Thursday, June 10, 2010

Plastic, Plastic Everywhere ....


Yesterday felt like a marathon. I’m not going to post about all the things I did but think of a whirlwind in a blue T-shirt, and that would be me. I didn’t even have time to go to Snow’s for a metal coffee machine. (Slow Death by Rubber Duck made me realize modern coffeemakers are mostly plastic, and the makers do not indicate which type.) After shopping at Trader Joe’s in Hyannis, forty minutes each way, a great store but one which still wraps most foods in plastic, I spent the afternoon in the garden, in preparation for the rain that finally fell last night. All afternoon the phone rang, as people scrambled for last-minute summer accommodations. After dinner, when I finally decided it was time to put my feet up, I checked the stat counter and discovered a link to a blog I did not recognize. I followed said link to a Svelte Gourmand post from January. The blogger wrote about BPA, a substance that needs to be banned. Her post reminded me of an email I received two days ago from Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow. Only 346 people had submitted a comment to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health at that point. Apparently, the Public Health Council (PHC) met three weeks ago to hear a presentation from the DPH about a proposal for a limited ban on reusable food and beverage containers containing BPA and intended for use by children three and under. The PHC has not yet recommended further action. Please take a moment to add your voice to the growing chorus here. If you do not live in Massachusetts, find out whether your state has similar legislation pending, and, if not, ask why not. You can also forward this petition to friends and family in Massachusetts. There’s a ground swell building to stop the chemical industry from imposing toxic chemicals on our lives. Join it today!