European Union countries should step up their conservation efforts and fully implement the EU Biodiversity Strategy to 2020 to prevent species from going extinct, according to a recent analysis of the European Red List coordinated by IUCN.
Posts Tagged ‘Protect’
Free Tools Available to Protect Health as Summer Smog Season Starts (CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT)
Posted by admin on May 1st, 2013
Release Date: 05/01/2013
Contact Information: David Deegan, (617) 918-1017
(Boston, Mass. – May 1, 2013) – With the onset of warmer weather, EPA urges New Englanders to be aware of the increased risk of ground-level ozone and fine particle pollution (when combined, often referred to as smog), and take health precautions when smog levels are high.
Air quality forecasts are issued daily by the New England state air agencies. In cooperation with the New England states, EPA has set up an “Air Quality Alerts” system, provided free through the EnviroFlash program, where people can sign up to receive e-mails or text messages when high concentrations of ground-level ozone or fine particles are predicted in their area. Daily air quality forecasts are available each day at EPA’s air quality web site for New England. People can also stay informed about air quality in New England states by following EPA New England on Twitter.
“Air pollution is a significant public health concern in New England,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England Office. “New Englanders should pay close attention to air quality alerts and limit strenuous outdoor activity on air quality alert days. Also, when air quality is poor, we can all take simple actions to help reduce the amount of pollution being released into the air.”
Warm summer temperatures aid in the formation of ground-level ozone and fine particle pollution. In 2008, EPA strengthened the ozone air quality health standard to 0.075 parts per million (ppm) on an 8-hour average basis. Air quality alerts are issued when ozone concentrations exceed, or are predicted to exceed, this level.
Poor air quality affects everyone, but some people are particularly sensitive to air pollutants, including children and adults who are active outdoors, and people with respiratory diseases, such as asthma. When air quality is predicted to be unhealthy, EPA and the states will announce an air quality alert for the affected areas. EPA recommends that people in these areas limit strenuous outdoor activity and EPA asks that on these days, citizens and businesses take actions that will help reduce air pollution and protect the public health. Everyone can help reduce air pollution by taking the following steps:
- use public transportation or walk whenever possible;
- combine errands and car-pool to reduce driving time and mileage;
- use less electricity by turning air conditioning to a higher temperature setting, and turning off lights, TVs, radios and computers when they are not being used; and
- avoid using small gasoline-powered engines, such as lawn mowers, chain saws, power-washers, generators, string trimmers, compressors and leaf blowers on unhealthy air days.
Cars, motorcycles, trucks, and buses are a primary source of the pollutants that make smog. Fossil fuel burning at electric generating stations, particularly on hot days, also generate smog-forming pollution. Other industries, as well as smaller sources, such as gasoline stations and print shops, also contribute to smog. In addition, household products like paints and cleaners, as well as gasoline-powered yard and garden equipment, also contribute to smog formation.
The Clean Air Act has led to significant improvements in ozone air quality over the past 30 years and EPA continues to take steps to further reduce air pollution. For example, since 2004, new cars, sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, and mini-vans are meeting stringent new emission standards. The requirements have resulted in new vehicles that are 77 to 95 percent cleaner than older models. Also, EPA’s standards for new (starting with model year 2007) diesel trucks and buses are estimated to reduce NOx and fine particle emissions by up to 95 percent.
In addition, EPA has recently proposed even tighter standards for future new cars and trucks. The automobile rule, known as Tier 3, will help lower automobile pollution by a significant margin. Starting in 2017, Tier 3 would set new vehicle emissions standards and lower the sulfur content of gasoline. Compared to current automobile standards, the proposed tailpipe standards for cars represent approximately an additional 80% reduction from today’s fleet average for ozone causing pollution.
Free Air Quality Resources:
EPA’s air quality web site for New England (http://www.epa.gov/ne/aqi)
Air Quality Awareness Week (http://www.epa.gov/airnow/airaware/index.html)
Follow EPA New England on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/EPAnewengland)
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Learn More about the Latest EPA News & Events in New England (http://www.epa.gov/region1/newsevents/index.html)
Follow EPA New England on Twitter (http://twitter.com/epanewengland)
More info on EPA’s Environmental Results in New England (http://www.epa.gov/region1/results/index.html)
Bayer Advanced Advises Homeowners to Protect Their Trees from Invasive…
Posted by admin on April 26th, 2013
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. (PRWEB) April 26, 2013
Bayer Advanced™, one of the leading consumer lawn and garden brands in the United States, advises homeowners to safeguard the health of their trees on National Arbor Day by protecting them from invasive pests, which thrive and spread during this time of the year.
