Consumer Awareness: Home Safety Protection

April 24, 2024

Consumer awareness is about empowering the consumer to make informed decisions regarding products and services in the marketplace. This includes understanding features, important product information, your rights, and how to make a complaint if you are unhappy with a product or service. It also involves being aware of potential safety hazards.

Why consumer awareness is important:

  • Increased Confidence: Knowledge empowers you to navigate the marketplace with confidence, knowing you’re making informed decisions.
  • Protection from Unethical Practices: Knowing your rights helps avoid scams, misleading advertising, and unfair contract terms.
  • Promotes a Fair Market: Consumer awareness fosters a marketplace where businesses are held accountable for fair practices and quality products.
  • Safety: Consumer awareness campaigns often target important safety issues to protect consumers from harm.

Many resources from the Federal government are available to help you become a more informed consumer about home renovation and paint safety. The following are two best-selling publications from the Government Publishing Office Bookstore that offer consumers valuable home safety protection information.

Lead-Safe Certified Guide to Renovate Right. This booklet provides basic facts about lead and your family’s health and how to choose a contractor if you are a property owner. It includes information on preparing for the renovation or repair job and what to look for during and after the job.

Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home describes the hazards of lead-based paint in homes built before 1978, shows how lead gets into the body, the health effects of lead paint, what you can do to protect your family, and where to go for information. It lists State health and environmental agencies, EPA regional offices, and Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) regional offices. Spanish version available here.

By becoming a more aware consumer, you can protect yourself and your family and make informed choices.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger Trudy Hawkins is the Senior Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Office supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (https://bookstore.gpo.gov).

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home

December 8, 2023

Protecting your family from lead in your home is crucial for their health and well-being. If your house was built fifty-plus years ago, lead-based paint could be hidden under refreshed coats of recent vintage or more up-to-date colors. Lead is a toxic metal that can cause severe harm to children, particularly those under the age of six. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) warns that lead exposure can cause various issues, such as cognitive impairment and learning difficulties. It can also damage the nervous system and kidneys.

The EPA provides comprehensive guidance on protecting your family from lead hazards in your home. Here’s how to identify potential lead sources:

  • Lead-based paint: Homes built before 1978 are more likely to have lead-based paint.
  • Lead pipes: If your home was built before 1986, it may have lead pipes, which can contaminate your drinking water.
  • Lead-contaminated soil: Lead from deteriorating paint or other sources can contaminate soil around your home.
  • Lead-containing products: Avoid using products that contain lead, such as certain cosmetics, toys, and traditional medicines.

Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home from the EPA provides important information on protecting your family from lead. This easy-to-read booklet highlights the dangers of lead from paint, dust, and soil in and around your home, which can be dangerous if not managed properly. For example, children who seem healthy may have dangerous levels of lead in their bodies. The EPA suggests testing children for lead levels even though they may appear healthy. Also, disturbing surfaces with lead-based paint or removing lead-based paint improperly can increase the danger to your family. (The Spanish version is available here).

Preventing lead exposure is essential for protecting your family’s health and well-being. Taking proactive measures and seeking professional guidance when needed can create a safe and healthy home environment for your loved ones.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publications and Information Sales Office.

Images and additional content provided by Government Book Talk Editor Trudy Hawkins. Trudy is the Senior Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Office supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (https://bookstore.gpo.gov).

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

GPO’s Gift Guide Series: Books for the Environmental Enthusiast

November 28, 2018

It’s time to make a list and check it twice … so many gifts to buy, so little time! ‘Tis the season for over-crowded malls, stressful shopping sprees, and loads of self-doubt about what to get your family and friends. Before you go all bah, humbug on us, GPO is here to help. Give the gift of reading, knowledge and doing something good for the world this holiday season. From now until the end of the holiday season, we’ll be your little elves, bringing you a holiday gift guide series on our blog with unique ideas for everyone in your life, from the environmental enthusiast to the health nut to the great outdoorsman. Today, we’ll start with ideas for your favorite friend of the planet.

