Green Options » toxins http://greenoptions.com/tag/toxins Posts tagged 'toxins' Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:10:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 en What Is the Matter with Us? Lead and Other Toxins into the Mouths of Babes http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/11/13/what-is-the-matter-with-us-lead-and-other-toxins-into-the-mouths-of-babes/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/11/13/what-is-the-matter-with-us-lead-and-other-toxins-into-the-mouths-of-babes/#comments Fri, 13 Nov 2009 18:10:48 +0000 Allison Wolff http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/11/13/what-is-the-matter-with-us-lead-and-other-toxins-into-the-mouths-of-babes/

Over the weekend, someone sent my husband a link to a video called “The Girl Who Silenced the World” from 1992 where a 12 year old girl named Severn Suzuki addresses the UN’s Earth Summit Meeting in Rio de Janeiro. Severn essentially gives the panel and every living adult a well-articulated lashing for leaving the planet in this state for her generation to contend with. Had the Internet been in full force then, this video would have flown around like wildfire. I’d like to help spread it around now. Everyone on this planet should watch it-it is more relevant now than ever.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/11/13/what-is-the-matter-with-us-lead-and-other-toxins-into-the-mouths-of-babes/feed/ BPA Exposure in Pregnancy Linked to Behavior Changes in Toddlers http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/10/15/bpa-exposure-in-pregnancy-linked-to-behavior-changes-in-toddlers/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/10/15/bpa-exposure-in-pregnancy-linked-to-behavior-changes-in-toddlers/#comments Thu, 15 Oct 2009 20:00:25 +0000 Julie Knapp http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/10/15/bpa-exposure-in-pregnancy-linked-to-behavior-changes-in-toddlers/ Bisphenol-A (BPA) has already been linked to loads of problems, but now scientists ask, is it making our kids mean, too? The latest research links BPA exposure during early pregnancy with behavior changes in two-year-old girls and boys.

According to the study published in the October issue of Environmental Health Perspectives, the higher a mother’s BPA levels were during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy, the more likely kids were to exhibit the behavior changes. Girls were more aggressive and hyperactive than the norm while boys were more anxious and withdrawn.

The study also examined the effects of a mom’s exposure to lead and cigarettes, oddly enough neither one was linked to toddler behavior changes.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/10/15/bpa-exposure-in-pregnancy-linked-to-behavior-changes-in-toddlers/feed/ Household Products To Get Ingredient Labeling http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/07/29/household-products-to-get-ingredient-labeling/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/07/29/household-products-to-get-ingredient-labeling/#comments Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:37:16 +0000 Cate Nelson http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/07/29/household-products-to-get-ingredient-labeling/ I spent the first weekend away from my sons ever at BlogHer ’09 in Chicago. And my favorite session—hands down—was the Green Bloggers session. (Why yes, it was nice to meet the writers I adore!)

There, while we discussed good resources for product ingredient lists and standards, an audience member dropped what sounded like a bomb to all of us in the natural parenting, green cleaning and organic living world:

On January 1, 2010, all household products will have full ingredient lists on their labeling.

How did this amazing change in chem-laden products come about? Blame Thank Canada.

Here are the deets on these requirements.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/07/29/household-products-to-get-ingredient-labeling/feed/ Indoor Air is Everywhere And It’s Not Always Good http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/06/17/indoor-air-is-everywhere-and-its-not-always-good/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/06/17/indoor-air-is-everywhere-and-its-not-always-good/#comments Wed, 17 Jun 2009 20:12:43 +0000 mcmilker http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/06/17/indoor-air-is-everywhere-and-its-not-always-good/ I’ve written a number of posts on a variety of blogs about indoor air pollution. I fret about it a lot too. If I had my way the Surgeon General would post a warning.

Being Indoors Can Be Bad For You!

Of course that’s true in many ways – but I’ve become a fan of air purification systems, so when I saw a press release on The Goddard School in Buford Georgia putting in an air purification systems, I started thinking…. Where else does it make more sense to have an air purification system than in a preschool.

A no brainer, really.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/06/17/indoor-air-is-everywhere-and-its-not-always-good/feed/ Disney Dumped Toxic Chemicals Into Groundwater, Lawsuit Alleges http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/06/12/disney-dumped-toxic-chemicals-into-groundwater-lawsuit-alleges/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/06/12/disney-dumped-toxic-chemicals-into-groundwater-lawsuit-alleges/#comments Fri, 12 Jun 2009 11:45:59 +0000 Cate Nelson http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/06/12/disney-dumped-toxic-chemicals-into-groundwater-lawsuit-alleges/ The world is not such a magical place when chemicals, including the carcinogen chromium 6, are being dumped into groundwater.

