Will Deleting Emails Save Water? Let’s Do the Math

Much of Britain was suffering drought conditions last spring. So were other parts of the world. The UK’s National Drought Group, after noting the extensive and increasing use of water by data centers, asked the British public to delete old photos and emails from their personal computers. Will this help the drought situation?

We can think about this by doing a little math.

Data centers typically use water to cool the rooms in which their chips operate. Using GPT-4 to create one 100-word email uses about 0.5 liter (500 milliliters) of water.

Storing one 75 KB email message for a month uses about 0.001 milliliter of water. A simple division problem shows that you would be required to delete 500 emails to make up for creating one!

Perhaps there are wiser ways to save water.

What about those leaky toilets? Leak rates range from about 110 to over 15,000 liters each day. At the lowest leak rate, you would need to delete over 5 million emails a day to keep up with the water lost to the leak!

It’s probably wiser to fix the toilet leak. That will save a LOT more water than deleting old emails. 

Wear Red in February

February is Heart Month. Not just because of Valentine Day, but also it’s a good time to raise awareness about cardiovascular disease, which is the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiovascular diseases cause about 18 million deaths annually, making it a major global health burden. The number of cases is increasing due to the growth and aging of the population.

Cardiovascular disease includes many conditions of the heart and blood vessels. Heart problems include heart attack, stroke, heart failure, arrhythmia, and heart valve problems.

Blood vessel conditions include atherosclerosis, peripheralarterial disease, aortic aneurysm, cerebral vascular disease, varicose veins, and deep vein thrombosis.

About 80% of cardiovascular disease is caused by knownmodifiable risk factors. These include high systolic blood pressure, poor diet, high LDL cholesterol, smoking, and sedentary lifestyles. The worldwide increases in obesity and diabetes are major contributors to the growth of this health problem.

To learn ways to take proper care of your cardiovascular system and how to prevent or deal with specific heart conditions, please visit this month’s Healthinfo Island poster sets.

https://blog.virtualability.org/2026/02/displays-and-exhibits-for-healthinfo.html

 

Spots? Dots? Measles!

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus. It is recognized by its characteristic rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body. Like many viral diseases, there is no treatment. Complications, although rare, can be severe, such as pneumonia, neurologic damage, blindness, even death.

Measles used to be a common childhood disease. Almost everyone caught it before the end of the teen years. Each year, about 48,000 people were hospitalized in the US for measles complications, and there were 400-500 measles deaths annually. Once you’d survived measles, you were thought to be immune for the rest of your life.

With the creation of an effective, safe vaccine, themeasles story changed for the better. The measles vaccine is administered in a combination injection along with vaccines against mumps and rubella, termed MMR. Two spaced doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97% protection against measles. Measles is now considered a preventable disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) will declare acountry or world region to be measles-free when there is no sustained, endemic transmission for at least 12 months. (Cases may still occur due to international travel). The US was declared measles-free in 2000, thanks to widespread childhood vaccination. Maintaining this status requires both a 95% vaccination rate and vigilance to quarantine new cases.

Vaccination programs worldwide are saving the lives of children everywhere. The US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has helped other countries strengthen vaccination programs and surveillance systems to detect outbreaks.

In 2025 in the US and around the world, the number of measles cases increased alarmingly. There were linked outbreaks of measles in Texas, Arizona, and South Carolina. The final US yearly count for 2025 was 2,267 confirmed cases. In 2024, the annual count was 285 cases.

By February 5, 2026, the CDC confirmed 773 US measles cases. That’s probably an undercount. As of January 30, the CDC had reported 467 confirmed cases in South Carolina, but state officials reported 847 cases. The trend is alarming.

Will the US lose its measles-elimination designation? Canada lost theirs in November 2025. The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Regional Monitoring and Re-Verification Commission for Measles, Rubella, and Congenital Rubella Syndrome (RVC) will conduct areview on April 13th this year.

