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Field Visit to the First Fairmined Certified Gold Mining Association in Madre de Dios, Peru

Field Visit to the First Fairmined Certified Gold Mining Association in Madre de Dios, Peru

Aug 19 , 2024

Field Visit to the First Fairmined Certified Gold Mining Association in Madre de Dios, Peru This post is by Mary-Margaret Pwamang, Digital Media and Communications Intern. On a recent trip to the Peruvian Amazon, Rodrigo Velarde, Pure Earth Peru’s Country.

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Advocacy Update: U.S. Congressional Committee Report Features Global Lead Exposure

Advocacy Update: U.S. Congressional Committee Report Features Global Lead Exposure

Aug 08 , 2024

Advocacy Update: U.S. Congressional Committee Report Features Global Lead Exposure This post is written by Mark Engman, Pure Earth Director of Policy Advocacy, as part of a series of updates on Pure Earth's advocacy efforts to address pollution.  Pure Earth’s.

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Cleanup To Begin At One of World’s Worst Polluted Rivers

Oct 28 , 2021

I am happy to announce that we are one step closer to cleaning up the Marilao, Meycauyan and Obando (MMO) river system in the Philippines, one of the world's worst polluted rivers, with a projected $50 million grant from the.

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Bangladesh: Communities Learn To Fight Rice Husk Pollution

Bangladesh: Communities Learn To Fight Rice Husk Pollution

Oct 18 , 2021

Hot and toxic piles of rice husk ash pollute and threaten rice-producing communities in Bangladesh. Bangladesh is the world's third-largest rice producer, with 36 million metric tons of rice produced in 2020 alone. This bounty has come at a cost.

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Preserving Mexico’s Pottery Tradition, Without Toxic Lead

Preserving Mexico’s Pottery Tradition, Without Toxic Lead

Sep 17 , 2021

The Pure Earth Mexico team and friends at the launch of Barrio Con Barro. Intern Yanet Garcia is second from right. Recently, I had the opportunity to represent my home, New York, in a place that has long held great.

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Bangladesh: Workshop Brings Consensus; Launches Unparalleled Unified Response To Lead Poisoning Crisis

Bangladesh: Workshop Brings Consensus; Launches Unparalleled Unified Response To Lead Poisoning Crisis

Aug 26 , 2021

  “From today, I declare that I am taking cognizance of this issue and we shall frame projects so that we can drive the eradication of lead exposures as soon as possible.” -- Ahmed Shamim Al Razi, Ministry of Environment,.

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Philippines: Identifying Childhood Lead Poisoning in the Philippines

Philippines: Identifying Childhood Lead Poisoning in the Philippines

Aug 16 , 2021

This post was originally published in USAID's Urban Links.   Larah Ibañez was preparing a report on childhood lead poisoning for the government of the Philippines earlier this year when she discovered that the country’s Expanded National Nutrition Survey (ENNS),.

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Pure Earth Economic Calculator Predicts Cost of Inaction to Chemicals Exposure Across Africa

Pure Earth Economic Calculator Predicts Cost of Inaction to Chemicals Exposure Across Africa

Jul 26 , 2021

A woman walks along the coast in Senegal, one of the five pilot countries of the ChemObs project, including Kenya, Tanzania, Gabon, and Ethiopia. Among the top ten countries with the highest rates of death attributed to pollution, six of.

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Azerbaijan: Defusing a 25-Ton Pollution “Time Bomb” Near A School in Ujar

Azerbaijan: Defusing a 25-Ton Pollution “Time Bomb” Near A School in Ujar

Jul 06 , 2021

About 25 tons of exposed toxic material was cleared away from this site located near a school and many homes in Ujar, Azerbaijan. This report is from Rovshan Abbasov from Pure Earth Azerbaijan. ---- Many people call pollution a slow-moving.

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Bangladesh: Mobilizing Tea Workers To Fight Pollution

Bangladesh: Mobilizing Tea Workers To Fight Pollution

Jun 22 , 2021

[caption id="attachment_19706" align="alignnone" width="600"] Workshop participants used a network mapping exercise in order to identify the most influential actors in their community. Post-it notes with stars signify highly influential groups and people, such as government officials or tea estate owners,.

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Think Tank Report Recommends Support For Pure Earth

Think Tank Report Recommends Support For Pure Earth

Jun 10 , 2021

In a new report, think tank Rethink Priorities acknowledges Pure Earth as the "largest organization working on lead exposure," and recommends Pure Earth as a leading organization with effective solutions. The Global Lead Exposure Report from researchers David Bernard and.

