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Coronavirus and Other Dangers: How to Stay Healthy on the Plane
By Sophia Wagner
Many people find chasing through the clouds thousands of meters above the ground in a metal tube not too reassuring. Nevertheless, airplanes are one of the safest means of transport of all. But what is the situation apart from the accident statistics?
Infectious Diseases
Airplanes are notorious for being breeding grounds for bacteria. Unjustly so: Although airplanes contribute to the spread of epidemics, this is mainly due to the movement of people from one country to another.
It is not proven that when someone is inside the airplane, the danger of his or her getting infected is higher than standing in the queue at security control, for instance.
The risk of infection when flying is no higher than in an average office building. According to the WHO, the air in an airplane is completely replaced 20 to 30 times within an hour. For this purpose, some fresh outside air is sucked into the aircraft.
The rest of the air is recycled. In most modern aircraft, the air passes through a HEPA filter. These filters are so fine that they trap even viruses and bacteria.
No Influenza Viruses Found in the Aircraft
For a study from 2018, researchers collected nearly 230 air samples and surface swabs on 10 flights. In the subsequent analysis, no flu or cold viruses were found. And this despite the fact that the flights took place in the middle of the flu season.
It is more difficult if you are sitting within two rows of seats next to a sick fellow passenger. If there is a person coughing and sneezing in the immediate vicinity, the risk of being infected is just as high as in a bus or car.
Disinfectant and Face Mask Protect Against Infection
If you want to protect yourself, you should have disinfectant in your hand luggage. Before you eat or drink something, you should wipe your hands and the folding table with it.
If you have a cold yourself and want to protect others, you can think about a face mask. It catches the droplets from our throat when we cough or sneeze. The mask may also give the person sitting next to you a feeling of security.
Better than that: highly infectious people should postpone a planned flight. Airlines are also allowed to exclude people with an acutely contagious disease from boarding.
Cosmic Radiation
The earth is constantly bombarded with a stream of high-energy atomic particles. They come from the sun and from the depths of the universe. The totality of these particles forms the so-called cosmic radiation.
The earth's magnetic field and atmosphere act like a natural shield and intercept many of the particles. This means that the closer you are to the surface of the earth, the lower the radiation.
The shielding is highest at the equator and lowest at the polar regions. This is due to the shape of the magnetic field and the fact that the atmosphere is thinner above the poles.
No Health Hazard for Occasional Pilots
The dose of radiation that one receives during a flight therefore varies not only depending on the altitude and duration of the flight, but also on the route.
According to the Federal Office for Radiation Protection, however, high-altitude radiation is not dangerous for occasional pilots, and it is even harmless for pregnant women and small children.
According to this, the effective dose for a flight from Frankfurt to New York and back, for example, is 100 microsieverts. Since the average annual radiation exposure averages 2100 microsieverts, this represents an increase of only 5 percent.
However, this also shows how much frequent flyers and flight personnel are exposed to increased radiation. Therefore, health authorities are looking into radiation as a potential health hazard for flight personnel.
Air Pressure
The cruising altitude for long-haul flights is between 11 and 12 kilometers. However, the air pressure inside the aircraft is controlled and corresponds to the air pressure at 2000 meters above sea level.
According to the WHO, this leads to less oxygen being absorbed into the blood. This is not a problem for healthy people.
However, for some people with heart and lung diseases or blood anomalies, the lower oxygen level can become a problem. They either need an extra oxygen supply or they should avoid flying.
Pressure on the Ears
The comparatively low air pressure can also lead to problems with the ears. Chewing gum, swallowing and yawning help to equalize the pressure.
If that doesn't help during descend, there is also the so-called Valsalva method: keep nose and mouth well closed while trying to breathe out strongly.
And if you have a sinus infection, it is better to avoid flying.
Thromboses
According to the WHO, one in 6000 passengers suffers from travel thrombosis after a long-haul flight. This leads to the formation of blood clots in the veins of the lower legs or the pelvic area.
Signs are swelling, redness and severe pain.
The lack of exercise is responsible for the formation of the thrombosis. This applies to airplanes, trains and long bus trips. There is not enough space in the narrow rows of seats.
Muscle movement is an important factor in keeping the blood flow moving. The blood vessels in the legs can become blocked on long-haul flights.
Restricted Movement Is a Problem Especially for Risk Groups
Some people have an increased risk of thrombosis. These include pregnant women, women who use hormonal contraception, people who are overweight, cancer patients and people with a genetic predisposition to thrombosis.
