Green Cleaning

SOMETHING SMELLS!

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Marilyn M. Soliven

Here we are in 2009. Foremost on my wish list is to initiate changes in my home, like clearing out cupboards, painting walls, checking drainages and pipes and all the cleaning needed to be done from top to bottom, inside and out. I have begun with minor sorting out starting with my closet, giving away things I do not need or use. 

There is a greener way to clean your home. You can use everyday items you probably already have in your cupboards to clean almost everything- from the stove to the floors, wooden furniture to glass windows, and more. Take stock of the cleaning supplies you have and resolve to replace each one with a greener version the next time it needs replacing. There are alternatives that work well, will save you money and are less toxic to the environment. So, to do green cleaning, try to remember some basic rules like saving those old toothbrushes for scrubbing dirt and stains out of small, difficult-to-reach areas. Also, clean up as you go along so that dirt and grime does not get too dried out or encrusted to be removed by natural cleaners. Use a dustpan and brush instead of the vacuum cleaner for small cleaning operations. Instead of aerosol sprays, opt for the plastic spray pumps. Aerosol spray cans are filled under pressure, so when you press the button, the product is carried farther - which carries the chemical into the air. The sprays can trigger allergic reactions in some people and bring on asthmatic attacks as well as polluting the atmosphere. Here are a few examples of some natural cleaners which you may already have in your home and how to use them. 

Borax is a natural mineral that’s a disinfectant. It’s great in the laundry and as a kitchen cleaner. Add it to your laundry powder to whiten and soften discolored towels and other whites. You can buy it at local drugstores for about Ph 60.00/kilo. 

Baking Soda is a mild abrasive and a good all-purpose cleaner. A 454gm. box costs around Ph 47.00 nowadays at grocery stores. Use it as you would an abrasive cleaning powder. Here are some suggestions: 

* Brighten up taps and other chrome fittings with water mixed with a little baking soda. 

* Clean worktops, appliances, and other surfaces with a small amount of baking soda on a damp cloth. 

* Clean the inside of your oven by moistening the walls with a damp cloth, sprinkling baking soda on the surfaces, and leaving it for an hour before wiping it off with a cloth. (If oven stains are too stubborn, try an oven cleaner that contains as few chemicals as possible). 

* Soak dirty pots and pans in a basin of hot water with 2 or 3 tablespoons of baking soda for about an hour. Then scrub them clean with an abrasive scrubber. 

* For red wine or coffee stains, pour soda water on the stain; if that doesn’t work, rub it in, and then brush it off. 

* Use baking soda on mildew in the shower and on shower curtains. Add just enough water to the baking soda to turn it into a thick paste. Use an old toothbrush for cleaning the grout between tiles. 

* Pour = cup baking soda down your kitchen or bathroom drain followed by = cup vinegar and then some boiling water. This combination breaks down fatty acids that block drains and helps to keep drains smelling fresh. 

Vinegar clears away grease and deodorizes. Use regular distilled white vinegar to 

* Clean lime scale off bathtubs, sinks, and shower heads. Soak the shower head in vinegar and then some boiling water. This combination breaks down fatty acids that block drains and helps to keep drains smelling fresh. 

* Wash your windows. Spray a mixture of equal parts vinegar and water on the windows and wipe them with old, crumpled - up newspaper to shine them up. (If the print comes off the newspaper onto your hands, it’s not yet old enough, so don’t use it for cleaning just yet.) 

* Brush around the toilet bowl. For stubborn marks, sprinkle the toilet bowl with baking soda and follow up by pouring some vinegar on top of it. Be prepared for the bubbling froth that results. Use a toilet brush to scour the bowl clean. 

Calamansi juice works on lime scale on bathroom fixtures. If the stains are stubborn, leave some juice on the mark for a few minutes, or soak a tissue with the juice and set it on the problem area. Calamansi is available all year round and costs Ph 25.00/ kilo. 

Olive oil takes finger marks off stainless steel, and when mixed with a little vinegar (about one part vinegar to three parts oil), it makes a good floor polish (or salad dressing!). A 250 ml. bottle costs about Ph.150.00 to Ph 200.00. 

Use a mixture of calamansi juice, water and olive oil instead of furniture polish. The proportions you use depend on the wood and how dirty it is; try a spoonful of each to start. Use it like you would any other polish: Wipe it on and then wipe it off with a dry cloth. Soda Water helps remove carpet stains. Simply dribble some on and dab the stains away. 

