(NaturalNews) Apple Inc. is known worldwide for creating computers, iPhones, and other electronic devices with unique lines and clean designs. But the multinational giant has also been pinned as the worst company for pollution and "occupational health hazard incidents" at its facilities in China.
Many large, multinational companies have operation facilities in China, including HP, Sony, Nokia, Samsung, and Toshiba. But among a list of 29 major companies that run facilities there, Apple turned out to be the worst overall, routinely evading inquiries fromenvironmentalgroups about environmentalpollutionand other factory problems.
The report, issued by a group of 36Chineseenvironmental groups, cites HP, BT, Alcatel-Lucent, Vodafone,Samsung, Toshiba, Sharp and Hitachi as among the bestcompaniesfor both addressing environmental and workplace concerns, and working on specific ways to fix them. But at the bottom of the list wereNokia, LG, SingTel, Ericsson and Apple.
"Apple behaved differently from the other big brands and seemed totally complacent and unresponsive," said Ma Jun, author of the report and Director of the Institute of Public and Environmental Affairs, a Chinese non-governmental organization (NGO).
According to the report, in one incident in 2009, 49 Chinese workers for Apple were poisoned by n-hexane, a toxic chemical cleaning agent. After being hospitalized and left with "debilitating illnesses", Apple higher-ups did not even respond to inquiries from the victims about the issue, but subsequently removed the agent from its factories and discontinued its use.
When questioned about the incident and another similar one by various Chinese NGOs, Apple refused to confirm whether or not its suppliers were at all responsible. It did say that it regularly investigates and audits its suppliers to confirm that they are in compliance with Apple standards, but offered no further cooperation.
Sources for this story include:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/5817abce-...
Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/031082_iPhone_pollution.html#ixzz1BkaAr0hS
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Banned toxic chemicals found in 100 percent of pregnant women - new study
(NaturalNews) A new study from the University of California, San Francisco reveals that 100 percent of expectant mothers (sample size = 268) are contaminated with highly toxic synthetic chemicals. The study, published inEnvironmental Health Perspectives, concluded, "Certain PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, PFCs, phenols, PBDEs, phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and perchlorate were detected in 99 to 100% of pregnant women."
These chemicals are known to exhibit various harmful effects on human biology, covering everything from neurological and infertility problems tocancerand hormonal disorders. Many of thechemicalsfound in these women have been banned for not just years, butdecades.
Phthalatesare chemicalplasticizers. Pharmaceutical pills are often coated withphthalatesto give them a shiny finish. They're also used in children'stoys, medical devices,personal care products, sunscreens and even sex toys. On thepersonal careside, phthalates are found in perfumes, eye shadow, liquidsoap, nail polish and hair spray (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/art...).
Phthalates are known as "endocrine disruptors" because they interfere with normal endocrine system function -- potentially leading toobesityandbirth defects(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthal...).
Perchlorate, also known as the "rocket fuel chemical," is used in the manufacture of automobile airbags and other vehicle parts. It's also present in many fireworks, and is frequently found contaminating thewater supply.
We could go on with more details, but here's the point:We live in a toxic stew ofsynthetic chemicals-- chemicals that the plasticsindustryand the American Chemistry Council tend to say are all completely harmless, of course. The FDA allows thousands of other chemicals to be used in food and personal careproducts, and the processed food manufacturers inject an alarming array oftoxic chemicalsinto their foods (and food packaging materials).
The average U.S. consumer bathes their clothing in extremelytoxicfabric softenersandperfumedlaundry detergentsthat make them smell like walking fragrance factories. The exhaust air fromdryer ventseven pollutes the air in residential neighborhoods and apartment buildings.
With all this going on, is anybody really surprised that 100% ofpregnant womenare contaminated with toxic chemicals?
The Roman Empire poisoned itself withleadin thewatersupply. The American empire has decided topoisonitself with the "miracle of modern chemistry" as found in all the pesticides, plasticizers, additives, preservatives and other chemicals that a typical first-world consumer poisons themselves with a thousand times a day.
You just gotta love Proctor & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever and all the other consumer product companies using synthetic chemicals to manufacture personal care products. It is corporations like these, in my opinion, whose products are poisoning our bodies and contaminating our world with dangerous synthetic chemicals. That's why I personally refuse to buy any products manufactured by such companies.
#1) Don't put anything on your skin you wouldn't eat! Avoid all mainstream consumer skin care, cosmetics and personal care products, period! Need soap? Trynatural, organic brands like Dr Bronner's, AnnMarie Gianni or Pangea Organics.
