What’s wrong with this picture? Do we have a show of hands??? In unison now, “Rubber ducks do not belong in our homes because rubber ducks contain phthalates!” From a recent issue of Time Magazine: “Chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates — key ingredients in modern plastics — may disrupt the delicate endocrine system, leading to developmental problems. A host of modern ills that have been rising unchecked for a generation — obesity, diabetes, autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder — could have chemical connections.” Obesity is an issue my friend Jennifer Margulis tackled yesterday at Mothering Outside the Lines.
If enough of us go outside the lines, those in power may notice. Look at the way my daughter-in-law holds her sun hat, providing shade for Juliette, instead of herself. It’s the maternal instinct in moms that make them seek to protect their kids, against all odds. That’s why moms are rising up across the land, expressing outrage at the toxic chemicals, which pollute modern life. Toxic chemicals are not good for any of us, but they are far worse for young children whose “immature bodies lack certain detoxification mechanisms and are more prone to the damaging effects of substances like phthalates,” page 39, Slow Death by Rubber Duck. Fighting the chemical industry will not be an easy battle but grab your keyboard and get at it, all you blogging moms of cyberspace. This month Congress considers legislation to overhaul the Toxic Substances Control Act of 1976. Watch this video, support the Safe Chemicals Act, and join the coalition of moms today!
