President Obama: Protect All Americans From Cancer-Causing Chemicals

While February is officially cancer prevention month, cancer is part of our lives every month of the year. This is why we’re asking you to tell President Obama to take this simple action: Protect all Americans from cancer-causing chemicals. 

Every minute, at least one American will die from cancer this year. In the United States, despite healthy lifestyle changes (such as the decline in smoking), cancer incidence has been INCREASING, not decreasing. We know that toxic chemicals in the environment are at least part of the reason behind the increase.

Cancer takes a devastating toll on individuals and families. Consider these facts:

• 1.5 million American men, women, and children were diagnosed with cancer in 2009; 562,000 died from the disease;
• Cancer is the leading cause of death from disease in children younger than 15;
• In 2009, cancer cost the nation $243.4 billion; half of that, $124.8 billion, is the cost of lost productivity due to premature death. 

Sending an SOS to your Rep: Save Our Sperm!

The news is out -- male sperm counts are declining and sperm quality is decreasing. Many scientific studies have linked  men’s reproductive capabilities to unnecessarily toxic chemicals found in your everyday products.

That’s right, gentlemen: That Lure-the-Ladies scented “men’s body spray” may be making you Seedless-in-Seattle.

So today,  CHANGE is launching a campaign to SOS: SAVE OUR SPERM.  

New Study Finds Phthalates in Pregnant Women Harms Babies

A new study by researchers in Taiwan reveals that phthalates in pregnant women can damage the reproductive development in their daughters. Phthalates are organic chemicals produced from oil and are the most commonly used plasticizers in the world. (Source: http://www.phthalates.com/ index.asp?page=4) Other studies have found that phthalates can also damage the liver, kidneys, and lungs. California became the first state in the nation to ban phthalates and other toxic substances in toys in October 2007.

AB 1108, authored by Assemblywoman Fiona Ma and signed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007, took effect January 1st 2009.