TIP TALKS
The e-Newsletter of the
Toxics Information Project (TIP)
July, 2013
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IN THIS ISSUE
**ACTION ALERT: A WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING:
THE "CHEMICAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENT" ACT
**ACTION NEEDED TODAY RE: HEARING TOMORROW!:
TELL HAWAII LEADERS TO STOP THE POISONING OF PARADISE!
**SUMMER HEALTHY LIVING TIP: HOW TO: AVOID
GMO'S ON YOUR SUMMER PICNIC!
**ENJOY FRESH LOCAL PRODUCE - WHILE AVOIDING THE
MOST PESTICIDED STUFF - GET THE NEW EWG GUIDE
**TIP NEWS: STAY TUNED & GIVE YOUR INPUT FOR THE
LATEST TIP ACTIONS & OPTIONS: TALKS, WORKSHOPS, CONSULTING -
& A NEW PUBLICATION ABOUT LIVING HEALTHY ON A BUDGET!
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TIP TALKS ACTION ITEM (& FAKER WARNING)
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URGENT! STOP THE WOLF IN SHEEP'S CLOTHING CALLED
THE "CHEMICAL SAFETY IMPROVEMENT ACT"!
(An important alert from Environmental Working Group - EWG)
The U.S. law regulating toxic chemicals is broken and outdated.
Unfortunately, instead of the real reform Americans need, we got
the Chemical Safety Improvement Act.This industry-backed bill
not only fails to fix our famously broken toxic chemicals law -
it will actually weaken protections against chemicals that could
harm you and your family!
This week, the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public
Works is holding a critical hearing on chemical safety. You need
to make sure your senators know that you want real reform that
protects people, not the chemical industry.
In recent years, states, not the federal government, have been on
the forefront of regulating dangerous chemicals - think of the many
state-level decisions to restrict bisphenol A. But the Chemical Safety
Improvement Act would pre-empt state actions, stopping state
legislators from enacting measures to protect their citizens when
the federal government fails to do so.
EWG research detected 287 chemicals in the umbilical cord blood
of newborns. Of those, 180 are known to cause cancer in humans
or animals, 217 are toxic to the brain and nervous system, and 208
cause birth defects or abnormal development in animal tests.
The Chemical Safety Improvement Act will fail to protect you and
your family from these chemicals. It does not require that chemicals
be proved safe. New chemicals could be manufactured and sold before
being evaluated for safety. The bill does not give priority to chemicals
that remain in the environment or our bodies for decades. It barely
addresses the needs of children, pregnant women and workers
and does not take into account that people are exposed to multiple
chemicals through many different pathways.
We need real reform and we need it now. The Chemicals Safety
Improvement Act is a wolf in sheep's clothing. It is time for chemical
reform that protects our health - and the health of our families -
nstead of the chemical industry. Click here to tell your senators
to oppose the Chemical Safety Improvement Act:
http://action.ewg.org/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=2025&tag=201307TSCAFull&utm_source=201307tscafull&utm_medium=email&utm_content=first-link&utm_campaign=toxics
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TELL HAWAII LEADERS TO END GMO CHEMICAL TESTS
AND STOP POISONING PARADISE!
(Action needed ASAP - hearing tomorrow)
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/998?t=1001&akid=927.94384.uMYZKc
Stand up to stop indiscriminate use of toxic pesticides & unlimited
experimental GMO crops on Hawaii! Yes on Bill 2491
Right now a major battle is heating up on the islands regarding
pesticides and experimental GMOs. In the past four months,
GMO activists in Hawaii have held the largest protests and
marches to stop Monsanto in the history of the islands. For over
20 years, the Hawaiian Islands have become ground zero for
open air field trials of the biotech industry's toxic chemicals and
experimental GMO crops. Tests have shown that the biotech
industry's harmful chemicals are contaminating local air & water
sources that expose island residents and vacationers alike.
Even worse, at least 10 schools on Hawaii are only 100 yards
away from GMO chemical fields, potentially endangering Hawaii's
school children's health for the sake of profits for the chemical
and biotech companies.
