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Dear friends & family,

Utah has the lowest rate of smokers in the nation ~ but not the lowest rate of lung cancer. That's because we're living on an alluvial fan, the eroded rock of the Wasatch. Beautiful, yes ~ but that rock is off-gassing radon. This naturally occurring gas is colorless, odorless and tasteless. And it's radioactive.

No problem when you're outdoors. But the trend to make our houses more airtight for energy efficiency results in radon gas buildup indoors. The condition, obviously, is more of a concern in winter.

Utah leads the nation in residential radon gas exposure (1 in 3 homes vs. 1 in 15 nationally). Over 50 people in the U.S. died each day from radon poisoning ~ far more than from fires or carbon monoxide.

Concerns about all the other modern-day worries are pretty disingenuous if you ignore this easily measurable threat.

You can buy a test kit from Home Depot for $10; then there's an additional $30 lab fee. However, Utah residents can get the whole shebang for only $8. To order, go to Radon.Utah.Gov. Order a few; what a loving Valentine gift!

Thanks to Utah Department of Environmental Quality's Indoor Radon Coordinator, Eleanor Divver, for reminding us.
Greta Belanger deJong
Editor & Publisher, CATALYST

PS: Click on the cover (left) to read the January 2016 CATALYST.
And click on the "donate" button if you'd like to contribute! Thank you!

Event picks for
January 14-21, 2016
January is Learn to Ski or Snowboard Month
Through end-January
Various resorts
Learn to ski or snowboard at any Utah resort for as little as $45 during the month of January. Package includes lift, group lesson and rental. Must be a Utah resident (show valid Utah driver license). Offers vary per resort and reservations are required. 
 
KUER Conversations:
Pollution Gets Personal
 
 
  
Thurs, Jan 14, 7pm
SLC Public Library, 210 E 400 S
Free  

Pollution from wood stoves, water heaters and other home and businesses already eclipse emissions from industrial smokestacks in Utah, and they are expected to rise as the population doubles. The dirty winter air increases health risks for Utahns, from asthma to allergies to premature birth and death. In a new series committed to addressing public issues in an open, solutions-based forum, KUER Conversations is focusing on cleaning up Utah's air at home and work -- and examining the role politics plays.
The panel includes Matt Pacenza, executive director of HEAL Utah; Bryce Bird, director of the Utah Division of Air Quality; Senator Scott Jenkins, chair of the Senate Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee in the Utah State Legislature; and Shelly Cordon Teuscher, longtime industry lobbyist. Moderated by Judy Fahys, award-winning environmental reporter. If the Facebook comments are any indication, this is going to be a rousing conversation.

 
 
Salt Lake Gallery Stroll
 
Fri, Jan 15, 6-9p
Phillip's Gallery, 444 E. 200 S; Modern West Fine Art, 177 E 2nd W; and most downtown galleries

Bring friends. Meet artists. Take home a masterpiece. Be part of art!
 
Mas Sajady: Can this man change your life
in 10 min. or less? 

Fri, Jan 15, 7-9p
One Mind Studio, 216 W Paxton Ave
$10

Through two near-death experiences Mas was gifted with intuitive and healing abilities. Mas "edits your blueprint at the core frequency level for effortless transformations in all areas of life-- physical, financial, spiritual, relationships, and more--with rapid, tangible and documented results," according to his spokespeople. 
Followed by Finances Intensive (Sat, Jan 16, 10am-1pm) and Relationship Intensive (Sun, Jan 17, 10am-1pm); $99 each.

 

Winter Market @ Rio Grande
 
Sat, Jan 16, 10a-2p
300 S. Rio Grande St (west side of Rio Grande train station, also upstairs)

Have you attended the Winter Farmers Market yet? Delicious, crisp local apples & fresh-pressed cider; greens and sprouts; some of the best breads in town; elixirs and tinctures and spicy things. Many more interesting specialties. Indoors (upstairs) and outdoors (rear of building). Check it out.


 
Discussion Class on NDE's, OBE's
and Astral Projection
 
Sat, Jan 16, 2-4p
Sacred Energy Empowerment Center, 
261 E 4500 S
$15
Learn about near death experiences, out-of-body experiences and more. Taught by Amy Hasna and Audy Wayman. 


 
KRCL presents An Evening w/ Todd Rundgren
 

Sat, Jan 16, 8pm
The Depot, 400 W South Temple
$34/$30 adv.; 21+
 
With John Ferenzik, Jesse Gress, Prairie Prince, Kasim Sulton.


Long Live Art! Party
 
Jan. 16 & 17 
(Sat. 11a-midnight, Sun. 11am-4:30p)
Utah Museum of Natural History
410 Campus Center Dr

Enjoy your favorite UMFA artworks and experiences in one weekend. Visit one last time before UMFA closes for 18 months of remodeling and reinstallation. See website for events including film screenings, art making, gallery talks, behind-the-scenes tours, yoga, dance performances and a Sat. night "I  Retro" dance party: Dance to the top hits of the '80s and '90s spun by DJ Lishus. BONUS: All parking is FREE on weekends.


 
Introduction to Tibetan Buddhism

Tue, Jan 19, 6:30-8p; 
continuing Tuesdays until March 8
Urgyen Samten Ling Gonpa
740 S. 300 W
Tuition: $50


8-week introductory course providing a contemplative and experiential base focusing on the core teachings of Tibetan Buddhism.


A Conversation with Black Girl Dangerous 
(Mia McKenzie)  
 

Tues, Jan. 19, 12noon
Union Saltair Room, U of U Union Building,
200 Central Campus Dr
Free

Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Week with award-winning author and activist, creator of Black Girl Dangerous, website forum for queer and trans people of color read by millions.

Diversity.utah.edu


 
Psychic Fair @ Golden Braid 
Wed, Jan. 20, 7-9pm
151 S. 500 E. 
20-minute readings for $25.

Bobby Rush @ 
The State Room

Wed, Jan. 20, 8p
638 S. State
$17; 21+

Presented by the Utah Blues Society. 


Sustainable Soir�es

Jan. 21, 5:30-7:30pm (stories at 6pm)
Sustainable Startups, #50, 340 E. 400 S.

Gathering of female entrepreneurs, educators, artists, community activists and business women developing community and support.


 
Martin Luther King Keynote: Talib Kweli


Thurs, Jan 21, 12-1:30pm
Union Ballroom, 200 Central Campus Dr. Utah
Free

Talib Kweli, hip-hop artist and activist, will present a 10-minute spoken word performance with an hour keynote address for the University of Utah's Martin Luther King 2016 celebration.



 
Becoming Bulletproof, documentary

Thurs, Jan. 21, 5:30-8p
Art Access, 230 S 500 W, #125
Free

This film starts a conversation about how persons with disabilities, rarely seen on screen, are excluded from our wider culture and how we can effect change.


 
Blog Updates 
 
It's an interesting week of tricky Mercury Retrograde twist and turns, but it's also a week that provides plenty of potential for positive creative collaboration. Patience pills to ward off retrograde frustration are still necessary--no matter how expansive the potential for teamwork might be, the retrograde still snarls actual traffic on the way to work, as it simultaneously triggers gridlock on the information highway. The good news is that many fellow travelers are in a good mood and leaning toward a generosity of spirit despite retrograde snafus. And that goes a long way toward making it easier to handle the week...(read more)