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Autism: Thinking the Unthinkable
To cling to a purely genetic explanation of autism is a
desperate attempt to maintain the illusion that one lives in a
comfortable and rational world where new chemicals and
technologies always mean progress, experts are always objective
and thorough, corporations are honest, and authorities can be
trusted. That human actions rather than genetics, might be
responsible for compromising the health of a significant
proportion of a whole generation is so painful as to be, for
many, unthinkable.
Martha Herbert, MD PhD
Harvard School of Medicine
Did you know...........
Within 26 seconds after exposure to chemicals, they can be
found in every organ in the body.
The Clean Water Fund estimates that the average American
uses 40 lbs of unsafe household cleaners each year (multiply
that by 245 million Americans)
Children are more susceptible to toxins than adults.
Kids receive proportionately larger doses of environmental
toxins than adults
Check out your household cleaner's ingredients and safety
ratings on the link below
Copy & Paste:
http://hpd.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/list?tbl=TblBrands&alpha=A
BRAIN FOOD
The Chemical Registry System (CRS), which is the US EPA's central
system for tracking regulated chemicals, lists over 71,000 chemicals. Most
of those have not been properly tested for human and environmental effects.
Sources of Indoor Air Pollution - Organic Gases (Volatile
Organic Compounds - VOCs)
EPA's Total Exposure Assessment Methodology (TEAM)
studies found levels of about a dozen common organic
pollutants to be 2 to 5 times higher inside homes than
outside.
......while people are using products containing organic
chemicals, they can expose themselves and others to very high
pollutant levels, and elevated concentrations can persist in the
air long after the activity is completed.
Organic chemicals are widely used as ingredients in household
products.
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Copy & Paste:
www.epa.gov/iaq/voc.html
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Get back to basics
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Reduce Allergies -Create a Healthier Environment -
Reduce residues & toxins from your home
Nearly 5 million children have asthma (6.9% of children under
18)
What Makes Asthma Worse?
Allergens,
Warm-blooded pets
(including dogs, cats, birds, and small rodents), House dust
mites, Pollens from grass and trees, Molds (indoors and
outdoors).
Irritants, Cigarette smoke
and wood smoke. Scented products such as hair spray, cosmetics,
and cleaning products. Strong odors from fresh paint or cooking.
Automobile fumes and air pollution.
Chemicals
such as pesticides and lawn treatments
"It's
not how much we do...
but how much love we put into doing it!"
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Even if you store
chemical cleaners in secure cupboards, above the reach of children,
simply using them may do harm. Many of them release toxic or
irritating volatile
organic compounds (VOCs) into the air. "My
eight-month-old baby’s eyes tear up every time I clean my house; I
have to do it when she’s not there," says Maritza Rios of New York
City. While adults may not react to cleaning products, their fumes
may affect infants and children because they haven’t fully developed
the ability to remove toxins from their bodies.
Other common cleaners can be more harmful. Corrosive or caustic
cleaners, such as lye and acids – found in drain cleaners, oven
cleaners and acid-based toilet bowl cleaners – are the most
dangerous cleaning products because they burn skin, eyes and
internal tissue easily, according to Phillip Dickey, director of
Washington Toxics Coalition
(WTC).
http://www.thegreenguide.com/issue.mhtml
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What Causes Asthma?
Asthma is a complex disease with multiple
causes. Asthma attacks are triggered by a series
of factors, typically acting in concert with one
another. Asthma has been called "a classic
example of a disease caused by gene-environment
interaction".
Certain insecticides that are widely used in
U.S. homes may be triggers for asthma. Studies
indicate that exposure to organophosphate
pesticides disrupts the part of the nervous
system that regulates the motor functioning of
the lungs. This has lead researchers to
hypothesize that pesticides are among the
preventable causes of asthma in children.7
http://www.childenvironment.org/factsheets/asthma.htm
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PERC—A STAIN ON THE DRY CLEANING INDUSTRY
New Types of Dry Cleaning That Are Better for the Environment and
Safer for You
There are over 30,000 dry cleaning facilities for you to
choose from in the United States,
but 95 percent of them use the toxic chemical perchloroethylene
(perc) as the primary cleaning solvent. Exposure to perc is a
significant risk to the workers who dry clean the clothes, and it's
also a health risk to you and the loved ones who share your home.
Once you get the dry-cleaned clothes home, they continue to off-gas
perc into the air in your abode.
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences states that:
"Short-term exposure to PERC can cause adverse health effects on the
nervous system that include dizziness, fatigue, headaches, sweating,
incoordination, and unconsciousness. Long-term exposure can cause
liver and kidney damage." The International Association for Research
on Cancer classifies perc as a probable carcinogen.
Fortunately, there are healthier (and greener) dry-cleaning
alternatives. Here they are:
* Wet Cleaning — This is a system that uses biodegradable soap and
water. Computer-controlled dryers and stretching machines ensure
that the fabric retains its natural size and shape. Wet cleaning can
purportedly clean 99.9% of "dry clean only" garments safely,
including leather; suede; most tailored woolens, silks and rayons.
(Neckties seem to be the one exception.)
Your home can truly become your sanctuary - with so many outside
variables in our work and outside environment, steam vapor
cleaners can make a difference for you and your family.
Look at what Dry
steam can do for you
Microbiological Laboratory Test Results using Dry
Steam Vapor Desiderio / VS 3000
Unit Tested at 72.5 PSI Gres
Type Of Material:
Teflon |
Colonies Per Square Centimeter |
Colonies Per Square Centimeter |
| Surface Contamination Type |
Before Treatment |
After Treatment |
| Saccharomyses Cerevisiae |
129 |
0 |
| Pseudomonas Aeruginosa |
125 |
0 |
| E. Coli |
103 |
0 |
| Bacillus Cereus |
112 |
2 |
| Staphylococcus Aureus |
100 |
0 |
| Streptococcus Faecalis |
125 |
0 |
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Type Of Material: Stainless Steel |
Colonies Per Square Centimeter |
Colonies Per Square Centimeter |
| Surface Contamination Type |
Before Treatment |
After Treatment |
| Saccharomyses Cerevisiae |
92 |
0 |
| Pseudomonas Aeruginosa |
105 |
0 |
| E. Coli |
138 |
0 |
| Bacillus Cereus |
95 |
0 |
| Staphylococcus Aureus |
100 |
0 |
| Streptococcus Faecalis |
97 |
0 |
Type Of Material:
Porcelain |
Colonies Per Square Centimeter |
Colonies Per Square Centimeter |
| Saccharomyses Cerevisiae |
98 |
0 |
| Pseudomonas Aeruginosa |
112 |
2 |
| E. Coli |
115 |
0 |
| Bacillus Cereus |
70 |
1 |
| Staphylococcus Aureus |
88 |
0 |
| Streptococcus Faecalis |
77 |
0 |
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