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Investigating and Mapping Mercury Contamination in Colombia

Investigating and Mapping Mercury Contamination in Colombia

Jun 01 , 2021

        Pure Earth toxic site investigators at a gold mining site in Colombia. When Pure Earth investigators visited a gold ore processing plant in the Colombian town of Remedios, they found dangerous levels of mercury in the.

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Pure Earth, USC and Macquarie University Publish Landmark Lead Study in The Lancet Planetary Health Journal

Pure Earth, USC and Macquarie University Publish Landmark Lead Study in The Lancet Planetary Health Journal

Mar 12 , 2021

The March 2021 issue of The Lancet Planetary Health journal includes an important paper that supports Pure Earth’s previous publications asserting the extent of the childhood lead poisoning crisis in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The paper, Blood lead levels.

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Circle of Women: Creating Safe Spaces For Innovation And Health With Traditional Potters In Mexico

Circle of Women: Creating Safe Spaces For Innovation And Health With Traditional Potters In Mexico

Feb 22 , 2021

Why are women's circles important? Because as women, we spend our time caring for others. We take care of men, the elderly, children, but sometimes we forget to also take care of ourselves. Women's circles are important because historically, those.

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Stopping Dangerous Levels of Heavy Metals in Baby Food

Stopping Dangerous Levels of Heavy Metals in Baby Food

Feb 11 , 2021

A newly released government investigative report on baby foods has revealed dangerous levels of toxic heavy metals, including lead, mercury, arsenic and cadmium. It was issued on February 4, 2021, by the U.S. Congress (Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy,.

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A Year Like No Other – Looking Back and Beyond 2020

A Year Like No Other – Looking Back and Beyond 2020

Jan 21 , 2021

A socially-distanced workshop in lead-free techniques with artisanal potters in Mexico. At Pure Earth, we've defined 2020-2030 as the decade of delivering pollution solutions. Guided by CEO Richard Fuller and our new President and COO Mark Schnellbaecher, we've put together.

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The Ocean Pollution-Berg

The Ocean Pollution-Berg

Dec 07 , 2020

A new study from  Dr. Philip Landrigan and our friends at Boston College links widespread pollution of our oceans to a multitude of diseases, increasing susceptibility to COVID-19 and future pandemics, contamination of seafood we all consume, and more. In.

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An Amazonian Mining Community Fulfilling its Obligation to the Rainforest

An Amazonian Mining Community Fulfilling its Obligation to the Rainforest

Nov 03 , 2020

Along with local partners, Pure Earth started the reforestation of more than 3.5 hectares of rainforest in the Peruvian Amazon in 2017 and 2018. Another 2.5 hectares was restored in 2020. This report is from Pure Earth's Charles Espinosa. Miners.

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Partnering To Solve A Global Childhood Menace: Lead

Partnering To Solve A Global Childhood Menace: Lead

Aug 24 , 2020

  [caption id="attachment_16490" align="alignnone" width="768"] Gordon Binkhorst, Pure Earth's Senior Technical Advisor, uses a hand held XRF (X-ray fluorescence) analyzer to test the level of toxic pollutants in the ground in this neighborhood in Kabwe, Zambia. Almost every single child.

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Pure Earth Collaborates On Jewelry Collection To Fight Pollution

Pure Earth Collaborates On Jewelry Collection To Fight Pollution

Jun 16 , 2020

Futura Deity earrings from the 2020 Pure Earth Pure Gold responsibly-sourced jewelry collection and auction to fight pollution "As sustainable fashion becomes a necessity, designers and organizations dedicated to conservation are joining forces. In the past, Pure Earth has made.

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Helping Communities Hard Hit By COVID-19

Helping Communities Hard Hit By COVID-19

May 26 , 2020

Mexico: A family of artisan potters, who are part of our Barro Aprobado lead-free program The COVID-19 pandemic has hit many of the poor communities we work with especially hard.  In Mexico, for example, the potters we trained to use.

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A Mother’s Story: Hope in Kathgora, Bangladesh

A Mother’s Story: Hope in Kathgora, Bangladesh

May 07 , 2020

  This year, mothers in Kathgora, Bangladesh, have a big reason to celebrate--they know that their children are healthier today than they were a year ago. That's because their children’s blood lead levels (BLL) have been almost cut in half.

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N95 Masks Used For Toxic Pollution Cleanup Donated To Hospitals Amidst Pandemic

N95 Masks Used For Toxic Pollution Cleanup Donated To Hospitals Amidst Pandemic

Apr 06 , 2020

We know how critical PPE (personal protective equipment) is from our toxic pollution cleanup work around the world. Pure Earth team members often wear a combination of N95 masks, hazmat suits, gloves, and other protection out in the field when.

