Continue reading »]]> Every day, we make choices that impact our environment. This 3-page fact sheet will help you make environmentally friendly choices whenever you make purchases and encourage you to take a second look at items before throwing them away. Written by Linda B. Bobroff and R. Elaine Turner, and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, September 2012.

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy342

Continue reading »]]> As you know, Isaac is heading our way. Please begin preparing for this storm. No one knows exactly what directions it is going to go at this point or how strong it will become. If you do not evacuate, then please be prepared with adequate supplies on hand. Start now and make a plan on what you will do if the storm hits our area. Here are some item to have on hand when making preparations to stay:

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Angela M. Valadez, Keith R. Schneider, and Michelle D. Danyluk2

1. This document is FSHN12-08, one of a series of the Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of
Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida. Published May 2012. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. Angela M. Valadez, graduate research assistant, CREC (Citrus Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred, FL); Keith R. Schneider, associate professor,
FSHN (Food Science and Human Nutrition Department, UF Main Campus); Michelle D. Danyluk (contact author), assistant professor, CREC; Institute of
Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611.
This review was supported by the Center for Produce Safety.
The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to
individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national
origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A&M University Cooperative
Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean
Fresh-market tomatoes are a popular commodity in homes
and food service around the world. The inherent risks of
contamination by foodborne pathogens present a challenge
to the produce industry and regulators. Since fresh-market
tomatoes are intended to be consumed fresh, there is no
“kill-step” in the processing that would eliminate pathogens
in the event that tomatoes become contaminated (Maitland
et al., 2011). Public health officials often meet numerous
challenges when conducting traceback investigations in
the event of a produce outbreak, such as tomatoes. It is
often difficult for them to isolate organisms from the raw
product, when the raw product may have been consumed,
discarded, or reached the end of its shelf-life (Lynch et
al., 2009). It can be difficult for public health officials to
determine where the implicated food was produced. As a
consequence, recognizing unusual food vehicles, such as
certain items of fresh produce, can delay the foodborne
outbreak investigation (Lynch et al., 2009).
A “case” in a foodborne illness outbreak is identified as an
infected patient carrying a strain that was isolated from a
collected stool sample and documented to be associated
with an outbreak. The number of sporadic cases linked
to the consumption of contaminated fresh fruits and
vegetables is unknown (Heaton and Jones 2008).
This document is intended to serve as a reference for every-
one concerned about the safety of fresh-market tomatoes by
highlighting tomato-related outbreaks in the United States
and Europe and reviewing locations and venues of tomato
preparations as well as the severity of outbreaks. Three
tables are presented, separated by foodborne outbreaks
where tomatoes are confirmed as the food vehicle (Table
1); confirmed as part of complex foods vehicles (Table 2);
and suspected, but not specified or confirmed, as the food
vehicle (Table 3).

Continue reading »]]> Affordable Housing: Meeting a Dire Need in Sarasota…Public, private, and nonprofit groups are working to expand the supply of affordable housing in land-scarce Sarasota, Florida through a variety of infill, redevelopment, and rental conversion projects.

Solar Power’s Fighting Spirit Fades…War, what is it good for? Not much if you make solar panels…US solar stocks such as First Solar enjoyed a brief burst of jingoism last Thursday, when the Commerce Department announced antidumping tariffs on Chinese photovoltaic-equipment makers. As of Monday, though, trade-war fever had subsided: First Solar hit a fresh 52-week low of $13.37.

Good resource from KidsHealth…http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/asthma/asthma_home.html

ThornProducts, LLC in Melbourne Beach, Fla. has been awarded $80,000…from the EPA and the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop a low cost wireless transmission method for monitoring electricity usage in receptacles and switches, which will allow users to identify efficiency improvements in their electricity usage.  The SBIR program is part of EPA’s Technology Innovation for Environmental and Economic Progress: An EPA Roadmap, which focuses on linking research and development, policy and finance.

