Volume VIII, Number 6 HealthierHolidays– November/December 2008 OnaBudget

You can create healthier, less- toxic holidays — and save money The Next too! Here are some ideas to get you started: ■ Decorate with nature. Bring- STEP ing nature inside helps you create a holiday mood while reducing toxic manufacturing and waste. Toward a Healthier Future How does your backyard inspire your creativity? Turn branches, A Bi-monthly Newsletter of the Sebastopol Toxics Education Program leaves, pine cones, and seasonal foods into attractive centerpieces, wreaths, and mantelpiece décor. PreventingPlastic A Better Way You can even explore nature’s art The good news is that we can re- with family and friends. After the Pollution cycle plastic, remaking it into com- festivities, offer what’s left to the posite lumber, railroad ties, play- birds and compost pile. I recently discovered another rea- ground items, clothing, carpeting, ■ Use natural scents. Replace son to keep plastics out of our and new bags. However, currently commercial scents and their shared environment. only about 3% of plastics are re- mystery ingredients (often toxic It turns out that, in addition to its cycled. petrochemicals) with diluted own toxic components, plastics in ■ Plastics accepted here. In addi- essential oils in a spray bottle; the wild become virtual sponges for tion to household plastic containers, fresh flowers in a vase; or herbs other human-made toxics, such as North Bay Corp. (which handles all simmering in water or thrown in PCBs and DDT. In one study, plastic of Sonoma County’s recycling) now the fireplace. Much better! was found to absorb up to one mil- takes clean plastic bags and other soft ■ Give less-toxic gifts. Choose lion times the level of these poisons film plastics in the blue recycling can organic foods and clothing, toys in the water itself. (though not at Recycletown). made from natural materials, and Plastic’s benefit of durability You can also drop plastic bags at most books that educate people about means that it’s long-lasting in the grocery stores. This is actually pref- creating a healthier home and environment. Instead of biodegrad- erable, because they’ll stay cleaner if world. The options are plentiful! ing back into nature, it “photo- not mixed with other materials, and ■ Manage pests less-toxically. degrades,” breaking into increas- thus be more usable domestically. Discourage ants without toxic ingly smaller pieces. Animals eat ■ Getting more info. For a handy sprays by removing what’s attract- these toxic pellets, which fill their flyer describing plastic bag and film ing them, blocking their entry bellies, block vital nutrients, com- recycling, see . There’s also a with a soapy sponge. Remove bioaccumulate toxics up the food flyer summarizing the blue can’s mold and reduce regrowth with chain — including into the fish that overall rules, though it has the older diluted tea tree oil. we and other larger creatures eat. plastics info, at . Find more recycling specifics cycle holiday trash. Keep toxics places on earth. For instance, in the in the AT&T Yellow Pages (under “R”), out of landfills by recycling your northern Pacific Ocean, there’s a so- at , and from old techno-toys, including com- called plastic island (more accurately the EcoDesk (707) 565-3375. puters, TVs, phones, etc. More re- a trash spiral) estimated to be the The Bigger Picture cycling information is at and in the Recy- 3.5 million tons. A researcher here Of course, to truly decrease our cling Guide in your Yellow Pages. found six pounds of plastic for ev- earth impact, we must also ery pound of plankton! Sci- “reduce and reuse” the plastics By being creative, we can truly entists estimate that each in our lives. For instance, you make this a season of love for all. year at least a million sea- can: For more about the above sugges- tions, look up past TNS issues by birds and 100,000 ma- ■ Buy a reusable grocery topic at . For more eco- eliminate 1,000 plastic shop- holiday ideas, see . See Plastic, over ~ Patricia Dines the next s t e p