Lance Walheim, horticulturist, citrus rancher and renowned author of several books, including Landscaping for Dummies, has teamed with Bayer Advanced to ensure homeowners evaluate their trees’ health by learning to how to inspect, treat and protect trees vulnerable to invasive pests.
“Destructive insects and diseases that ruin trees and shrubs in your garden also ravage millions of acres of the United States’ national forests each year,” Walheim said. “Homeowners must be armed with the right tools and information so they can help combat the spread of invasive pests.”
To help homeowners best preserve and defend their trees, Bayer Advanced and Walheim have created http://www.TreeCare101.com. The educational website features a comprehensive list of common tree pests and diseases that can be identified on branches, leaves, trunks and roots of trees; a video and articles on tree care and maintenance; facts and benefits of planting trees, such as lessening erosion and helping replenish groundwater; and frequently asked questions that address planting, pruning and treating trees with Bayer Advanced solutions.
Bayer Advanced offers two products that protect trees from specific pests, such as Emerald Ash Borer*, Whiteflies and Hemlock Woolly Adelgid.
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Bayer Advanced Tree & Shrub Protect & Feed II: Offers a fast-acting, 12-month-long systemic protection against damaging insects, plus feeds in a single application. - Bayer Advanced Fruit, Citrus and Vegetable Insect Control: Controls Asian Citrus Psyllids and other destructive pests on citrus trees. Just mix it in a watering can and apply it to the base of the citrus tree. It protects from the inside out.
As part of its ongoing commitment to tree health, Bayer Advanced has worked with the National Arbor Day Foundation to plant 630,000 trees in nine national forests throughout the United States.
Visit http://www.bayeradvanced.com to find information and how-to videos, as well as to obtain a mail-in rebate up to $ 6 on purchases of Bayer Advanced Lawn & Garden products. Always read and follow label directions.
Products not for sale in New York.
*Liquids only
Bayer Advanced Twitter Page:
http://twitter.com/bayeradvanced
Bayer Advanced Facebook Page:
http://facebook.com/bayeradvanced
Bayer and the Bayer Cross are registered trademarks of BAYER.
Bayer CropScience is committed to bringing new technology and solutions for agriculture and non-agricultural uses. For questions concerning the availability and use of products, contact a local Bayer CropScience representative, or visit Bayer CropScience online at http://www.bayercropscience.us.
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About Bayer Advanced™
Bayer Advanced is one of the leading consumer lawn and garden brands in the United States. Driven by innovative thinking and category-leading research, Bayer Advanced provides innovative and effective solutions that help consumers grow beautiful lawns and gardens and protect their landscapes from pests, weeds and diseases. Always read and follow label directions before using Bayer Advanced products. Visit BayerAdvanced.com for more information and to view how-to videos, or call 1-877-BAYERAG.
Bayer Advanced is a business group of Bayer CropScience LP (http://www.bayercropscienceus.com), the U.S. affiliate of Bayer CropScience AG. Bayer Advanced, Bayer CropScience LP, and Bayer CropScience AG are part of the Bayer AG family, a FORTUNE Global 500 company.
About Bayer CropScience
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the fields of health care, agriculture and high-tech materials. This year the company is celebrating 150 years of Bayer – consistent with its mission “Bayer: Science For A Better Life”. Bayer CropScience, the subgroup of Bayer AG responsible for the agricultural business, has annual sales of EUR 8,383 million (2012) and is one of the world’s leading innovative crop science companies in the areas of seeds, crop protection and non-agricultural pest control. The company offers an outstanding range of products including high value seeds, innovative crop protection solutions based on chemical and biological modes of action as well as an extensive service backup for modern, sustainable agriculture. In the area of non-agricultural applications, Bayer CropScience has a broad portfolio of products and services to control pests from home and garden to forestry applications. The company has a global workforce of 20,800 and is represented in more than 120 countries. This and further news is available at: press.bayercropscience.com.
Contact:
Bayer CropScience Media Hotline: 1-877-879-6162
USA-BCS-2013-0124
Find more information at http://www.bayercropscience.us.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer’s public reports which are available on the Bayer website at bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.
(C)2013 Bayer CropScience LP, 2 T.W. Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, NC 27709. Always read and follow label instructions. Bayer® and the Bayer Cross® are trademarks of Bayer. For additional product information call toll-free 1-866-99-BAYER (1-866-992-2937) or visit our website at BayerCropScience.us.