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“Quarantine” Q&A Webinars Tap Pure Earth’s Global Network Of Public Health Experts

“Quarantine” Q&A Webinars Tap Pure Earth’s Global Network Of Public Health Experts

Apr 06 , 2020

In response to the covid-19 pandemic, Pure Earth's "Quarantine" Q&A webinar series has been offering insights and analysis from our extensive network of colleagues and friends in public health around the world. It is one way we are sharing our.

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We Will Get Through This Together – Our Global Team Responds To The Pandemic

We Will Get Through This Together – Our Global Team Responds To The Pandemic

Mar 26 , 2020

The global coronavirus pandemic has made one thing clear -- we are a global family. No matter where you live, we all call this planet home. We will get through this together. Until we can gather again in person, please.

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How Are You Doing? Statement from Pure Earth President Richard Fuller

How Are You Doing? Statement from Pure Earth President Richard Fuller

Mar 26 , 2020

Greetings from New York, where we are entering our second week of social distancing, and now a statewide lockdown. We closely followed news of covid-19 as it spread through Asia, Europe, and now the U.S., and we are experiencing the.

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Activating Communities To Solve Pollution

Activating Communities To Solve Pollution

Mar 12 , 2020

Pure Earth kicked off its important global community outreach project on February 19th in Colombia, covered by the country’s premier news station, generating excitement at all levels, from the Ministry of Health to local NGOs working with indigenous people. "The.

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Pure Earth’s Head of Research Co-Writes Textbook On Global Environmental Health

Pure Earth’s Head of Research Co-Writes Textbook On Global Environmental Health

Mar 05 , 2020

Pure Earth President Richard Fuller (left) with Dr. Jack Caravanos, Pure Earth's head of research and co-author of the new global health textbook. Do not be saddened by stories of polluted places or diseased communities. Rather, let it motivate you.

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20 Years of Pollution Solutions Countdown

20 Years of Pollution Solutions Countdown

Dec 26 , 2019

Over the past 20 years, Pure Earth has addressed toxic pollution in over 120 project locations through assessment, remediation, risk mitigation and more.  See our approach for details.  These projects have impacted approximately 5 million people - 20% of those.

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Lead Poisoning Affects Over 1 Million Children in Mexico; Pottery is Main Cause

Lead Poisoning Affects Over 1 Million Children in Mexico; Pottery is Main Cause

Dec 12 , 2019

Pure Earth's Daniel Estrada testing the yard of a home in Mexico for the presence of toxic lead. What is the true scope of lead poisoning in Mexico? For the first time, we have a clearer picture, thanks to a.

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VIDEO: “Why I Give” – Donors Explain Why They Support Pure Earth

VIDEO: “Why I Give” – Donors Explain Why They Support Pure Earth

Dec 02 , 2019

This year, we asked some of our most ardent supporters---including Bobbie Lloyd, chief baking officer of the world famous Magnolia Bakery, and designer Ammar Belal---to tell us why they give to Pure Earth. Watch their video testimonies below. Thank you.

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Pure Earth’s Global Mercury Program:  Success By The Numbers

Pure Earth’s Global Mercury Program: Success By The Numbers

Nov 19 , 2019

Pure Earth's Global Mercury Program works around the world to eliminate mercury use and clean up contaminated sites to reduce mercury poisoning and protect the health of communities, especially children. Since artisanal and small-scale (ASGM) gold mining is responsible for.

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Brazil: Helping The Potters of Maragogipinho Go Lead Free

Brazil: Helping The Potters of Maragogipinho Go Lead Free

Oct 21 , 2019

In May 2018, Pure Earth held a lead-free workshop for nine potters in Maragogipinho, Brazil. This was an important first step in helping a community, where some residents had blood lead levels as much as 15 times above the EPA’s level.

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Colombia Lead Poisoning: More Children Can Now Sleep Safely With Lead-Free Mattresses

Colombia Lead Poisoning: More Children Can Now Sleep Safely With Lead-Free Mattresses

Oct 03 , 2019

For years, parents in Malambo, Colombia, didn't know that their children were sleeping on poison. Surrounded by five lead smelters, Malambo was heavily contaminated with lead. Over the years, lead had polluted the ground, settled on almost every surface in.

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Pollution and Climate Change – Twin Threats With Shared Sources, Solutions

Pollution and Climate Change – Twin Threats With Shared Sources, Solutions

Sep 24 , 2019

Pollution and climate change are twin threats, or as the UN puts it, two sides of the same coin. If we solve pollution, we will not only impact climate change, but also save lives now. For too long, pollution and.

