#EWG

[thetangibleghost]

What have you been up to? Oh just succumbing to delusion. U kno, the use.

[eternalistic]

Chlormequat: A Dangerous New Pesticide Now in People and the U.S. Food Supply In a groundbreaking study, Environmental Working Group (EWG) found chlormequat, a toxic pesticide, in 80% of people tested. Linked to serious reproductive health issues in animals, its presence in people and popular oat-based foods like Cheerios and Quaker Oats raises serious human health concerns. Hear from EWG experts on what you need to know about chlormequat and how join the fight to get this chemical out of our food and our bodies.

[yourcancerguru]

A Brief Guide to Natural Bath, Body, and Personal Products

Choosing bath, body, and personal products that contain natural ingredients is crucial, especially for those with a diagnosis of cancer. Conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and  radiation can cause skin sensitivity, making it prone to irritation. Natural ingredients are typically gentler and less likely to cause adverse reactions. Many conventional body products contain potentially harmful chemicals like parabens, phthalates, and synthetic fragrances that can increase one’s chemical burden and disrupt the balance of hormones in the body. By using natural products, you can reduce exposure to chemicals, support your immune system, and allow your body to focus on healing. In addition, natural body products can nourish, soothe, hydrate, and heal the skin, which is especially important for skin that has been damaged by treatment. When choosing cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, soaps, lotions, sunscreen, and toothpaste, here’s the long list of ingredients to avoid.

Most common toxic ingredients found in cosmetics, shampoos, conditioners, body washes, and moisturizers:

Parabens - May be listed as methylparaben, polyparaben, isoparaben, or butylparaben. These can be directly absorbed through skin and induce estrogen-like activity on the body. 

Phthalates - Also listed  as butyl benzyl phthalate (BBP), Di-n-butyl phthalate (DBP), Di-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), and Diethyl phthalate (DEP). These are hormone disrupting chemicals that may be linked to breast and prostate cancers, as well as many other diseases. It’s important to note that many perfumes use phthalates, but often times it is not listed on the label. If you choose to go phthalate-free, avoid wearing perfume and/or choose essential oils instead.

Triclosan - This ingredient is commonly found in antibacterial soap.  Triclosan has been shown to suppress NK cell activity.  NK cells are natural killer cells that help our body constantly fight against infection, as well as cancer.

Toxic chemicals most commonly found in deodorant:

Aluminum and aluminum zirconium- Both can have an estrogen-like activity in the body.  This is extremely important to consider when choosing deodorant, as most conventional deodorants contain aluminum. 

Toxic chemicals most commonly found in toothpaste:

Triclosan- An organic compound with antibacterial properties that can disrupt thyroid function and antibiotic resistance. It's also been linked to gum recessions and a variety of cancers.

Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) - A detergent and cosmetic ingredient that can irritate the gums and cause canker sores, gum recessions, and allergic reactions.

Fluoride - Can be toxic if ingested in large amounts, causing nausea, vomiting, and headaches.

Titanium dioxide - The Environmental Working Group classifies this ingredient as a possible carcinogen.

Microbeads - Made from insoluble plastics that can't be digested and can end up in waterways, where they can absorb toxic chemicals and harm marine life.

MEA, DEA, and TEA - Methylating compounds that can weaken the liver and kidneys and lead to cancer.

Propylene glycol- A synthetic chemical compound that can irritate the skin, eyes, lungs, and mucous membranes. It's also a strong carcinogen.

Saccharin - An artificial sweetener that can cause coughing, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.  Saccharin has also been linked to many different kinds of cancers.

Diethanolamine (DEA) - A chemical used as a foaming agent that can cause organ-system toxicity. A 1998 study linked topical application of DEA to cancer in animals.

Aspartame - Consumption of aspartame could potentially lead to illnesses such as Alzheimer's, diabetes, and multiple sclerosis.  Aspartame is also linked to various kinds of cancers. 

Check out my Pinterests with specific recommendations for clean and safe body products approved by the Environmental Working Group (EWG.org) for 2024.

