With your help, our dear Bag It community, we’ve helped to Ban the Bag in cities, counties, states and nations across the globe.
Together, we’ve enabled a vision of the future that includes clean waterways and less waste destined to outlive us by several generations.
So, take a moment to feel good. Pat yourself on the shoulder, dear Bag It fan. Because you spend a lot of time dismayed, up-in-arms, indignant. These emotions prompt change and action.
But take this moment off – breathe deeply; smile; maybe make yourself a cup of soothing herbal tea…Sip it slowly and then continue through the rest of this post.
– Really, make sure you’ve had a few congratulatory, restful moments. –
Done? OK, back in action, team! It’s time to Ban BPA!
In case you’ve missed our repeated posts about moving into a cave to avoid touching money and swiching to a primarily insect diet to avoid eating canned food, here is the info on BPA from the Plastic Pollution Coalition:
BPA is an endocrine disruptor and can be found in water bottles, some baby bottles, in epoxy resins used to coat the inside food and drinks cans, dental fillings and sealants, and receipts. BPA has been linked to a variety of diseases including autism, attention disorder ADHD, erectile dysfunction, heart disease in women, depression, learning disorders, asthma, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and infertility. People exposed to BPA are reported to have a higher risk of developing prostate and breast cancers, and BPA has been found to decrease the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Babies and young children are especially sensitive to the harmful effects of BPA. A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study found BPA in 95% of adult human urine samples and 93% of samples in children.
If you skimmed over the last part, here’s a summary: BPA is bad.
In September 2010, Canada became the first country to declare BPA a toxic substance. The US and Europe have banned it in baby bottles and children’s toys. But what about the rest of us American and European grownups?
According to Matthew Spiegl of the Huffington Post:
There comes a time when a government bureaucracy needs to step aside if it’s unwilling — or unable — to do what society demands. In the case of BPA, the FDA has not acted in a timely manner or in the best interest of the public, so the public is acting in its own best self-interest and petitioning the FDA to ensure that BPA is permanently banned.
There are many petitions floating around, including those submitted by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) and Congressman Ed Markey (D-Mass.).
The lastest petition has been filed by our friends at the Plastic Pollution Coalition.
Sign it! If you’re not yet convinced, here’s another reason to sign it: Jackson Brown did.
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