Radon Hazards

      Radon is an odorless and colorless gas which emanates up through the soil as a natural product of the breakdown of uranium, from soil, rock, and also from water.   Radon is found in all fifty states in the US,  and in many places in Canada also.  It is likely found in many places in the world, but in the developing world less attention has been paid to it.    Normally, radon emanates through the soil, up through the basement, crawlspace or even slab, and out through normal air exchange and in many homes is simply not a problem, however it some homes, it can be.
This is an issue because as the radon emanates through the house, and people breathe the "radon daughters" this places them at higher risk for lung cancer.   In the US, radon is measured in picacuries per liter.  Any household measurement of less than 4 is considered acceptable, whereas higher may require some form of remediation.  In Canada, measurement devices which show a level of 200 Bq/m3 may place families at risk.
           Experts agree that about 90% of human lung cancer is caused by smoking, however the presence of radon in a home can cause smoking itself to produce even a higher risk of lung cancer, as the smoke can absorb the radiation which becomes concentrated from the ambient air in the smoke during smoking.
            One of the things which is quite amazing about radon, is that sometimes a very well built home, with tight walls and windows will have a much higher radon level than a house in the same area which is perhaps older and built less tightly.  There is no way of predicting which houses have high radon levels and which homes have low levels, other than simple measurement.   Measurement of radon is covered for the US and for Canada in the links below.  It is essential to measure ones home.  Although radon can be present in all types of buildings, we are at highest risk from radon in our homes because we spend the largest amount of time there, by virtue of sleeping there at night.  Lung cancer from radon is not something we get in a few days, or months, but something which our risk is cumulative over years.  US, Canadian and European studies have all borne this out.
           Many years ago, in the nineteen eighties, when we bought out very first small house in the country, and began raising our first two children, radon became an issue in the state in which we were living then.  Newspaper articles abounded concerning the hazards of radon, and experts came to town and county meetings about this "newly discovered hazard:".    Houses quite close to our own were found to have ridiculously hazardous levels of radon, and frankly, we were very frightened.   When we finally located inexpensive cannister type measurement devices for our own home, we were found to have a very low level there. It was true that we had a dirt floored cellar and no true basement walls, but the very construction which allowed radon to enter, was allowing radon to vent before it was getting into our living spaces.   Even when radon does enter living areas, there is much that can be done on the homeowner level, to vent or to remediate radon hazards.  Remediation of radon is also covered in the references I have provided below.    It is also possible to breathe radon while showering in some places, but ventilation of rooms also diminishes exposure in this situation as well.   One of the reasons our first home sold so well when it became time to seek a larger home, was that we had our radon certificate with our level from radon management in our paperwork, which was not required in that region, at that time.
           In our next state, no one had heard of radon.  We sent for radon monitoring devices and found a low level in our new home also. We assumed that in Virginia, this simply wasn't a problem.  However, in the late eighties,  once again, homes quite near our own were found to have high levels.  We had dodged a bullet once again.
          In each of the farm homes we built afterward, radon levels turned out to be higher than our previous homes.  In each of those we had a full basement, and these were finished areas, however, we did not have the same level of natural ventilation, unless we made a point of opening a window, or using a fan or cooling system.   In homes with living space in a basement, and especially in those with finished basement bedrooms, it is especially important that you purchase measuring devices and ascertain these levels, as per directions.
         

  RADON GETS INTO BUILDINGS THROUGH:

1. Cracks in solid floors
2. Construction joints
3. Cracks in walls
4. Gaps in suspended floors
5. Gaps around service pipes
6. Cavities inside walls
7. The water supply

