TIP TALKS

The Newsletter of the Toxics Information Project (TIP)

SPRING 2005

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BUSY TIMES CONTINUE FOR TIP

Since the last newsletter, things have been humming. The opportunity arose to bestow our first Less Toxic Landscaping award to a municipality rather than an individual. The Richmond, RI Town Council voted unanimously to move to organic lawn care on its town property. They also sponsored a free April 27 workshop on Non-Toxic Lawn Care. We (myself and husband/webmaster Paul Klinkman) attended the event and presented LTL award certificates and lawn signs to the Town of Richmond (RI) and its Conservation Commission, which had been active in promoting the moves. A subscription to E/The Environment magazine was given to the Chariho School Library.

It is no coincidence that Lynn Marie Ruggeri, Commission Chair, is the same Physiological Psychologist who gave a talk for TIP to school professionals in 2003, on neurological effects of household chemicals – and is co-author of “Safer for Your Baby”, described in the Winter TIP TALKS.

And it probably doesn’t hurt that the Town Council president, Mike Sullivan, is a professor at URI and new head of the RI Department of Environmental Management. ACTION OPPORTUNITY: Your town, garden or other club, school district, athletic association could be honored as well! Urge them to go less toxic in their lawn, field or park care – and inform us of any such action taken.

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In the last TIP TALKS, I reported on many activities TIP is pursuing. Here’s an update:

Lawn Pesticide Bills The hearing before the RI State Senate Environment & Agriculture Committee was finally held on April 6, 2005. I testified, along with a concerned parent. Written testimony was submitted by Clean Water Action, American Lung Association RI, Audubon Society of RI, and several individual TIP supporters. A flock of landscapers and agricultural people testified against it. On May 18, I met with Sen. Susan Sosnowski, committee chair, who advised me of the need to get the agencies – DOH & DEM, on board, to better persuade others on the committee. I will pursue that.

NEW: The bills were introduced in the House by Rep. (& Majority Leader) Gordon Fox in late April, and referred to the House Environment & Natural Resources Committee.

ACTION OPPORTUNITY: Though it seemed we’d be too late for action this session, when I spoke with Rep. Peter Ginaitt, that committee’s chair, he affirmed that we definitely WOULD get a hearing this Spring. CONTACT US TO BE NOTIFIED OF THE DATE – WE’LL NEED SUPPORT FOR THIS!!

RI State Science Fair: Paul & I were impressed by the creativity of the hundreds of young people participating in this event. We found 14 projects that fit our TIP mission well enough to deserve Less Toxic Living awards – two winners each in the Junior & Senior Divisions, and 5 each honorable mentions. We gave E-Magazine subscriptions (kindly donated by the “E” people) and Less Toxic Landscaping lawn signs to the four top awardees and LTL bumper stickers to the others, along with award certificates.

FUTURE ACTION: We will provide assistance to students wishing to do research or create projects that are TIP concerns-related, whether for the next Science Fair or just for school.

Better Breathers. On May 11, I gave a well-received talk titled “TIPS to Less Toxic, Lung Friendly Living”, at Vasa Hall in Cranston, to this ALA RI sponsored group of people with asthma and other respiratory conditions.

Other Activities. during this period included two trips to Boston – for the March 24 Breast Cancer Truth or Consequences Conference at Harvard Medical School; and the April 2 Toxics Action Conference at Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston. In RI, I attended the Earth Day Breakfast of Champions in Pawtuxet, India Point Park meeting in Providence, Sustainable Living Festival planning committee meetings, RI Asthma Coalition School Advocacy/School Nurse Teachers joint committee meeting, the Environment Roundtable at RI DEM, a Litter Task Force meeting, and a Multicultural Business Luncheon during Health Conference Expo at the RI Convention Center.

