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Support SafeMinds When You Shop Online
Purchase your regular Amazon items through the SafeMinds Amazon store and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to SafeMinds.
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Go shopping! That's right, go ahead and buy something for yourself -- a new CD, the latest bestseller, everyday essentials like pet food or vitamins, even a computer.
But first click here to iGive. iGive members receive special discounts.
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Reflecting and Giving Thanks!
As the Thanksgiving holiday
approaches, I would be remiss in not recognizing the support that SafeMinds
has received for almost ten years from our supporters. It is because of
your continued belief in our efforts to reduce harmful exposures to mercury
that we exist!
Your support has allowed us to give voice to your
concerns and keep you current on activities
such as the updating of the autism research agenda of the NIH Interagency Autism
Coordinating Committee, mercury exposure and safe clean-up and disposal of
compact fluorescent light bulbs, our participation in the Centers
for Disease Control's (CDC) stakeholder engagement on H1N1 swine flu
as well as participation in shaping the National Vaccine Advisory Committee's
recommendations to close vaccine safety research gaps within the CDC's
Immunization Safety Office research agenda. In addition, your support
created an opportunity for us to send our newsletters out twice a month to
bring you information on the many sources of mercury impacting
our health today and simple things you can do in your everyday life to
protect yourself from harm. We also hope that you have found the redesign
of our website to be more user-friendly.
I am honored to be a member of the incredible team
at SafeMinds that moves us forward toward a less toxic tomorrow. The
dedication of our volunteer board and committee members is truly my inspiration
every day. Many of our board members and volunteers give additionally of
their time to represent our community on key Federal advisory panels and local
committees within the government to leverage questions,
concerns and recommendations. These efforts bring the reality of a mercury-free
world closer. I hope that you will also join me as I thank our many
volunteers and board members for their time and passion in all that they do for
our children's health.
From all of us at SafeMinds, we thank you for your
continued support and wish you a safe and happy holiday!
Warmly,
Theresa Wrangham,
President
P.S. - Don't forget to do some of your holiday shopping with us! Our on-line auction is chock-a-block full of
gift giving ideas - you name your price on!
For gifts you can't find at our auction, we hope you'll take advantage
of the 730+ stores listed with iGive, where every transaction can benefit SafeMinds. We
will receive a $5 bonus for all new iGive members who join and shop within 45
days, so sign up now if you aren't already a member!
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Mercury Free Kids Have Safe Minds Online Auction - Starts November 30
Check out the SafeMinds Online Auction for your holiday gifts or to find a special treat at a great price for yourself. The auction will run from November 30 - December 10 and is SafeMinds largest fundraiser of the year.
A sampling of available items:
- One week at Extreme Sports Winter Camp in Aspen, Colorado!
- Lunch with Evidence of Harm author David Kirby or with SafeMinds board member and autism advocate Katie Wright.
- Gift certificates from some of your favorite holiday shopping stores.
- Passes to a DAN! 2010 conference
- And so much more . . .
New items are being added every day! Check out the auction here.
Do you have a product or service you would like to donate? We so appreciate your support. Click here to donate an item.
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Confusion Ensues as IACC Adopts Vaccine Research Objective
By SafeMinds President Theresa Wrangham
 As someone who regularly
listens and/or attends meetings of the Interagency Autism Coordinating
Committee (IACC), I was stunned and confused by the statements made by IACC public
member Alison Singer in the Autism Science Foundation's recent press release regarding
vaccine research adopted by the IACC on November 10th. While it is true that two vaccine objectives
in the draft were rejected, it is more accurate to say that the two vaccine
objectives were deleted and a new vaccine objective adopted. In terms of this research not being based on
"good science" it is clear the Ms. Singer must have attended a different
meeting from the one I attended. Read more.
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SafeMinds Needs You!
SafeMinds is a volunteer-driven organization and we need your help. We are currently recruiting volunteers with the following expertise who have a little time to give:
- Attorneys
- Graphic Designers
- Writers
- Fundraisers
If you are interested in volunteering, please click here to e-mail us.
