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A new online tool allows users to compare the radiation levels of more than a thousand cellphones available in the United States. The tool, created by the Environmental Working Group, comes on the heel of scientific research that suggests a link between cellphone use and brain salivary gland tumors.

The researchers at EWG believe government and industry standards for allowable cellphone radiation are outdated and unsafe, and until they are corrected, the burden falls on consumers to understand which devices are safe for use. “We would like to be able to say that cellphones are safe,” Olga Naidenko, lead author of the study, said. “But we can’t. The most recent science, while not conclusive, raises serious issues about the cancer risk of cell phone use that must be addressed through further research.  In the meantime, consumers can take steps to reduce exposure.”

The researchers conclude that the current cellphone radiation standards, set in 1992 by the Federal Communications Commission, allow 20 times more radiation to enter the head than the rest of the body. This problem, the study found, is especially pronounced in children. Children, who are increasingly likely to own and use cellphones, have softer skulls than adults and are therefore more susceptible to the harmful effects of cellphone radiation.

The report not only describes the problem of cellphone radiation, but also offers consumers advice for dealing with it. The researchers suggest cellphone users text more instead of talking on their phones, using headsets or speakerphones if possible, and not using the phone when it has a poor signal (indicated by low bars).

In terms of low radiation emissions, the EWG ranks these as the 10 best cellphones:

1.) Samsung Impression

2.) Motorola Razr V8

3.) Samsung SGH-t229

4.) Samsung Rugby

5.) Samsung Propel Pro

6.) Samsung Gravity

7.) T-Mobile Sidekick

8.) LG Xenon

9.) Motorola Karma QA1

10.) Sanyo Katana II

On the other hand, these are the 10 worst cellphones in terms of high radiation emissions:

1.) Motorola Moto VU204

2.) T-Mobile myTouch 3G

3.) Kyocera Jax S1300

4.) Blackberry Curve 8330

5.) Motorola W385

6.) T-Mobile Shadow

7.) Motorola C290

8.) Motorola i335

9.) Motorola MOTO VE240

10.) Blackberry Bold 9000

By Elizabeth Wolfe

The researchers compiled this list based on which cities suffer from the most year-round particle pollution.

Bakersfield, California

Panaramio: John McCall

Pittsburgh/New Castle, Pennsylvania

Panaramio: Vladimir Kharitonov

Los Angeles/Riverside/Long Beach, California

chanceseales.wordpress.com

Visalia/Porterville, California

Panaramio: chsanfino

Birmingham/Hoover/Cullman, Alabama

Panaramio: MatthiasBy

Hanford/Corcoran, California

Panaramio: Kewaneh

Fresno/Madera, California

Panaramio: Chip Stephan

Cincinnati, Ohio

Panaramio: ST314

Detroit/Warren/Flint, Michigan

millenialmayors.org

Cleveland/Akron/Elyria, Ohio

epa.gov

By Elizabeth Wolfe

Photo By Baekken Via Flickr

A lot of people these days have the impression that dangerous chemicals have for the most part been removed from household products in America.  But unlike the European Union, where a chemical must be proven safe before it is allowed to be used, we still cling to the big business endorsed concept that a chemical is safe until proven otherwise.

This leads to dozens of new chemical compounds being introduced with little to no scientific research in regards to their safety.  Even worse, in many cases,  lobbyists and corporations have forced the hand of the EPA into not banning chemicals that are without doubt,  proven to be a health hazard that is bio accumulating in every man, women and child.  This leaves the job of keeping yourself  free of these chemicals up to you.  To help you in that quest,  here are a list of some of the most prevalent chemicals one would find in your own home.

Polytetrafloureothylene
Polytetrafluoroethylene, also known as Teflon, that magical nonstick coating so many have come to depend on contains perfluorooctanoic acid, which the EPA declared to be a “likely carcinogen.” And while this chemical is mostly stable when at room temperature, when it is heated, it starts to deteriorate,  and release its toxic properties at increased rates. In other words, this product is most dangerous when used for its intended purpose of nonstick cooking.  You will also find Teflon used in some carpets, clothing, and in many microwave popcorn bags. The maker of Teflon, DuPont, knowing how toxic these chemicals are,  settled for $300 million in a lawsuit in 2004 with residents near its manufacturing facility over ground water pollution.

Bisphenol A(BPA)
I doubt anyone reading this didn’t hear about the controversy surrounding this chemical last year when Canada banned it, and stores around the US started pulling Nalgene Brand water bottles from the shelves. What most people are not aware of, is that BPA is still used in hundreds of other household items, and that  testing has shown that BPA is in 95% of adults bodies. Other products that BPA is still used in include the plastic lining in some canned foods, plastic soda bottles, and PVC pipes  just to name a few.  Avoiding plastic food or liquid containers is the best method to remove BPA from your house.

Phthalates
This family of chemicals is used in everything from plastics, cosmetics, shampoo and conditioner, pill coatings, lubricants, detergents, paints, inks, the  list is almost endless. Over 800 million pounds is produced each year, and is found in almost every creature on the planet. Due to  its broad use, the only real way to avoid this chemical  is to become an avid label reader. When i decided to remove all Phthalates from my household last year, i found over 50 products with them listed on the label. The good news is that for every product you own containing them, you can find an environmentally friendly version that is phthalate free.

By Mark Johnson

Photo By Oracio Alvarado

So much time is spent worrying about if the air outside, the car you drive, the school your children attend, or that the place you work could be filled with environmental dangers, that where you spend most of your time, your home, is often overlooked entirely. We like to think of our homes as a refuge from the outside world, a place where we can feel safe and clean, but in most cases this couldn’t be further from the truth. The EPA estimates that 60% of homes are toxic to some degree and may be causing harm to you and your family.

The most common household environmental danger comes from the air, which can contain up to one hundred times more pollutants than the air just outside your door. From poor circulation and radon gas, to off gassing from Volatile organic compounds and toxic molds, the amount of invisible dangers is staggering. These chemicals, gases and molds can lead to numerous health problems ranging from respiratory issues, sinus infections, fatigue, asthma and memory loss just to name a few. In fact there are so many symptoms from living in a toxic home that most people and doctors have trouble connecting the dots to it being the cause of your poor health. Thankfully, in most cases improving your air quality is as simple as opening a few windows every day for a couple of hours and letting in some fresh air, or even buying an air purifier. In the more extreme cases where this alone is not enough, one should contact a specialist who can run tests on just what is in your homes air, and recommend a way to resolve the problem.

Another major cause of health problems in the home is your water supply. From old lead pipes, pesticides, nitrates, or even bacteria, there are a lot of environmental dangers that could be coming from your faucet. If you think your home could be having a water problem, first contact the EPA’s drinking water hotline where they can tell you about the quality of water in your area. Beyond that, you will need to purchase a water testing kit and have it sent off to a lab, which generally costs under one hundred dollars per test.

By Mark Johnson