Pioneering investment to protect Pacific ecosystems presents new opportunity for donors
Posted by admin on April 22nd, 2013
One of CEPF’s investment priorities in the Polynesia-Micronesia Hotspot was to raise the environmental awareness of local communities (William Crosse).
Conservationists and stakeholders in the Pacific region urge greater community engagement, government support, and new funding approaches to build on the strong results of Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund (CEPF) program to ensure natural resources are secured for the benefit of people.
Invasive species removal from critical habitats and the implementation of community based bio-security programs were among the positive biodiversity conservation results achieved in Polynesia-Micronesia through a $ 7 million, five-year investment from the CEPF.
At a recent workshop – organized by BirdLife International – marking the completion of that investment, participants called for donors, governments and local communities to help nongovernmental organizations build on these achievements and defend the region’s unique natural resources from threats such as climate change and invasive species.
The statement, issued jointly by the 58 representatives of 35 civil society organisations engaged in the program, including Conservation International (CI) and BirdLife International, highlighted the opportunity for new funding to further this urgent work.
CI’s Pacific Islands Program was the Regional Implementation Team (RIT) for CEPF in this region.
“The past five years of investment have provided a strong platform towards effective and essential biodiversity conservation in the Polynesia-Micronesia region,” said Leilani Duffy-Iosefa of CI’s Pacific Islands Program, and CEPF’s RIT manager.
“We have averted the imminent extinction of a bird in French Polynesia, developed effective community-based projects for the benefit of both wildlife and people, and removed invasive alien species from a number of islands, giving native wildlife a much greater chance of survival. New investment is vital to ensure ecosystem recovery and perpetuity.”
Key to the future viability of conservation in the region is awareness and engagement among the people and ongoing support from governments, participants said. They prioritised initiatives that increase the community understanding of conservation issues, address threats to natural resources, and raise awareness of the importance of healthy ecosystems to human well-being.
The participants also noted that capacity building among local people is essential to achieve long-term support for conservation and to sustain project outcomes. They recommended that community-managed protected areas be developed as an alternative to traditional state-managed protected areas.
To ensure sustainable, long-term solutions, changes in funding strategies are needed, the participants suggest in their statement. These include securing assistance for nongovernmental organizations in the identification of alternative funding opportunities, such as certification schemes for private companies, and enforcing compliance with environmental regulations for development projects. Connectivity between such funding streams is important to ensure that conservation approaches across the region are coordinated, cooperative and unified.
Duffy-Iosefa said, “I think I can speak on behalf of my fellow attendees when I say that we are very passionate about conservation in this region, but more work is needed to build on all of these exciting and strong projects that have come out of the CEPF investment. We hope that the value of this work is recognised and supported by all governments, international and local organizations and donor agencies, to ensure this good work continues for the people of the Pacific.”
The closing statement ends by advising that, “Representatives considered that new investment in a regional environment programme to build on the successes of the CEPF Polynesia-Micronesia Programme would yield the highest ‘bang for buck’ for donor investment.”
About the Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund - The Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund is a joint initiative of l’Agence Française de Développement, Conservation International, the European Union, the Global Environment Facility, the Government of Japan, the MacArthur Foundation and the World Bank. A fundamental goal is to ensure civil society is engaged in biodiversity conservation.
EPA: Compliance with environmental laws helps protect air, land and water in communities across Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington (AK, ID, OR, WA)
Posted by admin on April 20th, 2013
Release Date: 04/19/2013
Contact Information: Suzanne Skadowski, EPA Region 10, 206-553-6689, [email protected]
(Seattle – April 19, 2013) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, completed more than 30 environmental compliance actions in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington from January through March 2013.
EPA ensures compliance with federal environmental laws in order to protect people’s health and to keep the region’s air and water clean and healthy. Businesses that violate environmental laws can put public health at risk from toxic pollution or dangerous chemicals. When EPA finds environmental violations, the agency takes legal action to bring the polluters into compliance with the law. EPA enforcement also helps level the playing field, deterring violators who might otherwise have an unfair business advantage over their environmentally compliant competitors.