According to the WHO, there are no preventive measures for thromboses.
As far as flight conditions permit, a little exercise can do no harm. Many airlines also distribute instructions for muscle exercises to keep the blood flow going.
Air Pressure
The cruising altitude for long-haul flights is between 11 and 12 kilometres. However, the air pressure inside the aircraft is controlled and corresponds to the air pressure at 2000 meters above sea level.
According to the WHO, this leads to less oxygen being absorbed into the blood. This is not a problem for healthy people.
However, for some people with heart and lung diseases or blood anomalies, the lower oxygen level can become a problem. They either need an extra oxygen supply or they should avoid flying.
Pressure on the Ears
The comparatively low air pressure can also lead to problems with the ears. Chewing gum, swallowing and yawning help to equalize the pressure.
If that doesn't help during descend, there is also the so-called Valsalva method: keep nose and mouth well closed while trying to breathe out strongly.
And if you have a sinus infection, it is better to avoid flying.
Thromboses
According to the WHO, one in 6000 passengers suffers from travel thrombosis after a long-haul flight. This leads to the formation of blood clots in the veins of the lower legs or the pelvic area.
Signs are swelling, redness and severe pain.
The lack of exercise is responsible for the formation of the thrombosis. This applies to airplanes, trains and long bus trips. There is not enough space in the narrow rows of seats.
Muscle movement is an important factor in keeping the blood flow moving. The blood vessels in the legs can become blocked on long-haul flights.
Restricted Movement Is a Problem Especially for Risk Groups
Some people have an increased risk of thrombosis. These include pregnant women, women who use hormonal contraception, people who are overweight, cancer patients and people with a genetic predisposition to thrombosis.
According to the WHO, there are no preventive measures for thromboses.
As far as flight conditions permit, a little exercise can do no harm. Many airlines also distribute instructions for muscle exercises to keep the blood flow going.
Dehydration
The air humidity in airplanes is on average 20 percent. That is about half of what most people find pleasant. The low air humidity leads to dry skin on the face and dry eyes.
Moisturizing creams and eye drops help here. Anyone who is used to wearing contact lenses should preferably switch to regular glasses on a long-haul flight.
According to the WHO, it has not yet been proven that the external lack of moisture also leads to internal dehydration. Drinking plenty of water on the plane can still do no harm.
But please do not drink the water from the bathroom sink on board! Although the quality and drinkability of the on-board water will be tested regularly by aircraft operators, the tap water on board should only be used to wash hands. This is especially true for people with immune deficiencies.
In this sense: Have a good flight!
Reposted with permission from DW.
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In his latest documentary, 27-year-old British filmmaker Ali Tabrizi calls out the commercial fishing industry for harming the oceans in the pursuit of fish. Since its release, the polarizing film has gone viral and climbed to Netflix's top ten across the globe. The exposé has sparked countless questions about and investigation into the seafood industry's claims and practices.
Seaspiracy alleges that overfishing for tuna helps keep demand and prices high. Netflix
<p>In the film, Sylvia Earle, famed marine biologist and ocean explorer, warns that since humans excel at extracting enormous amounts of marine life from the sea, commercial fishing itself will go extinct because eventually there will be no fish left.<br></p><p>A <a href="https://www.thrillist.com/entertainment/nation/seaspiracy-netflix-documentary-review" target="_blank">Thrillist</a> review said <em>Seaspiracy</em> connects all of the dots between commercial fishing, ocean destruction and slavery with a "wobbly line" and the "indictment of the myth of sustainability."</p><p>With each new scene, Tabrizi reveals the fraud, corruption and greed currently destroying the oceans. Through figures and expert cameos, he claims:</p><ul><li>Discarded plastic fishing gear accounts for most ocean debris and is killing whales and other animals;</li><li>The oceans will be emptied of fish in 27 years;</li><li>Safe seafood labels are compromised by "pay-to-play" profit structures and lack enforcement;</li><li>Overfishing is more damaging to the environment than deforestation;</li><li>Farmed fish are disease-ridden, pollution-creating and resource-intensive;</li><li>Thai fishing fleets use slave labor to remain profitable;</li><li>"Sustainable seafood" is a myth; and</li><li>The only solution is to stop eating fish.</li></ul>Shark bycatch is seen being dumped overboard in West Africa. Sea Shepherd
The Sea Shepherd fleet of ships patrols the world's waters. Thomas Le / Sea Shepherd
Sea Shepherd Founder Paul Watson considers commercial fishing the biggest threat to the future of the oceans. Sea Shepherd
