Tag Archives: artificial chemicals

Save the Bees!

Image  To follow up on yesterdays post, here is a petition you can sign to help stop the use of the pesticide that is killing bees.  Credo Action is hosting the petition.  Here is an except from their article with the petition:

A blockbuster study released this week by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), has for the first time labeled the pesticide clothianidin as an “unacceptable” danger to bees.1

Scientists have long thought that clothianidin is at least partially to blame for the alarming rate that bees have been dying off in the U.S. – nearly 30% of our bee population, per year, has been lost to so-called colony collapse since 2006.2

But the EPA has repeatedly ignored scientists’ warnings and Americans’ urgings to ban its use, citing lack of evidence.

Now, the EFSA study could be a major breakthrough to convince the EPA to take emergency action, and suspend the use of clothianidin to stop the precipitous decline in global honeybee populations.

Tell the EPA: Immediately suspend the pesticide that’s killing bees!

Please take a moment to sign this petition!  Link is HERE

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Why Organic is Worth the Price

Photo of people and buckets of applesAccording to the Organic Trade Association , “there is mounting evidence that if all the indirect costs of conventional food production—cleanup of polluted water, replacement of eroded soils, costs of health care for farmers and their workers—were factored into the price of food, organic foods would cost the same or, more likely, be cheaper.” We are just learning about what the harmful effects pesticides have on our bodies. It is too soon to tell what health care costs will be associated with all of the chemical exposure. Buying organic is certainly worth it.

This is the closing statement in a terrific article that I found today.  The full text is definitely worth reading.  Click HERE

The website where I found this article is called “Generations of Organic”Generations of Organic logo and seems to be a project of The Organic Center The Organic Center logo.  The site is full of great information: recipes, stories, nutritional data, etc.  Check it out www.GenerationsOfOrganic.org

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Organic Milk: A Pint of the Right Stuff

Cows in organic field

Happy Organic Dairy Cows

This morning I read a terrific article in “The Independent” of UK.  It covers the pros and cons of switching to organic milk.  It’s such a terrific article, let me share some quotes.

If just 5 per cent of us switched to buying organic milk, says Humble, it would turn 52,000 acres – an area the size of Greater Birmingham – into organic land. For an extra pound a week we would get healthier milk, happier cows, more wildlife and a prettier countryside. Not a bad deal.

That translates into about an extra $2 per week for 5% of the UKs population to protect 52,000 acres of countryside for chemical pollution.  Just think what that could mean in the US!  It sends shivers up my spine to imagine it.  We vote with our dollars every day.  If we buy it, they will produce it.  Our family recently switched to organic milk and it tastes better!

Buying organic milk, says Kate Humble, is one of the easiest and cheapest ways of supporting farming with nature. “You will know it comes from well-managed farms, and you are doing something actively to protect and conserve the British countryside – and what an effortless way to do it.”

While this article was written in the UK, all of the principles are just as valid here in the US.  It’s a simple thing to do.  Just switch to buying organic products as much as you can and you will be changing the toxic load on our environment and ourselves.  Please think about it.  And comments are welcome.

Here’s a link to the full article:  http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/features/organic-milk-pint-of-the-right-stuff-1970459.html.

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Pesticides to Blame for Bee Colony Collapse Disorder

Colony collapse disorder: Scientists blame pesticides for honeybee decline

New research finds systemic pesticides in 60 percent of tested honeybees and their hives in U.S., Canada

 By Leah Zerbe

(This story is reposted by permission of Rodale.com, where it orginally appeared.)

What you can do
Vote with your dollar: Support organic agriculture that keeps harmful chemicals out of the environment—and our bodies (and the bees’).

 

Agricultural chemicals are wiping out bees that  pollinate our crops and flowers.

RODALE NEWS, EMMAUS, PA—Bee fan or not, we all rely on the insects to pollinate the fruit, nut, and vegetable crops we enjoy every day. But in the last few years, the populations of our pollinators, particularly honeybees, have been plummeting. Dubbed colony collapse disorder, the cause of the devastation isn’t known. There are many theories, from mites and viruses to cellphone towers. One potential cause—pesticides—gained more credibility this week with the release of a new study by Pennsylvania State University. Researchers found “unprecedented levels” of pesticides in honeybees and hives in the United States.

THE DETAILS: Scientists tested wax, trapped pollen, and honeybee specimens for chemical pesticides and chemicals originating from those pesticides. Investigating pesticide residue in samples taken from beekeepers from 23 states and one Canadian province during the 2007 to 2008 growing season, researchers found 121 different pesticides and metabolites in the 887 wax, pollen, bee, and hive samples. Nearly 60 percent of the 259 wax and 350 pollen samples contained at least one systemic pesticide—a type of poison that doesn’t remain on the surface of plants, but is taken up inside the plant, too, where honeybees go to feed.
For complete article click HERE.

