Horse Head Nebula

 

When we free our energy from trying to maintain the illusion of our importance, we provide ourselves with enough energy to catch a glimpse of the grandeur of the universe.

                                                                         Carlos Castaneda

 

 

Pointe Claire Yacht Club

 

Station Road, (now called Cartier Avenue), originally connected the Grand Trunk Train Station formerly located at the western end of Donegani Avenue with the village of Pointe Claire. Limestone quarried from Beaconsfield Golf Course between 1854 and 1859 was used to build the stone piers that support the Victoria Bridge. Large blocks of cut stone were transported by rail along the edge of Station Road, and transferred onto barges docked at a specially constructed railway quay that jutted into Lake St Louis. In the top photo, the dirt path to the left of the electrical poles marks the former rail bed. By 1879, the disused quay was leased to a paddling club known as the Pointe Claire Boating Club. As interest in sailing developed, the name was eventually changed to the Pointe Claire Yacht Club. The contours of the old railway quay can be clearly seen in the aerial photo.

The name of the road was changed to Cartier Avenue and is thought to have been named after a member of the village council who owned a house near the station at the turn of the century.

Tips: DO'S

Use sun blocks with an SPF of 30 or higher. Sun screens with 7% zinc oxide or titanium dioxide confer protection against UVA and UVB and act as physical rather than chemical barriers to radiation. Avobenzene, or Mexoryl SX are also considered as safe to use and effective against UVA radiation.

-       Buy new sunscreen each year since many brands decompose with time

-       Do expose your skin to ten minutes of sunlight several days a week in order to promote production of vitamin D (Recommendation from the American Medical Association)

-       Kids are more sensitive than adults to sun damage. They should use sunscreen and play in the shade. Keep Infants out of direct sun as much as possible.

Link to more tips for kids

-       Cover up with UV protective hats, shirts, and sunglasses

-       Apply sun screen before going out in the sun. Reapply it often.

-       Plan outdoor activities around the UV index. An UV index of 0-2 means low risk for most people. From 3 - 5 wear sun screen and sunglasses. UV readings of 6 or highermean a high risk of harm to unprotected skin from sun exposure

-       CHECK YOUR SKIN for spots and changes, and remember that natural tone, (not just tan), is beautiful. You know your skin best, so examine it for changes, lesions, and spots regularly. Be extra careful if you have freckles, moles, take medications such as some antibiotics, or have a family history of skin cancer. Consult your doctor for more information about early detection.

-       Use SPF lip balm. See the link in the "other resources" list below

-       Use eco friendly sun screens in places with coral reefs. In crowded ocean beaches worldwide, the concentration of dissolved sunscreen in the water is high enough to kill coral.

 

DON"TS

-       Because radiation reflects off of surfaces like the ground and buildings, don't assume that if you wear a floppy hat you don't need sun screen.

-       avoid sun block powders and sprays which are easily inhaled into the body

-       avoid being in the sun from 10 - 4 PM when sun is directly overhead

-       radiation is more intense at altitude. With every 1000 meters increase in altitude, UV levels increase by 10% to 12%.

-       avoid products that are combined with insect repellants or fragrances since they encourage absorption of potentially harmful chemicals. Apply insect repellent 15 minutes after sunscreen to reduce the absorption of pesticide.

-       avoid tanning beds and sunlamps since their use has been linked to melanoma

 

-       avoid getting burned.Damage from sun exposure is cumulative over one's lifetime. Cumulative damage causes elastin fibers to thicken and become more numerous resulting in lines and wrinkles. Skin also begins to sag and loses its elasticity. Freckles and "age spots" appear and skin bruises and tears more easily and takes longer to heal.

-       Avoid sunscreen lotions that contain any of these common ingredients listed below. They are not the safest and healthiest choices to protect you against sunburn and sunlight-induced skin damage.

-       Octocrylene

-       Oxybenzone

-       PABA

-       Octyl-methoxycinnamate (OMC)

-       Benzophenone-3

-       4-methyl-benzylidene camphor (4-MBC)

 

 

The Bottom Line

The first line of defense against sun-related skin damage is a hat with a wide brim, appropriate clothing, and shade if available. The criteria for establishing that a sun block is both effective and safe to use are that it confer protection against UVA and UVB radiation, the product remains stable in sunlight and the chemicals in it are safe. Mineral sun blocks which contain titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, (or both), are considered a safer eco-bet than chemical sunscreens.

The Environmental Working Group, (EWG), is a team of scientists, lawyers and policy experts that does detailed investigations on common American consumer products to expose threats to health and to recommend safe alternatives. The 2010 EWG Sunscreen Report found All Terrain SPF 30 Products, Soleo Organics and Jason Natural Cosmetic Sunscreens to be the most effective products available. I have not found any of these products on the shelves of local pharmacies and stores in the West Island. The closest product that I have found is La Roche-Posay Anthelios XL (60 SPF, recognized by the Canadian Dermatology Association) available at Zellers. Let's be careful out there.

 

Link to Sunscreen Ratings