Environmental Health

May 9, 2010

In our natural instinct to protect our children, we sometimes (often?) get waylaid by products that end up doing more harm than good, but make a nice profit for the manufacturer. A chemical called triclosan is a case in point. It’s supposed to vanquish “germs,” that is, bacteria or microbes. You’ll...

MomsRising Together

Alice Shabecoff

Environmental Health Health Care

May 2, 2010

On Friday April 30, the Governor of West Virginia held a press conference to announce the secured funding of a new elementary school. Located 300 feet from a coal ash silo due to the practice of mountaintop removal, Marsh Fork Elementary has been the center of a controversial school siting fight...

MomsRising Together

Renee Blanchard

Environmental Health

April 27, 2010

After way too many food recalls and contamination scares in everything from peanut butter to spinach, Congress is taking action. The U.S. Senate is about to consider a critical food safety bill that would ramp up protections against food contaminants like E.coli and salmonella. This is already an...

MomsRising Together

Ariana Kelly

Environmental Health

April 27, 2010

Toxic chemicals designed to cause neurological damage are being pumped into our children’s environment and food, as parents and teachers struggle to help vast numbers of children with growing rates of neurodevelopmental and learning disabilities. A prime example is the pesticide “chlorpyrifos.” It...

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Carol Dansereau

Environmental Health

April 26, 2010

Today is National Healthy Schools Day. A day to learn, discuss, and implement healthier and safer practices in our nation’s school. Eliminating toxic chemicals and taking on more environmentally friendly standards isn’t always simple, but there are several ways to get started. Here are three. (1)...

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Renee Blanchard

Environmental Health

April 23, 2010

Happy Earth Day all! Speaking of which, this info is just in from Denis Hayes, the international chair of Earth Day 2010 (and national coordinator for the very first Earth Day in 1970). Sounds like a great event...with terrific music ~Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner by Denis Hayes Earth Day Network is...

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Denis Hayes

Environmental Health

April 22, 2010

My kindergartener went to school today with an empty 2-liter bottle. The plan? Quite frankly, it's a mystery to me, but I know it involves celebrating Earth Day, so I was happy to do my part by digging through the recycling bin for the perfect contribution. She, like millions of kids across the...

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Ariana Kelly

Environmental Health

April 22, 2010

I love black beans generally and black bean soup in particular. Filling and inexpensive, beans are high in dietary fiber, low in unhealthful fats, and hospitable to garlic, onion, red pepper, and spices. If you were having lunch at a restaurant, black bean soup could be the healthiest thing on the...

MomsRising Together

Mike Jacobson

Environmental Health

April 22, 2010

For those amazing eco-moms out there, this week may be quite busy. Thursday is Earth Day and there are thousands of events being held nationwide to honor our planet - be they stream cleanups, advocacy days, or just working in the home garden with their kids. Here at the Sierra Club , we know a good...

MomsRising Together

Sarah Hodgdon

Environmental Health Health Care

April 21, 2010

When I was young, I volunteered for various organizations and I participated in an academic extracurricular group known as the Future Problem Solvers of America, but that was the extent of my adolescent efforts at having a positive impact on the world. I don’t think I had ever heard of anyone young...

MomsRising Together

Janelle Sorensen