Experiment with the proportions and combinations of these natural cleaners until you find the ideal mix for cleaning every item in your house. When you find a mixture that works for you, make up a batch, put it into an empty jar or bottle, label it, and keep it for future use. 

Remember, using natural products and creating your own cleaning products may require a bit more effort on your part because they’re less abrasive and may be slow acting than chemical-laden alternatives. If you find that you still need to purchase other cleaning products in the supermarkets, be on the lookout for eco-friendly brands less harsh to the environment. Being conscious of what you use in your home is the first step to green cleaning.*

VEILED DEPRIVATION

SOMETHING SMELLS

Negros Daily Bulletin

by Jose Ma. S. Jalandoni

Our trapo leaders (not all)  - who, unfortunately, compose a big chunk of government- seem to be losing their ability to conceal their dastardly intentions.  Nowadays their well meaning projects, in one way or another, fall into disarray and are found not to be so well meaning after all.  On the national level examples are the ZTE, LRT, fertilizer scams and so on.

And so it is with our local officials here in Bacolod.  Take the case of the open dumpsite at Brgy. Felisa.  Mayor Leonardia and his cohorts (Atty. Zamora et al) have been moving heaven and earth to justify their choice for our garbage dumpsite, only to be revealed ( by the Anti BAHA and friends) that the area is indeed inappropriate. 

As early as Dec. 21, 2004, the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) reported that the soil condition at Purok Acacia, Felisa is permeable, and the groundwater level is shallow at 2.1 meters from the surface. This means that the soil is very active in water discharge directly penetrating to ground water level.  MGB had studied three areas, recommended Purok Hagnaya, but said the Acacia and Balulan areas may be used provided the city implements mitigating factors, including putting an impermeable lining among others which will ultimately cost more to the taxpayer.

Worse, Purok Acacia site is only 15 meters away from the Cabura Creek. IRR, Rule XIV Operations of Sanitary Landfills, Letter M Number 1 states:  The facility shall be at minimum of 50 meters away from any perennial stream, lake or river.

The National Solid Waste Management Council Executive Director Atty. Zoilo Andin, Jr. issued a “ Notice of Non- compliance with Sec. 37 of Republic Act. 9003” on July 31, 2008, warning Mayor Leonardia to immediately undertake measures to address the city’s continued non-compliance with the law. He further said that failure to heed the warning could result in administrative prosecution before the DILG or criminal action to impose the penalties provided for the R> A. 9003.  What happened to all that warning?

The city so conveniently excuses itself from the responsibility but upon closer scrutiny the obvious fact is the local officials led by the Mayor/ Atty. Zamora were also definitely remiss in their choice of the garbage site and the implementation of R.A. 9003.  The DENR is not off the hook either.  The DENR together with our local  officials are guilty- period.

And this is the crux of this short article.  Isn’t the responsibility of seeing to the welfare of the constituents of Bacolod the primordial reason for our elected officials’ being?  Aren’t they the ones who are delegated to steer the laws and regulations of the city to their proper implementation and conclusion?  Because of such a mandate, they are obligated to enforce these laws concerning correct waste disposal and as such, obligated again to empower the people to maintain a strict regimen for their health and welfare. This is good governance.  Because they continue to fail to do this, they deprive us the right to a wholesome and safe environment which is one of the most important conditions  in a modern city which Leonardia claims Bacolod is today. 

Not providing the city with the proper waste disposal program is deprivation – albeit veiled… this is what they are good at…hiding the truth.  The people see the dumpsite.  They don’t realize it does not conform to the basic requirements for safety and health.

 

 

 

THE GREEN WORKPLACE

SOMETHING SMELLS! 

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Tina M. Monfort

As I always say, small things add up.   If 50 people do 50 small things it starts to make a big difference. Encourage coworkers to get into the game, start reducing energy consumption in the workplace and see how much fun it can be.

