CANARY CORNER

MYSTERY SYMPTOMS WITH CHEMICAL CAUSES

HAVE ANY OF THESE SYMPTOMS? Asthma, headaches, mental vagueness, coughing, dizziness, eye irritation, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, lost thoughts, sore throat, spiked blood pressure, joint aches, heart palpitations, burning, itching skin eruptions, irritability and aggressive behavior? YOU MAY BE A CANARY & DIDN’T KNOW IT. Many people have these reactions due to chemicals, but are unaware of the cause. Consider the following article.

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CHOOSING PRODUCTS THAT PROMOTE BEAUTY AND WELL BEING

Tuesday, October 07, 2008 by: Barbara Minton, Natural Health Editor

www.naturalnews.com/024416.html

EXCERPTS: Since so many products are now scented, the number of people who are made ill by fragrances is steadily increasing. Babies and children are especially vulnerable along with those recovering from illness or disease. Chemical fragrances are everywhere: laundry detergent, fabric softeners, dish washing liquids, suntan products, sunscreen, incense, lotions, moisturizers, lip balms, almost every personal care product, and more. It's even found in many products labeled as unscented because it is contained within a compound when that compound is added to the product. Exposure to scented products can cause the persistent symptoms that mystify people, such as chronic aches and pains, headaches, allergies, swollen glands and lymph tenderness, heart palpitations, memory, fatigue, asthma, nausea, and neural-motor functioning including dizziness, and fainting. Exposure in children and even adults can cause learning and behavioral problems, attention deficit and hyperactivity in addition to any of the other symptoms. Continued exposure to chemical fragrances along with other toxic chemicals can cause development of Multiple Chemical Sensitivities Disease. When you have this disease, the slightest whiff of a toxic chemical makes you so ill you cannot function. Your ability to interact with the rest of the world is seriously compromised.

It's tempting to say to your self that these products must be all right or the 'government' wouldn't let them be sold, but this isn't true. The personal care products industry is not supervised. The FDA does not require manufacturers to register their products or to file safety data on the ingredients they use in them. They are free to put in as many toxic chemicals as they want. The only thing that stops them is reaction from the public. A few years ago, magazines came with scented strips advertising the latest perfumes. So many people were sickened and complained that the strips were discontinued. If enough people refuse to buy toxic products, manufacturers would stop making them.

Products you use while taking a shower are particularly dangerous since you are using them at a time when your pores are opened by hot water, allowing quick and easy access to your bloodstream. A look at the ingredients in your shampoo may be shocking. There are more than 100 toxic chemicals traditionally used in shampoo, and most brands contain 20 to 30 of them in addition to chemical fragrance and dyes.

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LINKS TO OTHER INFO ABOUT COMMON CHEMICAL-RELATED SYMPTOMS

**Top Ten Hazardous Household Chemicals: www.healingtouchtherapies.com/Toxins_to_Avoid.pdf

Preservatives that release formaldehyde (called “formaldehyde donors”). According to the Mayo Clinic, formaldehyde can irritate the respiratory system, cause skin reactions & trigger heart palpitations. It may cause joint pain, allergies, depression, headaches, chest pains, ear infections, chronic fatigue, dizziness, and loss of sleep. It can also aggravate coughs and colds, and trigger asthma. Other possible side effects include weakening the immune system and cancer.

**MCS Symptoms: Reactions to chemicals in the environment can include: breathing difficulties, speech problems, neurological problems, severe muscle and joint trouble concentrating, short term memory loss, confusion, visual changes, disorientation, dysfunction of the senses, loss of smell or acute sense of smell, sinus congestion, burning eyes and throat, nausea, digestive problems, difficulty swallowing, extreme fatigue, brain fog, numbness, tingling sensations, convulsions, difficulty concentrating, gastrointestinal distress, diarrhea and /or constipation, skin problems, unexplained anger or crying when not sad or depressed, heart palpitations, irregular heart beat, mood and behavioral changes, headaches of varying severity, feeling of pressure in the head, sleepiness, insomnia, and rhinitis. MCS people may have severe food intolerances and hypersensitivities to molds, pollen, algae, insect bites, and medications, all of which can be life-threatening. www.mcs-global.org/Documents/PDFs/MCS-WorldWideHealthProb.pdf

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WHAT’S HAPPENING? NEWS, GOOD AND BAD

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J ORGANIC FARMING COULD FEED AFRICA:

From Organic Bytes, Health, Justice and Sustainability News Tidbits with an Edge!

