| GREETINGS |
A Happy Healthy Holiday to You!
While children
eagerly
anticipate the fun and festivities that winter brings, parents are
equally excited to indulge little ones at this time of year and would
love to be able to give them every gift on their child's wish list. But
with over 25 different toy recalls this year alone, parents need to be
evermore vigilant in choosing healthy, safe toys for their kids. Despite the recalls, toxics can still be found in alarming quantities
in everything from toys to furniture to holiday decorations.
Parents
can take the initiative to buy safer products, but with toxic products
still on the market, it makes this process more difficult. With
the support of concerned parents like you, promising legislation such
as the proposed ban
on brominated and chlorinated fire retardants (AB706) have been
proposed and gives us hope for more stringent laws being enacted to
protect our children. Families can continue to look to Healthy Child Healthy
World for the latest updates and information on
keeping their
children's environment toxin free.
The
need for industry transparency about ingredients used in their products
is more important now than ever as we see more and more toy companies
exposed as manufacturers of toxic toys. This is a critical
moment
in time for us to use the widespread awareness to encourage
policy-makers to follow Europe and California and put protective
policies in place that make harmful chemicals illegal for use in
children's products.
Our
dedication to stopping toxic exposure where it starts is only
made
possible by contributions from loyal concerned citizens like
you!
We know you have endless demands on your resources, but you make it
possible for us to continue to educate, support protective policies,
and help consumers safeguard their children's health - please
donate today!
We
look forward to creating a healthy future for our children, families,
and planet.
We
wish you and your family joyous, safe and healthy holidays,
Healthy Child Healthy World
|
|
 |
 |
| HEALTHY CHILD
NEWS |
2007 Legislative Victory!
Banning Toxic Toys: Did you
know that Healthy Child sponsored the precedent-setting Stop Toxic Toys Bill
(AB 1008-Ma.)
that was signed by Gov. Schwarzenneger
on Oct. 14th? Following
Europe's lead, the bill is the first in the nation to prohibit the
manufacture, sale, and distribution of children's toys and feeding
products that contain phthalates.
Our Upcoming Book
We
are gearing up for the release of our upcoming book: Healthy Child
Healthy World: Creating a Greener, Cleaner, Safer Home and we wanted
you to be the first to hear about it! Pre-order your copy now.
Filled
with easy steps and simple solutions to improve family living without
wreaking havoc on schedules or budgets, this book includes inspiring
ideas for safe, eco-friendly cleaning methods, choosing healthier food,
pet and garden care, nursery and home building materials, plus
extensive tips for energy saving and family fun.
With contributions from environmental science and public-health experts
as well as many celebrity supporters, Healthy
Child Healthy World is the essential guidebook for parents and
children’s health advocates.
|
|
 |
|
| EMERGING
HEALTH FEATURE |
Plastic Toys - Some Answers.
We've
heard
a lot about
toxic toys lately in the news and it's no wonder parents are a bit
overwhelmed by it all and wondering: how can I best protect my child? What is safe to bring into my home? A great
article by Dr. Jonathan Weinkle of the Children's Hospital of
Pittsburgh helps to answer these questions step by step and points you
in the right direction to help you make the best and safest decisions
for your little ones.
Read the Full Article>>>
|
|
|
|
| DR'S VIEWPOINT |
|
 The Laundry Room
By Dr.
Alan Greene, M.D.
As
the holidays approach there are opportunities for green purchases
beyond the usual toys and special gifts. The world surrounding a new
baby, in particular, the laundry room, is full of choices for green
purchases. For such a
little
person, a baby sure goes through a lot of laundry:
diapers, bibs, sleepers, undershirts, blankets, sheets, socks,
pants...and of course all the items the baby spits up on that also need
to
be cleaned—often. Read
More>>>
|
|
 |
|
| HEALTHY CHILD
TIPS |
3 Simple Ways to Help You Enjoy Healthy
Holidays:
- Keep
Holiday Lights Out of Childrens' Reach!