Our environment is in a crisis.   So what do we do?  Year 2009 is the time to stop sitting on our hands. With a little help and education, we can turn not only our homes, but also our workplaces eco-friendly.  Let’s start with these:

Be Paper Smart.  To create a paper smart / paperless office, start with changing  how you think about paper.  Before printing anything, ask yourself if it is absolutely necessary.  Preview all documents before printing.   Going paperless uses less storage space for files, saves cost for printing, mailing and shipping and needless to say, use fewer trees to produce paper.  Require everyone to use both sides of the paper.  Yes, REQUIRE!  This will definitely reduce your paper consumption by half.  Use misprints as notepads – misprints are not cute and attractive unlike the notepads but what would you rather be?  Cute or an earth-monster?

 Reuse Boxes.  Perfect for storing files and office supplies.  Why not request an artistic co-worker to fancy it up with old or unused poster paints, accessories, decorative papers just lying around your house? This will definitely add a little color to your cubicle.  Reuse everything else you can still use.  Reuse and recycle.  I’m sure there are 101 trays and cute little containers at home waiting to be used.  Bring them over.  This should make up for the not-so-cute misprint notepads.  That’s hitting two birds (or even more since the eco- list is endless) with one stone, don’t you think?  Isn’t recycling so much fun?

Go Draft. Ink used in printers is toxic and using lots is certainly not being eco-friendly. Use as little ink as possible by printing in ‘draft’ or by using black and white and remember to have the cartridge refilled. 

Don’t Fake It.  Bring real plants into the office. ‘Fakes’ might be low on maintenance, but the real thing is beautiful and enhances the oxygen level around.  Don’t forget to water them! 

Change Your Filters (or clean it).   Make sure your air condition unit is well serviced to maximize its efficiency.

Let The Sunshine In. Open up all the blinds. Natural light is free and brightens the mood of workers. With the sunshine come the flowers and the trees, the birds and the bees…back to work now.  Hungry yet?

Lunch Is Served.  Bring your own meals to work in reusable containers. Definitely healthier than take-out options. Less packaging too. Go easy on the bottled water.  Bring your own bottle container. A water intake of 2  to 3 liters daily is highly recommended.  

Go CFL (Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs or Lamps).  Use energy saving light bulbs.  Practically all hardware stores carry these spiral bulbs.  May cost a wee bit more off the shelf but it will surely outlive several traditional bulbs in the long run.  Do the math! 

Back To Basics. Turn off your lights when you don’t need them, unplug office equipments (fax machines, printers, copiers, computers) when not in use, take public transportation, carpool with friends, combine your errands, etc., etc.  Need I say more? 

Telecommute.  Whenever you can, use your computer and your telephone to do the work for you.  You produce no carbon output from driving.  Stop your idle engine if you are parked for more than 30 seconds, it will be more fuel efficient.  This also reduces fuel emissions into the air and into the parking lot – cough, cough!  And while we’re at this, always maintain your car. Under inflated tires and neglecting your regular tune-ups can cause your car’s gas mileage to plummet. 

Paper, Glass and Plastic.  Suggest to your Manager to put recycle bins in the office.  Make a list of items which are used often and therefore, thrown often.

And the winner is… lastly, acknowledge and reward workers who work hard in making a difference in our environment.  Maybe this will inspire more workers to be eco-friendly. 

Trivia: Did you know that laptops only consume one-eighth the power of a traditional desktop computer?

THINKING AND LIVING “GREEN”

SOMETHING SMELLS

Negros Daily Bulletin

By: Lourdes J. Ledesma

      Environmentalists and societies like Geenpeace, Earth 911, Conservation International, Rainforest Alliance, to name a few, have helped raise awareness around the world, of the need to protect our environment and wildlife, decrease pollution of the air, seas and natural resources and promote a more healthy lifestyle. In all areas and modes of life, there are directions toward a “green” approach in choice of food, materials, transportation, housing, garbage disposal, and so on. Corporations have been embarking on “green” projects as part of their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to the communities where they are drawing their livelihoods as a way to alleviate poverty, improve the quality of life of their workers, and protect the environment as well. An example of a favorite project is digging wells to provide clean drinking water. Another is to provide toilets to poor communities and places to recycle garbage. Speaking of garbage, there is an ongoing drive now to educate school children and barangay communities on solid waste management.