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RECENT TABLES AT EVENTS

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CONTACTS WITH FOLKS FROM EVERYWHERE:

I have been communicating by phone and E-Mail with a mother in Atlanta, GA, whose child was one of several that became ill when lawn pesticides were sprayed on a soccer field there just as the kids were arriving. Two girls were taken to the hospital in anaphylactic shock. Since the incident, this woman has been working to persuade the city of Atlanta to go organic with its playing field care, and not to renew its contract with ChemLawn. She succeeded – but another glitch arose – no one bid on the new package! So, I have spent some time seeking resources by web search, phone and E-Mail that might be able to help provide organic lawn care to the city or help with the search. I came up with quite a few promising contacts, and passed them on – am now waiting to see how things worked out.

Meanwhile, an unusual number of people seem to have discovered our TIP website – and I’m getting calls from as far away as Louisiana to discuss concerns and questions. I love it! NOTE TO OUT-OF-STATE SUPPORTERS: I am pleased to work with you to provide information and encouragement for going organic to those who maintain public spaces or playing fields in your area! See the attached flyer and reporting form.

Liberty Goodwin, Director, Toxics Information Project (TIP)

HELP WANTED – AND OFFERED TO YOU!

“LESS TOXIC LANDSCAPING CAMPAIGN” & “HOW TO DO IT” GUIDE

We need assistance from folks who support our goals of reducing the use of lawn chemicals, encouraging healthy lawn care and creative landscaping alternatives. Check the list below for ways you can help – and tell us what questions and concerns you would like to see in the Guide, to be published later this year.

1. OFFER HEALTHY GARDENING & LANDSCAPING INFORMATION. People with knowledge of healthy alternatives to pesticide use can provide us with useful TIPs to include in the upcoming “Less Toxic Landscaping” “How to Do It” Guide. (We can also use speakers for interested groups)

2. SUGGEST LTL RESOURCES FOR THE PUBLIC. We seek contact information for organizations, businesses and individuals who can assist people with questions, concerns, services.

3. SPREAD THE WORD. Encourage others to share their knowledge and concerns with us. Disseminate LTL informational materials and publicity handouts. Consider arranging for a TIP speaking opportunity.

4. SUPPORT THE LTL CAMPAIGN & “HOW-TO” GUIDE. Advertise in the Guide, make donations (tax-deductible) to TIP toward Campaign expenses, become a TIP member or renew your membership.

CANARY CORNER

PARKINSON’S DISEASE AND PESTICIDED WORKERS: ANOTHER FORM OF CANARY ILLNESS?

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Combination of Two Widely Used Pesticides Linked to Parkinson's Disease

http://www.niehs.nih.gov/centers/2001news/ctrnews5.htm

Press Release, University of Rochester Medical Center

"The environmental reality is that several of these chemicals are used on the same crops and in the same geographical locations. You've got to get rid of the weeds. Then the insects. Then funguses. These are different chemicals that do different things, but they're often applied in the same fields," says Cory-Slechta, who was joined in the research by graduate student Mona Thiruchelvam and faculty members Eric Richfield, Raymond Baggs, and A. William Tank. The study is one of the first to examine the effects of such chemicals in tandem. Cory-Slechta notes that current regulations and determinations of safety levels are usually based on the effects of single chemicals. "In the real world, we're exposed to mixtures of chemicals every day. There are thousands upon thousands of combinations; I think what we have found is the tip of the iceberg," she says. "There are a dozen different fungicides related to maneb alone. I don't think we just happened to pick the right chemicals to see such an effect."

Maneb, paraquat, and many other pesticides are used in the same agriculture-rich areas of the country, including the Midwest, California, Florida and the Northeast. The map of their use mirrors areas of the country where people are more likely to die of Parkinson's disease. Several epidemiological studies have hinted at a role for pesticides in the development of the disease. Studies have found that farmers, people who live in rural areas, and people who drink well water are more likely to have the disease than people who don't. In addition, just last month, scientists at Emory University presented evidence that rats given a steady dose of the natural pesticide rotenone, used on home-grown fruits and vegetables, develop Parkinson'slike symptoms. Cory-Slechta's study, which used much lower levels of chemicals than the Emory research, is the first to link a combination of more widely used pesticides to the disease. "No one has looked at the effects of studying together some of these compounds that, taken by themselves, have little effect," says Cory-Slechta. "This has enormous implications."