Shampoos and Body Washes

https://pin.it/6zEkeukCI

Moisturizers

https://pin.it/1i1QUTecp

Sunscreens

https://pin.it/3JaNYHM7l

Face Wash

https://pin.it/4MqigKwCV

Toothpaste

https://pin.it/5lfwEbrRP

[organicready]

Better Drinking Water to Come

The latest regulations are a component of the Biden administration’s endeavors to mitigate pollution stemming from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known to endure in the environment for extended periods. Exposure to PFAS has been associated with heightened risks of specific cancers, reduced birth weights, elevated cholesterol levels, and adverse impacts on the liver, thyroid, and…

[momsandtotsmag]

Embracing Radiance: Top Clean Beauty Products for Conscious Families

In the bustling aisles of beauty and skincare, a revolution is underway. Clean beauty, characterized by products free from harmful chemicals and committed to transparency, is not just a trend but a movement towards healthier, more sustainable living. For families striving to make conscientious choices, navigating this world can be overwhelming. We’ve curated a selection of top clean beauty…

[outtaashes]

What are the 12 Dirty Fruits and Vegetables?

There is a group that keeps consumers informed of the dirtiest produce on the market. Do you know what they are? #EWG @environmentalworkinggroup

[sora-fish]

Anyways now that I’ve saved cleaner time to introduce the one that not even Specter can save, CADAVER!

Bro is a little rotted. And by a little I mean extremely. Past the point of no return, he coughed up his vocal cords and some of his organs a few years ago, bro is living off of wisps and that is IT.

[billygaysanguine]

clumsy. unhygienic. talks too much. high maintenance, cant keep friends. changes his mind about the trajectory of his life three times. He literally has adhd

[itsmegrigio]

A little over a year ago, I published my first ChaLynn fic so I figured now would be a great time to return to that universe see how Chase, Brook Lynn, and the twins would celebrate Christmas. Hope you enjoy!

[xtruss]

Blueberries, Strawberries Again on The ‘Dirty Dozen’ List

— By Sandee LaMotte | Wednesday March 20, 2024

CNN — Approximately 95% of Nonorganic Strawberries, Leafy Greens such as Spinach and Kale, Collard and Mustard Greens, Grapes, Peaches and Pears tested by the United States government Contained Detectable Levels of Pesticides, according to the 2024 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce.

Nectarines, Apples, Bell Peppers and Hot Peppers, Cherries, Blueberries and Green Beans rounded out the list of the 12 Most Contaminated samples of produce. It’s dubbed the “Dirty Dozen” by the Environmental Working Group, or EWG, an Environmental and Health Advocacy Organization that has produced the annual report since 2004.

Pesticides have been linked in studies to preterm births, congenital malformations such as neural tube defects, spontaneous abortions and an increase in genetic damage in humans. Exposure to pesticides has also been associated with lower sperm concentrations, heart disease, cancer and other disorders.

Farmworkers who use or are exposed to pesticides are at highest risk, according to studies. A 2022 meta-analysis found workers exposed to pesticides were nearly five times as likely to have DNA damage while a February study found children exposed at an early age showed poorer neurodevelopment from infancy to adolescence.

It’s not all bad news. Avocados, Sweet Corn, Pineapples, Onions and Papayas led the “Clean Fifteen” list of conventionally grown produce with the least amount of trace pesticides — nearly 65% of the fruits and veggies in that grouping had no detectable pesticide residues, according to the report released Wednesday.

Rounding out the “Clean Fifteen” were Frozen Sweet Peas, Asparagus, Honeydew Melons, Kiwis, Cabbage, Watermelons, Mushrooms, Mangoes, Sweet Potatoes and Carrots.

Crops which grow close to the ground, such as Strawberries, Spinach and Other Leafy Greens are Particularly Subject to Pests. Ekaterina Goncharova/Moment RF/Getty Images

Washed, Peeled and Scrubbed

Each year, a rotating list of domestic and imported produce is tested by US Department of Agriculture and US Food and Drug Administration. Staffers at the USDA Pesticide Data Program wash, peel and scrub fruits and vegetables as consumers would, while workers at the FDA only brush dirt off the produce. Then the fruits and vegetables are tested for more than 250 different pesticides and the results are posted online.