Toys, books, and clothes all make for great gifts for children. But what if your gift could offer that little something extra special … like a way to help save the planet! Pair environmental publications from the GPO Bookstore with other green and eco-friendly toys, games, school supplies and clothes (there are tons of options out there) for a cute, cohesive present that will put a smile on their face and teach them a valuable lesson about caring for our one and only planet. Published by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the EPA Activity Book is the perfect educational yet fun holiday gift for kids … the ones who made the nice list, that is. The booklet provides a visual depiction of how the EPA protects our entire environment, the land where we live, and our ecosystems. With crossword games and puzzles, children will be spending their holiday morning educating themselves about good environmental practices. Another publication great for kids that features a favorite Dr. Seuss character is the Join the Lorax to Help Save Energy, Water, and Protect the Planet activity book. This book teaches children how to save energy at home and at school, how to keep pollution out of the air and keep the earth cool! A graphic and simple-to-understand activity book, this publication engages school children in learning and caring about the environment.

Need a gift for someone who is passionate about climate change? NASA and the Environment: The Case of Ozone Depletion published by NASA represents a critical case study in the history of NASA and environmental sciences. And Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States from the Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is a scientific assessment to enhance understanding and inform decisions about the growing threat of climate change to the health and well-being of residents of the United States. The assessment is part of the ongoing efforts of The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP)’s sustained National Climate Assessment process and was called for under the President’s Climate Action Plan. USGCRP agencies identified human health impacts as a high-priority topic for scientific assessment. This assessment was developed by a team of more than 100 experts from eight U.S. Federal agencies to inform people on the potential negative impact that climate change can have on human health.

Finding the perfect present can be tough. A gift that makes a difference beats even the silkiest pajamas, most pleasant perfumes, or smartest speakers, especially for someone who takes an interest in the health of our planet and its people. And hey, Mother Earth deserves a gift, too! Good luck with your holiday shopping, and stay tuned for more unique holiday gift ideas right here on the Government Book Talk blog. Happy hunting!

Click here to shop our Holiday Gift Guides for everyone on your list.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Cat Goergen is the PR Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations office.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Homeowners & Landowners: The U.S. Gov Has You Covered!

April 26, 2016

Homeowners and landowners! The U.S. Government has several useful publications to help you make knowledgeable decisions about your habitat. Reduce the hazards of lead-based paint. Stop up energy-wasting air leaks. Know what you need to know about interstate natural gas projects. Read on!

Protect Your Family from Lead in Your Home

055-000-00683-1Lead-based paint is hazardous. You probably know that. The older the building, the more likely the inside and outside surfaces contain the heavy metal (the chemical element, not the music). The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Consumer Product Safety Commission, and the Department of Housing and Urban Development pulled together this brochure to help you identify the many sources of lead and eliminate risks.

First step: “The only way to find out if paint, dust, or soil lead hazards exist is to test for them.” For homes and childcare facilities built before 1978, you have cause to act even quicker. In fact, Federal law requires disclosure of lead-based paint information to prospective buyers and renters of pre-1978 properties. Protect your family from damaging health effects—check your home for lead!

A Do-It-Yourself Guide to Sealing and Insulating with Energy Star

055-000-00684-9Does Aunt Mabel often feel a draft when she’s visiting your home? Better patch up those leaks! The EPA offers this handy guide to locate and seal leaks, specifically in the basement and attic where most problematic leaks are hidden. Pesky leaks love to seek cover behind insulation.

To get started, make a rough sketch of your home’s floor plan. Spatial reference points will help you locate common household air leaks in wiring holes, plumbing vents, furnace flues, etc. Then follow the booklet’s guidance for plugging holes and caulking gaps. Enhance the performance of your insulation, reduce your energy bills, and make your home more comfortable—this government resource will get you there.

An Interstate Natural Gas Facility on My Land? What Do I Need to Know?

061-000-00967-1_Page_01If these are questions that keep you up at night, then grab yourself a copy of this Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) booklet. FERC is responsible for approving private natural gas pipelines projects. The agency assembled this concise, illustrative pamphlet to let consumers know:

  • How the Commission’s evaluation process works;
  • Landowner rights;
  • Issues involving project location and pipeline construction
  • Environmental, safety, and storage issues.

Bonus: a two-page graphic of a pipeline installation sequence gives visual context to what it takes to move natural gas across state boundaries. It’s quite the process. And FERC is here to tell you all you need to know.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE PUBLICATIONS?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

 Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Our guest blogger is Chelsea Milko, Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

Leave a Comment » | Consumer Product Safety Commission, Consumers, Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Environment, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Earth Day: Legislative Milestones & Beyond

April 21, 2016

In the 1960’s and 1970’s, a growing public awareness of the impact of human activity on the environment led to the enactment of key legislation protecting clean air, clean water, and endangered species, the establishment the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the annual observance of Earth Day every April 22.  On Earth Day 2016, GPO makes available these original, authentic documents on govinfo.gov.

worldAside from ushering in legislative mechanisms to protect our environment, Earth Day helped raise public awareness of everyday greening. Green spaces benefit our environment and our psychological wellbeing. Naturally (pun intended), vegetation needs consistent, targeted care. Here are two U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) how-to guides for maintaining our planet’s valuable cache of green gold.