        For most people, radon measurement is a fairly easy and inexpensive process.   For most homeowners, reasonable, easy steps can be taken to diminish radon levels.   For a few, a professionally planned system might be necessary to result in radon abatement.  If one plans to remain in ones home and one has high levels, professional abatement may be intelligent.  We have been successful simply by keeping vents open and using open windows, and remeasuring, and we are once again, in a high radon area.  
         In Canada, a lot of the radon hotspots are in the interior of British Columbia.  A few years ago, Nova Scotia was found to have elevated levels in the region South of Halifax where there is uranium in the bedrock. Some of these areas are Tantallon,  Timberlea and St Margaret's Bay.  Other areas in Canada with higher than normal levels of radon may include Winnipeg, Elliott Lake, Kirkland Lake, Port Hope and Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario, Oka, Quebec,  and Newfoundland.     In the United States, I have placed the US Geological Survey hot spots map below.  Remember that it is possible to live in a radon hotspot as we have twice now, and to own a home where radon is not excessively high in the home.  It is also possible to have a high radon level in a part of the country which is not yet known for radon, as uranium ore may be close to the surface, and may not have been identified yet in that region.

For the US:

http://www.epa.gov/radon/pubs/citguide.html

 http://energy.cr.usgs.gov/radon/radonhome.html

http://www.azgs.az.gov/hazards_radon.shtml

http://www.snolab.ca/public/JournalClub/Rad_Prot_Dos_2008_130_p92.pdf

For Canada:

http://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/odpub/pdf/61945.pdf

http://www.anneontheweb.com/?p=109

These are the radon "hotspots" in the US.   Remember that you may well have a house in a hotspot with a low level of radon. We have done this now, twice.

Radon testing can be achieved a number of ways. In the US, a canister type tester can be purchased in a hardware store for about ten dollars. One follows the directions for sampling, and then mails the canister to the address inside the package in the mailer enclosed. A total pica-curie per liter determination is made, then the report is mailed to you. In Canada, you may need to specially order a kit from a larger hardware store. For those who need it, there are continuous radon monitors available.



Monitor information:

http://alphamonitor.com/

This is the continuous monitor sold by alphamonitor.com  There are many other types of cotinuous monitors for special uses.  Most households will only require the use of the canister style as shown below.

These are the inexpensive canister type radon testers which most households use.
 http://inspectusa.com/radon-test-canister-short-term-included-p-51.html

REMINDER: Once you have measured your basement or house for radon, if indicated, please remember that if you have a local earthquake or a series of aftershocks, that the radon should likely be remeasured at your convenience. Following an earthquake, changes in the bedrock may occur that might permit new streams of radon to enter your home, thus changing the reading in different areas. Of course, it could also decrease the radon amount in your home. If you reside in an area with frequent earthquakes and with radon issues, you should research a continuous radon monitor, which sells for hundreds of dollars, but could well be worth it. In the US, it might also be worth asking FEMA if they could aid you in locating and paying for one.

Protection from Lightning Hazards

   

This Audi was struck by lightning.

     One of my family members was in an outbuilding with a metal roof last year, when the building itself was struck by lightning.  Despite the building being normally grounded, our family member received a glancing lightning injury which resulted in a hearing deficit for several days, and some leg pain, as apparently, the lightning grounding through our family member's legs.  We will need to provide additional lightning protection to our outbuildings in the form of lightning rods and extra grounding, but that will be the subject of another post.  This post will center on the avoidance of being struck by either a direct or glancing blow of lightning.
              Lightning strikes are not nearly as rare as we were once taught.  In fact, we have met quite a few people, since our personal experience here, who have been struck by lightning, or who have a horse or dog who was killed by it, or sustained home or barn damage from lightning. According to the Chicago Tribune, 82% of lightning strikes to individuals happen to males, and only 18% to females.  This either means that females are substantially brighter than males with regard to lightning avoidance, or it means, more likely, that men are doing a disproportionate amount of work outside as storms are approaching.  (It was a joke, please don't send hate e-mail)    According to the Journal of Environmental Health, lightning strikes cause more deaths than any other type of natural disasters combined.  (This was a 2005 figure, and might be a little different now)  There are approximately 80 deaths annually in the US from lightning, but many more people live and have serious injuries.  Interestingly, the American South has the highest incidence of lightning injury of human beings.   Interestingly, the man who holds the record for the highest number of lightning strikes personally, was a park ranger in Shenandoah National Park, in Virginia, not all that far from here.  Roy Sullivan was struck seven times in his lifetime and these strikes were verified by physicians.   Even if human beings are not killed by a lightning strike, many of them suffer devastating, serious injuries.  Many endure depression afterward, potential cardiac  arrhythmias, neurological issues, seizures,   organ dysfunctions, circulatory system damage, or burns.       Keraunomedicine is the branch of medicine which deals with injuries from lightning strikes.
                How can we avoid being struck by lightning ?  First, we can go indoors to diminish our chance of being hit, at the moment we see lightning even very distantly, or when we hear thunder.  Secondly, you can avoid doing dishes, using the toilet, or a landline telephone hooked up to the wall ,during a storm.  Chances are small that one will be struck within a home, but the chance exists.  It is possible also to be struck while simply looking out a window.    We used to be taught that it was not possible to be struck by lightning in a car, but this is not strictly true. It may not happen often, but a lightning strike in a car can move the car significantly, damage it, and actually move the people within the car.   Generally, a car is better grounded than many things, and so people inside the car are generally spared fatalities, but this is important news.
               No one really knows why some people are struck by lightning repeatedly.  We do know that it is an old wive's tale that "lightning won't strike twice in the same place".   I can personally assure you that it can and will, and have missing old oak border trees to prove it.
               There are some additional rules for hikers or people outdoors who may not be close enough to head indoors.

