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AmericanTowns Heroes: 87-Year-Old War Hero Still Committed to Serving Others

After 33 years of active duty, he has been volunteering weekly for the past 18 years delivering food made into meals for those less fortunate. Read more about Joe M. Jackson:...

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AmericanTowns Heroes: Neighbor Saves Woman From Home Ready to Explode

Stuck in her home on the swollen Cumberland River, a woman is lucky to be rescued by a man on a jet ski who just happened to come by. Read more about Bill Crousser: Man...

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How You Can Help with the Gulf Coast Oil Spill Cleanup

At this point it's still going to be weeks (and maybe months) before the oil spewing into the ocean can be stopped in what the Natural Resources Defense Council is...

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The Fresh Air Fund's Volunteer Host Family Program

In 2009, The Fresh Air Fund's Volunteer Host Family program, called Friendly Town, gave close to 5,000 New York City boys and girls, ages six to 18, free summer experiences in the...

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AmericanTowns Heroes: Team Winter Races to Fund Research for Prostate Cancer

After losing her father to prostate cancer, Winter Vinecki started Team Winter to help raise money for prostate cancer research. Winter is a young triathlete who inspires...

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AmericanTowns Heroes: Dan Coyne Walks the Talk When It Comes to Giving

Dan Coyne wanted to help a women he knew only by smile, so he decided to donate an organ to help save her life. Dan knew the woman only by sight and to say hello, but when he...

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AmericanTowns Heroes: Join Troy Yocum on a Hike for Our War Heroes

Hiking across the country with his dog and his drum, Troy has a goal to raise money for military families and establish a national day of the deployed. Troy set out with a...

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EarthTalk: Non-animal tested household cleaners

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I am very interested in purchasing household cleaners whose ingredients and final product are not tested on animals. Where do I look? -- D.R.According to most...

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Mother’s Day Dilemma: More Senior Moms Alone and Facing the Threat of Hunger

The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) wants all Americans to remember senior moms who’ll be alone and facing the threat of hunger on Mother’s Day this Sunday, May...

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EarthTalk: Smart Growth

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: What is “smart growth” and how does it benefit the environment? And what are the downsides, if any? -- F.Q.Originating in the early 1970s when city planners...

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Refinance Your Mortgage Locally, as Mortgage Rates Drop to 5% Level

­­With recent Fed action, interest rates on 30 year fixed rate mortgages have fallen across the country to 5% and, for the best credits, even lower. These are the lowest rates...

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EarthTalk: Plastic bag bans - Will we just use more paper?

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: How effective have plastic bag bans and restrictions been on reducing plastic litter and other problems associated with their proliferation? And is it really...

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EarthTalk: Raw food diets

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: A friend with many minor health problems recently switched to a diet of only raw plant foods and reports feeling much better. She also insists her new eating...

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EarthTalk: Finding healthy snacks for kids

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I see a lot of “healthy snacks” being marketed for kids that list “natural flavors” but don’t identify them. Should I use these products?  --...

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EarthTalk: Green-friendly linoleum

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I have a new linoleum floor, which I chose partly for its eco-friendliness. How do I clean and maintain it without using harsh or toxic chemicals?  --...

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EarthTalk: How much electricity will plug-in hybrids use?.

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: When the plug-in Prius is released, how much electricity will it use? Will my electric bill double if my Prius is plugged in each night? Or will the increase be...

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EarthTalk: Battery breakthroughs

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: What is the potential for carbon “nanotubes” in battery technology? I heard them referred to as the biggest battery breakthrough to come along in years. And...

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EarthTalk: Traffic Congestion

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: Short of massive efforts to build a public transportation infrastructure, which doesn’t appear likely anytime soon, what is being done to address traffic...

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EarthTalk: Food waste

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: What are the environmental implications of all the food we throw away here in the United States?  -- M.S.Food waste is a huge issue in America,...

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How You Can Help Victims Of Haiti’s Earthquake

The massive 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12 is one of the worst natural disasters in history.  Thousands have been killed, and the infrastructure in the...

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EarthTalk: Chlorine in tap water

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I am very concerned about the amount of chlorine in my tap water. I called my water company and they said it is safe just let the tap run for awhile to rid the...

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A Day to Remember in Orrtanna

For most of us, Memorial Day 2010 Orrtanna marks the beginning of a season of summer fun. But don’t let the real meaning of the holiday get lost amidst the barbecues and beach...

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Looking to hit the ski slopes in Pennsylvania this winter?

Looking to hit the ski slopes in Pennsylvania State this winter? - Where to go skiing in Pennsylvania state with maps, directions and ski conditions. Map of Pennsylvania...

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Swine flu information, symptoms and resources for Adams County

The reports of Swine Flu in Pennsylvania (official name, H1N1) are alarming, but as the virus remains in the headlines, experts are urging common-sense in handling the outbreak. ...