Currently scientists have little understanding of what causes Parkinson's, where a tiny group of dopamine-producing neurons deep within an area of the brain known as the substantia nigra die. This cell death leads to a shortage of the neurotransmitter dopamine and to the tremors, rigidity, and slow movement that mark the disease as it progresses slowly over a period of years or decades. Parkinson's affects about 1 million people in North America. There is a growing consensus among scientists that both genetic predisposition and environmental agents may play a role in the disease. Doctors see a similar effect in heart disease, where a patient might have both a family history and a sedentary lifestyle, or in cancer, where certain genes may make one prone to develop colon cancer and a poor diet makes the disease even more likely. Cory-Slechta thinks it's unlikely that exposures to such chemicals actually cause Parkinson's on their own, but they may contribute to the development of the disease. "This is the first time that truly environmental risk factors for Parkinson's disease have been identified," she says.

Cory-Slechta heads a research center funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences where researchers study the effects of environmental agents like cigarette smoke, air pollution, and metals like mercury and lead on human health. She believes scientists must do more research on the effects of exposure to multiple chemicals. "It's a huge problem to start thinking about a nearly infinite array of mixtures of chemicals, instead of the risk that a single chemical might pose," she says. She also says more work must be done to see how much of these chemicals people are actually exposed to. Usually it's not clear exactly how much of a pesticide remains on crops by the time they reach the dinner table. Maneb frequently shows up as a slight residue, she says, while paraquat usually shows up just in trace amounts; exposures can also occur via other routes. Oftentimes the two are used at different stages of the growing cycle. "The real issue is what happens when they hit humans in the food chain. If they're both present, then you are exposed to the combination."

In the Journal of Neuroscience paper, and in an earlier paper in Brain Research, the scientists showed how mice injected with both maneb and paraquat differed from normal mice in many ways. Most obviously, the mice moved around much less; immediately after the last of 12 injections over six weeks, the mice ran around their cages just one-tenth as much as their normal counterparts. More importantly, the mice that received both chemicals showed brain damage in exactly the same way as humans with Parkinson's. Scientists have shown that the combination of two widely used agricultural pesticides-but neither one alone-creates in mice the exact pattern of brain damage that doctors see in patients with Parkinson's disease. The research offers the most compelling evidence yet that everyday environmental factors may play a role in the development of the disease.

The latest findings of the team led by Deborah Cory-Slechta, Ph.D., professor of environmental medicine and dean for research at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, appear in the Dec. 15 issue of the Journal of Neuroscience. The scientists caution that more studies are necessary to explain the link, since it's probable that many factors contribute to a complex disease like Parkinson's, and they say it's unlikely that the pesticides on their own actually cause the disease. Cory-Slechta's team studied the effects of a mixture of two very common agrichemicals, the herbicide paraquat and the fungicide maneb. Each is used by farmers on millions of acres in the United States alone: Maneb is applied widely on such crops as potatoes, tomatoes, lettuce and corn, and paraquat is used on corn, soybeans, cotton, fruit, and a variety of other products. In the experiment, mice exposed to either one had little or no brain damage, but mice exposed to both share a significant trait with people in the very early stages of the disease: Though they appear healthy, key brain cells known as dopamine neurons are dying. The mice exposed to the mixture carried nearly all of the molecular hallmarks of Parkinson's disease as seen in humans.

· The amount of a key molecular marker, tyrosine hydroxylase, that is one measure of the health of the dopamine system was lower by about 15 percent in the mice, in the exact same areas of the brain that are damaged by the disease. Other closely related areas of the brain were spared, as in humans.