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10 Sources of Mercury You Can Do Something About -
#5 E-Waste
By Katie Weisman for the SafeMinds Environmental Committee
A Rapidly Growing
Problem
 Before you upgrade your computer, buy a new cell phone or
indulge in that enormous HDTV, think twice.
The current trend towards the shorter useful lifespan of electronic
hardware with each generation of technological advances is creating a massive
amount of waste and that waste is not always being handled responsibly. The average useful lifespan of a computer was
once 5 years, but that lifespan is now down to about 2 years. Electronic waste can contain lead, cadmium,
hexavalent chromium, and mercury along with a host of other toxins so it is
important that we all consider reusing, donating and recycling as part of our
responsibility as owners and users of these products.
E-waste is defined as electronic waste and includes
computers, televisions, cell phones, printers, PDAs, calculators, fax machines,
DVD players, VCRs, radios, answering machines and similar products. The term EEE (electric and electronic
equipment) overlaps with e-waste and includes larger appliances as well. While lead in e-waste has been much more
carefully studied and the average amount of mercury per unit of e-waste may be "low"
(2-10mg), the staggering demand for electronics worldwide makes mercury from
e-waste a significant problem. In 1999,
a report to the European Parliament estimated that 22% of mercury consumption
worldwide is used in electronics. Read more.
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Consumption of certain fish during pregnancy associated with poorer cognitive performance
Children who eat fish more than 3 times per week show a worse performance in the general cognitive, executive and perceptual-manipulative areas. Those with higher levels of exposure to mercury show a generalised delay in cognitive, memory and verbal areas. Mercury is a contaminant found especially in oily fish and canned fish and to a lesser extent in white fish. Read more. Chemicals Found in Plastics, Non-Stick Products, Sports Water Bottles, and Beverage Cans Detected in Bodies of Pregnant Women Babies enter the world already having been exposed in the womb to chemicals from common everyday consumer products, according to a new study released today by the Washington Toxics Coalition (WTC), Commonweal, and the Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition. The groups say policy changes are needed to protect babies and mothers from toxic chemicals during this critical time of development. The study can be found here. 100% of Lake Fish Test Positive for Mercury In a study published on November 10th, the Environmental Protection Agency found that mercury was detectable in all fish samples taken from 500 representative lakes nationwide. The mercury concentrations in game fish exceeded the EPA's recommended levels at 49% of lakes and rivers nationwide. It is critical that consumers pay attention to the fish consumption limits for different species established by the EPA. Read the press release here. More details about the study. Symposium highlights unresolved issues of Minamata disease sufferersThe problems facing people suffering from fetal Minamata disease remain unresolved more than 50 years after the mercury-poisoning disorder was officially detected in 1956, a researcher of the disease said Sunday. Read more. Coal's Assault on Human HealthPhysicians for Social Responsibility just released "Coal's Assault on Human Health," which reviews the devastating impacts of coal, and its nasty bi-products like mercury, particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide. SafeMinds joins PSR in recommending that the US government establish a standard, enforceable by the EPA, for mercury emissions from electrical generation. Why? Coal contains trace amounts of mercury and when burned, this mercury evaporates and is emitted into the environment. Burning coal has an adverse impact on respiratory health as we inhale the products of combustion. It also has adverse effects on the nervous system, particularly the brain. Stroke and loss of intellectual capacity due to mercury are the two most important neurological consequences of burning coal. Read the new report. |
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Help the Boycott -- Sign onto Consumers for Dental Choice Letters to Schein
SafeMinds supports and encourages you to as well!
Con sumers for Dental Choice has aunched a boycott of the nation's #1 seller of mercury amalgam, Henry Schein Inc., asking health professionals to buy NO PRODUCTS from Schein until this medical products colossus stops selling mercury fillings. Visit Consumers for Dental Choice for more information on how you can participate. |
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