To learn more about measles, please check out the Measles poster set on Healthinfo Island during February. Here is the SLURL: 

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

How to Advocate for Yourself at Healthcare Appointments

YOU are in charge of your own health! It is important that you speak up, advocate for yourself and your needs. Here are some ways to do a better job of self-advocacy.

• Think of your healthcare provider’s role as an educator. They are responsible for providing information for you and making suggestions about actions you could take to achieve your goals. You DO have clear goals about your health, don’t you?
• Healthcare providers have limited time. Prioritize your goals and concerns. You may only have time to deal with your top two or three at any appointment.
• Share your values. Are you a bold risk-taker, or more conservative in your thoughts about potential treatments? This information will help your healthcare provider offer the most pertinent information.
• Be prepared to ask questions. You already know some of the questions you want to ask Write them down so you won’t forget to ask them. If the nurse or doctor says something you don’t understand, ask! It is not impolite to ask them to write down words you don’t know how to spell, so you can look up more information after you get home.
• Ask a family member or close friend to accompany you to the appointment. Their main role is to take notes on what the healthcare professional tells you. With your permission, they may be able to provide additional information about your health status to the nurse or doctor.

Displays and Exhibits for Healthinfo Island for February 2026

*February is Heart Month. Check out related exhibits!  

In Second Life, you can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits using the SLURLs in this notecard. Click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images. If you click each poster, you will get a private message with additional information and live links.

Central Pavilion of Healthinfo Island
Check out the calming breathing exercise on the back wall!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24

Measles
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

It's a Syndrome
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24

*Exercise and Your Heart
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22

*Preventing DVT
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24

*Signs of Heart Disease That You May Not Recognize
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26

*Things you didn't know about cholesterol
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28

Tongue Talk
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30

Spleen Specifics

http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32

Thanks to Mook for assistance with the slides this month. 

Four Quick Ways to Lower Your Utility Bills

• Shut air vents in unused rooms. Shut the blinds and close the curtains. Don’t waste money cooling or warming rooms that aren’t being used.
• Turn off all the lights and electronics in a room when they are not in use. It is estimated that the average family can save up to $50 a month just by turning off the lights when they leave a room.
• Unplug electronic devices that aren’t in daily use. Even when you aren’t actively using them, many devices are using electricity that you end up paying for.
• Use a programmable thermostat to raise (in summer) or lower (in winter) the temperature 7-8 degrees when everyone is not at home during the day. Program the thermostat to bump the temperature up or down 4 degrees when everyone is asleep. 

911 or 988? Who are you gonna call?

These two easy-to-remember emergency numbers can also be easy-to-confuse. Here’s the difference.

911 calls anywhere in North America reach a local dispatcher at a Public Safety Answering Point, who can send first responders to the caller’s location. Often the dispatcher will stay on the line with the caller, providing support until EMS, fire department, or police arrive. 911 calls should only be made for emergencies, such as reporting a fire or crime in progress, or requesting an ambulance.

Most of the funding for 911 services is from state and local coffers. This might be general tax revenue funds or surcharge fees on phone bills (landline and wireless). Some federal grants have been offered for specific 911 projects. Some rural areas do not have 911 services available.

Next Generation 911 (NG911) is an upgrade to existing 911 services. This program will allow transmission of data, photos, and videos to 911. Transitioning to Next Generation 911 creates additionalexpenses.

988 is the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are having a suicidal crisis, mental health issue, or emotional distress, call 988. You will be connected with mental health professionals who can provide appropriate support. This service is available 24/7, and you can access it by phone, text, or online chat.

The 988 Lifeline is primarily funded by the SubstanceAbuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency within the US Department of Health and Human Services. Some funding is provided by state telecom fees.

SAMHSA used to provide specialized services for LGBTQ+ youth through the 988 Lifeline. This service has been discontinued, but LGBTQ+ youth can still receive services at 988.

