The Quick Facts:

The Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) is charged with protecting human health and the environment including the regulation of air pollution from fossil fuel, such as coal or oil, burning power plants.  Air pollution can have negative impacts on health ranging from premature mortality to aggravated asthma.  Those people most vulnerable to air pollution are sensitive populations, particularly children. See also Real Mama’s article “Smog Season Safety: How to Help Your Kids Enjoy the Outdoors While Reducing Risk from Harmful Air Pollution” by Special Contributor to Real Mama, Inc. Rebecca Watts Hull.

In addition, air pollution can contribute to global climate change as well as more regional impacts on the environment such as acid rain.  Acid rain occurs when air pollution is brought down from the atmosphere by rain and causes acidification of lakes and streams making them uninhabitable by plants and animals – basically the plants and animals can’t breath.  In addition, acid rain causes damage to trees, crops, historic buildings, and statues.

EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act, ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter), carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen dioxide.  EPA requires industries that emit such pollution to comply with various regulations aimed at reducing air pollution and protecting the population and environment.

The new EPA Cross-State Air Pollution Rule requires 27 states to significantly improve air quality by reducing power plant emissions that contribute to ozone and/or fine particulate pollution in other states.  Air pollution can certainly be local, but it can also be global and/or regional.  Particularly in the eastern United States, prevailing winds blow from west to east so the pollution coming from one state can significantly impact another.  Think of the weather map from your local news station.  On the East coast, people are often concerned about what is happening in the middle of the country as a precursor to weather coming down the line.  Similarly, air pollution from other states travels in much the same way.  EPA’s new Rule is designed to account for that.

Specifically, the EPA rule requires a reduction by power plants of sulfur dioxide emissions by 73 percent by 2014 and nitrogen oxide emissions by 54 percent by 2014, from 2005 levels.  Sulfur dioxide is primarily release from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal or oil to generate electricity at power plants.  Sulfur dioxide, at high concentrations, can affect breathing, is the primary contributor to acid rain, and contributes to limited visibility in large parts of the country.  Nitrogen oxides, or NOx, react in the atmosphere to create ozone and acid rain.  Power plants will have to start cutting their sulfur dioxide emissions as early as January 2012 and nitrogen oxide emissions by May 2012.

In another regulatory action, EPA also issued a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking to require six states – Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wisconsin – to make summertime reductions in nitrogen oxide under the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule ozone-season control program.  If finalized, this rule along with the Cross-State Air Pollution Rule are aimed at making sure that ozone-season nitrogen oxide emissions meet the 1997 8-hour Ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standard or what EPA has determined to be a “safe” level.

Impacts

According to EPA, the projected amount to be spent by power plants, and others impacted, is $800 million in 2014 and the projected benefits will yield $120-280 billion in annual health and environmental benefits in 2014, including the value of avoiding 13,000 to 34,000 premature deaths.

Ways to Protect Your Family From Exposure to Air Pollution

- Keep kids inside on days when air quality is bad.  Check the website http://www.airnow.gov to get real-time air quality reports for over 300 cities across the U.S.

- Reduce energy consumption because the less power required to be generated means the less fossil fuels required to be burned.

- Plant trees to help absorb particulates and improve air quality.

- Avoid being outside when lawnmowers, leaf-blowers, and other outdoor equipment are being used to protect kids from exhaust fumes as well as noise.

Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:

http://www.airnow.gov/ (AIRNow Website developed by the U.S. EPA, NOAA, NPS, tribal, state, and local agencies to provide the public with easy access to national air quality information. The Web site offers daily AQI forecasts as well as real-time AQI conditions for over 300 cities across the US, and provides links to more detailed State and local air quality Web site).

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/07/us-usa-epa-smog-idUSTRE7664GD20110707 (Article entitled, EPA rule aims to cut smog, soot from coal plants, July 7, 2011, by Timothy Gardner and Tom Doggett)

http://www.epa.gov/airtransport/ (EPA’s Final Cross State Air Pollution Rule, issued July 6, 2011, requires 27 states to significantly improve air quality by reducing power plant emissions that contribute to ozone and/or fine particulate pollution in other states)

Aluminum Products
Aluminum is a metal that occurs naturally in our environment and is very widely used. There is no way to completely reduce exposure to it because it is the most abundant metal in the earth’s crust and the third most abundant element. However, having too much aluminum in your body can result in negative health impacts.