ORGANIC BYTES is a publication of: ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION Finland, Minnesota,

Phone: (218)- 226-4164, Web: www.organicconsumers.org/organicbytes.cfm

New evidence suggests that organic practices - derided by some as a Western lifestyle fad - are delivering sharp increases in yields, improvements in the soil and a boost in the income of Africa's small farmers who remain among the poorest people on earth. The head of the UN's Environment Programme, Achim Steiner, said the report "indicates that the potential contribution of organic farming to feeding the world maybe far higher than many had supposed". The "green revolution" in agriculture in the 1960s - when the production of food caught and surpassed the needs of the global population for the first time - largely bypassed Africa. Whereas each person today has 25 per cent more food on average than they did in 1960, in Africa they have 10 per cent less. A combination of increasing population, decreasing rainfall and soil fertility and a surge in food prices has left Africa uniquely vulnerable to famine. Climate change is expected to make a bad situation worse by increasing the frequency of droughts and floods. It has been conventional wisdom among African governments that modern, mechanised agriculture was needed to close the gap but efforts in this direction have had little impact on food poverty and done nothing to create a sustainable approach. Now, the global food crisis has led to renewed calls for a massive modernisation of agriculture on the hungriest continent on the planet, with calls to push ahead with genetically modified crops and large industrial farms to avoid potentially disastrous starvation. See the full story at: www.independent.co.uk/news/world/africa/organic-farming-could-feed-africa-968641.html

VARIED NEWS FROM THE ORGANIC CONSUMER ASSOCIATION (OCA)

J GOOD NEWS OF THE WEEK: EUROPE CONTINUES BAN ON GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS

Although more than 70% of the non-organic food in American supermarkets contains genetically engineered ingredients, massive opposition to GMO crops in Europe has basically kept them off the market (except for imported animal feed). According to the overwhelming majority of consumers, as well as elected officials, in the EU, biotech crops pose unacceptable risks to human health and the environment--despite industry, U.S. Government, and many trade officials' insistence that they are perfectly safe. This week, France's Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo announced that his country, along with several other European nations, would be renewing its ban on all genetically engineered (GE) crops, including Monsanto's GE corn (MON 810), which is the only biotech crop allowed for human consumption in the EU. According to Borloo, "The basis of the safeguard clause, which tackles open-field cultivation of the Monsanto 810 maize, is on risks considered as severe for the environment..." Learn more at: http://www.organicconsumers.org/gelink.cfm

L RELATED FACTS OF THE WEEK: GENETICALLY ENGINEERED CROPS

CREATING MORE PESTICIDE ADDICTION IN U.S.

According to a recent (December 2008) global summary report from the Worldwatch Institute:

1) The U.S. leads the world, by far, in genetically engineered crop production and consumption.

2) The widespread planting of crops genetically engineered to resist specific pesticides (which allows farmers to apply more pesticides to their crops) has created 15 new species of plants known as "superweeds" that are resistant to commonly used pesticides. In 2008, these superweeds were discovered on hundreds of thousands of acres of U.S. farmland.

3) Due to the presence of these new superweeds, GM crop production has already led to a $60 million annual increase in pesticide use in the U.S. Most of that money goes to the same companies that developed the GM crops that were supposed to reduce pesticide use in the first place. See: www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16873.cfm

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October 16, 2009 ORGANIC FACTS OF THE WEEK.

Source: http://www.rodaleinstitute.org/ www.rodaleinstitute.org

J-If organic farming methods were practiced on all the planet's food-growing land, it would be like

taking more than 1.5 billion cars off the road.

J-You can increase your antioxidant intake by 30 percent by choosing organic.

J-Farms in developing countries that use organic techniques produce an average of 79% more

than farms that don't.

L-The average child in America is exposed to five pesticides daily in their food and drinking water.

