I've been feeling really mellow about Obama since the supreme court ruling.
The bill is an O-compromise, but there is good, and it is a start.
Today, my elation changed to depression. It started when our old garden hose acquired a leak. I went to Home Depot to replace it.
Every hose that I looked at had a warning that I have never seen - "Do Not Drink from this Hose" "Water from this hose not potable"
Of the 6 brands at Home Depot, only one was safe for drinking.
The safe hose was expensive, and only 50 feet.
I was shocked. What century are we in? I checked on the web.
"The Ecology Center, based in Ann Arbor, found levels of lead 18 times higher than the federal drinking water standard and BPA levels about 20 times higher than the standard imposed by the National Safety Foundation in water from a garden hose it tested."
http://www.annarbor.com/...
Did this begin with Bush? I couldn't find an answer.
My immediate concerns:
1. kids always drink from hoses, kids spray themselves in summer. There is nothing on the hose to warn them. As usual, poor kids drink lead;
2. I fill the water in our birdbath with a hose. Lead is as harmful to wildlife as it is to us. Have I harmed these birds?;
3. IS THIS LEAD WATER DRAINING OFF INTO OUR GROUND WATER???
4. Are we creating huge pockets of dangerous lead in our gardens and yards that will harm future generations???????
5. One more: Our hose has MIST settings. On hot days, I mist our large yard twice daily. Because mist goes all in all directions, I'm usually covered in water. Should these attachments even be legal? People are getting lead soaks.
I've ordered an expensive hose called "Gatorhyde". It's made from recycled polyurethane, which is unfortunate, but it's supposedly "drinking water safe."
I doubt if our government checks.
Garden hoses are not regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agencies Safe Drinking Water Act.
Why aren't they, Mr. President??