    1. Do most of your outdoor farm work or hiking or surveying in the morning before storms usually occur.

    2. Listen to weather reports.

    3. Learn to read the sky and clouds as indicators of impending thunderstorms.

    4. Make sure you stay off high ridges or hills when storms are brewing.

    5. Although lightning can strike without any warning to people whatsoever, some people have noticed that their hair stands on end.  If this ever happens, drop to the ground immediately.

   6. Do not hide under trees in a storm.  If the tree is struck it will ground through you as well.

   7. When indoors, stay away from pipes, electrical appliances, windows, phones, and water sources such as toilets and sinks etc.

                                           

These are excellent web references on lightning strike avoidance and general information:

 http://www.ucar.edu/communications/infopack/lightning/faq.html

http://www.lightningsafety.com/

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This is the Decision Tree as Provided by the National Lightning Safety Institute

Decision Tree for Personal Lightning Safety

by Richard Kithil, President &CEO, NLSI

NLSI recommends that all organizations prepare a Lightning Safety Plan and inform all personnel of its contents. In a sentence, lightning safety is "anticipating a high-risk situation and moving to a low-risk location." Lightning Safety Plans should be site-specific, but they all share a common outline:
1. Advanced warning of the hazard. Some options:

1.1 "If you can see it, flee it; If you can hear it, clear it."
1.2 TV Weather Channel; NOAA Weather Radio
1.3 Fancy lightning detectors; off-site meteorological services

2. Make decision to suspend activities and notify people.

2.1 The 30/30 Rule says to shut down when lightning is six miles away. Use a "flash to bang" (lightning to thunder) count of five seconds equals one mile (10 = 2 miles; 20 = 4 miles; 30 = 6 miles).
2.2 Notify people via radio, siren or other means.

3. Move to safe location.

3.1 A large permanent building or metal vehicle is best.
3.2 Unsafe places are near metal or water; under trees; on hills; near electrical/electronics equipment.

4. Reassess the hazard.

It’s usually safe after no thunder and no lightning have been observed for thirty minutes. Be conservative here.

5. Inform people to resume activities.

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(Photo: americanprofile.com)

This is significant lightning damage to a home.  (Photo: livebetterbydesign.wordpress.com)

Canada's Long Gun Registry Finally Abolished

Long guns include rifles and shotguns.

