Healthy Indoors Magazine
Issue link: https://hi.iaq.net/i/256255
Healthy Indoors 45 Unacceptable Levels Continued from previous page inventory, which gives the im- pression that little actual regu- latory control exists. Accord- ing to experts in the film, we misinterpret the lack of proof of harm as evidence of safety. The Concerns Why should we be worried about some of the chemical exposures we face? Look at the facts: • Children now experience more chronic diseases than infectious diseases ( a clear shift in recent history). • Many chemicals, such as pharmaceuticals, are not removed by our standard wastewater treatment pro- cesses, so they end up in our potable water supplies. • Childhood Autism has risen dramatically over the past few decades from an inci- dence of about 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 110 recently. Many researchers and clinicians believe this rapid increase is too fast to be attributed to a genetic shift, and is likely due to environmental fac- tors. • Toxic sewage sludge from wastewater treatment facili- ties has been renamed as "bio-solids" and is being used as fertilizer on almost 60% of our agricultural lands. We are effectively eating the remnants of what we are flushing down our toilets. • Thousands of food addi- tives (such as coal-tar food coloring dyes) are only testing singularly for safety, so we have little idea of the possible adverse synergis- tic effects of having multiple of these chemicals in our bodies, even in low doses. • We use over 1.2 billion lbs. of pesticides in the U.S. an- nually. • Americans pay about 2x the costs for healthcare as the rest of the world. • And the list goes on... The Take-Away According to Ed Brown, we need a change of culture. Consumers need to educate themselves and use their buy- ing powers to affect a shift in the marketplace. Green busi- ness is good business, and the general public can steer the course of the corporate world via they buying decisions. "Unacceptable Levels" is an eye-opening film, charged with information that the pub- lic needs to become informed consumers, and ultimately effect a positive marketplace change.