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A Wake-up Call from Healthy Child Healthy World

This is a wonderful little video about working against toxins in the environment.  It is done by Healthy Child Healthy WorldHealthy Child Healthy World Logo

A Wake-Up Story is a must-see video for every parent and anyone that cares about the health and development of children. Watch it. Share it. Join the movement. Awakeupstory.org

Healthy Child Healthy World is a really terrific non-profit organization.  They have a newsletter, lots of on-line helpful information, and a great and inexpensive book (only $6.01 from Amazon)Healthy Child Healthy World book

Healthy Child Healthy World: Creating a Cleaner, Greener, Safer Home

Of course, we recommend that the USDA certified organic, 100% safe and toxin free, MiEssence Mother & Baby line of products is an excellent place to start for these efforts.[tweetmeme source=gsorganics only_single=false]

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Filed under Baby and Mom Care, Eco-Friendly Products, Green Living Tips, Organic Products, Toxins in Personal Care Products

Mercury in Canned Tuna

In my update from Natural Food Merchandiser today, they highlighted their article titled “Canned tuna exceeds EPA’s safety levels for mercury.”  The information in the articles comes from testing done by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas in 2006.  Nevertheless, it is interesting.  Read the full article at this LINK.  Here is an excerpt: 

More than half of canned tuna samples from three national brands exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s safety level for human consumption, according to a new study published in Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. Only 5 percent of the tuna studied contained more mercury than what the U.S. Food and Drug Administration considers safe.

A few things I noticed when I looked into the source a little further…

  1. The EPA guidelines for safe levels of mercury in human food is much lower than the levels set by the FDA.  Who to believe?
  2. While they note that one brand is worse than the other two, they don’t reveal the brand names.  Bummer!
  3. They noticed difference in mercury levels in different “types” of tuna.  Seems that “chunk light” was slightly less contaminated than “solid white” or “chunk white.”  Strange.

The conclusions drawn in the article and the study are that there is a need for a long-term monitoring program to ensure the safety of the tuna we consume.  I certainly agree with that!!  So what’s a body to do?

Of course, the answer to that depends on your situation and intention.  For children and pregnant women, the risks appear to be more dramatic.  It might be advisable to avoid tuna altogether.  Other adults might want to use it in moderation.  But there is an option for purchasing much safer tuna, but of course the cost is three to five times more than mainstream brands.  If you are like me, you will want to pay the extra price to be mercury free.

American Tuna LogoThe best mercury-free tuna I have found so far is American Tuna, a group of six fishing families in San Diego, California.  The 6 oz. cans run about $5 on their website market.  I would expect similar prices at the Whole Foods Market locations and other retailers on their list

Best regards to all of you.  Be safe, be healthy. [tweetmeme source=gsorganics only_single=false]

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Safe Cosmetics Video

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, which was created by the Environmental Working Group, has just published a brand new video called “What’s Going on with Toxic Chemicals in Cosmetics?”  It’s worth watching and sharing!

The video features Mia, the grassroots coordinator for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics. If you can help out financially, THIS is a link for making a contribution to the Environmental Working Group. Or if you can devote a little time to support this grassroots effort, THIS is a link to actions you can take for the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics.  We all need to help improve this horrible situation of toxins in our personal care products!
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Body Burden of Chemicals

Chemical Body Burden

Body Burden

Today, I came across a really good website about the chemical burden that all of us carry in our bodies.  It is called Chemical Body Burden.

In their own words “The information on this site has been developed through the collaboration of health professionals, scientists, citizens groups and environmental organizations concerned about the chemical body burden we all carry and its health effects – known and unknown.”  And they list the actual individual contributors and their credentials

This is their answer to What is Body Burden?  “Toxic chemicals, both naturally occurring and man-made, often get into the human body. We may inhale them, swallow them in contaminated food or water, or in some cases, absorb them through skin. A woman who is pregnant may pass them to her developing fetus through the placenta. The term “body burden” refers to the total amount of these chemicals that are present in the human body at a given point in time.”

This site details very clearly some of the evidence out there that makes it clear why using MiEssence personal care products can be so important to a person’s health.  Our pure organic products will enhance your health, while most over the counter personal care products contain chemicals which add to your body burden.

Take a few minutes to look at http://www.chemicalbodyburden.org/

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AMERICA’S BEAUTY SHOW CHALLENGES TOXIC SALONS

In looking around the Internet today, I found this very interesting Press Release:

CHICAGO, IL, March 27, 2009 –/WORLD-WIRE/– America’s Beauty Show, March 28-30 in Chicago, is dedicated to safe and healthy beauty salons. By doing so, the Show raises serious and decades overdue concerns on the dangers of conventional nationwide salons.  more…

The author of this Press Release is:Toxic Beauty
Samuel S. Epstein, MD
Chairman, Cancer Prevention Coalition
Professor emeritus Environmental & Occupational Medicine
University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health
Chicago, Illinois
(Author of Toxic Beauty, 2009, BenBella Books) This book is brand new; published in March 2009.

e-mail epstein@uic.edu
312.996.2297
www.preventcancer.com

In fact, this whole conference looks like it could be interesting for those of us looking for healthier personal care products! I found the Press Release through the Environmental News Network’s article about the conference.

Beauty Salon Industry Warned of Toxic Dangers

CHICAGO, Illinois, March 27, 2009 (ENS) – Some 60,000 beauty salon professionals are gathering in Chicago for America’s Beauty Show and Expo for Skin Care & Spa, a three-day extravaganza opening Saturday at the McCormick Place Convention Center. Runway shows, entertainment and education events, product orientation and purchasing, networking and socializing are on the agenda.   more…

FYI, the link to the Expo site is http://www.americasexpo.com/I sure wish we, ONEgroup and MiEssence, were represented there!  Oh, well, maybe next year!

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About Organic Products

The way we interact with our environment is extremely important to every part of our health and our future. We can grow crops for use in foods and other products using synthetic chemicals as fertilizing and pest control techniques, or we can use natural fertilizing substances and natural pest control methods in our farming.

The modern day tendency has been to use the “advances” offered to us by the chemical manufacturers as somehow better, convenient, and easy to use. But over time, it has become clear that pesticides were killing our birds and fish as well as the intended insect targets (refer to Silent Spring written by Rachel Carson). Chemical fertilizers have also contaminated our streams, rivers, and bays often causing harmful algae blooms that also kill valuable fish.

Long ago it was found that the pesticide DDT (since banned by the US government) was infiltrating into our water supply and food chain to threaten human health. But today many, many more pesticides and artificial fertilizers are being released daily into our environment. Even worse, many of these chemical pollutants are very long-lived. Some, in fact, never break down into harmless components, but persist as dangers to all life on our planet for many years into the future.

Fortunately, today many farmers and concerned citizens know that the more pure and natural approach to growing our food and herb crops is vital to reducing the chemical load on our land and on our bodies. When we farm the land with natural organic nutrients and balance pest populations with natural predators, we are protecting the environment from chemical pollutants that can have far-reaching negative consequences.

Scientific research has also shown that organically grown foods and herbs have higher benefits and nutritional value. So organic products offer superior benefits for human health, and organic farming methods keep harmful chemicals out of our environment. Such a deal!

As consumers, when we purchase anything, we are giving our support to the company and methods used to produce the product. If we buy the chemically produced products, those companies will thrive and continue to use methods that are unsafe for our health and our Earth. If, however, we choose the organically produced products, we are supporting the farmers and processors who are using safer, natural processes that protect our health and the health of our Earth.

So every day, we make choices that can make a difference. We should always look for the organic choice whenever possible to encourage conservation of a clean and natural environment for ourselves and our future generations. And we really need to pick the healthier choice for our own bodies and the bodies of our loved ones.

Organic personal care products have become the specific focus of my recent efforts. I don’t think that most people realize how many dangerous chemicals we are putting on our skin and hair and into our mouth every day. When I became aware of it, I was truly shocked. It’s actually very hard to even find a shampoo, body lotion, or toothpaste that doesn’t contain harmful chemicals.

Fortunately, there is a terrific non-profit organization that publishes extensive information about harmful chemicals and which products are safer. It is called the Environmental Working Group at www.ewg.org and the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics at www.safecosmetics.org.

Also, people need to be aware that the skin is the largest organ of the human body. Our skin is designed to transfer some substances out of and into the body. We have pores in our skin that reach down into the bottom layers of skin to enable us to perspire when we are too warm. And the top layer of our skin is constantly throwing off old dead skin cells, while the new cells rise up toward the surface.

So the surface of our skin with its pores to the inside is very open to outside substances. We all know that Vitamin D is absorbed through our skin just from sunshine.  It’s easy to see for yourself how a light lotion placed on your hand or arm very quickly disappears into your skin and body.

Therefore personal care products are a very important component of our health care for our bodies. And my personal experience is that organic products feel better on my body, make my hair clean, soft, and shiny, and get my teeth cleaner. I can tell that these products are actually healthier and work better than the products that I had used in the past.

I have spent years searching for the very best in organically produced products. In the summer of 2007, when I found ONEgroup, I was thrilled. I immediately bought samples and then I got REALLY excited. Their products have all been the very best performing products of any kind that I’ve ever tried.

So, I became an Independent Representative for ONEgroup’s three brands, MiEssence, MiEnviron, and MiVitality. I’m sort of a “retired” old lady, and I’m so happy that I have found such a wonderful work for the later years of my life. Take a look at some of my website if you have time. And I’ll work on blogging about the products in this location.


www.grandstrandorganics.mionegroup.com


We wish you and your loved ones Health and Happiness!


Linda Murdock

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