Issue 104 Organic Consumers Association

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Consumer WarningToxic ChemicalBPA Leaching intoCanned Foodsn alarming new study rom the

nvironmental Working Group

analyzed samples o canned

ruit, vegetables, soda, and baby

ormula on sale in the nation’ssupermarkets and ound that

more than 50% were tainted

with a chemical linked to birth

deects, ADHD and cancer. Te

chemical, bisphenol A (BPA), is

an ingredient in plastics that

lines ood cans. ccording to

the study, the chemical has been

leaching into oods at levels up

to 200 times the government’s

recommended “sae” level o

exposure. ccording to r.rederick vom aal, a proes-

sor o biology at the niversity

o issouri-olumbia, and a

long-time expert researcher o

BPA, there are 94 scientic stud-

ies indicating deleterious health

eects rom BPA. “I BPA was

treated as a drug, it would have

been pulled immediately. Tis

chemical can be replaced right

now by saer materials, and the

public would never notice the

dierence.” OCA is planning to

launch a campaign later this

year to pressure ood compa-

nies, especially organic compa-

nies, to stop using BPA-tainted

cans and other toxic or non-

sustainable packaging.

www.organicconsumers.org/

articles/article_4414.cm

JAMA Says Synthetic Supplements are Dangerous

Last week, major news publications reported on a peer-reviewed

study rom the Journal o the American Medical Associatio

which ound that a number o synthetic vitamins appear to be

damaging the health o consumers. Te meta-analysis indicated

that the synthetic orm o Vitamin A increased death risk by 16%

beta carotene by 7% and Vitamin E by 4%. Te results or Vitamin

C were not so clear, but by looking at the best quality trials there

was a suggestion that it increased death risk by 6%, either on its

own or in combination with other supplements. Te study adds

urther uel to the rganic onsumers ssociation’s (OCA) newNutri-Con campaign, which is designed to help educate consum

ers about the benets o ood-based vitamins and to stop raudu

lent labeling o synthetic vitamins and supplements as “natural”

www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4409.cm

I you have not yet signed OCA’s petition to stop vitamin and sup

plement companies rom mislabeling vitamins with synthetic

ingredients as “natural”, “ood-based,” or “organic,” please do so

at: www.organicconsumers.org/nutricon/nutripetition.cm

Stop The War: Please Call Your Congressional

Representatives Friday, March 9thrganic onsumers ssociation and

our lanting eace allies are calling

on ongress to ght global warming

not war. lease join our nationwide

phone campaign to get ongress

to reject ush’s request or an addi-

tional $93 billion in Iraq war und-

ing. rom arch 5th through the

13th, a coalition o organizations and

networks are mobilizing their mem-

bers to contact ongress.

Te Planting Peace coalition has

designated Friday, March 9th, 2007,

as a day or organic consumers across the country to tell our

representatives to cut o unds or the war and instead to use

our tax money to stop global warming and green the economy

OCA’s direct toll-ree line to Congress is 888-851-1879. When

you call your Senate and Congressional oces, tell them tha

you’re an Organic Consumer who’s not buying this war!

For more talking points, visit:


How to Avoid BPA

• Metal canned beverages ap-

pear to contain less BPA res-

idues, while metal canned

pasta and soups contain the

highest levels.

• Canned foods in glass contain-

ers are not a BPA risk.

• Plastics with the recycling la-

bels #1, #2 and #4 on the bot-

tom are safer choices and do

not contain BPA.

• One-third of liquid baby for-

mulas have high levels of BPA.

Powdered formula packaging

is generally considered safer.

• Avoid heating foods in plastic

containers and do not wash

plastic containers in a dish-

washer.

• When possible, opt for glass,

porcelain and stainless steel

containers, particularly for

hot food or liquids.

• Do not let plastic wrap touch

your food in the microwave,

or better yet, avoid micro-

wave ovens altogether.

Food and Consumer News Tidbits with an Edge… From the Organic Consumers AssociationPlease forward this publication to family and friends, websites, print it, & post it. Knowledge is power!