EPA Region 10 completed the following enforcement actions in January through March 2013:
|
Alaska |
Violation |
Penalty |
Date |
|
| Bristow Alyeska |
Deadhorse, Stevens Village |
Violated spill prevention rules (SPCC) | $ 2,000 |
1/7/2013 |
| Salamatof Seafoods Inc. |
Kenai |
Violated seafood wastewater permits (NPDES) | $ 45,000 |
3/6/2013 |
| Baker Petrolite Corp. |
Kenai |
Violated pesticide rules (FIFRA) | $ 8,000 |
3/7/2013 |
| Aleutian Leader Fisheries |
(North Pacific Ocean) |
Violated seafood wastewater permits (NPDES) | $ 59,000 |
3/19/2013 |
| Coeur Alaska, Inc. |
Juneau |
Violated hazardous waste rules (RCRA) | $ 7,500 |
3/26/2013 |
| U.S. Air Force 611th |
Sparrevohn, Tatalina, Indian Mt |
Violated motor vehicle waste wells ban (SDWA) | $ 45,000 |
3/28/2013 |
|
Idaho |
Violation |
Penalty |
Date |
|
| Amalgamated Sugar |
Paul |
Violated chemical release rules (EPCRA) | $ 18,000 |
2/27/2013 |
| Super Kat Inc. |
Nez Perce |
Violated pesticide rules (FIFRA) | $ 4,640 |
3/1/2013 |
| Hungry Bear Market |
Island Park |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 840 |
3/5/2013 |
| BASF Corp. |
Kimberly |
Violated pesticide rules (FIFRA) | $ 109,840 |
3/7/2013 |
|
Oregon |
Violation |
Penalty |
Date |
|
| Carson Oil |
North Bend |
Violated spill prevention rules, spilled diesel (SPCC) | $ 29,843 & SEP |
1/4/2013 |
| Oil Re-Refining Co |
Portland |
Violated PCB-contaminated used oil rules (TSCA) | Compliance Order |
2/20/2013 |
| Granite Construction |
Eddyville |
Violated construction stormwater rules (NPDES) | $ 735,000 |
2/27/2013 |
| Federal Building |
Portland |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 210 |
2/28/2013 |
| Solomon Courthouse |
Portland |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 210 |
2/28/2013 |
| Tyree Oil |
North Bend |
Violated spill prevention rules, spilled diesel (SPCC) | $ 27,920 & SEP |
3/28/2013 |
|
Washington |
Violation |
Penalty |
Date |
|
| Matson, LLC |
North Bend |
Violated pesticide rules (FIFRA) | Stop Sale Order |
1/2/2013 |
| Copenhaver Construction |
Creston |
Violated Federal Air Rules for Reservations (FARR) | $ 1,043 |
1/3/2013 |
| Wilbur-Ellis Co. |
Warden |
Violated risk management rules (RMP) | $ 2,700 |
1/4/2013 |
| FedEx Freight |
Fife |
Violated hazardous chemical rules (EPCRA) | $ 2,000 |
1/13/2013 |
| Westside 76 Market Deli |
Mount Vernon |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 210 |
1/28/2013 |
| Kohler Co. |
Seattle |
Violated (CAA) rules for non-road engines | $ 3,500 |
1/28/2013 |
| Hoksbergen Hay Co. |
Lyden |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 420 |
1/29/2013 |
| Sierra Pacific Industries |
Aberdeen |
Violated hazardous chemical rules (EPCRA) | $ 129,000 |
2/5/2013 |
| Old Salts Market Deli |
Anacortes |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 420 |
2/11/2013 |
| IBC Manufacturing |
Tacoma |
Violated pesticide rules (FIFRA) | $ 265,000 |
2/26/2013 |
| Pik A Pop #12 |
Othello |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 20,427 |
2/28/2013 |
| Tacoma Ag Holdings |
Seattle |
Violated pesticide rules (FIFRA) | Stop Sale Order |
3/5/2013 |
| Country Convenience Plus |
Roy |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 840 |
3/5/2013 |
| Multiquip, Inc. |
Seattle |
Violated (CAA) requirements for non-road engines | $ 76,000 |
3/7/2013 |
| Meridian Super Store |
Bellingham |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 1,260 |
3/7/2013 |
| Yakima Valley Dairies |
Granger, Outlook |
Polluted groundwater (SDWA) | Consent Order |
3/19/2013 |
| B & B Market |
Olympia |
Violated underground storage tank (UST) rules | $ 490 |
3/25/2013 |
Some of the environmental rules, regulations, and policies referenced in the case summaries above:
CAA – Clean Air Act
CWA – Clean Water Act
EPCRA – Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
FARR – Federal Air Rules for Reservations
FIFRA – Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act
RMP – Risk Management Plan Rule
SEP – Supplemental Environmental Projects
SPCC – Spill, Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures Rules
UST – Underground Storage Tank
More about EPA compliance and enforcement: http://www.epa.gov/enforcement/basics.html
Follow EPA Region 10 on Twitter: https://twitter.com/EPAnorthwest
EPA Finalizes Vessel General Permit / Action will help protect U.S. water quality and reduce risk of invasive species (HQ)
Posted by admin on March 28th, 2013
Release Date: 03/28/2013
Contact Information: Stacy Kika, [email protected], 202-564-0906, 202-564-4355
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today issued a final vessel general permit regulating discharges from commercial vessels, including ballast water, to protect the nation’s waters from ship-borne pollutants and reduce invasive species in U.S. waters.