All four of the top American holiday light manufacturers tested by
Quantex Labs were found to have excessive levels of lead - surpassing
Consumer Products Safety Commission's recommended child limit for toys. Read More>>>
- Retire
that old, plastic tree.
Plastic Christmas trees may appear to make environmental sense, because
they can be used for many years. And about 20 million households put up
a tree that is 9 years old or older. But old Christmas trees, which are
made of PVC, are a potential health threat to
children.
- To
perfume the air with a holiday fragrance, simmer spices such
as cinnamon sticks and whole cloves. Special scents create a
festive holiday mood. However, scented candles, incense, air fresheners
and other fragrance products are filled with chemical cocktails that
can pollute indoor air, causing headaches, fatigue and other symptoms.
For
these
and more great tips, visit our Healthy Holidays Checklist.
|
|
|
| KEEP IN THE
KNOW |
Whole Foods Market and Healthy Child Healthy
World Partner with Kiwi Magazine and American Airlines to Bring Healthy Fun To The Holiday Skies!
From November 2007
through January 1, 2008
kids and parents alike can enjoy the Kiwi Care Package when traveling
on select American Airlines flights nationwide.
|
|
| LEARN MORE |
Medical Approaches in Autism:
Clinical Implications of Environmental Toxicology for Children's
Neurodevelopment in Autism
We encourage parents and members of the general public to learn more
about the latest information on environmental implications in the
diagnosis and treatment of autism.
What a great opportunity
for the public to be exposed to the important scientific and clinical
information provided at this Symposium.
Learn more and sign up
to attend the symposium on:
Friday February 8, 2008
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
San Francisco, California
|
|
|
| SHOP FOR
CHANGE |
|
Support Healthy Child with an organic wreath or sustainably grown
holiday bouquet this year from Organic Bouquet. A 10%
donation will be given to Healthy Child on each purchase by
Organic Bouquet.
We
are excited to announce Anna Getty's debut Yoga DVD 2-disc collection
for both expectant mothers and new mommies post partum.
Equally ideal
for beginners or seasoned practitioners, the approach is smart,
insightful and utterly invigorating. You can purchase them
and learn more at AnnaGetty.com.
A portion of the proceeds from the sale of the DVD will benefit Healthy
Child Healthy World.
|
|
| LEGISLATION
UPDATES |
CRYSTAL GOLDEN-JEFFERSON
FURNITURE SAFETY AND FIRE PREVENTION ACT - AB706
This act calls for the immediate phase-out
of two classes of toxic fire
retardant chemicals used in our everyday home furnishings: brominated
and chlorinated fire retardants (BFRs and CFRs).
In order to meet California's strict fire
safety standards, companies
use toxic BFRs and CFRs. However, exposure to BFRs and CFRs is
dangerous to children's health and the environment because it
bioaccumulates and is a probable human carcinogen. Safer alternatives
exist that are just as effective and economical. Support firefighters
and environmental groups by helping to pass AB706 and ban the use of these toxins!
|
|
| COMMUNITY
ACTION |
SCREEN YOUR TOYS WITH THE HEALTHY
TOYS DATABASE
Michigan-based
Ecology Center has just released new research on over 1,500 toys in
collaboration with Healthy Child Healthy World and other leading
environmental health groups across the country.
Parents will be able to easily check
how products rank
from highest to lowest in terms of lead, cadmium and other chemicals
that are associated with reproductive problems, developmental and
learning disabilities, hormone problems and cancer. Toys made with PVC,
or polyvinyl chloride, were also tested.
|
|
| PARTNER
HIGHLIGHTS |
|
| |
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
.png)
From
May 1 through June 30, some of our great partners (all natural baby
product companies) have contributed coupons to a free in-store booklet
called Your Guide to Natural Choices for a Healthy Home, for a Healthy
Baby. The booklet is a collaboration between Whole Foods Market,
Healthy Child Healthy World and Seventh Generation.
