According to UNICEF, half the world's people are enduring a medieval level of sanitation. Almost three billion individuals do not have access to a decent toilet, and many of them are forced to defecate on the bare ground. . . . when you have a medieval level of sanitation, you have a medieval level of disease, and no country can advance without a healthy population. In many developing countries, the plagues of old are revisiting, taking their strength . . . from streets and waterways awash in excrement and garbage. The recent cholera epidemic in Peru and outbreaks of bubonic and pneumonic plague in India are but three examples. Diarrhea thrives in the absence of hygienic conditions and is tied with pneumonia as the biggest child-killer on earth (did you hear that, Ralph Reed?!!!). I hae compiled a list of sites for various initiatives by the United Nations that can help you get involved and make a difference in making the world a better place.

 
Spare the Air
Some 60% of air pollution comes from cars - most of that is emitted when we turn the ignition key in the morning. Spare the Air was established by the San Francisco Bay Area Air Quality Management District to educate people about air pollution, and to encourage them to change their behavior to prevent it. It's information is applicable in other cities as well.

 
The US Campaign to Ban Landmines
Part of the International Campaign that is being coordinated by the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation, and involves more than 200 organizations in the U.S. Read more about this growing movement to ban this cowardly killer and maimer of civilians.

 
Texas Center for Policy Studies
Founded in 1983, TCPS provides technical, policy and legal assistance to a wide variety of local, state, and regional citizen organizations working to protect natural resources and public health.

 
The Right-to-Know Network (RTK Net), http://www.rtk.net, is sponsored by two non-profit organizations, OMB Watch and The Unison Institute. RTK Net is an easy-to-use online database that contains a wealth of information about pollution and waste within communities. RTK Net provides copies of the numerous reports that industries and businesses are required to file with various federal agencies, including inventories of toxic chemicals, incident reports on toxic spills, and information on EPA Superfund sites. This information is searchable by address as well as by company name, and information is available in both detailed and summary form. The online network also has a wealth of information on housing, including the American Housing Survey (AHS) data and other information on bank and mortgage company lending practices and the demographic characteristics of individual neighborhoods.

 
(If you are looking for my link to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, I took it down -- it's useless with the Shrub in office)

 
The Consumer Information Center, offers complete online versions of hundreds of the best federal consumer publications available, many of which concern health and environmental issues. No need to write Pueblo, Colorado -- it's all online!! But caution -- this is a US federal government site and, with the Shrub in office, many federal publications are being altered to better-reflect the "values" of the extreme religious right and mega billionaires. Use with caution.

 
The EnvironLink library
A meta-Index of online sites relating to environmental topics and links -- I don't have more links on the page you are reading now because they are all on The EnvironLink Library!

 
Planned Parenthood of America and the International Planned Parenthood Federation.
Planned Parenthood is the most wonderful pro-family, pro-women's health group anywhere. All of their programs are worthy of your support!

This information posted by J. Cravens. The personal opinions expressed on this page are solely the opinion of Ms. Cravens, unless otherwise noted.

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