The final vessel general permit covers commercial vessels greater than 79 feet in length, excluding military and recreational vessels, and will replace the 2008 vessel general permit due to expire on Dec. 19, 2013.
This permit regulates 27 specific discharge categories, and will also provide improvements to the efficiency of the permit process, and clarify discharge requirements by the following:
- Reduce the risks of introduction of invasive species. The permit includes a more stringent numeric discharge standard limiting the release of non-indigenous invasive species in ballast water. The permit also contains additional environmental protection for the Great Lakes, which have suffered disproportionate impacts from invasive species, aligning federal standards with many Great Lakes states by requiring certain vessels to take additional precautions to reduce the risk of introducing new invasive species to U.S. waters.
- Reduce administrative burden for vessel owners and operators. The permit will eliminate duplicative reporting requirements, expand electronic recordkeeping opportunities, and reduce self-inspection frequency for vessels that are out of service for extended periods.
The new discharge standards are supported by independent studies by EPA’s science advisory board and the National Research Council, and are consistent with those contained in the International Maritime Organization’s 2004 Ballast Water Convention. EPA is issuing the permit in advance of the current permit’s expiration to provide the regulated community time and flexibility to come into compliance with the new requirements.
More information: http://www.epa.gov/npdes/vessels
US and Russia unite to protect polar bears
Posted by admin on March 5th, 2013
Damian Carrington in Bangkok
A polar bear passes an oil drum on the edge of Hudson Bay, Canada. Canada is the only country that allows the export of polar bear products. Photograph: Paul J. Richards/AFP/Getty Images
A fight to protect polar bears from Arctic hunters has led cold war foes the US and Russia to unite against Canada ahead of a key international vote this week.
The bitter row is over the 600 or so of the polar species killed each year by Canadian hunters, most of which are exported as bear skin rugs, fangs or paws. Diplomatic relations became even frostier on Tuesday, when the European Union attempted to block the US proposal to outlaw the export trade, which is strongly supported by Russia.
The US is adamant the trade is unsustainable. “The best scientific evidence says two-thirds of the polar bear population will be gone by mid-century, so how can you have a sustainable commercial trade?” asked Dan Ashe, head of the US delegation to the 178-nation meeting of the Convention on the Trade in Endangered Species (Cites) being held in Thailand.
Canada, home to about three-quarters of the world’s 20,000-25,000 remaining polar bears, is the only country that allows the export of polar bear products. Its delegates argue there is “insufficient scientific evidence” that polar bear populations will decline by more than half in the coming decades and that trade is “not detrimental to the species”. They say hunting and trading in polar bears is “integrally linked” with Inuit subsistence and culture.
All experts agree that the loss of Arctic sea ice due to climate change is the greatest threat to polar bears, who need the ice to hunt seals. But Canada argues that the impact on polar bears of shrinking ice, which reached record low levels in 2012, is “uncertain”.
Nikita Ovsyanikov, a leading polar bear expert and member the Russian delegation, rejects all the Canadian arguments. “They are just not true,” he said. “Polar bears are struggling for survival already and exposing them to hunting will drive them to extinction.”
About 200 polar bears are illegally poached in Russia each year, Ovsyanikov added, with the pelts laundered into the legal market using false Canadian documentation. “The sale of Canadian certification has also now become a criminal business,” he said. Such certificates would be void if the US proposal is approved.
Conservation campaigners, including the Natural Resources Defence Council and Humane Society International, are concerned that as polar bears become more rare, their skins become more valuable. They cite a doubling of pelt prices in the last five years, with the best specimens fetching more than $ 12,000 each.