A lawsuit filed in Los Angeles alleges that Disney has been dumping the waste from their on-site cooling systems since 1998. According to the suit, brought by Environmental Worldwatch, Inc and local residents, the company,

supplied, dumped, released and deposited and continues to supply, dump, release and deposit vast amounts of chromium 6, air cooling water and residues, and other various toxic waste materials.

The Disney corporation has so far declined to comment on the specifics of the case but are denying any wrongdoing.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/06/12/disney-dumped-toxic-chemicals-into-groundwater-lawsuit-alleges/feed/ Roller Coaster of Emotions: Kindergarten, Green School Research and Melasma http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/05/20/roller-coaster-of-emotions-kindergarten-green-school-research-and-melasma/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/05/20/roller-coaster-of-emotions-kindergarten-green-school-research-and-melasma/#comments Wed, 20 May 2009 23:22:31 +0000 Jennifer Lance http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/05/20/roller-coaster-of-emotions-kindergarten-green-school-research-and-melasma/ Cedar Point - Raptor
Creative Commons License photo credit: Andrew 94

Editor’s note: The following post was originally published on Green and Clean Mom. “Green & Clean Mom can inspire you to try a little harder, be a catalyst for change and to offer you some new tips and news on how to be the green, sexy and sassy mom…I know you are!”

Tomorrow my son turns five, and I’m feeling emotional. This week is a big roller coaster of emotions for me. My son had kindergarten round up, so I had to come to terms that he’s no longer a baby, toddler or even preschooler but heading into the school age realm where the world is much bigger and less sheltered. I’ll explain some of my observations during round up and how being a “green” mom I couldn’t not notice a few things that left lumps in my throat. But besides the birthday and kindergarten round up I head to my State capitol tomorrow with my son to advocate for early childhood services and programs. I’m emotional over this because it’s so important and dear to my heart and the idea of seeing thousands of parents, educators and children all rallying for our young children makes me feel so proud. I am excited for my son on his 5th birthday to be a part of such an important day and to see what his mom does and learn a small piece about government at such a young age. Oh and then there was my skin cancer examination went well and I have nothing to be worried about other than having melasma on my face - which has brought me to tears because most of the treatment options explored are far from “natural”.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/05/20/roller-coaster-of-emotions-kindergarten-green-school-research-and-melasma/feed/ Toxic Dolphins Found in Miami http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/05/11/toxic-dolphins-found-in-miami/ http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/05/11/toxic-dolphins-found-in-miami/#comments Mon, 11 May 2009 17:51:10 +0000 Jake Richardson http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/05/11/toxic-dolphins-found-in-miami/ bottlenose dolphin

Scientists found unusually high levels of flame retardant in dolphin blubber.

The closer the dolphins lived to downtown Miami, the more of the chemical was concentrated in them. The flame retardant can cause sterility in dolphins. Brominated flame retardants are applied to furniture, clothes and electronics to prevent them from burning. They also help slow the ignition of items that are in a burning room.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/05/11/toxic-dolphins-found-in-miami/feed/ ZapRoot: Easter Special — Jesus is Coming… Look Green! http://sustainablog.org/2009/04/09/zaproot-easter-special-jesus-is-coming-look-green/ http://sustainablog.org/2009/04/09/zaproot-easter-special-jesus-is-coming-look-green/#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2009 23:14:18 +0000 Jeff McIntire-Strasburg http://sustainablog.org/2009/04/09/zaproot-easter-special-jesus-is-coming-look-green/ Click here to view the full post.

Make this Easter a Green one.  700 new chemicals are untested for toxicity.  Check out the new batch of Alternative Autos.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://sustainablog.org/2009/04/09/zaproot-easter-special-jesus-is-coming-look-green/feed/ Think Twice Before Painting http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/02/03/interior-paint/ http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/02/03/interior-paint/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 19:55:24 +0000 Rob Yunich http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/02/03/interior-paint/ A part of the environmental debate that hasn’t gotten a lot of attention made the pages of the March 2009 issue of Consumer Reports and it’s sure to raise some eyebrows. The offender? Interior paint.