<p>Mark J. Palmer, who is connected to the Earth Island Institute, the firm that manages the "dolphin-safe" label for tuna, is featured in a pivotal scene in the film. On camera, Tabrizi asks Palmer whether he can guarantee that all tuna cans labeled dolphin-safe caused no harm to dolphins. The latter responds, "Nope. Nobody can," and justifies his answer by saying, "Once you're out there in the ocean, how do you know what [fishermen are] doing? We have observers onboard — observers can be bribed and are not out on a regular basis."</p><p>Palmer has since tried to dampen his statement and suggests that <em>Seaspiracy</em> took his remarks out of context, <a href="https://www.intrafish.com/tuna/dolphin-safe-group-alleges-seaspiracy-left-out-critical-details-from-executives-interview/2-1-989370" target="_blank">IntraFish</a>, a seafood news site, reported. <a href="https://www.newsweek.com/fact-check-seaspiricy-dolphin-safe-labels-guaranteed-1579804" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Newsweek</a> fact-checked the film's claims and Palmer's defenses and concluded that "[b]ased on comments made by the Earth Island Institute and other experts, it is not possible to say whether all canned tuna that is labeled 'dolphin-friendly' is guaranteed to have not harmed dolphins in the fishing process."</p><p>Regardless of whether or not they are fans of the film, most conservationists and scientists agree that the oceans matter in the fight against the climate crisis, both for providing food security for millions worldwide along with protecting cultural ways of life.</p><p>According to <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/mar/31/seaspiracy-netflix-documentary-accused-of-misrepresentation-by-participants" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Guardian</a>, Callum Roberts, a marine conservationist featured in <em>Seaspiracy</em>, offered this conclusion for the film's critics: "My colleagues may rue the statistics, but the basic thrust of it is we are doing a huge amount of damage to the ocean and that's true. At some point, you run out. Whether it's 2048 or 2079, the question is: 'Is the trajectory in the wrong direction or the right direction?'"</p>By Natalie Marchant
- Wood accounts for 10% of yearly waste material in the US.
- The Baltimore Wood Project salvages wood from buildings to repurpose and resell locally to create a circular economy.
- The initiative also has social benefits, by creating job opportunities in a post-industrial city that has an 8.5% unemployment rate.
An initiative in the US city of Baltimore wants to salvage and reuse as much wood as possible, while also creating jobs.
Reducing the City’s Waste
<p><span>Wood accounts for more than </span><a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/features/how-baltimore-urban-wood-project-reclaiming-wood-lives-and-communities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">10% of the annual waste material</a><span> in the US and, in some years, more tree and woody residue has been generated from urban areas than was harvested from national forests, according to the US Forest Service. This waste is costly for businesses that have to pay for its collection and disposal.</span></p><p>Post-industrial Baltimore is a particularly relevant base for the scheme, as it is estimated that there are <a href="http://baltimorewoodproject.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">16,000 empty properties, with some 4,000 of them marked for demolition</a>. Some estimates even put the number of <a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/features/how-baltimore-urban-wood-project-reclaiming-wood-lives-and-communities" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">vacant lots in the city at well over 40,000</a>.</p><p>By reclaiming both freshly-cut wood and that from abandoned properties, the Baltimore Wood Project can reduce waste; provide green materials for construction, furniture making and other sectors; and help restore and reclaim neighborhoods.</p>Deconstruction Instead of Demolition
<p>In addition to its obvious environmental benefits, the project also has valuable economic and social advantages. With a population of nearly 600,000, Baltimore has an <a href="https://www.dllr.state.md.us/lmi/laus/" target="_blank">unemployment rate of 8.5%</a>, compared to a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf" target="_blank">nationwide rate of 6.2%</a>.</p><p>The Baltimore Wood Project helps tackle the city's joblessness problem by focusing on deconstruction rather than demolition, arguing that the former <a href="http://baltimorewoodproject.org/" target="_blank">creates six to eight more jobs than the latter</a>.</p><p>This enables those with barriers to employment to gain a valuable skill set and eventually a career, and also helps revitalize the neighborhoods in which they live.</p>The Benefits of a Circular Economy