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Children’s Lead Levels Fall 35% Following Cleanup in Kathgora, Bangladesh

Sep 05 , 2019

The Pure Earth team in Bangladesh. When we returned to the small village of Kathgora, Bangladesh, just months after our remediation work, we found to our delight that the impact was already measurable in the healthier children we saw. Before.

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Ukraine: Chernobyl and Radikal

Ukraine: Chernobyl and Radikal

Aug 13 , 2019

This summer, Pure Earth's head of research, Dr. Jack Caravanos, visited Ukraine with his students from NYU's College of Public Health. In addition to Chernobyl, probably the best-known polluted site in the country, the group also visited Radikal, an abandoned.

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Madagascar: United in Soccer and Pollution Cleanup

Madagascar: United in Soccer and Pollution Cleanup

Aug 13 , 2019

Updated: Feb. 2020: The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has selected Pure Earth’s proposal to solve Madagascar’s pollution crisis as a Top 100 in its 100&Change competition. Project co-leads on the proposal are Indiana University and the University.

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Plogging in the Philippines: HSBC and Pure Earth Raise Awareness About Pollution

Plogging in the Philippines: HSBC and Pure Earth Raise Awareness About Pollution

Aug 12 , 2019

Volunteers in Quezon City (Photos courtesy of Daj Dajotoy, HSBC) This post is by Pure Earth intern Matthew Chakwin, who is studying Global Health at Georgetown University. August 2019--This June, over 130 volunteers from HSBC's water programme in the Philippines.

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Pure Earth Pollution Experts From Around The World Gather To Share Stories: VIDEO

Pure Earth Pollution Experts From Around The World Gather To Share Stories: VIDEO

Jul 09 , 2019

Pure Earth pollution experts from around the world recently gathered in New York to share updates on the progress being made solving pollution problems in their home communities and in countries spread out over five continents. The event, held at.

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Two Pesticide Cleanups and a Wedding in Tajikistan, Near the Afghan Border

Two Pesticide Cleanups and a Wedding in Tajikistan, Near the Afghan Border

Jun 17 , 2019

In Tajikistan, in an area near the Afghan border lined with checkpoints and guards with guns, a Pure Earth team conducting pesticide cleanups was showered with hospitality. They were welcomed in home after home and were even invited to a.

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Lead Poisoning in Newborns: The Story Of Baby X in Mexico

Lead Poisoning in Newborns: The Story Of Baby X in Mexico

May 23 , 2019

Lead Poisoning Study: 300 mothers and their newborns In 2015, Pure Earth worked with the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) in Mexico on the first-ever effort to detect and measure exposure to lead poisoning at a state level in.

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Pure Earth Day: Hundreds Mobilized for Pokemon Go Pollution Cleanups and more

Pure Earth Day: Hundreds Mobilized for Pokemon Go Pollution Cleanups and more

May 06 , 2019

During Earth Week, Pure Earth mobilized hundreds of people around the world for a series of pollution cleanup events and a special news-making photo exhibition and presentation. These events were all part of Pure Earth Day, our inaugural global effort to bring.

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Rainforest Reforestation Brings Degraded Mining Sites Back to Life, Provide Models of Hope

Rainforest Reforestation Brings Degraded Mining Sites Back to Life, Provide Models of Hope

Apr 29 , 2019

Pure Earth/CINCIA rainforest reforestation team in Peru. In South America, alluvial gold mining is degrading the Amazon basin at an unprecedented rate, leaving barren craters in previously lush rainforest. Pure Earth is working on a rainforest reforestation project to restore.

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20 Years of Pollution Solutions:  Celebrating our Impact, Building Momentum

20 Years of Pollution Solutions: Celebrating our Impact, Building Momentum

Apr 15 , 2019

This post is from Pure Earth development associate Erin Andrews. This is an important year for Pure Earth. It marks 20 years of leading the charge in fighting pollution - 20 years of saving lives, particularly the lives of children in.

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Meet the Model Mafia: Working With Pure Earth To Fight Pollution

Meet the Model Mafia: Working With Pure Earth To Fight Pollution

Mar 19 , 2019

In 2017, more than 30 models got on a bus and headed to the People’s Climate March in Washington, D.C. It was one of their first forays as the Model Mafia, a powerful collective of activist models brought together by Cameron Russell and Áine.

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Women and the Fight Against Pollution

Women and the Fight Against Pollution

Mar 12 , 2019

At the 63rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women, which took place on March 12, 2019 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, Pure Earth joined with participants from around the world to discuss a variety.

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Bihar, India: How we celebrated a community, and helped them take action on lead poisoning

Bihar, India: How we celebrated a community, and helped them take action on lead poisoning

Mar 08 , 2019

It was a day to remember. The celebration in the public town square of Karmalichak, a community in Patna, in the state of Bihar, India, was not only fun, but potentially life-changing. Organized by our local partner, the Institute of.

