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Health

Swine Flu: Just the Latest Chapter in a 91-Year Pandemic Era
July 1, 2009 07:43 AM - Hadley Leggett, WIRED

The current strain of H1N1 influenza, or swine flu, has people scared because it’s a novel virus that most of the population has never been exposed to. But as a group, H1N1 viruses aren’t new. They’ve been circulating since 1918, when a new strain appeared simultaneously in pigs and humans and killed 40 to 50 million people in a single year. Over the past 91 years, the virus has jumped back and forth between humans, pigs and birds — and possibly even been resurrected from a laboratory freezer. Taking a historical view of the swine flu is critical to understanding the current pandemic, and future outbreaks, argue scientists in two perspectives published Monday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Air Pollution From Freeway Extends One And A Half Miles Away

Environmental health researchers from UCLA, the University of Southern California and the California Air Resources Board have found that during the hours before sunrise, freeway air pollution extends much further than previously thought.

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SPOTLIGHT

ENN Community Blog: The EcoUsable Stainless Filtered Water Bottle

M Molendyke, ENN Community
In this time of economic troubles, it is a great time to invest in products that will save you money in the long term, contribute to your healthy lifestyle, are good for the environment, and aremade in the USA. Although there is not yet one magical creation on the market that will eliminate your carbon footprint or transform your garbage to energy, there is definitely an emerging market for gadgets to help you take the steps to being more earth- friendly. Indeed, many of these are small steps for you but can potentially have huge impacts on the earth. One of these products is the EcoUsable Stainless Water Bottle, a light steel water bottle with a built- in filter that claims to filter tap, stream, river, lake, and pool water. This product might be ideal for you if: * You want to stop paying for highly polluting and expensive plastic water bottles * You camp, hike, play outdoor sports, etc. * You are traveling to a country with spotty (or no) water quality standards * You are heading on a “staycation,” where sweltering beaches and amusement parks jack up the price of water and water fountains are unsanitary * You live in your car (keep one in your glove compartment in case of an emergency) Reasons You Want This product: * There are many great colors to choose from * The container is not easily damaged and is light, which makes it easily portable * It will filter anything except salt water * It helps save your money, health, and the environment by reducing the use and disposal of plastic water bottles. * It is shipped to you in recyclable and eco- conscious materials Possible Drawbacks: * It doesn’t hold a huge amount of water because the filter is large—It would only be optimally useful if you were traveling short distances between refills * Initial cleaning and care of the bottle may be a bit complex for some users, and accidental misuse could easily damage the product * The filter needs to be replaced about once a year

COMMENTARY

Food factories help viruses spread and evolve

What makes us so susceptible to pandemics, asks Sunita Narain, editor of the Indian science magazine Down to Earth. The answer, she says, is linked to the way we produce food.

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