Showing posts with label points to ponder. Show all posts
Showing posts with label points to ponder. Show all posts

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Jamie’s Fowl Dinners

I love this man… he’s got such a good honest heart and his findings are very much in line with the way things are done in Canada as well.

In this TV show Jamie takes us on a journey of discovery to see for ourselves how 95% of meat chickens and 63% of egg-laying hens are still intensively farmed in the UK. He highlights the welfare implications for the birds as a result of our persistent demand for cheap food, and will hopefully change the way we shop/eat forever.

Website: http://www.jamieoliver.com/jamiesfowldinners/#

Knowledge is power. Educate yourself so that you can make decisions that are in line with your values.

Monday, December 1, 2008

FYI: Water Fluoridation (Submission to Norfolk Council Members)

Dear Mayor and Councillors,

Norfolk Council-in-Committee's motion to remove fluoride from drinking water is an extremely progressive step to improve the health of the constituents.

Section C - Deputations: in the upcoming meeting of Nov. 12, 2008 THE CORPORATION OF NORFOLK COUNTY COUNCIL AGENDA concerns me. Hence, this input:

i) Dr. Steven Malo, Haldimand Norfolk Dental Society Re: Benefits of Fluoridation(Staff Recommendation: Receive as information)

ii) Dr. Wayne McKay, Haldimand-Norfolk Health Unit Re: Proposed Discontinuance of Fluoridation of Municipal Water in Delhi and Simcoe(Staff Recommendation: Receive as information)

The above pro fluoridation deputations never address the real concerns of the community namely: the collateral damage such as "impairments to the liver, kidney, brain, bones, pineal gland, thyroid, and even teeth*.

You may want to question why these major health impairments continue to trump the paltry, if not outright questionable, benefits to teeth?

How can the Norfolk Dental Society and the Health Unit call so many Health damages as health benefits?

* They tell us that molted teeth from fluoridation of water is just a cosmetic effect. When in fact this is a proof positive sign of bone damage. In the British Medical Journal (B.M.J.), October 7, 2000 it is reported that 48% of children who live in fluoridated communities have developed dental fluorosis due to fluoride overdose. Now then, if the bone is damaged how are you going to get fewer cavities? This demonstrates that ingesting of fluoridated water to reduce tooth decay is clearly a myth.

What expertize do they have with regard to Fluoride's toxicity let alone on the untested waste substance hydrofluosilicic acid (used to fluoridate) that contains variable quantities of arsenic, lead among other toxic residues?

We are not allowed to adulterate our foods with any amount of lead, arsenic etc. Ask them to show why such adulteration of water can be an exception?

Most health units are panicking about lead, are they not aware that Fluoride is more toxic then lead?

If yes than why do they want to put such a toxic substance in our water?

Why do kidney dialysis patients have to remove fluoride from city water in their machines**?
**If this is not done, it could kill some of them. Obviously this is a good demonstration of short term adverse reaction to the low level of fluoride in water. Hence it follows, that long term potential health hazards must be far worse and effect a much larger population... Our bodies work on trace amounts of minerals so how can "such low levels of fluoride" be an exception?
Examples of Fluoride poisoning linked to kidney dialysis patients can be viewed @
http://www.fluoridealert.org/annapolis.htmhttp://www.fluoridealert.org/U-of-C.htm

Just because something is low concentration, it does not follow it is safe.

If fluoridation is so safe then why is it banned in so many enlightened European countries, such as Norway, Sweden, Austria, Germany, Belgium, Italy, France etc.?

Why have the costs form so many health impairments, not considered? These costs are passed on to the constituents and other health bodies. Then ask them again why the damage from fluoride so harshly and recklessly ignored and covered up over the real threat to the people, they are supposed to protect, let alone call it a health benefit?