The status of the 19 sub-populations of polar bear has long been contentious as they are hard to survey, but while a few are growing, more are declining. Canada claims it adjusts hunt quotas each year to ensure sustainability, but critics point to a tripling of the quota for the Nunavit territory in 2011, against the advice of the federal government and the respected International Union for Conservation of Nature, which stated “even the present [allowable harvest] is unsustainable so an increase only makes the resulting overharvest even less sustainable.”
Nunavit groups said the high harvest was due to unusual ice conditions bring more bears within hunting range, and was not driven by high prices for pelts.
The UK appeared to have been left in the cold on Tuesday by a surprise EU proposal to supplant the US one and simply ask Canada to report the number of polar bears exported and provide further information on trade and populations. Before the summit, the UK’s wildlife minister Richard Benyon, along with EU states including Germany, Poland and Belgium, had given the US strong backing for its proposed ban and the move left Ashe “baffled.” At an event at the Cites summit, Ashe led a large audience in a loud shout of “no” to the EU proposal.
Sonja Van Tichelen, the EU regional director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare, said: “The EU proposal is a misguided and foolish attempt to save face. It is trying desperately to push any position on polar bears that stop it from falling into irrelevancy [by having to abstain in voting]. Polar bears would then have to pay the ultimate cost.”
Ovsyanikov was even more scathing: “This is not a compromise. It is a surrender.”
The US and EU proposals are expected to go to the vote on Wednesday or Thursday, with many delegates predicting that Canada is set to lose. If so, the new rules will enter force within 90 days. Hunting for polar bears by Inuit peoples would still be permitted under Canada’s domestic law, but exporting the skins would not.
Environment news, comment and analysis from the Guardian | guardian.co.uk
Top Security System Review Site Gives Protect America 2nd Place for…
Posted by admin on March 3rd, 2013
Seattle, WA (PRWEB) March 03, 2013
SecuritySystemReviews.com has finally announced the final line up of its Best Cellular Security Systems in the country and included in the list is Protect America. Among all the companies offering security service, Protect America was hailed as one of the best in cellular monitoring ranking in at second place. The company beat out other security systems vying for a spot on the 2013 list. The annual list was published following the growing number of security systems in the market.
Cellular monitoring has grown a wide following over recent years because of the special home security it provides. This home security system works independently without the need of a telephone line or an Internet connection. Unlike other security services, cellular monitoring systems have built-in cellular channels that utilize wireless signals to send and receive signals to and from the monitoring station. This allows the security system to contact the monitoring station in case of emergency, even if the phone lines are cut and the Internet is down. Because of this great reliability, it considered as one of the top home security system options in the market.
With the great demand for this security service, the best home security systems in the market have started offering cellular monitoring to consumers. Among all the security system companies that offer this service, according to SecuritySystemReviews, Protect America is one of the best. The site’s Protect America review notes that the company offers the most affordable systems, from zero equipment costs to low monthly fees.
Offering great affordability, the company features a selection of packages for its clients to choose from, each one catering to their needs and budget. Setting itself apart from other system providers, Protect America offers free equipment packages with for its cellular monitoring service. Also, its monthly monitoring fees are among the lowest in the country, offering ultimate security for a lot less.
Moreover, even with its low monthly fees and free equipment, Protect America still offers state-of-art equipment. It makes use of General Electric (GE) technology, including GE’s Simon XT control panel and Wireless Security Sensors, making sure that the systems will be durable and dependable. It also offers premium pan/ tilt security cameras, GPS vehicle tracking devices and X10 home automation systems.
“Easy to install, staff very friendly and patient with me. Thanks,” Ron, Philadelphia, PA.
“I want to thank you for helping me to feel safe; whether I am in my home or away, I know someone is watching,” Steven, Toledo, OH.
To learn more about Protect America and the other cellular monitoring systems, visit SecuritySystemReviews.com.
About SecuritySystemReviews.com
Headed by a team of experts with years of professional experience in the industry, SecuritySystemReviews.com offers the latest news and reports on the systems, services being offered in the market. It publishes unbiased reviews based on extensive research to help consumers be acquainted with the latest in the home security system industry. The site’s aim is to help consumers in choosing the best security systems for their homes and businesses.
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Nell McAndrew gives Climate Week a bump – Pregnant model and parent groups campaign to protect the planet for the next generation
Posted by admin on March 1st, 2013
Press release embargoed for 00.01am on 04.03.13
Parenting organisations and celebrities are backing a new campaign, Climate Week – Protect the Future, for parents to protect their children’s future by helping to prevent climate change.
