EcoLink Archive

D E C E M B E R 2 0 0 7

Ecology Center Launches HealthyToys.org	Five Tips for a Green Holiday Season
Toxic Chemicals From Everyday Products Found in Michiganders	Board Member Profile: Dax Ponce de Leon
Carbon Footprints & Basal Metabolism	*Ecology Center home page*

News

Ecology Center Launches HealthyToys.org

Is it safe to let Barbie, Elmo, Dora, Thomas,
Ernie, Hannah, or Pooh into the house?

A recent spike in toxic toy recalls is now exhibiting signs of turning into a trend.It started with the summer recalls of a million Chinese-made Dora the Explorer and Sesame Street character toys due to “impermissible levels of lead” followed by the callback of 675,000 Barbie accessory toys for the same reason. This fall, Jo-Ann Stores recalled over 100,000 children’s toy gardening tools, two different companies called back 760,000 toy cars and action figures sold at Dollar Stores, and Marvel Toys recalled 175,000 Curious George plush dolls.

Just in time for the toy-buying season, holiday gift seekers and others can now visit HealthyToys.org to find research on the chemical content of hundreds of toys, jewelry items and other children’s products, from action figures to backpacks.

Concerned consumers can easily check which products rank the highest and lowest based on their levels of lead, PVC, cadmium, mercury, antimony and other toxic chemicals associated with hormone and reproductive problems, developmental and learning disabilities, asthma, and cancer.

The Ecology Center — the same group that released the first-ever consumer guides to toxic chemicals in cars and child car seats — along with other environmental health groups tested store-bought toys from around the country, cheap toys as well as major brand names, and toys made in the U.S. as well as those imported from abroad. While our researchers found that many toys were chemical-free, a significant number of products showed troubling levels of toxicity.

“It’s not just about lead and it’s not just about toys made in China,” said Tracey Easthope, the Ecology Center’s Director of Environmental Health. “There is virtually no government oversight on any chemicals used to make any children’s products — even those made in the United States.”

toy The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has a full-time staff of a little over 400 people; about half the number it had in the 1970s when it was formed. With only 15 inspectors at the borders and one toy inspector for the entire agency, legal responsibility for toy safety in the U.S. falls primarily with the toy-sellers. The only U.S. law restricting lead in toys is thirty years old and applies only to paint. Reporting violations is up to the toy companies, which amounts to the fox guarding the henhouse.

Also available at HealthyToys.org will be a list of actions that consumers can take to urge the government and toy manufacturers to phase out toxic chemicals immediately and replace them with readily available, safe alternatives.

Eco-Consumer Guide:

5 Tips for a Green Holiday Season

1. Eat Green

One of the best things about the holidays is the food — whether it be the thrill of cooking time-honored favorites for loved ones or just taking in some seasonally themed carryout to share with friends.A great and meaningful way to combine a love of seasonal foods with a commitment to the environment is supporting local, organic vendors and their products for your upcoming holiday meals. Consider the following tips when filling your grocery list:

Look for foods that are marked as free of pesticides, hormones, and GMOs (genetically-modified organisms). This will ensure that harmful chemicals, which could be transferred to you, were not used in raising or producing the foods you purchase.
Purchase foods and products produced within 100 miles (more or less) from where you live. The “100 Mile Diet” is what some people and businesses are using to measure and reduce their carbon footprint (or the amount of energy used to produce andtransport a product). If you buy a pro-duct grown in your region, it took a lot less energy to get it to you than some-thing produced in California or Argentina. And, it should be much fresher!
Support your local farmers’ market! You may be able to find everything you need for the perfect holiday meal with the added satisfaction of knowing you purchased your ingredients straight from the people who raised, grew, or made them! Farmers’ markets include many little surprises as well, such as vendors who sell local organic meats and farmers who offer freshly grown salad greens all year round.

