Tips Archives - Page 13 of 21 - Center for Environmental Health

Flame Retardants: The Asbestos of our Time?

Apr 28, 2011Ali Geering-KlineFlame Retardants, Laws & Regulations, Tips

Executive Director of the Green Science Policy Institute, Arlene Blum works with CEH to research the effects of flame retardants and push for chemical reform to get these toxic chemicals out of consumer products. Published today, her op-ed piece, Flame Retardants are...

5 Simple Things You Can Do For Your Health & the Environment on Earth Day

Apr 22, 2011Ali Geering-KlineChildren's Health, Food, Laws & Regulations, Tips

Usually Earth Day comes and goes, and often times, it can have the unfortunate side effect of greenwashing (just look at all the green leaves and “earth” symbols that are arbitrarily slapped onto the labels of a bevy of commercial products). But it’s important to...

Eco-Tip: Triclosan-Free Alternatives

Apr 18, 2011Ali Geering-KlineChildren's Health, Tips

Do you use antibacterial soaps or sprays to keep your hands clean? Many of us do. And news coverage about bacteria, like germ-infested public transportation seats, can send many of us searching for something we can quickly spray on our hands. One common antibacterial...

Eco-Tip: How to Reduce BPA in our Bodies

Mar 31, 2011Caroline CoxChildren's Health, Food, Tips

It’s likely that you’ve heard of BPA, a toxic chemical that damages genes and disrupts our hormones. If you’ve tuned in to the alphabet soup of toxic chemicals, you may also have heard of DEHP, another toxic chemical that causes cancer and interferes...

Oakland: Cracking Down on Farming?

Mar 31, 2011Charles MargulisEnvironmental Justice, Tips

According to police statistics, Oakland has the highest crime rate and slowest police response time of any major California city. In fact, the rate of violent crime in Oakland is more than twice the average rate of the top ten other California cities. So naturally,...

Making Water Palette-Able

Mar 28, 2011Mary BruneFood, Tips

Last night I saw something on television that made my jaw just about drop into my lap. And no, it wasn’t the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars. Although, to confess, I did catch a glimpse of 49-year-old Ralph Macchio in action while flipping channels—he’s the...

Eco-Tip: Avoiding Toxic Chemicals in Kids PJ’s and other products

Mar 23, 2011Judy LevinChildren's Health, Flame Retardants, Laws & Regulations, Tips

Recently I got an email from a pregnant woman wondering about the safety of using hand-me-down pajamas for her newborn given the historic use of flame retardants in children’s sleepwear. The issue of flame retardants in sleepwear is not as straight forward for...

Yuck! One Food I Will Never Eat

Mar 21, 2011Charles MargulisFood, Tips

After I wrote about some of the highly questionable practices in the beef industry, a colleague asked me if my kids eat fast food burgers. No, they don’t, I answered; in fact, I don’t think either of them (then ages three and eight) have ever had a hamburger, period....

Sham “Organic” Shampoo – Dubious Labels on Personal Care Products

Mar 8, 2011Charles MargulisChildren's Health, Legal Action, Tips

The tremendous growth of the organic market has unfortunately fostered the growth of some fishy organic claims. In the organic food sector, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has strict standards, and organic certifiers are generally good about validating...

Fruitwashing: Kellogg’s Phony-Fruity Label Claims

Feb 9, 2011Ali Geering-KlineChildren's Health, Food, Tips

Pink strawberry frosted pop tarts. Now there’s a sweet Valentine’s Day treat for the whole family. Kids love them, and families and college students alike stock up on them for quick breakfast staples. Even better? Healthy pop tarts! Right now, stores are selling...