L -The U.S. water system is regularly contaminated above safe limits immediately following chemical fertilizer applications to farm fields.

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January 28, 2008 HEADLINES OF THE WEEK::

J 1) rBGH/rBST Victory With the last major dairy in the Northeast finally banning rBGH, the New England dairy industry will be free of Monsanto's controversial Bovine Growth Hormone by the end of summer 2009...

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16596.cfm

L 2) Drugs from Genetically Engineered Animals Poised to Debut in US

Patented prescription drugs from genetically engineered animals could appear as early as next month if, as anticipated, the Food and Drug Administration approves ATryn, a blood thinner made from the milk of genetically engineered goats...www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16588.cfm

J 3) Scientific Study: Organic Farming Beats Genetically Engineered Crops as Climate Warms http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_16556.cfm

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RESOURCES & ACTIONS

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ACTION: Letter-To-The-Editor At The Washington Post, March 25, 2009, from Nancy Alderman, President, Environment and Human Health, Inc. North Haven, CT, 203-248-6582

"RUBBER MULCH" IS ACTUALLY GROUND-UP USED RUBBER TIRES

AND IS NOT GOOD FOR CHILDREN OR VEGETABLES

We have read that the White House has recently chosen rubber mulch to be placed in the new children's playground in an effort to provide additional safety for the children. Because we do not know how to reach the Obamas, & we feel this information is important for them & everyone else, we write the following Letter-to-the-Editor at the Washington Post. Environment & Human Health, Inc.

(EHHI) remains concerned about the ground-up rubber tires that people are buying as playground mulch and garden mulch because it is actually ground-up used rubber tires. EHHI is a nine-member, non-profit organization composed of physicians , public health professionals and policy experts, dedicated to protecting human health from environmental harms. In some states rubber tires are a "Hazardous Waste" and in other states they are a "Special Waste". Whichever the case, this is not a material that children should be playing on.

Why is this material a problem for children's playgrounds and gardens? The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has analyzed a sample of ground-up rubber tires and found:

Benzothiazole: Skin and eye irritation, harmful if swallowed. There is no available data on cancer, mutagenic toxicity, teratogenic toxicity, or developmental toxicity.

Butylated hydroxyanisole: Recognized carcinogen, suspected endocrine toxicant, gastrointestinal toxicant, immunotoxicant (adverse effects on the immune system), neurotoxicant (adverse effects on the nervous system), skin and sense-organ toxicant. There is no available data on cancer, mutagenic toxicity, teratogenic toxicity, or developmental toxicity.

n-hexadecane: Severe irritant based on human and animal studies. There is no available data on cancer, mutagenic toxicity, teratogenic toxicity, or developmental toxicity.

4-(t-octyl) phenol: Corrosive and destructive to mucous membranes. There is no available data on cancer, mutagenic toxicity, teratogenic toxicity, or developmental toxicity.

Zinc: There is a very large amount of zinc that is added in the manufacturing of tires and therefore there is a great deal of zinc.

(5) Other Chemicals that are often found in rubber tires are:

Benzene: Carcinogen, Developmental Toxicant, Reproductive Toxicant

Phthalates: Suspected Developmental Toxicant, Endocrine Toxicant, Reproductive Toxicant

PAHs : Suspected Cardiovascular or Blood Toxicant, Gastrointestinal or Liver Toxicant, Reproductive Toxicant ,Respiratory Toxicant,

Manganese: Gastrointestinal or liver toxicants

Carbon Black: Carcinogen

Latex: Causes allergic reactions in some people

The companies producing and selling this product do not explain where the rubber mulch comes from or the potential dangers it presents. This same rubber mulch is also being sold as garden mulch and has the potential for stunting plant growth, contaminating soil and ground water. The manufacturers present the rubber mulch as one that won't break down so that people will not have to mulch again for the many years. Real garden mulch is meant to break down and become part of the soil.

