Tag Archives: Pollution

Earth Day Human Canary Starter Pack

Posted on April 22, 2021 | 6 comments

Human Canaries are what’s left after the signs from wildlife and nature weren’t respected, but we’re not long for this earth either, unless there are some significant changes in people’s daily habits – yes, things everyone can start to do RIGHT NOW!

Let’s start with some hashtags:

#HumanCanaries #EnvironmentalSensitivities #EarthDay #EarthDay2021 #MotherEarth #ChemicalSensitivity #MCS #EHS #IAQ #EnvironmentalHealth #air #water #disabilities #ScentFree #FragranceFree #BeFragranceFree #NonToxic #StopTheKill
Then move on to some science and other research (with apologies for the formatting, I really hate wordpress now):

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Posted in Action, Environmental Health, Environmental Sensitivities, Human Rights, Policy, Public Health

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Research Shows Harmful Chemicals Can Remain In Clothing Even After Washing

Posted on November 21, 2015 | 16 comments

“Exposure to these chemicals increases the risk of allergic dermatitis, but more severe health effect for humans as well as the environment could possibly be related to these chemicals. Some of them are suspected or proved carcinogens and some have aquatic toxicity,”

textile chemical release

Giovanna Luongo found that there are harmful chemical residues left in clothing even after 10 washes and presents the information in her Doctoral Thesis, Chemicals in textiles A potential source for human exposure and environmental pollution.

This scientifically validates what some of us have been saying for years, that some harmful chemical residues can be extremely difficult if not impossible to remove, (as the rigmarole we have to go through in an attempt to have safe to wear clothing to wear attests), and that normally undetectable trace levels can cause disabling effects.

Many chemicals present in clothing (and bedding) enter the human body via dermal absorption, and can be detected in urine hours later!

This poster shows how chemicals enter our bodies:

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Posted in Accessibility, chemicals in clothing, Environmental Health, Fashion, Laundry, Toxic Trespass

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The Effort and “Inconvenience” of Single-Handedly Trying to Remove Systemic Barriers to Access

Posted on June 29, 2015 | 8 comments

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When she needed accommodation, you won’t believe the rigmarole that ensued.

(unless you have MCS/ES)

equal opportunity 1

“They should not have to make significantly more effort to access or obtain service. They should also not have to accept lesser quality or more inconvenience.”

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Someone with MCS (who wishes to remain anonymous) was asked about how her efforts to receive appropriate, safe, accommodation were going, so she could see a health care provider. She is one of a growing number of people who become disabled from exposures to toxic chemicals found in many everyday products and materials, especially in fragrances.

This is pretty much how the story goes:

She contacted a health care provider by phone and talked to a receptionist.

She asked her if they had a scent-free policy and was told they didn’t.

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8 Comments

Posted in Accessibility, Chemicals, Disability, Environmental Health, Fragrance, Human Rights, Indoor Air Quality, MCS/ES, Policy, Precaution

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We Share the Air Canary

Posted on April 30, 2014 | 2 comments
we share the air canary

Choose fragrance-free products. Clean air is fragrance-chemical-free. Fragrance chemicals create an invisible barrier to access for people who are disabled by pollutants and can cause health harm to everyone who breathes.

We share the air! Help keep it clean!

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Posted in Air Quality, Disability, Environmental Health, Fragrance, Images, Toxic Trespass

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Your Brain Breathes Too

Posted on January 30, 2014 | 15 comments

Pollution affects our brains!
Glad some neuroscientists are finally taking this more seriously!

Knowing Neurons

I live in Los Angeles and it’s unfortunate, but true, that the brown cloud of smog hanging over our city is as much an icon of LA as the Hollywood hills.  My morning bike commute is spent sucking on the tailpipes of my fellow Angelenos, and it turns out this doesn’t just make me cranky.  A recent article published in Neurotoxicology suggests that those of us who live in urban environments are much more likely to experience cognitive decline with age.  The culprit?  Air pollution.

Your Brain Breathes Too by Knowing Neurons

While air pollution is generally thought of as a modern problem, humans have evolved to handle polluted air from sources such as forest fires and volcanic eruptions.  Coughing removes large particles from the lung, while macrophages, a type of immune cell, are responsible for engulfing and degrading small particles.  However, some particles are so small that they can penetrate the lung wall, and gaseous…

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Posted in Brain, Environmental Health, Neurotoxicity, Pollution

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Exposed to plastic fumes, women working in some factories have a 400% increased risk of breast cancer, study says

Posted on January 26, 2014 | Leave a comment

Thanks Global and 16 x 9 for looking into this.

Current chemical regulations don’t come close to protecting our health, or the health of the people who have to work with them on a daily basis.
Life (and health) really needs to be prioritized over profits. There is no good reason to allow anyone to profit while polluting or causing others to suffer. Why not have industries making things that that contribute to health and well-being?

I agree with The Science and Environmental Health Network: “Regulating hazardous waste is always problematic. The basic premise is flawed: make products that are toxic and regulate the production, sales and disposal of those products. A far better approach is based on the precautionary principle: make products out of safe materials, require producer take-back of products. Search for the best alternatives to toxic chemicals and establish zero waste policies.”

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Posted in Chemicals, Environmental Health

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You Can Help Provide Medically Required Safe Housing!

Posted on May 3, 2013 | Leave a comment

Safe, non-toxic housing is the primary medical need of people with MCS/ES and EHS. The number of lives affected and needing this kind of medically required housing is growing, and far too little is being done by the various governments or medical associations to address the needs of all the people who are being injured and disabled by common everyday chemical and EMF/EMR exposures.

For us, safe housing is like the cast after we break a bone. It protects us and allows us to heal while preventing re-injury, especially if the housing is in an area where the outdoor air is also safe for us to breathe. Especially for those of us who have been repeatedly and seriously injured. That means no dryer vents that emit hazardous laundry chemicals, no pesticide use, or industrial emissions or busy roads nearby.

The good people at  the Environmental Health Association of Québec (ASEQ-EHAQ) see and understand the need and are working to do something about it, by developing an ECOASIS in the Laurentian Mountains of Quebec, but they need your help to make it happen.

Help Provide An ECOASIS

If you are already convinced this is a great cause to support and just want the link to where you can donate, then please click here.

♥

If you need to know more about why this is so important, then please keep reading…

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Posted in Accessibility, Disability, Environmental Sensitivities, Green Building, Health Care, Housing, Multiple Chemical Sensitivities

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Do We Not Have the Right to a Healthy Environment?

Posted on January 31, 2013 | Leave a comment

The way things are now, polluters have more rights to pollute than we have to clean air and water. That is not the way it should be, and it can be changed.

air and water

In Brazil, they now have the right to a healthy environment!

From Ecojustice, where you can learn more and take action:

the Right to a Healthy Environment

But it’s not just chemical plants and industries that pollute our air and homes. 

People  also seem to expect the right to do what they want on their properties, even if that activity impairs the ability  of someone else next door or down the block to breathe  on their property.

Woodsmoke, tobacco smoke, pesticides, herbicides and toxic laundry products are some of the things that also leave the user’s property and enter neighboring  properties and homes, with sometimes devastating effects on the health of people and pets.

I think our right to do what we want on our own property should not include the right to prevent the next person from breathing properly on their property.

What do you think?

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Posted in Environment, Environmental Rights, Healthy Environment, Human Rights, Pollution

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