At The Ecology Center
[an error occurred while processing this directive]
May/June 1999
Features
Bike Friendly Cities
by Lucinda Means
Undermining the Dunes
Auto Industry Greed is Destroying Our Most Scenic Treasures
Motor City Challenge
Ecology Center Demands Cleaner Cars from Auto Industry
by Jeff Gearhart and Charles Griffith
Columns
Great Lawns
A Great Lawn with No Toxic Chemicals, by Nancy Franklin
Great Lawns without Grass, by Bret Rappaport
Welfare for Waste
National Coalition Calls for End to Anti-Recycling Subsidies
Healthy Home and Garden
Growing Herbs in Your Backyard, by Mimi Mather
The Cranky Consumer
Toxic Waste "Recycling?" by Mary Beth Doyle
Capitol Watch
New from Lansing: PR for Toothless DEQ
At the Ecology Center
Reuben Chapman, Hospitals Pledge Mercury-Free, Help Wanted, Wish List
Volunteer Profile
Reuben Chapman
by Ken Kozora
On any given Ann Arbor day, through rain, sleet, snow and especially sunshine, you can catch a glimpse of Reuben Chapman, running errands or just out for a ride, on one of his many different types of "alternative fuel vehicles".
Chapman's life has revolved around bicycles, starting at the age of five, and going strong today with his collection of various street, recumbent and even fold-up bikes. Throughout the years he has been involved in just about every aspect of cycling.
Reuben was a founding member of what is now known as The Ann Arbor Bicycle Touring Society. He has worked as a bike mechanic, is a certified instructor of Effective Cycling, was the City of Ann Arbor assistant bicycle coordinator, and has managed a bike store. In the late 1970s, he owned and operated a bicycle courier service (he could stack 150 lbs. of paper on a trailer attached to his bike), and his weekly bicycling column was a popular feature in the Ann Arbor News from 1977 - 1982. Bicycling even led him to love: he he met his wife, Mary Ann, on a bike ride, and she later enrolled in his effective cycling course.
Reuben has supported the Ecology Center for almost the entire history of the EcoRide. He faithfully rides rain or shine, and is always a top pledge-getter, raising thousands of dollars over the years. He's served on the ride planning committee for many years, and lays out and marks the various routes. He loves to observe the sense of accomplishment riders feel when they ride longer than they thought they could.
Reuben and Mary Ann are soon retiring to the Leelanau Peninsula. We wish them great happiness there, but we also wish they were staying. This may be your last chance to ride the EcoRide with Reuben, although we hope we can convince him to come down for next year's ride.
Hospitals Pledge to Go Mercury-Free
Study Finds Commonly Consumed Fish Highly Contaminated with Mercury
On May 6, the Ecology Center and the National Wildlife Federation presented awards to seven Detroit-area hospitals and nine other hospitals which have taken a pledge to completely eliminate their use of mercury in order to address the threat of mercury contamination in people and wildlife.
David Coats, Interim Chief Executive Officer and President of the Detroit Medical Center, received an award on behalf of DMC's seven hospitals. They join nine other Michigan hospitals that have also pledged to go mercury-free: Bay Medical in Bay City, Bronson Healthcare Group in Kalamazoo, the 5 hospitals in the Genesys Health System in Flint, Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, and St. Mary Hospital in Livonia.
Mercury is a potent neurotoxin that can cause permanent impairment of speech, hearing, movement, and vision at very low doses. The vast majority of mercury in the Great Lakes (for example, 90 percent of the total in Lake Superior) comes from air pollution. Incinerators and coal-burning power plants are the largest sources.
Safe, cost-comparable alternatives exist for most of the mercury used in hospitals. Thermometers and blood-pressure measuring devices are two of the most commonly used mercury-containing devices. A mercury fever thermometer, like those used in the home, contains enough mercury to potentially contaminate 9,000 cans of tuna fish. A desk-mounted sphygmomanometer (used for measuring blood pressure) contains enough mercury to potentially contaminate 492,000 six ounce cans of chunk light tuna.
The organizations also released a report documenting the health threats mercury poses in food. Based on the study's sampling of commonly consumed fish products, an average-sized four year old should restrict consumption of chunk light tuna to less than one 6-ounce can per week in order not to exceed EPA's 'safe' level, and a 140-pound pregnant woman must eat less than a half can of chunk light tuna per day in order to insure that she doesn't risk subtle but permanent brain impairment for the developing fetus.
Michigan DEQ data documents even higher mercury concentrations in lake fish caught in southeast Michigan, mid-Michigan, western Michigan, and northern Michigan.
Call (734) 663-2400 for a summary of the report.
Help Wanted
Help with the EcoRide!
We still need people to help with the EcoRide, our biggest
fundraiser of the year. It's a great way to participate
if you're not riding. We need help both the day of the
event (June 6) and before it. Riders are welcome to volunteer
too - we'll work around your ride! Contact Ken at (734)
761-3186 x105.
Writers and Artists
We're looking for writers and journalists to contribute
stories for this publication. We also need artists to
work on various publications and educational materials.
Please call Mike at (734) 761-3186 x104.
Newsletter Volunteers
We need folks to help with distribution, mailings, and
other projects related to From the Ground Up. Please contact
Mike at the number above.
Front Desk
Willing to help answer our phones and help visitors 1
afternoon a week? Please contact Denise at (734) 761-3186
x110.
Woodworking Skills?
We're looking for some to build sandwich boards for Ecology
Center displays. Please contact Denise at the number above.
Wish List
Storage Space
Do you have space, or know about space, where we could
store teaching materials for GEE-WOW! classes? We're looking
for at least 200 square feet (an unused garage, perhaps?)
Please call Ruth at (734) 995-5888 x113.
Luggage Carriers
We could use some carriers to haul around supplies for
our GEE-WOW! environmental education programs. Call Rebecca
at (734) 995-5888 x115.
Computer Deskstand
We need a small deskstand for the office. Contact Denise
at (734) 761-3186 x110.