Did you know, that every day, you rely on household products that can contain thousands of untested and unregulated chemicals? How worried should we be about this reality?

This question was recently raised by Jerome Groopman for an article in the New Yorker entitled "The Plastic...

On May 11th, First lady Michelle Obama released a panel report outlining 70 recommendations to fight childhood obesity -- the latest in her commendable crusade against an epidemic afflicting one in five children. The goal, as set out in the report from the White House Task Force on...

Generally, I'm a strong advocate for prevention. But what happens when your method of prevention creates its own set of risks? This is increasingly the case with flame retardants -- chemicals put into everything from couch cushions to televisions. We're exposed to them everyday and they're building up in our...

"Prenatal Exposure to Flame Retardant Compounds Affects Neurodevelopment of Young Children"

"Children more likely to have attention, behavioral problems when exposed to phthalates in womb, New York study says"

"ADHD and lead: Poisoning the mind"

Three new studies from...

As initially posted on Healthy Child Healthy World.

With parenthood comes a most spectacular wake-up call. Are YOU awake?

For almost 20 years, the nonprofit

As initially posted on Healthy Child Healthy World.

In 1976, the first commercial supercomputer was made and Apple was formed by Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak. The mobile phone patent was granted and NASA unveiled the first space shuttle. It was the beginning of the technological revolution, but...

As initially posted on Healthy Child Healthy World.

At the end of this week, all eyes will be on Copenhagen when President Obama finally arrives for the end of the beleaguered and tenuous Climate Change Summit. But one very promising and exciting accord...

Like the out of control cell growth at the root of the disease, cancer itself has become rampant in our population. And, while new treatments are curtailing mortality rates (which are still at an abominable 1,500+ people daily), an increasing number of people are still being diagnosed. Without knowing statistics,...

As initially posted on Healthy Child Healthy World.

A new report from the Danish Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), highlights the critical risks facing toddlers from gender bending chemicals in everyday products. Chemicals like phthalates (found in PVC and fragrances), parabens (found...

It's a special moment when an advocate bears witness to a tidal shift in attitude and action around a cause. As the CEO and Executive Director of Healthy Child Healthy World, the national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting young children from harmful exposure to toxic chemicals, I experienced just...

This post was first published on Healthy Child Healthy World.

Anyone who's lived in or visited arid regions is probably familiar with dust storms. When the air is filled with tiny particles of sand that bite your skin, sting your eyes and irritate your lungs. Over time, breathing...

(Cross-posted from Healthy Child Healthy World)

I can't say I recall a time when environmental and public health advocates and the chemical industry have ever agreed, but on Tuesday they both came forward urging Congress to overhaul our outdated chemical regulatory system. I'm still skeptical about the chemical industry's...

This post was first published on Healthy Child Healthy World.

Last week, The White House harvested its first crop yield from the organic garden First Lady Michelle Obama established on the South Lawn not long after moving to Washington. Surrounded by participating elementary school children, Obama spoke about...

Bisphenol-A (BPA), the endocrine disrupting chemical found in baby bottles and canned food, has been getting a lot of bad press over the past year. It's really no surprise given the growing list of studies linking it to health impacts ranging from cognitive problems and early puberty to increased fat...

I don't remember exactly how old I was, but I remember the day many years ago when I was cleaning the shower in my childhood home (as a teen the bathroom duties were my assignment) and wondered what exactly I was cleaning with. I knew the colors and shapes of...

(On behalf of Dr. Phil Landrigan)

Dear Mr. President,

Please accept my sincere congratulations on your inauguration as President of the United States. National leadership in Washington that is forward thinking and infused with optimism restores my own enthusiasm for discovery and dedication to progress. I join you in...

This post was first published on Healthy Child Healthy World.

Recent headlines from China are revealing a growing public health crisis: birth defects are up 40% since 2001, to 145 per 10,000. A child is born every 30 seconds with a birth defect.

It sounds like...

Consumer confidence in the US Food and Drug Administration is in a fast decline due to many questionable decisions lately including their responses to BPA, melamine in infant formula, and their recent step backwards on protecting women and children from methylmercury in fish by promoting increased consumption. Here's one more...

Do you ever read nutrition labels on food? What if the labels on every product told us much more? What if all the ingredients were listed with place of origin, carbon footprint, and potential health impacts? What if the manufacturing facility was listed with labor info and pollution stats? What...

Tainted Food from Afar: Another Reason to Eat Local

Over the past couple of months, melamine has been heavy in the headlines. In case you haven't read the news, dairy products manufactured in China were intentionally contaminated with the chemical in order to boost the apparent level of protein. Sadly,...