#2) Don't eatfoodsmade with chemicals you can't pronounce. Read theingredientslabels. If the list of ingredients is too long and complex to figure out, it's probably made more with chemicals than actual food.
#3) Don't poison yourbodywith over-the-counter drugs or prescription pharmaceuticals. If you do need to use medication for short-term emergency use, be sure to detoxify yourliverafterwards.
#4) Detox your liver, kidneys and colon at least once a year. You can do this with ajuicefastcombined withdetoxsupplements such as those offered bywww.GlobalHealingCenter.comorwww.BaselineNutritionals.com(get professional guidance from a naturopath before fasting).
#5) Drink more water. Most people simply don't consume enough water to effectively remove toxins from their bodies. If you don't like water by itself, drink fresh vegetable juices such as celery or cucumber juice (which are actually structured water).
#6) Cleanse your body with parsley, alfalfa, red clover, chlorella or chlorophyll. All these substances can help cleanse your body and eliminate toxic substances that may be detrimental to yourhealth.
#7) Don't fill your home or apartment with products that off-gas toxic chemicals: Air fresheners, perfumed candles, particle board furniture, carpets, glues, etc.
#8) Don't cook onnon-stick cookware. These are the worst! Invest in quality copper-clad stainless steel pans and use those. They'll last a lifetime and they don't contaminate your body with chemicals. Don't eat at restaurants that use non-stickcookware. (That's just about every restaurant in the world, it seems...)
#9) Buy certifiedorganicproducts. In the USA, theUSDA Organic Sealis a trusted seal that genuinely indicates organic quality (both in foods and personal care products). Don't be fooled by brand names that use the word "organics" in their name but aren't really organic. For example, "Bob's Organics" may or may not actually be organic. The Organic Consumers Association (www.OrganicConsumers.org) can keep you posted on what's what.
#10) Get the cancer out of your laundry! Stop washing your clothes in toxic brand-name laundrydetergents, and stop using brand-name fabric softeners or dryer sheets. Do you have any idea what chemicals are used in those products? The truth would astonish you.
And, of course, keep reading NaturalNews.com to stay up to speed on what's really good for you versus things that actually threaten your health. There is absolutely no question that the average chemical contamination ofNaturalNewsreaders isfar below thatof typical American consumers.
Stay healthy by staying informed. Don't become another contaminated victim of the chemical industry.
Sources for this story include:
http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/...
Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/031033_toxic_chemicals_pregnant_women.html#ixzz1BIb4VGhz
These chemicals are known to exhibit various harmful effects on human biology, covering everything from neurological and infertility problems tocancerand hormonal disorders. Many of thechemicalsfound in these women have been banned for not just years, butdecades.
The poisoning of our bodies by chemicalcompanies
Where do all these chemicals come from?Pesticidesare sprayed on crops, of course, and the new so-called "Food Safety" bill passed by Congress does absolutely nothing to reduce pesticide levels offood(that's not part of their definition of "safety," apparently). In addition, S.510 actually places a new burden on U.S. farmers, shifting the competitive advantage to food importations from countries where the most toxicpesticidesare still legal to use. (Yes, farms outside the U.S. can spray DDT on their crops, then import them into theUSAfor consumption.)Phthalatesare chemicalplasticizers. Pharmaceutical pills are often coated withphthalatesto give them a shiny finish. They're also used in children'stoys, medical devices,personal care products, sunscreens and even sex toys. On thepersonal careside, phthalates are found in perfumes, eye shadow, liquidsoap, nail polish and hair spray (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/art...).
Phthalates are known as "endocrine disruptors" because they interfere with normal endocrine system function -- potentially leading toobesityandbirth defects(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phthal...).
Perchlorate, also known as the "rocket fuel chemical," is used in the manufacture of automobile airbags and other vehicle parts. It's also present in many fireworks, and is frequently found contaminating thewater supply.
We could go on with more details, but here's the point:We live in a toxic stew ofsynthetic chemicals-- chemicals that the plasticsindustryand the American Chemistry Council tend to say are all completely harmless, of course. The FDA allows thousands of other chemicals to be used in food and personal careproducts, and the processed food manufacturers inject an alarming array oftoxic chemicalsinto their foods (and food packaging materials).
The average U.S. consumer bathes their clothing in extremelytoxicfabric softenersandperfumedlaundry detergentsthat make them smell like walking fragrance factories. The exhaust air fromdryer ventseven pollutes the air in residential neighborhoods and apartment buildings.