When a caller to 988 is in imminent danger, these calls are connected to 911 so the caller can receive emergency services. Less than 2% of 988 calls are referred. Studies of the effectiveness of 988 services show that 98% of calls are resolved at first contact. Most callers to 988 feel less overwhelmed, depressed, or suicidal when their 988 call has ended. They feel more hopeful after speaking with a 988 counselor.

Someone will always be there to answer. 

TIP - How to Safely Store Household Batteries

Too many people buy multipacks of household batteries, insert a few into devices, and throw the rest into a junk drawer to use later on.

This is not a safe practice! Batteries have been known to short-circuit or leak if they touch something metal, like coins, flatwear, keys or paperclips. Or if they touch each other.

Also, storing batteries near a heat source can accelerate the chemical reactions inside them that create the electricity, causing a reduced lifespan and increasing the risk of a leak or fire.

Store left-over batteries in their original container if possible. Never stash them where they might touch other metal objects or each other.

Tips for Staying Happy and Mentally Healthy This Winter

It gets dark really early in winter (in the northern hemisphere). It can get uncomfortably cold. Driving or even walking outside can be treacherous. And then there are colds, flu, and other winter maladies. Plus, the seasonal holidays can provide extra stress.

How can you stay mentally healthy and enjoy the season? Here are some tips.

• Keep consistent bedtime and wake-up times. If possible, try to avoid irregular sleep duration, which can lead to atherosclerosis, when fatty deposits build up in arteries and can cause stroke or heart attack. Seven to nine hours of sleep should be enough. Too much sleep is as unhealthy as too little; it can cause depression, headache, heart disease, or type 2 diabetes.
• Get sun when you wake up. Exposure to sunlight in the morning combats seasonal affective disorder (SAD). It also keeps your body clock aligned with your natural circadian rhythm. Sunlight raises the level of serotonin in your body. That’s a “feel good” chemical! 

• Stay positively connected to others. Humans are social animals. Activities shared with a friend are more motivating and, therefore, more likely to be repeated than solo activities. Even virtual socialization helps.
• Take an “adult recess.” Do something fun with a friend or try an activity you used to like as a child. Playfulness is a great strategy for coping with stress. Playing releases endorphins, more “feel good” chemicals, and that increases your life satisfaction.
• Volunteering is another way to connect with others. The many benefits of helping others include more confidence, less stress, and a stronger sense of purpose. Whether you mentor a teen virtually, cook lasagna for someone in need, or make regular phone calls to someone who is isolated, helping others ends up helping yourself. Check out the volunteer opportunities, on-site or virtual, on Idealist.
• Check with your healthcare provider about vitamin D and magnesium supplements. Since sunlight is a major source of vitamin D, you may need additional in wintertime. Magnesium helps regulate vitamin D levels. A blood test can determine if you need a supplement.
• Reach out for help if you need it. If winter is interfering with your daily life, it’s wise to talk to a healthcare professional who may recommend medication, mental health therapy, or supplements. Knowing when to get help is not a weakness, it’s a strength.

Healthinfo Island Displays and Exhibits for January 2026

You can teleport to any of the eight displays and exhibits in Second Life using the SLURLs in this posting. While there, click on the poster with the same name as the title of the poster set, and you will get a notecard that contains all the text of the posters plus descriptions of the images.  If you click each poster, you will get a private message with additional information and live links.

Central Pavilion of Healthinfo Island
Check out the calming breathing exercise on the back wall!
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/128/126/24

Sleep On It
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/195/158/22

I'm Tired of Fatigue
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/188/181/24

Nail Changes Your Doctor Should Know About
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/172/155/22



Tips for Advocacy
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/114/79/24

SAD About Seasonal Affective Disorder
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/98/40/26

Whooping Cough
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/50/28/28

Nose Notes
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/24/23/30

Fermented Foods and Healthy Guts
http://maps.secondlife.com/secondlife/Healthinfo%20Island/21/63/32

Thank you Mook and Kaznats for help with this month's poster sets.