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The Citizen, 1992-04-22, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 22,1992. Health Unit offers tips to help Environmentally yours By Rhea Hamilton-Seeger and Klaus Seeger avoid 'Montezuma's Revenge' Where the awareness trail begins We do not suffer from lack of information about environmentally friendly products, pollution prob­ lems, changes in government regu­ lations to protect what we have. In fact we are deluged with interna­ tional problems as well as problems in our own provincial backyards. Do you ever get the feeling that if you close your eyes it will all go away? That the problems are not in the yard you look out over every­ day. Look again. There is a direct link between the impact human activity has on the environment and the resulting impact those activities have on human health. In the fol­ lowing months we will show you areas in your everyday life that do have an impact on your environ­ ment and how to minimize that impact. Topics will include: spraying in your yard; how to care and protect your sewage system; water treat­ ment devices; bottled water versus well water; household cleaners, the good, the bad and the elbow grease; picnic styrofoams still a no-no?; energy savers such as windbreaks, caulking compounds, etc. If you have any ideas for a col­ umn then phone or write to The Citizen. The most common and obvious starting point to embark on the ‘environmentally aware’ trail is a visit to your local landfill site or dump as we knew it as children. We did a survey of the local land­ fill sites and in the last six years almost all of them have undertaken a site plar? and now offer containers for depositing our recyclables into. There are designated areas for pil­ ing scrap metal for baling and tak­ ing to steel plants that can use reclaimed metal; an area for burn­ ing wood products like fence posts Through the Years continued from page 4 of about $2,000. in contents, was the same man who attempted to gain access to their safety deposit box at the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in Listowel. FIVE YEARS AGO April 22,1987 Karla King, of Brussels, was cho­ sen to represent this area as the senior secondary speaker, at the Ontario Provincial Finals Public Speaking Contest. The event was sponsored by the Ontario Com­ mand Of the Royal Canadian Legion. Blyth and area taxpayers' recre­ ation levy doubled for 1987, as the Blyth and District Recreation Com­ mittee attempted to get on top of a deficit and prepare for future capi­ tal expenses. The engine of the old mill at the Brussels dam was being restored for display at the Brussels 115th birthday party and homecoming celebration in early July. and brush; and another area for tires. By taking the time to sort the trash and minimizing the use of the trench method of disposal we are saving the life of the site. We are all aware of just how costly and difficult it is to find new sites for municipal waste. Here is a list of the sites and what they can offer in the way of recycling programs: East Wawanosh - Hours: Oct. to May, Sat. 9-4; May to Oct., Sat. 9-4; and Wed. evenings 6-9; bins for glass, tin, plastic pop bottles and newsprint, bum areas for wood and brush, area for scrap metal. West Wawanosh - Hours: Sat. 9-5; bins same as above. Morris - Hours: Wed. and Sat. 9 - 5; bins same as above. Grey - Hours: Sat. 9-4:30; bins same as above. Grey township is also offering backyard composters by the end of April and residents are invited to call in their orders now. Howick - Hours: Wed. 9-4; and Sat. 9-1, bins same as above. Turnberry - Hours: Sat. 9-4; operates a transfer station. Bins are on site for glass, newsprint, tin; domestic garbage is also deposited into bins and taken to St. Thomas. There is a pile for scrap metal and a Taking a good look Rob Gibson, manager of the Hullett Wildlife Centre, (left) joined Wilk Gillen, President of the Huron Fringe Field Naturalists to view migrant waterfowl at the Hullett Provincial Wilidlife Area Saturday. White swans and woodland ducks were just two types of waterfowl approximately 20 nature lovers got to see during the day outing which was arranged by the Huron Fringe Field Naturalists in cooperation with the Ministry of Natural Resources. Huron Progressive Conservative Association ANNUAL MEETING with Dianne Cunningham M.P.P. London North, Speaker Friday, April 24 - Clinton Legion Social 6 p.m. Dinner 7 p.m. Tickets $12. For information and tickets call 523-9746 (Blyth) ////" bum area for brush etc. Brussels - has a blue bag pro­ gram as opposed to a bluebox and pickup is taken to Morris township site. Brussels also offers backyard composters for sale from the local