UpdatesonPastStories ficials. Melamine, used to make plas- Plastic, continued tics and fertilizer, is believed to be Ideally, choose one made of organic added to watered-down milk to mask cotton or recycled plastic. Healing Bhopal’s Toxic Tragedy the protein deficiency and cut costs. ■ Buy a reusable water bottle, to In 1984, residents of Bhopal, In- Especially damaging is tainted avoid purchasing single-use ones. dia, were awakened by a catastrophic milk from Sanlu, China’s largest Consider stainless steel and hard toxic gas release which killed over powdered milk producer, which had plastic options. 20,000 people; made hundreds of been highlighted as a reputable com- ■ thousands ill; and continues to poi- pany with stringent quality controls. Buy food in bulk, to reduce the Problem reports there as early as De- plastic packaging you use. son people through their contami- nated environment and water supply. cember 2007 went unaddressed, ■ Reuse your plastic bags and (See more about this in TNS VI/5.) making the situation worse. containers. I dry my washed bags Finally this August, after 24 years Baby formula and other milk with Real Goods’ counter bag dryer of insufficient action and 130 days products have been pulled from . Then they stores around China and in other and my reusable containers go inside of survivor protests (with interna- tional support), India’s government Asian countries. The World Health my cloth bag, ready for use at the announced that they’ll address some Organization is talking with Chinese store. Other bags line my garbage officials about how to strengthen cans and collect compost materials. survivor demands by setting up a commission to help rehabilitate vic- their food quality system. ■ Give away unneeded plastic tims and clean up the area’s hazard- SOURCE: “China’s product safety watchdog shopping bags, for instance to a ous waste. steps down,” by Tini Tran, Associated Press thrift store. The Bhopali campaigners say they cycled. View recycled products, from commission’s progress, holding Dow coasters to jewelry to furniture, at Chemical responsible for paying for FOR MORE INFO: For a more in-depth look . at China’s environmental and regulatory cleanup and rehabilitation, and pros- problems, see “The Last Empire: China’s ~ Patricia Dines ecuting the company for registering Pollution Problem Goes Global,” by Jacques pesticides in India via bribery. Leslie, Mother Jones, Dec. 10, 2007 cide Action Network’s webpage . California’s Toxic Protections Increase China’s Poisoned Products Continue In previous issues, we’ve dis- cussed various toxics found in con- In the spring of 2007, a series of sumer products, risking harm to crises revealed toxics (including lead people and the environment. This and melamine) in a wide variety of September, two landmark chemical Chinese products, including seafood, policy reform bills were signed into processed foods, pet food, tooth- California law, increasing the state’s paste, and children’s toys. (More ability to keep toxic chemicals out of about this is in TNS VII/5.) consumer products and laying the ABOUTSTEP After initially evading inquiries, framework for a broader approach to China finally acted, closing factories, regulating dangerous chemicals. The Next STEP (TNS) is published six times a year by the Sebastopol Toxics Education Pro- announcing new regulations, and Both bills passed the legislature gram (STEP). STEP is a project of the City of clearly hoping to restore consumer with broad bipartisan support, sig- Sebastopol, implemented by local citizen volun- confidence and preserve export mar- teers. STEP’s mission is to support city residents naling that lawmakers are ready to in reducing their toxic use and exposure, creating kets. They even executed the dis- move from the current piecemeal ap- a healthier and safer Sebastopol for everyone. graced chief of China’s food and drug proach. Organizations helping craft Newsletter Editor, Lead Writer, and Layout: agency, after he was convicted of ac- Patricia Dines, Email this pioneering legislation were the cepting bribes to allow fake medicine Sierra Club, the Breast Cancer Fund, Newsletter Editorial Team: Patricia Dines and onto the domestic market. Jim Gleaves the California League of Conserva- Newsletter Design Concept and Logo De- Unfortunately, China’s problems tion Voters, and Environment Califor- sign: Lyn Dillin (neé Bouguereau) continue. Recently, the widespread nia. “Our laws need to catch up with STEP Founders: Michael Black, Patricia Dines, melamine contamination of baby for- the science,” said Jeanne Rizzo, R.N., Rebecca Dwan, Jeff Edelheit, Nan Fuchs, Craig mula and powdered milk, sickening Litwin, and Larry Robinson. president of the Breast Cancer Fund. nearly 53,000 children, has led to the STEP, P. O. Box 1776, Sebastopol CA 95473 FOR MORE INFO: See resignation of China’s food safety fund.org/site/pp.asp?c=kwKXLdPaE&b= watchdog and the firing of other of- Printed on recycled paper. 71144>.