<p>Wood reclaimed and recycled by the project can be used for sustainable building, furniture and energy, among other uses.</p><p>Indeed, the project is intended to help the city achieve its aim of a sustainable future and serve as a model for creating a circular, self-reinforcing economy in urban areas.</p><p>Globally, it is estimated that transitioning to a circular economy – which promotes the elimination of waste and continual safe use of natural resources – could<a href="https://www.weforum.org/projects/circular-economy" target="_blank"> generate $4.5 trillion in economic benefits by 2030</a>.</p><p>The World Economic Forum is supporting moves towards creating a worldwide circular economy through collaboration on<a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/uplink-issue/a002o00000vOnfaAAC/the-circulars" target="_blank"> The Circulars Accelerator 2021 program</a>.</p><p>The accelerator is a collaboration with <a href="https://uplink.weforum.org/uplink/s/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">UpLink</a>, the World Economic Forum's innovation crowdsourcing platform, and is led by professional services company <a href="https://www.accenture.com/gb-en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Accenture</a> in partnership with <a href="https://www.angloamerican.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Anglo American</a>,<a href="https://en-uk.ecolab.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Ecolab</a>, and <a href="https://www.se.com/uk/en/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Schneider Electric</a>.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from the </em><em><a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/04/baltimore-us-wood-recycling-project/" target="_blank">World Economic Forum</a>.</em></p>By Brett Wilkins
A pair of Indigenous land defenders locked themselves to equipment at a fossil fuel pumping station in British Columbia on Saturday, vowing to continue resisting a government-owned oil pipeline that is harming the climate, the environment, and First Nations peoples whose unceded lands it traverses.
City Dwellers Gained More Access to Public Spaces During the Pandemic – Can They Keep It?
By Katharine Lusk
Through a year of pandemic shutdowns and protests, Americans have rediscovered their public spaces. Homebound city dwellers sought havens in parks, plazas and reclaimed streets. Many of these places also became stages for protests against police violence and systemic racism in the U.S.
Whose Spaces?
<p>COVID-19 and racial protests have highlighted pervasive inequities in the U.S. One issue we examined was how mayors think about investing for equity in parks and green spaces.</p><p>Among the 130 mayors we interviewed, 70% believed all their residents, regardless of race, ethnicity or income, live within easy walking distance of a park or green space. This view may be somewhat optimistic.</p><p>Data developed by The Trust for Public Land shows that, on average, 64% of residents in the cities we surveyed live within a 10-minute walk of a park or green space. Our analysis of The Trust's <a href="https://www.tpl.org/parkserve" target="_blank">ParkServe</a> data for all U.S. cities with more than 75,000 residents showed that on average, 59% of white residents live within a 10-minute walk of a park or green space, compared with 61% of Black or Hispanic residents and 57% of Asian residents. Mayors, particularly those in Northeast cities, acknowledged that not all neighborhoods had equal access to high-quality parks.</p><p>Another important question is how welcome residents feel in local public spaces. In our interviews, 77% of mayors believed their cities' parks were safe for all users. A similar proportion believed Black residents could use parks without fear of police.</p><p>But physical safety is not the only measure of accessibility. Racial and ethnic minorities may be discriminated against or feel socially and culturally excluded in some parks and public spaces. Widely publicized <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/14/nyregion/amy-cooper-false-report-charge.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">false assault charges</a> by a white woman against a Black birder in New York's Central Park in October 2020 presented one prominent example.</p><p>Past surveys of residents of color and immigrants in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0339-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Minneapolis</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2011.10.002" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Los Angeles</a> have found similar tensions. Minneapolis now has a <a href="https://www.minneapolisparks.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/MPRB-Racial-Equity-Action-Plan-January-2021.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Racial Equity Action Plan</a> expressly for parks and recreation.</p>Most Likely to Gain: Diners, Walkers and Bikers
<p>Some local leaders capitalized on empty streets to accelerate long-planned projects or initiate new ones. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo made headlines with her decision to remove <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/12/paris-parking-spaces-greenery-cities/" target="_blank">half of all street parking</a> in Paris, add <a href="https://www.francetoday.com/travel/paris/the-paris-bicycle-boom/" target="_blank">50 kilometers (31 miles) of bike lanes</a> and convert a major central roadway, Rue di Rivoli, to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/12/business/paris-bicycles-commute-coronavirus.html" target="_blank">a cycling thoroughfare</a>. These steps mark a fundamental shift toward a public realm that centers on people, not vehicles.</p><p>Similarly, one East Coast mayor told us that the need to maintain physical distance between people had prompted a call for more outdoor space:</p><blockquote>"Fewer cars means more opportunities for public space. We're learning a lot about how to share public space and not just use it for cars – we worked to close roadways and people want to keep them."