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ACTION: 2,4-D PETITION: Posted November 6, 2008 by Jennifer Sass, Senior Scientist, Washington, D.C. Health & Environment, Natural Resources Defense Council, Washington, DC, E-Mail: jsass@nrdc.org Blog: http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jsass/ Tel. 202-289-6868 (main); 202-289-2362 (direct) Web: www.nrdc.org

NRDC PETITIONS EPA TO BAN 2,4-D:

AN AGENT ORANGE CHEMICAL DOESN'T BELONG ON LAWNS

If you've used a pesticide on your lawn in the past 60 years, there's a good chance you've used 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (aka 2,4-D) - a carcinogen that was also one-half of the recipe for the infamous Agent Orange. 2,4-D is a herbicide in the phenoxy chemical family, used at about 46 million pounds annually in the U.S. - about 30 million pounds in agriculture and 16 million pounds for non-agriculture uses like lawns. NRDC today petitioned the EPA to ban 2,4-D, the most commonly used active ingredient in "home and garden" pesticides. 2,4-D is also one of the oldest pesticides still legal for use. Even though safer and more effective pesticides are available - 2,4-D is often more affordable. 2,4-D is an endocrine disruptor with predicted human health risks ranging from changes in estrogen and testosterone levels, thyroid problems, prostate cancer and reproductive abnormalities. It's also neurotoxin linked in animal studies to side effects like brain cell death, Parkinson's-like tremors, delays in brain development and abnormal behavior patterns. Pregnant women and children are most susceptible to these potential effects.

At home, 2,4-D is used to control aquatic weeds in water where people may swim, on athletic fields, golf courses and playgrounds. It's also used agriculturally - sprayed on our food supply, including pasture land, wheat, corn, soybeans, barley, rice, oats and sugar cane. It shows up in about half of all surface water samples nationwide, and the groundwater of at least five states and Canada. Once tracked indoors - such as from the bottom of a shoe - 2,4-D can stay in your carpet for up to a year. And if you're enjoying a beer or a glass of wine on that carpet - take extra caution. The chemical is absorbed by your body more easily if you're consuming alcohol, wearing sunscreen or using DEET. Infants can take in the chemical through breast milk.

In short - 2,4-D is everywhere, and it's dangerous, particularly for our children. The government has allowed this hazardous herbicide to stay on the market for far too long. In light of all the evidence of the numerous, varied health risks associated with this popular pesticide, the EPA has a responsibility to protect human health and environmental integrity by banning highly hazardous old-school chemicals like 2,4-D. Dow, Agrolinz, Atanor main producers.

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RESOURCE: 10 AMERICANS: 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH' FOR TOXICS & HEALTH

Watch Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook’s moving presentation about the health effects of low-dose exposures to chemicals of concern. It's all science but full of emotion, and worth every minute if you've ever wanted to understand the connection between chemicals and environmental health. Or need to convince a friend. This powerful presentation does both. www.ewg.org/kidsafe

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ACTION: MAKE A GARDEN PLEDGE!

From Organic Consumers Association: Sign OCA's organic victory garden pledge! In a major victory for organic and local food activists, First Lady Michelle Obama broke ground on the White House's first organic kitchen garden since the Roosevelt Administration. According to the First Lady "I've been able to have my kids eat so many different things that they would have never touched if we had bought it at a store because they either met the farmers that grew it, or they saw how it was grown."

Are you ready to follow the First Lady's lead? Would you like resources and tips for growing or expanding your own victory garden? Sign OCA's organic victory garden petition and visit their Transition's Campaign: http://organicconsumers.org/transitions/index.cfm

ACTION: IN BRIEF - FARMERS FOR HIRE

By Trish Hildebrandt, March/April 2009 E/The Environmental Magazine www.emagazine.com/view/?4560

The distance from farm to table has just gotten much smaller. In fact, MyFarm and the Freelance Farmers, both based in San Francisco, have it down to a few feet. For a weekly or hourly fee, the two groups will establish a backyard (or even back deck) organic garden, while customers provide the sunny space for the heirloom seeds and plants to grow. Farmers will come every week, if desired, to plant, weed, compost and harvest, leaving a box of veggies for families to enjoy. (RHODE ISLAND GARDENERS & FARMERS TAKE NOTE!)