Fluoride is now everywhere. It is in the air we breathe and in the food and beverages we consume. It is impossible to eliminate our body's systemic ingestion of fluoride so why do we need to add more to our bodies? "In 1997, the EPA estimated that Americans were ingesting nearly five times more fluoride than in 1971 - from food and drinks alone."Smith G. 2001, Why Fluoride Is An Environmental Issue, Earth Island Institute, 22nd meeting of the ISFR, August 24-27

Here is a list, not complete by any means, on the adverse health effects (click each title for ref. or go to www.waterloowatch.com to get the full reports):

Fluoride And The BrainFluoride And CancerFluoride And ChildrenFluoride And Dental FluorosisFluoride And HypersensitivityFluoride And KidneysFluoride And Skeletal FluorosisFluoride And Thyroid FunctionFluorosilicate Toxicity - also known as Hydrofluorosilicic acidFluorosilicates Increase Blood Lead Levels

The above is bad enough, adding insult to injury, an untested industry waste product Hydrofluorosilicic acid which includes traces of arsenic and lead is being used to fluoridate the water - Fluoride also increases the up take of Aluminum and possibly other toxic metals!
Regarding tooth protection here is what Bill Osmunson DDS, MPH, Aesthetic Dentistry of Bellevue, Bellevue, Wash. has to say...

"As a dentist with a master's degree in public health for more than 25 years, I promoted water fluoridation and fluoride supplements. Current research has shifted, finding fluoridation in developed communities is unnecessary. Most European dental associations no longer recommend it.

Dentists are puzzled and can't explain why fluoridation no longer appears to reduce dental decay. One theory is the total fluoride intake from all sources, such as pesticides, dental and medical products and post-harvest fumigants, has reached high enough levels to provide the so-called "optimal" dose. [halo effect]

Significant increase in dental fluorosis in children, from 22 percent to 32 percent, supports this theory. Another theory is fluoridation never did reduce tooth decay, and flawed historical studies are at fault. The evidence is strong - fluoridation no longer reduces tooth decay.. Evidence for fluoridation intervention is lacking.

Dental expenses are a good example. After 60 years of fluoridation, people fluoridated should show a reduction in dental expenses if fluoridation were effective. Several studies have shown either no reduction in dental expenses or slight increases.

Non-fluoridated Portland, Ore. (19 percent of Oregon is fluoridated) had $210 average, annual dental expenses per person. Across the river, fluoridated Vancouver, Wash. (46 percent of Washington was fluoridated at the time) had $215. Add the cost of bottled water for infants and those who choose not to have fluoridated water, medical risks and cosmetic treatments for dental fluorosis damage, fluoridation equipment, chemicals and maintenance, and fluoridation makes no cents or sense, unless you own the company profiting.

Public health agencies are marching soldiers and do not question their orders. They have been told to "promote fluoridation," and they do so, regardless of the evidence."

Even one health effect in the incomplete list above, is reason enough to remove this toxin from the water given that anyone can get fluoride if they wish but, no one can avoid it!

So why do we need to continue to ADD fluoride to our drinking water?

This action is essential to prevent the damage to the health of constituents. These are serious health effects compared to the paltry and/or perceived if not moot dental benefits. Clearly more will get hurt the longer it is in the water. Norfolk council's a stance to remove this toxin from the water is a clear win for the community and a laudable and essential move!

Chris Gupta P. EngLondon, Ont.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Vote ENVIRONMENT!!! on October 14th, 2008

On October 14th of this year, Canadians will go to the polls. And the people we choose to lead (and to serve) us can have historic conseque nces for our country and for the environment for generations to come.

My greatest fear in this election is not that one candidate or one party will win over the other. My nightmare is that the issue of the environment will be ignored in this election and that concerns about our planet will be drowned out by the name-calling and political posturing that have come to mark Canadian campaigns. And if that happens, if we fail to put the focus on the environment, the message to the next government - regardless of which party prevails - will be a mandate for more inaction.

We cannot let that happen. We do not have the time or the luxury.

And to make sure this doesn't happen, what we do between now and October 14th will be as important as what we do on October 14th.

We have to put all candidates' feet to the fire. We have to show them that we will not accept future inaction. We will demand that they address our environmental concerns - that they represent us.

That's what we're trying to do with Vote Environment 2008.

We invite you to consider this your meeting place during the campaign. We've invited many of our friends and some unusual suspects to help cut through the hot air and spin, to get you thinking about the issues. We want to hear your views on the election, media coverage, and the leaders and candidates in your local area.

In the 2008 federal election, vote environment!

Sincerely,


David Suzuki


Monday, September 15, 2008

Ontario's Green Future

Hello Tiffany,

Good to hear from you...here's some info you may wish to act on...

ONTARIO's GREEN FUTURE is circulating information about Nuclear energy's expensive history and to help Ontarians see that while Alternative Energies are financially burdened, Nuclear Energy over-runs continue to be supported via our taxes...

