The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide

Top 10 Earth Day top 10 lists

For Earth Day, I thought I’d review Earth Day top 10 lists and see which ones I thought were tops.

1. “Top 10 Earth Day Campaigns You Can’t Miss” – Takepart.com.

I liked this list best because it describes actions and activities from a wide variety of organizations – from Greenpeace to National Geographic to the U.S. Environmental Agency.

2. “Top 10 Cities to Celebrate Earth Day” – NBC.com.

This list is fun. Seattle is described as “Where the folks are green and the plastic bags are taxed.” Among the other cities included are Austin, Texas; Boston; Ashville, N.C.; Portland, Ore.; and San Francisco.

3. “Top 10 Earth Day Songs” – Y! Music.

Robert the Radish picked these songs, but many of those leaving comment thought “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson should have been included.

4. “Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Global Warming” – Earth Day Network.

This is a standard to do list for Earth Day. I selected it because it includes “Plant a tree.”

5. “Top 10 KBB Green Stories of 2009 – Early Edition” – Kelley Blue Book.

It was encouraging to see this list of green stories about cars.

6. “World’s Top 10 Eco-hostels” – Travelbite.co.uk.

This list made me dream – Ireland, Hawaii, Singapore, England, Iceland. I’d love to spend Earth Day at any of these hostels.

7. “Earth Day 2009: Top 10 TV Shows on Planet Green” – Examiner.com.

These TV shows looked interesting and may be worth a look after Turnoff Week is over.

8. “Happy Earth Day – 10 Environmental Films You Can Watch Online for Free” – Urlesque.com.

The films highlight the impact people have on the environment, and the responsibilities they share for the planet's future.

9. “Top 10 Greenest Celebs” – Metromix/Detroit.

Here’s what 10 stars are doing for the Green Movement.

10. “10 Environmental Disasters to Remember on Earth Day” – AlterNet.com.

I put this one last because it’s discouraging to think about events such as species extinction, mountaintop removal, Love Canal, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Hurricane Katrina, and the Great Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

But that’s what Earth Day is about – to recognize all the environmental destruction that has occurred and to develop policies and projects to develop a greener world.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

What President Obama and Congress need to do for American consumers

In my last post, I looked at what President Obama said in his Inaugural address about consumer issues and discussed the challenges he faces in corralling the country’s strong special interests.

Here’s what I think Obama, working with Congress, needs to accomplish for American consumers:

• Find a solution to the country’s massive financial problems.

• Help consumers who are facing foreclosure of their homes.

• Find effective ways to create jobs.

• Establish a health care system that works and provides coverage for all Americans.

• Curb the excesses of the pharmaceutical industry by putting a lid on their profits, investigating the harmful side effects of prescription drugs that are injuring and killing people, and fostering the use of less harmful alternative medicine techniques.

• Act quickly to halt the excessive fees and interest rates being charged by banks and credit card companies.

• Stop poor lending practices by banks and mortgage companies.

• Establish better regulation of financial services.

• Fund nonindustry-sponsored research on approaches for clean energy and implement programs based on the research.

• Reestablish the White House Special assistant for consumer affairs and/or create a federal consumer protection agency.

• Restore the budgets of federal regulatory agencies including the Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Product Safety Commission, Food and Drug Administration, and U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• Enhance the regulatory functions of these agencies so that our food, consumer products, and drugs are safe.

• Develop creative and effective ways for citizens to be involved in the decision-making of these agencies.

• Restore trust in the work of the federal government and its processes.

• Insist on transparency in all the work of the federal government including the regulatory agencies and White House staff.

• Ban the direct-to-consumer advertising of prescription drugs on television, in magazines, and on the Internet.

• Ban, establish a moratorium, or least require the labeling of genetically modified food.

• Require irradiated food to be labeled.

• Work with Congress to develop regulatory processes that will prevent the excesses under the George W. Bush administration that caused the collapse of the housing market and the stock market.

• Enhance environmental protections.

• Adequately fund programs for seniors including Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

• Assist local and state governments in preparing for the needs of baby boomers as they age.

• Work to eliminate poverty and homelessness.

• End the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan so that money will be available for domestic programs.

• Support a congressional investigation of the crimes of the George W. Bush administration that will lead to the filing of charges against those who broke the law.

• Review recent telecommunication laws in terms of how they meet the needs of consumers.

• Figure out whether cell phones are safe to use and, if they’re found to be harmful, mandate that they be safe.

• Improve mass transportation throughout the nation.

• Work with local governments and the states to create compact, walkable communities so that Americans can walk to work and shopping areas.