The Freelance Farmers—Emily Stevenson and Jeremy Oldfield—have a slogan: “Get back to the land. Farm your yard.” Decentralized farms could happen anywhere in the U.S., says Stevenson. Trained at Four Season Farm in Harborside, Maine, which has become a nationally recognized model of small-scale sustainable agriculture, Oldfield and Stevenson started the Freelance Farmers because they wanted to continue farming in an urban setting. With a much larger customer base, MyFarm’s farmers arrive for work on their bicycles, care for the gardens, and leave a box of veggies for about $25-$35 a week. Larger gardens can provide enough food for other customers who are part of MyFarm’s CSA (community supported agriculture). Lack of time is one reason customers choose to hire a farmer, but lack of knowledge is another.

“One of our greatest goals is to engage people in their gardens,” says Stevenson. “More than just providing local vegetables, we’re providing an education. Eventually the goal would be for customers to take over. With everything that’s happening right now with the economy, there’s a need to invest in more self-sufficiency.”

CONTACTS MyFarm, The Freelance Farmers

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HEALTHIER ALTERNATIVES!

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5 WAYS TO SPEND YOUR ORGANIC FOOD DOLLARS WISELY

From Alternet.Org: www.alternet.org/environment/106304

(From an article by Sloan Barnett, Huffington Post, November 10, 2008.

-- Buy Smart: The Environmental Working Group found that you can reduce your pesticide intake by 90 percent if you ate only organic versions of the following produce: peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, pears, imported grapes, spinach, lettuce, and potatoes.

-- Shop Around: Pricing for organic foods is sometimes … well, let's just call it whimsical. So may different retail outlets are selling organic products these days that there are bargains available if you just take the time to look for them.

-- Buy Local: Many supermarkets feature locally grown vegetables, fruits, and meat in season and there are more and more farmers' markets every year. Foods in season tend to be cheaper, because they're abundant then (it's that supply and demand thing again).

-- Join a Co-op: In many cities, there are full-service natural foods supermarkets that also function as co-ops. That means when you join you get an automatic discount on everything you buy (sometimes on specific days of the week).

-- Grow Your Own: Is there a corner in your yard, or some section of your apartment balcony, that gets sun most of the day? Well, farm it! Seriously, you'd be amazed at how much you can grow in a tiny space. In a box roughly two feet square, you can grow enough mixed salad greens to keep you going for months!

Sloan Barnett is a contributor to NBC’s Today Show and the green editor for KNTV, the NBC affiliate in the San Francisco bay area. She's the author of the new book, Green Goes with Everything: Simple Steps to a Healthier Life and a Cleaner Planet.

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HOUSEHOLD CONCERNS

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ASK DR. WEIL: AIR FRESHENERS: ARE THEY BAD FOR MY HEALTH?

By Andrew Weil, M.D., a pioneer in the field of holistic health and founder and director of the Program in Integrative Medicine at the College of Medicine, University of Arizona. He received his medical training at Harvard University. Provided by Prevention. Also See: Is Your Home Making You Sick?

www.prevention.com/cda/article/i-use-air-fresheners-in-my-home/9f2f1d726fd6c110VgnVCM10000013281eac____/health/health.experts/andrew.weil.md

Q: I Use Air Fresheners In My Home, But Have Been Told I Shouldn't. Are They Bad For My Health?

L A: It certainly looks like they are. Recent research strongly suggests that they raise your risk of a number of pulmonary diseases. Last year researchers found that being exposed to chemicals from air fresheners as little as once a week may increase your odds of developing asthma symptoms by 71 percent. And a 2006 study showed that people with high blood levels of the chemical 1,4 dichlorobenzene—commonly found in air fresheners—were more likely to experience a decline in lung function. Other studies point to a cancer link. University of California, Berkeley, researchers determined that, when used in small, poorly ventilated rooms, some air fresheners emit pollutants that create high levels of formaldehyde, a carcinogen shown to cause cancer in animals and respiratory irritation in humans. Last year, the Natural Resources Defense Council evaluated 14 air fresheners, 12 of which had varying amounts of phthalates, chemicals that may affect fertility, cause cancer, and trigger developmental abnormalities in infants. The NRDC and other environmental groups filed a petition calling for all air freshener-related products to be tested for consumer safety and regulated by the government. I recommend freshening the air by opening windows and eliminating the sources of unpleasant odors. If you enjoy aromas indoors, opt for natural items such as a lavender plant, potted herbs, or a bouquet of fresh flowers.