For 2024, EWG researchers examined testing data on 47,510 samples of 46 nonorganic fruits and vegetables, with the majority of testing from the USDA. An analysis of that data found traces of 254 pesticides in all fruits and vegetables analyzed, with 209 of those chemicals on produce in the “Dirty Dozen” list.

“We find that what ends up on one list versus the other reflects how those fruits and vegetables are grown,” said Alexis Temkin, EWG’s senior toxicologist. “Avocados, for example, aren’t pesticide intensive, while strawberries grow very close to the ground and have a lot of pests.”

Report Is Unfair To Farmers, Critics Say

About 70% of nonorganic produce tested by the USDA and FDA have pesticide levels within the legal limits allowed by the US Environmental Protection Agency, according to the EWG report. That fact makes the report misleading, said Carl Winter, emeritus professor of cooperative extension at the University of California, Davis.

“The dose makes the poison, not its presence or its absence, and that dose determines the potential for harm. In many cases you’d have to be exposed to a million times more than what we’re exposed to before you’d even see any effects,” said Winter, speaking on behalf of the Alliance on Food and Farming, which represents organic and conventional farmers.

However, “legal levels do not mean safe levels,” Temkin said in response. She pointed to times when regulators allowed potentially dangerous chemicals, such as the pesticide DCPA, to remain on the market long after scientific research had raised concerns. The herbicide was linked to thyroid concerns for years before the EPA told the public the chemical posed “significant risks to human health” in 2023.

Another example: chlorpyrifos, a pesticide linked to brain damage in children and fetuses. The American Academy of Pediatrics joined EWG in 2017 protesting the EPA’s continued approval of the chemical.

“No Washing Method Is 100% Effective For Removing All Pesticide Residues!”

In addition, pesticides banned by the government continue to show up on crops sold in the US, according to the EWG report.

“Green beans for example, continue to show traces of acephate, a toxic pesticide the EPA banned for use on green beans more than 10 years ago,” Temkin said. “A lot of pesticides found on the ‘Dirty Dozen’ have also been banned in the European Union because of their harmful effects on human health.”

Another concern from critics is that the “Dirty Dozen” list is insulting to multigenerational farmers who struggle to grow food for the nation and feed those same products to their own children, said Steve Clement, CEO of Pacific Northwest Tree Fruit

“When this report comes out it’s like getting stabbed a little bit because we’re working so hard to put out a nice healthy product, and the implication of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list is that it is unhealthy,” Clement said. “It’s like doing something kind for somebody and then having them turn around and call you some sort of monster.”

The report may scare people away from eating the fruits and vegetables they need, said Neil Nagata, whose family has grown organic and conventional strawberries in Oceanside, California, for decades.

“Every time the report comes out, or there’s a scare on imported strawberries, we see our sales drop off,” Nagata said. “It’s not as if we’re doing something that is wrong or incorrect, we’re actually producing very healthy, safe food. In fact, we actually live in the strawberry field and my father is 100 and my mom is 97, and they still eat strawberries.”

Some farmers feel the term "Dirty Dozen" is insulting, according to the Alliance on Food and Farming. Kcline/iStockphoto/Getty Images

It is important that people eat lots of fruits and vegetables, even conventionally grown, said EWG’s Temkin.

“We always emphasize that,” she said. “We want to enable consumers who wish to avoid as many pesticides as possible by opting for organic versions of the ‘Dirty Dozen,’ where pesticide levels will be lower, and then, if they wish, choose less expensive conventionally grown produce from the ‘Clean Fifteen.’”

Organic produce is not more nutritious, but studies have found that levels of pesticides in the urine of adults and children can drop up to 95% after a switch to an organic diet.

Fungicide Levels Were High

For the first time, EWG analysts looked at reported levels of fungicides, one form of pesticide used to kill fungal diseases such as powdery mildew.

