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Green Goalposts

Super Bowl Eco-Stadium Gains National Spotlight

The 50th Super Bowl will take place February 7 at the brand-new Levi’s Stadium, in Santa Clara, outside San Francisco, and the anniversary isn’t the only thing that’s historic. As part of a trend toward sustainability in athletic facilities, it’s the greenest and most technologically advanced professional football stadium in the U.S.

The structure is designed to support sustainability, located on a site with accessible public transportation plus a bike path to encourage fans to pedal to and from games. Its predominantly open and airy, environmentally friendly building plan also takes advantage of the Silicon Valley climate. One outstanding feature is the green roof atop the suite tower on the west side of the stadium. Another is the three solar bridges connecting the main parking area to the stadium that generate energy from hundreds of solar panels.

All of the wood used was repurposed from a local airplane hangar at Moffett Field, in Mountain View, California, and other reclaimed building products were used where possible. Reclaimed water sources serve potable and non-potable uses, including playing field irrigation. The local suppliers providing farm-to-table food menus also are required to practice composting and recycling to the greatest extent possible.

For more information, visit LevisStadium.com.

Global Briefs
Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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