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National Rubber Ducky Day is January 13 The rubber ducky was created at the start of the chemical revolution and is now used as a symbol of the harms to children's health associated with chemical exposure. Did you know that January 13 is National Rubber Duckie Day? Every year we pay tribute to the cute little floating squeaky bath toy. Popularized by Jim Henson in 1970, with Erie's famous tune, "Rubber Ducky", this duck has had a lot to squeak about over the years. This little guy remembers when asthma was rare, mommies didn't have breast cancer and daddies didn't have testicular cancer. This little guy remembers when obesity was rare, families played in sunshine and didn't develop skin cancer. This little fella remembers when health care costs consisted of a $25 trip to the doctor for a check-up rather than a monthly $300 health care bill. He remembers when chronic illnesses were rare and health care costs were fair. However, he may finally have to face the fact that the makers of the chemicals that created him are likely responsible for the sickness that he has watched increase over the years.  Cancers have tripled since the beginnings of the rubber duck. Rare chronic conditions have also tripled. New diseases such as fibromyalgia and multiple chemical sensitivity have developed. Asthma in children has risen almost 600% to the point of epidemic. Over 100 women a day now die from breast cancer - and the age of first onset is dropping like a rock. The rubber ducky has watched all of this increase in his 50 years on the planet.In March of 2010, a protest was held at the Inner Harbor in Baltimore, Maryland. The rubber ducky was used to symbolize the chemicals that numerous studies show are making our children sick. One of these chemicals, phthalates, are part of the little guy's composition. The chemical makes the ducky soft and pliable. In addition to being included in the rubber ducky, this toxic class of chemicals is also used to hold fragances in cleaning and body care products and also gives the products a smooth-flowing plastic quality. Phthalates have been the focus of many increasing human conditions, such as asthma, hypospadias, obesity and cancers. The chemicals interfere with the function of hormones, mimic estrogen and wreak havoc on the human endocrine system. This is the system that creates and programs each cell, the system that keeps our bodies healthy - or not. In August of 2009, President Bush signed a new bill into law banning certain phthalates from toys intended for children under three years of age. However, this does nothing to protect the children from phthalates in their bath products, the phthalates in older siblings toys, phthalates in cleaning products or phthalates in the body care products of other family members. In addition, it does not protect the children from birth defects, such as hypospadias, undescended testicles or pre-programmed to develop reproductive cancers that occurs from exposure while in the womb. Bill 1040 (Sec. 108) "Makes it unlawful to manufacture, sell, distribute, or import a children's toy or child care article containing specified concentrations of specified phthalates. Requires the CPSC to begin appointing a Chronic Hazard Advisory Panel to study the effects on children's health of all phthalates and phthalate alternatives as used in children's toys and child care articles. Requires the CPSC to promulgate a final rule to determine whether to continue such prohibition and whether to declare any children's product containing any phthalates to be a banned hazardous product under the CPSA. Considers these requirements to be consumer product safety standards." This class of chemicals is persistent in the environment. As these chemicals from cleaning and body care products go down the drains of millions and millions of homes multiple times a day, they move out into the environment and come back to us in our food and water supply at detectable levels according to the EPA. So, in addition to exposure at point of use through inhalation from offgassing of deteriorating soft plastics, cleaning products and inhalation and absorbtion from body care products, like DDT and pesticides, these chemicals are also in our food and water - and a ever-growing body of scientific evidence shows these chemicals are harmful to human health. In the Book, Slow Death by Rubber Duck: The Secret Danger of Everyday Things  , the toxins in our homes and offices are exposed for what they are and the damage they do to human health. Take a good look at the reality of our current chemically-saturated homes, products and environment. You are the only one who can change things for you and your family - no one can do it for you. We need to do more to protect our families and future generations. Please reduce the use of soft plastics, reduce the use of chemically-saturated cleaning and body care products. My books, Sunflower Naturals Non-Toxic Body Care and Sunflower Naturals Non-Toxic Cleaning Guide, will help you discover how easy and inexpensive it is to switch to natural solutions for many body care needs and almost all cleaning tasks. Sales of the book help to support my efforts to increase awareness as well as give everyone the information they need to change to safe solutions and reduce their exposure in the most important environment of all - their homes and bodies. RESOURCES: Phthalates: Advocates gather in Inner Harbor to rally for more oversight of chemicals Bill 1040, Sec. 108 Phthalates and Your Health The Reality of Breast Cancer Household Chemicals Increase Asthma Risk Sewage for Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner Pollution: You're Drinking It Why is Meat and Fat Bad? Everyday chemicals may be harming kids, panel told Source: CNN, 10/26/2010 Toxic Chemicals Found In Common Scented Laundry Products, Air Fresheners Source: Science Daily, 05/24/2008 Student Group Protests Abercrombie's Scented Stores Source: NBC Miami, 10/30/2010 CNN Report on Toxics in Consumer Goods Source: CNN, Multiple Stories, 2010 |
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Sunflower Naturals
Sunflower NaturalsInformation presented is of a general nature for educational and informational purposes only.
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