TOXICS INFORMATION PROJECT (TIP)

LIBERTY GOODWIN, DIRECTOR

P.O. Box 40572, Providence, RI 02940

Tel. 401-351-9193, E-Mail: TIP@toxicsinfo.org

WEBSITE: WWW.TOXICSINFO.ORG

(Lighting the Way to Less Toxic Living)

KIDS & TOXICS INFORMATION EXCHANGE PROPOSAL

Exploratory Phase

PURPOSE:

·To ascertain the level of present knowledge about toxic chemicals in schools, day care facilities and homes that affect the health of children.

·To learn about what kinds of practices and products are commonly used today in all the above.

·To explore different methods of gathering information from parents, teachers and providers, including interviewing and surveys.

·To establish what kind of information and assistance is most needed.

·To determine realistic ways to provide that information.

·To explore the possibility of establishing an information exchange system to continue the process of networking, educating, sharing ideas and information.

·To encourage parents and others to become more engaged in advocacy for children’s safety and health in away from home settings.

METHOD:

·Contact RIDE and RI DOH re: present regulations and practices.

·Contact parents and school professionals in the TIP database to seek their input and get referrals to others.

·Contact licensed day care centers to see what they are doing and what they know; identify potential problems with toxic chemicals in facilities and possible alternatives.

·Contact parent-related organizations to begin dialogue and explore possibilities for information sharing with them and their members.

·Experiment with different means of educating and influencing people “on the ground” to seek and use less toxic products and practices. (This might include interviewing, providing informational materials, participating in events, offering talks and tables).

·Bring interested parties together to discuss ways to reduce children’s exposure to toxic chemicals at home and away.

CONCLUSION:

·Develop a plan of future actions to follow up on what is learned, improve TIP’s effectiveness in educating those who care for children in avoiding toxic risks, involve and organize more people in these efforts. Establish a Kids & Toxics Information Exchange as a resource for this purpose.

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(OVER)

KIDS & TOXICS INFORMATION EXCHANGE

COMMENTS/DESCRIPTION

Evidence is piling up about the interconnection between exposure to common household chemicals and health conditions, especially in children. Asthma, learning disabilities, endocrine disruption and cancer are the greatest concerns. Yet efforts to understand, regulate and educate are scattered, and no one agency or organization has a really good overall picture of the situation.

This project will begin with an exploration of the present regulations and the knowledge and practices of those caring for or educating children or maintaining the places where they learn and play. This will be done with an eye on learning how to best encourage them to use least toxic methods and materials. The contacts sampling would be small, but varied, including school professionals, day care center operators, health care professionals, state agencies, and parents. In-depth interviewing as well as written surveys would be utilized for this effort.

The intention would be to find out what rules are in place, what people are doing now and why, their awareness of toxic risks with products used, and what would be needed to ensure that they used or switched to healthy alternatives. Some sharing of informational materials would be also done in this initial phase.

After the fact-finding component, TIP will begin seeking interested people to cooperate in doing further outreach in their communities or workplace. The TIP Kids & Toxics Information Exchange is envisioned as a resource center for these educational and organizing efforts. It could provide a Speakers Bureau, informational materials for distribution at events, and a section on our TIP website devoted to articles, activities, concerns, shared ideas and resources.

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INPUT ON THESE PLANS/CONCERNS AND HELP WITH

CONTACTING OTHERS IS VERY NEEDED!

1. Your comments are welcomed. Contact Liberty Goodwin, Toxics Information Project Director, at 401-351-9193 or by E-Mail: liberty@toxicsinfo.org to offer thoughts and suggestions - or questions. Let us know of any information or experience you may have relating to children’s safety and health.

2. Please pass this along to anyone you know who is involved with children - parents, school professionals, health care personnel, groups or agencies. Ask them to be part of this information exchange and to advise us on the best ways to carry it out. Alternatively, provide us with contact information for people that might be interested in this endeavor.