All - Leep Calendar

International World Development Information Day was first declared in 1972 by the UN General Assembly to draw attention to development problems and raise awareness about the need to strengthen international cooperation to solve them. It coincides with United Nations Day and the day of the International Development Strategy for the Second United Nations Development Decade.

Africa

Oct

Disarmament Week, World: October 24-30

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The United Nations promote World Disarmament Week. It encourages nations and people to choose peaceful solutions over militancy when solving problems.

Africa

Oct

Fiddlers' Festival and Sea Witch Halloween (US-DE): October 24-26

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Join 175,000 of your closest friends for the Sea Witch Halloween and Fiddlers' Festival in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It's the biggest Halloween hoedown on the East Coast and features everything from people and dog costume contests to a parade, food, drinks, an oil barrel train for the kids, and of course, the Fiddlers' Championship. Great fun for family and adults alike. Annually on the last full weekend of October.

Africa

Oct

Media and Information Literacy Week, Global: October 24-31

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The UN General Assembly, recognizing the substantial digital divide and data inequalities across and within nations, declared the commemoration of Media and Information Literacy (MIL) week in 2021. The initiative aims to promote the dissemination of factual, timely, accessible, multilingual, and science-based information and to enhance digital competencies. Given the complex ecosystem of media messages, it is critical for the public to possess media and information literacy competencies to navigate digital landscapes effectively and contribute to societal discourse. Global MIL Week is an annual celebration that reviews and highlights progress towards achieving "Media and Information Literacy for All." MIL is crucial because the quality of information we engage with shapes our perceptions, beliefs, and attitudes. As access to information and communication increases dramatically worldwide, it's essential to navigate and critically assess content effectively, both online and offline. MIL helps answer questions about accessing, critically assessing, using, and contributing to content wisely, understanding online and offline rights, acknowledging the ethical issues of information use, and engaging with media and ICTs to promote equality, intercultural and interreligious dialogue, peace, freedom of expression, and access to information. UNESCO supports the development of MIL competencies through capacity-building resources, policy guidelines, curricula development, and assessment frameworks.

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

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

Brain Tumor Awareness Week, Intl.: October 25 - November 1

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TAKING ON ONE OF THE SCARIEST CANCERS: BRAIN TUMOR AWARENESS WEEK Brain Tumor Awareness Week is an annual observance dedicated to raising awareness about brain tumors, their impact on individuals and families, and the importance of research and early detection. The event is spearheaded by organizations such as the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA) and the National Brain Tumor Society (NBTS), among others. These organizations are committed to improving the lives of those affected by brain tumors through advocacy, education, and research funding. Brain tumors are caused by abnormal and uncontrolled cell growth in the brain. While the exact causes of brain tumors are not fully understood, certain factors such as genetic mutations, exposure to ionizing radiation, and family history can increase the risk. There are two main types of brain tumors: primary brain tumors, which originate in the brain, and secondary (or metastatic) brain tumors, which spread to the brain from other parts of the body. Early detection is a key factor in the fight against brain tumors. The signs of a brain tumor can vary depending on the tumor's size, type, and location in the brain. Common symptoms include persistent headaches, seizures, difficulty speaking or understanding speech, vision or hearing problems, balance or coordination issues, changes in personality or behavior, and unexplained nausea or vomiting. These subtle symptoms may develop gradually, making awareness and early detection crucial. By recognizing these signs early, patients can seek timely medical intervention, which can significantly improve their outcomes and survival rates. Brain tumors are relatively rare but can be life-threatening. In the United States, an estimated 700,000 people are living with a brain tumor, with approximately 88,970 new cases expected to be diagnosed in 2024. Brain tumors can occur at any age but are more common in older adults and children, making awareness across all age groups essential. The primary goal of Brain Tumor Awareness Week is to increase public knowledge about brain tumors, promote early diagnosis, and support ongoing research to develop more effective treatments. During the week, various events, such as educational seminars, fundraising walks, and social media campaigns, are organized to unite communities and encourage support for those affected by brain tumors. Your participation and support can make a significant difference in their lives. Brain Tumor Awareness Week hopes to empower individuals with the knowledge to recognize early warning signs and advocate for better resources and support for patients and their families by fostering a better understanding of brain tumors and their impact.

Africa

Oct

Chhath Puja (H): October 25

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Chhath Puja is a Hindu religious observance that celebrates the sun and the natural world. Lord Surya is worshipped by chanting prayers and fasting next to unpolluted rivers. 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

Climate Action Day, Youth: October 25

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Youth Climate Action Day is a worldwide movement of young people who are not indifferent to climate change and global injustice. Since 2012 young people in several countries have started concrete actions for climate protection before every United Nations Climate Conference. United, we are vital for climate protection and point up possibilities for action and learn from each other. Become part of this worldwide movement and show the world what young people can achieve. Why should we leave it to the politicians to decide on the future of our planet Earth?

Africa

Oct

Drug Take Back Day, Ntl.: October 25*

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Too often, unused prescription drugs find their way into the wrong hands. That's dangerous and often tragic and why it was great to see thousands of folks from across the country clean out their medicine cabinets and turn in - safely and anonymously - a record amount of prescription drugs. The DEA sponsors a Drug Take Back Day each April and October to make disposal of expired or no longer needed medications safe and easy. To find a collection site near you, use the Collection Site Locator available here: https://takebackday.dea.gov. Social media and community promotion assets are free on the event champion's website. https://takebackday.dea.gov. National Take Back Day is held on the last Saturday in April and October. It began in 2016.

Africa

Oct

High Point Market (US-NC): October 25-29

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High Point Market is the world's largest furnishings industry trade show, with more than 2,000 manufacturers in 11.5 million square feet of showroom and exhibit space in multiple buildings in downtown High Point, North Carolina. Each Market attracts tens of thousands of retail home furnishings buyers, interior designers, architects, and others in the home furnishings industry. This event typically draws 75,000 design and industry professionals annually and sets the tone for furniture and interior design trends over the next year. High Point Market is wholesale and not open to the general public, and you must obtain a pass to attend.

Africa