Organic Bytes: Consumer Warning, Sustainability Tips, and more...

March 9, 2007

At 08:20 PM 3/8/07, you wrote:

Hello KRAIG

ORGANIC BYTES #104

Health, Justice and Sustainability News Tidbits with an Edge!

3/8/2007

Written and edited by Craig Minowa and Ronnie

Cummins

Safe Un:

http://organicconsumers.org/unsuborganicbytes.cfm

You are d as: thehavens

IN THIS ISSUE

CONSUMER

WARNING: TOXIC CHEMICAL BPA LEACHING

INTO CANNED FOODS HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK:

HOW TO AVOID BPA ALERT OF THE

WEEK: JOURNAL OF AMERICAN MEDICAL

ASSOCIATION SAYS SYNTHETIC SUPPLEMENTS ARE DANGEROUS

SUSTAINABILITY TIP OF THE

WEEK: SOME OF THE 100 THINGS YOU CAN

DO TO PREPARE YORSELF FOR PEAK OIL BEES MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARING ACROSS THE

U.S. PLANTING PEACE: STOP THE

WAR: PLEASE CALL YOUR CONGRESSIONAL

REPRESENTATIVES FRIDAY, MARCH 9th

CONTEST OF THE WEEK:

FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE ESSAY AND ART

CONTEST HAVE YOU SUFFERED A NEGATIVE REACTION

FROM SPLENDA? REPORT IT HERE!

_

CONSUMER

WARNING:

TOXIC CHEMICAL BPA LEACHING INTO CANNED FOODS

An alarming new study from the Environmental Working Group analyzed

samples of canned fruit, vegetables, soda, and baby formula on sale in

the nation's supermarkets and found that more than 50% were tainted with

a chemical linked to birth defects, ADHD and cancer. The chemical,

bisphenol A (BPA), is an ingredient in plastics that lines food cans.

According to the study, the chemical has been leaching into foods at

levels up to 200 times the government's recommended " safe "

level of exposure. According to Dr. Frederick vom Saal, a professor of

biology at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and a long-time expert

researcher of BPA, there are 94 scientific studies indicating deleterious

health effects from BPA. " If BPA was treated as a drug, it would

have been pulled immediately. This chemical can be replaced right now by

safer materials, and the public would never notice the difference. "

OCA is planning to launch a campaign later this year to pressure food

companies, especially organic companies, to stop using BPA-tainted cans

and other toxic or non-sustainable packaging.

Learn

more:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4414.cfm

HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK:

HOW TO AVOID BPA

Metal canned beverages appear to contain less BPA residues, while

metal canned pasta and soups contain the highest levels. Canned foods in glass containers are not a BPA risk. Plastics with the recycling labels #1, #2 and #4 on the bottom are

safer choices and do not contain BPA. One-third of liquid baby formulas have high levels of BPA. Powdered

formula packaging is generally considered safer. Avoid heating foods in plastic containers and do not wash plastic

containers in a dishwasher. When possible, opt for glass, porcelain and stainless steel

containers, particularly for hot food or liquids. Do not let plastic wrap touch your food in the microwave, or better

yet, avoid microwave ovens altogether. Many metal water bottles, such as those sold by the brand Sigg are

lined with a plastic coating that contains BPA. Look for stainless steel

bottles, such as those sold by Real Wear and Kleen Kanteen that do not

have a plastic liner.

_

We rely on your

donations to continue our work on these important

issues!

http://www.organicconsumers.org/donations.htm

_

ALERT OF THE

WEEK:

JOURNAL OF AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION SAYS SYNTHETIC SUPPLEMENTS ARE

DANGEROUS

Last week, major news publications reported on

a

peer-reviewed study from the Journal of the American Medical

Association which found that a number of synthetic vitamins appear to

be damaging the health of consumers. The meta-analysis indicated that the

synthetic form of Vitamin A increased death risk by 16%, beta carotene by

7% and Vitamin E by 4%. The results for Vitamin C were not so clear, but

by looking at the best quality trials there was a suggestion that it

increased death risk by 6%, either on its own or in combination with

other supplements. The study adds further fuel to the Organic Consumers

Association's (OCA) new " Nutri-Con " campaign, which is designed

to help educate consumers about the benefits of food-based vitamins and

to stop fraudulent labeling of synthetic vitamins and supplements as

" natural " .

