- revitalizes communities by working alongside local residents to plan their neighborhoods’ future and to develop energy efficient, affordable and healthy homes, parks, gardens, shared facilities, and more
- trains and educates adults and youth through an alternative high school, green job training center and family support services
- builds wealth through innovative financial services and loans that help restore credit and increase savings
- promotes healthy living by tackling environmental hazards, fostering energy efficiency, improving open space, and expanding access to locally grown food
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What's in your tap water?
Lead is not normally found in drinking water at the source. Typically, lead gets into your drinking water from the service lines, plumbing and fixtures that contain lead. As a result of corrosion, lead and other metals from the pipes slowly dissolve into the water. Many factors affect the amount of lead that leaches into the water, including lead content of pipes, fixtures, and solder, along with water temperature, pH and hardness. Lead is associated with adverse health impacts even at low levels, particularly in infants and children.
Other sources of lead exposure at home
Lead can be found throughout a child’s environment.
- Homes built before 1978 (when lead-based paints were banned) probably contain lead-based paint. When the paint peels and cracks, it makes lead dust. Children can be exposed to lead when they swallow or breathe in lead dust.
- Certain water pipes may contain lead.
- Lead can be found in some products such as toys and jewelry.
- Lead is sometimes in candies or traditional home remedies.
- Certain jobs and hobbies involve working with lead-based products, like stain glass work, and may cause parents to bring lead into the home.
- Children who live near airports may be exposed to lead in air and soil from aviation gas.
Founded in 1981, Isles, Inc. is a community development and environmental organization based in Trenton, New Jersey. With a mission to foster self-reliant families and healthy, sustainable communities, we design and develop effective services that support this mission and share what we learn with others who can make a difference.
Isles:
Source: https://isles.org
Instructional Videos -- Coming Soon
How to collect your water samples
How to get rid of lead in your tap water
Other Environmental Exposure Concerns
Dust Does Not Discriminate
Health Effects of Pesticide Exposures for Infants and Children
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