Change is upon us....

I have had blog block lately and I seriously haven't been able to write about anything -believe me I have tried.... With a one and a half year old tugging at my arm and pushing my shut down button. It seems hard to be inspired to write much. I am very eager to find out who our next president will be however. With less than 48 hours until we find out, I am waiting patiently. I am so ready for CHANGE. Life has been full lately and not full at all. It's hard to explain, there is something I am supposed to do right now, but I am not sure how to get there. I have this tugging in me to create and with not much time on my hands it's hard to be creative. The desire is strong and it is ever present.

I found some interesting info on BPA and wanted to share it with you....

Bisphenol-A has had its fair share of media coverage this year and things are definitely not quieting down. Just this week a scientific panel released a report charging that the FDA ignored valuable studies when it concluded last summer that BPA is a safe chemical. Many retailers and manufacturers have responded over the past year by voluntarily phasing out the suspect plastic. Despite these clear market signals, the manufacturers of BPA aren’t giving up without a fight. Here is the latest in this on-going chemical saga:

The Good

• Kudos to Canada for officially declaring BPA a toxic agent and banning the sale, import, and advertising of baby bottles containing BPA.

• Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, along with the Attorneys General from New Jersey and Delaware, sent a letter to 11 baby bottle and formula container manufacturers asking them to voluntarily stop using BPA in their products.
• San Francisco Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier wants stores in the city that sell baby bottles made with BPA to pull them from the shelves -- and Safeway already has agreed to do so across its grocery stores nationally. She will also be asking hospitals to discontinue their use of these products.
• The National Institutes of Health’s National Toxicology Program released a report on October 23rd reaffirming their 2007 findings that BPA does indeed pose a health concern. Now if they could only convince their FDA peers…

The Bad

In addition to the piles of studies that have already raised red flags, new research continues to demonstrate BPA’s potential ill effects.

• The first study on humans showed a link between BPA and heart disease and diabetes.
• In tests on breast cancer cells, researchers from the University of Cincinnati found that BPA may protect cancer cells from dying off when they are exposed to anti-cancer drugs, reducing the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
• Based on a review of 261 scientific publications, the National Toxicology Program found that BPA may alter brain development and behavior, and increase the risk of prostate cancer in children, infants and fetuses.

The Ugly

The government agency that has the authority to protect us from this chemical, the US FDA, has declared BPA safe. Since they made this declaration, many have been asking why. Investigative reporters from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel uncovered a dirty, little secret: the FDA report claiming that BPA is safe was written largely by the plastics industry and others with a financial stake in the controversial chemical.

The American Chemistry Council, the trade group representing chemical manufacturers, submitted their own (biased) review of BPA studies that the FDA used as the foundation for their evaluation. In addition, it recently came to light that the chair of the FDA subcommittee failed to disclose receiving a $5 million “gift” from a major BPA user. Science for sale, anyone?

"This latest revelation makes clear that no matter who is in the White House come January, he has to rebuild the FDA," said Environmental Working Group (EWG) President Ken Cook. "An agency that once epitomized independent, impartial expertise in the service of public health has degenerated to a disgraced stenographer for the chemical and plastics industry."

Make your voice heard!

Sign the petition supporting legislation (S. 2928, HR 6228) introduced this summer that bans BPA from all food and beverage products. The Consumer's Union has already gathered almost 18,000 signatures! Add yours now.

via: www.healthychild.org