     Moving on to dwelling places, which is the environment closest to us, human beings, have we brought the green principle to focus on the materials we use for our houses? The things we use inside the home? Are we aware of the carcinogens and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) contained in current building materials used in the construction of a middle-class home? Plywood, compressed wood products, for instance, and wood finishes contain urea formaldehyde in its adhesives, and it takes some time for this and other compounds to off-gas or evaporate. Not only is plywood considered hazardous waste, but  homes containing it burn faster in a fire. Paints contain VOCs also that affect the respiratory tract. Pthalates, a synthetic toxic compound, is also found in PVC pipes, while lead is in older metal plumbing in the kitchen and bathroom. While wood is a most desirable building material, our forests are dwindling faster than they regenerate. There are substitutes for framing, such as steel, insulating concrete forms, and metal hangers. For paneling, non-lumber material such as gypsum board (drywall), plasterboard, hardiflex (cementboard) have the advantage of not having formaldehyde adhesive and are not susceptible to termite invasion. Gypsum board is also considered a fire retardant material. New bathroom technology has produced dual-flushing toilets, reducing the consumption of water, while solar panels have also reduced power consumed to heat it. The trend in lighting is away from wasteful energy-consumptive incandescent bulbs. CFLs or compact fluorescent lights are energy-savers, but are also considered hazardous household waste like the long fluorescent bulbs, when it is time to dispose of them. Avoid using vinyl tiles for flooring, which contain plasticizing chemicals and pthalates. Opt for concrete or tiles, using no-VOC grout or glue. Treated bamboo is emerging as a new type of flooring material, as well as laminated and engineered wood-looking flooring, which is  wood veneer built on a wood core.

       If you are about to construct a new home, consider the elements of a green home: site location, use of energy and water, design of the interior to allow free circulation of air and light, use of healthier construction and insulation materials, recycling, use of renewable energy and protection of your surrounding natural resources. Smart home design ensures that air conditioners run as little as possible. Choice of energy-saving appliances can also reduce your electric bill, which tend to go up every year. And having plants inside and even a tiny garden outside will give your home beauty to refresh the spirit as well as oxygen to give you energy.

        For those who already have homes, it is not too late to green your home. You can get rid of old appliances that consume a lot of energy. Change your light bulbs to energy-saver CFLs. If you are thinking of remodeling your bathroom, change your showerheads, faucets and your water-closet to water-savers. If you can afford it, install a solar energy system to heat your bath water or get rid of the big water tank heater and opt for a tankless water heater. Look at the Energy Factor (EF) in shopping for one. Do the same when looking for a new clothes washer and dryer. Just like buying a car, check the fuel consumption rating. Conserve energy and water…as well as your pocketbook!

WASHING AWAY THE FLOODWATERS OF INDIFFERENCE

SOMETHING SMELLS

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Gigi M. Campos

A couple of days ago, I woke up to see my two daughters who are visiting from the U.S.,  rummaging through a chest full of old family pictures. The antique wooden chest appeared two toned,  the faded portion from mid-section down,  a grim reminder of the great flood of December 2006 that left much of Bacolod underwater. My daughters Anna and Jong were saddened to see most of their childhood pictures,  still in the albums, damaged beyond recognition.  That image brought back much of my own pain at losing so many irreplaceable mementoes.   That traumatic experience  was the catalyst that triggered my involvement with BAHA or the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance.    It gave me an insight into the deeper problems caused by the failure of the city government to implement laws and ordinances prohibiting illegal structures on waterways and garbage in creeks - the major cause of much of the flooding in the city.  Over the past year we, the members of the Alliance dug into the issues, studied the laws and ordinances and read through voluminous documents and  reports, and we saw the immensity of the problem. In Puroks Kimara, Seawall, Riverside and Tinagong Paraiso in Banago  we came face to face with the hopelessness and helplessness of individuals whose lives and health were constantly threatened by the floods and bad weather.  This left a permanent imprint on our  minds.  And what started as a personal concern for many of us become a slow awakening to a social responsibility  that called for changes in our lifestyles and hopefully in others as well. 

At times I have asked myself, can personal action have any impact? What can an individual do about some of these issues?  There are many issues of concern in our daily lives - power consumption, fuel consumption, packaging and waste, garbage, safety of the water we drink, flooding, pollution, deforestation, greenhouse effect, and climate change - big names for big problems. But the solutions are not all that big and complex. Small actions can make a difference to these big problems. They alone may not  solve the problems, but they will help if we chose to get involved.