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VINYL CURTAINS STINK!

From: July, 2008 CHEJ Newsletter See: www.besafenet.com/pvc/news/archives/2008/06/june_13_-_that.htm for details. ACTION: To sign a petition vs. vinyl shower curtains go to:

http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/852/t/2088/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1256

L On June 12^th, Florida League of Conservation Voters, Environmental Alliance of North Florida (EANoF), Help Our Polluted Environment (HOPE), Florida Consumer Action Network, Environment Florida, Florida State University Chemistry and Environmental Professors, moms and babies, grandmothers and numerous local Community Activists joined with Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ) releasing their report, "Volatile Vinyl The New Shower Curtain's Chemical Smell". CHEJ's report, mirrors and expands upon 2002 EPA testing, which found that PVC shower curtains release into indoor and outdoor air four of the chemical compounds which were classified as hazardous air pollutants by the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments.

Detailed findings informed the public about potentially harmful shower curtains routinely sold at multiple retail outlets. These curtains can release as many as 108 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. Laboratory tests revealed that polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic shower curtains contain many toxic chemicals including VOCs, phthalates and organotins. Some of the chemicals found can cause damage to the liver, central nervous, respiratory and reproductive systems. In addition to report findings, recommendations were made to protect consumers and safer, available alternatives were presented for consumer benefit.

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RESOURCE: J RECOMMENDED BOOK AND WEBSITE: “POISONED PROFITS:

THE TOXIC ASSAULT ON OUR CHILDREN” www.poisonedprofits.com/solutions.php?page=3

By Philip Shabecoff (former environmental writer for the New York Times) and Alice Shabecoff (former executive director, National Consumer’s League, and of the Community Information Exchange). These resources offer information about children and the environment and practical advice for protecting children from environmental hazards in their daily lives. Solutions for Your Family, Take Action , More Information, Toxics and Associated Health Effects General Contact Info: Philip and Alice Shabecoff, The Random House Publishing Group, info1@poisonedprofits.com

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CHILDREN'S BATH PRODUCTS CONTAIN CONTAMINANTS

http://yourtotalhealth.ivillage.com/childrens-bath-products-contain-contaminants.html?nlcid=cd|03-26-2009 |

March 12 (HealthDay News) --L Many baby and child-care products contain the chemicals formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, both of which have been linked to cancer and various skin conditions, a new report contends. But the chemicals aren't listed on the labels of bubble bath, shampoo and other common products, according to the report from the Campaign for Safe Cosmetic Use. "Companies can obviously do better, and we need to demand that they do better," said Stacy Malkan, co-founder of the Campaign for Safe Cosmetic Use and co-author of the report, released Thursday. "Many companies are already making great products that don't have any of these chemicals [and] many companies in the natural products industry have reformulated to get rid of that problem. We also know many companies are using preservatives that don't use formaldehyde."

According to the authors, the report, called No More Toxic Tub, is the first to document contamination of children's products with these chemicals. The Environmental Working Group was involved in the analyses. Both formaldehyde and dioxane are considered "contaminants," Malkan said. A contaminant "is a chemical that is not intentionally added to the product but is a byproduct," she said. "Those are all exempt from labeling laws ... Companies don't even have to know themselves." Dioxane is a byproduct of chemical processing and formaldehyde is released from some of the chemicals that are used as preservatives, Malkan said. Malkan and her co-authors tested 48 bubble baths, shampoos and other baby and children's products for dioxane and 28 of those products for formaldehyde. Among their findings:

· Almost two-thirds of the 28 products contained both chemicals, including Johnson's Baby Shampoo and Huggies Naturally Refreshing Cucumber & Green Tea Baby Wash.

· Eighty-two percent of products tested contained formaldehyde; the highest levels were found in Baby Magic Baby Lotion.

· American Girl shower products had the highest levels of dioxane among products tested.

