As the general population becomes more aware of our environmental challenges and the emerging energy crisis certain words have become popular in the media.  Not too many years ago words like sustainable, green or renewable would bring snickers from people who thought the environmental movement and search for alternative energy sources were just hoaxes perpetuated by those with purely political agendas.  Not anymore.  Just about everywhere you look in media and advertising people are talking green and sustainability.

One unfortunate side effect of having meaningful words become marketing buzzwords is that what these words mean and represent is often lost in a barrage of advertising and shallow quasi-news reporting.

The words sustainable and sustainability are powerful words with meaning that reveals great wisdom for the future of humankind.  It is important that we preserve the power of these words to help us understand what we must do to provide a high quality of life in the years ahead.  It would be tragic to be seduced by the spin doctors that because we put a green or sustainable label on something that we are properly addressing our long-term challenges.

Problem:  Many areas are reporting an increase in unacceptable levels of lead in drinking water as it comes out of the tap in people’s homes.  A change in EPA regulations for treating drinking water calls for substances to be added to water that leech lead out of pipes and the solder used to bond these pipes.  Health officials are seeing substantial amounts of lead in the blood of individuals that consume this water.  This in turn was traced to an increase in lead poisoning cases and lead related health problems.

Solution:  Rebuilding all the piping used in the distribution of drinking water is simply not feasible.  Until EPA changes guidelines consumers can  protect their families by testing their water with a new inexpensive test kit, and if elevated levels of lead are found install a quality water filter.  Most household water filters do a fine job of filtering out lead.  Cooking with lead infused water concentrates lead levels in food.  Be sure to filter the water used for cooking as well as drinking water.