“Four out of five of the most frequently found pesticides on the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list were fungicides, and they were also found in particularly high concentrations,” Temkin said.

Two fungicides — fludioxonil and pyrimethanil — had the highest concentration on the “Dirty Dozen” list of any other pesticide, according to the report. Fludioxonil was found on 90% of peaches and nearly 30% of all “Dirty Dozen” samples, according to the report. Pyrimethanil was found on 65% of pear, 30% of apple, 27% of grape, 26% of strawberry and 24% of nectarine samples.

“Fungicides are often applied after harvest to keep produce mold-free on its way to market. That’s likely why the concentrations were so high on some samples – higher than other pesticides applied earlier in the growing season,” Temkin said. “The application of the fungicide is also closer to the time the produce is put on store shelves and consumers are eating them.”

Fludioxonil creates a waxy coating on the fruit or vegetable that studies find is difficult to wash away. While the EPA finds fludioxonil safe at regulated levels, some studies have raised concerns that it might disrupt hormone and neurological systems. Exposing breast cancer cells to fludioxonil in a petri dish found the fungicide increased cell production by 1.5%.

Pyrimethanil was classified as a “possible human carcinogen” by the EPA in 2004, but the agency determined in 2015 the chemical was “not likely to be carcinogenic to humans” at low doses. Studies have shown it to be toxic to tree frogs and aquatic life, and it may disrupt thyroid levels in pregnant women living in agricultural areas. In lab tests, pyrimethanil and fludioxonil were show to impact androgen activity — hormones that contribute to growth and reproduction in both men and women.

Ways To Reduce Pesticides In Your Food

Cleaning fruits and vegetables before eating does reduce pesticide levels, but “No Washing Method is 100% Effective For Removing All Pesticide Residues,” according to the National Pesticide Information Center.

Starting with clean hands, wash and rub produce under running water instead of soaking to remove the most pesticide, the center recommends on its website.

Don’t use soap, detergent or a commercial soak or scrub, however, as they have not been proven to be any more effective, according to the FDA. Dry the produce with a clean cloth or paper towel to further reduce bacteria that may be present.

[immunity-supplements]

3 Benefits of Lip Serums

Skin serums are nothing new, and they play a crucial role in the skincare routines of millions. But have you ever thought about adding an EWG verified lip serum into the mix?

Lip serums aren't as widespread as their skin-focused cousins, but they're quickly growing in popularity. A lip serum is much different than your average lip balm, offering more active ingredients to keep your lips soft and kissable. Here are a few benefits of using lip serums.

Hydration You Can Feel

One of the biggest reasons to consider lip serums is their hydrating capabilities. Standard wax-based balms provide temporary hydration. However, serums are more like moisturizers.

In addition to addressing issues like dry or chapped lips, these products contain ingredients that create a protective barrier over your lips. The serums seal in moisture while replenishing your lips.

Anti-Aging

When most people think of anti-aging, they focus on skincare. But it's more than fine lines around your eyes and mouth that can age you. Lips lose plumpness as you get older, leading to thinner lips and the development of wrinkles.

Serums are a game-changer for anti-aging! Many formulas contain proven ingredients like hyaluronic acid and retinol. They give your lips a much-needed moisture boost while improving collagen production to keep your lips looking full and youthful.

Increased Lip Volume

Another reason so many use lip serums is to achieve a plumper look. Like skincare serums, lip serums come in numerous formulas with different active ingredients and goals. While some focus exclusively on hydration or anti-aging, some provide additional benefits like plumping.

Serums that target volume can create a noticeable change in the overall shape and fullness of your lips. They provide that plumped-up look without needing fillers or other potentially invasive procedures. It's a great way to subtly change your look while benefiting from many moisturizing and anti-aging ingredients.

Those are just a few reasons to consider getting an EWG verified lip serum. Skincare serums help you address issues to improve skin health and appearance. Lip serums do the same, targeting the unique needs of your lips to soften, hydrate and more.

Read a similar article about EWG verified moisture activating serum here at this page.