A moment of pause should occur before you decide you head to the store and start thinking about changing the color of their dwelling’s walls. According to eartheasy.com, “indoor air is three times more polluted than outdoor air, and according to the [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)], is considered to be one of the top-five hazards to human health. Paints and finishes are among the leading causes.”

The offending toxin in paints are called Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), organic chemical compounds that have high enough vapor pressures under normal conditions to significantly vaporize and enter the atmosphere. The EPA lists possible symptoms as eye, nose, and throat irritation; headaches, loss of coordination, nausea; damage to liver, kidney, and central nervous system.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://inspiredeconomist.com/2009/02/03/interior-paint/feed/ Canada Says Chemicals Used In Cosmetics Could Cause Cancer http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/02/02/canada-says-chemicals-used-in-cosmetics-could-cause-cancer/ http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/02/02/canada-says-chemicals-used-in-cosmetics-could-cause-cancer/#comments Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:20:53 +0000 Andrew Williams http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/02/02/canada-says-chemicals-used-in-cosmetics-could-cause-cancer/

In shocking news, the Canadian government has announced that two chemicals used in cosmetics are carcinogens that are severely harmful to human health. A further two chemicals found in lipstick and other personal care products have also been found to be highly toxic to the environment.

The two cancer-causing chemicals, isoprene and epichlorohydrin, have been added to the Cosmetic Ingredient Hotlist to prevent their future use in cosmetics. Health Canada is also proposing that manufacturers use best-available technology to control releases of isoprene.

The cosmetics chemicals posing a danger to the environment are the siloxanes D4 and D5, which are used as emollients to soften the skin and are found in most personal care products on the market in Canada and the United States.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/02/02/canada-says-chemicals-used-in-cosmetics-could-cause-cancer/feed/ NO SCHOOL: Biodiesel Supposedly Gels in Minnesota School Buses Canceling Classes http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/22/no-school-biodiesel-supposedly-gels-in-minnesota-school-buses-canceling-classes/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/22/no-school-biodiesel-supposedly-gels-in-minnesota-school-buses-canceling-classes/#comments Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:35:45 +0000 Jennifer Lance http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/22/no-school-biodiesel-supposedly-gels-in-minnesota-school-buses-canceling-classes/ Is biodiesel to blame for buses not running in cold Minnesota temperatures?Last winter when the biodiesel in our truck congealed in cold temperatures and my daughter was late for school, it was considered an unexcused reason for tardiness. Last week, the story was different for children attending school in Minnesota.

Bloomington Public Schools were forced to cancel school when biodiesel fuel required by state law supposedly gelled in a dozen school buses due to subzero temperatures.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2009/01/22/no-school-biodiesel-supposedly-gels-in-minnesota-school-buses-canceling-classes/feed/ New Study Links Autism to Environment http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/01/21/new-study-links-autism-to-environment/ http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/01/21/new-study-links-autism-to-environment/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:00:26 +0000 Becky Striepe http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/01/21/new-study-links-autism-to-environment/

A recent study at the University of California Davis found a correlation between fetal and infant exposure to pesticides, household chemicals, and viruses and the rise of children diagnosed with autism.



[Creative Commons photo by Arria Belli]

In the past, vaccinations were a suspected link to increased autism due to the mercury-derived preservative thimerosal, but that chemical has not been used in vaccines since 1999. Autism rates are still on the rise. Better diagnosis has also been discussed as a reason for the increase, but researchers say that a jump this large can’t be attributed to diagnosis alone. California has seen autism diagnosis jump by 700%, and researchers are now saying that environmental factors are likely the culprits.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecolocalizer.com/2009/01/21/new-study-links-autism-to-environment/feed/ Mystery: Brown Pelicans Dying Along California Coast http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/06/mystery-brown-pelicans-dying-along-california-coast/ http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/06/mystery-brown-pelicans-dying-along-california-coast/#comments Tue, 06 Jan 2009 05:38:39 +0000 Marika Collins http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/06/mystery-brown-pelicans-dying-along-california-coast/ Brown Pelican
A disproportionate amount of Brown Pelicans have been dying along the California coast in recent days. This is especially troubling since the pelicans have been on the endangered list since 1970.  The birds were nearly decimated before the chemical pesticide DDT was banned in 1972.

