pollution

The Chinese government has a short fuse when it comes to tolerating activist-athletes. Chinese officials revoked the visa of Joey Cheek, a gold-medal speedskater and co-founder of Team Darfur. Cheek, who won the gold at the 2006 Olympics, helped create the organization of athletes dedicated to ending human rights violations in the Darfur region of Sudan. China has come under fire for its human rights policies and for purchasing large amounts of oil from Sudan.

And perhaps not wanting to be booted out of China themselves, the four US cyclists who wore black pollution masks over their noses and mouths in the Beijing airport have apologized. The US Olympic Committee chief said the athletes sent a written apology to the Beijing Organizing Committee because "they've now seen how their actions have been perceived. They were very eager to take the right action, which was to apologize to their hosts." Do you think an apology was in order?

The US Olympic team has chosen a Sudanese refugee to carry the American flag at the Beijing Opening Ceremonies. I wonder how China feels about that.

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When four US cyclists arrived in Beijing, they were wearing black masks over their mouths and noses. The United States Olympic Committee's (USOC) lead exercise physiologist advised athletes to wear masks on the plane and as soon as they set foot in the airport in Beijing. It all has to do with pollution and how the air quality is much poorer there as compared to the US. The athletes thought it wasn't that big a deal, until they heard that photographs of them in their masks were all over TV and the Internet.

Cyclist Mike Friedman said,

"Why we wore the masks is simple: pollution. When you train your whole life for something, dot all your i’s and cross all your t’s, why wouldn’t you be better safe than sorry? They have pollution in Los Angeles, and if the Olympics were in Los Angeles, we would probably wear these masks, too.”

Unfortunately, some USOC officials didn't agree with the mask idea and were not pleased with the cyclists' decision because they felt it may embarrass or offend China. Beijing is one the most polluted cities in the world, and it has taken measures to prepare for the 2008 Summer Olympics by shutting down or moving factories. Even cars were advised to be on the road on alternate days. For my take on the situation, and to watch a video about Beijing's air pollution, read more

Traffic restrictions started in Beijing over the weekend in a frantic effort to try and improve the city's air quality before the start of the Games. By only allowing vehicles with odd-numbered license plates into the city on alternating days with evens, officials hope the halving of traffic will take 60 percent of the city's 3.3 million cars off the roads and reduce emissions by two-thirds.

Though the atmospheric throat-clearing is all about getting gussied up for company, locals are loving the effect. One mom said, "it's great — today there are far fewer cars on the road and the air quality is so nice. This is good for the children." With 1,000 new cars hitting Beijing streets every day the measures are herculean in one of the world's most congested cities.

Not limited to cars, construction and factories have also been quashed, making it clear that the bid for cleaner air is wholly temporary — once the rings come down, it's business as usual. For now, an extra 4 million people are expected to smush their way onto public transportation — claustrophobes, stay out of China.

Though the plan seems to be helping a little, all of this effort still might not be enough — and the stars of the show, the athletes, are grappling with a crisis of manners over performance. To see how, read more

After raking up all the fall leaves in your yard, you will probably need to mow your lawn. Of course you can use a motorized lawn mower that needs gasoline to work, but you're not doing much for the environment. Why not use your own muscle power instead with a manual real push mower?

How does it work? All you do is push it along and it cuts your grass. It's that easy. No toxic fumes. No gas spills. No annoyingly loud noise. Plus it's cheaper than a gas-powered mower. All that and it burns more calories since you're doing all the work. 486 calories an hour as compared to 364 from regular mowing.

Still not convinced? Take it from this smart eight year old.

Fit's Tips: If your lawn is kind of huge, you may be into this bicycle-powered push mower instead.

Many of us vacation by water, and you or someone you're with is bound to do a little fishing. You might be wondering if that fish you catch is safe to eat. Unfortunately, there are no national guidelines on this topic. It all depends on where you fish and if the water is polluted or not.

To find out that information, you can visit the EPA website, click on any state in the U.S., and you will be redirected to that state's specific guidelines. Obviously if you are unsure about the pollution levels of the water, DON'T eat the fish you catch - just release it back into the water.

To lean more about certain types of fish and their level of mercury, check out this helpful poster. It illustrates the level of mercury in many types of fish. For instance catfish is low in mercury, but swordfish is high. Which is good since catfish are a lot easier to catch.

Mercury is dangerous to ingest since it can build up in your bloodstream over time. High levels of it can lead to nervous system problems including brain and nerve damage, so you definitely want to avoid mercury whenever possible. While your body naturally removes mercury, the process can take up to a year. It is especially important for women who are planning on getting pregnant to be conscious about the fish they eat - high mercury levels can harm an unborn baby.

Fit's Tips: It is recommended that you limit your weekly fish intake to 2 servings a week, that is 12 ounces of fish total. If you are not sure about the mercury level of the fish you catch, just eat one serving of that fish but skip it for the rest of the week.

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I've heard people say that pregnant women shouldn't eat a lot of fish because of the mercury content. What's so bad about mercury and why is it in fish?

Although fish contain high-quality protein and other essential nutrients, are low in saturated fat, and contain omega-3 fatty acids, nearly all fish and shellfish contain traces of mercury.

Mercury occurs naturally in the environment, and can also be released into the air from pollution. The mercury falls from the air and accumulates in oceans, lakes, and rivers. Fish absorb the mercury since they live and feed in these waters, and the mercury builds up their bodies. That's why larger fish are the ones to watch out for when it comes to mercury, because they've had more time to accumulate it.

Some fish and shellfish contain higher levels of mercury that may harm an unborn baby or young child's developing nervous system. That's why nursing mothers, women who are pregnant, and those who are trying to become pregnant are advised to watch their mercury intake.

For everyone, elevated levels of mercury can lead to nervous system problems with brain or nerve damage. Mercury levels can be measured by blood tests, or tests using hair.

If you regularly eat types of fish that are high in mercury, it can accumulate in your blood stream over time too. The body naturally removes it, but it may take over a year for levels to drop back to normal. That's why it's important for women who are trying to get pregnant to think about their mercury intake beforehand.

Want to hear about some guidelines from the EPA? Then read more