July 2019 —Volume 14, Issue 3

Our Mission is to protect, monitor, restore, and regulate Morongo’s natural resources, honoring and protecting all life, land, and traditions and enhancing tribal sovereignty. We will promote

environmental awareness and environmentally considerate actions by exemplifying environmental stewards, fostering collaborative relationships, expanding education and outreach activities, and

continuing to enrich and develop our programs.

July 2019 - Volume 14, Issue 3

Environmental Protection Department

Thank you for recycling this newsletter when finished!

July Abandoned Vehicle Removal Month

Written by: Jon Castillo, Environmental Technician

Please help us clean up unwanted vehicles from

Morongo this month of July!

There are many reasons why we keep unused

vehicles, such as sentimental value, your first car, the

loss of a loved one, restoration attempts, an accident,

and many other reasons. An abandoned, unwanted, or

unused vehicle on your property that is no longer usable

can be a danger to your property and your family.

These vehicles that are in driveways and fields can collect diseased vermin,

feral cats, insects such as poisonous spiders, and all types of desert snakes that may be

poisonous. A vehicle’s interior can turn into a feeding and nesting ground for wildlife. Most

field mice will eat away at wires and upholstery.

In time, vehicles will deteriorate and rubber seals will crack. This causes leaks of radiator

fluid, hydraulic fluid, motor oil, transmission oil, and gear oil into the ground. Gasoline or

diesel tanks can rust and break through and leak onto the ground also. This can leak into our

groundwater, causing contamination to drinking water. Rainfall

can cause oils and fluids to flow into waterways, which can be

harmful to wildlife. Eventually, metal will develop rust and

weaken. This can leave sharp edges on a vehicle that can cut into

your skin. Rust has bacteria that causes tetanus. Tetanus causes a

serious disease that can result in pain in your neck and jaw,

interfere with your respiratory system, and can be fatal.

The Environmental Protection Department has made July the

month for helping our residents with removing abandoned and unwanted vehicles and helping

protect Morongo’s environment. Residents can call for a free pick up for vehicles not wanted

on their property. The property owner must sign for the vehicle to be removed and a quick

vehicle identification check with Patrol will be made, just to insure the vehicle is not stolen.

The vehicle will then be removed by a tow truck from the property. There is no limit to how

many vehicles you can have removed from your property. We do not remove boats, jet skis, or

travel trailers.

Our goal for the month of July is to remove ten vehicles. For more information and to

request your vehicle removal, please call the Environmental Protection Department

Environmental Technician @ 760-219-2508.

EPA’s Safer Choice Program

2

Integrated Pest Management: Microorganisms

3

Getting to Know Climate Change and How to Adapt

4

Summer Water Conservation Tips

6

Outdoor Air Quality and Asthma

7

Upcoming Events 8

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

July 2019 —Volume 14, Issue 3 2

In 2004, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) established a program to help promote the use

of less toxic chemicals in everyday cleaning and household products. In every home, the use of toxic

chemicals in chemical-based products such as “Clorox Bleach Foamer” or “Simple Green All-Purpose

Cleaner” may leave toxic residue, produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that may be harmful or

cause discomfort to those who have respiratory problems, and may do more harm than good in your home

[1]. However, the chemical-based products that are labeled with the Safer Choice Program logo have

undergone rigorous scientific processes administered by EPA [2]. Any chemical-based products that are

labeled as a “Safer Choice” have been deemed to be safer for your home, your family, pets, your

workplace, and the environment. For example, “LYSOL Disinfectant Spray” uses many industrial

cleaning ingredients which are harmful in comparison to an EPA approved product such as “Beyond

Multi-Purpose Cleaner,” which uses ingredients that are proven to be safer for their functional use [1-3].

All ingredients and Safer Choice products that have been approved by EPA, address a broad range of

potential toxicological effects as shown below:

carcinogens, mutagens, reproductive or developmental

toxicants

persistent, bio-accumulative, and toxic chemicals

systemic or internal organ toxicants

asthmagens

sensitizers

chemicals on authoritative lists of chemicals of concern

Any products that have impurities of more than 0.01 percent

(%) will not pass the Safer Choice Standard and as a result, is not

labeled as a “Safer Choice” [2]. Chemicals that have toxicological hazards associated with endocrine

activities are not allowed.