A few places to find local, organic foods in the Ann Arbor Area:

Ann Arbor Farmers’ Market
Arbor Farms Market
Bello Vino Marketplace
Bushel Baskets Market, Chelsea
By the Pound
Chelsea Farmers’ Market
Dexter Farmers’ Market
Jewett Street Market
People’s Food Co-op
Plymouth Farmers’ Market
Saline Farmers’ Market
Westside Farmers’ Market
Whole Foods
Ypsilanti Farmers’ Market
Ypsilanti Food Co-op
Zingerman’s Delicatessen

Looking for organic, natural meats? Check out:
Food System Economic Partnership (FSEP), a nonprofit working on local food systems, has an online farm directory where you can select what product you’re interested in locating in your area.

Local meat farmers:

Old Pine Farm
Kris Hirth
17521 Grass Lake Rd., Manchester, MI 48158
oldpinefarm123@yahoo.com
Lamb Farm
Suzanne and John Smucker
P.O. Box 370, Manchester, MI 48158
734-428-8634
Eat Local Eat Natural
Garry Kuneman
248-231-6533
www.eatlocaleatnatural.com

2. Shop Green

presents Looking for environmentally friendly stores and products? There are plenty of stores right in this area, but it is understandable if you are unable to fulfill all your shopping needs locally. We have compiled an excellent list of online resources offering many products that are sure to tickle you “green” this holiday season.

But, before you pull out that credit card, consider giving an experience instead of a gift this year — tickets to a hockey game or concert, a gift certificate for a massage or restaurant, or how about a donation to a local nonprofit like the Ecology Center?

Support your local retailer:

Instead of driving out to that big department or chain store, why not support the small businesses right in your area? We simply couldn’t list all of our local retailers, so we included a few of our favorites:

Mudpuddles — The place to find a great selection of old-fashioned wooden and retro toys that are interesting, developmentally challenging, and just plain fun. You won’t find Mattel or Fisher Price in this store.
Abracadabra Jewelry & Gem Gallery — A local designer carrying conflict-free diamonds and recycled gold. Consider bringing in an old piece of gold jewelry to be recycled into a new holiday gift!
Downtown Home & Garden —This barn-like greenhouse sells not only gardening tools, bulbs, and bird feeders but also fireplace accessories, cutlery, All-Clad cookware, aprons, and many other items.
Washington Street Gallery —This gallery represents contemporary regional artists and features original fine art including paintings, prints, drawings, sculpture, ceramics andart glass.
16 Hands — A studio featuring sculptures created by artists right here in the U.S.
Ten Thousand Villages — A store that carries fair trade products from all over the world, many of which are made with recycled or reused materials.
Find bargain prices and out-of-print treasures from used-book dealers like David’s Books, Dawn Treader, and Kaleidoscope. Who ever said the gift you give has to be new?
Food isn’t the only thing you’ll find at Whole Foods and People’s Food Co-op — they both carry great non-toxic products from socks to make-up, some of which come from local producers.

For a complete list of local stores in your area, visit www.thinklocalfirst.net.

Green Web resources:

astore.amazon.com/ecolcent-20 — The Ecology Center Amazon.com Bookstore offers thousands of products for your shopping pleasure. But wait – it gets even better! A portion of the proceeds from your purchase goes straight to the Ecology Center. What a great way to support a local nonprofit!
www.organicclothes.com — Maggie’s Organics has been a pioneer in the organic apparel industry since 1992, preserving the environment and working with partners that utilize socially responsible business practices.
www.etsy.com — A wonderfully affordable online marketplace for artists selling everything from jewelry, clothes, toys, and pottery to housewares, paper goods, pet products, and more. All unique and handmade!
www.pedros.com — For the bicyclist in your life, this company is super environmentally friendly. Try their bike seat bags made from recycled tire inner tubes!
store.greenfeet.com — From compostable utensils to stylish serving trays, they have everything you need for a holiday party that’s as fabulous as it is eco-friendly.
www.greenpages.org —Search the National Green Pages, the nation’s only directory of screened & approved green businesses.
www.ibuydifferent.org —Everything you buy has an impact on the Earth, and your decisions give you power. Make a difference while shopping!
www.newdream.org/consumer — The conscious consumer marketplace.

3. Wrap Green

wrapped gift Help reduce your waste this holiday season by considering some fun alternatives to traditional disposable gift-wrapping!