The campaign launches today as part of Climate Week (4-10 March), Britain’s biggest environmental occasion, with over half a million people expected to attend 3,000 events across the UK. Supporters include Britain’s Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon and the Prime Minister, David Cameron.
Another supporter, model, fitness guru and mother Nell McAndrew, eight months pregnant, had the words “protect the future” written on her baby bump. She said “Becoming a parent makes you realise how important it is to protect the planet for future generations, and that’s why I’m supporting Climate Week.”
Pregnant campaign supporter Vanessa Doman had her bump painted as a globe damaged by oil, showing that to safeguard the next generation from climate change we must use less fossil fuel.
New research1 for Climate Week by Ipsos MORI shows that parenthood is a powerful trigger for concern about green issues – 66% of mothers and fathers said that becoming a parent made them feel more strongly about protecting the environment. Climate Week – Protect the Future is backed by the UK’s largest charity for parents, NCT, and by Family Lives, a charity which helps over a million children each year.
Belinda Phipps, Chief Executive of NCT said: “Having a baby makes you re-evaluate your priorities and realise that for the sake of their future we need to look after the planet we rely on now. Climate Week is a great opportunity to make some small changes which could make a huge difference.”
People can publicise the campaign by taking a photo of themselves displaying the words “Climate Week – Protect the Future” and making it their Facebook or Twitter photo during Climate Week.
Kevin Steele, Chief Executive of Climate Week said: “The campaigning of parents during Climate Week is helping it to be Britain’s biggest climate change campaign – an occasion when everyone can explore ways to live and work more sustainably.”
There are lots of other Climate Week activities – for example for schools, workplaces and community groups. People can take part in Britain’s biggest environmental competition, the Climate Week Challenge. They can also run a Climate Week Swap event for people to exchange clothes and children’s toys they no longer want for great stuff that they do. For more ideas and information, visit www.climateweek.com, email [email protected] or call 020 3397 2601.
-Ends-
Notes to Editors
Photo caption 1: Nell McAndrew and Climate Week 2013 are calling on parent across the country to take part in Climate Week to ensure a sustainable future for the next generation
Photo caption 2: To mark the launch of Climate Week 2013, parents across to country are pledging to ‘Protect the Future’ to ensure a sustainable future for their children
About Climate Week (4-10 March 2013)
Climate Week is Britain’s biggest climate change campaign, inspiring a new wave of action to create a sustainable future. Each year, half a million people attend 3,000 events – visit www.climateweek.com to find out more.
Climate Week promotes ways that people can live and work more sustainably. It is an annual renewal of our ambition and confidence to combat climate change, and is for everyone wanting to do their bit to protect our planet. Climate Week is supported by over 200 national organisations and people such as the Prime Minister, David Cameron and Sir Paul McCartney.
About Climate Week’s partners
Climate Week’s Headline Partner is Andrex® Eco, Kimberly-Clark’s first truly pioneering sustainable toilet tissue product.
Voted Product of The Year, by UK consumers, Andrex® Eco is revolutionising perceptions that ‘eco’ toilet tissue can’t be both soft and top quality.
Climate Week’s Supporting Partners are Crown Paints, Ecotricity and Shields Environmental:
Crown Paints measures the carbon footprint of every product it manufactures.
Ecotricity is changing the way energy is made and used in Britain.
Shields Environmental is integrating the needs of business and the environment for the telecoms sector.
1Details of research
Ipsos MORI conducted an online poll of over 1,000 adults in February 2013, of which 561 were parents. They were asked “To what extent does being a parent make you feel more strongly about protecting the environment for future generations?”. 30% said it made them feel a lot more strongly, 36% said it made them feel a little more strongly, 31% said it had no effect on how they felt about the environment and 3% said they didn’t know.
About NCT
NCT is the UK’s largest charity for parents. Each year the charity supports hundreds of thousands of parents through the transition to parenthood, offering expert information and trusted practical and emotional support through its website, helpline, a nationwide network of 300 local branches, antenatal and postnatal classes, breastfeeding counselling and peer support schemes.
Media Contacts
Octopus Group
Naomi Barry/Crystal Cansdale
Tel: 08453 707 024
[email protected]
Climate Week
Hannah Sims
T: 020 3397 2601
[email protected]
Custom Release Wire
Protect Your Unborn Baby from Infections
Posted by admin on February 20th, 2013
If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, there are simple steps you can take to protect your unborn baby or newborn from infections that cause serious health problems.
Ask your healthcare provider for a group B strep test when you are 35 to 37 weeks pregnant.
