Not really off topic but...6

[Dollythehun]

I took very good care of myself and gradually I healed. My problem was caused by the greed and pride of those in charge. I learned a lot and it shaped my future.

[greenpassion]

I totally agree with you Mountaineer, but unfortunately I don't think that's going to happen. Because the reality is it's money. Money money money. It really doesn't matter who suffers if those who suffer are on the middle to lower income bracket. As Carol was saying, everyone is getting sick at my workplace too. And get this. When we call out or have to call out because we're sick, we are written up verbal warning and then fired. Conversely, we are told if you are sick don't come to work! It smacks of canned hunting....

[rbarata]

As I was going to bed last night, I was thinking about exactly what Mountaineer just said. In another post, Cherie, you asked about former lives.

I worked for a major University for 20 years. I learned a lot (about how not to supervise) in book knowledge and life knowledge.

My boss had a competition going with another branch of the same University. The wager was on who had the lowest energy consumption. (OW correct me here) I think by OSHA law the building was supposed to have a complete air exchange 20x an hour? Ours was 4x. Our ducts and vents were never cleaned. Due to my job, I handled chemicals and sometimes at night when the air exchange was completely off. If one person got sick, everyone got sick. Many got cancer. I developed Multiple Chemical Syndrome.

I went to an allergist who prescribed something and wrote (numerous) letters to my employer. He finally told me to quit my job, which I did. My high water oint was when I refinished the hardwood floors in this house. I literally crawled out onto the deck and laid in the cold air until I could get up.

I developed severe headaches in response to deoderant, perfumes in any kind of beauty products, carpet, new construction, cleaning chemicals, insecticides and, I could not even walk through the treated lumber in Lowe's. I was very sick. Gradually, my body healed itself, although sometimes traffic fumes still make me ill and give me stabbing headaches.

Keep your new homes. I'll stay where I am. Our home is cute and clean and functional and if my windows keep weeping, I'll replace them, it's better than being poisoned.

(As an aside, a number of years later, my boss sought me out and apologized in tears for what he had done to us, that takes character).

Only now I've seen this post.
I'm sorry for that happened to you. I'm happy now you're feeling well.

[greenpassion]

You have a lot of courage and strength Carol. And so much to offer others. I am very glad that you doing well.

[Dollythehun]

Thanks all. But what happens in our lives has the ability to shape us for good or bad, I chose to make lemonade.

[Leafmite]

Originally Posted by Orchid Whisperer

A member of Orchidboard, Naoki, I believe lives in Alaska. You might look him up.

If you have any kind of a light set-up to keep your plants, and can partially enclose that space, it will greatly increase the temperature and humidity in the area immediately surrounding the plants. I have a very frugal set-up, my lights are T-8 fluorescent shop lights, inexpensive shelving, whatever I have available for drip trays under the plants. I don't fully enclose, but an inexpensive fabric shower curtain encloses the back of my shelves. Add a clear shower curtain to the front, you will hold in a lot of heat generated by the lights and humidity surrounding the plants.

Regarding "global warming", there is a reason it is called climate change now. I am a scientist (geologist) and have read a lot of what has been published on the subject, I do believe it is quite real. Don't worry about the short-term fluctuations in temperature that occur for a few days or weeks on 1% of the globe (=weather). The world-wide changes (rising sea level, many consecutive years of record high global temperatures, etc.) are climate change, and IMO, are quite concerning.

For now, the oceans are absorbing most of the heat....

---------- Post added at 11:15 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:13 PM ----------

Originally Posted by katrina

LOL! I get the same letters from AEP! My usage is way above my neighbor's and they can help...yea, right.

I am getting letters, too, from AEP. Spouse does computers and I have lights for my plants....

---------- Post added at 11:21 PM ---------- Previous post was at 11:15 PM ----------

Oh wow, Carol, that is awful! I am glad that you are alright.

[Orchid Whisperer]

[QUOTE=Leafmite;862411]For now, the oceans are absorbing most of the heat....[COLOR="Silver"]

That is precisely the worst of the problem. It is why most of the 25 million year old Great Barrier Reef is either very sick or dying, and why mass die-offs of penguins in the Antarctic and polar bears in the Arctic are occurring.

NASA has determined that we are locked into about 3 feet of sea level change by the end of this century, imperiling several human-inhabited islands including the Marshall Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tonga, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Cook Islands, Antigua and Nevis, and the Maldives. Ocean warming and sea level rise will be worse without action.

[katrina]

"Climate change" caused by humans...HA! The climate on this planet has had far larger shifts in the past...long before humans ever walked the face of this earth. There is some valid science on both sides as well as a fair share of BS, on at least one side.

Bottom line though...it's a very controversial topic and both sides can be exceptionally passionate in their arguments for whichever side of the fence they stand. With that said, perhaps this is a can of worms that should not be opened in our friendly, orchid community. Let's just agree to disagree and make a conscious decision to NOT pursue a discussion that is bound to get heated.

[Dollythehun]

I agree completely. Let's ring in the New Year about orchids and not other problems that divide us.🎉🎊

[Orchid Whisperer]

Last post on climate change - I promise.

Katrina, I strongly disagree regarding climate change. According to NASA, approximately 97% of climate scientists agree that there is an anthropogenic cause to climate change, and that the rapid change which we are seeing now is largely man-made (in terms of global environmental events, changes that occur over a span of even 100 years are considered very rapid). Even pro-fossil fuel scientific organizations, such as the American Association of Petroleum Geologists, agree that there is an anthropogenic link to climate change, and that fossil fuel related emissions should be reduced (AAPG does nod toward differing opinions about the level of anthropogenic change, but not whether there is an anthropogenic link).

In pre-history, yes, there have been larger changes in climate. We would not be OK with the level of desertification that occurred in the Triassic, sea level rise that occurred in the Cretaceous, or glaciation that occurred in the Pleistocene. With the huge number of people on Earth living near coastlines, we can't afford the kinds of impact that will occur with even modest sea level rise. Or the potential impacts on agriculture that may already be occurring.