and enforce the law.

“This about-face resulted from settling our lawsuit,” Bender said. “The FDA must now finish classification within one year of the close of the public comment period on its amalgam policy, that is, by July 28, 2009. The FDA also agreed to and, and with uncharacteristic speed, has already changed its website on mercury amalgam — dramatically.”

Link to story at consumeraffairs.com

Link to new FDA consumer info sheet

The Canary Report is officially launched!

This morning at about 2am, The Canary Report was officially launched by selecting the “allow all search engines” button on the admin page. Woohoo!

I want to thank all my dear friends– especially Jeri, BJ, and Will– who were clicking on everything over the past few days and sending me wonderful, uplifting emails about the content, and also clueing me in on what bells & whistles were working and what was still borked.

I also want to thank my two techies who have been helping get the admin side of things in place—James and Dan totally rock. Dan and I have been talking about developing websites for about two years, so it’s very, very cool for us to see something actually up and functioning. (We have more ideas on the burner!)

And huge, huge, huge hugs (XO!) and deep appreciation to my husband, Scott, who, over the course of 30 years, has been my number one fan and supporter, no matter how wild and crazy The New Idea. Thank you, my Honey, you make my heart sing.

Okay, so now I have brain freeze about new posts, which I hope STOPS at some point today. Things shifted in my head when I realized people were actually reading the entries— ooooooo, the pressure! But here we go…

Thanks so much for coming along for the flight. More soon!

Love and aloha,

Susie

P.S. The photo above is mine. It’s a mock up of an ink well & quill pen, which was intended for the header design. We’re still playing with the header design and also the overall colors of the site. Stay tuned!

Workers complain of mold, mystery toxins

Here’s a story about a sick building at a college in New York that’s had adverse health effects on employees. Please note that not all molds are toxigenic; these types of reports tend to lump all molds into one big toxic category, which can be misleading.

On Melissa Gluckmann’s last day at work at Rockland Community College, she said, half her face went numb and started to swell. Thinking she was having a stroke, she went to the emergency room. After that episode, she couldn’t get out of bed for two days, she said.

Gluckmann, 39, of Mount Kisco was diagnosed with permanent health problems, including brain damage, asthma, migraines and chemical sensitivities. Her specialist, Dr. Jaime Szeinuk, stated her condition was caused by mold exposure.

Although no mold was ever found there, she believed she was severely affected by mold in her office at Brucker Hall, the college’s 171-year-old administrative building. She resigned from the college as the international programs coordinator in February 2007 after four years there.

“I’ll never feel truly better, I’ll never return to the person I was before I went into that building,” she said.

Melissa Gluckmann herself left a comment today to this LoHud.com story:

Stachybotris is a very dangerous mold - I have it in my bloodstream as do other who worked in the bldg. It is not a strange coincidence; we all worked in Brucker. This mold does not grow in normal conditions; it takes some serious neglect (water damage, leaks, humidity) to flourish.

Please know that only 1 in 4 people are typically prone to an extreme reaction to mold - some people simply have symptoms that feel like allergies only, others blame it on pre-existing asthma, etc. For weeks I thought I must have caught a nasty cold from one of the students. Did you know that 80% of people who are poisoned by mold NEVER see the mold that disables them? This is my case - I did not see visible mold in Brucker (I did however see it in the basement of the library) - but this is not uncommon. Mold is made up of tiny spores - invisible to the eye, but can be very damaging. Cross contamination can happen very easily.

Closing a door in Renee’s old office is not a solution to dealing with the mold found there. Nor was closing the door in the old Financial Aid office in Brucker in 2000 - which was RCC’s response at the time; the mold can be spreading under the carpet. It can be in the air. People will still get sick. Prior to my own personal experience from this illness, I know little about mold illness - keep asking questions.

Link

Facts about mold

- Molds are fungi that can be found indoors or outdoors and grow best in warm, damp and humid conditions.
- Molds and mold spores are everywhere, though are usually at low enough levels that they don’t effect people’s health.
- For those sensitive to mold exposure, they can experience symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing or skin irritation. - More severe reactions include fever and shortness of breath, and rare conditions from toxigenic molds include pulmonary hemorrhage or memory loss.
- Mold can be reduced by keeping humidity levels low, using a humidifier during warmer months and maintaining adequate ventilation, especially in showers and cooking areas.

For more information, check www.cdc.gov/mold .

Source: The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

A shot of fresh air: Sunday morning

I love Sundays, my favorite day of the week. My morning tea tastes better, the sun is warmer, the rain more pleasant, the daily paper more newsy, and garden more inviting.

For a brief time this morning, before I went out to feed the chickens, it rained hard for about a half hour. We’ve had very dry weather for weeks and weeks, so it was a blessing. When it stopped, I went up in the back to let the chickens out and feed the fish. The sun was out—where was the rainbow?—and the air was crisp and clean. Bliss.

So here are some pics from my morning:

Feeding the chickens and finding the first egg of the day, a couple of the smallest container ponds in the garden room, a cluster of dwarf wi apples glistening with raindrops, and at the very top, blossoms on the Bleeding Heart (with a cricket that I didn’t even see until I was cropping the photo!).

It enters the dark hole of the head

From the guardian.co.uk, a top ten list of books that explore smell. The passages have additional layers of meaning for those with sensitive noses, no?

10 of the Best Smells

A la recherche du temps perdu by Marcel Proust

It was Proust who most memorably recorded how a smell can detonate a hidden memory. We all remember the taste of that madeleine, but its slight perfume matters just as much. “The smell and taste of things remain poised a long time, like souls,” Proust wrote, “bearing resiliently, on tiny and almost impalpable drops of their essence, the immense edifice of memory.”

Flush by Virginia Woolf

A story about Elizabeth Barrett Browning told from the point of view of her dog: “He smelt the swooning smells that lie in the gutters; the bitter smells that corrode iron railings; the fuming, heady smells that rise from basements . . . smells that lay far beyond the range of the human nose.”

“The Thought Fox” by Ted Hughes

Here smell stands for inspiration, something wild and undeniable. “With a sudden sharp hot stink of fox / It enters the dark hole of the head.” When this poem was first published, few readers knew what this smell was. Nowadays, any city resident with a garden will have caught this “sharp hot stink”.

More.

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