Anyways......do take a peek at the newly established web-site and encourage alternative-energysupporters to sign this important petition to be delivered to the Legislature. It hopes to level the playing field for Renewable Energies. The digital map is filling up - Help to put LONDON on the map for Ontario's Green Future.

http://www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca/petition_map.php

Thanks for your efforts in this regard and for all that you do for the environment,

All Best,

Mabel

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Fluoride's Impact on Brain - Focus of Two Conferences

Is the damage from fluoride and its co contaminants in our drinking water recklessly being ignored and covered up?

---------------------Press Release for ISFR/FAN Conference----------------------

Dr. Gideon Foreman (Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment) will be introducing Dr. Vivian Howard (president of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment) at the FAN conference. Please pass this on. Carole

New York – July 31 — New science indicating fluoride's dangers to the brain and other organs will be presented by prominent fluoride research scientists during back-to-back conferences of the International Society for Fluoride Research (ISFR) and the Fluoride Action Network (FAN) in Toronto August 7-11.

Fluoride, added to water supplies ostensibly to prevent tooth decay, is also in virtually all non-organic foods and beverages. Fluoride's brain effects were never examined prior to water fluoridation.

Recently, because of health concerns, Health Canada recommended that fluoride levels be lowered in Canadian water supplies, children's toothpaste and infant formula but claims that "the weight of evidence does not support a link between fluoride and intelligence quotient deficit."

"It is hard to believe that any "weight of evidence" analysis could possibly dismiss fluoride's neurological impacts. There have now been over 40 animal studies which show that fluoride can damage the brain, and no less than 18 studies which show that fluoride lowers IQ in children, and only 2 that don't. I look forward to reading the full report when it is made available," says Paul Connett, PhD, FAN Executive Director.

According to ISFR conference organizer, Dr. Hardy Limeback, "Our conference features experts who researched the dangers that fluoride poses to human health. Our keynote speaker, Dr. A.K. Susheela, (Executive Director, Fluorosis Research and Rural Development Foundation, India) probably knows more about fluoride's toxic effects to the body than any other living scientist. It is important that officials who promote water fluoridation hear what she and others have to say," says Limeback.

Susheela can also explain to Medical Doctors, often untrained in fluoride toxicology, how to diagnose, treat and reverse early fluoride toxicity symptoms which can mimic arthritis and irritable bowel syndrome.

The latest issue of ISFR's journal, Fluoride, published 12 newly-translated Chinese studies, which report fluoride's effects on the brain, including the lowering of IQ in children. These and other brain studies will be reviewed at both conferences.

Coupled with these conferences, the Toronto-based Citizens for a Safe Environment (CSE) will host two public meetings with FAN in downtown Toronto on Monday August 11.

According to CSE director Karen Buck, "These meetings will give the public information they don't get from our government or dental organizations. In the afternoon, a panel will address the question of whether Toronto should stop fluoridating its water. In the evening experts will explain fluoride's dangers to health."

After receiving an invitation to attend these meetings, the Ontario Dental Association (ODA)sent out a news release urging legislators and communities to stand up in support of fluoridation; but they won't do so, themselves.

"The best way that the ODA can get communities and politicians to stand up for water fluoridation is to provide, in person, a cogent and scientifically-referenced defense of fluoridation at the afternoon forum," says CSE President Karen Buck. ODA has yet to respond.

At all three events, Dr. Vyvyan Howard, an infant and fetal pathologist, and president of the International Society of Doctors for the Environment, will be presenting a major review of studies on fluoride's brain effects, including the translated Chinese studies.

"The best way to lower children's fluoride intake, as Health Canada suggests, is to stop fluoridation," says Connett. "It makes no sense to prescribe fluoride drugs to children via the water supply at levels which are between 150 and 250 times higher than the level in mothers' milk."

For details on both conferences go to http://www.fluoridealert.org/

Monday, May 19, 2008

What is BILL C-51? And how can I get involved?

Your Participation is Important!

A controversy has been developing in Canada and globally that has a lot of people concerned about the restriction and sale of natural health products and how this might affect their lives.

In Canada, Bill C-51 would essentially replace the word "drug" with "therapeutic product," a blanket definition that would bring all natural products, food, and cosmetics into the same category as pharmaceutical drugs and make them subject to the same regulations.