Aluminum is 100% recyclable without any loss of its natural qualities and is being recovered more and more as an important part of the aluminum industry. Aluminum is used in:

• Packaging such as aluminum cans and foil.
• Household items such as pots/pans, cookie sheets, cooking utensils, baseball bats, and paint (powdered aluminum).
• Food products that contain baking powders, bleached flour, table salt, and food additives (aluminum sulfate).
• Personal care products such as antiperspirant (aluminum chlorohydrate), antacids (aluminum hydroxide), toothpaste, and dental amalgams.
• Vaccines, which can contain certain aluminum salts to work as an immune response booster to allow the protein in the vaccine to achieve sufficient potency as an immune stimulant.
• Consumer electronics (for the outer shell such as photographic equipment).

Impacts on Health
Despite its natural abundance, aluminum is not needed by the human body and at elevated concentrations can present toxic effects including reduced skeletal mineralization (osteopenia), neurotoxins, and altered function of the blood-brain barrier. Likely exposure can result from excessive consumption of antacids containing aluminum compounds and aluminum-containing antiperspirants. In fact, aluminum’s use in some antiperspirants, dyes, and food additives has been controversial, although The Alzheimer’s Society has taken the stance that there is no causal link between aluminum and Alzheimer’s.

Ways to Reduce Exposure to Aluminum

• Use stainless steel, glass, or iron (or other non-aluminum products) for cooking and avoid using aluminum foil.
• Avoid antacids.
• Use Kosher or sea salt instead of iodized salt.
• Use deodorant with no aluminum.
• Avoid products that have aluminized baking powder as an ingredient.

Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminum (Wikipedia for general information about Aluminum)

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art7739.asp (Alternative Medicine Site, The Dangers of Aluminum Toxicity, Linda Paul).

The Quick Facts: Informed consent is what is required for the vaccination of children in the United States.  Our goal is to make sure that your choice is in fact “informed” by giving you a background of the laws, regulations, and policies that govern vaccination in the United States at the federal, state, and even local levels.

NOTE: All information, statements, and links provided herein are intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for professional medical advice and care.  Consult a qualified health care professional for specific medical advice and for answers to personal health questions.

Whether you have chosen to vaccinate your child, spread-out the traditional vaccination schedule, vaccinate against only select diseases, or not vaccinate at all, the operative word should be “choose.”  All vaccinations given to children require that parents give informed consent.  Practically speaking, that is when you put your initials on the paperwork handed to you by the nurse/doctor prior to the administering of the vaccine.  Real Mama’s goal is to make sure that your choice is in fact “informed” by giving you a background of the laws, regulations, and policies that govern vaccination in the United States.

For opinion pieces on this controversial topic, see Real Mama’s previous articles:

Why I Chose to Vaccinate

Why I Chose Not to Vaccinate

Making an Informed Vaccination Decision

Vaccination Mandates
As with many mandates in the U.S., the administration of vaccines is the responsibility of multiple levels of government.  This can cause confusion for citizens about which government body is in charge, as well as the role that each plays.  When you bring your child to the pediatrician and are told that your child should be given x, y, and z vaccines during your appointment, you should know that you have a choice and can decline to have the vaccine(s) administered if appropriate steps are taken to safeguard your child’s health and to meet legal requirements.

Federal Role
There are three federal agencies involved in the regulation of vaccines:  the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

The FDA’s role is to license vaccines based on studies that address safety and efficacy as defined in the Public Health and Services Act and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetics Act.

The CDC’s role is advisory and through its Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), CDC issues recommendations for pediatric vaccines in the U.S., as well as establishes a recommended schedule for administration of routine childhood vaccines, in coordination with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

The HHS’s role is to coordinate and oversee all activities within the government related to vaccine research and development, vaccine-safety monitoring, and vaccination activities.  Currently, vaccine production is governed by National Vaccine Program, which was created by the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986.

