Here's an issue that you may not have known about. You've probably heard of SCHIP or the State Children's Health Insurance Program. It was passed by Congress in 1997 and provided matching grants for states to develop programs to meet the needs of the many, many children in our country who are uninsured. In order to be eligible for Medicaid, families with children under 6 have to make less then 133% of the poverty line, over 6 it's 100% of the poverty line. According to the United States Department of Health and Human services the 2007 poverty line for a single person is $10,210. For a family of four it's $20,650. Um...wow. That's not so much money. So SCHIP is designed to cover the people that make more then that, up to 200% of the poverty line. Because I think we can all agree that $25,000 is not much money to get decent insurance coverage for your two kids.
Currently, SCHIP covers about 4.6 million children and teens. That still leaves somewhere around 9 million children in our country uninsured. And just in case you're thinking about blaming the illegal immigrants, 80% of people in the US without insurance are US citizens. Different states have expanded their coverage to families above the 200% mark and some adults. Other states have experienced short-falls in funding and have had to close enrollment. Obviously we have a problem. So now we know basically what SCHIP is and what it covers. What's the big deal?
The program expires on September 30th and must be reauthorized by Congress. Democrats what to expand the program to cover kids with higher incomes using a monthly fee and co-pay system based on income. Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell wants to expand the program in his state to cover any child that needs it, regardless of income. Those with incomes too high to qualify could buy the coverage at the state's cost. Republicans say this is a sneaky move by the democrats to usher in universal health coverage. President Bush on the other hand wants to cut the program back to cover only those up the 200% income mark. To give you a figure, that's $41,300 for a family of four.
I just don't think that $42,000 if enough to get quality health insurance for two kids. By not providing some kind of affordable coverage, we are simply perpetuating that cycle of poverty and ill-health. We're over-loading our hospitals and ERs and preventing other people who need it from accessing health care in a timely, affordable manner. I don't understand why the government can't see this. I know it's a complex issue, but instead of cutting funding to a program that has the potential to work, why not increase the funding to address the short-falls in some states and to continue to support the expansion of this much needed program? For a more coherent review of the issue, check out this article at thehill.com.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Monday, July 09, 2007
How to Save the World: The Fourth
Here's yet another easy way I'm currently trying to save the world. This time, it's cleaning supplies!
I decided to explore this topic after reading about the toilet flush spray in the bathroom. I wanted to scrub my bathroom down, but I hate cleaning supplies! You have to change into old clothes so you don't bleach or stain them, you have to wear gloves so you don't destroy your skin, you have to rinse thoroughly so you're not touching chemicals all the time, and you have to deal with that awful perfumed chemical smell. Not to mention the fact that they're expensive. So I decided to try natural. I figured there was really no harm in it. Instead of just buying some green cleaner from the store, I decided to save money and make my own. Plus that way if I didn't like the results, it was no big deal and I didn't have a whole bottle of expensive crappy cleaner sitting around.
After doing a little research, I mixed up my own blend of vinegar, water, lemon juice, and baking soda. Pretty easy. I put it in a spray bottle, grabbed a scrub brush and headed off to the bathroom. I found myself pleasantly surprised. I didn't have to change my clothes because no risk of bleaching and the smell was actually kind of pleasant. Not to mention the fact that these three ingredients can basically clean everything in your house. No more buckets of bottles and oh no, I don't have enough of toilet bowl cleaner now what? I was more then happy with the results and my roommate even commented on how clean and shiny my bathroom was.
Here's two sites that have various formulas for just about everything and suggestions for making your own cleaning products. I don't remember exactly how I mixed mine, but I don't think it tremendously matters. Enjoy your new non-toxic, nature-friendly house!
http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
http://www.at-home-with-mama.com/bathroom-cleaning-tips.html
I decided to explore this topic after reading about the toilet flush spray in the bathroom. I wanted to scrub my bathroom down, but I hate cleaning supplies! You have to change into old clothes so you don't bleach or stain them, you have to wear gloves so you don't destroy your skin, you have to rinse thoroughly so you're not touching chemicals all the time, and you have to deal with that awful perfumed chemical smell. Not to mention the fact that they're expensive. So I decided to try natural. I figured there was really no harm in it. Instead of just buying some green cleaner from the store, I decided to save money and make my own. Plus that way if I didn't like the results, it was no big deal and I didn't have a whole bottle of expensive crappy cleaner sitting around.
After doing a little research, I mixed up my own blend of vinegar, water, lemon juice, and baking soda. Pretty easy. I put it in a spray bottle, grabbed a scrub brush and headed off to the bathroom. I found myself pleasantly surprised. I didn't have to change my clothes because no risk of bleaching and the smell was actually kind of pleasant. Not to mention the fact that these three ingredients can basically clean everything in your house. No more buckets of bottles and oh no, I don't have enough of toilet bowl cleaner now what? I was more then happy with the results and my roommate even commented on how clean and shiny my bathroom was.
Here's two sites that have various formulas for just about everything and suggestions for making your own cleaning products. I don't remember exactly how I mixed mine, but I don't think it tremendously matters. Enjoy your new non-toxic, nature-friendly house!
http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_solutions.htm
http://www.at-home-with-mama.com/bathroom-cleaning-tips.html
Sunday, July 01, 2007
Bottled Water Revisited
I never thought I'd get so wrapped up in something so silly as bottled water. But I'm coming to realize that maybe it's not so silly after all. Apartment Therapy has mentioned bottled water twice recently. I followed the link back to fastcompany.com's article, Message in a Bottle. For some reason, it made me rather emotional. I urge you to read it. Here are some excerpts I found especially interesting.