March 8, 2007 · Issue 104www.organicconsumers.org

ORGANIC BYTES

8/8/2019 Issue 104 Organic Consumers Association

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/issue-104-organic-consumers-association 2/2

Written and edited by Craig Minowa & Ronnie Cummins

Bees Mysteriously DisappearingAcross the United States

eekeepers in 24 states are reporting

record losses o honeybees. Te exact

cause o this problem has not yet been

determined, but bee colonies across the

US are disappearing, with some states

reporting a 70% drop in bee popula-tions. “I have never seen anything like

it,” said aliornia beekeeper avid

radshaw. “ox aer box aer box are

just empty. Tere’s nobody home.”

ornell niversity study has estimated

that honeybees annually pollinate more than $14 billion worth

o seeds and crops in the nited tates, mostly ruits, vegetables

and nuts. “very third bite we consume in our diet is dependent

on a honeybee to pollinate that ood,” said Zac rowning, vice

president o the merican eekeeping ederation. Te rganic

onsumers ssociation is closely monitoring the situation with

eorts to determine i the problem o disappearing bees is relatedto genetically engineered pollen or pesticide toxicity.


Fair Trade Chocolate Essay and Art Contest

Te International Labor Rights und is conducting a contest

to help raise awareness about the chocolate industry’s contin-

ued use o child labor in rica. ompanies including estle,

ersheys, Godiva, World’s inest hocolate, adbury and M&M/

ars have reused to discontinue their purchasing o cocoa rom

plantations where children are orced to work long hours under

grueling and hazardous conditions. Te contest, which includes

classroom curriculum, is designed or students ranging in agerom third grade through high school.


Have You Suffered a NegativeReaction from Splenda?Report it Here!

In recent years, the controversial arti-

cial sweetener plenda, has swept over the

ood, beverage and pharmaceutical indus-

try. urrently ound in over 4500 prod-

ucts, plenda’s marketing slogan, “ade

rom sugar so it tastes like sugar,” con-

uses consumers into believing that plenda is a sae and healthy

alternative to sugar, despite negative health eects detected in

numerous human and animal trials. nortunately, the FDA and

Johnson & Johnson reuse to acknowledge that these products

are likely hazardous. itizens or ealth is currently collecting

reports o negative eects rom plenda to present to the FDA.

I you’ve had any bad experiences with plenda, please contact

rank erd at itizens or ealth with your story.

fce: 612-879-7583 email: [email protected]

Some of the 100 Things YouCan Do to Prepare for Peak Oil

#6 Pay your mortgage ahead

whenever possible. I economic

times get hard, and you are unable

to pay, the bank will oreclose rst

on people who own only a little o

their home equity.#7 Make sure you have a reliable

source o water, which is not

dependent on electricity, whether

rain barrels, a cistern, hand pumps

on your well, or a community

source, such as a public pump.

#11. Purchase LED, solar or hand cranked ashlights.

Get a solar battery charger and rechargeable batteries

or your ashlight and a solar charger or your cell

phone.

#13 ake an introduction to permaculture class, or read

up on permaculture.#37 I you are troubled by towels and jeans that don’t dry

as sof on the line as in the dryer you can add vinegar to

the rinse to sofen them, or use less detergent.

Learn more tips or sustainable living here:


Please Donate to the OCA

s a nonprot, we need your donations so we can continue to

move orward. You can donate online at:

www.organicconsumers.org/donations.htm

r mail your tax deductible donation to the OCA:

rganic onsumers ssociation6771 outh ilver ill rive · inland, MN 55603

r by phone: 888-403-1007 (toll ree).

Organic Bytes is a publication o the

rganic onsumers ssociation · 6771

ilver ill rive · inland, MN 55603

hone: 218·353·7454 · ax: 218·353·7652

ote to co-op and natural ood store sub

scribers: Organic Bytes is a great tool or

keeping your sta and customers up to

date on the latest issues. eel ree to print

Organic Bytes or posting on bulletin

boards and sta break tables. You are welcome to use this mate

rial or your newsletters.

ubscribe to Organic Bytes:

www.organicconsumers.org/organicbytes.htm

or many more ood issue daily headlines:

www.organicconsumers.org/log.html

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Organic Bytes #104 · March 8, 2007 · page 2

Issue 104 Organic Consumers Association

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