Websites
The Center for Health, Environment and Justice (CHEJ): has an informative website that will help you be a more informed consumer, parent and advocate for your child in school. They will soon release their Back-to-School Guide to PVC-Free School Supplies — so you can make smarter and healthier shopping choices for your kids, family and environment. http://www.chej.org
Environmental Defense: provides a wide range of information and in depth studies on their website including a list of safe and unsafe seafood, and air pollution concerns with special initiatives regarding school buses. Their website states “We start with rigorous science. Then we work directly with businesses, government and communities. Together, we can create lasting solutions to the most serious environmental problems.” www.edf.org
Do you enjoy eating seafood, but wonder about the contaminants in them? www.oceansalive.org reports the least and most contaminated and endangered fish, which can be downloaded into a handy pocket-sized list. Take this with you to the store.
Environmental Working Group: Has on their website a report on the toxicity of cosmetics and personal care products. You can enter in your favorite products and learn if they contain any health hazards. Their 2005 Report studied the chemicals found in newborn umbilical cord blood. This is an eye-opening report that certainly points to chemical contaminants – many known to be carcinogens and toxic to the brain and nervous system. www.ewg.org/
This same organization also provides a list of 43 common fruits and vegetables ranked in order of pesticide residues from worst to least. www.foodnews.org
What Foods Should You Only Buy ORGANICALLY grown? The website below also has a downloadable, pocket sized list of the fruits and vegetables which tend to have the most to least pesticide residues. Read through this website for links about integrated pest management techniques, also.
www.grinningplanet.com/2006/update-2005-05-24/pesticides-in-food.htm
The Environmental Health Perspective Online has a thorough and easy to read collection of articles related to all aspects of health and the environment including information on playgrounds, and pesticides. Open the website listed and open the box on the lower left hand side of the home page labeled “The Children’s Environmental Health Institute.” http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/
The Healthy Schools Network: They send out regular e-mails updating parents and school officials on many issues surrounding healthy and safe school operations. www.healthyschools.org.
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