A TALE OF TWO TOXICITIES

A Day in the Life of Polly Klorinate and Al Kyle - By Kate Davies

This tale describes a day in the lives of two fictional characters -
Polly Klorinate and her partner Al Kyle.[1] It tells the story of
their exposure to toxic chemicals in personal care products, food
items, cleaning supplies, pesticides, children's toys and art
materials, as well as their concerns about other types of exposure.
Although Polly and Al are not real people, exposures and concerns like
theirs are common. Virtually all North Americans have toxic chemical
residues in their bodies.[2] Exposure is ubiquitous and involves many
different substances.

Exposure to toxic chemicals in the environment can cause many
different health problems, including acute effects such as burns to
the skin, eyes and respiratory tract, nausea, vomiting and chronic
effects such as cancer, neurobehavioral problems and reproductive and
developmental disorders. Or there may be no health consequences at
all. The type and severity of any effects depends on many different
factors, including the type of chemical and its toxicity, the exposure
pathway, the duration and timing of exposure, the dose received and
any genetic predisposition. The World Health Organization estimates
that nearly one-quarter of the global burden of disease is caused by
environmental risk factors,[3] including toxic chemicals.

This story is not intended to alarm anyone. Rather, I hope it will
make readers more aware of their exposure to toxic chemicals.

..... to read the  story in full go to  http://www.rachel.org and leave VillagePRESS website

Also featured stories in this issue...
To read the full stories go to http://www.rachel.org and leave VillagePRESS website

Biohackers Attempt To Unstitch the Fabric of Life
  As we enter the new year, an astonishing new social phenomenon has
  emerged: amateur genetic engineers are working at home to "improve"
  various forms of life via genetic engineering. They call themselves
  "biohackers" and they acknowledge the danger of unleashing a
  genetically altered Frankenstein's monster on the public, but they
  argue that it was DIYers [do it yourselfers] who brought about
  America's other great technological revolution: that of the personal
  computer.
Coal Hard Truths
  "Coal comes from injustice," says Mattie Reitman.... We're in a
  crisis, and I'm excited that my generation has the opportunity to take
  that on." Reitman is helping organize the big "Powershift '09"
  protest gathering in Washington, D.C. Feb. 27-Mar 2.
Growing Costs of Global Warming Are Hurting the Insurance Industry
  The re-insurance company Munich Re reports that weather-related
  catastrophes helped push losses to $200 billion in 2008, compared with
  $82 billion in 2007.
Did Contractor Expose Troops To Toxin?
  The giant military contractor, KBR, stands accused of causing lung
  cancer in American troops in Iraq by knowingly exposing them to
  cancer-causing hexavalent chromium.
Right Zip Code Promises Health
  A yearlong study shows that your zip code is one of the best
  predictors of health conditions. Here we can see environmental
  injustice and white privilege embedded in land-use patterns.
Is Sustainable Capitalism An Oxymoron?
  Perpetual growth of the human economy on a finite planet is
  impossible. We need to develop a steady-state economy -- one in which
  the use of energy and materials is constant (or declining), not
  continually growing. One such proposal has been described by David
  Schweickart of Loyola University in Chicago.