Tests have confirmed that at least 3 Restricted Use Pesticides
contaminated a local school on the Garden Island of Kauai, such as
the toxic herbicide Atrazine, which has been banned in Europe since
2004 due to serious health problems, including cancer, birth defects
and reproductive issues. In 2005, Atrazine, manufactured by Syngenta,
was found in Kauai's drinking water and in 2006 and 2008 children and
teachers at a school in Waimea were sickened on several occasions,
including one incident where at least 10 children were rushed to the
local hospital. This doesn't sound like the island paradise that is
promoted by the Hawaiian tourism industry, does it?
This Wednesday, July 31, a public hearing is being held by the Kauai
City Council regarding a common sense "Right to Know" bill - Bill 2491
- that puts public health ahead of biotech profits by limiting
Restricted
Use Pesticides (RUPs). It prohibits open air testing of experimental
pesticides & experimental GMO's while publicly disclosing pesticide
use on the islands. This bill is unprecedented and necessary but needs
your help to pass.
Tell the leaders of Hawaii it's time to stop poisoning paradise and
start protecting the islands' biodiversity, its people and tourists:
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/998?t=1001&akid=927.94384.uMYZKc
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TIPS & RESOURCES FOR HEALTHY LIVING
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HOW TO: AVOID GMO'S ON YOUR SUMMER PICNIC!
(Some useful food tips from Healthy Child, Healthy World)
http://healthychild.org/have-a-gmo-free-summer-picnic
Depending on where in the country you live, you may have reached that
mid-July moment where it is just too hot to cook. Compromise by turning
family meal into family picnic-at least a few times a week until the
heat subsides and the routine of school returns. Here are some tips
to make sure your al fresco meals-or even your BBQs-don't contain
genetically modified organisms, or GMOs.
*1) Know which crops are likely modified*. The top 7 are corn, soy,
cotton oil, alfalfa animal feed, papaya, canola, and sugar beets.
Look at labels and avoid foods with these ingredients or things
made from them-that's everything from corn syrup and conventional
meat to potato chips and veggie burgers.
*2) Look for "non-GM" or "GMO-free" labels*. The government
doesn't require labeling but that doesn't stop reliable third-party
organizations like the Non-GMO Project from certifying foods.
*3) Choose whole, fresh foods, not processed items*. They're less
likely to be genetically modified and won't contain added ingredients
that increase your exposure to GMO ingredients. To read other tips,
visit this link: http://healthychild.org/have-a-gmo-free-summer-picnic
*Want to learn more about enjoying a delicious food-safe summer?
Read the free e-book "Easy Steps To Eating Healthy & Safe Foods
http://healthychild.org/saferfoodsebook
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ENJOYING FRESH, LOCAL FRUITS & VEGETABLES
WHILE AVOIDING THE MOST PESTICIDED PRODUCE
(Another great resource from Environmental Working Group-EWG)
www.ewg.org/foodnews/summary.php
www.ewg.org/foodnews/list.php
What summer produce is in season at your local market? Tomatoes, squash,
berries? Do you know how many pesticides are in your local, in-season
summer eats? EWG always recommends eating more fruits and veggies
and buying them organic if you can. But sometimes organic produce can
cost more or isn't available. That's why EWG created the Shopper's Guide
to Pesticides in Produce - so you’ll know which fruits and vegetables
have the most pesticide residues and what you can buy instead to lower
your exposure to potentially harmful chemicals
This handy guide features the Dirty Dozen Plus and Clean 15 lists -
tools you can use at the grocery store to buy fruits and veggies that
are low in pesticide residues & avoid those with the highest levels.
Click here to get the 2013 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce:
https://donate.ewg.org/t/11951/p/d/environmental_working_group/ewgcontrib/public/index.sjs?donate_page_KEY=7354&track=FNBagTopNav
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WHAT'S NEW WITH TIP?
Plans for the coming months include:
**Offering more films, talks, workshops, on any of the topics for
which we have such helpful info. Do you know of a group or
place that might host such?
**Offering consulting - actually an informal sit-down with a one
or more folks wanting to come up with a personal plan for healthy
living and avoidance of toxins.
**Preparing & printing a guide about how to do all this healthy
living - ON A BUDGET! The common perception is that it costs
too much to eat & live healthy - but there are many ways around
that challenge. Share yours with us, then read the booklet for
others you can use.
CONTACT US WITH YOUR THOUGHTS, COMMENTS, QUESTIONS!
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Liberty Goodwin, Director
Toxics Information Project
P.O. Box 40572,
Providence, RI 02940
Tel. 401-351-9193
Website: www.toxicsinfo.org
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