<br></blockquote><p>Nearly half of the mayors we surveyed closed some roads to through traffic during the pandemic, and just under a third closed select streets to nearly all traffic. One prominent example is Washington, D.C.'s <a href="https://washington.org/visit-dc/black-lives-matter-plaza" target="_blank">Black Lives Matter Plaza</a>, commissioned by Mayor Muriel Bowser along two blocks of 16th Street NW. This new pedestrian promenade has quickly become a landmark that embodies a convergence of protest and pride.</p><p>New York City undertook an expansive "open streets" initiative, temporarily closing more than <a href="https://www1.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/pedestrians/openstreets.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">100 miles of roadway</a> to cars to provide more space for outdoor recreation in all five boroughs. Like most cities we surveyed, New York did not have a plan or process for retaining these changes after the pandemic. But the city's Department of Transportation, responding to <a href="https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2020/09/14/queens-pol-makes-it-official-demands-34th-avenue-open-street-be-made-permanent/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">public pressure</a>, has signaled its commitment to <a href="https://www.qchron.com/editions/queenswide/open-street-for-34th-ave-to-be-permanent/article_74d386f8-8d03-5a1c-b37f-43b9d02aa2f8.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">making some changes permanent</a>.</p>Typical setup for temporary limited local access under New York City's Open Streets initiative. NYC DOT
<p>The most popular new use of public space, and the one most likely to endure after the pandemic, was outdoor dining. Among the mayors we surveyed, 92% created new space for outdoor dining, with 34% noting they planned to make these changes permanent. Locations varied across cities and neighborhoods: Some communities <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/cities-plan-increase-outdoor-dining-restaurants-reopen/story?id=70952012" target="_blank">claimed sidewalk space, while others reallocated on-street parking or repurposed empty parking lots</a>. Other cities <a href="https://philly.eater.com/2020/7/20/21330313/outdoor-dining-old-city-philadelphia-restaurants-street-closure" target="_blank">closed entire streets </a> for dining.</p><p>Other new uses of public space included widening sidewalks and creating new bike lanes. About 40% of the mayors in our survey pursued each of these changes. In Boston, permitting for new outdoor dining was part of a multifaceted "<a href="https://www.boston.gov/departments/transportation/healthy-streets" target="_blank">Healthy Streets</a>" initiative that also accelerated creation of dedicated bus lanes and new bike lanes – including expansive new protected lanes around the city's historic central green space, Boston Common.</p><p>Ambitious projects require resources, and financial pressures still loom. Almost 40% of mayors we surveyed anticipated "dramatic" financial cuts to their parks and recreation budgets. That threat could be offset by the recently enacted <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/fact-sheet-the-american-rescue-plan-will-deliver-immediate-economic-relief-to-families" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">American Rescue Plan</a>, which provides <a href="https://www.nlc.org/article/2021/03/12/everything-you-need-to-know-about-covid-relief/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">direct funds for cities of all sizes</a>.</p>People-Centered Public Spaces
<p>Our survey indicates that Americans' newfound enthusiasm for public spaces isn't likely to fade. Among the mayors we surveyed, 76% believe their residents will visit parks and green space more frequently in the future than they did before the pandemic, 70% anticipate that residents will be walking more, and 62% believe they will be cycling more frequently.</p><p>Speaking recently about the future of cities, renowned Ghanaian-British architect Sir David Adjaye asserted that high-quality public space "has now become <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrOyIn7HcMs&list=PLOOk6Nnx8t1teQwvx2MJ8PKTmuJjUESrg&index=4" target="_blank">the treasure that people are completely addicted to</a>. If you took for granted a park, now you realize that it's a very important part of the quality of life [in] cities."</p><p>As the U.S. emerges from a long and challenging year, perhaps more American mayors – spurred on by residents – will find the will to forever transform urban spaces into the treasures they can be.</p><p><em>Reposted with permission from <a href="https://theconversation.com/city-dwellers-gained-more-access-to-public-spaces-during-the-pandemic-can-they-keep-it-155016" target="_blank">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>- COVID-19 Reveals a Crisis of Public Spaces - EcoWatch ›
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By Andrea Germanos
Despite lower applied amounts of pesticides in U.S. agriculture, their toxicity to non-target species including honeybees more than doubled in a decade, according to a new study.
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