This 1986 law also created the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) to compensate for injuries associated with routinely administered childhood vaccines.  Individuals harmed by vaccines must go through the VICP before filing an action against the health-care provider or vaccine producer in court.  VICP is a no-fault system that is funded by taxes and uses a vaccine injury table and administrative process in an attempt to fairly compensate families for the costs associated with the rare injuries related to vaccinations.  Passage of this law has reduced the decline in the number of vaccine producers in the U.S. by removing potential liability costs from producers and placing it with the VICP.

The 1986 law also established the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) that requires reporting of adverse events by vaccination providers, including the lot numbers of vaccines administered.  Through VAERS, 252,130 vaccine adverse reactions, including deaths, were reported from 1990-2008.  These families must go through the VICP process and can not sue pharmaceutical companies or providers for damages until that process is completed.

State Role
Although the federal government makes recommendations through the ACIP of CDC for pediatric vaccines and a vaccination schedule, it is the states that implement vaccine programs.  States often consider the ACIP recommendations as they determine which vaccinations to mandate for school attendance, which is generally enacted by state legislatures or delegated to public health departments.

The states’ rights to compel vaccination come from the police power of the state afforded by the U.S. Constitution, namely, that “such reasonable regulations established directly by legislative enactment as will protect the public health and the public safety.”  This exercise of power was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court nearly 100 years ago and continues to be upheld today.

School Role
For school entrance, all states in the U.S. require documentation of vaccination.  Schools are involved in the vaccination issues because state governments receive federal funding for immunization programs.  Many states also have laws requiring vaccination for licensed day care and college.  The federal Public Health Service Act requires that participating state governments must have a “plan to assure that children begin and complete their immunizations on schedule,” and “a plan to systematically immunize susceptible children at school entry through a vigorous enforcement of school immunization laws.

Exemptions:  Medical, Religious, and Philosophical
All 50 states provide specific exemptions in each of their immunization laws.  There may be statutory medical exemptions, religious exemptions, and philosophical exemptions.  If a claimed exemption is accepted by your school or health department, there is no more to do.  However, if the request for exemption is denied, a child’s parents may appeal that decision and may need to seek legal counsel.

Medical exemptions often require the signature of a physician and are somewhat straightforward.  Religious and philosophical exemptions, on the other hand, can be more complex.

All states but Mississippi and West Virginia have a religious exemption.  The other 48 states vary in their requirements to claim such an exemption from being liberal to restrictive.  Those exemptions that are liberal are worded to generally mention “religious beliefs,” while those that are restrictive may be worded to require that “practices of a recognized church or religious denomination” are offended by the vaccination.

Nineteen states have philosophical exemptions to mandatory vaccinations.  Philosophical exemptions enable citizens to refuse immunization without medical or religious justification.   Again, states vary in how liberal or restrictive the exemption may be.  For example, in Washington state, a “pick and choose” approach has been taken where the law states: “Any child shall be exempt in whole or in part from the immunization measures required … upon the presentation of … a written certification … that the signator has either a philosophical or personal objection to the immunization of the child.”

Practical Considerations
With the increasing introduction of and recommendation for new vaccines in infants and children, states continue to expand the scope of their vaccination laws.  Although there are more vaccines required by states than ever before (i.e., New Jersey now mandates 35 doses of 13 different vaccines), few epidemics arise in this day and age.  Regardless of where you fall in the debate, vaccinations are required for school or an exemption must be properly claimed and documented.  Here are some steps to take to take if you feel that an exemption applies to your family’s situation:

• Research the exemptions available in your state;
• Request the appropriate documentation. Some states provide a waiver statement on the school district immunizations record forms included with registration materials; some require that you request the forms, while others require that a letter be sent to the school district.
• Consider seeking the advice of an attorney who specializes in immunization law to ensure that you have a solid case should your request for an exemption be denied and you decide to pursue an appeal of the decision.

Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:

http://www.vaccinesafety.edu/cc-exem.htm (The Institute for Vaccine Safety was established in 1997 at the Johns Hopkins University School of Public Health – now the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health to provide an independent assessment of vaccines and vaccine safety to help guide decision makers and educate physicians, the public and the media about key issues surrounding the safety of vaccines).

https://njiis.nj.gov/docs/new%20_jersey_register_40NJR151a.pdf (State of New Jersey, New Jersey Register Notice, 40 N.J.R. 151(a) detailing the changes and comments to New Jersey’s immunization requirements – including the controversial requirement of including influenza every year)

www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vac-gen/policies/downloads/vacc_mandates_chptr13.pdf (CDC publication regarding Vaccination Mandates:  The Public Health Imperative and Individual Rights, by Kevin Malone and Alan Hinman)

http://njvaccinationchoice.org/ (New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice was established in February 2008 to unify individuals and organizations, including NJAICV and CHERUBS – two dedicated NJ vaccine awareness groups – to voice our urgent need for parental informed consent to vaccinations. Additionally, NJCVC strongly opposes the states newest childhood vaccine mandates)

42 C.F.R. § 51b.204 (Federal Regulation governing immunization)

The Quick Facts: Using sunscreen (and bug spray depending on geography) is essential in the summer to protect kids and adults from exposure. In recent years information is readily available and is accessible to help make the important decision about which products to use to keep your family safe from the elements while taking into consideration health and environmental impacts.

Every summer we reach for the sunscreen and bug spray, often relying on the same brands we used last year and even the brands our parents used.  There are many resources now available that provide information on sunscreen ingredients and bug sprays, and ranks products with regard to safety and effectiveness.  (See Real Mama’s previous articles about specific ingredients and why they should be avoided: Safe Sunscreen for Kids and Safe Bug Spray for Kids: The “Buzz” on Chemical and Plant-Based Repellents)

Sunscreens — Top 15

According to the Environmental Working Group (EWG), a non-profit organization whose mission is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment, the top-rated sunscreens all contain the minerals zinc or titanium and not contain oxybenzone or vitamin A (retinyl palmitate), and are not sprayed or powdered.  Below are some examples from EWG’s website and the corresponding number ranking the products were given (0-2 recommended; 3-6 caution; 7-10 avoid):.

Mineral Sunscreens

• All Terrain: Aquasport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30; TerraSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30; KidSport Performance Sunscreen, SPF 30 (2)
• Badger: Sunscreen for Face and Body, Unscented, SPF 30; Sunscreen for Face and Body, Lightly Scented, SPF 15 or 30 (1 & 2)
• California Baby: Sunblock Stick No Fragrance, SPF 30+; Sunscreen Lotion, No Fragrance, SPF 30+; Sunscreen Lotion Everyday/Year-Round, SPF 30+; Sunscreen Lotion, Citronella, SPF 30+; Sunblock Stick Everyday/Year-Round, SFP 30+ (1 & 2)
• Caribbean Solutions: Natural/Biodegradable SolGuard, SPF 25; Sol Kid Kare Natural Sunscreen, SPF 25 (2)
• La Roche-Posay: Anthelios 40 Sunscreen Cream (2)

Non-Mineral

• Beyond Coastal: Active Sunscreen, SFP 30; Daily Active Sunscreen, SPF 15 (3 & 4)
• Bull Frog: Ultimate Sheer Protection Face, SPF 30; Ultimate Sheer Protection Body, SPF 30 (5)
• Coppertone: UltraGUARD Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 15; Oil-Free Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 15; Sport Sunblock Lotion, SPF 15 (4 & 5)
• Glytone: Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 25 (4)
• La Roche-Posay:Anthelios Water Resistant Sunscreen Cream, SPF 15 (3)

Middle of the Road

• Coppertone, Water Babies Pure and Simple Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 50+ (3)
• CVS: Sunscreen with Zinc Oxide, SPF 45+; Baby Sunstick, SPF 50 (3, because it contains Vitamin A)
• Johnson & Johnson: Baby Sunscreen Lotion, SPF 40 (3)

Sunscreens — Buyer Beware

Although warnings about oxybenzone, sprays, and powders have been around for years, a new caution sprung-up recently around vitamin A (retinyl palmitate).  In 2009, a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) study indicated that retinyl palmitate, when applied to the skin in the presence of sunlight, may speed the development of skin tumors and lesions.

