A Word From Our East Penn Students

Let's Make Our Own Non-Toxic Paint, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School 4th-grader points out the environmental dangers associated with some paints and suggests people use natural alternatives.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Hannah Ketner Picture a paint can that was used at the side of the road. The next day it’s taken to the trash center. Then you see a poor hungry seagull eating the paint you just had. That same seagull comes so close to dying. Just so close. Now picture that seagull dying by the second. Just dying. Out of our selfish decisions and choices that we just made. I think there should only be natural paint instead of toxic paint.  Animals in the world usually will go to a trash pickup to find food. Some may eat the leftover paint because they think it’s good for them, but it can kill them and get them really sick. When they digest the paint that’s when they start to get sick and die. Also when they are near paint that’s…

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A Word From Our East Penn Students

We Can Throw Away Paint Safely, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School 4th-grader points out the need for more household hazardous waste collections in the Lehigh Valley.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Clara Kennedy You have probably used paint or at least seen it. It can come in squeeze tubes and small plastic containers and cans, but when you use it do you think of its effects? Did you ever think that paint is not only toxic to animals but also toxic to you? Even if you just inhale it? Did you know oil paints can be flammable? And finally do you know how to dispose of it correctly without it affecting the wild life or leaking into the aquifer? If you live in the Lehigh Valley you probably don’t because there are few household hazardous waste collections around. I believe the Lehigh Valley should have more household hazardous waste collections for paint. Do you know what happens to your paint when you throw it…

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A Word From Our East Penn Students

We Must Properly Dispose of CFLs, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School 4th-grader says that people need to understand the dangers of CFLs and what is required to get rid of them.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Aiden Spradlin Many people don’t know the answers to these questions. I think people should know about proper disposal before using CFLs. What makes CFLs most dangerous is the small amount of mercury inside. Mercury is toxic no matter how small the dosage. If a CFL broke and the mercury came out, the mercury vapor exposure could eventually cause kidney and brain disease. A way to prevent the dangers of mercury is to properly dispose of CFLs. You should not just throw them away. One way to dispose of CFLs is to order a VaporLok bag at earth911.com. A VaporLok bag is different than other bags because it traps the mercury inside. Once you do that you have to DRIVE it to a recycling plant that accepts CFLs. You might…

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A Word From Our East Penn Students

Stop Using Toxic Flea Killer, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School 4th-grader points out the environmental dangers associated with flea killer and suggests some natural alternatives.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Jordan Valentin Did you know that there were more than 6,000 reports of harm made to the FDA due to just one brand of flea killer? I think either use natural or non-toxic flea killer and look up how to dispose of it properly. I believe using natural flea killer is better for the environment. It is better for the environment because it won't leak toxins. If it did, it would kill living things. Toxic flea killer could leak into the environment by its package falling onto the ground with flea killer still inside. Your pet could shake it off on the ground. If it does leak into the ground it will harm the water system. Another awesome thing about natural flea killer is that it only kills fleas!! So it won’t harm your …

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A Word From Our East Penn Students

We Must Stop Using Toxic Weed Killer, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School 4th-grader asks people to think about what the weed killer they use in their yards is doing to the environment.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Julia Roman Picture yourself as a baby deer, running through the forest during late winter. The food source is extremely scarce and you don’t have any food, so you and your mother deer are looking for some berries to stock up on for the rest of the cold season. After a long search with no signs of any food, you and your mother have lost your way and are stuck in the middle of nowhere. You realize that there is no hope until you see the river. You reluctantly take a sip, not knowing that the water is poisoned with highly toxic weed killer. All that poison is taking over your tiny little body. Now, imagine yourself dying from the deadly weed killer. We can prevent this from happening to anyone else if we stop using…

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tamarya

12:15 pm on Friday, April 12, 2013

Not too coddling at all. The high schoolers they may be old enough to accept the criticism however a 4th grader, don't think so. A 4th grader is probably just excited to see their article on the computer then if they read what people have to say, like example the professional firework display company commenting on the ones about fireworks.   more ›

Walk/Run to Help Boy, 9, With Brain Cancer

Join the Seven Generations Charter School community in helping raise money to fund an alternative treatment for former student Uzias Paulino that will help protect his ability to speak—and his life.

A Word From Our East Penn Students

Get Rid of Motor Oil Properly, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School fourth-grader says that people should recycle their motor oil to protect people and animals.

Special to Emmaus Patch by John Bresnan One gallon of motor oil can contaminate one million gallons of fresh water. One gallon of oil. One million gallons of water. Countless people dead or sick. I think people should properly dispose of motor oil. Oil is really dangerous for animals. First, even the smallest fire could cause it to detonate, killing many animals and making the fire far worse. Second, it could get into the water, poisoning all of the plants and animals that drink from that stream. And it’s not just animals getting poisoned, it’s people, too. That’s right, people are getting poisoned by their own pollution. Oil doesn’t evaporate with water, it just gets left behind as a kind of sludge. Imagine if a three-year-old found that …

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A Word From Our East Penn Students

Recycle Compact Fluorescent Bulbs, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School 4th-grader says we need more places to recycle Compact Fluorescent Light bulbs, because when CFLs wind up in the land fill, it's bad for the environment.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Rebekah Brosky Picture this, a big trash truck comes into a landfill and crushes a Compact Fluorescent Light bulb (CFL). The mercury comes out and soaks into the groundwater. Then a poor baby animal could drink it and slowly but surely it could kill the poor animal because mercury is toxic. I think we should create more places to recycle CFLs.         Whenever you throw away a Compact Fluorescent Light bulb, guess where it goes? To the landfill. What if it rolls off the pile of trash and a trash truck crushes it and the mercury soaks into the ground? It could get into a lake or river and an animal could drink it and die because of the toxic mercury. Also if animals eat the glass it can scratch their throats and …

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A Word From Our East Penn Students

Consider Smokeless Fireworks, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School 4th-grader says that people should think about using smokeless fireworks, a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional fireworks.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Julia Alnutt Picture this, a couple of friends and family are doing a firework show. They launch it in the air and a huge fog of smoke covers the land. Then some of those animals breathe it in which damages their body and lungs and kills them. This happens a lot. Think about what we are doing. I think that everyone should use smokeless fireworks.   Smokeless fireworks are better and safer than regular fireworks. For example there are less chemicals in them such as gunpowder, ashes, smoke and carbon dioxide. Regular fireworks have all of that in it. Smokeless fireworks have a tiny amount of smoke but yet still make a spectacular and fun entertainment show for all to enjoy. The tiny amount of smoke is just the …

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A Word From Our East Penn Students

Beware Dangers in Paints, Seven Gen Student Says

Seven Generations Charter School 4th-grader says that people should pay attention to the toxic fumes in household paints.

Special to Emmaus Patch by Jackson Baker Picture someone painting and their baby sitting next to the paint. Then picture the baby breathing in all of those toxic Vital Organic Compounds (VOCs)  from the paint. Then picture that baby in the hospital for kidney and liver damage from that paint. Do you want your child in that situation?  I think that more companies should make more low VOC paint. The VOCs in paint release toxic fumes that can cause sickness such as kidney or liver damage after long exposure. Your immune system and your child’s immune system are no match for the toxic fumes in paint. There are concerns about oil based paint too. If it isn’t disposed of properly it could get into our waterways by soaking into the ground or …

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