Bill C-51 was introduced to the House of Commons April 8 and the second reading took place on April 28 barely giving people or affected group's time to examine, debate, and respond.

"Requiring natural products to undergo costly clinical trials would effectively eliminate them from therapeutic use since natural products, unlike patented manufactured drugs, don't create enough profit to cover the cost of the trials", says Naturopathic practitioner, Dr. Robert Ewing.

On the weekend I read Bill C-51 and researched what others were saying. One could presume, after reading the Bill that this legislation was to ensure the protection of any harmful substances being introduced into the marketplace; which is important. But, to my understanding, a couple of fundamental elements seemed to be missing. This legislation does not detail some of the very important guidelines, definitions or timelines. It seems to give Canada's government unbridled rights and there doesn't seem to be any provision for appeal if an analyst/inspector deems a product to be unsafe. And, more important, there are no guidelines for the qualifications of the analyst/inspector.

I urge you to become aware of this Bill as it may personally affect your right to choose. Be proactive, do a little homework, and sign the petition below. It is crucial to change the manner in which this Bill is written to protect the public and give fair representation to the Natural Products industry in a transparent manner. We need to act quickly as the Second Reading still provides an opportunity for consultation with experts to provide information for improving the bill.

With concern and caution ~ Deborah

Here are links for you visit for more information:

The Bill: http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Parl=39&Ses=2&Mode=1&Pub=Bill&Doc=C-51_1&File=27#1

The Petition: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/StopC51

EDUCATION - Others Helpful Links:

http://www.chfa.ca/default.asp?action=article&ID=353

http://www.chfa.ca/media/pdf_files/backgrounder%20on%20bill%20c-51%20(amendments%20to%20the%20food%20and%20drugs%20act).pdf

http://www.newmediaexplorer.org/chris/2008/04/27/bills_c51_c52_more_regulations_to_protect_us_of_course.htm

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=2&DocId=3443504#SOB-2434002

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=39&Ses=2&DocId=3453748#SOB-2442132

Thursday, January 31, 2008

Tell Supermarkets to Stock Eco Certified Flowers!

Globalization has brought about a greater awareness and concern for partners in trading relationships with North America, and around the world. Environmental policies, like the Kyoto accord, are trying to bring accountability to companies who harm the environment. Consumers are becoming more and more concerned with where their products are coming from and under what social and environmental conditions they are produced. Reports of human rights abuses and harmful environmental practices have affected the sales of everything from running shoes and clothing to coffee and fresh produce.

Demand your supermarket & independent flower retailer to support ethical flower trading and the Sierra Eco Program by stocking Sierra Eco certified flowers. We know about organic, fair trade coffees and organic, fair trade teas, and we have heard about organic, fair trade flowers, but we don't yet see them in our supermarket flower section or at our favourite independent flower shops. The Sierra Eco Label supports and markets the sale of flowers from socially and environmentally responsible farms. Learn more about the Sierra Eco Label here: http://www.sierraeco.com/program_brand.asp.

To see how this program works - watch this excellent video - http://www.sierraeco.com/pr/agrocoex1_hs.wmv

Sierra Eco Certified flowers are found at environmentally conscious retailers. Though the market for organic flowers is still small (sales totaled $8 million in 2003, a fraction of the $19.4 billion consumers spent on all flowers nationally) - it's growing fast. Consumers are increasingly willing to pay more for products made without chemicals harmful to workers or the environment. Organic flower sales are expected to grow 13 percent annually through 2008, according to the Organic Trade Association.

Eco Certified flowers assure us that the producers at the beginning of the supply chain are receiving a fair price for their labor. Also, unlike many conventional flower plantations, where international standards for pesticide-use are disregarded, eco certified flower farmers adhere to all international pesticide legislation, with the most dangerous pesticides not used at all. Eco Certified means a fair deal for farmers, and a healthier environment for all of us.

Lake Naivasha was once considered one of the world's top ten sites for birds and a paradise of clear water, with beautiful papyrus and water lily fringes. A haven for African wildlife and a major source of water for the lakeside's quickly growing population. Now - Lake Naivasha, Kenya's second largest lake, has shrunk to half its original size and its water level has dropped three metres. Vital wetlands, are degraded beyond recognition. Nowhere in the world is water from one lake basin used to supply drinking water to two basins, electricity to a whole country's grid and flowers & vegetables to a whole continent. The rotting tissues of the hippo carcasses reveal the secret to perfect bouquets - DDT and, 40 times more toxic, Dieldrin - pesticides banned in countries whose markets have made Kenya the world's number on exporter. This is happening not only in Africa, but in developing countries all over the world.