This grim development is being monitored by wildlife conservation and rescue groups including WildRescue, operated by Rebecca Dmytryk.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://planetsave.com/blog/2009/01/06/mystery-brown-pelicans-dying-along-california-coast/feed/ Lack of Antioxidants Cripples and Kills South African Crocodiles. http://ecoworldly.com/2008/12/30/lack-of-antioxidants-cripples-and-kills-south-african-crocodiles/ http://ecoworldly.com/2008/12/30/lack-of-antioxidants-cripples-and-kills-south-african-crocodiles/#comments Tue, 30 Dec 2008 20:21:27 +0000 Dave Harcourt http://ecoworldly.com/2008/12/30/lack-of-antioxidants-cripples-and-kills-south-african-crocodiles/ Overutilisation and pollution of the Olifants River System in northeastern South Africa is suspected to be implicated in the death of hundreds of Nile crocodiles in the Kruger Park while too low a level of antioxidant is directly associated with the deaths.

Nile Crocodile

The Nile crocodile, the species found in South Africa, is part of an ancient lineage and has changed little in the 65 million years since the dinosaurs with whom it coexisted became extinct.

With an average mass of 550 kg, covered in heavy scales, awkward on land and totally reptilian, it is difficult to see their link to panda bears. But in the 1960s both were endangered species. Since then crocodile farming has become established and is booming with sales of around 150,000 Nile crocodile skins a year. This has made large scale hunting for hides a thing of the past and as a result the pressure has lifted and there are now between a quarter and a half million crocodiles in the wild in Africa.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecoworldly.com/2008/12/30/lack-of-antioxidants-cripples-and-kills-south-african-crocodiles/feed/ Is it Safe to Eat Snow? http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/11/22/is-it-safe-to-eat-snow/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/11/22/is-it-safe-to-eat-snow/#comments Sun, 23 Nov 2008 04:21:38 +0000 Tara Benwell http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/11/22/is-it-safe-to-eat-snow/

Well it happened. The first snowfall of THE SEASON. As we nestle into our new home in Ontario, we must face the fact that winter Tis the season more often than Tis not. Ditto for the white stuff, which will soon become brown stuff as everyone likes to remind me.

Though my husband and I have little use for snow (a White Christmas Day would suffice) our kids are excited to have a new use for their sand toys. The other day as I stepped away from the window to grab the camera and prove to my friends in the west that we are in fact nuts, my daughter scooped up a generous helping of snow and licked her mittens right down to the wool. I laughed and told her to stick her tongue out to catch some flakes, knowing her little brother would watch and do the same. But, as I snapped the photo the green meanie suddenly came over me…Is it safe for kids to eat snow?

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/11/22/is-it-safe-to-eat-snow/feed/ Nursing Mothers Pass Toxins to Babies Through Breastfeeding, But Still Best for Babies http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/11/06/nursing-mothers-pass-toxins-to-babies-through-breastfeeding-is-breast-milk-safe-for-babies/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/11/06/nursing-mothers-pass-toxins-to-babies-through-breastfeeding-is-breast-milk-safe-for-babies/#comments Thu, 06 Nov 2008 22:56:43 +0000 Derek Markham http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/11/06/nursing-mothers-pass-toxins-to-babies-through-breastfeeding-is-breast-milk-safe-for-babies/ Breastfeeding, nursing

Breast milk is the best food for babies.

Or is it?

Nursing your baby has numerous benefits, including decreased risks for allergies, diabetes, cancer, infections, and arthritis.

Colostrum, which comes in before the milk does, is the first food a newborn gets, and it passes on antibodies (immunoglobulin A) and leukocytes (which destroy disease-causing bacteria and viruses), and it also seals the infant’s highly permeable digestive tract with a barrier which prevents foreign substances from penetrating it. It is a safe and natural vaccine, the way that nature intended it.

However, pesticides, heavy metals, and other persistent organic pollutants accumulate in human milk, leading some researchers to question whether the risks of exposure to pollutants in breast milk outweigh the benefits.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/11/06/nursing-mothers-pass-toxins-to-babies-through-breastfeeding-is-breast-milk-safe-for-babies/feed/ Naturally Clean: The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/10/02/naturally-clean-the-seventh-generation-guide-to-safe-healthy-non-toxic-cleaning/ http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/10/02/naturally-clean-the-seventh-generation-guide-to-safe-healthy-non-toxic-cleaning/#comments Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:56:34 +0000 Jennifer Lance http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/10/02/naturally-clean-the-seventh-generation-guide-to-safe-healthy-non-toxic-cleaning/ The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic CleaningDid you know that the Greek root of the word “ecology” means “house”?  If everyone created a healthy, green environment in our homes, it would extend to the greater good for the planet.  My evolution into environmentalism began with caring about endangered species issues to natural beauty products to vegetarianism to green cleaning.  Seventh Generation and the Children’s Health Envrionmental Coalition’s Blue Buttefly.org have teamed up to create a green cleaning guide for safer homes titled Naturally Clean:  The Seventh Generation Guide to Safe & Healthy, Non-Toxic Cleaning.