I know this is a huge agenda, but American consumers are in need of drastic assistance after the gutting of consumer and environmental protections during the George W. Bush administrations.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Top health stories of 2008

Because baby boomers are health conscious, I’ve been looking for a listing of 2008’s best health news, but haven’t been able to find a consumer-oriented one.

“In Case You Missed It: What Happened in Health in 2008,” the cover story for the December 2008 issue of the Health Letter, arrived in the mail and solved my problem with its consumer-point-of-view article. The newsletter is produced by the Public Citizen Health Research Group, a consumer research, education, and advocacy organization.

Here are the Public Citizen Health Research Group’s the top health stories:

• A study showed that Vytorin (combining Zetia and Lipitor) worked no better than Zocor alone – which costs 1/16 as much in its generic version simvastatin – in reducing artery plaque that can lead to heart attacks.

• A California meat company was forced to order the largest beef recall in U.S. history. “Downer” cows, which are unable to walk, were being slaughtered. The use of these cows as food for humans is banned by the U.S. Department of agriculture.

• The deaths of 81 people from heparin, a blood thinner, imported from China drew attention to the problem of contaminated drugs from China. As a result of the problems with imported drugs, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration received additional funding for monitoring. In 2007, the FDA had only conducted 14 inspections in China although 714 establishments there sell drugs to U.S. firms.

• The clotting drug Trasylol was taken off the market by Bayer after the FDA wasn’t able to identify any group in which the benefits of the drugs were outweighed by the risks. The drug is used during heart surgery.

• The vote by the New York City Board of Health to list calories on menus and menu boards was reaffirmed.

• The number of physicians in the U.S. who favor national health insurance has increased to 59 percent. It was 49 percent five years ago.

• Canada banned the use of BPA in baby bottles. BPA is a widely used chemical in hard plastic food containers. After convening a task force to develop recommendations, the FDA released a draft report upholding the current safety standards for BPA in food. The agency’s recommendation was based on two studied conducted by the food industry.

• Life expectancy declined between 1983 and 1999 in certain U.S. counties. Among women, the decline was due to increases in diabetes and lung cancer. For men, HIV infection and homicide were the cause.

• Problems with the U.S. system for monitoring food safety were revealed when tainted tomatoes and jalapeno peppers affected more than 1,200 people in 43 states in a salmonella poisoning outbreak.

• The FDA was given authority by Congress to regulate tobacco products.

• The FDA guidelines for using experts on its advisory committees with potential conflicts of interest were tightened.

• Infant formula tainted with melamine, an industrial chemical used to artificially increase the protein content of products, caused several deaths and more than tens of thousands of cases of illness in China. The Chinese government kept journalists from publicizing the story until after the Olympic Games.

• A provision in the bailout package will require health care insurers to provide the same coverage for mental health services that are provided for physical health services beginning in 2010. An estimated 113 million people will be affected.

• The American Diabetes Association is advising against the use of Avandia – generic name rosiglitazone – because of the drug’s serious risks, including liver failure and an increased risk of heart attacks, heart failure, bone fractures, anemia, and macular edema with vision loss.

To obtain a copy of the December 2008 issue of Health Letter, send a check for $3, payable to Public Citizen, to Health Letter, 1600 20th Street N.W., Washington, DC 20009 or call 202-588-1000 for more information or to order by credit card. An annual subscription for 12 issues of the Health Letter is available for $18.

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

It’s time to take action on genetically modified foods

I think that genetically modified foods need to be banned from the food supply. They aren’t safe.

Ronnie Cummins, national director of the Organic Consumers Association, makes the case against the foods in his fact sheet “Hazards of Genetically Engineered Food and Crops: Why We Need a Global Moratorium.”

Cummins points out these safety issues with genetically modified food:

• Randomly inserting together the genes of non-related species – utilizing viruses, antibiotic-resistant genes, and bacteria as vectors, markers, and promoters – permanently alters their genetic codes.


• Pro-biotech governments and regulatory agencies, led by the United States, maintain that genetically engineered foods and crops are “substantially equivalent” to conventional foods, and therefore require neither mandatory labeling nor premarket safety testing.

• An increasing number of scientists are warning that current gene-splicing techniques are crude, inexact, and unpredictable – and therefore inherently dangerous.

• Dr. Michael Antoniou, a British molecular scientist, points out gene-splicing has already resulted in the “unexpected production of toxic substances… in genetically engineered bacteria, yeast, plants, and animals with the problem remaining undetected until a major health hazard has arisen.”

• Several years ago, researchers conducting experiments at Michigan State University found that genetically altering plants to resist viruses can cause the viruses to mutate into new, more virulent forms.

• Recent studies have found that U.S. farmers growing genetically engineered crops are using just as many toxic pesticides and herbicides as conventional farmers and in some cases are using more.

