New Ground: Small Steps to a Sustainable Environment

Small Steps to Surviving Mesothelioma

A while back we explored the dangers of asbestos in the blog post, Is There Asbestos in My Home? Unfortunately, many whose answer to that question was “Yes” may find that an even worse danger threatens their lives.

Mesothelioma is a cancer that is most often associated with asbestos contamination. Asbestos is a material that was commonly used in may aspects of home construction before the mid-1990s. Although most Mesothelioma victims contract the cancer through job related exposure, those who live with asbestos workers have an increased risk of contracting Mesothelioma as well as other asbestos-related illnesses.

One of the most insidious aspects of Mesothelioma is that the disease may not appear for 30 to 50 years after exposure to asbestos and because symptoms such as chest or abdominal pain, shortness of breath, and weight loss are common, Mesothelioma is difficult to diagnose.

The website, “Surviving Mesothelioma: A Patient’s Guide,” was originally designed to promote author Paul Kraus’s account of his battle with Mesothelioma but has since grown into a comprehensive resource for those who are struggling to survive Mesothelioma.

Designed and maintained by Cancer Monthly, Inc.* in addition to links to the book, the website also has medical information on diagnosis, traditional and alternative treatments, and medical and legal resources, some cataloged by state, for those who are struggling to survive Mesothelioma.

*About Cancer Monthly: Cancer Monthly is a centralized source that lists survival rates and side-effects of hundreds of the latest cancer treatments. Among its many features it provides access to clinical trials, a cancer encyclopedia, the largest cancer community on the Internet, and reports on alternative and integrative approaches to treatment!

Another Cancer Monthly site of interest to victims of all types of cancer is My Cancer Place, an online community for cancer patients to connect with others who are meeting the same challenges that you are facing.

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B.Y.O.B.

B.Y.O.B. used to mean “Bring Your Own Bottle”, but there’s a much better definition for the acronym—Bring Your Own Bag. These days, many merchants offer a nickel per bag savings when you bring your own bag, but today I read an article that turns the tables on plastic bag use.

Yesterday, On Earth, a publication of the NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) published “How DC Beat the Plastic Bag Lobby”. When the clerk asks, “Paper or plastic?” it will cost D.C. residents a nickel per bag if they choose the latter. Merchants will keep part of each nickel, but the bulk of the money will be used to clean the polluted Anacostia River.

My hometown, Winona, MN is on the banks of the Mississippi River. Every September, townspeople gather for the annual “River Revival” and spend the day picking up the trash that accumulates on the river banks over the summer. The River Revival could certainly put a nickel per plastic bag fee to good use. It’s something to think about (and act on) for my town. What about yours?

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