The Green Zone with Linda Mason Hunter
For past Green Zone tips check out: https://www.lindamasonhunter.com/about
OCTOBER, 2025
The flu season this fall and winter could be more severe than usual. Health experts encourage vaccines.
This just in from the newsroom at Iowa Public Radio: Data from the southern hemisphere suggests that the north may be in for a more-severe-than-usual flu season this winter. Joel Waddell, a pediatric infectious diseases doctor at Blank Children's Hospital in Des Moines, says every year he sees healthy people with no underlying issues grow severely ill from the flu. Young children especially, who have no underlying problems, no previous medical history, can be hospitalized and even die from the flu, he says.
Waddell recommends everyone who is six months of age and older, and able, to get the flu shot. He recommends getting it no earlier than September but no later than October.
State data shows just 36% of Iowans were vaccinated against the flu last season. So even if you’re vaccinated, be prepared to mask up when in a crowded room to keep yourself and your loved ones healthy and flu-free.
Source: Iowa Public Radio, by Natalie Krebs, September 2, 2025 at 12:54 pm CDT
The Peace of Wild Things
We live in dangerous times. Tension in the air is contagious. It’s almost impossible to stay centered and find joy. When you come close to despair, it’s important to see out the wilderness in nature. It is a true healer. In British Columbia it’s even common for physicians to write prescriptions for spending time in nature, the wilder, the better.
Coping with the tension in the air these days takes all the mindfulness and self care I can muster. When I feel overwhelmed, I turn to the poem “The Peace of Wild Things” by Wendell Barry. It is balm for my soul.
The Peace of Wild Things
When despair grows in me
and I wake in the middle of the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting for their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.
This week, may you find time to rest in the peace of wild things.
The term “Natural Flavors” on an ingredient list may include “mystery” ingredients concocted in a laboratory, not found in nature.
I know. It surprised me, too. I knew the word “natural” did not have a legal definition, but I did fall for the con that the phrase “natural flavors” would be derived from actual plants grown in the earth, not manufactured by chemists in a laboratory. I was wrong. Here’s the skinny:
The term “Natural flavors” on a label sounds reassuring, but the term is only loosely regulated. So, these “flavors” can derive from harmful synthetic chemicals flavor manufacturers aren't required to disclose.
Pumpkin spice is a good example. As soon as temperatures fall, we see everything from pumpkin spice lattes to muffins, cheeses, and ice cream. But, the flavor itself is usually just a blend of spices that reminds us of pumpkin pie--cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger. Some pumpkin spice products, especially lattes, may also contain carrageenan, a stabilizer made from seaweed extract that has been linked gastrointestinal inflammation. They may also contain propylene glycol, a preservative that in high doses causes low blood pressure.
Drinking a pumpkin spice latte every now and then probably won’t hurt you, but it’s best to limit the amount of synthetic chemicals you take into your body as much as you can. In the name of good health, it’s buyer beware in the marketplace today.
The danger in some gluten-free foods
Cassava—also known as yuca or manioc—is a root vegetable often used as a key ingredient in gluten-free foods. But many cassava-based products on store shelves, from chips and crackers to bread and pasta, could contain elevated levels of lead posing serious health concerns for consumers.
Consumer Reports magazine tested 27 foods and ingredients that use cassava. Their findings were startling: Ove two-thirds contained lead levels that exceeded the California’s safety threshold by significant margins. Some products had more than 20 times the allowed amount.
Although an occasional serving of those foods might not impact your health, eating them regularly can lead to chronic lead exposure. That can interfere with brain and nervous system development in children, and can lead to immune system suppression, reproductive issues, kidney damage and hypertension in adults.
Why is there so much lead in cassava products? Root vegetables like cassava can absorb naturally occurring lead from the earth’s crust, as well as any that has leached into the soil from industrial pollution of past use of lead-based pesticides. Processing cassava can worsen the problem: When the whole, peeled root is dried and ground into flour, any lead already present may become concentrated.