Group B Strep
If you are pregnant—or know anyone who is—you need to know about group B strep. About a quarter of all women carry the bacteria that cause group B strep infection. Group B strep bacteria are usually not harmful to you and won’t make the people around you sick. But these bacteria can be very dangerous for your newborn. Babies can get very sick and even die if their mothers pass group B strep bacteria to them during childbirth. That’s why it’s so important for you to get tested for group B strep each time you get pregnant.
If you are pregnant and test positive for group B strep, doctors can give you an antibiotic (usually penicillin) during labor that prevents the bacteria from spreading to your baby. If you think you might go into labor early, talk with a health care provider as soon as possible.
Remember:
- Ask your healthcare provider for a group B strep test when you are 35–37 weeks pregnant.
- If the test shows that you carry the bacteria, talk with a health care provider. Be sure to tell them if you are allergic to penicillin or other antibiotics.
More Information on Group B Strep and Your Pregnancy
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
A pregnant woman infected with CMV can pass the virus to her baby during pregnancy. Most babies born with CMV infection will be fine and will not have symptoms or develop health problems. However, some babies will have permanent problems, such as hearing or vision loss or mental disabilities, at birth, or develop problems later on.
CMV is passed from infected people to others through body fluids, such as saliva, urine, blood, vaginal secretions, and semen. However, it does not spread very easily. Infants and young children are more likely to shed CMV in their saliva and urine. For pregnant women, the two most common ways they are exposed to CMV is through sexual activity and contact with saliva and urine of children with CMV infection.
If you’re pregnant or planning a pregnancy, the best way to protect your baby from CMV is to protect yourself.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water especially after changing a child’s diapers, feeding, wiping their nose or mouth, and touching their toys, pacifier, or other objects.
- Don’t share food, drinks, eating utensils, or a toothbrush with a child.
- Do not put a child’s pacifier in your mouth.
- Use soap and water or a disinfectant to clean toys, countertops, and other surfaces that may have a child’s saliva or urine on them.
- Avoid contact with a child’s saliva when kissing or snuggling.
More Information on CMV and Pregnant Women
Listeriosis and Pregnancy
- 35-37 weeks pregnant? Ask your health care provider about getting a group B strep test.
- Pregnant or planning a pregnancy? The best way to protect your unborn child from cytomegalovirus (CMV) is to protect yourself — especially by washing your hands.
- Pregnant women are about 13 times more likely than other healthy adults to get a serious infection called listeriosis, but you can take steps to protect yourself as well as your unborn baby or newborn.
Listeriosis is a rare but serious infection caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria called Listeria. Listeriosis mostly affects pregnant women, newborns, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems. Pregnant women are about 13 times more likely than the general population to get listeriosis. About 1 in 6 of the patients who are diagnosed with listeriosis are pregnant women.
Infected pregnant women may experience fever and other nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue and aches (see “What are the symptoms of listeriosis?”). The disease can also be very serious for unborn babies or newborns. Listeriosis during pregnancy can lead to miscarriage, stillbirth, premature delivery, or infection in newborns.
In general, you can protect yourself from listeriosis by avoiding:
- hot dogs and delicatessen meats unless they have been heated or reheated until steaming hot,
- soft cheeses unless they are made from pasteurized milk,
- raw or undercooked fish or seafood, such as sushi or sashimi,
- raw (unpasteurized) milk,
- refrigerated pates and meat spreads, and
- refrigerated smoked seafood, unless it has been heated until steaming hot.
Pregnant women and others who are especially susceptible to the disease should take extra precautions not to get fluid from delicatessen meat or hot dog packages on other foods or food preparation surfaces. Additionally, pregnant women should thoroughly wash their hands after handling delicatessen meats and hot dogs. Learn about additional ways to reduce your risk for listeriosis.
Pregnant women are about 20 times more likely than other healthy adults to get listeriosis.
If you are pregnant and develop fever and other nonspecific symptoms, such as fatigue and aches, talk to your healthcare provider within 24 hours. If you are infected, your health care provider can give you antibiotics that can protect your unborn baby or newborn. If a person has eaten food contaminated with Listeria and does not have any symptoms, most experts believe that no tests or treatment are needed, even for persons at higher risk for listeriosis.
More Information on Listeriosis and Foods to Avoid during Pregnancy
CDC works 24/7 saving lives and protecting people from health threats to have a more secure nation. A US federal agency, CDC helps make the healthy choice the easy choice by putting science and prevention into action. CDC works to help people live longer, healthier and more productive lives.