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Collaboration is a practice that many providers say they are doing but rarely do we see it translated into the actual work that staff connected with our learners--our customers--do. Our customers face multiple barriers in their desire to succeed and move forward. Leadership with a focus on creating partnerships to address the multiple barriers of these customers is critical. Leadership with a focus on collaboration must be done with intentionality, for it is hard work. We must proceed recognizing that trust among partners is essential, and we must give up individual control of the final product created. This paper examines important lessons learned through many collaborations among a rural program, Southwest Adult Basic Education (SW ABE), workforce partners, Southwest Minnesota State University (SMSU), and additional agencies and offers concrete examples of successful results.

The erroneous communication of the urgency of global warming and public role in minimizing it has made people believe that their individual actions in the matter would be ineffective. A 12-step plan to jerk people from the state of denial outlines the actions that can be taken by the individual and at the community level to make a change.

The microscopic dust that comes off tyres contains unique combinations of known carcinogens, neurotoxins, heavy metals and other poisons that are linked to serious diseases such as heart failure. Humans are not the only ones to be affected since animals are also prone to the particulate, inhalation of which can damage both the hearts and the lungs of living beings.

Environmentalism is undergoing changes in view of the mainstream's adoption of sustainability. Environmentalism should go deeper and more radical in order to remain relevant. However, the mainstream sector's use of objective data is seen as different from how environmentalists utilize them.

Towns and cities can become models of sustainability and what is clear is that energy use is at the core of any sustainable city plan. Embracing energy conservation ensures a better future for us all and improves the quality of life for city-dwellers and saves them money.

Bicycles need regular maintenance with the use of lubricating oils, but these products contain substances that may harm the environment. Chain lubes contain Teflon, which is composed of perfluorinated chemicals (PCFs), which may accumulate in body organs. Other details about the hazardous properties of lubes are discussed.

Nutrients attributed to the consumption of soybean-derived foods are found in everyday foods and the requirement of the consumption of high quantities of soy-based foods discussed. The myth surrounding consumption of soy based foods for better nutrition and protection against disease is exposed.

The actual truth behind the anti-dandruff shampoos being all advertisement and publicity and not actually very useful in either keeping the hair clean or removing dandruff is discussed. Most anti-dandruff shampoos contain chemicals for the hair and the actual usefulness of some of them including Head & Shoulders is evaluated.

The article offers scientific evidence to demonstrate that Monsanto's Roundup Weedkiller is not as ecologically safe as claimed by the company. The active ingredient in the herbicide is glyphosate, which, in combination with surfactants, poses several health and environmental dangers.

Scientists are predicting that an atmosphere rich in carbon-dioxide as a result of climate change is beneficial to agricultural production as the carbon-dioxide acts as a kind of airborne fertilizer. While this may be the case in greenhouses where higher levels of carbon-dioxide help in producing higher yields, the effect in the real world is not so, in fact rising carbon-dioxide levels will lead to problems of hidden malnutrition in the developed world and famines in the poor countries.

The article warns of the dangers of Lucozade which is a sports drink but is also consumed by a vast majority of others who are not into sports. The ingredients, a mixture of glucose and caffeine which make up this sports drink are good energy boosters in the short term but are not particularly healthy in the long run.

Candles have been shown to emit dirty soot containing sub-micron sized particles that can easily be absorbed into the body once inhaled. Burning multiple candles can lead to high levels of indoor pollution.

The tissue products available in shops today are made of virgin fibres and not recycled content. Simple actions are provided to help reduce the use of paper and make better buying choices.

A review of the causes, treatments, and drug-free therapies for hayfever, which affects an estimated 15 million Britons through three different seasons every year, is presented.

The dangers of believing the marketing hype on the safety of bottled water brands, such as Volvic Touch of Fruit, over tap water are discussed. The health and environmental benefits of drinking tap water are also discussed.

The antiseptic medicines harm the body's natural healing system by killing fibroblasts along with the infectious microorganisms. The benefits of natural healing of wounds by wet dressings are described.

