Dickson County
Air Quality 101 Workshop
Ozone season, when pollution and weather combine to create air quality issues, is in full swing. In an effort to help Dickson County residents understand more about air quality issues, Clean Air Partnership of Middle Tennessee held a free workshop on July 29 at the Dickson County Library.
Basics of air quality, types of pollution in Middle Tennessee, ways to improve air quality, and what to do on air alert days were topics that Becky Taylor, CAP program administrator, covered at the free workshop.
“With air alerts popping up more frequently during the hot summer months, it’s vital for individuals to understand how their behaviors can actually make a difference,” Taylor said.
Cigarettes and Litter
According to De Tuten, Dickson County TENNderCare Representative, she and her husband were driving down the interstate when the driver of the car in front of them tossed out a cigarette.
The cigarette actually “flew” in their car window, landed in the back seat and burned a large hole in the upholstery.
Tuten urged her husband to “follow that car.” They caught the driver and explained the bizarre results of his cigarette littering. Unfortunately, they did not receive reimbursement for the damages.
On a side note, approaching others on the roadways is dangerous and a suggested course of action is to report incidents to the police.
In a separate incident, a local man reported that while driving home from work with a lunch cooler and several empty cardboard boxes in the back of his pick-up truck, he tossed a cigarette out the window. The cigarette landed in the bed of the truck setting the boxes and cooler on fire! He quickly pulled over and flung the blazing boxes onto the side of the road. The truck received little damage, but the cooler was a total loss. Interestingly, the man no longer smokes.
Cigarette litter danger lurks in many areas.
Cigarettes tossed out car windows or dropped on the ground have been the cause of numerous fires. Lives have been lost due to careless match and cigarette littering.
Animals sometimes nibble on the cigarettes and become ill. Birds like to line their nest with cigarette filters and studies show chemicals in filters create health issues for the eggs and for baby birds.
Not to mention, the filters last in the environment for 2-5 years and are an eyesore.
Globally, the number one litter problem is cigarette litter. That is a shame, as it should be the easiest to prevent.
Carry a small, lidded metal tin for stomped out cigarettes. A breath mint tin should work really well as a cigarette bin.
Use car ashtrays and empty the cigarette butts in trashcans at home or trash receptacles at markets or service stations.
Please do not litter the highways, sidewalks or ground with cigarette litter.
Farmers Market Educational Day
Pepper jelly, homemade bread, zucchini squash and red potatoes were part of a recent nutrition adventure experienced by Dickson Housing Authority youth at Farmers Market in Dickson.
The educational day out, arranged by Dashan Sardine, health educator with the Dickson County Health Department, promoted healthy eating habits and encouraged buying “local” as a cheaper shopping alternative to supermarket produce.
A scavenger hunt, facilitated by Sardine, started the program, enabling DHA youth to meet the farmers and learn about foods unfamiliar to them.
Next, provided with a set amount of money and StopLitter reusable bags, students shopped the farmer’s market for locally grown produce to take home and share with their families.
After shopping, Jennifer Christian, TNCEP program assistant with UT Extension Office, held an interactive cooking class in a meeting room in the ambulance service building. Christian was assisted by 4-H all-star Andrew Mills in preparing the food dishes.
Special thanks goes out to the Farmers Market vendors, Steve Manley with the ambulance service, UT Extension Ag Agent Brad Greenfield, De Tuten with TENNderCare and the Dickson Housing Authority for supporting this program.
As StopLitter and recycling educator, I enjoyed the opportunity to participate and watch the excitement of young people learning while having fun!
Drug Take Back Event
Nearly 50 pounds of plastic bottles were recycled Saturday at the Drug Take Back event, with 10 pounds of other materials, such as paper and cardboard, taken to recycling bins.
A question asked before and during the event was how to recycle syringes, or “sharps.”
Unfortunately, there is no easy solution as of yet. Some pharmacies will take a limited amount of sharps from their own customers, while others will take no syringes.
Several people checking into that issue hope to have an answer soon.
The event was a huge success! Thanks to David Cole for putting the program together, and for inviting StopLitter to be part of such an important event for Dickson County.
Green Cleaning Tips
Undeniable urges to spring-clean overwhelm folks as the temperature rises and soft breezes waft fragrant scents of flowers through the air. Homes, shut up tight all winter, seem to smell stale and feel grimy. There is a strong desire to throw open windows and clean house from top to bottom.
Before rolling up the sleeves and tackling those cleaning jobs, consider whether or not to use strong cleaning chemicals. “Green” cleaning is safer and healthier for people and the environment.
All-purpose spray:
2 cups water
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar (non-toxic bleach, antibacterial agent)
3/4 cup hydrogen peroxide (3 percent)
1 tsp Pure castile soap (or any natural soap)
20 drops tea tree oil (cuts grease, kills germs and bacteria)
20 drops of an essential oil (I use lemon for kitchen and Jasmine for bathrooms)
This is great on ceramic tile, wood, marble, granite, toilets, doorknobs, everything! It cuts grease, germs, grime and smells really good!
All-Purpose Scrub:
Spray toilets and bathtubs with vinegar and sprinkle with baking soda; let sit and scrub away. Works wonders!
Window Cleaner:
3 tablespoons vinegar and 2 cups waterFurniture Polish
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 cup vinegar or fresh lemon juice
Mix ingredients in glass jar. Dab soft rag in solution and wipe on wood surfaces.
Mold Tackler
2 teaspoons tea tree oil
2 cups water
Combine in a spray bottle and spray on problem areas. Do not rinse. If you don't have tea tree oil, make a vinegar spray. Straight vinegar reportedly kills 82 percent of mold. Pour white distilled vinegar into a spray bottle, spray on moldy area, and let set without rinsing.
Great American Cleanup
Driving the scenic roads and highways of Dickson County is such a pleasure. The county has beautiful, rolling countryside as well as quaint, picturesque communities and towns. As nature begins the process of greening out with trees blossoming and flowers blooming, the scenery becomes absolutely awe-inspiring.
Unfortunately, there is a blight in Dickson County destroying the beautiful effects of nature. The blight is litter. Seems everywhere residents look, they are faced with views of trash, junk, and even old tires. Enjoying the beauty of nature is difficult when faced with the eyesore of litter blight. It is time to clean-up Dickson County.
The Great American Cleanup is a perfect time to make a difference in neighborhoods and communities all over Dickson County. May 15, 2010, is the official GAC date for Dickson County, but cleanups can take place anytime before May 31, 2010. If every neighborhood and every community center in the county planned and activated a cleanup day, Dickson County would regain pristine beauty and create a more desirable area for residents and tourists.
Prizes will still be part of GAC with the drawing held on May 31, 2010. Each community or neighborhood cleanup leader needs to have a signup sheet and all folks participating in the Great American Cleanup will have their name entered in the drawing. Cleanup participants need to be at least twelve years old. This year there will be prizes for participants under eighteen and prizes for those who are nineteen or older.
If your community is not holding an event, please come to Dickson City Hall at 8:30 on Saturday, May 15, and participate in a cleanup. Jason Pilkinton with the City of Dickson is coordinating a stream cleanup on that day. This is wonderful, as Dickson County has never had an official stream cleanup as part of GAC.
