Healthy Child Times Quarterly Newsletter: Fall 2007

GREETINGS There's Something in the Air... For the past several years, October has been heralded by the US Environmental Protection Agency as Children's Health Month. They've always shed light on environmental impacts on child health and development; last year they even focused on healthy school environments, but this year there hasn't been a peep from the office about this very important issue. The US Department of Health and Human Services is promoting National Child Health Day on October 1st, and although they are touting "prevention", nowhere in their materials do they mention health risks associated with chemicals in our everyday environments. What's going on? Why is our federal government getting quieter and quieter about the issue despite the increase in evidence and the growing chorus of scientists arguing for action? You can try to answer that one with other parents at your next play date. In the meantime, turn to Health Child Healthy World for advice on how to protect your children and to celebrate Healthy Child Day every day. We look forward to creating a healthy future for our children, families, and planet. Kind Regards, Healthy Child Healthy World HEALTHY CHILD NEWS Host a Healthy Home Party!  Healthy Child in strategic partnership with LUNA, makers of whole nutrition products for women, are excited to announce the launch of our Healthy Home Party Program. These include: an instructional DVD action booklets fact sheets free product samples  These will help you learn and share great information for a fun and healthy event.  Click here to find out more about this program or contact Mandy to sign up.  Let us help empower you to provide the healthiest environment for yourself and  your family! EMERGING HEALTH FEATURE "Mommy, what is global warming?" Children are very curious creatures and as they grow up, you will find yourself trying to answer a wide array of questions.They begin with a simple (albeit sometimes irritatingly redundant) "why?" and from that one word springs forth years of inquiry. Often benign: "Why is the sky blue?" Occasionally embarrassing: "Why is that man so large?" And, over time, increasingly difficult to answer. One subject area that takes particular finesse is that of environmental issues. Luckily for parents, there is a growing library of books that answer the questions for us. One of the newest additions to the annals is The Down to Earth Guide to Global Warming. Written by the producers of Al Goreís An Inconvenient Truth  Read more >>> DR'S VIEWPOINT Which Diapers Are Better for the Planet? By Dr. Alan Greene, M.D. As a father and pediatrician, Iíve changed many diapers - enough to teach me that diapers are a daily reminder that as humans we deplete resources as we consume, and we make messes with our waste. Those landfill diapers that are so easily tossed into the trash are clearly a major ecological issue. But what about the energy, water, and often chlorine involved in laundering cloth diapers? Read More >>> HEALTHY CHILD guide & tips 3 Simple Steps for Fall (and the whole year round!) Get your school (or child care center) to clean green. Okay, it doesn't sound simple, but it really is and thousands of people are doing it across the country. It saves schools money, it improves staff and student performance, and it protects health and the environment. Find a quick and easy guide and much more at Green Clean Schools. Buy local. If you havenít seen the recurring headlines of toy recalls due to lead contamination in products from China, you havenít been awake. Millions of toys have been pulled from store shelves after 26 recalls since the beginning of the year (all toys from China). Protect your child by buying safe toys. Download a Smart Shopper's wallet size toy guide.  Breathe easy. With the chill of fall in the air, many of us are battening the hatches at home to keep our toes cozy as the temperatures drop. Sealing up the house can increase levels of indoor air pollutants and put your childís health at risk. Opening a window, even a crack, for even five minutes a day lets in fresh air to help your family breathe easier. KEEP IN THE KNOW We are teaming up with Naturepedic  for the Healthy Mattress Donation Project, where Naturepedic will donate $25,000 worth of baby mattresses to hospitals nationwide in 2008.    Naturepedic mattresses, newly certified by GreenGuard,  are designed and constructed with the utmost care to be the healthiest possible without harmful plastics, phthalates, and flame retardants which are linked to illnesses such as cancer, autism, asthma, birth defects, ADD / ADHD, and learning and developmental disabilities. EVENTS project7ten - LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY EVENT Join us for these exciting green home tours. Learn about certified green building and get a hands on experience with one of the country's only Platinum LEED certified custom homes.  For a limited time this October 2007, come tour project7ten. This custom home serves as an educational model that creates a forum for smart discussion about environmental awareness and is a collaboration of green developer Tom Schey, Architect Melinda Gray and environmentalist Kelly Meyer. Please join us to take a first hand look at project7ten and be inspired to make healthy and GREEN changes in your own lives and communities.  The best part is you can also support us because 100% of all proceeds from the tours will be donated to us! SHOP FOR CHANGE SHOP FOR CHANGE Innovative, green designer Alice Heller of Zooey Tee's is generously donating 5% of every shirt sold from her new Green Line.  If having awesome clothing and doing a good deed isn't enough, know that your donation can go even further! Participating retailers will be matching Zooey Tee's donation! LEGISLATION UPDATES CALIFORNIA TOXIC TOYS BILL AB 1108 It is a critical time for Californians to encourage Governor Schwarzenegger to pass the California Toxic Toys bill (AB 1108), authored by Assemblywoman Fiona Ma. This bill, which would ban six types of phthalates (chemicals that make plastic soft) from children's toys, passed the Assembly on June 6th and the Senate on September 4th. Read More >>> COMMUNITY ACTION HOW TO SHOP FOR ORGANIC AND NATURAL FOODS ON A BUDGET Join us for the debut of this ongoing effort on October 24th, 2007 for a free 60 minute teleclass hosted by Healthy Child Healthy World Executive Director, Christopher Gavigan,  and natural foods expert, Laura Klein of Organic Authority.  PARTNER HIGHLIGHTS WEE GENERATION ECO-BABY BAG Aiming to create a product uniting convenience and green living, Healthy Child Healthy World has teamed up with Seventh Generation, babystyle, IDEO and William McDonough to create the ultimate baby bag through the Wee Generation Project. Watch videos from the creators here! The collaborative overarching goal is to advocate for a healthier environment for children by focusing on the "living home" and a transformation of ecosystem-impacting consumer products.

Designed by Namaste Interactive