Vitamin A is added by the sunscreen industry to 41 percent of all sunscreens largely because of its anti-oxidant properties that supposedly slows skin aging.  Although that may be true for lotions and night creams used indoors, in 2009, the FDA found that vitamin A’s photo-carcinogenic properties may result in cancerous tumors when skin is exposed to sunlight.  The FDA data are preliminary and the agency is expected to publish a report in October 2010 that may even suggest that some sunscreens increase the risk of skin cancer.  Since findings are still preliminary and some contradictory, EWG recommends that consumers avoid sunscreen with vitamin A (retinyl palmitate or retinol on the label).  EWG recommends that consumers avoid the following products:

• Coppertone KIDS Continuous Spray Sunscreen, SPF 70+ (7, contains oxybenzone, spray, and misleading SFP); Note: EWG does not recommend using spray sunscreens, particularly for children because all the chemicals become airborne and maybe inhaled.
• Banana Boat Baby Max Protect, SPF 100 (7 unbalanced sunscreen, contains oxybenzone, contains vitamin A, misleading SPF); Note: EWG recommends that consumers avoid products labeled with anything higher than “SPF 50+” and reapply sunscreen often, regardless of SPF.
• Mineral Powders, SPF anything (7, contains vitamin A, powder); Note: EWG recommends that consumers do not use loose powder sunscreens since they can enter the airways and move from the lungs to the bloodstream.

Bug Sprays — Top 3

Generally, bug sprays that are plant-based are nontoxic and safe.  However, most chemical-based bug sprays have been found by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be slightly toxic, even when applied as directed.  Many plant-based bug sprays that have been found to be just as effective (against U.S. mosquitoes) include oil of lemon eucalyptus and soybean oil, but they work for shorter periods of time than chemical-based ones. Below are some bug sprays reviewed by EWG in their cosmetic database and their assigned ranking:

• Badger Anti-Bug Shake & Spray (1)
• California Baby Bug Repellent Spray (1)
• Jason Natural Cosmetics Quit Bugging Me: Natural Insect Repellant Spray (2)

Bug Sprays — Buyer Beware

Most of us have heard of DEET, however, the ingredient actually being used in bug sprays is N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide, also known as N,N-diethyl-3-methylbenzamide, and commonly known as DEET.  DEET is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), Center for Disease Control (CDC), and EPA for use when there is a need to prevent insect-borne diseases and insects other than just mosquitoes (i.e., ticks).  However, these institutions note that a DEET product with a concentration of 10% appears to be as effective as those with DEET concentrations of 30% (the maximum concentration recommended for children), with the only difference being that higher concentrations remain effective for longer periods of time.  Below are some sprays reviewed by EWG and their assigned rankings as well as percentage DEET:

• Cutter Backwoods Mosquito Spray Unscented (3, contains N-N-Diethyl-M-Toluamide, 21.85%)

In sum, there are safer ways to protect your family from exposure to the sun and insects.  Take a few minutes to check your beach and camp bags for the best products for your family and the environment.

Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:

http://www.ewg.org/2010sunscreen/ (Environmental Working Group, a non-profit whose mission is to use the power of public information to protect public health and the environment)

http://www.costmeticdatabase.com (Skin Deep is a safety guide to cosmetics and personal care products by the researchers at the Environmental Working Group)

http://aapnews.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/e200399v1 (AAP News article entitled, “Follow safety precautions when using DEET on children,” from the AAP Committee on Environmental Health)

http://www.epa.gov/pesticides/factsheets/chemicals/deet.htm (EPA, Pesticides: Topical and Chemical Fact Sheet on “The Insect Repellent DEET.”)

The Quick Facts: Photosynthesis is a mechanism that we all learn about in elementary school but many people don’t realize the benefits of planting trees and other vegetation on the environment. Plants can be used in urban spaces to improve local air quality and, on a global scale, to reduce the impacts of climate change through carbon sequestration. Plant a tree, flowers, or garden today to reduce your impact and help clean the air.