As a consumer, reading labels on all cleaning supplies is important before purchasing them.

With due diligence, you will be able to avoid harmful chemicals from being introduced into your

home and the environment. In the United States, manufacturers are not obligated to list all

ingredients in consumer products [2]. Even if a chemical-based product has a title or is labeled

"green", it does not necessarily mean it is safer. Look only for EPA approved products as they

will undergo a rigorous annual review and companies that have the Safer Choice logo must

adhere to EPA’s Safer Choice requirements.

If you are tired of purchasing harsh chemical-based products or just have second thoughts

about one you are currently using, then try making your own green cleaning products! Contact

the Environmental Protection Department for green cleaning recipes! See our basic recipe

guide here: https://morongonation.org/images/pdf/Green_Cleaning_Brochure.pdf

EPA’s Safer Choice Program Written by: Brandon Gutierrez, Environmental Specialist

[1] EWG. Know your Environment. Protect your Health [Online]. Available: https://www.ewg.org/guides/cleaners [2] EPA. Safer Choice [Online]. Available: https://www.epa.gov/saferchoice [3] Beyond. Beyond Multi-Purpose Cleaner [Online]. Available: https://beyondcleanproducts.com/product/beyond-multi-purpose-disinfectant-cleaner/

Green cleaning recipe: Toilet bowl bombs

July 2019 —Volume 14, Issue 3 3

Integrated Pest Management: Microorganisms Written by: Dana Morey, Environmental Manager

Under normal circumstances, cleaning is sufficient for controlling dirt and microorganisms in your

home. When fighting flu and colds, you may need to disinfect surfaces. Disinfecting wipes and sprays

are regulated pesticides. Antimicrobial products kill or slow microorganisms, very tiny organisms you

need a microscope to see including bacteria, viruses, protozoans, and fungi spores. These pesticides can

be important tools to combat the spread of flu and other easily transmitted illnesses and are commonly

found at home, school, and work. They can also be very harmful if not used correctly. Follow these steps

to prevent the spread of viruses and make sure you are properly using disinfectants.

Try ‘natural’ disinfectants!

For household use, under normal circumstances, you can easily and effectively disinfect your home using

natural, non-toxic cleaners made from products you already have readily available!

White Vinegar removes mildew, grease, odors, stains, and wax buildup. It is

acidic so it will kill most surface bacteria.

Vodka can be used as a disinfectant to remove mold and mildew and degreases,

removes stains, and refreshes fabric. For the most antibacterial power, look for

100 proof vodka and let it sit on surfaces for a few minutes before rinsing.

Hydrogen peroxide can be used to kill bacteria on surfaces, kill mold, and to

remove stains on white fabrics.

Essential oils can be added to soap and water or vodka to enhance cleaning

properties. Bacteria-fighting essential oils include tea tree, citronella, geranium,

lemongrass, and orange.

Steam can sanitize both hard and soft surfaces and, if used properly, can kill

bacteria, germs, dust mites, and other pathogens.

Resources: https://schoolipm.tamu.edu/2019/01/30/ipm-for-microorganisms-with-a-focus-on-influenza-viruses/;

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/antimicrobials.html; www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/cleaning/naturally-antibacterial-

cleaners

Prevent the spread.

Wash your hands frequently, stay

home when sick, and cover your

nose and mouth when you cough or

sneeze.

Clean surfaces. Cleaning

commonly touched surfaces or

objects with soap and water

removes some germs but also

debris and dirt allowing for more

effective disinfecting.

Disinfecting. Disinfecting after

cleaning further kills germs on

surfaces and objects. Cleaning and

disinfecting is sufficient for home

Sterilizing. Sterilizing lowers the

number of viable germs on surfaces

to medically safe levels. This is the

level required for hospitals but not

necessary for households.