Reuse paper products. Try wrapping gifts in colorful comic pages from your newspaper, old road maps, sheet music, pictures from old calendars, or use markers or paints to decorate a brown paper grocery bag.
Buy or make reusable cloth gift bags. Instructions for making your own cloth gift bags can be found at www.eartheasy.com/gift_wrapping.htm. Or for large gifts, put them in a reusable tote bag that the recipient could use later for groceries!
Don’t use tissue. Shred used wrapping paper to use as filler instead of tissue that is likely to end up in the trash.
What about the box? Use attractive, decorative gift boxes and forego the wrapping altogether. Decorative boxes are available for purchase during the holiday season, buy why not make your own?
Make the wrapping part of the gift! Wrap your gift in a neatly folded scarf, tablecloth, towel, or similar decorative gift. Or, put the gift in a basket or reusable tin container.
Finishing touches. Forget the spools of ribbon by adding flair to your gifts with natural objects like pinecones, evergreen sprigs, or dried plants. Or, make the décor a part of the gift – attach a lovely holiday ornament instead of a disposable bow! And if you like to use “To” and “From” tags, create your own by cutting up old holiday cards.

4. Reduce, Reuse, & Recycle

Did you know that more waste is generated during the holiday season than at any other time of the year? Well, why don’t we change that? Here’s how you can contribute to an eco-friendly holiday season:

Reduce

Precycling is the most effective strategy to reduce the amount of waste going into a landfill and forces us to think about what we are buying before we buy it. Consider the following options to reduce unnecessary waste:

Buy a potted tree to plant after the holiday season is over. If you buy a cut tree, contact your local waste management organization for curbside or drop-off recycling options. Also, plan your decorations to minimize sprays, tinsel, tacks or other materials that will need to be removed before recycling. No tree recycling in your area? Tree trunks can be used for firewood or split for kindling. Use branches as mulch under acid-loving bushes and shrubs.
Take your own paper or cloth bags with you when you shop. Some stores even offer a rebate when you bring your own bags, which will be taken off your bill at checkout.
Purchase rechargeable batteries, and be sure to recycle your old ones!
Buy products with the smallest amount of unnecessary packaging.
And, of course, buy reusable, recycled, or recyclable products and packaging. Keep in mind that buying recycled products helps to ensure a market for the materials we recycle.

Reuse

Purchase reusable, durable alternatives to single-use products this holiday season, and consider the following before purchasing unnecessary supplies:

Use holiday gift bags instead of wrapping paper for your gift recipients to reuse next year. Also, if your used wrapping paper is still in good shape, save it for reuse next year.
Reuse glass jars for storage containers.
Use cloth napkins and tablecloths instead of the disposable paper alternatives.
Bring a travel mug with youto avoid buying and wasting a cup when you need that caffeine fix during your holiday shopping excursions.

Recycle

Should you decide to use traditional wrapping for your holiday gifts, recycle the paper after the gifts have been unwrapped instead of burning it in your fireplace or taking it out to the trash. Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA) recycles many different types of paper, including newspaper, office paper, “junk” mail, phone books, paperbacks, and flattened bagged boxboard. They’ll even take your holiday catalogs, magazines, and best of all, all that wrapping paper!

5. Compost Holiday Waste

The average household produces more than 200 pounds of kitchen waste every year. Just imagine how much of that is generated during the holiday season. And, what if you don’t have a lot of paper to take to your local recycler — what to do with all this waste? Compost it! Even in the dead of winter!

Compostable kitchen waste includes carrot and potato peelings, melon rinds, tea bags, apple cores, coffee filters, banana peels, crushed egg shells – almost everything that cycles through your kitchen.

Be aware that meat products, dairy products, and high-fat foods, such as salad dressings and peanut butter, can present problems as they decompose slowly, smell bad, and attract pests.

Avoid acidic materials such as orange, lime, lemon, and onion.

All additions will decompose more quickly if they are chopped up, shredded, or crushed before adding to the pile.

Paper products, including newspaper, shredded paper, and cardboard (torn into small pieces) are a great source for composting. Avoid shiny newspaper inserts — take those to your recycler instead.