According to Malkan, the U.S. Department of Agriculture "organic seal" indicates that none of these chemicals are present. "The best advice for consumers is that simple is better, products with fewer ingredients overall," she said. "There are things consumers can do to make better choices at the store but we also need to change regulations and require companies to list all ingredients in the products and to make the safest products they can, especially products for babies."

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RESOURCE: FROM OCA (ORGANIC CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION): Web Video of the Week:

What's in Your Body Care Products? Organic Bytes #165 reported on a new study from the Organic Consumers Association exposing and assessing levels of the carcinogen 1,4-Dioxane in personal care and household cleaning products. Many of the products we analyzed had cleaned up their acts since our previous study in 2008, but a few products still tested off the charts for dangerously high levels. This week, we posted our press conference on YouTube, which summarizes our study and features David Steinman. Watch: www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm

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RESOURCE: TEEN GIRLS' BODY BURDEN OF HORMONE-ALTERING COSMETICS CHEMICALS: EWG'S SHOPPER'S GUIDE. Environmental Working Group (EWG) recently released the first look at teeen exposurres to hormone-disrupting chemicals in cosmetics. Yikes-in the blood of our 20 teens, labs found 16 chemicals that are commonly used in cosmetics and body care products. EWG is working with the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics to require the Food & Drug Administration to assess the safety of cosmetic ingredients, but in the meantime, you can minimize exposure by checking their shopper's guide for ingredients and products to avoid. Get their tips at: www.ewg.org/node/26958

HOUSEHOLD TIP: DISPOSING OF OLD PAINT

Posted by Kelly Magill, Mar 11, 2009,

One of the best ways to give your home and your spirits a lift is to repaint your space and with all of the low and no-VOC paint options, as well as natural clay plasters, this little pick-me-up is more environmentally friendly than ever. But almost everyone has paint left over. You have three main options for this extra paint. First, keep it for touching up when you have scratches and spots that don’t come clean. Make sure that you seal the lid completely so that the paint doesn’t dry out. Second, give the paint to a friend, a church or another not-for-profit. They can typically use whatever donations they receive. And third, if neither of the first two solutions works for you, you can dispose of your leftover paint. Of the most common types of paint, latex paint is the easiest to dispose of as it is not considered toxic. You can let your leftover paint dry, remove it from the can and include it in your trash that is land filled. Then, you can recycle the paint can. Oil based paints are less simple. You need to take them to your local government hazardous household waste drop-off. From here, a hazardous waste facility picks up your oil based paint. The paint is either used as a fuel additive for manufacturing processes, or it is burned with other garbage to create electricity, or it is mixed with cement or lime and than landfilled, or it is mixed with other oil based paint and used by local governments for projects like covering graffiti. So the best choice is to use what you have or donate it and always buy clay or latex based paint instead of oil based paint. NOTE FROM TIP: Check out our website at: www.toxicsinfo.org/house/LessToxicPaints.htm for some helpful info on paint.

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YOU TELL US HOW IMPORTANT OUR WORK IS - SO HOW ABOUT “TEN FOR TIP”?

You get so many calls for support - but we’re smaller than most - while just as active!

We fall through the cracks of those grant-giving foundations. We need you to keep us going!

PLEASE! EVEN A SMALL DONATION MEANS SO MUCH TO US! MAKE OUR DAY!

SEE THESE CUTE CARTOON DOLLAR CHARACTERS, & FOLLOW THEM TO A LINK FOR DONATING - OR POP A CHECK IN THE MAIL! EVEN A TEN IS A BIG HELP TO A SMALL ORG.!

JUST GO TO: WWW.TOXICSINFO.ORG/SUBSCRIBE.HTM (ENJOY OUR LITTLE GREEN FRIENDS, THEN SCROLL DOWN, INSERT YOUR NAME, AND SELECT “DIRECT DONATION TO TIP”) FILL IN, AMOUNT: $10 (If you are moved to make this bigger, we won’t complain). You can use any major credit card.

OR SEND A CHECK TO: TOXICS INFORMATION PROJECT (TIP), P.O. Box 40572, Providence, RI 02940

IMPORTANT TIP SCHOOL SURVEY:

PLEASE SEND US YOUR THOUGHTS ON THESE QUESTIONS - COPY AND

FILL IN YOUR ANSWERS, OR JUST WRITE YOUR COMMENTS IN A SEPARATE E-MAIL!