Disinfect safety!

Choose an appropriate disinfectant approved by

EPA. Products registered with the EPA have been tested

and reviewed to make sure claims of effectiveness on the

label are correct. If you are trying to combat flu virus,

make sure the disinfectant label states the product is

approved to kill the influenza virus.

Follow the directions exactly. Often products need to

remain on the surface or object for a specific period of

time to effectively kill the microorganisms and may need

to be rinsed afterward with water.

Wear gloves and wash your hands after using. You

may also want to wear eye protection. Read the label for

specific precautions.

Pesticides are never meant to be used on the body.

Disinfecting cleaning wipes should never be used on

hands or faces, especially of little ones, unless they are

specifically designed for such a use. Read the labels very

carefully and never allow children to use disinfectants.

July 2019 —Volume 14, Issue 3 4

Many people tend to speak about climate change as something to be forecasted in the future;

however, that is not the case. The effects of climate change people worry about and hope to not

experience have already begun. This may sound alarming, but the time to stop climate change is too late.

Naturally, this means we must adapt to the effects of climate change and do our best to keep the impacts

of climate change at a minimum to ensure the planet’s health and longevity for future generations.

Brief Background

Climate describes the conditions of a specific region over a long term, meaning Southern California

conditions are described as having a hot, dry desert climate. Likewise, the Arctic would be described as

having a cold climate as opposed to the Amazon’s hot, humid climate.

Weather describes the conditions in a local region for a short amount of time such as rain, snow,

wind, hurricanes, and tornadoes. This can be described as the day-to-day weather events that you’d

check on your smartphone or the news.

What is climate change?

Climate change is any significant long-term change in the expected patterns of average weather of a

region (or the whole Earth) over a significant period of time. Climate change is about abnormal

variations to the climate, and the effects of these variations on other parts of the Earth.

Moreover, climate change is described as the fast changing average climate of the entire planet. This

entails the global average temperature, which is rising at a historic speed. The recorded warming of the

global average temperature in the last century is the fastest it has ever grown in the entire planet’s

history. As a result, the climate of the entire planet is becoming negatively affected. This means weather

events will become more intense as evident by the several hurricanes experienced on the East

Coast and Texas, as well as more frequent tornadoes in the heartland.

What does this mean for the Reservation?

Some may believe that the global temperature rising by a few degrees may not make a

difference because they’re seeing it in relation to them and not Earth’s climate. A few degrees

globally makes a huge difference in the grand scheme of the entire planet. Nature is

maintained through balance and consistency. Since human activity has interfered with the

balance, the climate has begun to change.

In relation to the reservation, we will experience negative effects in natural conditions such

as varying/more intense rainfall, increase in annual maximum/minimum temperatures,

increased aridity, and increased evapotranspiration.

The projected rainfall on the Reservation is set to become more intense and unpredictable

in the coming years. As a result, there will be longer periods of drought and rainfall (flooding).

The annual rainfall is projected to decrease by 8.35% over the next 30 years.

The MIN temperature is set to increase by 5.51° F by 2075 (50.95° F/year) and the MAX

temperature is set to increase by 6.03° F by 2075 (80.11 °F/year) which will affect the entire

community especially elders and those with heart/respiratory conditions. As a result, the

warmer temperatures will produce poorer air quality as ground-level ozone (air pollutants)

formation is increased during heat waves.

Due to warmer temperatures, there will be an increased amount of dry vegetation due to

increased aridity. This then will lead to an increased risk of wildfires while intensifying the

Getting to Know Climate Change & How to Adapt Written by: Levi Norte, Environmental College Intern

July 2019 —Volume 14, Issue 3 5

Getting to Know Climate Change & How to Adapt, Cont.

wildfire season because there will be a lack of moisture in the environment. As temperature increases,

the rate of evapotranspiration increases. Evaporation increases because there is a higher amount of

energy available to convert the liquid water to water vapor. Transpiration increases because at warmer

temperatures plants open their stomata and release more water vapor.