For more tips on successful composting, visit www.compostguide.com.

Autumn Harvest
Vegetable Bake

This colorful, delicious side dish is a great way to bring fresh, local produce to your table this holiday season! Most of the ingredients can be found seasonally at your local farmers’ market or produce stand.

Ingredients:

2 large carrots
2 medium parsnips
2 medium sweet potatoes
Half a medium butternut squash (peeled)
2 medium onions
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 C apple cider
1/4 C maple syrup
1 tsp finely chopped fresh rosemary

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Chop first 4 ingredients(carrots through squash) into 1/2-inch chunks. Chop onions into 1-inch pieces.
In a large baking dish, toss chopped vegetables with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Bake for 20 minutes, stirring half-way through. Remove from oven.
Pour cider and syrup over vegetables and stir well to coat. Bake an additional 25 minutes, stirring halfway through.
Remove from oven and sprinkle with rosemary.

Makes about 8 half-cup servings.

Lacey Doucet, Laura Kaplan, and Melissa Sutton are Ecology Center staff members.

Toxic Chemicals From Everyday Products
Found in Michiganders

Public Health & Environmental Leaders
Call for Safer Alternatives

By Ted Sylvester

Three toxic chemicals used in everyday products were found in five Michiganders and 30 other people across the country who participated in a nationwide biomonitoring project, according to a new report issued by a coalition of public interest groups that includes the Ecology Center.

“I just turned 18 and it’s simply not fair that my body has already built up toxic chemicals,” said project participant Payton Wilkins of Detroit. Wilkins joined other residents of the state, including his mother, in March as volunteer donors of blood and urine for testing. Test results, announced in early November, show four phthalates and seven PBDEs in Wilkins’ body, as well as bisphenol A in his urine.

The test results were released as part of a report entitled, “Is It In Us?: Chemical Contamination in our Bodies — Toxic Trespass, Regulatory Failure and Opportunities for Action.” Average Americans from seven states were tested for the presence of three classes of chemicals: phthalates, bisphenol A and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The project found all three classes of toxic chemicals in every person tested.

All of these chemicals are found in products people use everyday, including baby bottles, shower curtains, cosmetics, couch cushions, computers, toys and scores of other common items found in most American homes, schools and workplaces. Human and animal studies have linked the three chemicals to birth defects, cancer, learning disabilities, infertility, asthma and other health impacts. For some toxic chemicals, the levels found in people are near or above levels linked to health impacts in laboratory animals.

lab testing The five Michigan volunteers tested higher than the national average for bisphenol A (a chemical used in certain plastics and the linings of some tin food cans) in their urine. They also were above the national average for several phthalates, which are chemicals widely used as plasticizers. All of the participants had PBDEs (flame-retardants) in their blood.

In addition to Payton Wilkins, Michigan participants included his mother Donele Wilkins, Executive Director of Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice; Rep. Terry Brown (D-84th District) and his 12 year-old son, Bryan; and Detroit Free Press editor, Laura Varon Brown.

“Very few of us realize how many toxins we are carrying around in our bodies,” said Rep. Brown. “We need to become more aware of that — and we need to fight to make sure the only substances we allow into our products and our environment are ones that are safe for us. Participating in the project with my son really brought home the reality not only of the toxic burden that I myself am carrying, but of the one we are leaving for our children.”

Project organizers point out that the federal law regulating chemicals – the Toxics Substances Control Act — was enacted in 1976 and has not been updated to reflect recent scientific advances, including evidence that even tiny doses of toxic chemicals may cause harm.

“We are calling on the Michigan legislature to finish the job it started when it banned two of the toxic flame-retardants found in participants,” said Genevieve Howe, with the Ecology Center and Michigan Network for Children’s Environmental Health. “The legislature should pass HB 4465 to phase out the more ubiquitous flame-retardant deca-BDE to protect the Great Lakes and our children.”

The Ecology Center helps lead the Michigan Network for Children’s Environmental Health — a coalition of health professional, health-affected, and environmental organizations — with a mission to protect children’s health from environmental threats. The Michigan Network shares the goal of environmental health activists around the country and around the world to move beyond chemical-by-chemical battles and comprehensively reform the regulation of chemicals so that public health is protected from the outset.

