FORT LAUDERDALE, FL — Broward County is being sued by two judicial aides over health problems they claim developed due to mold exposure in the Fort Lauderdale courthouse, according to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel.
Former Senator Walter "Skip" Campbell’s law firm is suing the county and three contractors because water damage from Hurricanes Katrina and Wilma created toxic mold that was never effectively remediated and compromised the indoor air quality (IAQ), the story stated.
According to the story, at least five additional employees are expected to file suit this week.
Campbell said he would not only seek damages for his clients, but that he would also seek a court order to force Broward County to meet its obligations of providing a safe courthouse, the story noted.
Campbell said: "The indoor air quality was already judged to be 'sick' when more damage occurred. Burst pipes in December 2008 and January 2009 and a leaky urinal in February of 2009 continued to infect the air quality, making work at the courthouse hazardous to one’s health."
Voters rejected a 2006 ballot initiative to borrow $450 million to improve Broward County's court system, the story added.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Proctor & Gamble's sustainability goals
CINCINNATI — Proctor & Gamble recently announced a series of updated corporate sustainability goals it hopes to achieve by 2012 , according to the Dayton Business Journal.
The company hopes to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, energy consumption, water usage and disposed waste by 20 percent, the story stated.
Proctor & Gamble CEO A.G. Lafley said: "P&G’s commitment to sustainability is strategic. It is how our company conducts business. By increasing sustainability goals, we demonstrate our ongoing commitment to innovate continuously to improve results."
Another of Proctor & Gamble's goals is to increase the number of children benefiting from their Safe Drinking Water Program to 300 million, up from their original 2007 goal of 250 million, the story noted.
Proctor & Gamble also hopes to develop and market at least $50 billion in innovative and sustainable products and increase their use of rail transportation from 10 percent to 30 percent by 2015, the story added.
The company hopes to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, energy consumption, water usage and disposed waste by 20 percent, the story stated.
Proctor & Gamble CEO A.G. Lafley said: "P&G’s commitment to sustainability is strategic. It is how our company conducts business. By increasing sustainability goals, we demonstrate our ongoing commitment to innovate continuously to improve results."
Another of Proctor & Gamble's goals is to increase the number of children benefiting from their Safe Drinking Water Program to 300 million, up from their original 2007 goal of 250 million, the story noted.
Proctor & Gamble also hopes to develop and market at least $50 billion in innovative and sustainable products and increase their use of rail transportation from 10 percent to 30 percent by 2015, the story added.
C. diff outbreak hits St. Joe's
HAMILTON, ON, Canada — St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton has declared that it is experiencing an outbreak of the superbug Clostridium difficile (C. diff), according to the Hamilton Spectator.
The infection, which causes severe diarrhea, nausea, painful cramping and sometimes death, has spread throughout seven wards and sickened 15 individuals, the story stated.
According to the October 2008 cover story from Cleaning & Maintenance Management, C. diff is a spore-forming organism that presents many challenges for cleaners.
Chief of staff Dr. David Higgins said: "In the spring, there is an expected increase in respiratory cases such as pneumonia that require antibiotics. Those drugs are well-known to contribute to the development of C. diff. We did believe our processes and protocols were in place to manage it and we had hoped by the end of March it would have started to fall, but it hasn't. If anything, it's increased."
According to the story, three patients infected with C. diff died in September at St. Joseph's in an outbreak of 26 cases that prompted the closure of two units.
All of the infected patients at St. Joseph's are frail, elderly patients with already-compromised health, the story noted.
The hospital is also treating 10 patients for a gastrointestinal ailment believed to be norovirus, the story added.
The infection, which causes severe diarrhea, nausea, painful cramping and sometimes death, has spread throughout seven wards and sickened 15 individuals, the story stated.
According to the October 2008 cover story from Cleaning & Maintenance Management, C. diff is a spore-forming organism that presents many challenges for cleaners.
Chief of staff Dr. David Higgins said: "In the spring, there is an expected increase in respiratory cases such as pneumonia that require antibiotics. Those drugs are well-known to contribute to the development of C. diff. We did believe our processes and protocols were in place to manage it and we had hoped by the end of March it would have started to fall, but it hasn't. If anything, it's increased."
According to the story, three patients infected with C. diff died in September at St. Joseph's in an outbreak of 26 cases that prompted the closure of two units.
All of the infected patients at St. Joseph's are frail, elderly patients with already-compromised health, the story noted.
The hospital is also treating 10 patients for a gastrointestinal ailment believed to be norovirus, the story added.
Mold Proof featured on Extreme Makeover: Home Edition
TUCSON, AZ — A Tucson, AZ, home is the first Mold Proof home ever featured on ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, according to a press release.
Mold Proof, based in both Kernersville, NC, and Taylors, SC, donated its permanent mold prevention system backed by a lifetime warranty to the Bell family whose daughter was born with a rare blood condition, Diamond-Blackfan Anemia, which is characterized by a failure of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells, the release stated.
The products and practices used by the Mold Proof professionals are non-toxic, environmentally friendly and volatile organic compound (VOC) compliant, the release noted.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Tucson aired on the local ABC affiliate KGUN-TV channel 9 on March 22, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Mold Proof, based in both Kernersville, NC, and Taylors, SC, donated its permanent mold prevention system backed by a lifetime warranty to the Bell family whose daughter was born with a rare blood condition, Diamond-Blackfan Anemia, which is characterized by a failure of the bone marrow to produce red blood cells, the release stated.
The products and practices used by the Mold Proof professionals are non-toxic, environmentally friendly and volatile organic compound (VOC) compliant, the release noted.