Floriculture in South America - Although floriculture has brought many opportunities to these flower growing regions and surrounding communities, there have been devastating social and environmental costs. For more information: http://www.sierraeco.com/program_culture.asp
Certification Programs - Sierra Eco is now recognizing and promoting farms certified under the Veriflora certification system. Learn more about Veriflora here: http://www.sierraeco.com/program_cert.asp

Florists who sell Sierra Eco Certified Flowers: http://www.sierraeco.com/florists.asp

We know that it is vital to take a leadership position – by way of demanding responsibly grown flowers. The next time you go to your local flower shop, ask if they carry certified flowers. We know that real change will happen when consumers insist that the only kind of flowers they want to buy are sustainably grown, ethical flowers….certified Eco flowers!

Sign & deliver our letter to major supermarket chains asking for more eco certified flowers, and take action to start working with a supermarket in your community.

As a concerned citizen & customer, I am writing to request that your store begin selling Sierra Eco certified flowers in your flower section.

More and more customers are looking for organic & Fair Trade products, including flowers, because they support fair labor conditions and environmentally friendly farming practices. Sierra Eco certified flowers are high-quality and beautiful and should be available to customers for many reasons:
• Through Sierra Eco certification, flower farmers earn a living wage that enables them to not only cover production costs but also send their children to school and provide medical care to themselves and their families. Fair Trade premiums are also often invested in programs that teach farmers about recycling, organics, reforestation, and other strategies for building healthy communities.
• Sierra Eco certification standards forbid the use of the most dangerous toxic chemicals and pesticides, protecting workers in the field, and guaranteeing the safety of the flowers in your store.
• Sierra Eco certified flowers are better for our environment, as they are not genetically modified, and are grown using sustainable farming practices such as, mulching, non-chemical weed control, filtering waste-water, recycling, and safe waste management.

Additionally, I'm concerned about the human rights and environmental records of large conventional corporations. For example, Chiquita Brands Inc. recently paid a $25 million fine to the US government after pleading guilty to transacting with terrorist organizations in Colombia.
Listed below are several independent flower wholesalers from whom your current distributor can buy Sierra Eco Certified™ flowers. Please work with your stores and their distributor to contact these importers and start offering Sierra Eco certified flowers today! Also, for further information on Sierra Eco certified flowers, visit http://www.sierraeco.com/default.asp.

By offering Sierra Eco Certified flowers, you will distinguish your supermarket as one with an eye for quality, concern for environmental preservation, and a commitment to socially responsible business practice. This will further earn you the loyalty and respect of your customers. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Council of Canadians - London Chapter

Sunday, January 27, 2008

IDEA: 'tax free employer paid transit'

Please consider supporting 'tax free employer paid transit'. Employers have long provide parking without charge for employees, and this benefit is not taxed for the employee. This will level the field for transit passes. Exerpt from VTPI....

There is now a promising opportunity to have this policy established in Canada’s tax code, and your support for this provision could be very influential. I encourage you to send a letter to Federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Federal Minister of Transport Lawrence Cannon. Templates are posted at www.vtpi.org/TT_letter.htm (HTM format) and www.vtpi.org/TT_letter.doc (MS Word format).

BACKGROUND
Research by myself and others indicates that transit benefits significantly increase transit ridership and provide large net benefits (see www.vtpi.org/tdm/tdm8.htm ). Federal government sponsored research indicates that this policy is very cost effective overall (IBI, 1999, Tax Exempt Status For Employer-Provided Transit Benefits, Transportation Issue Table, National Climate Change Process and Transport Canada (www.tc.gc.ca/programs/environment/climatechange/subgroups1/passenger_urban/study5/exec_summary/english/transitpass.htm ). In fact, it ranked as the most cost-effective transport emission reduction strategy of dozens evaluated (Transportation Climate Change Table, 1999,
Transportation and Climate Change: Options for Action, Transport Canada).