• Wind, rain, birds, bees, and insect pollinators have begun carrying genetically altered pollen into adjoining fields, polluting the DNA of crops of organic and non-genetically engineered farmers.

• Genetically engineering crops to be herbicide-resistant or to produce their own pesticide presents dangerous problems. Pests and weeds will inevitably emerge that are pesticide or herbicide-resistant, which means that stronger, more toxic chemicals will be needed to get rid of the pests.

• Genetically engineered patents such as the Terminator Technology will render seeds infertile and force hundreds of millions of farmers who now save and share their seeds to purchase ever more-expensive genetically engineered seeds and chemical inputs from a handful of global biotech/seed monopolies, forcing the farmers into “bioserfdom.”

If American politicians can’t gather the backbone to ban genetically modified foods, then they should enact the moratorium that Cummins calls for in his fact sheet.

At the very least, these foods should be labeled. Consumers have the right to be informed, the right to safety, and the right to a healthy and sustainable environment. They need to be able to make informed decisions about what they eat. Many consumers don’t want to eat genetically modified food, and they must have the information on labels to make this choice.

Consumers need to take action to let their government representatives and food companies know that they want genetically modified foods banned, or at least labeled.

You can contact the following groups opposing the use of genetically modified foods to join their action programs:

Organic Consumers Association

Union of Concerned Scientists

Foodconsumer.org

Greenpeace

Center for Food Safety

Sierra Club

Friends of the Earth

Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialists

Most people eat genetically modified food but don’t know it

I’ve been concerned about the health effects of genetically modified food for years, but hadn’t figured out how to approach this complex topic.

A new book by scientist Lisa H. Weasel, “Food Fray: Inside the Controversy Over Genetically Modified Food,” lays out the events in history, science, and politics that have led to the wide use of the genetically modified food in America.

While genetically engineered food is common in America, the public isn’t aware that they’re eating the foods. In 2008, 80 percent of all corn, 86 percent of all cotton, and 92 percent of all soybeans grown in the United States were genetically modified varities.

The Grocery Manufacturers of America estimates that between 70 percent and 75 percent of all processed foods available in U.S. grocery stores may contain ingredients from genetically engineered plants. Breads, cereal, frozen pizzas, hot dogs, and soda are just a few of them.

Opposition in the European Union and other countries to genetically engineered food is strong. In the EU, labeling is required, unlike the U.S., which doesn’t require it.

Weasel believes that Americans do care about whether genetically engineered food is safe, and she urges them to take time to be informed on this important topic, not passive.

To avoid genetically modified food, I’m going to continue to eat organic food. And, I’ll find out what consumer groups are working on this important topic and let you know in my next post.

 Copyright 2009, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Bush agencies rushing to change safety rules for asbestos, toxins

In the final days of the Bush administration, the White House is working to get federal agencies to weaken the regulation of hazardous substances.

Scientists who usually have input into regulatory processes are complaining, according an article in the Seattle Post Intelligencer, “Agencies Asked to Ease Safety Rules."

Among the administration efforts:

• An Environmental Protection Agency plan to quickly alter the way it measures the cancer-causing risk of asbestos.

• Labor Department plans for significant changes in how workers are protected from chemical hazards go directly to the White House Office of Management and Budget, bypassing scientists.

• The firing of John Howard, the director of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, who had the support of industry and labor.

• Regulations to protect workers from lung cancer and other serious disorders continue to languish in the Department of Labor.

"For eight years, this administration has failed to make any significant progress in improving the health and safety of our nation's workers,” Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., chairwoman of the Senate Employment and Workplace Safety Subcommittee, was quoted as saying in the article. “Now, in its waning days, it appears that they are actually trying to increase barriers to workplace safety."

Hazardous substances used by manufacturers of consumer products in thousands of ways also aren’t being regulated effectively, reporter Andrew Schneider said in his article.

Two recent examples from Schneider’s research:

• Diacetyl, a butter-flavoring chemical used in buttered popcorn and cooking oils, which causes bronchiolitis obliterans, a fatal lung disease.

• Toxic chemicals added as fragrances to laundry products and air fresheners.

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Green Web sites to help you green your life

More than half of all boomers in the United States, about 40 million, are “green boomers,” according to an AARP survey.

These green boomers say they feel a responsibility to make the world a better place, the survey found. They buy environmentally safe brands and watch less television.

Earth Day is coming up April 22. Here is a listing of green sites to help you get green, or get greener:

Building

• BuildingGreen.com. Articles and a directory of green building products.

• U.S. Green Building Council. Information on green building and green builders.

Chemicals

• Chemical Industry Archives. A project of the Environmental Working Group to show the public the dangers of chemicals as described in the documents of chemical companies.