"Thirty years ago, bottled water barely existed as a business in the United States. Last year, we spent more on Poland Spring, Fiji Water, Evian, Aquafina, and Dasani than we spent on iPods or movie tickets--$15 billion. It will be $16 billion this year. Bottled water is the food phenomenon of our times. We--a generation raised on tap water and water fountains--drink a billion bottles of water a week, and we're raising a generation that views tap water with disdain and water fountains with suspicion. We've come to pay good money--two or three or four times the cost of gasoline--for a product we have always gotten, and can still get, for free, from taps in our homes."
"Bottled water is often simply an indulgence, and despite the stories we tell ourselves, it is not a benign indulgence. . . Meanwhile, one out of six people in the world has no dependable, safe drinking water. The global economy has contrived to deny the most fundamental element of life to 1 billion people, while delivering to us an array of water "varieties" from around the globe, not one of which we actually need. That tension is only complicated by the fact that if we suddenly decided not to purchase the lake of Poland Spring water in Hollis, Maine, none of that water would find its way to people who really are thirsty."
"In San Francisco, the municipal water comes from inside Yosemite National Park. It's so good the EPA doesn't require San Francisco to filter it. If you bought and drank a bottle of Evian, you could refill that bottle once a day for 10 years, 5 months, and 21 days with San Francisco tap water before that water would cost $1.35. Put another way, if the water we use at home cost what even cheap bottled water costs, our monthly water bills would run $9,000."
"Where the drinking water is safe, bottled water is simply a superfluous luxury that we should do without. . . We're completely thoughtless about handing out $1 for this bottle of water, when there are virtually identical alternatives for free. It's a level of affluence that we just take for granted. What could you do? Put that dollar in a jar on the counter instead, carry a water bottle, and at the end of the month, send all the money to Oxfam or CARE and help someone who has real needs. And you're no worse off."
"Bottled water is not a sin. But it is a choice. . .Once you understand the resources mustered to deliver the bottle of water, it's reasonable to ask as you reach for the next bottle, not just 'Does the value to me equal the 99 cents I'm about to spend?' but 'Does the value equal the impact I'm about to leave behind?' Simply asking the question takes the carelessness out of the transaction. And once you understand where the water comes from, and how it got here, it's hard to look at that bottle in the same way again."
Feeling inspired? You really, really should read the full article. And check out Sigg for great, reusable bottles that are super fun and eco-friendly. We've been using Sigg bottles for about 6 years and we still have the same original four. I highly recommend them!
"Thirty years ago, bottled water barely existed as a business in the United States. Last year, we spent more on Poland Spring, Fiji Water, Evian, Aquafina, and Dasani than we spent on iPods or movie tickets--$15 billion. It will be $16 billion this year. Bottled water is the food phenomenon of our times. We--a generation raised on tap water and water fountains--drink a billion bottles of water a week, and we're raising a generation that views tap water with disdain and water fountains with suspicion. We've come to pay good money--two or three or four times the cost of gasoline--for a product we have always gotten, and can still get, for free, from taps in our homes."
"Bottled water is often simply an indulgence, and despite the stories we tell ourselves, it is not a benign indulgence. . . Meanwhile, one out of six people in the world has no dependable, safe drinking water. The global economy has contrived to deny the most fundamental element of life to 1 billion people, while delivering to us an array of water "varieties" from around the globe, not one of which we actually need. That tension is only complicated by the fact that if we suddenly decided not to purchase the lake of Poland Spring water in Hollis, Maine, none of that water would find its way to people who really are thirsty."
"In San Francisco, the municipal water comes from inside Yosemite National Park. It's so good the EPA doesn't require San Francisco to filter it. If you bought and drank a bottle of Evian, you could refill that bottle once a day for 10 years, 5 months, and 21 days with San Francisco tap water before that water would cost $1.35. Put another way, if the water we use at home cost what even cheap bottled water costs, our monthly water bills would run $9,000."
"Where the drinking water is safe, bottled water is simply a superfluous luxury that we should do without. . . We're completely thoughtless about handing out $1 for this bottle of water, when there are virtually identical alternatives for free. It's a level of affluence that we just take for granted. What could you do? Put that dollar in a jar on the counter instead, carry a water bottle, and at the end of the month, send all the money to Oxfam or CARE and help someone who has real needs. And you're no worse off."
"Bottled water is not a sin. But it is a choice. . .Once you understand the resources mustered to deliver the bottle of water, it's reasonable to ask as you reach for the next bottle, not just 'Does the value to me equal the 99 cents I'm about to spend?' but 'Does the value equal the impact I'm about to leave behind?' Simply asking the question takes the carelessness out of the transaction. And once you understand where the water comes from, and how it got here, it's hard to look at that bottle in the same way again."
Feeling inspired? You really, really should read the full article. And check out Sigg for great, reusable bottles that are super fun and eco-friendly. We've been using Sigg bottles for about 6 years and we still have the same original four. I highly recommend them!
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