· The mice had nearly four times as many "reactive astrocytes," structures which indicate brain damage, compared to the control mice, in areas affected by Parkinson's disease.

· The mice had about 15 percent fewer dopamine neurons and ultimately produced about 15 percent less dopamine than normal mice.

The team is currently pursuing several new avenues of research, with funding from NIEHS. For instance, preliminary findings indicate that the Parkinson's-like effects on mice may be permanent, and that older mice may be more sensitive to the combination than younger mice. The team is also studying the effects of exposure to the mixture early in life, and they've shown that mice with the same genetic abnormality that causes some people to develop Parkinson's are specially vulnerable to the mixture

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A SERIOUS NOTE: TIP usually focuses on protecting ourselves, our children, our pets, from toxic chemicals that surround us. But the story above should get us thinking about a less personal, more humanitarian concern – about those who produce the food we eat. The possibility of Parkinson’s Disease is only one of the many threats faced by agricultural workers. I can’t begin to cover them here – and don’t want to make the newsletter too top heavy with heart-wrenching tales. However, I think we should begin to become more aware and concerned about this aspect of the increasingly corporate and continually toxic nature of agriculture in the United States and in the countries from which we import our produce. The point, as always with TIP, is not to get depressed, but to seek actively to remedy the situation. This could be by personal choices like buying organic produce as much as we can – or by working to establish agricultural worker protections in this country and abroad. Those of you who live in Florida already received the following from me - about a story in the Palm Beach Post on April 18, including a picture of one of the babies described – non-Floridians, please read and consider…

Why was Carlitos Born This Way? He's one of three Immokalee babies who were born horribly disfigured to mothers and fathers who work together in Florida's fields.http://www.palmbeachpost.com/localnews/content/local_news/epaper/2005/03/13/s1a_carlitos_0313.html

My note concluded: “Never wonder why I am doing the work I do or whether it is worth it! Actually, I'm wondering if some people who don't take seriously the risks to themselves might get concerned about the farm workers who produce their food. Can anyone look at that picture and not be moved? I hope that Quakers and others in Florida will want to follow up on this concern and see that the agriculture department and/or health department will actually do something about protecting people against these poisons. Tears, Liberty G”.

DON’T BUG ME! –

Some Less Toxic Ways to Fend Off Mosquitoes, Ticks & More

CINNAMON OIL KILLS MOSQUITOES

Source: American Chemical Society

Date Posted: 2004-07-16

Web Address: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2004/07/040716081706.htm

Cinnamon oil shows promise as a great-smelling, environmentally friendly pesticide, with the ability to kill mosquito larvae, according to a new study published in the July 14 issue of the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Chemical Society, the world’s largest scientific society. The researchers also expect that cinnamon oil could be a good mosquito repellant, though they have not yet tested it against adult mosquitoes.

Besides being a summer nuisance, mosquitoes pose some major public health problems, carrying such deadly agents as malaria, yellow fever and West Nile virus. While conventional pesticide application is often effective in controlling mosquito larvae before they hatch, repeated use of these agents has raised serious environmental and health concerns. “These problems have highlighted the need for new strategies for mosquito larval control,” says Peter Shang-Tzen Chang, a professor in the School of Forestry and Resource Conservation at National Taiwan University and lead author of the paper. Scientists are increasingly turning to more benign natural chemicals to ward off mosquitoes and other pests.

Chang and his coworkers tested eleven compounds in cinnamon leaf oil for their ability to kill emerging larvae of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. “Four compounds — cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl acetate, eugenol and anethole — exhibited the strongest activity against A. aegypti in 24 hours of testing,” Chang says. Larvicidal activity is judged with a measurement called LC50. “The LC50 value is the concentration that kills 50 percent of mosquito larvae in 24 hours,” Chang explains. Lower LC50 translates into higher activity, because it takes a lower concentration to kill larvae in the same amount of time. All four compounds had LC50 values of less than 50 parts per million (ppm), with cinnamaldehyde showing the strongest activity at an LC50 of 29 ppm.

