TIP TALKS
The e-Newsletter of the
Toxics Information Project (TIP)
November, 2013
*****************************************************************************************************
IN THIS ISSUE
**TIP ACTIVITIES: The “Clues to Cutting Costs”
booklet makes its debut – blog & more to follow.
Food Concerns Group Strategy Meeting, Dec. 10
GMO Surveys & Petitions are in process, plans for
the coming year are under way.
**HEALTHY HOLIDAYS: Green Kitchen & Healthy
Home Tips, Natural Toy Guide, Tree Planting Gifts
(And TIP’s own holiday booklets, online)
**FOOD CONCERNS: Good News of an influential
GMO labeling partner, and 3 petitions to sign.
What has Coca Cola been up to, on the GMO front?
Gluten – New information & resources for the gluten
sensitive – and the rest of us as well.
**CONSUMER CHEMICAL CONCERNS:
New research & resources, news and actions –
especially addressing fire retardants in kids’ products.
(Some Good News included)
********************************************************
TIP ACTIVITIES
********************************************************
RI FOOD CONCERNS GROUP MEETING
6 P.M., TUESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2013
AT WHOLE FOODS MARKET,
NORTH MAIN STREET, PROVIDENCE, RI
Please, if you are in the area, join us
to network and strategize!
Questions or Comments? Call 401-351-9193
Or E-Mail: liberty@toxicsinfo.org
*******************************************************
CUTTING COSTS & LABELING GMOS
These two are the major focus for TIP
– now and in the coming year.
**“Clues To Cutting Costs While Cutting Chems:
Our new booklet includes basic strategies as well
as some specific examples of savvy shopping. It is
being distributed in RI & nearby, and will be up on
our website this week, at: http://toxicsinfo.org/thoughts.htm
I’ve begun collecting lots of product and price information,
which I expect to share on our website starting in January
2014. The first emphasis will be on food. We’ll also be
looking to all of you to give us your own ideas on being
smart, healthy shoppers. We are planning to provide a
place for you soon on the TIP website to share your
comments – kind of “Less Toxic Living” blog.
GMO LABELING LEGISLATION FOR RI
This project will be utilizing surveys as a means to both
learn how people (including legislators) are thinking about
the competing claims re: GMOs, and to educate them on
information provided by the best and least biased sources.
We’ll be looking for help from folks all over Rhode Island,
especially in approaching legislators to discuss the issues.
***************************************************************
HEALTHY HOLIDAYS
**************************************************************
Healthy Home Tips: Tip 13 – Your Green Holiday Kitchen
From Environmental Working Group (EWG)
EWG makes it easy to prepare your holiday feasts with
your family's environmental health in mind. Just follow
these simple tips as you shop, cook, eat and clean:
1. Choose food low in pollutants and added chemicals
2. Avoid toxic chemicals in cookware
3. Store and reheat leftovers safely
4. Clean Greener
www.ewg.org/research/healthy-home-tips/tip-13-your-green-holiday-kitchen?inlist=Y&utm_source=2013yeahhtng&utm_medium=email&utm_content=first-link&utm_campaign=fund
Mothering's Natural Toy Guide 2013!
From sturdy wooden kitchens and a treehouse made of
reclaimed walnut, to delicate fairies and organic rattles,
check out this year's selection, all chosen for their superior
materials, lasting quality and great value, by Mothering Magazine.
www.mothering.com/community/a/motherings-natural-toy-guide-2013?utm_campaign=website&utm_source=sendgrid.com&utm_medium=email
Tree-Planting Gift Opportunities
From Interfaith Power & Light
For this Season of Giving - give the gift of life! Plant trees
in honor of a family member, a loved one, or a friend.
Heartbreakingly, deforestation is responsible for almost
20 percent of global carbon emissions. But today, we can
do something about it with Interfaith Power & Light’s
Carbon Covenant Gifts of Life. Just $25 brings together
Christians and Muslims to plant 10 trees in Cameroon
and $100 supports Buddhist “eco-monks” in their daily
forest patrols to stop illegal deforestation in Cambodia,
protecting local peoples’ land & livelihoods. See these
and other options at:
https://salsa4.salsalabs.com/o/50836/p/salsa/donation/common/public/?donate_page_KEY=7278
DON’T FORGET TO CHECK OUT THE MANY GIFT IDEAS
IN TIP’S “HEALTHY HOLIDAYS GUIDES, AVAILABLE ON
OUR WEBSITE AT: http://toxicsinfo.org/thoughts.htm
****************************************************************
FOOD CONCERNS
***************************************************************
GOOD NEWS! GUESS WHO IS ON BOARD
THE GMO CONCERNS BOAT?
