A collection of health and environmental posts from other governmental blogs

The Science Behind a Favorite Summertime Treat

Many people consider watermelon a delicious summer treat — whether in granitas, salads or simply freshly sliced. It’s not surprising that July is National Watermelon Month.  Watermelons, which originated in Africa, have been grown in the North America since the 1600s and are an important U.S. crop. According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, the United States produced 4,494,000 pounds of watermelon in 2016. – From The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Blog

Pet Preparedness:  10 Items You’ll Need for Your Pet’s Hurricane Emergency Kit

Amid rushed evacuations, strong winds, and approaching floodwaters of a disaster, chaos often ensues, forcing families to make impossible decisions about the animals that are part of their families.  It’s never easy to leave a pet behind but often, there is no choice. These situations may not always be preventable but having a plan in place can give your pets their best chance.  Keep that plan, and the tools needed to implement it, within an emergency kit tailored specifically to your pet. – From the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)’s Blog

Four Reasons Why You Should Use the US Cancer Statistics Tools

US Cancer Statistics, the official federal cancer statistics covering the entire US population, has been updated with new data and new ways to analyze the data by demographics and risk factors. Learn more about how you can explore and use the latest US cancer data. – From The Topic is Cancer, A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Blog