Other common essential oils, such as catnip, have shown similar promise in fighting off mosquitoes, but this is the first time researchers have demonstrated cinnamon’s potential as a safe and effective pesticide, according to Chang. Cinnamaldehyde is the main constituent in cinnamon leaf oil and is used worldwide as a food additive and flavoring agent. A formulation using the compound could be sprayed just like a pesticide, but without the potential for adverse health effects — plus the added bonus of a pleasant smell.

Bark oil from the Cinnamomum cassia tree is the most common source of cinnamaldehyde, but the tree used in this study — indigenous cinnamon, or Cinnamomum osmophloeum — has been of interest to researchers because the constituents of its leaf oil are similar to those of C. cassia bark oil. The leaves of C. osmophloeum, which grows in Taiwan’s natural hardwood forests, could be a more economical and sustainable source of cinnamon oil than isolating it from bark, Chang says. Though the team only tested the oil against the yellow fever mosquito, cinnamon oil should prove similarly lethal to the larvae of other mosquito species, the researchers say.

In further studies they plan to test cinnamon oil against other types of mosquitoes as well as different commercial pesticides. “We think that cinnamon oil might also affect adult mosquitoes by acting as a repellant,” Chang says. The researchers haven’t yet tested this theory, but they plan to find out in the near future. The Council of Agriculture of the Executive Yuan, a government agency in Taiwan, provided support for this research.

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FROM: MARY GREENE - 2004 LESS TOXIC LANDSCAPING AWARD RECIPIENT

Tansy – Popular With The Right Folks!

While walking in our neighborhood the other day, we passed by Mary’s house, and she showed us a very helpful plant on the edge of her beautiful garden. Apparently Tansy, an herb, has the pleasant characteristic of being disliked by pests like ticks and other nasty bugs, repelling them. Yet, its leaves are highly favored by ladybugs for laying eggs!

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From: The Invisible Gardener's Internet Natural Pest Control Club Online Magazine

Steps to take to minimize getting Lyme disease:

http://www.invisiblegardener.com/magazine/online_magazine/lyme_framed.htm

Wash your clothing with Dr. Bronners Peppermint soap to increase effectiveness as repellent. You can also use Dr. Bronners to spray around pants, whole body just before going out if you have suspicions of there being a tick infestation in the area you are working or playing in. Dr. Bronners Peppermint soap added to water at 5 tablespoons per quart water and misted on clothing will last quite a few hours at repelling ticks. Citronella Oil when added to water ( 2 drops per quart water) and when sprayed on clothing will also be effective against ticks. You can also use garden grade Diatomaceous Earth by either adding 1 tablespoon per quart water and misting clothing and or area or by simply dusting DE on pants before going out. You can also dust DE in the area you are going to be in. This will kill and repel ticks for a short period of time.

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From: Lyme Disease - It's Fall and Time for Lyme Disease

http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/lymedisease/111423

Published on: November 1, 2004, Author: Sue Vogan

Mulch, wood piles, on the shoots of plants, etc. are all good places to find ticks in the fall and winter months. But, if you must get that firewood for the fireplace, take the necessary precautions. Wear light colors, long sleeves, tuck your pants' legs into boots/socks, and check yourself for ticks immediately after being outdoors.

It would also be a good idea to take your clothes off, throw them into the dryer on high heat for 20-30 minutes -- ticks can and do survive washing, but they just hate heat and they die.

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From: Look Out for Lyme Disease

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/ipm/general/htms/lyme.htm

Preventing deer and white-footed mice from inhabiting your property can also help decrease the tick population. If your house is in an area bordered by woods or populated by deer, you may have a high risk of deer ticks on your property. While mice and deer can be a nuisance to homeowners' vegetable gardens and ornamentals, they pose a more serious problem by providing host sites for infected ticks.