clerk's office. Blyth and Hullett - Hours: Sat. and Wed. 9-4. Blyth uses the tradi­ tional trench method with a bum area and a scrap metal area. There are no plans for recycling until it is financially advisable. The site has a more than 25 year life. But there is a flip side to the duti­ ful job of sorting and that is as con­ sumers we must demand products that use reclaimed materials. If you work in an office you could suggest that the paper products used are made from a certain percentage of recycled material. Switch brands. Consumers have to impress upon the manufacturers that their packaging is not accept­ able. Dollars talk. You may have to sacrifice a few months of a quality product in order to impress upon the manufacturer that you are seri­ ous about seeing changes in their packaging. Follow up your action with a letter. Not everyone is a let­ ter writer so get a friend to help you and sign both your names. Finally, the public address sys­ tem announces that all passengers are to board and prepare for depar­ ture. After months of preparation and serious saving, thousands of trav­ ellers every year eagerly await the announcement that their trip is about to begin. They are ready for Sun! Excitement! Exotic Food! Adventure! But are their bodies really prepared for the challenges they must face? Can they avoid Vacation Revenge? Phrases like Montezuma's Revenge, Delhi Belly and Trav­ eller's Diarrhea are familiar to travellers who were not prepared for the changes in habits and stan­ dards in countries that are different from Canada. There are ways to avoid the diseases which can cause diarrhea, vomiting and fever. Get­ ting answers to some simple ques­ tions will help to make your vacation a memorable one. Pre-departure Preparation Before travelling to any part of the world, whether it's the tropical south, the far north, Asia, Eastern Europe or Africa, it is very impor­ tant to research your destination. Depending on the country you are visiting you may need specific immunization which may be obtained from your local health unit or your family physician. This step needs to be completed yearly since some vaccinations must be administered over a couple of weeks and some over several months. ■ Obtain a passport if you need one and ensure it is valid throughout the period of your vacation. Find out if you need a visa to enter the coun­ tries you are visiting. Review your travel insurance. It may need to be supplemented to meet the potential medical costs which OH IP does not cover. Weather When you travel to exotic desti­ nations, your body may have to adapt to drastic temperature differ­ ences. For example, exposure to the heat from the tropical south must be gradual. Protect your skin from extreme exposure to the sun's radia­ tion by using the appropriate sun­ screen necessary for the sensitivity of your skin. Purchase these prod­ ucts before leaving on your trip. Exposure to intense sun during the first couple of days may lead to dehydration or sunburn. Light clothing, suitable for tropics should be taken for optimum comfort and protection. Wear sunglasses designed to protect your eyes from the sun's ultraviolet rays. Avoid Sickness While There Use common sense when decid­ ing what to eat and drink and con­ sider the following precautions: •Only water from adequately chlorinated sources can be consid­ ered safe to drink. In areas where chlorinated water is not available it can be rendered safe to drink by boiling it for five minutes or by the use of chlorine or iodine tablets. These are available at pharmacies and sporting good stores and should be purchased prior to depar­ ture. Canned or bottled carbonated beverages including soft drinks, beer, wine and juices may be safe to drink provided they have been stored properly. If they have been stored in a wet cooler contaminated water may get beneath the cap and in tum contaminate the beverage. Also remember to use disinfected water for brushing teeth and for ice cubes. • Eat food that has been thoroughly cooked. Remember, even the ingredients in your salad may have been irrigated with con­ taminated water or fertilized with human excrement. If you are preparing your salad use disinfect­ ed water to wash the vegetables. Cooked vegetables should be safe to eat. • Raw fruit must be peeled by yourself after washing with disin­ fected water. Do not eat watermel­ on. (There have been instances where water, usually contaminated, has been injected into the water­ melon to increase the weight for higher resale value at the market.) Tomatoes should be unbruised and peeled. Coconut juice directly from the shell is safe to drink. • Avoid eating leftovers unless you know that the various ingredi- continued on page 7