APRIL 2016 TIP TALKS NEWSLETTER

*************************************************

IN THIS ISSUE

**LIB TALKS: Much Action, Much Good News, Why The Choices In Tip Talks? Support TIP At No Cost? **GOOD NEWS: GMO Bans in 38 Countries, Monsanto Profits Drop, Inspiring, Funny Video Re: Food Scene Changes in L.A.

**OTHER NEWS: GMO Battle Continues to Rev Up World-Wide

**ACTIONS: Tell Congress to Shift Farm Subsidies to Organic, Tell Them Not to Give Your Money to Promote Monsanto!, Tell President Obama to Block the Biggest GMO-Chemical Merge in History, Demand Unilever Disclose Their Fragrance Ingredients, Tell Olive Garden to Keep Antibiotics Off Your Plate

** RESOURCES: EWG Pesticides Guide – New “Dirty Dozen” & “Clean Fifteen”, Links to Ammunition in the Pesticide Battle

****************************************************************

LIB TALKS

**MUCH ACTION, MUCH GOOD NEWS, REPORTS FROM

THE FRONT & QUICK TIPS ON FOOD PURCHASES:

This month we have a bunch of stories about progress and

change happening! To be fair, there are also a couple indicating

the ongoing work to achieve – and maintain such good moves.

And, there are several important actions for you to take.

**WHY THE CHOICES IN TIP TALKS? You will notice that there

is a predominance of GMO/Monsanto-related items this month.

Why? There is so much out there – I have to choose a limited number.

So, it is reasonable to ask – what are the criteria for inclusion?

Obviously, importance of the concern is high on the list, and

immediacy/timing is key Second, I ask: “Does this facilitate

effective action for good/change? Is it likely to succeed? Is it

easily doable for busy folk? Or, does it serve to provide information

which people may not already have? Note that I tend to feel

certain petitions or actions are less likely to be heeded. And,

in general, I believe we have more power as consumers than as

citizens. Those who want to sell us something have a strong interest

in our preferences. I hope that my choices reflect these goals.

As always, I welcome comments or suggestions.

**SUPPORT US WITHOUT ANY EXTRA EXPENSE TO YOU:

From Anywhere:: Make “Good Search” your search engine page

and select TIP as your charity. (It searches effectively & I currently

have $38.50 accumulated just by normal use) To use it, go to:

www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=818190

In Our Local Area (RI, MA, CT): Check out nearby resources in

our info flyers at your local library, or on our Landscaping or Less

Toxic Living Pages. See our latest, 2016 Spring/Summer flyer,

“The Local Buzz”, on our Home Page Action Corner http://toxicsinfo.org/

Then, visit or call them re: products or services you would use anyway.

They are carefully selected for provision of healthier options.

Tell them TIP sent you!

Blessings, Liberty G

*********************************************************

GOOD NEWS

***************************************************

GMO CROPS BANNED IN 38 COUNTRIES,

GROWN IN ONLY 28, April 22, 2016

www.fitspirits.com/2016/04/22/gmo-crops-banned-38-countries-grown-28/

MONSANTO PROFITS DROP TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT AGAIN

AS FARMERS, INDIVIDUALS GO ORGANIC

www.organicconsumers.org/news/monsanto-profits-drop-twenty-five-percent-again-farmers-individuals-go-organic

CONNECTICUT HOUSE PASSES “SAVE THE BEE BILL”,

UNANIMOUSLY 4-27-16

It is now on the way to the Governor. How could the Governor

not love to save our Pollinating Bees? Among other things, the bill

includes restrictions on neonicotinoids. & requires the Department of

Energy &Environmental Protection (DEEP) commissioner to classify

certain neonicotinoids as "restricted use" pesticides.

www.cga.ct.gov/2016/TOB/s/2016SB-00231-R02-SB.htm

THIS VIDEO WILL KNOCK YOUR SOCKS OFF!

(From the Food Revolution Network)

http://foodrevolution.org/blog/video-ron-finley/

Inner city communities often have little or no access to healthy food.

As a result, people who live in these “food deserts” have extremely

high rates of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and many other

diet-fueled chronic ailments. But now, here is a bright beacon of hope.

Ron Finley feeds the hungry, and brings real food to the people that

need it most. He grows not just vegetables, but also the very fabric

of community itself.

**********************************************

OTHER NEWS

**********************************************

THE GMO BATTLE CONTINUES

IN THE U.S. & WORLD-WIDE

www.foodconsumer.org/newsite/Politics/Politics/organic_consumers_association_0415160939.html

The Biotech Industry Organization (BIO) changed its name awhile back,

to the Biotech Innovation Organization—so we’d like them better. But

we prefer to just call them desperate. According to the Des Moines

in 2015 — the first decline in 20 years. Meanwhile, Monsanto’s profits

are tanking. And Washington State is suing the Grocery Manufacturers

Association for $14 million over a money-laundering scheme the GMA

used to help defeat a 2015 GMO labeling ballot initiative in the state.

IN THE PHILIPPINES:

GMO Ban, Supreme Court Approval, Revision of Regulation

http://www.goodsearch.com/search-web?utf8=%E2%9C%93&keywords=+2016+Philippine+ban+on+GM+crops

*************************************

ACTIONS

******************************************

EWG “GROW ORGANIC” PETITION

http://action.ewg.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=2202&tag=201604OrganicsEmail

Ever wonder why it’s so hard to find organic versions of some of

your favorite foods? It’s because we’re still not growing enough

organics in America. As demand for organic food soars, major

retailers like Costco are unable to keep up. That’s because less

than 1 percent of American farmland is dedicated to growing organic

crops. Growing more organics would not only make them more

affordable and accessible for consumers, but would also play a huge

role in protecting our health & environment.