Home gardeners can take several preventive measures. The first step is to make the landscape as inhospitable as possible for ticks and hosts by clearing away brush and leaf piles. Remove woodpiles, or at least keep them neat and off the ground, so that mice and other small mammal hosts cannot nest in them. To discourage deer from feeding on your property, utilize plants, shrubs and trees that deer do not usually feed on, such as barberry or boxwood shrubs. A garden center or your local Cooperative Extension System Center may be able to suggest others. Also, a fairly recent innovation is the commercial distribution of bobcat, coyote and wolf urine. The scent of these natural predators may keep deer away. However, more research is needed to confirm this theory. Since ticks avoid areas where direct sunlight can reach the ground, keep your lawn neatly mowed at all times. Mow surrounding fields to keep them relatively short. In the fall, mow the entire field to prevent a thatch build-up where mice and other tick hosts may overwinter.

Seemingly innocent yard ornaments and landscape designs can also encourage tick populations. Bird feeder litter may attract rodents, which can carry infected ticks. Keep the ground beneath the feeder bare and clean so as to limit the amount of food available for rodents. If you live in a Lyme disease endemic area, it is best to suspend bird feeding during late spring and summer, when infected ticks are most active. Despite their beauty, stone walls on your property can attract small mammals and increase the potential for ticks. Especially do not sit on the wall or use it as a picnic table during late spring or summer months. If you live in a deer populated area, constructing an 8-foot-high fence will keep out deer and, hence, reduce the abundance of ticks.

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GARDENING TIPS

http://www.geocities.com/craigwright24/gardentips.html

DID YOU KNOW:

Basil repels mosquitoes and flies;

Borage keeps tomato worms away;

Coriander kills spider mites and aphids;

Garlic keeps away Japanese beetles, aphids, weevils, fruit tree borers and spider mites;

Garlic, onions and chives keep plants free of aphids, rabbits, and beetles hate garlic buds;

Mint keeps ants away;

Nasturtium lures insects & keeps them off nearby flowers;

Sage keeps cabbage moths, carrot flies and ticks away;

White geraniums & Japanese beetles do not like each other

ALKALINE TEST FOR SOIL. To check if your soil is severely alkaline, take a tablespoon of dried garden soil and add a few drops of vinegar. If the soil fizzes, the pH is above 7.5

ACIDITY TEST FOR SOIL. To check for the acidity in your soil, take a tablespoon of wet soil and add a pinch of baking soda. If the soil fizzes, the soil is probably very acidic, with a pH less than 5.0

TIP TALKS Spring Issue 2005

MEMBERSHIPS/DONATIONS

WELCOME! David & Joanne Brunetti, Dotty Stumpf

THANK YOU: E/The Environment Magazine for their premium subscription support program.

Domenic Bucci for his help as a new Board member, renewing his own membership, and obtaining a donation for us from Citizen’s Bank! Citizen’s Vice-President Christine Benford for providing the contribution. Lester Kaplan of Scunci for donating two Scunci Steamers for us to test and evaluate.

TOXICS INFORMATION PROJECT (TIP)

P.O. Box 40572, Providence, RI 02940

Telephone (401) 351-9193

E-Mail: TIPTALKS@toxicinfo.org

Web: www.toxicsinfo.org

`Homemade Bug Spray for Mosquitos and Black Flies`

FROM: INSECT REPELLENT PRODUCTS

Insect Note - ENT/rsc-5. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/notes/Urban/repel.htm

From: The Invisible Gardener's Internet Natural Pest Control Club Online Magazine

From: Lyme Disease - It's Fall and Time for Lyme Disease

From: Look Out for Lyme Disease

MEMBERSHIPS/DONATIONS

WELCOME! David & Joanne Brunetti, Dotty Stumpf

THANK YOU: E/The Environment Magazine for their premium subscription support program.