Thanks and Giving

Such a shame that only one day a year is set aside to take stock and count our blessings. Every day I have so much to be thankful for, such gifts for which I’m grateful.

Not every one can say that. There are far too many people who’ve been dealt a horrific hand, face sickness, poverty and other obstacles. Without jumping on my biodegradable soap box, my hope is that each one of us will step out of our comfortable zone and reach out to a person, an organization, a country struggling to keep afloat.

Life gets busy, chaotic in fact. The holidays are upon us and it’s easy to ignore the less fortunate. As we rush around buying the perfect gift for our loved ones – take a minute and consider the children without homes, the families that can’t afford gifts, the elderly and alone.

Despite trying to do more to protect, improve and beautify this world, it is a very scary and ugly place for far too many. As we know, it is through giving that we receive so let’s think beyond our inner circle of family and friends and touch our brothers and sisters of the world.

Peace on earth.

Our Stinkin' Mess

This week the UN approved the third and final installment of it’s report on global warming -- and it’s game over. The information is powerful and I won’t even try to put it better than the experts at The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. I urge you to check it out. Also worthy is the UN Climate Change site.

"Only urgent, global action will do," said U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, calling on the United States and China - the world's two biggest polluters - to do more to slow global climate change.

It’s no longer an option to look the other way. The US has, in essence, made a stinky, pewey diaper and the UN said PU. Now it’s time for us to reach for the diaper wipes and begin to clean up the mess we’ve spewed all over the world. Sitting back and pouting because the smaller countries haven’t taken measures is cause for a time out, at minimum.

Problem is, there is no more time. How about we demand that local and national governments act as the global role models. Mother Nature is not going to clean our diapers – we made the mess and we have to clean it up. We have to clean it up.

Here are couple key points taken from the IPCC report:

* Human activity is largely responsible for warming. Global emissions of greenhouse gases grew 70% from 1970 to 2004. The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is far higher than the natural range over the last 650,000 years.

*Global warming is "unequivocal." Temperatures have risen 1.3 degrees Fahrenheit in the last 100 years. Eleven of the last 12 years are among the warmest since 1850. Sea levels have risen by an average of 0.07 inch per year since 1961.

Seriously, this is NOT about politics. This is NOT about taking sides. This is about life.

A Body's Burden

Would you ever want to know the level of chemicals currently taking up residence in your body? It’s starting to get needed attention, and is known to many as Body Burden.

I recently read a very disturbing article about a family who volunteered to do just. More out of curiosity than concern, they agreed to take part in a first-of-its-kind study to measure the industrial chemicals in their bodies. What they discovered shook their world.

The children, ages 18 months and 5 years, had nearly seven times the chemical exposure level the parents had. Their infant had flame retardant levels (polybrominated diphenyl ethers, PBDEs) registering two to three times what is known to cause thyroid dysfunction in rats. The kid was only a year and a half old!

Exposure to chemicals ~ through the environment, our food, clothing, mattresses, furniture, household cleaning products ~ is especially dangerous to children less than six years old. That’s because their vital organs and immune systems are still in the developmental stages and they rely more heavily on the environment than do adults.

Phthalates are another area of concern. These are found in many common products: baby bottles, plastic bottles, toys, cosmetic and personal care products. At least in lab animals, exposure to high levels of phthalates are associated with multiple reproductive related defects.

Yet another reason why organics and natural products are important. Yes, they cost more but think of the price you pay by NOT eating and wearing organic. Plus, the more people demand such products, buy such products, make such products -- the cheaper they will get.

Please educate yourself and share with your friends and family. A very good resource to start learning more is Environmental Working Group. There are countless articles, studies and thought provoking bits on this site, many specific to children.