Planned Parenthood Advocate

Healthy Legacy Day at the Capitol

Do you want toxic chemicals out of children’s products and our environment? Help us protect the health of children and the environment by joining Planned Parenthood and Healthy Legacy on Valentine’s Day at the Minnesota Capitol. We will be delivering valentines to state lawmakers and talking to them about how they can protect what is precious by supporting state policy that identifies and removes toxic chemicals from children’s bubble bath, toys, and other products.

Date: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 Time: 9:30 AM (optional training) 10:00-11:00 AM (deliver valentines) Location: Room 300 South, State Office Building Minnesota State Capitol, St. Paul

Let us know if you will be attending. Click here to RSVP.

BPA: I’m all up in your food, messing up your reproductive health!

If you’re a new parent or you pay attention to environmental issues, you’ve probably heard a lot about the chemical Bishphenol A.  Bisphenol A is a chemical that has been linked to health issues such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, reproductive disorders, menstrual cycle irregularities, miscarriages, and obesity and it’s found commonly in hard plastic water bottles, baby bottles, tin can linings and a variety of other products.

Non-stick pans and your reproductive health

The implications of environmental toxins on human health continue to be uncovered. As protectors of reproductive health, Planned Parenthood supports legislation aimed at protecting health from environmental toxins. In 2009, Planned Parenthood worked to pass legislation banning the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in babies bottles.

 

BPA is an endocrine disruptor that was shown to hinder fetal and child development and caused reproduction challenges later in life. Another environmental toxin, perfluroinated chemicals (PFCs) - used to create heat-resistant, non-stick coatings for cookware - has recently been in the news. A new, comprehensive study showed that high levels of PFCs in the blood were linked to significantly higher rates of early menopause and lower levels of natural hormones. According to the CDC, the majority of Americans have measurable levels of PFCs in their systems.

Limiting your exposure to environmental toxins poses some challenges but Planned Parenthood's Green Choices campaign works to help women and families educate themselves about environmental toxins. Another way to support better consumer information about environmental toxins is to voice your support for the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act. This bill will help protect us from environmental toxins by removing the "grandfather" loophole that has allowed 62,000 older synthetic chemicals to remain untested but stay on the market, ensure that chemical companies prove that chemicals are safe before they are used in consumer goods or released into the environment and promote open information about chemicals.

We all deserve a safe and clean environment and the Toxic Chemicals Safety Act will help all consumers protect themselves and their families from environmental toxins.

 

--by Rachel Nygaard, Web Correspondent, Planned Parenthood Advocate

Environmental Toxins and Reproductive Health: What's the Connection?

When most people think and hear Planned Parenthood they think about universal, everyday health care concerns like family planning, birth control, annual exams, sexually transmitted infections and abortion.  Rightfully so.  Almost 9 out of 10 Americans recognize Planned Parenthood as a provider of essential reproductive health care that allows men and women to stay healthy and plan healthy pregnancies.  Our mission to affirm the human right to reproductive health and freedom gives us a significant stake in ensuring that women are able to get pregnant and sustain a healthy pregnancy when they desire to do so.  Shockingly, in the United States - the Palin family notwithstanding - it is becoming more and more difficult to get pregnant.  Moreover, miscarriages, preterm births, reproductive cancers and birth defects are all up. In addition, the average sperm count appears to be steadily declining.

So what's happening?

No doubt many factors contribute to these disheartening numbers but an emerging body of science has found that many of the leading reproductive disorders facing men and women today may be caused by exposure to toxic chemicals in everyday products.  Many of the chemicals we’re exposed to every day from consumer products are hormone disrupters, which means they disrupt the exquisitely sensitive hormonal signals within the human body that are essential to normal development. Emerging science links low dose prenatal exposure to hormone disrupting chemicals to an array of health problems that appear later in life, from learning and developmental problems, to reproductive problems, to cancer.  Some examples of hormone disrupting chemicals are:

-Phthalates found in plastics and fragrances

-Bisphenol A found in plastics and can linings

-Brominated flame retardants found in textiles and electronics

-Perflourinated chemicals found in stain resistant and cookware coatings

As a leader provider of women’s health care, Planned Parenthood is deeply concerned about these toxins and is working in coalition with Healthy Legacy to educate Minnesotans about the harmful effects of these chemicals and to remove them from the products we use.

Great Opportunities to learn more!

Be sure to check out our GREAT video that further explains Planned Parenthood’s involvement in the environmental health issue and some of the ways our reproductive health is affected by the chemicals we encounter in our every day lives.

Planned Parenthood, together with Healthy Legacy, the Minnesota Public Health Association and the Center for Leadership Education in Maternal and Child Public Health (University of Minnnesota) are hosting a free public health forum:

Chemicals and Reproductive Health: It's getting Personal!

Saturday, October 2, 2010

9:30 Registration, 10:00 - 11:30 Forum

Click here for more information. We hope you can join us!

 

Happy Earth Day! Check out our new video!

 

 

 

 

by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

Over the past couple of years, Planned Parenthood has become increasingly involved in the issue of environmental toxins and how they affect our reproductive health. Scientists are continually finding that many of the chemicals contained in products we use daily are having a negative effect on our health—particularly our reproductive health. As protectors of reproductive health, we are committed to addressing this looming environmental issue.

To that end, we’ve created a video that explains why environmental health is an issue that pro-choicers should care about. This Earth Day please take a moment to watch this video and then share it with your friends and family, as well as with your networks on facebook and twitter. For more information visit greenischoice.org

 

If you are interested in learning more, please come to our at Earth Day Education event at our Uptown office TONIGHT. We are also thrilled to have presenter, Dr. David Wallinga, Director of Food and Health program from the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, join us for a great discussion on this issue. Our Teen Council will also instruct participants on making their own environmentally-friendly cosmetics and cleaning supplies. The event is tonight from 6-8pm at our office in Minneapolis located at 1200 Lagoon Avenue. For more information or to RSVP please email volunteers@ppmns.org.