Regards,
Gosse Van Oosten

Monday, January 7, 2008

Monday, December 17, 2007

An Eco-Consious Child writes to Santa

Trae prepared these "alternate Dear Santa letters" as part of our December 8th rally. They are great - so I thought I'd post them for all of you to read. Wonderful messages to share with family and friends this season and every season to follow. Tiffany


Dear Santa;

You’re a great guy and Christmas is one of my favourite times of year. I hope you don’t mind but along with my Christmas list I have a few suggestions:

- Please reduce the amount of packaging that you use for toys and clothing. I am learning what a mess the planet is in right now and I think we could all take a bit more responsibility for the lifecycle of products we consume.

- Please stop making things that are bad for my health. I am just an innocent kid and my parents cannot watch me every second. Every time you do a cost/benefit analysis that incorporates injury and death, please ask your moral conscience what is the bottom line.

- Finally, please stop leveraging the lagging work standards in developing countries as a way to increase profit. All elves are people and I trust you to treat everyone who supplies goods to your workshop fairly.

Santa, my family and I just want the spirit of Christmas back and we want to celebrate responsibly so there are many more Christmases to come.

Sincerely,

Trae Robinson
(Writer, Mother, Eco-Activist)

An Alternate Approach to the Holidays

Dear fellow Londoner:

This time of year it can be tough just to be a family. There are so many pressures from consumer flyers, mall frenzies and high expectations for entertaining; - even the charities that we hold dear seem to get in on the Christmas racket.

Most of all, parents want to feel like they have created a sense of magic and wonder for their children and families. Consumer conditioning has translated this desire into a tendency to buy more stuff, which puts a strain on the pocket book and the holiday spirit.

Can we have the magic otherwise? At Council of Canadians, we invite you to reclaim Christmas from commercial interests. When parents and their children enter an honest dialogue about what is important to them, amazing discoveries can be made. You might discover that:

ü The greatest gift anytime for your friends and family is the precious commodity of time. When we try to be together without the need for the most toys or the best dressed dining table - we have more time to play.

ü The gifts cost more that you may know. After children learn how corporations make toys and clothes in today’s global marketplace, they will probably insist on ethically made and fairly traded goods. Children are targeted more than ever in advertising and it is essential that they become consumer literate.

ü You have a voice and a role in the future your children will inherit. Together, we can ask for healthy products, less packaging and higher workplace standards for the products we consume. Our “dear Santa” letter is one of those ways to make your voice heard. Please discuss it with your child and send it along today. If you need more copies, they are available at www.---

We wish you the joy of the season and encourage you to dialogue with your family about reclaiming Christmas from the corporations.

Sincerely,

Trae Robinson
(Writer, Mother, Eco-Activist)

Monday, August 6, 2007

Ethical Consumerism?

It wasn't meant to happen like this.

Dozens of new books claim to provide an answer to global warming: we can save the world by embracing "better, greener lifestyles". It's easy. Just make your own bread, butter, cheese, jam, chutneys and pickles, keep a milking cow, a few pigs, goats, geese, ducks, chickens, beehives, gardens and orchards. Well, what are you waiting for?

Ethical shopping guides advise us to buy organic, buy seasonal, buy local, buy sustainable, buy recycled. But it says nothing about buying less.

Green consumerism is becoming a pox on the planet.

Read more at - http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/story/0,,2133120,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=networkfront

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Gameboys

New U.S. coalition hopes to get vid-kids back outside.

More than 50 business leaders, politicians, and activists have formed a national partnership to get America 's kids the hell outside. Inspired by recent concerns that too much fun with video games, computers, and TV can lead to obesity and depression, the National Forum on Children and Nature is launching a $20 million campaign to fund 20 demonstration projects across the country. We don't know why it takes $20 million to say, "Turn the TV off and go outside," but we digress. The effort, organized by the Conservation Fund, includes members ranging from Disney to DuPont, from the Memphis Daily News to Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D).

"For decades, environmental educators, conservationists, and others have worked, often heroically, to bring more children to nature," says honorary co-chair Richard Louv, whose book Last Child in the Woods sparked the current awareness. "The National Forum on Children and Nature will create a new level of commitment and action. This could be the tipping point."

source: The Washington Post, Donna St. George, 19 Jun 2007
source: National Forum on Children and Nature
Grist: An interview with Richard Louv about getting kids into nature

ECO-Resource for KIDS - http://www.leonardodicaprio.org/kids/music.html