How Plants Clean the Air
The cycle of how plants make energy is called photosynthesis. Greatly simplified, it is when the sun, water, minerals, and carbon dioxide are all absorbed by a plant and then used to make food, glucose/sugar, for the plant. Oxygen is produced as a by-product of this process and released into the air by leaves.

The process of photosynthesis results in the production of oxygen as well as the removal of carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas, and contaminants from the air. In one year, an average tree inhales 26 pounds of CO2 and exhales enough oxygen for a family of four to breathe for a year. In addition, trees help trap and hold pollutants by absorbing them through the pores in the leaf surface and trapping them. The tree then filters pollutants through its leaves, stems, and twigs, and pollutants are then washed to the ground by rainfall instead of remaining in the air.

Urban Spaces
Urban spaces can greatly benefit from the planting of trees or leafy vegetation. Trees and vegetation provide aesthetic benefits, improve our air (as discussed above), protect our water, and reduce noise pollution, among other things. Trees reduce urban runoff (often polluted) and erosion by storing water and breaking the force of rain as it falls. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that 100 mature trees can reduce runoff caused by rainfall by up to 100,000 gallons. The New Jersey Forest Service reports that a well-planted group of trees can reduce noise pollution by up to 10 decibels.

If planted in areas where air pollutant concentrations are high and where relatively high planting densities can be achieved, the health of urban dwellers can be improved. In New York City, a 10 percent increase in urban canopy (e.g., more trees) translated to a reduction of peak ozone levels by around 4 parts per billion. (Source: Luley, Christopher J.; Nowak, David J. 2004. Help Clear the Smog with Your Urban Forest: What You and Your Urban Forest Can Do About Ozone.)

Global Impacts and Carbon Sequestration
Trees and leafy plants are not only good for our local environment but our global environment as well. Another benefit of photosynthesis is carbon storage or sequestration. This occurs when carbon is stored in forests and soils. As discussed above, trees and leafy vegetation take carbon dioxide (CO2) in through tiny openings in leaves and that carbon gets incorporated into the woody biomass of trees and agricultural crops. Roughly half of this biomass is carbon. Over time, the carbon can make its way into soils when vegetation, natural forest litter and roots decay. However, carbon in forests and soils can be returned to the atmosphere as CO2 when the soil is disrupted by agricultural practices or when trees decay and/or are burned. Depending on the management of forests and use of agricultural soils, they can act as either a net carbon sink or source. The movement of carbon in and out of trees and soils is part of the Earth’s global carbon cycle.

Approximately 20% of the world’s annual carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions result from land-use changes, primarily deforestation in the tropical regions of Central and South America, Africa, and Asia. According to the UN statistics, we lose 49,421 acres of forest every day; this adds-up to 18 million acres per year.

What You Can Do

• Plant a Tree. Join the Arbor Foundation for as little as $10 dollars and get 10 free tress from 6-12 inches that are appropriate for your hardiness zone and will arrive at the best time of year for planting. See http://www.arborday.org/shopping/memberships/memberships.cfm?membership=trees for more on how to join.
• Make lifestyle changes like using tree-free paper or 100% recycled paper.
• Switch to a diet that does not require deforestation or a change in land-use (i.e., drink coffee designated as grown while protecting rainforests).

Information used in this article was found at the following sources, which you can visit if you want to find out more about this topic:
http://www.arborday.org/trees/benefits.cfm (Arbor Day Foundation’s mission is to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees)
http://planetgreen.discovery.com/home-garden/reasons-hug-tree.html?campaign=daylife-article (Planet Green is the first and only 24-hour eco-lifestyle television network with a robust online presence and community)
http://www.epa.gov/sequestration/science.html (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency information on carbon sequestration)
http://www.rainforest-alliance.org/agriculture.cfm?id=coffee (Rainforest Alliance works to conserve biodiversity and ensure sustainable livelihoods by transforming land-use practices, business practices and consumer behavior)