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Digging into 'shovel-ready projects' in the Orrtanna area

They're called 'shovel-ready,' those stimulus projects that have been surveyed, planned for, approved and are ready to go in cities all around America. They've been on hold due...

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The (Even Greater) Outdoors: Get Out There!

­­­In an age where we spend our days hooked up to Bluetoo­t­hs, broadband and Blackberries, spending a little time in Nature is even more impo­rtan­t to our sanity.Slowing...

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Don’t let dining out in the Orrtanna area do you in!

Going out to eat in Orrtanna and the surrounding area is one of life’s great pleasures. But too often, all those goodi­es on the menu can leave your waistline feeling a...

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EarthTalk: Harvesting rainwater for household use

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk How can I make good use of the rainwater that runs down my roof and into my gutters? -- B.S.For most of us, the rain that falls on our roof runs off into the...

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EarthTalk: Simple improvements for greening the home

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: What are some simple low cost improvements I can do to my home to make it greener? -- S.L.According to consumer advocate Remar Sutton, there are many ways to save...

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EarthTalk: Bike riding and traffic pollution

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I ride my bike to work along busy urban streets. Should I be worried about inhaling pollutants from vehicle emissions and other sources?  -- J.K.The short...

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EarthTalk: Vertical Farming

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: What is “vertical farming” and how is it better for the environment? – J.S. “Vertical farming” is a term coined by Columbia University professor of...

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EarthTalk: Fashion's footprint

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: Can you enlighten on the environmental impact of the fashion industry? As I understand it, the industry overall is no friend to the environment.  --...

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EarthTalk: more affordable energy-efficient cars

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: Celebrities and billionaires are shelling out big bucks for cutting edge green-friendly cars like the Tesla Roadster. But what are the rest of us—who live in the...

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EarthTalk: High molybdenum levels from cookware

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I recently had a tissue mineral analysis indicating that my levels of the nutritional element, molybdenum, were off the chart.  I believe this may be leaching...

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Share the season in pictures with the Fairfield Community

From the spooky grin on a Halloween jack-o-lantern to the smiles from a Thanksgiving volunteer stint, we know you have some great pictures to share.  And folks in Fairfield...

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EarthTalk: Toxic hair salons

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: As I understand it, hair salons are pretty toxic enterprises on many counts. Are there any efforts underway to green up that industry? -- P.H.Hair salons have...

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EarthTalk: Recession hurts green group efforts

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: Is it true that environmental non-profits have been hit hard by the economic downturn, and has this had an impact on their effectiveness? -- B.W.Non-profits of...

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EarthTalk: Disposable paper products decimate forests

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: Are any major brands of disposable tissues, paper towels, napkins and toilet paper yet using recycled content and chlorine-free bleaching? -- S.C.Not many. In...

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EarthTalk: Pesticides, fertilizers and water pollution

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: What effects do fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides used on residential lawns or on farms have on nearby water bodies like rivers, streams—or even the ocean...

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EarthTalk: Green Power for Homes

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I’d like to know the relative electricity cost of utility scale solar and wind plants versus rooftop residential solar. In other words, how can I know whether to...

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EarthTalk: How "green" is Borax for housecleaning?

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I’ve heard so much about using Borax for green housecleaning.  But if this mineral has to be mined, doesn't that negate some of its...

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EarthTalk: Green life lessons for youngsters

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: What are some things that children and families can do to be greener (and to provide life lessons for the kids in the process)? -- C.M.There are many ways to...

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EarthTalk: Cigarette litter

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: Has anyone ever studied the environmental impact of discarded cigarettes? I’m constantly appalled at the number of drivers I see pitching their butts out their...

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EarthTalk: Green ways to keep groundhogs and others away

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: What would you recommend as a non-toxic/non-lethal way to keep squirrels, gophers and groundhogs away?   -- F.G.Keeping unwanted critters away can...

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EarthTalk: Upgrading older appliances

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I am considering upgrading some older appliances in my home. Where can I find information on which models are the most energy efficient?  -- J.D.There has...

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EarthTalk: Tax incentives for energy-efficiency

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: Since Obama took office, have any new incentives been put in place for homeowners looking to increase energy efficiency and reduce the overall environmental...

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EarthTalk: Can cars run on water?

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: I’ve heard that cars can be modified to run on water. How is this possible? -- D.M.There are a number of online marketing offers of kits that will convert...

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EarthTalk: Can we bring back train travel?

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: If train travel is so much less polluting than driving or flying, why are passenger rail options in the U.S. so limited compared to Europe? And is anything being...

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EarthTalk: The stimulus package and green jobs

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: What kind of job opportunities might be opened up by the new federal emphasis on green projects? -- D.W.If it’s a U.S. industry that has the potential to be...

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EarthTalk: Insulating paints

from:EarthTalk

Dear EarthTalk: Do insulating paints actually insulate and save energy? If they do, are they environmentally friendly to use? -- B.D.Paint additives that claim insulating...

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