How to Prune Trees

When I think of pruning, I picture an English garden full of imaginative topiaries or a miniature bonsai masterpiece. But there are more than just aesthetic reasons for pruning—encouraging strong structure, wound closure, and space-conscience growth are all part of the snip and trim objective. “How to Prune Trees” explains the principles and approaches of keeping plants trees healthy and full of character.

001-000-04755-8This pamphlet tells you why, when, and how to use your hand pruners, lopping shears, and pole pruners. Don’t worry—there are helpful pictures, too. Although this publication is mostly a how-to resource, it does detail a few how-not-tos. The section on harmful pruning practices will make you wince with empathy. It’s a careful reminder that “just as proper pruning can enhance the form or character of plants, improper pruning can destroy it.” Finally, let this be your pruning mantra: “prune first for safety, next for health, and finally for aesthetics.”

Nursery Manual for Native Plants

This USDA Forest Service handbook covers all aspects of native nursery planning, crop propagation, and long-term fertility. This book takes tribal nursery design and management seriously. And so should you. Before you invest in a nursery, consider this: “a nursery is a web of interrelated factors. Each aspect of the nursery affects every other aspect.” So meta!

001-000-04744-2The text introduces Native American tribespeople to the benefits and drawbacks of growing native plants. Subsequent chapters breakdown the concepts of pest control, plant nutrition, growing media, and seed handling. Photos and specific examples demonstrate simple but effective techniques. Tribal nursery management is hard work. It’s also rewarding and challenging and visionary and practical. Nurseries can bring a tribal community together. Because of this, nursery design is “personal…you are the person who can best understand the unique…environment around you.”

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

 Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Our guest blogger is Chelsea Milko, Public Relations Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations Office.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Environmental resources from the Federal Government

June 4, 2015

environment 1It’s time, once again, for World Environment Day (WED), a globally-celebrated day for positive environmental action. Established by the UN General Assembly in 1972, WED is celebrated annually on June 5th and inspires worldwide environmental awareness, attention, and action.

2015’s theme is “resource efficiency and sustainable consumption and production in the context of the planet’s regenerative capacity, as captured in the slogan ‘Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care’.”

There are countless resources from the Federal Government on the topics of environmental protection, conservation, sustainability, green initiatives, and footprint reduction, just to name a few.

The White House has pioneered many initiatives focused on energy, climate change, and our environment. You can read more about all these initiatives, get the latest news, and even sign up for energy and environment updates via email at https://www.whitehouse.gov/energy.

And let’s not forget the obvious authority on tackling these issues, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). From epa.gov, you can get important facts and information about a host of environmental issues, including: air, chemicals and toxics, climate change, emergencies, greener living, health and safety, land and cleanup, pesticides, waste, and water. Of course, you can also access laws and regulations that are in the works to support these issues. And with summer nearly here, you can also get sun safety tips and learn about insect repellents. You can even locate resources in your own community to address local environmental challenges by inputting an address, zip code, or location name.

USA.gov offers a browseable list of .gov resources on the topics of “environment, energy, and agriculture.” From there, you can also sign up to receive updates when there is new information available on these topics.

earth-from-spaceGPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications offers access to a wide variety of related publications and resources from across the Federal Government. Here is just a small sampling:

GPO’s Federal Digital System also provides free access to countless pieces of legislation and Federal regulations on the topic. Here are just a few:

earth 2The U.S. Government Bookstore offers a wide variety of U.S. Government publications related to this important and timely topic.

Take a look at our 19 collections of publications related to the topic of Environment and Nature.

There are U.S. Government publications on topics ranging from Environmental Protection and Conservation collection to Biofuels and Renewable Energy to Earth Day and more!

Celebrate World Environment Day by taking in all of the environmental information resources provided by the U.S. Government, and share this information with others.

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Click on the Links: For the free resources, click on the links above in the blog post.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at http://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Kelly Seifert is the Lead Planning Specialist in GPO’s Library Services & Content Management division.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins