All - Leep Calendar

Independence Day in Zambia marks the anniversary of October 24, 1964, the official day the nation gained independence from Britain. Independence Day is a national holiday.

Africa

Oct

Labour Day (NZ): October 24

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Labour Day in New Zealand is a national holiday honoring the work of the nation's citizens. The day celebrates the achievement of an eight-hour workday in 1840, and New Zealand was the first nation to pass such a law. The holiday occurs on the fourth Monday of October.

Africa

Oct

Mammal Week, Ntl. (UK): October 24-30

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National Mammal Week occurs the last week of October. Organized by the Mammal Society, this event raises awareness for mammals native to the United Kingdom and the issues these animals face. This week, talks, conferences, and a bat walk are some of the activities the public can join in addition to a mammal amateur photography competition. To search for this event on social media, use these hashtags: #NationalMammals and #mammalweek.

Africa

Oct

Narak Chaturdashi (H): October 24

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Naraka Chaturdashi (Kali Chaudas, Roop Chaudas, Bhoot Chaturdashi, and Naraka Nivaran Chaturdashi) is a Hindu holiday that falls on the second day of the five-day festival Diwali. Hindu mythology teaches that the asura (demon) Narakasura was killed on this day by Krishna and Kali. The day is celebrated by early morning religious rituals and festivities. PLEASE NOTE: We use the Indian civil calendar, the official holiday calendar in India. The Hindu faith has many calendars, each specific to different regions and tribes, with dates and celebrations marked by differing positions of the sun, moon, and stars. Names of months and holidays and the corresponding dates in the Gregorian Calendar may vary widely from one calendar to the next. Determine the proper calendar before attending local events.

Africa

Oct

Origami Days, World (1898): October 24-November 11

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World Origami Days begins each year on October 24, the birthday of Lillian Oppenheimer (1898-1992). Oppenheimer founded the first origami group in America and was a founding member of the British Origami Society and OrigamiUSA. The two-and-a-half-week event ends on November 11, National Origami Day in Japan. The purpose of these weeks is to share the wonder and skill of origami with a new generation of enthusiasts.

Africa

Oct

Polio Day, World: October 24

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Since 1988, Rotary International has sponsored World Polio Day with a focus on eradicating the disease from the earth for good. The world was doing pretty good at eliminating this preventable disease until the 2020s, when anti-vaxxers, spurred by conspiracy theories and junk science coupled with lockdowns due to COVID-19, made keeping up with immunizations difficult. As a result, polio has been detected in the United States again and is spreading among the unvaccinated. World Polio Day is part of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, supported by the International Rotary, the World Health Organization [WHO], UNICEF, and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Africa

Oct

Prescription Errors Education Week: October 24 - 31

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Each October, directly following Food & Drug Interaction Week, Pharmacists Planning Service, Inc. sponsors Prescription Errors Education Week. The FDA defines a medication error as "any preventable event that may cause or lead to inappropriate medication use or patient harm while the medication is controlled by the health care professional, patient, or consumer. Such events may be related to professional practice, health care products, procedures, and systems, including prescribing; order communication; product labeling, packaging, and nomenclature; compounding; dispensing; distribution; administration; education; monitoring; and use." Each year tens of thousands of people become ill or die from prescription drug errors. This week is an opportunity to discuss your medications with your doctor or pharmacist (including any herbal supplements and over-the-counter drugs you're taking) and assure no potential errors exist.

Africa

Oct

Recycle Your Mercury Thermostat Day: October 24

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Saving the World One Thermostat at a Time – the hows and whys of thermostat recycling by Ryan L. Kiscaden (Edited for grammar and clarity by LEEP Calendar) A Brief Background Honeywell, White-Rogers, and General Electric started Thermostat Recycling Corp. (TRC) as a nonprofit in 1998 to safely remove mercury-containing thermostats and keep them out of the waste stream. Because mercury is an element, you cannot destroy it, and scientists have identified it as a hazardous substance to humans and animals. Furthermore, the media has raised concerns about the safety of mercury in our waterways and the dangers of eating fish with unacceptable levels of mercury. Today, 31 manufacturers participate in TRC's efforts with financial support. We have a clear-cut, collective goal: Keep mercury out of the waste stream to protect the environment. The Process When TRC first examined the issue of thermostat removal, it formulated what amounted to a supply chain solution to begin the removal and recycling process. The effort was initially confined to the cooling and heating industry (HVACR). Most change-outs of a thermostat would occur when a contractor replaced the old one (containing mercury) with a newer model. We wanted to make the exchange not only easy but rewarding. But to reach these contractors (and ultimately HVACR wholesalers, too), promoting the message was key. The Message Before implementing the recycling process, we used every available media vehicle across a broad and continuous marketing campaign to promote the message about the dangers of mercury entering the environment without proper disposal of mercury thermostats. The announcement was front and center, from press to trade shows to collateral material, earned, and social media. One lesson we learned was the importance of durability. A public relations expert told us, "Unless you have an instant need on the part of your target audience, don't expect immediate results. Some public relations campaigns are successful because they last long and constantly remain visible. Their campaigns succeed because they're durable and not because they are intrinsically interesting or even creative." The Government Throughout our years of recycling mercury thermostats, we have encountered legislative bodies that oversee removing mercury-containing thermostats. About half of the states have mandates that deal specifically with this issue. This aspect imparts both a legislative component to our efforts as well as a legal one. To justify our existence, TRC must demonstrate both good-faith effort and success in pursuing its cause. The legal component of our messaging is conveying to people that replacing their thermostats has financial and liability issues that could affect them. Shifting Sand As noted earlier, our initial network focused on the HVACR contractors replacing the thermostats and the HVACR wholesalers who held our bins for collection. In 2006, our program expanded to include household hazardous waste collection sites and thermostat retailers. Our momentum increased significantly when TRC partnered with Heating, Air Conditioning Refrigeration Distributors International (HARDI), the premier wholesale trade association representing most of the more prominent HVACR distributors in the United States. As part of our marketing, we created the Biggest Man on the Planet Award (BMOP). We keep tallies of which organizations recycle the most mercury and highlight the top three winners at HARDI's annual conference. The spark of competition adds some spice (and media attention) to the humdrum act of collecting thermostats. We've been promoting the BMOP message ever since 2015. Show Me the Money & Warn Me About the Liability It all comes down, ultimately, to the money. And in our world, that centers on the rebate. Here's what we can safely surmise, the amount of money that induces someone to act is open to debate. In certain regions, we offer a $5 rebate to contractors on mercury thermostats collected. Our challenge lies in determining a high enough price to prompt participation but not so high that we bankrupt the budget. And the added crunch to the issue is the good news-bad news syndrome. The good news – we believe that our success has led to a drop-off in collections since 2014. The bad news? The cost to administer the program continues to increase, especially when we view it through the lens of cost-per-thermostat retrieval. The Influence of Smart Thermostats Consumers (leaving aside a small number of DIYers) will generally remove and replace a thermostat by calling a contractor. But there can be a motivation for consumers, too, as many are now becoming interested in smart thermostats that offer more options. A combination of falling prices on certain intelligent thermostats, and utilities offering rebates, make it far more likely to impact consumers' decisions than a rebate we pay to a contractor. So, in a sense, the change is more likely to initiate from the consumer (for all the benefits of a smart thermostat) yet is tied to a contractor who has the added incentive of a rebate for following proper recycling protocols. The thermostat product landscape has changed too. A decade ago, who would have thought that having a neat-looking thermostat in your home could be cool (forgive the pun)? The benefit to utilities is that they help their customers save on energy costs with an intelligent thermostat while also building their consumer usage and preferences database. The advantage of having a utility involved is they often will have an approved contractor who knows the installation process and how to recycle a mercury thermostat. It's Not Just About the Incentive . While economic incentives are appealing and have played a significant role, Tom Murray, an environmental consultant (www.ensuringtheirfuture.com), suggests an alternative messaging we must not overlook. Murray says the appeal to a higher cause — our environment — is the carrot, and the stick draws attention to the liability issue. "Many people simply aren't aware of the statutes out there that address the issue of properly disposing of mercury-containing thermostats," he said. If a problem occurs, the contractor could be liable if he leaves the mercury thermostat behind. He also offered his thoughts on how to affect the behavior of DIYers who might buy a smart thermostat from a retailer, bypassing the contractor altogether. "Why not include in the box their purchase information on how to properly dispose of the old mercury-containing thermostat," he said. "The consumer might not realize that his old thermostat represents a hazard, and you've given him an easy answer to deal with its disposal." Another reason we shouldn't be afraid to mention the liability issue is personal injury attorneys. Some may be trawling for class action suits and find enough cases to prompt action dealing with mercury-containing thermostats. It has not happened yet, but there's no saying it could not. Aside from incentives, the environment, or legal compliance, sometimes the motivation to remove an old thermostat rests simply on wanting to be "smarter." Jason Powers, the founder of Powers IoT (www.powersiot.com), turns homes and multifamily units into "smart" homes with the latest in thermostats, lighting, and cameras. While transforming dwellings into digital command centers for IoT homes is his business, Powers adds, "The rebate is a boost, but we also do it because it protects our environment." Mercury-Containing Thermostats: A Historical Perspective The first efforts to recycle mercury-containing thermostats started with the passage of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act on Oct. 21, 1976. The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act — commonly referred to as RCRA — was our nation's primary law governing the disposal of solid and hazardous waste. The law intended to address the increasing problems the nation faced from a growing volume of municipal and industrial waste. It identified certain "metals of concern," such as mercury, and flagged products that contained mercury. After the RCRA's enactment, mercury thermostats were co-mingled (pardon the recycling pun) with other household products (batteries, certain pesticides, and lamps) that fell under RCRA enforcement. This rule – published in 1995 – included lowering the standards for manifest shipping requirements, defining small quantity generator designations, and classifying these products as universal wastes instead of hazardous ones. Lessening their designations allowed for the streamlining of recycling programs, eased the regulatory burden, and reduced the number of hazardous wastes going to landfills or municipal combustors. The rule allowed several states to tighten legislation requiring manufacturers to pay for recycling or develop penalties for improper disposal of mercury thermostats through disposal bans. Along with RCRA, the Mercury Export Ban Act (MEBA) of 2008 required a reduction in the use of mercury in products and prohibited the reintroduction of mercury back into commerce. MEBA eliminated the market for mercury-containing products such as mercury thermostats, even though their product life cycle was declining. MEBA required the Department of Energy to designate and operate long-term management of storage for elemental mercury generated in the U.S. To date, the long-term storage plan is incomplete." Author: Ryan L. Kiscaden is the Executive Director of the Ft. Washington, PA-based Thermostat Recycling Corp., a nonprofit that 31 manufacturers support. --------------------------------------

Africa

Oct

Sausage Week, United Kingdom: October 27 - November 5

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Meat Management Magazine reports this week is to resume in 2023. Based on other sources, it appears to be organized for the 27th of October through November 5.

UK Sausage Week is an annual initiative of Meat Management magazine. Its purpose is to boost trade throughout the United Kingdom in meat products via butchers, manufacturers, retailers, and associations. Specials, cooking classes, and tasting events are available throughout the week.

Africa

Oct

Take Back Your Time Day (US/CA): October 24

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Take Back Your Time Day in the United States and Canada promotes rest, vacation, and free time. It raises awareness of the dangers of overworking and speaks to the importance of rest. A rested person is more productive than an overworked person and happier. Making sure Americans get more vacation time (and take it) is one of the priorities. Here's what you can do. Organize a discussion in your workplace. If you are an HR director, bring your employees together to celebrate Take Back Your Time Day. Give them an hour (or two) off, provide some snacks and beverages, and let them know you want them to take their vacation time. Ask a few to show some photos from their summer holidays. Ask them to talk about how much that vacation meant to them and their families. The goal is to reduce the number of vacation days Americans give back by 20% in the next two years.

Africa

Oct

United Nations Day (1945): October 24

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United Nations Day marks the organization's establishment, via charter, on October 24, 1945. The day is a public holiday within many of its member states.

Africa

Oct

Magic Week, Intl (1926): October 25-31

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International Magic Week occurs between October 25 and 31st, the day of Houdini's death. Every year the Society of American Magicians marks that day with various magic shows and celebrations. International Magic Week extends the festival to the rest of the world for seven days.

Africa

Oct

Moon-New: October 25

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The New Moon occurs when the moon and the sun have the same elliptical longitude when the moon is at its closest point to the sun in its orbit. From earth, we usually cannot see it. The New Moon is considered the first phase.

Africa

Oct

Pasta Day, World (1995): October 25

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World Pasta Day marks the anniversary of the World Pasta Congress in Rome on October 25, 1995. These are principles based on the idea: On October 25 of each year, the world over, World Pasta Day is celebrated in the form of events and promotional initiatives in different countries. The objective of World Pasta Day is to draw the attention of the media and consumers to pasta. Pasta is a global food, consumed on all five continents, which is appropriate for a dynamic and healthy lifestyle capable of meeting both primary food requirements and those of high-level gastronomy; Every country celebrates World Pasta Day with absolute autonomy while respecting a global strategy and making use of the official logo of the event; The key messages, recurring in the various communication initiatives, emphasize pasta's economic feasibility, gastronomic versatility, and nutritional value.

Africa

Oct

Punk for a Day, Day: October 25

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Be a Punk for a Day celebrates the music form known as Punk Rock. Punk rock was popularized in the late 1970s and 1980s by bands including the Sex Pistols, Ramones, The Clash, and MC5. It greatly impacted legendary artists, including Ziggy Stardust, David Bowie, Green Day, La Dispute, and Tacocat. The format is believed founded in 1966 by James Newell Osterberg, Jr., stage name Iggy Pop, when he formed the Detroit garage band The Stooges. The music grew in popularity primarily due to the strange behavior and screaming lyrics which resonated with disaffected of the baby boomer generation of the time. The music's original purpose was to party and avert boredom. Later it became associated with anarchy, rebellion, and a rejection of the mainstream through clothing, style, and action. It's unsure at this point whether this event is marking a historical event or arbitrary. It occurs at the end of October, near the date of The Stooges' debut concert in 1967. However, we cannot find anything significant attributed to the band or the Punk movement occurring on October 25 between 1966 and the present day. In all likelihood, this event was declared by fans and became an unofficial annual event.

Africa