Toxic car seats

Can you believe it?

A recent study conducted by the watchdog group, Friends of the Earth, found that 56% of infant carriers, 44% of car seats, and 40% of the strollers they tested had dangerous levels of toxic fire retardant chemicals.[1]

This is downright scary--and is yet another toxic exposure on a long list of children?s products with toxic chemicals to come out lately.

We have to turn this tide.

The good news: Graco, the giant manufacturer of children's products, responded to the Friends of the Earth report the day it was published. Graco says they want to do the right thing, but they haven't yet committed to removing these chemicals. If Graco gets rid of these chemicals, other baby product manufacturers will be under enormous pressure to follow suit.

*Ask Graco, and other manufacturers of children's products, to not use any more halogenated fire retardants ? period!
http://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/1768/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=1230

Haloge-what?

Halogenated flame retardants have been shown to cause serious health disorders including endocrine disruption, cancer, birth defects and a host of reproductive and neurological disorders in developing fetuses and offspring in animals.

Forward this note to your family, friends, and community so we can all let Graco, and other manufacturers, know that nobody wants toxins near their kids. When consumers speak, companies listen. Moms' voices are turning the tide on toxins: After our petition with your signatures was delivered several weeks ago on getting the toxic bisphenol A (BPA) out of baby bottles, Toys"R"Us, Babies"R"Us, and CVS announced they'll stop selling baby bottles which contain BPA, and Playtex committed to stop using BPA in all of their baby bottles by the year's end.

So please forward this blog far and wide to get as many signatures as possible--we know your signatures will have an impact. We want Graco, and other manufacturers of children's products, to know that making safe products includes keeping toxic chemicals out of them. Together, we can make help keep dangerous chemicals away from our children.

Thank you to Friends of the Earth and Make Our Milk Safe for their tremendous work on this issue.

[1] Friends of the Earth report, entitled Killer Cribs, http://action.foe.org/t/3882/content.jsp?content_KEY=4205

p.s. To see the CBS story on flame retardants: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/19/eveningnews/main4109418.shtml

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Fight Breast Cancer

Hi everyone-

I just joined the Love/Avon Army of Women — and you should, too!

The amazing Dr. Susan Love has a call to action for women withOUT breast cancer, whether cured, never had and no risk factors. She has said she is striving for prevention, not just the cure.

In order to become one in the Army of Women who would be willing to share their blood, saliva, breast tissue, etc. with scientists, go to ArmyofWomen.org and sign up. Signing up does not necessarily mean you will be chosen, just that you are willing to be. Dr. Love said they are piling the women into regions and will divy them/us out to the scientists in the area. It could be many months before we learn if we have been chosen.

Please, please consider becoming one of the volunteers if you do not have breast cancer! Our sisters (and brothers, because men get breast cancer, too!) need us to help.

The Love/Avon Army of Women offers women the opportunity to partner with the scientists who are conducting research that will end this disease--once and for all. Breast cancer has been around for decades, but it does not have to be our future. We can be the generation that stops breast cancer once and for all by figuring out what causes this disease and how to prevent it!


Sign up for your sister, mother, daughter, granddaughter, best friend, and the woman you met last week. This is YOUR chance to be part of the research that will end breast cancer. It takes a just a minute to join. But the impact we will have will last a lifetime.


Please Join Me in Being One in a Million!


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Green Your Halloween

I just found out about the following Halloween campaign (Reverse Trick-or-Treating) and have ordered the free kit (the only cost is S/H $4.95). It involves raising awareness about Fair Trade by distributing Fair Trade chocolate to neighbors while Trick-or-Treating. There is so much to be gained from letting people know how mainstream chocolate companies exploit children in cocoa-producing countries in West Africa and beyond. If you are interested in participating, please visit: http://store.gxonlinestore.org/rtot.html and be sure to read more from the link http://www.reversetrickortreating.org/. The deadline for the free kit is Oct. 13th.



There is also a great mother-founded organization which is spreading nationwide called Green Halloween (http://www.greenhalloween.org/). Its purpose is to encourage healthier and more eco-friendly holidays, starting with Halloween. There are lots of great ideas for alternative Halloween treats. And if you're motivated to get your school involved (for Halloween and/or other holidays), check this out...

http://www.globalexchange.org/campaigns/fairtrade/cocoa/fairtradeintheclassroom.html



Happy Hallo-Green!



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