     As promised, the Harper government  has followed through on their promise to end the long gun registry in Canada.  There is also a plan to destroy the information contained in it.
        Although persons like myself applaud the ending of the long gun registry, there are persons, particularly in urban areas or in Quebec, who oppose this abolition, in part because it destroys data which is already collected and for which Canadians have paid taxes in order to collect. Quebec is actually considering the creation of its own provincial registry.  Gun licenses are still required in Canada.  By many conservatives, this is considered a strong first step in terms of getting big government out of the business of private citizens.
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These are Myths and Facts are provided by:        http://www.scrappedtheregistry.ca/myths-facts/

Myths & Facts

Myth #1:

In 2009, it cost $4.1 million to operate the long-gun registry.

Fact #1

Many different numbers have been thrown around. When appearing before the Standing Committee on Public Safety the Canadian Taxpayers Federation gave a number of $106 million per year. (House of Commons Public Safety Committee, May 25, 2010)

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Myth #2:

The Canadian Police Association says their membership is totally supportive of the long-gun registry.

Fact #2:

During Parliamentary hearings into the long-gun registry, the President of the Canadian Police Association, Charles Momy, admitted that less than 1 per cent of his association’s membership responded to a survey on the long-gun registry. (House of Commons Public Safety Committee, May 13, 2010)

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Myth #3

Virtually all police, including all Police Chiefs across Canada, support the long-gun registry.

Fact #3

Many police chiefs and front-line officers have spoken out against the long-gun registry. Rick Hanson, Calgary Police Chief, Evan Bray, Saskatchewan, Sgt/Det Murray Grismer Saskatoon, Sgt. Duane Rutledge – Active Police Officer, Dave Shipman, Mitch McCormick and Jack Tinsley – Winnipeg, retired, Bob Rich Chief of Police Abbotsford Police These are just witnesses, thousands more have supported with phone calls and emails. See Garry Breitkreuz’ s website for what police have said: http://www.garrybreitkreuz.com/publications/2010/978.pdf

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Myth #4

Police from across Canada access the long-gun registry over 11,000 times a day.

Fact#4

Computer activity does not denote usage. Of the 11,086 computer hits per day in 2009, 7,653 were for a name, 2,842 were for addresses, but a mere 19 were checking a registration certificate…of all types! The vast majority were due to hits automatically generated by a system designed to produce impressive statistics from irrelevant inquiries. (Source: http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/cfp-pcaf/facts-faits/archives/quick_facts/2010/mar-eng.htm)

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www.scrappedtheregistry.ca

Make sure you check out the new TDI , or turbo diesel injection cars for incredible fuel economy

More Information on Animal Housing

This particular structure: Uncle Howard's Barns Inc.

360-273-7816

This custom kennel with details was built for Great Pyrenees dogs who live in NW Montana. They discuss this at: http://www.great-pyrenees.us/kennel_great_pyrenees.htm

When I posted the information on our having built a dog kennel, I had no idea that this was of such interest to so many people worldwide. Although we ultimately chose to hire a builder in order to get the structure up, running and functional before the winter, we did a lot of research in advance, as to what we wanted, and what would work on our site, and for the number of dogs we normally have.
            We looked at many texts, many websites and plans, but one of the most helpful references in terms of congealing our own thoughts on what we wanted and how we wanted it to be built, was the one below.  "How to Build Animal Housing" by Carol Ekarius, published by Storey Press is a comprehensive and inspiring guide to building whatever structures you may need for livestock, dogs, chickens, rabbits, and other creatures.  Attention is paid to site selection, basic construction, materials, design, and even where to obtain some of the articles and hardware used in such structures.   The design for our kennel was ultimately our own, but we considered many aspects of the project thanks to this book.   Since then we have also build chicken coops.  Ms. Ekarius even addresses the important issue of lightning protection with these structures.
            Since animal structures are definitely an interest to those who read this blog, I will include more on animal structures in the future.

Governmental Oversteps

          Here in the US, those of us who do radio programs and such have known that at least two media groups have been seeking to produce a television series on serious survivalists.  Of course, most serious survivalists would realize that such programs are only really entertaining if one holds up the most unusual individuals and in a sense, pokes fun at their beliefs or some manner of their preparedness.