Send to: liberty@toxicsinfo.org Questions? Call: 401-351-9193

WHICH RI SCHOOLS ARE USING GREEN CLEANING AND/OR LESS TOXIC PEST CONTROL?

WHO IS HAVING HEALTH EFFECTS FROM PRODUCTS IN SCHOOL?

1. A Quick Quiz for Parents, Teachers, School Nurses & Staff

Please answer any questions about which you have knowledge or information, whether or not it relates to your own specific responsibilities!

I. GREEN CLEANING

1. DOES YOUR SCHOOL/DISTRICT USE “GREEN” (ENVIRONMENTALLY & HEALTH-FRIENDLY) CLEANING?

2. IF SO, WHEN DID THEY TRANSITION TO THESE CLEANERS?

DO YOU NOTICE ANY CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE SWITCH?

3. ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY REACTIONS TO CLEANING PRODUCTS BY STUDENTS OR STAFF, “GREEN” OR OTHER? WHICH PRODUCTS AND WHAT HEALTH EFFECTS?

4. DOES YOUR SCHOOL USE FRAGRANCED CLEANING PRODUCTS?

5. DID YOU KNOW THAT THE “FRESH SMELL” OF MANY CLEANERS COMES FROM SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS USED IN THESE PRODUCTS?

7. DOES IT SURPRISE YOU THAT 74% OF PEOPLE WITH ASTHMA CAN HAVE ASTHMA ATTACKS TRIGGERED BY FRAGRANCE CHEMICALS?

8. ARE YOU AWARE OF THESE OR OTHER REACTIONS TO FRAGRANCED PRODUCTS AT YOUR SCHOOL?

II. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT

1. DOES YOUR SCHOOL/DISTRICT USE PESTICIDES ON SCHOOL GROUNDS FOR PEST AND/OR WEED CONTROL?

2. WHAT KIND, WHERE, AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE?

3. ARE YOU AWARE OF ANY HEALTH EFFECTS/REACTIONS TO PESTICIDE APPLICATIONS ON SCHOOL GROUNDS? FOR WHOM AND WHAT WERE THE SYMPTOMS?

4. DOES YOUR SCHOOL UTILIZE LESS TOXIC/ORGANIC PEST MANAGEMENT?

III. ANY OTHER COMMENTS - ANY THOUGHTS YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE ABOUT THIS CONCERN - OR WHAT INFORMATION OR RESOURCES WOULD BE USEFUL TO SCHOOLS FOR HELPING TRANSITION TO GREENER PRODUCTS?

OPTIONAL BUT HELPFUL:

In which school district do you live or work?

Name & Contact Information:

GIFTS & GARDENS A SUCCESS: NOW FOR GREEN SCHOOLS!

So Far

RIPIN Partnership Conference: Journey to Independence for Children & Youth With Special Needs & Their Families, March 12, Providence Marriott.

MATERIALS PLACED AT EVENTS

LOCAL FOOD FORUM, February 4, Brown University

MEETINGS OR EVENTS ATTENDED

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CHOOSING PRODUCTS THAT PROMOTE BEAUTY AND WELL BEING

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WHAT’S HAPPENING? NEWS, GOOD AND BAD

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RESOURCES & ACTIONS

NRDC PETITIONS EPA TO BAN 2,4-D:

AN AGENT ORANGE CHEMICAL DOESN'T BELONG ON LAWNS

RESOURCE: 10 AMERICANS: 'AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH' FOR TOXICS & HEALTH

ACTION: MAKE A GARDEN PLEDGE!

By Trish Hildebrandt, March/April 2009 E/The Environmental Magazine www.emagazine.com/view/?4560

ASK DR. WEIL: AIR FRESHENERS: ARE THEY BAD FOR MY HEALTH?

CHILDREN'S BATH PRODUCTS CONTAIN CONTAMINANTS

HOUSEHOLD TIP: DISPOSING OF OLD PAINT

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1. A Quick Quiz for Parents, Teachers, School Nurses & Staff