Department of Housing and Community Development latest news…The project has been a long time coming. PHP was set up 16 years ago to help create affordable housing for seniors who might want to stay in town but could no longer support a single-family home. http://www.telegram.com/article/20120520/TOWNNEWS/120519412&TEMPLATE=TOWNPORTAL

Rise in Home Sales Points to Rebound…Sales of previously owned homes rose at a robust clip in April—and prices jumped—the latest indications that the hard-hit housing market is recovering. Existing-home sales were up 3.4% from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.62 million, the National Association of Realtors trade group said Tuesday. If the pace holds, 2012 could be the strongest year for home sales since 2007, just after the housing boom. The median home price, meanwhile, increased 10.1% from a year earlier to $177,400, the strongest year-to-year gain since January 2006.

Measuring the Savings of Green Building Technologies…The following matrix highlights 10 proven and affordable green building technologies organized into four categories: Building Envelope, HVAC, Management and Use, and Water. Each product features a brief description for general reference; technical overviews are addressed by the resources highlighted in the “Additional Information” section. These entries have a track record of providing savings, are affordable across building types and scales, and are viable in diverse climates. This document is not intended to be a comprehensive exercise in quantifying green building strategies or elevating every high-return-on-investment (ROI) product. Instead, it is a simple, accessible, cogent tool to educate and motivate builders about the nuanced economics of green building. For more information about the matrix, please click here.

http://www.huduser.org/portal/sustainability/ten_tech.html

Consumer Demand for Home Technology Grows as Housing Market Regains Footing…Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)(R) today released the 10th Annual State of the Builder Technology Market Study, which found installed home technology is strongly solidified in builders’ portfolios of services and offerings. http://www.marketwatch.com/story/consumer-demand-for-home-technology-grows-as-housing-market-regains-footing-cea-study-finds-2012-05-24

Modern Prefab Home From Epoch Homes Certified Emerald…Because the Epoch Homes factory is Green Approved by the NAHB Research Center, the company can generate and sign off on the in plant verification report and …

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Conditioning Your Air Conditioner
Following manufacturer instructions, homeowners can generally:

• Clean or replace the filter(s) regularly.
• Keep leaves and other debris off the condensing (outdoor) unit.
• Keep the condensing coils clean by (very) carefully brushing and hosing them.
• Keep shrubs and other plant growth that might obstruct airflow at least 18 inches away from the condenser.
• Maintain insulation on ductwork in attics and other unconditioned areas.
• Check the condensate drain for any sign of blockage or leakage. Water should be dripping from the end of this drain line when the unit is running. If no dripping is noted, check at the indoor unit for any signs of leakage.
• Keep room input and return registers clear of furniture or other obstructions.

Randall Cantrell, UF/IFAS Housing Specialist

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Keeping Food Safe: Special Tips for Potluck Parties (FCS8999/FY1287)
Potluck parties are very popular in the United States because they allow people to share responsibility of cooking and food preparation. While it’s wonderful to be able to share favorite recipes with friends and to have the opportunity to eat a variety of foods without much cost, potluck meals are also associated with an increased risk of foodborne illness. To decrease your risk of foodborne illness, itis very important to follow the “two-hour rule” and refrigerate all prepared foods within two hours of purchasing or cooking. Read this 2-page fact sheet for more potluck food safety tips. Written by Claudia Peñuela and Amarat Simonne and published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, March 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fy1287

Continue reading »]]> Caring for Stepparents in Later Life (FAR4010/FM460)
“Most people agree with the idea that families have a responsibility to care for older family members. Yet some changes in family life have brought up new questions about caring for the elderly. What happens when a parent divorces and then remarries later in life? Should adult children care for the stepparent as well as the parent? These questions are becoming more and more important as individuals live longer and growing numbers of older adults divorce and remarry…” This transcript of a two-minute Family Album Radio broadcast was published by the UF Department of Family Youth and Community Sciences, March 2012.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fm460