Source: “The Danger in Some gluten-Free Foods,” Consumer Reports, September-October 2025, page 14.
Today’s Tip: The clue to unlocking the cause of Parkinsons disease
As industry has boomed and agricultural and industrial toxins have proliferated in the postwar period, so has something else: Parkinson’s disease.
Some 90,000 cases of Parkinson’s are now diagnosed each year in the United States, about one every six minutes on average. It is the world’s fastest-growing neurodegenerative disease, causing tremors, stiffness and balance problems. It is also the 13th-leading cause of death in the United States.
According to Parkinsons’ experts, there is growing evidence linking the disease to a range of human-made pesticides, chemicals in our food, substances used in dry cleaning, industrial solvents in our water and pollution in our air. These chemicals are all around us, and none are necessary. Golf courses are a major source of pesticide exposure. One expert even recommends not living within a mile of a golf course.
Nevertheless, the Environmental Protection Agency continues to allow these chemicals to be used in the United States, even as dozens of other countries have banned them. Europe bans substances it harbors doubts about, while the United States tends to allow substances unless there is solid evidence of harm. That may have something to do with the millions of dollars companies spend lobbying and donating to political candidates.
Source: “The Clue to Unlocking Parkinson’s May Be All Around Us,” by Nicholas Kristof; The New York Times,Opinion column, Sept. 8, 2025.
SEPTEMBER 2025
Nearly all potato samples contain pesticide not approved for use in the EU
Potatoes – the most consumed vegetable in the U.S. – contain high concentrations of chlorpropham, a plant growth regulator banned in the European Union due to health concerns. For this reason, the Environmental Working Group has put potatoes in 12th place on this year’s Dirty Dozen list.
From 2022 to 2023 the Department of Agriculture collected and tested more than 1,000 samples of potatoes and discovered that 90% of the samples contained residues of chlorpropham at twice the level of concentrations the EPA tested in 2017. Since 1990, chlorpropham has mostly been used on potatoes in the U.S. to prevent them from sprouting during storage. Organic potatoes do not allow the use of chlorpropham, and it’s not sprayed on sweet potatoes.
In animal studies, both U.S. and European regulators identified changes in blood cells, harm to the thyroid, and hormone-disruption as the primary toxicological effects associated with exposure to the pesticide, especially when potatoes are fried. Children are most at risk.
If you’d like to reduce pesticide exposure, make sure to wash all produce with water before consuming. Peeling potatoes can also reduce chlorpropham levels, but may also reduce the nutritional value. This is LMH…
Source: ewg.org.
Bad News for Mother Earth
On April 28th, the Trump administration dismissed the hundreds of scientists and experts who had been compiling the federal government’s flagship report on how global warming is affecting the country. The action puts the future of the report in doubt.
Every few years since 2000, the federal government publishes a comprehensive look at how rising temperatures will affect human health. Scientists, researchers, and experts, many working as volunteers, scrutinize many aspects of the U.S. economy--agriculture, fisheries, water supplies, transportation, energy production. The result is a comprehensive, fact-checked report relied upon by state and local governments as well as private sectors like water utilities and schools, to help prepare for the effects of heat waves, floods, droughts, wildfires, and other calamities of climate change. The last climate assessment came out in 2023.
On Monday, April 28th, 2025 researchers around the country who had begun work on the sixth national climate assessment, planned for early 2028, received an email informing them that the scope of the report “is currently being re-evaluated” and that all contributors were being dismissed.
Looks like we can’t rely on that information any more. We must look elsewhere for the reliable, factual information we need to prepare and cope with the increasing calamities of climate change which is affecting us all.
Source: “All authors working on the flagship U.S. Climate Report have been dismissed,” by Brad Plumer and Rebecca Dzombak, The New York Times,
April 28, 2025.
