Comments Fawn Pattison has made

  • Targeting kids & parents

    The Corn Refiners Association has been aggressively targeting worried parents with a series of ads in parenting and health markets disputing the public health campaigns against high-fructose corn syrup.  

    I can't wait to see their spin on this one.  I wonder how long before they start sowing doubt about the risk of mercury in your kid's popsicle. "Wow, you get your hair done by an environmental toxicologist?"  On The FDA sat on evidence of mercury-tainted high-fructose corn syrup posted 10 months ago 13 Responses

  • reusables for the cheapskates

    I love the reusable pads, not least because they are so cheap compared to disposables.  I've got a Glad Rag, a few indie pads made by crafty ladies, and a few I've made myself from old flannel shirts, and they've all held up well for going on 10 years.  

    Here's a great tutorial on making your own rags (possibly the simplest sewing project you'll ever try):
    http://sewgreen.blogspot.com/2007/05/cloth-pads.htmlOn A review of eco-minded feminine products posted 1 year ago 46 Responses

  • I like the pine

    My cat has been doing his business on Feline Pine for many years and is a big fan.  We use the old-school original style.  I like that the bag includes instructions for slowly transitioning your cat over from your old litter to avoid rejection tragedies like the Unfortunate Comforter Incident of 08.On A review of non-clay cat litters posted 1 year, 2 months ago 32 Responses

  • Rats are not cool

    I just have to respond to the last comment.  If you were talking to someone who lived in west Harlem and actually had to deal with rats in their apartment building, I don't think you'd be talking about "tough love."  In urban areas where rats are a problem, they are key residents of an out-of-whack ecosystem characterized by crumbling infrastructure and horrible garbage-removal services.  It may be better to direct one's "heartless prejudice" at sleazy landlords or misguided city budget-writers.  But I sense a bit of heartlessness in caniscandida's comment towards those who have to suffer both the rats and the environments that give rise to them.On EPA gives manufacturers three years to adjust to new regulations designed to protect children posted 1 year, 5 months ago 6 Responses

  • Thank you Pricey!

    We are so lucky to have Rep. Harrison in our state house!On North Carolina bill would ban burning of coal from mountaintop-removal mining posted 1 year, 5 months ago 7 Responses

  • more on Bisphenol-A

    Sarah Vogel has posted an excellent essay on BPA's political history over at defendingscience.org.  On U.S. health agency says ubiquitous chemical may harm kiddos posted 1 year, 7 months ago 2 Responses

  • i snorted my morning tea

    ouch.  thanks a lot! On Gore will run for president as independent, sources tell Grist posted 1 year, 7 months ago 34 Responses

  • re: same kinds of effects

    Thanks, caniscandida, for your clarification!  The authors of the UK article reference these studies and several others for evidence of endocrine-disrupting compounds' ability to harm reproductive success in wildlife, including behavioral and physioloigcal effects.  Instead of "same kinds of effects" I should have said something like...  "same kinds of compounds, various pathways, disruption of reproductive success in various species..."  I oversimplified.  Thanks!   On Following the path of contaminants from your bathroom to the birds posted 1 year, 8 months ago 12 Responses

  • re: Concentration matters

    You make a good point Sindark, but in this case when you're talking about residues of DDE and dieldrin, for example, no level is okay.  Every exposure bioaccumulates in our tissue, so one very low exposure piles on top of another in our bodies.  We can even pass these exposures on to our children when they concentrate in breastmilk.   On Conventional milk contains toxics, says the USDA posted 1 year, 8 months ago 7 Responses

  • Toxics in milk

    Thanks for this post, Tom.  Unfortunately, organic milk is saddled with some of the same problems as conventional milk, because pollutants like DDE bioaccumulate up the food chain and concentrate in animal products, like meat & milk -- including our wonderful human breast milk.  We've got to quit putting this junk into the environment in the first place! On Conventional milk contains toxics, says the USDA posted 1 year, 8 months ago 7 Responses

  • re: Additional chemicals

    You can learn all about pesticides (organic-approved and otherwise) and their various levels of toxicity at pesticideinfo.org, an excellent independent database that is supported by the US EPA and other agencies.On Organic food reduces organophosphate exposure in children posted 1 year, 9 months ago 7 Responses

  • Kids and pesticide-free food

    I think the most important thing this study shows is that the federal laws designed to protect our kids from neurotoxic pesticides aren't working.  All our kids deserve safe food, not just the ones whose parents can afford to shop at Whole Foods Market.  We need to make all agriculture more sustainable, and less dependent on toxic chemicals.  But in the mean time... anyone care to start working on a local farm-to-school campaign?        On Organic food reduces organophosphate exposure in children posted 1 year, 9 months ago 7 Responses