Tell Congress to Label Genetically Engineered Food
Author: CONSUMERS UNION
Target: United States Congress.
The overwhelming majority of Americans want to know
if food is genetically engineered. Some 64 countries -
including China, Australia and the entire European
Union - already require GE foods be labeled. You have
a fundamental right to know what's in your food, and
the FDA already requires 3,000 ingredients, processes
and additives be labeled. Sign this one at:
www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/891/129/442/
**Are Genetically Modified Foods a Gut-Wrenching
Combination? (GMO/Gluten Sensitivity Connection?
http://responsibletechnology.org/glutenintroduction
Are GMOs Responsible For Your Gluten Intolerance?
Beth Buczynski November 27, 2013
www.care2.com/greenliving/are-gmos-responsible-for-your-gluten-intolerance.html?cid=email_na#
Actions
**RI Join CT to Label Genetically Modified Foods
A MoveOn.org petition by Bob Gerber
(TIP will be providing additional labeling petition
opportunities – sign as many as come your way!)
http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/ri-join-ct-to-label-genetica?source=mo&id=78613-1175235-xnQig9x
Coca-Cola: Stop Funding
Anti-GMO Labeling Campaigns
Coca-Cola has secretly contributed more than a
million dollars to campaign against the labeling of
genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In addition
to its soft drinks, the company owns many brands
marketed as healthier alternatives, including Honest
Tea, Powerade, Odwalla, Vitamin Water and Simply
Orange. Coca-Cola’s CEO, Muhtar Kent, says,
“We have provided a tremendous amount of choice
to people.” But when it comes to your right to know
how your food was produced, Coca-Cola has joined
biotech giant Monsanto in trying to keep you in the dark.
Many companies, including Dole Food Company,
and Mars, Inc., have responded to consumer pressure
and stopped giving money to fight GMO labeling.
We are calling on Coca-Cola to join them.
Sign the petition at:
http://us.mg6.mail.yahoo.com/neo/launch?.rand=402830521&cleolblock=1#mail
********************************************************************************
CHEMICAL UPDATES FOR CONCERNED CONSUMERS
*****************************************************************************
New Test Data: 150 Products From 11 National Retailers
FALL 2013 PRODUCT SURVEY RESULTS RELEASED
From Healthy Stuff.Org, November 15, 2013
http://www.healthystuff.org/
Chemical hazards found in kitchen, exercise equipment,
jewelry, consumer electronics, building & outdoor products.
Some retailers respond, others remain silent.
Environment and Human Health, Inc.'s
New Flame-Retardant Report
Calls for Sweeping Policy Changes
Environment and Human Health, Inc.'s new research report
closely examines the health risks that flame-retardants pose
to the general population and recommends sweeping policy
changes to protect the public. Recent toxicological studies
demonstrate that flame-retardants pose the greatest risk
to the normal growth and development of fetuses, infants
and children. Flame-retardants are now ubiquitous in our
environment. http://www.ehhi.org./flame
Toxic Flame Retardants May Be On Way Out
(Good News?)
New California fire standard can be met without chemicals
in furniture foam"......... the most commonly used flame
retardant in upholstered furniture and baby products is
chlorinated Tris - a chemical the industry voluntarily removed
from children's pajamas in the late 1970s after scientists
found that it could mutate DNA."
www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-flame-retardants-california-met-20131122,0,1794887.story
ACTION
An End to Playing on Poisons
The new Center for Environmental Health report, Playing on
Poisons (PDF), found that 90% of children’s play furniture
purchased from major retailers like Walmart, Target, and
Babies "R" Us contain harmful flame retardant chemicals.
Fortunately, in January a new flammability standard will give
companies easy ways to make safer products for our children,
without toxic flame retardants. It’s time for retailers to offer
safer products for our children!
Urge the 6 retailers in Playing on Poisons (Walmart,
Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us, buybuy Baby, Kmart, and
Target) to take immediate action to alert their suppliers
that starting in January, we want safer, flame retardant-free
products & we want any older products that still contain
flame retardants to be labeled. We have the right to know
when products for our children contain harmful flame
retardant chemicals! Go to:
http://org.salsalabs.com/o/1421/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=14612
*****************************************************************
CONTACT US WITH YOUR THOUGHTS,
COMMENTS, QUESTIONS!
**************************************************************
Liberty Goodwin, Director
Toxics Information Project
P.O. Box 40572,
Providence, RI 02940
Tel. 401-351-9193
Website: www.toxicsinfo.org
***********************************************