           The following appeared


http://offgridsurvival.com/doomsdayprepperdeclaredmentaldefective/


The material within the two sets of waving lines comes to us from offgridsurvival.com


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Just days after appearing on the National Geographic TV Show Doomsday Prepper, a prepper from Tennessee has been declared Mentally Defective and his guns have been seized by the government. The Prepper, David Sarti is a character to say the least, but his story is somewhat disturbing and should be a wake up call for everyone.
Personally I think these shows are designed to make these people look crazy. Whether his appearance on the show played into Mr. Sarti’s diagnosis isn’t yet clear, but apparently the State believed he was a danger to himself after a local doctor insisted that Mr. Sarti was suicidal.
Mr. Sarti denies the charges and insists that he told the doctor he was a Christian and his belief made it impossible for him to commit suicide.
Here is his story:




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It is highly concerning that with all the truly criminal activity which exists, that Tennessee authorities chose to take such actions.

This is also a warning about being too vocal about preparations and need for such. Stay safe.

What Was So Amazing About America ?

        I am probably one of the best people to write on this subject. I am the daughter of an American explorer, and of a British gentlewoman. My mother chose never to relinquish her status as a British subject, even though she lived forty years in the United States. My parents had friends from all over the world, and sometimes they visited our home.   I am an American, but I live part time in Canada when I can get there, which I also love very much.  I see myself as I believe most of us should, as citizens of the world. It hurts me when families are being slaughtered in Syria, or when orphans have insufficient medicine  in orphanages in Russia, or when a national leader threatens to annihilate the citizens of Israel.  I am also deeply disturbed by the changes which have come to America which have accelerated its culture in decline and reduced it to a shadow of its former self.
              Why do some foreigners hate America, and dislike American visitors ?  This is simple.  In the past,  many Americans have visited foreign lands and expected to be catered to. Rather than being polite and trying to fit in and learn about the customs of another place, they have expected to have their whims catered to, and they have lacked the ability to see the importance of  "When in Rome.......".  Some of us have been arrogant and abrasive.   Some Americans are loud and are disrespectful, and the memory of this is carried long after their visit concludes.     Why do Islamic extremists hate America ?   This is much more complex, but one of the reasons is that we export the worst of our culture in the form of television programs which exaggerate different aspects of our culture and its people.  When I was in Russia for a month, it took me a lot of time to explain and clarify a lot of the misconceptions normal Russians had with regard to "everyone in America".  The soap opera  "Santa Barbara" runs on Russian television, as does "Dallas", and "Dynasty".   These are simply stories in which rare wealthy people are shown enjoying their cash, and not necessarily their lives. They are also pictures of perverse or missing morality. This is not American culture, and one of the reasons these programs were made is that, at the time, the programs were fascinating to Americans too. If America really did reflect such values, the disdain of a portion of the Muslim world might actually be appropriate.   Americans are as diverse a group as Russians are.  Americans consist of  a variety of ethnicities.  Most of us try to keep some part of the cultures we came from alive.  My family remembers our Scottish and English heritage, and we enjoy some portion of the Swiss culture that my husband's family hailed from originally.  However, we all meet here in a US melting pot, where we all have more in common than we have differences.  A few Americans are very wealthy.  There is a shrinking middle class in this country. Most Americans are now what would best be referred to as "working poor".   They have jobs but struggle to make ends meet, pay for food, pay rent, or hang on to a home, and sometimes for health care and insurance as well.   Retirement for many will be out of reach. Like the Russians, Americans can be a very generous people.  Americans as individuals try hard to send computers, technology for wells, technology to grow food, and microloans for businesses to lands which need this type of help.  Exposes on America often focus on the negative aspects of America, while ignoring those who quietly do good in the world.