Congress will soon begin considering the next farm bill - the federal

measure with the greatest influence on how American food gets to

market. Right now, many of your tax dollars go to highly profitable

agribusinesses and too little to help farmers grow organic fruits and

vegetables. It’s time to change that! Sign the petition that says:

“Instead of giving billions of dollars in farm subsidies to those who

don’t need them, I want my taxes to go to smarter food and farm

policies. The U.S. should promote organic farming, support family f

arms, protect land and water and help feed children. Please invest

in smarter food and farm policies”.

DON’T LET CONGRESS GIVE YOUR MONEY TO MONSANTO!

(From Organic Consumers Association- OCA)

https://action.organicconsumers.org/o/50865/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=18812

Tell them to strike the provision from the FY17 Agriculture

appropriations bill that calls for an expenditure of $3 million

"to promote understanding & acceptance of agricultural biotechnology

& biotechnology-derived food products & animal feed.” This is nothing

more than a “Monsanto Promotion Act” that would require dissemination

of biased information. Under this provision, science-based information

on “benefits” of GMOs would be disseminated, but science-based

information on the harms would not.

TELL PRESIDENT OBAMA: BLOCK THE BIGGEST

GMO-CHEMICAL MERGER IN HISTORY

http://act.credoaction.com/sign/chemchina_syngenta?t=2&akid=17867.7537451.W1SM4H

The unprecedented merger of ChemChina & Syngenta would put

much of American & global food production in the hands of a single

major multi-national corporation. Only six companies now control

75 percent of the world’s seed and agricultural chemical business.

Further consolidation would put our food production system in the

hands of even fewer multinational corporations, with the potential

of unchecked use of more toxic chemicals and GMOs in our food

supply. A bipartisan group of members of Congress is calling on the

Obama administration to more aggressively scrutinize the merger,

with the potential of stopping it from moving forward. Block this

proposed merger and protect our food system.

DEMAND UNILEVER DISCLOSE THEIR FRAGRANCE INGREDIENTS

http://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/51290/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=18507

Although it's just one little word on an ingredient label, fragrance

can contain dozens, even hundreds, of chemicals—including known

carcinogens, hormone-disruptors, environmental toxicants and other

chemicals of concern. In fact, fragrance allergies affect two to

11 percent of the general population. This translates into tens of

millions of people who are globally affected by fragrance and studies

suggest that this chemical sensitivity is on the rise. Without required

fragrance ingredient disclosure, it is impossible for consumers to

avoid problematic ingredients or for researchers and regulators to

understand the full universe of ingredients used to formulate cosmetic

products.Take action and demand Unilever fully disclose the fragrance

ingredients in Axe Body Spray and other Unilever products.

Comment submitted with petition by Liberty G:

FRAGRANCE CHEMICALS MAKE PEOPLE SICK - AND WILL

UNDERMINE YOUR BUSINESS OVER TIME! ALSO, CONSIDER

THE POSSIBILITY OF A LAWSUIT SUCH AS THE ONE THAT HIT

BIG TOBACCO. NOTE: I actually run a non-profit organization

that addresses these concerns - and the individual reports are

mounting - along with more and more scientific evidence of harm.

If you are smart, you will look into getting some of the toxic stuff

out of your products, not just disclosing. Check out our website

at:http://toxicsinfo.org/TIPS_personal.htm

*************************************

RESOURCES

*********************************

EWG’S 2016 SHOPPER’S GUIDE TO PESTICIDES IN PRODUCE

is finally here and this year's results may surprise you. You can find

our top findings from this year’s report in the resources below.

www.ewg.org/foodnews/index.php?inlist=Y/utm_source=201604FNRelease&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=201604FNRelease

For the first time ever, strawberries top EWG’s Dirty Dozen™ list

for the highest number of pesticide residues, displacing apples,

which headed the list for the last five years. See which other fruits

and veggies we recommend you always buy organic

www.ewg.org/foodnews/dirty_dozen_list.php?inlist=Y/utm_source=201604FNRelease&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=201604FNRelease

For conventional produce, EWG’s Clean Fifteen™ list highlights the

fruits and vegetables that are least likely to have pesticide residues.

Stick to this list when going organic is not accessible or affordable.

www.ewg.org/foodnews/clean_fifteen_list.php?inlist=Y/utm_source=201604FNRelease&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=201604FNRelease

AMMUNITION IN THE PESTICIDE BATTLE

Pass these links along to anyone you know who is skeptical or

uninformed about pesticide problems, especially with Glyphosate.:

http://endocrinedisruption.org/pesticides/glyphosate

http://ehjournal.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12940-016-0117-0

*********************************************************

COMMENTS, QUESTIONS!

AND BY THE WAY – WE’RE SMALL, WE’RE ACTIVE,

WE DON’T BOTHER YOU WITH LOTS OF PITCHES FOR

MOOLA – BUT WE REALLY DO NEED SOME HELP!

*********************************************************

* *EASY WAYS TO SUPPORT OUR WORK:

*****************************************************************

BENEFIT TIP WHILE SURFING THE WEB at:

www.goodsearch.com/?charityid=818190

(Uses the Yahoo search engine)

*************************************************

** SUPPORT TIP WHILE SHOPPING AMAZON

Just go to: https://smile.amazon.com/ch/14-1862385 and the

link will take you to the site with TIP already selected as your

charity. You then shop on smile.amazon.com the same way

you would have shopped on www.amazon.com, but the

donation will go to us (at no cost to you).

*******************************************************************

**OR MOST OF ALL, MAKE A DONATION:

Mail a check to TIP at the address below.

(We are a 501C3 tax deductible organization)

************************************************************

Liberty Goodwin, Director,

Toxics Information Project (TIP)

P.O. Box 40572, Providence, RI 02940

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

Website: www.toxicsinfo.org