The symptoms, causes, and effects of insomnia, or sleep deprivation, are discussed together with some remedies for the same.

Bees are a keystone species that play a crucial role in the natural order of the world. However, the exploitation of bees and the corruption of their natural behavior by humans are responsible for the drastic decline in bee populations in modern times.

The article recounts the story of the Brofiscin quarry in the U.K, which dates back to 1967. Douglas Gowan, who worked there as an Assistant Parliamentary Secretary at the National Farmers Union in 1967 describes the events that took place in the same year, and acts as a material witness.

The article discusses the health benefits of oral hygiene and a good balanced diet.

The Monsanto industrial plant in Newport, U.K, is the owner of the patent for the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), the worst toxic chemical ever produced. Although their production was terminated both in the U.K. and the U.S. since 1979, more than 50% of PCBs produced earlier are still contaminating the world, either through accident or due to dumping and burning of waste.

The article investigates the ingredients of the Maybelline superstay sixteen-hour lipstick. The harmful effects in the use of lipsticks are explained.

Lemsip Max Cold & Flu Capsules are often used to relieve symptoms of cold and flu, but it is analyzed that the ingredients of this medication result in harmful side effects. The paracetamol in these capsules lower fever and reduce pain temporarily but actually prolong the symptoms, while phenylephrine hydrochloride is associated with higher risk of hypertension.

Flora pro-activ is the UK's leading cholesterol lowering spread, one of the functional foods towards which more and more people are turning in search of better health. The benefits of such functional foods may seem impressive at first glance but some of the potential problems associated with their use, such as their interference with absorption of some fat-soluble vitamins, disruption of hormones and the safety hazards they pose to children and pregnant women, are being overlooked.

Obesity, a health risk associated with higher rates of diabetes, heart disease and cancer, is spreading like an epidemic in the U.K., forcing authorities to act quickly on it. The problem of obesity, the reasons behind it, steps taken to counter obesity, the new diets developed to fight it and the effect of pollution on maintaining body weight, are discussed.

Women in the U.K. are becoming addicted to the Rabbit vibrator, which comes in many versions and colours. It is however generally believed that such devices can prove to be a distraction from some fundamental problems relating to the breakdown of loving relationships.

Pet foods made from low-nutrition-value scrap ingredients and shampoos, dips and foggers used on pets to control fleas and ticks, which contain harmful chemicals, are found to cause cancers, heart disease, allergies, eye problems, thyroid disorders and other degenerative diseases in pets. Natural, fresh cuts of meat with wholegrains and vegetables for a balanced pet diet, cedar-containing flea control treatment, and wheat-based cat-litter boxes are recommended for better health of pets.

Modern bodycare products like body lotions and face creams contain chemicals called penetration enhancers that are safe on their own, but alter the superficial structure of the skin, thus allowing greater absorption of other harmful chemicals in the product. Penetration enhancers categorized as emollients, detergents and solvents, may cause skin irritation and allergies due to their ability to dissolve the protective oily barrier on the outer surface of the skin.

Studies indicate that probiotic drinks in the form of 'functional foods' like the quasi-pharmaceutical Danone Actimel may not be very effective in the long term when given to children to 'protect' them and to 'support their natural defenses'. The benefits from Actimel containing probiotics, that is, live bacteria that help improve the immune system, are likely to be offset by its high sugar content, indicating that probiotic drinks are not very helpful, especially for those already on a healthy diet.

Targeted cancer drugs or 'smart bombs', the result of combined efforts of geneticists and bioengineers and part of 'personalized medicine' using nanoparticle delivery systems, are seen to cause severe heart damage in cancer patients treated with these drugs. A complete understanding and interpretation of cancer is necessary before attempting such treatment, and it is feared that targeted heart disease drugs to be tried on heart patients may cause cancer in them.

Hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of infections, but special cleansers for hands are completely unnecessary as they can work in the same way as antibiotics and can contribute to the problem of bacterial resistance at home and in the wider community. It is suggested that covering the hands completely with soap and rubbing them vigorously together for 15 seconds before rinsing thoroughly is more effective than slopping on some antibacterial cleanser for a five-second-wash.

