| | | | | Welcome. This week, dumbo octopuses and rings of fire. But first, lead on the brain. |  | | On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency confirmed what many scientists have long known: Lead in aviation fuel for small airplanes presents a clear danger to public health. The finding clears the way for banning one of the last fuels sold in the United States with the potent neurotoxin. That's one more step on a long road to reduce lead exposure in industrialized countries. But In poorer countries, especially in Africa and Asia, things have gotten worse. Nearly one-third of the world's children, nearly 800 million, have elevated levels of lead in their blood. The heavy metal is pervasive in paint, small battery and electronics workshops, and even spices, toys and cosmetics in many countries. "Children around the world are being poisoned by lead on a massive and previously unrecognized scale," reports the U.N. children's agency, UNICEF. This has profound consequences for the future. Over time, lead repaves the human brain. The lead atoms in neurons permanently disrupt the electrical signals that humans need to think and thrive. Even at low levels, children's prospects fade as the neurotoxin damages their brains, heart, lungs and kidneys. This, UNICEF notes, diminishes lifetime earnings, lowers IQ and graduation rates, and even increases rates of violence and crime. As much as 20 percent of the learning gap between rich and poor countries, the Center for Global Development estimates, can be attributed to lead poisoning. But like other scourges, a seemingly intractable problem may have a ready response. Rich countries can do something about lead poisoning similar to the campaigns to eliminate diseases such as polio, smallpox and Guinea worm, argues Rachel Silverman Bonnifield of the Center for Global Development, by making it a global priority. Nonprofits such as the Lead Exposure Elimination Project and Pure Earth are working to bring attention to the issue. Here in the United States, where childhood lead poisoning affects 87,000 young children each year, half of all children in the country still have detectable levels of lead in their blood. Pediatricians should assess the risk of lead exposure for young children at checkups between 6 months and 6 years of age, and then test if a risk is identified, according to Harvard Health. No level of lead exposure for children is considered safe. Have questions for my next column? Write climatecoach@washpost.com. I read all your emails. |  | | Deep-sea researchers filmed a rare dumbo octopus off the coast of Hawaii nearly one mile below the surface last month. The genus swims by flapping its ear-like fins, resembling the Disney elephant Dumbo, and uses its webbed arms to steer. The animal lives in the deep open ocean at depths of at least 13,100 feet (2.5 miles), perhaps much deeper. | Snapshot The "ring of fire" eclipse swept across nine sites from Oregon to Texas on Saturday, lasting only a few minutes. As the moon traverses the sun, it covers but doesn't obscure the entire sun, creating a ring, or annulus, of sunlight. | | The full annular solar eclipse is seen from Valley of the Gods outside Bears Ears National Monument in Utah on Saturday. The eclipse was visible throughout most of the western United States. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle/AP) | | The next one will appear in 2024. If you missed it, an even more rare total solar eclipse — when the moon blots out the sun entirely — will cross the U.S. from Texas to Maine on April 8. | | The Environmental Protection Agency earlier this month restricted the use of hydrofluorocarbons, a potent greenhouse gas, in certain foams, aerosol products, and refrigeration, air conditioning, and heat pump equipment starting in 2025. |  | The Second Degree In my latest column, "Think you need another car? Consider an e-bike instead," you had lots of questions: Is the e-bike safe for older folks? Here's Jorien from the Netherlands: "We learn to ride a bike as soon as we can walk," he says. "I have [an e-bike] myself, I'm almost 65 and it's much easier for me to ride than my normal bike." And for those approaching 100, e-trikes are an option: "There's a 95-year-old woman in our town who rides her trike quite a few places," one commenter writes. Of course, not all cities have invested in safe bike lanes. "Ebikes [are ] great if you live in San Fran, not so good in Albuquerque," one reader writes. "Where do we start?" It turns out almost every city has an organization fighting for bikers — like BikeABQ, "a nonprofit dedicated to making Albuquerque, New Mexico a safe and convenient place to ride a bike." For those looking for a good deal, here's a comprehensive list of e-bike incentives around the world (just select your location on the top row above the top of the spreadsheet). Finally, I forgot to mention: wear a helmet. It cuts the risk of head injury by more than 50 percent. |  |  |  | | I woke up to this scene near the Pacific a few days ago. What's sunrise like where you live? Send me your photos and stories at climatecoach@washpost.com. Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here to get The Climate Coach in your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday. See you next Tuesday, Michael Coren, Climate Coach | | | | | | | | |
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