[alpossible-world]

Fresh Water Systems

The Significance of Freshwater Frameworks 1. Preserving a Valuable Resource Freshwater is a limited asset, and with a developing worldwide populace, the interest for clean water is on the ascent. Productive freshwater frameworks assume a critical part in safeguarding this valuable asset and guaranteeing its accessibility for people in the future. 2. Ecosystem Health Freshwater frameworks are…

[thaenad]

is the feedism pride flag meant to look like a neapolitan ice cream sandwich?? i can’t find them meaning of the stripes but it’s so cute

yes!!! it was created in 2011 by eugene victor. here’s their explanation of the colors/flavors:

Vanilla is represented by the French vanilla colored stripe on the flag. It is the flavor of fat body worship (FBW). It represents the fetishistic nature of the ample frame of fat people in the raw sense - holistically. Although in certain contexts, vanilla is considered to be a flavor representing a non-fetishist (see vanilla ), it is best understood that although it is often considered a mild flavor, within the context of Fat Fetishism is it still just as tasty to some as the other two flavors.

Strawberry is represented by the pink stripe on the flag. It is the flavor of growth role-play (GRP), and by extension, it is one of the most diverse. Inflation, Bloating, Stuffing, Padding, and even Vore can be represented by this flavor, as well as many of the other creative expressions of roleplay and sensory activities that simulate certain physiological/psychological states.

Chocolate is represented by the brown stripe. It is the flavor of erotic weight gain (EWG), which includes Gaining, Encouragement, and Feederism. Chocolate can best be understood as a very visceral flavor, that is focused more on the results of gluttony, and the weight it confers on an individual or group of individuals - often two sexual partners.

The black stripes on the top and bottom not only frame the Neapolitan colors, but represent other fetishes that fat fetishists often incorporate, including those from BDSM and Leather, and many more.

The heart symbol represents fat admiration (FA). The heart symbol ties in not only the meaning of the flag colors, but is respectful of the history of fetish flags dating back to the original leather fetish flag (and those that it spawned) - In the end, this is all about love and affection.

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Common Dreams:

Climate defenders and farmers sued the Trump administration in federal court on Monday over "the U.S. Department of Agriculture's unlawful purge of climate-related policies, guides, datasets, and resources from its websites."

The complaint was filed in the Southern District of New York by Earthjustice and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University on behalf of the Environmental Working Group (EWG), Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY).

The case focuses on just one part of Republican President Donald Trump's sweeping effort to purge the federal government and its resources of anyone or anything that doesn't align with his far-right agenda, including information about the fossil fuel-driven climate emergency.

"USDA's irrational climate change purge doesn't just hurt farmers, researchers, and advocates. It also violates federal law several times over," Earthjustice associate attorney Jeffrey Stein said in a statement. "USDA should be working to protect our food system from droughts, wildfires, and extreme weather, not denying the public access to critical resources."

Specifically, the groups accused the department of violating the Administrative Procedure Act, Freedom of Information Act, and Paperwork Reduction Act. As the complaint details, on January 30, "USDA Director of Digital Communications Peter Rhee sent an email ordering USDA staff to 'identify and archive or unpublish any landing pages focused on climate change' by 'no later than close of business' on Friday, January 31."

"Within hours, and without any public notice or explanation, USDA purged its websites of vital resources about climate-smart agriculture, forest conservation, climate change adaptation, and investment in clean energy projects in rural America, among many other subjects," the document states. "In doing so, it disabled access to numerous datasets, interactive tools, and essential information about USDA programs and policies."

EWG Midwest director Anne Schechinger explained that "by wiping critical climate resources from the USDA's website, the Trump administration has deliberately stripped farmers and ranchers of the vital tools they need to confront the escalating extreme weather threats like droughts and floods."

[reality-detective]

🍓How to wash strawberries to remove PESTICIDES from its skin

Did you know that STRAWBERRIES 🍓 are in the list of EWG dirty dozen list of foods heavily sprayed with pesticides.