Naturally Clean is written by Jeffrey Hollender, Geoff Davis, Meika Hollendar, and Reed Doyle. The book is divided into seven sections:

  1. Case for Change at Home: These chapters are about the chemicals in household cleaners and the negative effects they have on our health, including cancer, asthma, hormone disruptions, and multiple chemical sensitivities (MCS).

    Like almost anything else, there is a good side and a bad side to all the molecular manipulation chemists practice. There are safe chemicals, and there are unsafe chemicals. Our problem today is that we don’t really know which are which.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecochildsplay.com/2008/10/02/naturally-clean-the-seventh-generation-guide-to-safe-healthy-non-toxic-cleaning/feed/ State to Ban Residential Driveway Car Washing http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/29/state-to-ban-residential-driveway-car-washing/ http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/29/state-to-ban-residential-driveway-car-washing/#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:57:11 +0000 Alex Felsinger http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/29/state-to-ban-residential-driveway-car-washing/ To prevent toxic runoff from flowing down storm drains and into the rivers or ocean, Washington hopes to ban washing cars in driveways throughout the state.

While residents complain that washing cars is a family pastime that they should not be required to give up, officials say that the at-home car wash is too harmful to the environment to ignore. “I understand this is something people have done for a long time,” said Bill Moore, a water specialist with the Washington State Department of Ecology, which enacted the ban. “It’s not something we should be doing any longer.”

Read more of this story »

]]> http://sustainablog.org/2008/09/29/state-to-ban-residential-driveway-car-washing/feed/ GAO: EPA Fails to Control Export of Hazardous E-Waste to Third World http://ecoscraps.com/2008/09/17/gao-epa-fails-to-control-export-of-hazardous-e-waste-to-third-world/ http://ecoscraps.com/2008/09/17/gao-epa-fails-to-control-export-of-hazardous-e-waste-to-third-world/#comments Thu, 18 Sep 2008 03:33:57 +0000 Jennifer Lance http://ecoscraps.com/2008/09/17/gao-epa-fails-to-control-export-of-hazardous-e-waste-to-third-world/ e-waste in BeijingThe Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a scathing critique of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today for failing to control the export of toxic e-waste to third world countries. Discarded computers, televisions, cellphones, etc. contain hazardous heavy metals such as lead, mercury and cadmium which are dismantled under unsafe conditions in other countries where they enter into the air and water. House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Howard L. Berman (D-Calif.), who commissioned the report, stated,”It’s a really inadequate situation that we’ve allowed to continue. We have a regulation where, as far as I can tell, there’s no effort to enforce it.”

Via: Truthout

Image: United Nations University

]]> http://ecoscraps.com/2008/09/17/gao-epa-fails-to-control-export-of-hazardous-e-waste-to-third-world/feed/ Toxins in That Shampoo? GoodGuide Will Text You In-Store Info http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/09/17/toxins-in-that-shampoo-goodguide-will-text-you-in-store-info/ http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/09/17/toxins-in-that-shampoo-goodguide-will-text-you-in-store-info/#comments Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:32:53 +0000 Shirley Siluk Gregory http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/09/17/toxins-in-that-shampoo-goodguide-will-text-you-in-store-info/ Trounce at Wikimedia Commons under a GNU Free Documentation license.)Reading the labels on every item you buy in the grocery store is time-consuming enough, but understanding what those labels mean can be an even more daunting task. What is DL-alpha-tocopheryl acetate, and is it bad for you or not? What exactly does “all natural” mean (or does it mean anything at all)?

Yes, you can do your research before going out to shop, or you can stick with brands and products you already know are safe. But what about when you have to make a purchasing decision on the fly? You could grab the best-sounding product and hope for the best. Or, you could sign up with GoodGuide and get the details on your cell phone while your standing in the shampoo aisle.

Read more of this story »

]]> http://ecolocalizer.com/2008/09/17/toxins-in-that-shampoo-goodguide-will-text-you-in-store-info/feed/