• Pesticide Action Network North America. An organization that works to replace pesticide use with ecologically sound and socially just alternatives.

Cleaners

• CHEC's HealtheHouse. How to identify and replace unsafe products and practices that expose families to pollutants in the home.

• Household Products Database. A database of more than 5,000 household products, with information on their potential health effects.

• Non-Toxic.info. A group that provides information about hazardous chemicals found in cosmetics and personal care products, in household cleaners, and in other toxic products.

Conservation

• The Nature Conservancy. An organization working to protect ecologically important lands and waters.

• The Trust for Public Lands. A national land conservation organization that conserves land for people to enjoy as parks, gardens, and natural areas.

Energy

• EnergyStar. Information to help you make energy-efficient choices when buying appliances, electronics, and lighting.

• National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Information on renewable-energy technologies, energy facts and figures, and resources for further information.

Food

• Veggie Meal Plans. Vegetarian meal plans for a week.

Farmland

• American Farmland Trust. An organization working to protecting the nation’s strategic agricultural resources.

Gardening

• Beyond Pesticides. Information on specific pesticides and “least toxic” alternatives for controlling garden and yard pests and a directory of providers.

• National Wildlife Federation. Tips for creating a wildlife habitat in your backyard.

• Organic Gardening. The basics of organic gardening from Rodale Inc.

• Plant Native. Information on the cultivation and preservation of native plants with directories of suppliers, organizations, and specific plant information.

• richsoil.com. Organic lawn-care steps made easy.

General Information

• Center for Health, Environment & Justice. An organization working to inform the public about the link between people’s exposures to dangerous chemicals in the community setting and serious public health impacts.

• Environmental Working Group. A research organization based in Washington, D.C. that uses information to protect human health and the environment.

• Green Options. A community that provides environmental resources, education, and discussion.

• Greenpeace. An organization of environmental activist that works on global warming, destruction of ancient forests, deterioration of the oceans, and the threat of a nuclear disaster.

• Grist. Environmental news and commentary.

• LighterFootsteps.com. The emphasis is on helping people lead a lighter, more sustainable lifestyle.

• Terra Pass. Offers carbon offsets and green products and supports projects with funds from sale of carbon offsets.

• Treehugger. A one-stop shot for green news, solutions, and product information.

• Women’s Voices for the Earth. A national women-centered environmental health and justice organization.
  

Global Climate Change

• Climate. An overview of topics on climate change and links to more resources.

Recycling

• Earth 911. A search feature helps you find recycling centers or where to recycle specific items.

• Plug-in to eCycling. The Environmental Protection Agency makes it easier to recycle electronics by listing companies that take back used and obsolete electronics.

Shopping

• Co-op America's Responsible Shopper. Information on the social and environmental impacts of major corporations from Coop America.

• craiglist. Quality items can be listed that you want to give away.

• Greener Choices. Products for a better planet, from Consumer Reports.

Sprawl Reduction

• Sierra Club. Initiatives designed to work at the neighborhood level to improve the livability of communities.

Transportation

• bikewalk.org. How to create neighborhoods and communities where people walk and bicycle.

• Daily Fuel Economy Tip. How to increase your gas mileage and save money at the pump.

• GreenCars.com. The best and worst cars for the environment.

• www.fueleconomy.gov. Side by side comparison of cars for fuel economy, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution.

Travel

• Ecotourism. Travel opportunities that benefit communities and protect the environment.

• Green Hotels Association. A listing of hotels that are committed to reducing waste, conserving resources, and reducing or eliminating the use of chemicals.

• National Resources Defense Council. Reports on the water quality at vacation beaches.

See green matters for additional green Web sites that could be helpful to you.

Copyright 2008, Rita R. Robison, Consumer Specialist

Celebrate what's working in comunities at Seattle's Green Festival

If you live in the Pacific Northwest, be sure to take in the Green Festival April 12 and 13 in Seattle.

The emphasis is on how green means safe, healthy communities and a strong local economy.

More than 150 authors, leaders, and educators will speak and offer workshops. There're also be films, activities for kids, organic beer and wine, great vegetarian food, and live music. More than 300 eco-friendly booths will offer natural personal care products, organic cotton clothes, and fair trade gift items.

Among the personalities attending will be Amory Lovins, Amy Goodman, Frances Moore Lappe, Gifford Pinchot III, Thom Hartmann, Caroline Casey, Jim Hightower, Jerome Ringo, John Perkins, Riane Eisler, David Korten, and Eric Liu.

For information, see SeattleCAN.org. You can get a coupon for free admission at the this site. The price of admission is $10 to $12.