A full copy of the report and information about specific state proposals is available here. For details on the Michigan project and work to protect Michigan’s children from toxic chemicals, go here.

Michigan Biomonitoring Project Participants

Donele Wilkins

“Industrial chemicals have no place in our bodies. Moreover, there are far too many people — too often people of color and poor people — who suffer disproportionately from environmental pollution. Now we know we’re getting it from inside our homes as well as outside. We refuse to be guinea pigs in a massive, uncontrolled experiment, especially when a few people are making a lot of money off selling products that have these toxics in them.”

Donele Wilkins, 48, is co-founder and Executive Director of Detroiters Working for Environmental Justice (DWEJ), a nonprofit organization that addresses urban environmental issues in Detroit.

TEST RESULTS:
Four phthalates and seven PBDEs, as well as bisphenol A in her urine.

Payton Wilkins

“I just turned 18 and it’s simply not fair that my body has already built up toxic chemicals. I want to live a healthy long life. I’ve got things to do and places to go. But what are my chances when I’ve got these chemicals that are known to be toxic in my body? It pisses me off even more to think that I’ve been soaking up chemicals from the Detroit incinerator all my life. What is all this going to do to me?”

Donele’s son, Payton, 18, is a senior at Consortium College Preparatory Academy in Detroit, and his favorite subjects are literature and gym.

TEST RESULTS:
Four phthalates and seven PBDEs, as well as bisphenol A in his urine.

Laura Varon Brown

“I came into the project a bit of a skeptic about toxic chemicals and the role they play in our everyday products and environment. I am really hoping that the awareness this report brings will lead to better disclosure of what’s in our containers, furniture and the goods we use every day. Environmental concerns span much deeper than recycling and gas mileage. That was the biggest eye-opener for me.”

Laura Varon Brown, 46, developed and edits Twist, a Sunday newsmagazine of the Detroit Free Press for and about women.

TEST RESULTS:
Four phthalates and seven PBDEs, as well as bisphenol A in her urine.

Terry Brown

“Showing the prevalence of potential toxins in our bodies illustrates the importance of conducting high-quality research on chemicals before releasing them into our environment. Research and regulations need to work hand in hand to ensure that chemicals are used safely and effectively.”

Terry Brown, 48, was elected State Representative from Michigan’s 84th District in 2006. His prior work includes serving as principal/supervisor of a school for children with significant cognitive, emotional and/or behavioral issues.

TEST RESULTS:
Four phthalates and nine PBDEs, as well as bisphenol A in his urine. Given his high PBDE-154 reading (which can indicate either PBDE-154 or PBB-153, a polybrominated biphenyl), Terry is one of two project participants likely to have been exposed through eating food contaminated with PBB-153 accidentally added to feed grain in the early 1970s.

Bryan Brown

“I feel lucky that I was able to participate in an important project like this. Most kids my age don’t get to do something that could help so many people.”

Terry Brown’s son, Bryan, 12, is an honors student in 7th grade in Pigeon, Michigan, and the youngest of three siblings.

TEST RESULTS:
Four phthalates and nine PBDEs, as well as bisphenol A in his urine. Bryan and his father, Terry, are the only two participants in whom we found PBDEs 85 and 138, indicating a common source of exposure.

Fall Fundraiser Report:

Carbon Footprints & Basal Metabolism

On Nov. 8, the Michigan Union Ballroom in Ann Arbor was filled with Ecology Center supporters from throughout Southeast Michigan, Ecology Center staff and board members, the 2007 Munzel Award for Environmental Activism honoree — Bunyan Bryant — and his family, and a woman in a cowboy hat. The woman in the cowboy hat was Dr. L. Hunter Lovins, co-founder of the Rocky Mountain Institute, and President and founder of Natural Capitalism Solutions, which educates senior decision-makers in business, government and civil society to restore and enhance natural and human capital while increasing prosperity and quality of life.