How can we adapt and move forward?

The entire community will be affected by climate change, which means we must work together as a

community to adapt to the negative effects. This means keeping the reservation clean of any pollutants

seen in the water or just lying around. Furthermore, it means doing our best to watch our health by

avoiding heat when the temperatures are warmer, checking the air quality, and preparing for natural

disasters like wildfires and flooding. Here are some quick tips and friendly hashtags to keep in mind

when living on the reservation:

Community Outreach Project

College environmental intern Levi Norte, is

working on a project titled, “This Is Our Home”. The

goal of the project is to inform the community about

climate change and gather testimonies to enact

change. In this light, Levi has gone to two events at

the schools to get kids more informed and encourage

the youth to take a pledge keep the Reservation clean

and healthy for future generations.

Students making hand cut-outs to place on poster to take the pledge.

Flooding (high risk flood area, stay off roads) #TurnAroundDontDrown

Wildfires (high risk, rid property of dry plants/bush) #OneLessSpark

Heat Waves (high temps, stay indoors & hydrated) #TooHotLetsNot

Air Pollutants (higher temps=more air pollutants, look for flag to see air quality) #IfTheAirIsPoorStayIndoors

Resource: www.climateconsole.org

July 2019 —Volume 14, Issue 3 6

In California, water use tends to go up in the warmer months of

summer. This makes sense when you think about how hot it gets in our

area. It takes a lot more work to keep lawns green and trees alive during

June through September. The large difference can be seen in the table of

data compiled by the Pacific Institute. In the city of Banning, a resident

is likely to use almost double the amount of water in August than they

used in February. With this in mind, there are many ways we can reduce

our water use in summer.

Outdoor Water Use

Water your yard in the morning or evening.

The warmer it is outside, the quicker water

will evaporate off of the ground instead of soaking into where plant roots can

use it.

Check if your lawn really needs to be watered. If you step on the grass and it

comes back up, it doesn’t need water.

Encourage deep root growth. Raising your lawnmower blade creates taller grass with longer roots.

Watering less frequently for a little longer also encourages plants to develop deeper roots.

Maintain your irrigation system. Check for leaks frequently since they can be tougher to spot once it

gets to be really hot outside. Make sure the water is only going to areas you want it to and there isn’t

runoff.

Don’t hose off any sidewalks or driveways. Use a broom to sweep away dust and leaves.

Use a commercial car wash. While it might be tempting to wash your car at home,

commercial car washes usually recycle their water and use a lot less. If you choose to wash

the car at home, do so over the lawn and skip irrigating it that day.

Pools and Spas

Check your pool or spa for leaks. Do a visual inspection, and then do a

bucket test (see https://wateruseitwisely.com/is-there-a-leak-in-your-pool-

system/ for a good explanation).

Use a pool cover. Pool covers can reduce evaporation by up to 90%, reduce

how much you need to clean your pool, and keep the water nice and warm.

Reduce water loss. Turn off any waterfalls or fountains if you aren’t actively

using your pool or use them only while entertaining. Reduce splash out by

not overfilling the pool. Decrease the water temperature to slow down evaporation.

Water Quality Information

Summer is also a great time to go on vacation and spend recreational time on or near

water. While warm weather makes the water appealing, poor water quality can mean issues

with harmful algal blooms or high bacteria levels that might lead to people getting sick.

Heading to the beach—https://beachreportcard.org/, https://healthebay.org/beach-report-

card-2018/, or https://watersgeo.epa.gov/beacon2/

State of California—https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/safe_to_swim/index.html or

https://mywaterquality.ca.gov/habs/

Nationwide information—https://watersgeo.epa.gov/mywaterway/mywaterway.html

Want more information?

Visit https://www.epa.gov/watersense/when-its-hot or https://www.nrdc.org/experts/peter-

lehner/7-easy-ways-save-water-summer

Summer Water Conservation Tips Written by: Kimberly Miller, Environmental Specialist II

Average gallons of water used per person each day

(2015-2019)

February August

Colorado River

Region 112 192

City of Banning

80 150

http://www2.pacinst.org/gpcd/map/#about

July 2019 —Volume 14, Issue 3 7

Outdoor Air Quality and Asthma Written by: Pamela Atcitty, Environmental Specialist II

What is Asthma?