Learn

more:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4409.cfm

If you have not yet signed OCA's petition to

stop vitamin and supplement companies from mislabeling vitamins with

synthetic ingredients as " natural " , " food-based, " or

" organic, " please do so now:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/nutricon/nutripetition.cfm

_

SUSTAINABILITY TIP OF THE

WEEK:

SOME OF THE 100 THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE YORSELF FOR PEAK OIL

#6 Pay your mortgage ahead whenever possible.

If economic times get hard, and you are unable to pay, the bank will

foreclose first on people who own only a little of their home equity.

#7 Make sure you have a reliable source of

water, which is not dependent on electricity, whether rain barrels, a

cistern, hand pumps on your well, or a community source, such as a public

pump.

#11. Purchase LED, solar or hand cranked

flashlights. Get a solar battery charger and rechargeable batteries for

your flashlight and a solar charger for your cell phone.

#13 Take an introduction to permaculture

class, or read up on permaculture.

#37 If you are troubled by towels and jeans

that don't dry as soft on the line as in the dryer you can add vinegar to

the rinse to soften them, or use less detergent.

Learn more tips for sustainable living

here:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4407.cfm

_________________________________

BEES MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARING ACROSS THE

U.S.

Beekeepers in 24 states are reporting record losses of honeybees. The

exact cause of this problem has not yet been determined, but bee colonies

across the U.S. are disappearing, with some states reporting a 70% drop

in bee populations. " I have never seen anything like it, " said

California beekeeper David Bradshaw. " Box after box after box are

just empty. There's nobody home. " A Cornell University study has

estimated that honeybees annually pollinate more than $14 billion worth

of seeds and crops in the United States, mostly fruits, vegetables and

nuts. " Every third bite we consume in our diet is dependent on a

honeybee to pollinate that food, " said Zac Browning, vice president

of the American Beekeeping Federation. The Organic Consumers Association

is closely monitoring the situation with efforts to determine if the

problem of disappearing bees is related to genetically engineered pollen

or pesticide toxicity.

Learn more:

http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4404.cfm

______________________________

PLANTING PEACE: STOP THE WAR

PLEASE CALL YOUR CONGRESSIONAL REPRESENTATIVES FRIDAY, MARCH 9th

Organic Consumers Association and our Planting Peace allies are calling on Congress to fight global warming not war. Please join our nationwide phone campaign to get Congress to reject Bush's request for an additional $93 billion in Iraq war funding. From March 5th through the 13th, a coalition of organizations and networks are mobilizing their members to contact Congress. The Planting Peace coalition has designated tomorrow, Friday, March 9th, as a day for organic consumers across the country to tell our representatives to cut off funds for the war and instead to use our tax money to stop global warming and green the economy. OCA's direct toll-free line to Congress is 1-888-851-1879.

When you call your Senate and Congressional offices, tell them that you're an Organic Consumer who's not buying this war!

For more talking points, http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4412.cfm

CONTEST OF THE WEEK:

FAIR TRADE CHOCOLATE ESSAY AND ART CONTEST

The International Labor Rights Fund is conducting a contest to help raise awareness about the chocolate industry's continued use of child labor in Africa. Companies including Nestle, Hersheys, Godiva, World's Finest Chocolate, Cadbury and M & M/Mars have refused to discontinue their purchasing of cocoa from plantations where children are forced to work long hours under grueling and hazardous conditions. The contest, which includes classroom curriculum, is designed for students ranging in age from third grade through high school.

Learn more: http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4406.cfm

________________________________

HAVE YOU SUFFERED A NEGATIVE REACTION FROM SPLENDA? REPORT IT HERE!

In recent years, the controversial artificial sweetener Splenda, has swept over the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industry. Currently found in over 4500 products, Splenda's marketing slogan, " Made from sugar so it tastes like sugar, " confuses consumers into believing that Splenda is a safe and healthy alternative to sugar, despite negative health effects detected in numerous human and animal trials. Unfortunately, the FDA and Johnson and Johnson refuse to acknowledge that these products are likely hazardous. Citizens for Health is currently collecting reports of negative effects from Splenda to present to the FDA. If you've had any bad experiences with Splenda, please contact Frank Herd at Citizens for Health with your story. Office: 612-879-7583 email: fherdjr

We rely on your donations to continue our work on these important issues!

http://www.organicconsumers.org/donations.htm

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http://www.thehavens.com/

thehavens

606-376-3363

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