CBC Maritimes

Could radon gas in your home's basement present a lung cancer risk ?

Smoking isn't the only way to increase your risk of lung cancer.
Even if you've never lit up a cigarette, you could still be at risk because of exposure to radon - the leading cause of lung cancer among non-smokers.
Radon is a colourless, odourless radio-active gas that leaks from the earth and can become trapped in schools, office buildings or homes.

To find out more about how to detect radon, we contacted Dr. Barbara MacKinnon, President and CEO of the New Brunswick Lung Association.

For answers to Frequently Asked Questions about radon posted on the Nova Scotia Department of the Environment website, click here.
 


How much should governments help the parents of children with disabilities ?
After we asked that question on our December 2nd phone-in, we received some sharply divided opinions on where the burden of financial responsibility should lie and some poignant personal stories.
Producer Deb Woolway and our intern from the University of King's College School of Journalism, Clare Deignan, joined me to read your emails and present calls from our answering machine.


Now, we don't want to appear Grinch-like, but let's face it - there's a heck of a lot of extra garbage generated during the Christmas season. All that glittery wrapping paper and festive bows - mostly unrecyclable - and all those throw-away paper plates and plastic forks for holiday social events....well, it all adds up. In fact, it's estimated that there's a 25 % increase in household waste generated in December.
So, what's a socially-responsible, environmentally-conscious, love-the-season-but-don't-want-to-trash-the-planet person to do?  Leah Anstis of the Conservation Council of New Brunswick and Charlene Boyce-Young of the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax had tips, and then we harvested a whack of your ideas when we asked : What are your ideas for having a sustainable holiday season ?