               What was so amazing about America ?  Why was it a beloved and blessed place ?    First, America started with some important ideas and principles. First, the ideal was that anyone, even those born of what was considered low station, could work hard and become something much more than that.  There was to be no royalty here.  Each man was considered to have been "created equal".   Of course it took this nation time to consider slaves men and to grant them full status, and it took time for the potential of women to be recognized as well, but few places if any, on Earth were doing so at the time.  Even today, many nations still support slavery and tertiary class status for women.  The United States from its inception also believed that we were given these things by God, and that man could only succeed in any venture, with the blessings and support of God.   America, as it grew, nurtured a rugged individualism which fostered a rare inventiveness in all eras.
              The United States was exceptional because it held exceptional opportunities.  At one time, a pauper from another land could come to one of our cities. He could start a business and work many hours each day. By the time his children were old enough, some would expand his business, some could become a police officer, and one would become an attorney.  The courses of people's lives could be turned around within 30 years.   In Europe, even today, one must train to do almost everything.  There is a flavor of protectionism which prevents many from choosing a career change, or from doing a certain task themselves.   In the US, it was more possible to train to do something entirely new, to start a new business, or to market a simple idea and make millions.  Millions is not the goal here. The education and the chance to propel ones progeny into jobs they love and futures better from those in which they came is the objective, and America, at one time, could do that.
               The United States was a place where rugged individualism was admired and even nurtured. When I was a teen it was not unusual to hear of someone who did not finish high school, who started his own business, with perhaps one truck of some kind. Over time, he bought more trucks, hired more people, and ultimately expanded from removing trash to owning a multi-million dollar business which relocates potentially hazardous materials.  In his early fifties, the man pays for college for all five of his children, and for his nephew also. He retires as a millionaire. Now, many of those who have highly rated university degrees can't find a job better than the one they had while attending college.  In many places, people with masters degrees are making our sandwiches.
               Somewhere along the road, America lost its way.   Perhaps it started when people watched their own bottom line more closely than they watched our politicians. Perhaps people did not speak up as much as they should have when politicians began to tinker with everything from the tax structure to the Constitution.  Perhaps when our officials spent money like water, more of us should have expressed outrage.  Perhaps, our educational system in the United States which is short sighted at best, and abyssmally bad in some areas, made our impending failure as a nation an inevitability. Perhaps, "In God We Trust" was ignored.   Perhaps, the rest of the world simply caught up in terms of innovation and creativity.   My hope is that our political challenges, weakening educational systems,  and our financial challenges improve, and that we can continue as a positive member of one of the countries of the world.
      

