Thursday, September 3, 2009

Where the Boys Aren't: The Disappearing Male



The other day, a dear friend and I were talking about chemicals in sunscreen. "If you don't use the sunscreen with chemicals," she said, "then you get skin cancer and have to endure a whole lot more chemicals--chemo." But I want sunscreen without the dangerous chemicals period. You might avoid skin cancer by using sunscreen only to end up with breast cancer from the parabens in it. I don't like the skin cancer--breast cancer choice, how about no cancer at all? Let's get out of this damned if you do, damned if you don't cycle.

While it's true that if you get skin cancer you might be subjected to harsh chemicals, it's also true that those chemicals in sunscreens and fragrances and shampoos and laundry detergent are quietly destroying our bodies, our environment and our species.

Pesticides, BPA, Dioxins, Phthalates, PCBs, etc. are having a dire effect on the human species. Sperm counts are down 50% in 50 years, and over half of that is abnormal. Cancers, fetal abnormalities, genital deformities, infertility, are all consequences of living in our chemical drenched world. It doesn't have to be this way! Please watch the CBC documentary, THE DISAPPEARING MALE for a sobering look at the consequences of chemical use.

Unfortunately government regulation hasn't worked to protect us. But we are not helpless. There are two things that can change this--we all get educated about dangerous chemicals and which products contain them (and I'm talking about things you find in your grocery store and hardware store), and we stop buying them. I know we don't have a lot of options right now on the green market, but if we keep buying what is available, the market will respond.

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