The 'Read the Label' campaign has put pressure on manufacturers to justify their use of toxic cosmetic ingredients. However many companies are still abdicating responsibilities to the regulators and to review panels that have been funded by the industry as is evident from a sample presentation of their responses.

When the approximately two and a half million tons of municipal waste are incinerated in UK each year the toxic elements released are not only the result of the chemicals in the waste itself but also of a whole new range of new compounds created by the intense heat of the incineration process itself. In spite of the best efforts of the Environment Agency the danger to public health is significant as proved by several epidemiological and environmental studies.

The perils of the very popular fabric softeners that are in reality seriously harmful to the people who use them as well as to the marine life they engulf are discussed. The time has come for consumers to break the fabric softener habit for good.

The manner in which the drug Herceptin, despite it known side effects and limited effectiveness, has become the latest breast cancer miracle cure is investigated. Press release journalism, inventive public relations, the drug manufacturer's efforts to recoup R & D costs and boost the drug's share prices and political compulsions all have a role to play in the ongoing furor over Herceptin.

Sunscreens, which are available in two basic types in the market that include chemical sunscreens and mineral sunblocks, are widely used for protecting the skin from the sun's harmful UV rays. Some of the drawbacks of the chemical sunscreens, which are by far, the most widely used in commercial products, are presented.

Diet coke introduced in July 1982 in the US and at present in 2006 the fourth most commonly consumed carbonated beverage in the world is not a health drink as implied by its sports sponsorships but is a cocktail of neurotoxic and carcinogenic chemicals. A list of several ingredients used in diet coke is presented with reference to their purpose and their adverse effects.

Body care products colours and cosmetic colours particularly organic colours can cause problems in susceptible individuals such as skin irritation and even block the pores. It is therefore suggested that if there is a need to use coloured product, then the label should be checked for colour additives beginning with 'C175', which are natural, usually vegetable-based colorants.

Bread is one of the great staple foods made from good quality ingredients such as vital nutrients, fiber, protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals that bodies need to stay healthy. Hovis wholemeal bread is one such favorite brand of bread, which rakes in 23 per cent of the UK bread market.

Moisturizing creams can and do cause problems like allergic reactions, skin irritation and contact dermatitis and the ingredients that go to make these creams cause more harm than good. While the cosmetics industry loudly trumpets the benefits of moisturizers, healthy skin begins on the inside and unless one has a skin condition that requires medical attention, one does not really need a moisturizer.

Millions are spent on skin darkening preparations or fake tan products, fearing that sun causes skin cancer and that pale skin looks unhealthy. People who use fake-tan lotions are warned that such lotions are full of chemicals that can cause damage to skin since they have never been evaluated for safety and there is no safe fake tans since all products of this type use the same few chemicals to produce results.

Breast feeding has declined due in part to global marketing strategies for baby formula. In order to encourage breast feeding, there should be a ban on formula advertisements and free samples as well as health warnings on tins and cartons of formula foods. There should be sufficient funds to promote breast feeding in every community.

Most of the people, particularly children, on their way to office/school, eat cereal bars such as Kellogg's Nutri-Grain instead of a healthy breakfast. A recent study conducted by the Food Commission indicated that these cereal bar products which although contain vitamins and minerals, are high in fats, sugar or both, contain vegetable oil and thus can tend to do untold damage to one's body and mind.

Research findings and experience has shown that there is direct link between nutritional status and anti social behavior orders (ASBO). Some scientists claim that in light of alternatives, a dietary approach to behavior seems both sensible and humane and yet governments have been slow to act.

The ingredients that make up the average tin of interior paint and different chemicals in interior paints, which include solvents and other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are described. Research showed exposure to VOCs increased risk of childhood asthma and that people in painting trades or who work in paint manufacturing have an increased risk of various cancers thus safer alternatives in the form of commercial brands having lower percentage of VOCs than conventional paints are available.