               

The Radiation Network

     I found something recently that might be of some help and interest to some of you.   The Radiation Network is an organization with a website which provides real time information on radiation levels across the United States, and limited information in other places.   This also provides opportunities for individuals to obtain a geiger counter (of specific and directed designs), the correct software, and via computer, interface with the system in an automated fashion.


  http://www.radiationnetwork.com/

Japan

   Larger and more detailed maps, including Europe and South America, are found on the Radiation Network website.

        They also provide another link to a company which provides geiger counter and related information and supplies.

The information contained between the two rows of double broken lines is the word product of www.geigercounters.com and is included here for educational purposes.  They might also make a couple of sales, as a result of our profiling here.
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http://www.geigercounters.com/

 

I also thought this might be interesting information, also directly from geigercounters.com 

The Geiger counters we feature detect some or all of the four major types of ionizing radiation, namely Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and X-rays.  Both Gamma and X-rays are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, specifically at its high frequency, short wavelength end.   That  same spectrum also includes the more familiar ultraviolet light, visible light, infrared rays, microwaves, and radio waves, listed in order of decreasing frequency and increasing wavelength from Gamma and X-rays.
As the four major types of ionizing radiation go, Gamma and X-rays are very powerful and potentially very dangerous.  They can pass through virtually anything, and are effectively shielded or absorbed only by materials of high atomic weight such as lead.  Because of their penetrating ability, X-rays are used to see inside the human body, destroy cancer cells in radiation therapy, or analyze the internal structure of rocks and minerals, for instance.
Gamma rays are produced naturally by the sun and other bodies in outer space, their transmission to earth being known as "cosmic radiation".  Certain minerals that make up part of the earth containing the radioactive elements Uranium and/or Thorium also emit Gamma rays.  This cosmic radiation, along with these radioactive earth minerals, combine to produce the "background count" of a Geiger counter.  That is, even when a Geiger counter is removed from a specific radioactive object, the meter will still register a background level or count of radioactivity.  This might typically be in the range of 20 counts per minute, but will vary depending upon where it is on the earth.  The background count should always be factored in or "subtracted" from the overall reading derived from a specific radioactive source.  X-rays, being very similar to Gamma rays, are produced from man-made sources such as X-ray tubes, arcs, and lamps.
While not part of the electromagnetic spectrum, Alpha and Beta particles are the two other types of ionizing radiation detectable by Geiger counters.  Alpha radiation consists of positively charged particles emitted from the nucleus of an atom in the process of decay.  These particles are also very dense which, with their strong positive charge, precludes them from penetrating more than an inch of air or a sheet of paper.  Because of this, Alpha particles are not a serious health hazard, except when they are emitted from within the body as a result of ingestion, for instance, when their high energy poses an extreme hazard to sensitive living tissue.  Radioactivity of this nature is difficult to detect using a standard Geiger counter, but since most Alpha-emitting substances also produce Gamma rays, this can allow for detection in some cases.
Beta radiation consists of negatively charged particles emitted from an atom in the process of decay.  These particles are relatively light and can penetrate somewhat better than an Alpha particle, though still only through  a few millimeters of aluminum.

What household items can emit radiation?

	Smoke Detectors - Contain an Alpha and Beta ray producing radioactive isotope of the element Americium that senses smoke.  This is sealed, though, and may not give you any reading.
	Lantern Mantels - Some of the mantels in camping lanterns, especially those from earlier years, are made of the radioactive element Thorium.  Be careful not to inhale the mantle ash!
	Watches - Some old watches and clocks, even gyroscopes, have dials painted in radium to make them glow in the dark.  Radium emits Alpha and Gamma rays.  More recently, Tritium, a radioactive isotope of Hydrogen, has been used to paint the dials, but it is too weak to penetrate the watch lens.
	Camera Lenses - It has been reported that certain old Leica camera lenses colored yellow owe their hue to the presence of the radioactive element, Thorium.
	Jewelry - Certain gems are irradiated by the radioactive element Radium, X-rays, or other particles to produce a color change. This can make the gem itself radioactive which can last for years in some cases. Also, cloisonné, an enameled variety of jewelry, is glazed with Uranium oxide.
	Rocks and Minerals - Minerals such as uraninite and its pitchblende variety, also carnotite and thorianite, contain the radioactive elements Uranium and/or Thorium.
	Pottery - Some older pottery such as the Fiesta Ware brand often found in antique stores is glazed with Uranium oxide.  When broken, the dust can emit Alpha particles of radiation.
	Furniture - More recently, certain metal objects in the home are reported to be partly made of spent radioactive material.

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 A word from Jane:

In preparedness, there are many things I would like everyone to do, long before purchasing a geiger counter. I think there is value in having a really strong first aid kit, a car kit if you have a car, an evacuation kit for your family,  and good strong supplies of food and water at home for emergencies.  I think there is value in securing items in your home to limit injury and damage when they fall.  I think there is value in doing disaster planning specific for your area.  I think a supply of Potassium Iodate for every family member for temporary thyroid blocking purposes also has value.   See our post:

 http://rationalpreparedness.blogspot.com/2011/11/potassium-iodide-and-potassium-iodate.html
 

  Once all of these things are done, then I think there is value in reading about radiation contamination and learning about geiger counters.  Since Fukushima Daiichi experienced a meltdown, there has been a renewed interest in the potential need to monitor the radiation levels in our food and water, in most of the world.  The process of monitoring radiation in your own environment, and the tricky prospect of monitoring the radiation levels of your own food and water is something you should learn quite a bit about before spending money on a geiger counter which could be the wrong type for you, and for your family.  Rational nuclear preparedness demands that you first do your research prior to expending additional energy or funds on measurement devices, until you better know your family's needs.  In future, we will discuss the hazards of radon and how this natural phenomenon can create higher than desirable radon levels in your home.