With all this going on, is anybody really surprised that 100% ofpregnant womenare contaminated with toxic chemicals?
The Roman Empire poisoned itself withleadin thewatersupply. The American empire has decided topoisonitself with the "miracle of modern chemistry" as found in all the pesticides, plasticizers, additives, preservatives and other chemicals that a typical first-world consumer poisons themselves with a thousand times a day.
You just gotta love Proctor & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson, Unilever and all the other consumer product companies using synthetic chemicals to manufacture personal care products. It is corporations like these, in my opinion, whose products are poisoning our bodies and contaminating our world with dangerous synthetic chemicals. That's why I personally refuse to buy any products manufactured by such companies.
Ten powerful ways to protect yourself from toxic chemicals
If you want to protect yourself from these toxic chemicals, here's how to do it:#1) Don't put anything on your skin you wouldn't eat! Avoid all mainstream consumer skin care, cosmetics and personal care products, period! Need soap? Trynatural, organic brands like Dr Bronner's, AnnMarie Gianni or Pangea Organics.
#2) Don't eatfoodsmade with chemicals you can't pronounce. Read theingredientslabels. If the list of ingredients is too long and complex to figure out, it's probably made more with chemicals than actual food.
#3) Don't poison yourbodywith over-the-counter drugs or prescription pharmaceuticals. If you do need to use medication for short-term emergency use, be sure to detoxify yourliverafterwards.
#4) Detox your liver, kidneys and colon at least once a year. You can do this with ajuicefastcombined withdetoxsupplements such as those offered bywww.GlobalHealingCenter.comorwww.BaselineNutritionals.com(get professional guidance from a naturopath before fasting).
#5) Drink more water. Most people simply don't consume enough water to effectively remove toxins from their bodies. If you don't like water by itself, drink fresh vegetable juices such as celery or cucumber juice (which are actually structured water).
#6) Cleanse your body with parsley, alfalfa, red clover, chlorella or chlorophyll. All these substances can help cleanse your body and eliminate toxic substances that may be detrimental to yourhealth.
#7) Don't fill your home or apartment with products that off-gas toxic chemicals: Air fresheners, perfumed candles, particle board furniture, carpets, glues, etc.
#8) Don't cook onnon-stick cookware. These are the worst! Invest in quality copper-clad stainless steel pans and use those. They'll last a lifetime and they don't contaminate your body with chemicals. Don't eat at restaurants that use non-stickcookware. (That's just about every restaurant in the world, it seems...)
#9) Buy certifiedorganicproducts. In the USA, theUSDA Organic Sealis a trusted seal that genuinely indicates organic quality (both in foods and personal care products). Don't be fooled by brand names that use the word "organics" in their name but aren't really organic. For example, "Bob's Organics" may or may not actually be organic. The Organic Consumers Association (www.OrganicConsumers.org) can keep you posted on what's what.
#10) Get the cancer out of your laundry! Stop washing your clothes in toxic brand-name laundrydetergents, and stop using brand-name fabric softeners or dryer sheets. Do you have any idea what chemicals are used in those products? The truth would astonish you.
And, of course, keep reading NaturalNews.com to stay up to speed on what's really good for you versus things that actually threaten your health. There is absolutely no question that the average chemical contamination ofNaturalNewsreaders isfar below thatof typical American consumers.
Stay healthy by staying informed. Don't become another contaminated victim of the chemical industry.
Sources for this story include:
http://ehp03.niehs.nih.gov/article/...
Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/031033_toxic_chemicals_pregnant_women.html#ixzz1BIb4VGhz
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Green Christmas: Recycle trash
Don’t forget to recycle all your boxes and wrapping paper this year. Many communities have curbside recycling services or these items are always welcome at any Will County recycling site.
Are you overwhelmed with yards and yards of bubble wrap? No worries, take the bubble wrap to stores that collect plastic bags to recycle and reuse this material.
Will County Forest Preserve sites will accept your live Christmas tree for composting to help keep our forest preserves green.
Out with the old and in with the new — if you have electronics that need to be retired, drop them at one of Will County’s 12 electronic recycling sites.
For a complete list of all Will County recycling sites and great ideas for recycling and saving energy, visit the Web site: www.willcountygreen.com. Test your skill by playing a game or two and sign up as a member for chances to win prizes all year.
source:http://heraldnews.suntimes.com/news/3138761-418/recycling-county-recycle-sites-bubble.html
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