Asthma is a chronic disease involving inflamed airways in the lungs.

Once triggered, the airways in lungs swell and the airways shrink. The

muscles around the airways tighten and mucous that your body makes clogs

up the airways. The tightness makes it difficult for air to move in and out of

the lungs, causing symptoms such as coughing, wheezing, shortness of

breath, and/or chest tightness. Asthma’s triggers are usually factors such as

allergens, pollens, emotional stress, bronchopulmonary infection, weather,

and air pollution.

Air Pollution Studies

Despite its common occurrence and potentially fatal nature of this disease, it was not until 1960 that

studies have been conducted to clarify the roles of the above asthma trigger factors. Since then, concern

with harmful health effects of the environment has sparked many investigations nationwide, especially

in heavily populated metropolitan areas, like Los Angeles. The main objective of these studies are to

evaluate the serious and long-lasting respiratory effects of air pollutants. Most recently, research focused

on Southern California, notorious for poor air quality due to smog, uncovered the relationship between

levels of air pollution and the number of childhood asthma cases.

Pollution in Southern California and Asthma Rate

California has the strictest emissions and clean fuel rules in the nation,

and despite these strict environmental regulations, it is home to seven of the

nation’s top 10 smoggiest cities. Over the past 20 years, Los Angeles has been

ranked as the nation’s smoggiest metropolitan area 19 times. Although Los

Angeles’ pollution continues to worsen, some Southern California

cities’ air quality trends have improved. It is in these communities

that a new study published in the Journal of the American Medical

Association uncovered the relationship between improved air

pollution and the rate of asthma in young patients. This

investigation revealed that communities with declining air

pollutants corresponded with declining rates of asthma cases. Over

the course of more than two decades, data was collected to track

changes in asthma incidences on thousands of children in Southern California, as air quality

improved. Questionnaires tracked changes in participants health and air pollution levels were

monitored in each of the study communities. The analysis spanned nine Southern California

communities and included over 4,000 children. The analysis found that, the number of

children who developed asthma went down as levels of nitrogen dioxide and particulate

matter in the air went down too. On average, the researchers found a 20 percent reduction in

total asthma rates. The findings are consistent with previous researches showing that

nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter, both contributing to smog, and released by cars and

burning fossil fuels, are associated with asthma.

In California, there have been successful efforts to reduce air pollution, which this study

has shown, and with it comes health benefits. Although the levels of air pollutants are still

rising in Southern California, these investigations show a definite health benefit to reducing

pollution and cleaning the air.

Source: Garcia E, Berhane KT, Islam T, et al. Association of Changes in Air Quality With

Incident Asthma in Children in California, 1993-2014. JAMA. 2019;321(19):1906–1915.

doi:10.1001/jama.2019.5357

Los Angeles is nation’s

smoggiest city.

Asthma rates drop and air quality improves.

July 2019 —Volume 14, Issue 3 8

Environmental Protection Dept. 12700 Pumarra Road Banning, CA 92220

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Upcoming Events

2019 Internship Program Presentations

Let our interns present you with their ideas for the preservation of Morongo. 2019

high school interns Kaya Marcotte and Vanessa Toro and college intern Levi Norte.

Thursday, July 18—11am

Tribal Administration, 2nd Floor Conference Room at 12700 Pumarra Road, Banning

Household Hazardous Wastes Drop-Off Day

Saturday, July 20—9am to Noon, Behind Public Works

Bring your paints, oils, cleaners, electronics, batteries, and sharps.

Environmental Protection Department Open House

Thursday, July 18—9am to 11am, Environmental Offices, 2nd Floor, Tribal

Administration Building at 12700 Pumarra Rd, Banning

Get to know your environmental protections staff and enjoy refreshments, raffles, and

learn about available resources!