Take a second look at the ingredients in your protein bar. It’s probably not as healthy as you think
Protein bars might not immediately come to mind when you think of unhealthy foods, but some aren’t as beneficial as they seem. Many bars sold today contain large amounts of ultra-processed ingredients, artificial sweeteners, and added sugars.
A hearty alternative to granola bars, protein bars have ballooned into a $4.5 billion dollar industry with some analysts predicting the market will grow to $7 billion by 2030. Options at the protein bar aisle at the grocery store keep growing, with flavors like Birthday Cake, Maple glazed Donut, and Strawberry Crème.
But don’t be fooled by the flashy packaging and high protein count; some protein bars masquerade as “healthy,” despite containing the calories of a candy bar.
Although people often eat protein bars after a workout or as a meal replacement, those that are heavily processed or contain artificial sweetener do not supply the nutrients your body needs to get from a meal or to recover from exercising.
This tip brought to you by the Environmental Working Group’s “Guide to Food Additives.” Get yours at ewg.com.
Scientists unify around a name for the medical condition linked to EMF Exposures
Many names have been suggested for the well-documented condition linked to exposures to electromagnetic fields and electromagnetic radiation emitted by modern wireless technologies. Until recently the condition was known by multiple names—Radiation Sickness, Microwave Syndrome, Electrohypersensitivity, Havana Syndrome, and others. Now scientists and medical professionals have unified around a formal name: Electromagnetic Radiation Syndrome, known commonly as EMR Syndrome, or EMR-S for short.
Frequently referred to as the “Disease of the Digital Age,” EMR Syndrome is characterized by a wide range of symptoms linked to electromagnetic radiation emitted by modern technologies such as cell towers, smart meters, Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth devices, and smart technologies. Symptoms can include headaches, dizziness, fatigue, heart palpitations, tinnitus, sleep disturbances, ADHD, and other cognitive impairments.
Giving this condition a formal name paves the way for new treatments, greater social understanding, and improved quality of life for millions worldwide. It’s a condition we all should be paying more attention to.
Source: The Environmental Health Trust newsletter, https://ehtrust.org.
If you want to lose weight, stay away from ultra-processed foods
A recent study, published in the journal Nature Medicine, found that people consumed more calories and had more cravings when they ate ultraprocessed foods. This isn’t surprising considering the quantities of sugar, salt, and fat in ultraprocessed food, plus the fact they are typically low in fiber, and that cravings make you eat more than you usually would. That certainly is my experience. I don’t know anyone who can eat just one or two Cheetos, for example. I’ve been known to end up eating the whole bag.
Ultraprocessed foods are defined as those which undergo extensive industrial processing and contain additives--like artificial flavorings, emulsifiers, and dyes--synthetic chemicals never or rarely used in kitchens. Meals cooked at home from whole foods—like fruits, vegetables, meat, milk, and eggs--are considered “minimally processed.”
In this recent study, the largest and longest clinical trial of its kind, participants lost twice as much weight when they followed diets made up of minimally processed foods--like pasta, chicken, fruits and vegetables--as they did when their diets were composed of ultraprocessed foods that met nutrition standards--such as ready-to-heat frozen meals, breakfast cereals, protein bars and shakes. Bottom line, if you want to attain a healthy weight, stay away from ultraprocessed food.
Sources: (1) “Avoiding Ultraprocessed Foods Might Double Weight Loss,” by Alice Callahan, The New York Times; August 4, 2025. (2) “Eating minimally processed meals doubles weight loss even when ultraprocessed foods are healthy, study finds,” by Sandee LaMotte, CNN; August 4, 2025.
AUGUST 2025
What are ultra-processed foods?
Ultra processed foods are formulated to be “craveable” – designed to be tasty, cheap and ready-to-eat. The Environmental Working Group defines ultra processed foods as food products that contain one or more of certain functional ingredients, including artificial colors and flavors, non-sugar sweeteners, emulsifiers and thickening agents. These ingredients, mostly produced by industrial processes, are broken down and combined to form foods through industrial techniques, such as molding into shapes or extrusion through a machine to make, for example, puffs or flakes. This process creates many popular breakfast cereals, packaged cookies, frozen pizza, even some “healthy” granola bars.
But not all processed food is ultra-processed. Oatmeal, peanut butter and pasta are processed but they’re not ultra-processed – they’re made with just a handful of ingredients and may retain significant nutritional value.
But if the oatmeal has been pre-cooked and dried, with fruit flavoring thrown in, it can be thought of as instant. Pasta that's been preserved as part of a ready-to-eat meal has also been transformed. Both might have started out as minimally processed but in these forms, they are ultra-processed.
For more info on ultra-processed foods, get your free Guide to Food Additives from the Environmental Working Group at ewg.org.
Source: The Environmental Working Group, ewg.org.
Hawaii passes law keeping cell towers away from homes and schools
It’s slow in its adoption, but several cities and counties in the U.S. are now limiting construction of cell towers close to homes and schools due to health concerns. The newest is Hawaii County, commonly known as the Big Island, which recently enacted the first regulation of its kind in the state, paving the way for other local jurisdictions to follow suit. According to the Environmental Health Trust, Hawaii County, with a population of over 200,000, is the largest community in the U.S. with 600-foot installation setbacks.
It’s notable that Hawaii County passed a resolution in 2020 calling for a halt to 5G deployments until independent testing can determine the safety of radiofrequency radiation emissions generated by such infrastructure. Earlier this year Hawaiian Telcom unveiled an ambitious plan to make Hawaii the first fully fiber-enabled state by 2026, which would allow all Hawaiians to rely on fiber-optic cables rather than wireless networks for internet connectivity.
Source: “Hawai’i Passes Law Keeping Cell Towers Away from Homes and Schools,” Environmental Health Trust, July 5, 2025; https://ehtrust.org/hawaii-county-passes-law-keeping-cell-towers-away-from-homes-and-schools/.
Check out EWG’s Shopper’s Guide to fruits and vegetables
Eating fruits and vegetables is essential for a healthy diet. But do you know which ones are tainted with a host of pesticides and which ones are not? If you don’t eat certified organic, there’s really no way to tell. That’s where the Environmental Working Group’s Shopper’s Guides can help. Each year EWG updates its lists to be current, using Department of Agriculture data. The Clean 15 list represents those items with the least amount of pesticide residue, and the Dirty Dozen lists produce with the highest residue.
Here are some examples of what you will discover when checking out these lists: Do you love peaches? I do. But peaches pack a punch when it comes to pesticide contamination. Almost all commercial peaches are contaminated with pesticides—some as many as 19 different pesticides on a single peach. A pesticide called Fludioxonil, for example, linked to hormone disruption, was found on 90% of peaches tested.
But it’s not just peaches that may surprise you. Potatoes are on the Dirty Dozen list, as are blueberries for the third year in a row.
You can rest easy by eating fruits and veges on EWG’s Clean 15 list. Bananas and cauliflower joined this year’s list. Other standouts include avocados, papaya, pineapple and onions.
You can get these lists on the web at ewg.org.
Source: “The 2025 Dirty Dozen;” https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty-dozen.php. “The Clean 15”; https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean-fifteen.php/. The full list: https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/full-list.php
U.N. court rules countries have duty to limit greenhouse emissions
This is great news for environmentalists who have not had much good news lately. The United Nations’ highest judicial body ruled last month (July 2025) that nations have a “duty” to prevent environmental harm and are obliged to limit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, which come primarily from fossil fuels.
In its first-ever ruling on climate issues, the International Court of Justice said any breach represents an “internationally wrongful act” and can lead to reparations for countries suffering the consequences if a “causal” link can be shown.
The ruling is nonbinding and won’t force any immediate policy changes. But it will put more pressure on industrialized countries to live up to their pledges. It will also more widely open the door to climate cases around the world, giving leverage to those trying to hold corporations and high-polluting nations to account. Courts across the world could cite the International Court of Justice ruling in their decisions.
Humanity is on track to blow past its goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) compared with preindustrial levels. The 10 hottest years have all come over the past decade. This is not just a legal question; it is a matter of survival. The ICJ’s decision brings us closer to a world where governments can no longer turn a blind eye to their legal responsibilities.
Source: “U.N. court rules countries have duty to limit greenhouse emissions,” by Chico Harlan; The Washington Post, July 23, 2025; https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2025/07/23/world-court-climate-ruling/
Coca Cola to add cane sugar alternative
At RFK Jr’s. suggestion, Coca Cola is adding a cane sugar alternative to its original Coke product made with high fructose corn syrup. So, it looks like some time this fall we’ll have a choice when purchasing Coke in a grocery store.
According to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, the switch is aimed at reducing chronic disease and childhood illness. Nutritionists disagree; scientific studies do not show substantial benefits in using cane sugar as a substitute. Replacing one sugar with another isn’t going to have much effect on health.
High fructose corn syrup, a staple of sugary snacks and drinks, including Coke, gets a bad rap for contributing to obesity and diabetes, but all types of sugar do that. Both have similar effects on weight, blood pressure, and body mass index.
Kennedy allies cite concerns over pesticide residue commonly sprayed on corn. It’s true that glyphosate, an active ingredient in Roundup, is linked to cancer.
Many US customers are already familiar with the Mexican version of Coca Cola made with cane sugar because it is widely imported. Donald Trump, for one, allegedly prefers that version in his daily consumption of Diet Coke. Some of Coca Cola’s other drinks, such as teas and lemonades, already use cane sugar.
Nutrition experts bristle at the focus on the type of sugar in the drink instead of whether people should be drinking it at all. To actually improve health, the focus should be on less sugar, not different sugar, they say.
Source: “Coke confirms cane sugar change. RFK Jr. calls it MAHA win. Is it?” by Rachel Roubein and Caitlin Gilbert; The Washington Post, July 22, 2025; https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/07/22/coke-cane-sugar-health-rfk-jr/.
JUNE/JULY 2025
WHO-funded study finds strong evidence linking cell phone radiation to cancer in laboratory animals
A World Health Organization-backed study determined with a high level of certainty that there are links between cell phone radiation and two types of cancer in laboratory animals— malignant heart tumors and gliomas (a type of brain cancer). This is significant because every agent that causes cancer in humans will produce it in laboratory animals when adequately tested. The review prompted a swift response from experts who agreed that, “Given this high level of certainty, government policymakers worldwide should immediately move to revise their radiation exposure limits to protect public health and the environment.”
In the meantime, it’s wise to take simple precautions to reduce exposure.
- Keep your cell phone away from your head and body.
- Avoid carrying your cell phone on your body at all times.
- Avoid using your cell phone when the signal is weak or inside metal vehicles and elevators.
- Use airplane mode and turn antennas off when not in use.
- Children should only use cell phones for emergencies.
- Do not charge a cell phone near your bed.
- Minimize talk time on your cell phone.
Find more tips for safe cell phone use on my website, lindamasonhunter.com.
Source: https://ehtrust.org/who-funded-study-finds-rf-emf-exposure-increases-incidence-of-cancer/
https://ehtrust.org/10-things-you-can-do-to-reduce-the-cancer-risk-from-cell-phones/
Kudos to the State of New York for holding the fossil fuel industry accountable for climate change
In December, 2024, New York’s Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul signed a law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate damage repair. The new state law requires the companies responsible for the bulk of emissions produced between 2000 and 2018 to pay out roughly $3 billion a year for the next 25 years.
State Senator Liz Krueger, a co-sponsor of the historic bill, called it a “shot that will be heard ‘round the world.” “Too often over the last decade, courts have dismissed lawsuits against the oil and gas industry by saying that the issue of climate culpability should be decided by legislatures,” she stated. “Well, the Legislature of the State of New York — the 10th largest economy in the world — has accepted the invitation, and I hope we have made ourselves very clear: the planet’s largest climate polluters bear a unique responsibility for creating the climate crisis, and they must pay their fair share to help regular New Yorkers deal with the consequences,” she continued.
This makes New York the second state to pass a law like this. The first was Vermont in June, 2024. Due to New York’s massive economic, cultural, and political influence this bill will have far-reaching effects.
We are living a lie
An astronaut who spent 178 days in space reveals a "big lie" he realized while on his journey in outerspace. In one of his 2,842 orbits around the Earth from the International Space Station, Ron Garan experienced a reality shock common among astronauts. By observing the Earth from space, he realized, viscerally, that the planet is a unique, fragile and interconnected system.
It has to do with the Earth’s atmosphere, a thin, fine layer, almost like paper, he said he could almost touch with his hands. "I realized that everything that sustains life on Earth depends on this fragile layer" he explained. It’s what protects all life forms from hostile conditions of space.
For Garan, this highlighted a paradox: we prioritize economic growth at the expense of the natural systems that sustain us. "We're living a lie," he stated.
We treat problems like global warming, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity as isolated issues when, in fact, they are symptoms of a larger problem: human disconnection with the planet. As long as we do not change this mentality, we will continue to be in crisis.
The solution is a radical change of priorities. Instead of thinking about "economy, society, planet", we should reverse the order: "planet, society, economy." Environmental health should be the basis for all other decisions. This is the only way we will really evolve, he says. We will not have peace on Earth until we recognize that everything is interconnected.
Source: https://bigthink.com/life/overview-effect/
Study shows CT scans contribute to cancer burden
Estimates that 103,000 cancer diagnoses, or 5% of all cancers, could result from the 93 million CT scans performed in the U.S. in 2023 alone. This puts CT scans on a par with other well-known cancer risk factors, like alcohol, cigarette smoking and obesity.
Unlike MRIs and ultrasound, CT scans use ionizing radiation to create cross-sectional images of the body, providing more detail than X-rays. Doctors use CT scans to diagnose afflictions from tumors to kidney stones to life-threatening diseases and injuries, such as aneurysms and blood clots leading to stroke. But CT scans have potential harms, as well. Scientists long ago established that ionizing radiation emitted by CT scans increases cancer risk.
Use of CT scans has surged 35% in the last 20 years, partly due to low-value, potentially unnecessary imaging. The amount of radiation a scan emits fluctuates widely and can be far higher than necessary with the operator, not the machine, making the difference. The dose at one scanning facility can be 50 times stronger than at another.
It's important to balance benefits with potential harms. Discuss with your doctor how important it is to get any particular scan, and how you might receive as small a dose of radiation as necessary.
Source: “Study highlights cancer risk from millions of CT scans performed annually,” by Ronnie Cohen. National Public Radio, April 16, 2025. https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/04/16/g-s1-60488/ct-scan-cancer-risk-ionizing-radiation
The inestimable value of friendship
I’m a big fan of Native American cultures, those who placed the highest value on the simple life, usually lived out of doors, with keen and enduring respect for nature. The things they hold sacred never fail to inspire me.
One of my favorite books is The Soul of the Indian, by Charles Alexander Eastman. In the chapter called “The Family Alter,” he defines true friendship. In this passage he writes from the male point of view, but his words are just as true for women as they are for men. So please keep that in mind as I read:
“Friendship is held to be the severest test of character. It is easy, we think, to be loyal to family and clan, whose blood is in our own veins. Love between man and woman is founded on the mating instinct and is not free from desire and self-seeking. But to have a friend, and to be true under any and all trials, is the mark of a man!
“The highest type of friendship is the relation of ‘brother-friend’ or ‘life-and-death friend.’ This bond is between man and man, is usually formed in early youth, and can only be broken by death. It is the essence of comradeship and fraternal love, without thought of pleasure or gain, but rather for moral support and inspiration. Neither is anything required that is not in accord with the highest conceptions of the Indian mind.”