Uncollected garbage, especially plastics that end up clogging our creeks and waterways has been identified as one of the major causes of flooding.  Unfortunately in this city what we see is garbage, piles of garbage everywhere. Yet do we really care? For most of us, garbage isn’t something we spend much time thinking about; it’s like that old adage, “out of sight, out of mind”. When we see that  the mounds of waste we produce each day don’t just magically disappear, then it becomes everyone’s concern.   And how many of us are really aware of the true situation regarding the garbage of our city?   Do we know where our waste is taken once it leaves our trash bins? What are the conditions in this dumpsite?   Is it being operated according the  provisions of RA 9003, the National Solid Waste Management Law?

The issues surrounding garbage are complicated, to be sure. The environmental impacts, political influences, social taboos, scavengers and livelihood – the list goes on. And while there are talented people all over the world working to find solutions to a problem that will never go away, I think the quickest, easiest, and cheapest action for us to take is to reduce our waste.  Why is waste reduction so important?  All the products you buy, or at least their packaging or containers, will eventually require disposal. Packaging now accounts for 64 million tons by weight or 33% of all our garbage. The average individual discards about two kilos of trash each day. If each person reduced waste by only 1 kilo each week, the amount of reduction nation-wide can be enormous .

The family who reduces waste in the home helps protect the environment. Waste reduction is as important as recycling in saving natural resources, energy, and disposal space and costs, and in reducing pollution risks. Careful buying and disposal habits can also stretch the family budget. But what  really is waste reduction? Waste reduction refers to:

1.   Reducing the amount of waste produced. An example is using china and silverware instead of using disposable paper plates and plastic flatware.

2.   Reducing toxic substances in waste. An example is using a nontoxic oven cleaner instead of one that contains hazardous ingredients.

 

A simple step to involvement is to look at the ways we can start a reducing program.  The best way to discover where you can reduce waste is to actually sort through your trash. What does each family member throw away? What materials take up the most space? Is anything reusable or repairable? Can you reduce the amount of disposable products you use? Can you substitute products and packaging made of reusable, recyclable, or non hazardous materials? If you are throwing away unusable leftover products, can you give them to someone else, or buy these things in smaller sizes? We need to watch what we buy because waste reduction starts at the shopping center and supermarket.

When you go shopping follow these guidelines: Buy durable products instead of those that are disposable or cheaply made. Repair/restore used items before replacing them. Buy items you can re-use. Re-using margarine tubs or containers to freeze foods or pack lunches, for instance, reduces the need for foil or plastic wrap. Buy items you can recycle locally through the roving neighborhood buyer or recycling centers. Avoid excess packaging when choosing product brands. Buy just the amount you need: larger sizes reduce the amount of packaging, but smaller sizes reduce leftover waste. Avoid impulse buying. Not only will you end up with something you cannot use and have to throw away, but it will also be very expensive. One way to avoid this is to make a shopping list of what you need, then stick to that list. Waste reduction comes before recycling. Recycling is collecting and remanufacturing materials already used. Waste reduction is decreasing or eliminating the amount of materials already used. If you start out -- before making a purchase -- by considering what your needs are, and cutting waste to begin with, you are practicing waste reduction.

 

Why is this so important? Well, by stopping to think before you shop, you can keep products and packaging out of the landfill and conserve our natural resources. What could be simpler than that? Many of us are increasingly realizing the seriousness and urgency of environmental issues.  But that is where it often stops - at awareness. Some  still feel that these are issues which are too complex to be tackled by anyone other than the government, or scientific institutions.

After a year of involvement in this advocacy, it seems like nothing much has changed… we still have floods in many areas of the city even with just a few hours of rain. Our city officials are still dragging their feet in addressing the  flooding  and garbage problems of our city. We need to let those with the resources and power know that we will not accept lame excuses for their negligence and failures. We must let our voices be heard once again It is time to wash away our indifference by making the needed changes in our lifestyles. Because this is not just for us, but for our  children’s children.  And we need to act now before it is too late.

 

CHEERS!

SOMETHING SMELLS

Negros Daily Bulletin

By Alan Gensoli

A Happy New Year to all, but especially to those born in the Years of the Ox: 1901, 1913, 1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009. Suzanne White’s Book of Chinese Chance says this of the Ox, “When a talented Ox sets out to accomplish something, he forgets the meaning of the word “can’t’”. This Ox ambles on in the name of Solid Waste Management. 