Dr. Bunyan Bryant (middle) with Ecology Center
staff who are also his former students

Following a delicious gourmet meal created from local organic foods, the Ecology Center presented the Herbert L. Munzel Award for Environmental Activism to Bunyan Bryant, one of the early leaders of the environmental justice movement and a popular professor in the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources. Many of the Ecology Center’s senior staff — including Mike Garfield, Charles Griffith, Tracey Easthope, and Jeff Gearhart — were former students of Dr. Bryant. They each delivered heartfelt words of gratitude for his inspirational teaching methods and ongoing role as a resource and leader in environmental advocacy today.

Following the award, Dr. Lovins delivered an entertaining and inspiring presentation on how green business is not only critical for survival, but also makes good business sense. She emphasized the attention that companies are starting to pay to their carbon footprint as they realize that consumers want to trust and feel good about where their dollars go. “Why did Wal-Mart leave Germany?” she presented as an example. “There was no law to kick them out. People chose not to shop there. They lost their franchise to operate.” Then she added, “There have been the first lawsuits against companies because of their carbon footprint. Your carbon footprint is now an unbooked liability.”

Dr. L. Hunter Lovins

Beneath the screen displaying a list of synthetic compounds now found in mothers’ milk, she wondered what we are doing to ourselves. As proof of the wisdom of following nature’s lead, Dr. Lovins said, “Nature runs a very vigorous testing laboratory — products that don’t work get recalled by the manufacturer.”

At the end of the evening, Dr. Lovins concluded by saying, “This is the only place in all the universe we know of where there is life. We are the only ones who can take care of it. So, here’s your homework: In this next week, think about what it isthat you spend money on as a luxury, that you don’t have to have, and pledge that to the Ecology Center. Every month — that amount.That will give this institution the basal metabolism that it needs.”

The 2nd Annual Fall Fundraiser has raised $40,000 for the Ecology Center so far. To make a pledge or to find out how you can obtain a copy of Hunter Lovins’ presentation, please contact Stephanie Feldstein or call 734-761-3186 ext. 110.

Ecology Center Welcomes Dax Ponce de Leon

By Lauren Darmanin

Because he enjoys working at the community level and feels that environmental awareness is important, Dax Ponce de Leon became a part of the Ecology Center board this past May. “Ecological health profoundly affects all of us everyday, yet we might not even realize it. I believe that integrating environmental and business interests results in synergistic benefits that improve economic opportunity while supporting environmental health.”

Dax was born and raised in Ann Arbor where he attended the University of Michigan, studying construction management. He is currently a project manager with PMA Consultants, an international construction consulting firm with corporate headquarters in Detroit. “Our current projects are being leveraged as demonstrations for green building strategies and newly devised project management techniques, designed to facilitate the green building process.”

He is also a member of the U.S. Green Building Council. “Project managers have a great deal of influence over the success of a project in achieving its objectives, particularly when it comes to cost and environmental performance,” said Dax. “As such, I have centered my focus on advocating green building by communicating its benefits and the strong business case.”

de Leon An issue that is important to Dax is to “increase awareness of energy efficiency in the home because buildings account for such a large portion of energy use and greenhouse gas emissions.” The EnHouse, operated through our sister organization, Recycle Ann Arbor, is one of the few resources available in this community to provide this sort of information to the consumer. “The opportunity to expand on this initiative as the Ecology Center and Recycle Ann Arbor grow is particularly exciting,” said Dax.

When asked what people could do individually to help out with the Ecology Center’s goals, Dax said, “The littlest things make a big difference because they get more people involved and often lead to more significant commitments: switching incandescent lamps for compact fluorescents, using a reusable coffee mug and water bottle, shopping with reusable grocery bags, and eating responsibly produced meat and less of it. All species operate on closed-loop cycles except for humans, whose concept of waste is wholly unique.”

Dax enjoys cycling, snowboarding, food and cooking, photography, graphic design, and coffee. He likes to spend his free time doing just about anything that has to do with the outdoors and the wilderness.

Lauren Darmanin is an Ecology Center work-study intern.

EcoLink — December 2007
An online publication of the Ecology Center

Comments and questions are welcome.
Please send to EcoLink Editor