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Generational Impact of Lead Poisoning in Girls

Generational Impact of Lead Poisoning in Girls

Feb 25 , 2019

This photo (above) is heart breaking for me. The young girl in pink is chronically exposed to extremely high levels of lead because families in her village have been recycling and smelting lead and other metals for decades. Not only.

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Empowering Women Gold Miners in Indonesia

Empowering Women Gold Miners in Indonesia

Jan 21 , 2019

What a terrific team! Seven of the eight founding members of WiME (Women in Mining and Energy) in Indonesia. (left to right : Omar, Dian, Budi, Nukila, Khoirun, Dedy and Maya)   Jan. 2019--This month, a new initiative, Women in Mining.

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New Report Shows How We Are All Connected By Pollution; And Reveals What We Can Do

New Report Shows How We Are All Connected By Pollution; And Reveals What We Can Do

Jan 10 , 2019

If you think you and your family are not impacted by pollution far from your home, think again. Pollution Knows No Borders, Pure Earth’s latest report, documents how the pollution crisis in low- and middle-income countries affects everyone’s health – including.

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Toxic Legacy At 10th Century Armenian Historic Site Comes To An End With Pure Earth Cleanup

Toxic Legacy At 10th Century Armenian Historic Site Comes To An End With Pure Earth Cleanup

Dec 17 , 2018

As the first Christian country worldwide, Armenia is known for it’s beautiful, historic churches. Not only are they tourist attractions, they also serve as community centers for baptisms, weddings, barbecues, class trips and more. When Pure Earth, working together with.

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Global Team Profile: Valeriia Kovach Talks Biofuels and Other Innovative Approaches in Ukraine

Global Team Profile: Valeriia Kovach Talks Biofuels and Other Innovative Approaches in Ukraine

Dec 10 , 2018

Like many countries of the former Soviet Union, Ukraine has been dealing with many unresolved pollution challenges, from the major issue of obsolete pesticides being improperly stored throughout the country, to the lingering public health and pollution issues connected to.

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Colombia Lead Poisoning: A Clean, Lead-Free Mattress For His Birthday

Colombia Lead Poisoning: A Clean, Lead-Free Mattress For His Birthday

Nov 15 , 2018

Alejandro celebrated his 13th birthday recently with a new mattress, but what he received was a potential lifetime of safe and sound sleep. He is one of about 50 children living near a lead smelter in Malambo, Colombia, who we found.

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Block: Image

Nov 03 , 2018

Welcome to image alignment! If you recognize this post, it is because these are blocks that have been converted from the classic Markup: Image Alignment post. The best way to demonstrate the ebb and flow of the various image positioning.

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Block: Gallery

Block: Gallery

Nov 03 , 2018

Gallery blocks have two settings: the number of columns, and whether or not images should be cropped. The default number of columns is three, and the maximum number of columns is eight. Below is a three column gallery at full.

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Block: Columns

Nov 02 , 2018

This page tests how the theme displays the columns block. The first block tests a two column block with paragraphs. This is the second column. It should align next to the first column. Reduce the browser window width to test.

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Block: Quote

Nov 01 , 2018

The quote block has two styles, regular: Gutenberg is more than an editor.The Gutenberg Team and large: Yes, it is a press, certainly, but a press from which shall flow in inexhaustible streams, the most abundant and most marvelous liquor that.

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Block category: Embeds

Nov 01 , 2018

This post tests various embed blocks: https://twitter.com/WordPress/status/1057136472321613824 Twitter,  wide width https://youtu.be/ex8fMxXJDJw YouTube https://www.facebook.com/6427302910/posts/10156380423617911/ https://www.instagram.com/p/BpmueLLgEn_/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=1hcxphic7p9e2 https://wordpress.tv/2018/10/14/kjell-reigstad-allan-cole-how-we-made-our-first-gutenberg-powered-theme/ WordPress TV, full width

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Block category: Widgets

Nov 01 , 2018

The shortcode widget: [gallery columns=2 ids="770,771"] The Archive Widget: The same Archive widget but as a dropdown: The Category widget block has an additional option for showing category hierarchies: The Latest Comments widget can display or hide the avatars, the.

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Radiation 101: What is it, how much is dangerous, and how does Fukushima compare to Chernobyl?

Apr 06 , 2011

  Our last blog post about Chernobyl generated a lot of interest among our friends, but seemed to raise more questions than it answered.  Many people asked for more basic information about radiation and more comparisons between Chernobyl and Japan,.

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