Here are the steps: 👇

🍓Wash strawberries with warm water twice

🍓Then put in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of any vinegar and 1- 2 tbsp of baking soda.

🍓let them remain soak for 15 mins

🍓then rinse with warm water to reduce the taste of vinegar

Enjoy your strawberries! 🤔

[argumate]

With a green light from both parties, egg industry consolidation continued rapidly. By the end of the 1990s, we had gone from there being a dozen or more primary breeders of layer chickens active around the world in 1980 — with most of them being based in the United States — to there being only two who control an estimated 90% of the market, both of whom are based in Europe.

Beyond acquisitions, Hendrix and EWG also proceeded to lock up much of the critical information about breeding methods, strain lineage, genetic markers, and other matters involved in breeding or multiplying layer chickens behind patent, copyright, and trade-secret protections. Simultaneously, in the 1990s, the Clinton administration eliminated what remained of funding for poultry research and the maintenance of public poultry stocks at land-grant universities. With public know-how gone and private know-how consolidated into two firms, it became extremely difficult for independent companies to enter into poultry genetics and breeding.

As one would expect, the industry stagnated. A post-consolidation study (1996) found that the layer genetics industry spent only $16-20 million a year on R&D — or 5 cents out of every $100 the industry earned globally. In 2006, even an executive at EWG had to admit that “independent sources of new germplasm” for breed development had become “very scarce,” and that “[e]very merger between breeding companies [was] result[ing] in the elimination of lines” of poultry stock important to the breeding of new and competing strains of layer hens.

...

This strategy by the dominant breeders was also a function of legal changes in antitrust. It used to be illegal for powerful businesses to use exclusivity agreements, but they are now pervasive. Exclusive deals are the basis, for example, of the antitrust case against Google in search, which signed deals with Apple, Mozilla, Verizon, and a host of other distributors to be the default search engine on their devices. Another example would be independent pharmacies, who have to sign exclusive deals with pharmaceutical distributors where they pledge to buy 90% of their supplies from one distributor. An exclusive dealing arrangement is not always unlawful, but it is when used by a dominant firm to lock up a market and foreclose rivals from selling into it.

And that’s exactly what EWG and Hendrix were doing. As a 2012 study of the dominant breeders’ strategies found, EWG and Hendrix “use[d] their corporate power to pressurize the [hatcheries] with the aim of increasing their market share[s] and superseding their competitors.” The owner of a hatchery at the time described what was happening more plainly: “We are currently still a free grower. There are not many of us left. We will probably join a group [referring to EWG or Hendrix] now, because nowadays they do not like it anymore when somebody is active on the free market and offers [multiple] products.”

In 2015, Hendrix — powered up by a large investment from a private equity fund — decided to eliminate the power of these independent hatcheries altogether by acquiring its way into the hatchery business and beginning to supply egg producers with chicks and hens directly. Seeking to control multiple layers of production and distribution like this is called “vertical integration,” and it’s something that laissez faire-minded antitrust enforcers across the administrations of Reagan, Clinton, Bush, and Obama saw as especially efficient. To offer some context, from the 1970s until the Trump administration challenge of the AT&T-Time Warner merger in 2017, enforcers didn’t bring a single vertical merger to trial. Hendrix’s serial acquisitions of hatcheries in the 2010s was just one more vertical M&A scheme among thousands that took place during this era, barely noticeable in the deluge of monopolization.

Since then, EWG and Hendrix have bred — either directly or through contract hatcheries — an estimated 90% of the commercial egg-layer hens in the world (except China, where a state-backed firm dominates the domestic market). Beyond these two firms, the only primary breeder that remains active in the West is TETRA, which barely offers a competitive brown-egg layer strain and does not offer a decent white-egg layer hen at all. Practically, it is now impossible for a commercial producer of eggs in the United States to establish or expand a competitive flock without relying on EWG or Hendrix.

so blame Reagan, but also Clinton, Bush, and Obama for why two companies end up controlling 90% of the egg market in the US.

(excerpts from Matt Stoller's BIG newsletter)