Fecal coliform has been found to exist in waters in, around, and under the open garbage dump in Brgy. Felisa. And since the BACIWA has five production wells in the area, it is reasonable to suppose that fecal coliform has infiltrated the waters of our homes. For those who cannot afford to buy mineral water, this is water that goes into their drinking glasses. So, cheers! 

Is Felisa a safe place to build our sanitary landfill? Since our local government has been granted the “Authority to Close” by the DENR, we have to give the city the benefit of the doubt that it is committed to begin the process of safe closure and rehabilitation of the open dumpsite in Felisa. By this is meant, the open dumpsite must be revitalized with lush vegetation and clean water flowing through the river and creeks around it. But our concern about Felisa does not end there, because Felisa has been identified by our local government as the site for our sanitary landfill. The seven-hectare lot intended for this, bought by our government for P23.8 Million in July 2008, is located near the present open dump. 

This column will shed light on two issues: how badly has the open dump contaminated the waters of Felisa, and thus, how safe is Felisa as site for the sanitary landfill. To do this, Banat Baha, the TV show of the Bacolod Anti-Baha Alliance, commissioned two laboratories to test the waters in, around, and under the open dump. 

The Negros Prawn Producers Analytical and Diagnostic Laboratory has been accredited by the DENR since 1989 to test water pollution. It is, in fact, the only one in Region 6 accredited by the DENR. 

The Villanueva Clinical Laboratory is accredited by the Philippine National Standards for Drinking Water (PNSDW) to conduct potable water testing. It is one of only two physico-chemical labs in Region 6. 

The Banat Baha team sent three water samples to each of these two labs for testing: 1) EFFLUENT SAMPLE, which is garbage juice, also known as leachate or effluent; 2) CREEK SAMPLE, collected from the Cabura Creek that borders one side of the open dump; and 3) DEEP WELL SAMPLE, collected from a deep well hand pump 15 meters from the open dump. 

As sure indicators of how badly the waters have been contaminated by the open dump, we refer to all three samples. But the Deep Well Sample could further serve as reliable indicator of how safe the area is as a sanitary landfill site, because this gives us an inkling into the state of the water table underground, which is the source of the five BACIWA production wells. 

The results of the water tests also focused on the presence of fecal coliform. And what did the lab results say? Both laboratory results showed extremely high counts of fecal coliform. 

DENR Administrative Order No. 35 of 1990 provides revisions to effluent regulations. Leachate, which is juice coming directly from garbage, is an effluent. The Administrative Order sets specific standards for coliform content of effluent/leachate oozing into protected waters (potable underground water) and inland waters (rivers, creeks, etc.). Coliform count of effluent/leachate dripping into protected or potable waters must not be above 5,000/100ml water sample; in inland waters it must not be over 15,000/100ml water sample.

Meanwhile, the DENR-accredited Negros Prawn lab placed coliform count in the leachate water sample at 500,000. The leachate water sample sent to the PNSDW-accredited Villanueva lab was twice contaminated, with fecal coliform count at 1,084,333 in every 10 milliliters of water! Oh, wow! It would be suicidal to deny that this potent leachate will not trickle into the river and creeks that border the open dump, or seep into the ground water table that is the water source of deep well hand pumps and BACIWA. 

Moreover, DENR Administrative Order No. 34 of 1990 classifies fresh surface water into five categories-Class AA, A, B, C, and D-ranging from protected (potable) water to water for recreational purposes, fish propagation, industrial, and agricultural irrigation use. In all these classes, however, the coliform level allowed by the DENR is only from 50 to 5,000/100ml water sample. Meanwhile, the Villanueva lab placed total coliform colony in the creek water sample at 924,000 and 32,500 in the deep well hand pump water sample (which is supposedly potable!). 

Which takes me back to the nine-year-old boy who died on Aug. 6, 2008, after swimming in a nearby creek? His death begs investigation, especially since he did not die from drowning. The boy’s death certificate says, he died from severe dehydration secondary to acute gastroenteritis, meaning, he vomited and vomited until he was squeezed dry. 

A fecal coliform count of 924,000 in every 100 milliliters of creek water squeezed that boy dry. But I say, DENR’s failure to monitor the building and operation of the illegal open dump in Felisa murdered him. Manslaughter, at the very least. What do you think?