We live in a world pervaded by industrial chemicals; in fact, they are fed to us from the time we are in the womb until we die. We touch and absorb them; we breathe them in; and unwittingly, we put them into and onto our bodies. And we are exposed in ways that are not at all obvious. For example, that mouse you are scrolling with and the cushion you are resting on, most likely are slow dosing you with BPA, phthalates and flame retardants. The hand sanitizer or lotion you just rubbed into your hands probably has parabens; even your toothpaste and the food digesting in your stomach. These chemicals enter your body and many of them mimic estrogen, contributing to health problems, such as breast cancer, thyroid issues, early puberty, and endocrine disruptions. There are so many different chemicals and compounds in our everyday environment that it is impossible to escape exposure: even penguins in Antarctica were recently found to have DDT in their bodies.
You might be saying to yourself, "What's the big deal? There's nothing wrong with me, even if I am exposed every day." And on the surface, you are probably right. But you were young once, half of you are female, and you will be elderly someday, too, and those are the demographics of people most often affected by these exposures. If you are pregnant, the fetus growing inside of you is being exposed to the same toxins and will be fed them through the milk of your breasts. How insidious is that? But I'm just trying to scare you, right? Surely, someone would step in and do something if there is such a high risk to our health, right? Who might that someone be? The FDA, the USDA and the EPA, each charged with an aspect of public health, all allow these chemicals to be manufactured and used. In fact, they don't even do any of the testing themselves. Instead, they rely on the research of the corporations that benefit financially from them. And these tests often exclude important data, such as affects on mammary glands.
So, what are we to do? We can't hide from these chemicals in the woods and we can't shed our "body burden," as the build-up of these toxins in our bodies is known. The agencies which are supposed to protect us are filled with bureaucrats who revolve jobs between the government, lobbying firms, and the corporations who benefit from this system. As I see it, the best we can do is educate and advocate. Be a conscious consumer: learn about the health risks of these chemicals, where they are found, and do your best to choose products without them. And support the companies that are doing the right thing, even if it costs a little bit more money. Corporations aren't the only ones who can vote with their money! And become an advocate: tell your friends and family about what you've learned, write letters to your elected officials, write to the offending corporations (the employees were once young, may be female, probably have a mother, might have grey hairs, and are still human!), or start a petition of your own. We often think we can't do much on our own, but that is a mistake. There are so many people just waiting for someone else to start the ball rolling that if one of us just gave it that first push, the momentum would naturally build! Another way to advocate is to become more self-sufficient. You want soap or lotion that doesn't have parabens? Learn how to make it yourself. Don't want to breathe noxious fumes from cleaning agents? Read up on natural cleansers like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon. Rather not eat food from cans lined with BPA? Grow a garden and preserve your own produce! Whatever avenue you choose, the most important thing to remember is that if we do nothing, then nothing will change!
You might be saying to yourself, "What's the big deal? There's nothing wrong with me, even if I am exposed every day." And on the surface, you are probably right. But you were young once, half of you are female, and you will be elderly someday, too, and those are the demographics of people most often affected by these exposures. If you are pregnant, the fetus growing inside of you is being exposed to the same toxins and will be fed them through the milk of your breasts. How insidious is that? But I'm just trying to scare you, right? Surely, someone would step in and do something if there is such a high risk to our health, right? Who might that someone be? The FDA, the USDA and the EPA, each charged with an aspect of public health, all allow these chemicals to be manufactured and used. In fact, they don't even do any of the testing themselves. Instead, they rely on the research of the corporations that benefit financially from them. And these tests often exclude important data, such as affects on mammary glands.
So, what are we to do? We can't hide from these chemicals in the woods and we can't shed our "body burden," as the build-up of these toxins in our bodies is known. The agencies which are supposed to protect us are filled with bureaucrats who revolve jobs between the government, lobbying firms, and the corporations who benefit from this system. As I see it, the best we can do is educate and advocate. Be a conscious consumer: learn about the health risks of these chemicals, where they are found, and do your best to choose products without them. And support the companies that are doing the right thing, even if it costs a little bit more money. Corporations aren't the only ones who can vote with their money! And become an advocate: tell your friends and family about what you've learned, write letters to your elected officials, write to the offending corporations (the employees were once young, may be female, probably have a mother, might have grey hairs, and are still human!), or start a petition of your own. We often think we can't do much on our own, but that is a mistake. There are so many people just waiting for someone else to start the ball rolling that if one of us just gave it that first push, the momentum would naturally build! Another way to advocate is to become more self-sufficient. You want soap or lotion that doesn't have parabens? Learn how to make it yourself. Don't want to breathe noxious fumes from cleaning agents? Read up on natural cleansers like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon. Rather not eat food from cans lined with BPA? Grow a garden and preserve your own produce! Whatever avenue you choose, the most important thing to remember is that if we do nothing, then nothing will change!
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