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As parents become more aware of the chemicals their children are exposed to on a daily basis (and the negative effects on their health), many are trying to reduce their exposure to many of these toxic chemicals. And while switching to non-toxic products at home may seem to be a doable challenge, trying to reduce your child’s exposure at school may seem out of reach! But don’t despair…it can be done.

One of the most frustrating things we see when we are investigating the use of harmful chemicals in everyday consumer products is a disturbing trend we call the Toxic Treadmill. When Washington state banned toxic PBDE flame retardants in 2007, many companies switched to cancer-causing Tris flame retardants instead of using safer methods. Now that […]

As a college student it’s safe to say I spend a lot of time on YouTube. But it was a new experience for me to watch moms and bloggers from across the country post videos about their involvement in the Mind the Store campaign. We wanted to share some of the highlights so you could see how easy it is to ask your favorite retailers to Mind the Store.

In just a matter of a week there have been significant advances on our quest to kick toxic chemicals to the curb.

We welcomed a big boost this week for protecting children’s health from toxic chemicals when the American Academy of Pediatricians formally endorsed the Safe Chemicals Act, saying that “(o)ur current federal chemical management policy falls short for children.”

Jennifer Beals, star of “The L-Word,” and “Flashdance,” and one of People magazine's most beautiful people of 2011 met this week with leaders on Capitol Hill.
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Actress and mother, Jennifer Beals, has joined Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families in Washington D.C. this week to urge Congress to pass the Safe Chemicals Act. I had time to sit down with Jennifer to talk about why she cares about this important issue.

When my daughter turned 3 we knew it was time to get her into a twin bed.  This was a challenge not because we worried about her wandering around in the middle of the night without the confines of a crib, but because it involved buying a new mattress, and we are picky consumers.  We have “lofty” goals when buying furniture: avoid chemical flame retardants, and protect indoor air quality.  We also believe that a mattress should be comfortable, durable, and affordable.  Would this be too much to ask?

You may have seen the buzz online about our newest campaign called Mind the Store. To be honest, I’m really excited about this endeavor. If there is one thing I can really relate to, it’s the experience of walking into my favorite retailer and wondering which of the products are safe and which may contain toxic chemicals.

Retailers have market power to protect customers say health leaders
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