Source: The Soul of the Indian, by Charles Alexander Eastman, University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1911; page 49.
Stay safe in the heat
It’s been hot this summer. Hot Hot Hot. And this is probably just the beginning of uncomfortable, sweltering summers. If scientific projections are correct, next summer will be hotter. And the next hotter yet. It’s time we all learned how to stay safe in the heat.
Scientists tell us extreme heat is exacerbating air pollution, creating a "double whammy" for health. Heat worsens air quality by trapping warm, stagnant air, preventing pollutants from dispersing, causing them to build up and become more potent. Sunny, hot conditions also accelerate the formation of ground-level ozone, a harmful air pollutant. If this weren’t enough, wildfires and the burning of fossil fuels intensify both of these problems.
Reducing health risks from air pollution, as well as heat, comes down to minimizing exposure. Here are a few tips:
(1) Regularly check local weather reports for air quality warnings.
(2) Limit time outside and avoid exercising outdoors when air is unhealthy.
(3) An N-95 mask can provide some protection but won’t stop gases like ozone or the smallest particles.
(4) When indoors, close doors and windows on high pollution days.
(5) Use an air purifier indoors to filter out pollutants.
(6) If you don’t have access to air conditioning, find an open cooling center, such as a movie theater or restaurant. Better yet, impose on a friend.
Source: “The twin crises of heat and air pollution,” by Christina Kelso. The New York Times, June 24, 2025
Worried about nitrates in your tap water? Get a reverse osmosis water filter
It’s not new information that we have a water quality problem in Iowa. What is new is that it’s gotten so bad it’s threatening our drinking water. Last month--for the first time ever--Central Iowa Water Works banned lawn watering to prevent nitrate concentrations in treated drinking water from exceeding federal health limits. What’s more, according to a new report by Polk County, water in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, which supply water to Water Works for treatment, routinely exceeds the healthy drinking water standard. That’s scary. If Water Works can’t handle it, next thing we know water coming out of our taps won’t be safe for human consumption.
Research has tied elevated nitrate consumption to birth defects, colorectal cancer, thyroid disease and other ailments. Eighty percent of nitrate in the Des Moines and Raccoon rivers, the drinking water source for central Iowa, is directly tied to agriculture.
What’s the concerned consumer to do? Get a reverse osmosis water filter and install it uhttps://www.leafscore.com/eco-friendly-living-products/the-best-whole-home-countertop-and-shower-water-filters/#optim. “Polk County water report pins unhealthy rivers on ag pollution,” by Jared Strong, Iowa Capital Dispatch, June 25, 2025.
“Polk County report: Majority of central Iowa water pollution tied to farming,” by Barreda, Eller, and Hajj; The Des Moines Register, June 27, 2025.“Reverse Osmosis Filters, when are they a good choice?” by Tasha Stoiber, Ph.D; Environmental Working Group, https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/reverse-osmosis-water-filters-when-are-they-good-choice
“Finding a water filter that works for you,” by Paul Pestano, Environmental Working Group; https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/finding-water-filter-works-you.
EPA to reconsider lifting the ban on asbestos
According to a mid-June filing, the Trump administration plans to reconsider a ban on the last type of asbestos still used in the United States, a move which could halt enforcement of the ban for several years during the reconsideration period, which is expected to take up to 30 months. It’s a major blow to a decades-long battle by health advocates to prohibit the carcinogenic mineral in all its forms.
Known as “white” asbestos, chrysotile asbestos is banned in more than 50 countries for its link to lung cancer and mesothelioma, a cancer that forms in the lining of internal organs. White asbestos, however, has been imported for use in the United States for roofing materials, textiles and cement as well as gaskets, clutches, brake pads and other automotive parts. It is also used in chlorine manufacturing.