Extreme Makeover: Home Edition Tucson aired on the local ABC affiliate KGUN-TV channel 9 on March 22, 2009 at 8:00 p.m.
Norovirus hits Babson College
BABSON PARK, MA — The Babson College campus closed at 5 p.m. on Saturday and will remain closed until Wednesday due to an outbreak of norovirus, a highly contagious gastrointestinal illness whose eradication requires extensive cleaning of surfaces, according to a press release.
All classes, meetings, athletic events and similar events are cancelled until Wednesday morning; all non-essential personnel should refrain from reporting to campus, the release stated.
Since last Wednesday, more than 100 students and staff have reported symptoms consistent with those of norovirus, the release noted.
Custodians at Babson College are working diligently to clean and sanitize all high-touch surfaces in all campus facilities, and students have been given appropriate cleaning supplies to clean and sanitize their rooms, the release added.
According to the release, students have been asked to remain on campus and avoid congregating in groups to reduce the risk of further spreading the virus.
All classes, meetings, athletic events and similar events are cancelled until Wednesday morning; all non-essential personnel should refrain from reporting to campus, the release stated.
Since last Wednesday, more than 100 students and staff have reported symptoms consistent with those of norovirus, the release noted.
Custodians at Babson College are working diligently to clean and sanitize all high-touch surfaces in all campus facilities, and students have been given appropriate cleaning supplies to clean and sanitize their rooms, the release added.
According to the release, students have been asked to remain on campus and avoid congregating in groups to reduce the risk of further spreading the virus.
Chartwell School receives LEED Platinum certification
SEASIDE, CA — Chartwell School, an award-winning private school, has become the educational campus to be awarded Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Platinum certification, according to a press release.
LEED Platinum certification, the highest honor available from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is awarded to high-performance facilities that have taken steps to be significantly greener, healthier, more energy efficient and sustainable, the release stated.
Christoph Kubitza, district manager with Waterless Co Inc., which provided the no-water urinals to the school, said: "This is a 45-year-old school that made a commitment to go green and become more sustainable, and do it in a very big way. It shows that the challenges facing an older facility can be overcome if the desire is there. Even with a difficult economy, the momentum for water conservation appears to be picking up."
Some of the steps Chartwell took to achieve LEED Platinum certification are: Incorporating more natural light to save on electricity, reduce HVAC needs and enhance the learning environment and selecting paints, finishes, furnishings and cleaning products that have reduced or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the release noted.
Chartwell was able to reduce water consumption by more than 60 percent by installing waterless urinal systems and low-flow fixtures, the release added.
LEED Platinum certification, the highest honor available from the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is awarded to high-performance facilities that have taken steps to be significantly greener, healthier, more energy efficient and sustainable, the release stated.
Christoph Kubitza, district manager with Waterless Co Inc., which provided the no-water urinals to the school, said: "This is a 45-year-old school that made a commitment to go green and become more sustainable, and do it in a very big way. It shows that the challenges facing an older facility can be overcome if the desire is there. Even with a difficult economy, the momentum for water conservation appears to be picking up."
Some of the steps Chartwell took to achieve LEED Platinum certification are: Incorporating more natural light to save on electricity, reduce HVAC needs and enhance the learning environment and selecting paints, finishes, furnishings and cleaning products that have reduced or no volatile organic compounds (VOCs), the release noted.
Chartwell was able to reduce water consumption by more than 60 percent by installing waterless urinal systems and low-flow fixtures, the release added.
Greening the White House
WASHINGTON — Following suit with past residents of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, President Barack Obama wants to make the White House more environmentally friendly, according to an Associated Press story hosted by Google.com.
Building on former President Bill Clinton's "greening the White House" project of 1993 and former President George W. Bush's solar panel and recycling efforts are Obama's plans to have the housekeeping staff switch to greener cleaning supplies and to have complex managers ask engineers and groundskeepers to use greener products whenever possible, the story stated.
According to the story, Obama promised before he took office that he wanted to sit down with White House staff to evaluate what can be done to conserve energy in the 132-room building that has a EEE-sized carbon footprint.
Obama said: "Part of what I want to do is to show the American people that it's not that hard. I'm not going to be obsessive about it. But I do that in my current house. So there's no reason why I wouldn't do it in my next one."
Architect Jean Carroon, an expert on green strategies for historic buildings, said the White House isn't the "energy hog" that people might think as older buildings often have thick masonry walls that provide good insulation and big windows that let in lots of daylight, the story noted.
In following the environmentally preferable trend, the Obamas have installed an environmentally friendly wooden swing set for their children that has cushioning made from recycled rubber tires, the story added.
Building on former President Bill Clinton's "greening the White House" project of 1993 and former President George W. Bush's solar panel and recycling efforts are Obama's plans to have the housekeeping staff switch to greener cleaning supplies and to have complex managers ask engineers and groundskeepers to use greener products whenever possible, the story stated.
According to the story, Obama promised before he took office that he wanted to sit down with White House staff to evaluate what can be done to conserve energy in the 132-room building that has a EEE-sized carbon footprint.
Obama said: "Part of what I want to do is to show the American people that it's not that hard. I'm not going to be obsessive about it. But I do that in my current house. So there's no reason why I wouldn't do it in my next one."
Architect Jean Carroon, an expert on green strategies for historic buildings, said the White House isn't the "energy hog" that people might think as older buildings often have thick masonry walls that provide good insulation and big windows that let in lots of daylight, the story noted.
In following the environmentally preferable trend, the Obamas have installed an environmentally friendly wooden swing set for their children that has cushioning made from recycled rubber tires, the story added.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)