According to the filing, the agency will reconsider removing the rule’s bans on the import and use of asbestos in the production of chlorine, and the installation of new asbestos-containing sheet gaskets in chemical manufacturing and other facilities.
Asbestos production in the United States stopped in 2002 but the material is still imported, much of it from Brazil. The presence of asbestos in older homes added to the health risks for firefighters battling the California wildfires this year.
Asbestos is linked to an estimated 40,000 deaths annually in the United States.
Source: “EPA plans to reconsider ban on cancer-causing asbestos,” by Hiroko Tabuchi; The New York Times, June 16, 2025.
Removing pesticide residue from produce
I’ve always wondered what is the best method for removing pesticide residue from fruits and vegetables. Soaps, detergents, bleach, and produce washes don’t seem to do the job well.
Now, the Environmental Working Group (my go-to for many green tips) offers a basic guide. To compile the guide, EWG scientists reviewed dozens of peer-reviewed studies to help determine the efficacy of four common methods of washing. All four can lower pesticide concentrations, but they might not remove all traces of residue from all produce. There’s no one-size-fits-all. Some produce is harder to clean than others, and some pesticides are more difficult to remove than others.
Here are some best practices, courtesy of the Environmental Working Group (ewg.org).
1. Rinsing with tap water: Hold the produce under running water, gently rubbing and rotating it with your hands. For firmer items, like potatoes and carrots, use a produce brush.
2. Soaking in tap water: Fill a large bowl or clean sink with tap water. Soak produce for 10-15 minutes. Take the produce out of the water, rather than pour the water out, so dirt can settle to the bottom. Rinse under water to remove any remaining residue on the surface.
(3. & 4.) Soaking in baking soda or distilled white vinegar. In a large bowl or sink, mix a teaspoon of baking soda for each cup of water. Or mix one part vinegar to three parts water. Soak produce for 5-10 minutes. Take the produce out of the water, rather than drain the water out first so dirt can settle to the bottom. Rinse under running water to remove any remaining residue on the surface.
No matter which method you choose, after you’re done remove excess water from the produce with a clean towel or salad spinner.
Some fruits and vegetables are more difficult to clean than others:
For produce with inedible peels, like avocados, first rinse the surface with water to prevent transfer of contaminants to the inside of the fruit or vegetable.
For softer fruits and vegetables, such as berries, soak them in water, then gently rinse and rotate them to avoid damage.
For tough produce, like root vegetables, scrub using a brush or cloth under running water to remove dirt.
For leafy greens, first soak them in water, then rinse well to clean hard-to-reach spots missed by a quick rinse.
When you have specific questions on living green, it’s always worthwhile to check out EWG’s website, ewg.org.
Smart meters come with safety risks
Smart meters are used by utility companies to remotely measure how much electricity, natural gas, water, and other utilities we use. These devices, which have replaced analog, human-read meters on the outside of most U.S. homes, use electromagnetic radiation to gather and share information about consumption levels in the home. It is estimated that 77% of U.S. homes have smart meters installed, whether or not residents are aware of it. But are these meters safe, and can we choose whether or not they are installed in our homes?
The Massachusetts state legislature is currently considering emergency measures to assure citizens a choice of meters. In speaking before the legislature, Dr. Kent Chamberlin, President of the Environmental Health Trust, advised against installing smart meters, saying they are a significant source of harmful radiation,” and they radiate a lot more than we’d guess considering the small amount of data that needs to be transmitted.
Smart meters also present cybersecurity risks, Dr. Chamberlin testified saying how easily burglars could use them to remotely monitor when people are in their homes. The good news is that hardwiring meters to the internet can address both of these problems while still allowing utility companies to monitor usage remotely. Dr. Chamberlin is urging the legislature to pass bills that would “allow citizens to opt out of toxic utility meters.”
For more info on smart meters check out The Environmental Health Trust: https://ehtrust.org/health-risks-posed-by-smartmeters/