To learn more • The Golden Empire Health Planning Center has published "Making the Switch: Alternatives to Using Toxic Chemicals in the Home." It can be ordered for $5 from the Local Government Commission in California by calling (916) 448-1198. • Greenpeace Action has a booklet on household hazards entitled "Stepping Lightly on the Earth: Everyone's Guide to Toxics in the Home." Call (202) 462-1177 for more information. • The American Lung Association has information on indoor air pollution and makes referrals for testing. Check your telephone book for the chapter in your state or community. • The Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control have produced a "Citizens' Guide to Radon," available through regional EPA offices (listed in your telephone Obook under U.S. Government). pesticides in their system as quickly as adults. Asbestos Asbestos is a name for a group of mineral fibers found in nature. Asbestos was commonly used for fireproofing, insulation and soundproofing in schools (as well as other buildings) between the 1930s and 1970s. We now know that breathing certain kinds of asbestos fibers can increase the chance of developing chronic diseases, including cancer. A 1986 federal law requires schools to develop and implement plans to "manage” asbestos. While it is usually not a good idea to actually remove asbestos, there are ways of containing it so that children are not exposed. Many schools have yet to meet the law's requirements. Personal steps you can take today • Obtain a list of hazardous art supplies from one of the groups listed below and remove dangerous supplies from your home. Share the list with friends, neighbors, teachers and schools. • Suggest to your school's principal that she/he meet with the PTA and other parent groups about the steps being taken to make the school healthy and safe for children. Steps you can take with others Organize a letter writing campaign to federal and state health officials in support of the establishment of a government registry to verify which school products and art supplies are genuinely non-toxic. • Work with your PTA, civic group or religious congregation to make sure your local Board of Education is aware of the hazards that may be present in schools and help to develop a plan for removing them. For example: 1) Encourage your Board of Education to adopt a plan to control insect and other pest problems without pesticides. A model school district policy regarding pesticide use, which has been adopted by a number of school districts, is available from Citizens for a Better Environment ((415) 788-0690). At the least, insist that plans for pesticide use be posted in advance and that use be restricted to periods when school is not in session. 2) Check whether your community schools have been tested for radon and lead in drinking fountains, and if action has been taken to protect children from exposure to these hazards. 3) Encourage your Board of Education to purchase art supplies that are proven to be safe for children. To learn more Information on hazardous art supplies is available from: • U.S. Public Interest Research Group (202) 546-9707. • Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), which has published a booklet for $3.95. Call (212) 949-0049. • Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences Institute (EOHSI) has prepared a fact sheet, available in single copies for free. Write for a list of their publications at Resource Center of EOHSI, Division of Consumer Education, UMDNJ-RWJMS, Brookwood II, 45 Knightsbridge Rd., Piscataway, NJ, 08854. • Center for Safety in the Arts has a number of materials including a list of materials approved for use by children under 12 which was prepared by the California Department of Health Services. (While still useful, the list has not been updated since 1987.) (212) 227-6220. Children spend a large amount of time outdoors running, jumping and playing. They should be encouraged to play outdoors for exercise and fresh air, but there are precautions that we should take to avoid exposing children to hazards outdoors. It is also critically important that we take steps to prevent further pollution of the outdoors. Air pollution There are a number of kinds of air pollution that can be harmful to children. One important source is ground level ozone which can be hazardous to children when they run and play outdoors. Ozone is a colorless gas that is harmful when near ground level. In areas like Los Angeles, Denver and cities throughout the country with air pollution problems, ozone can be harmful to hildren when they breathe deeply during exercise. The ozone level is highest in summer, late sunny afternoons and near busy roads. In 1988 alone, ozone levels in Los Angeles exceeded California's standards for safety a total of 178 days. Studies show that air pollution can cause serious short-term respiratory problems in children (such as coughing and shortness of breath) as well as long-term respiratory conditions. Harmful sun exposure Because of depletion of a protective layer of gases in the stratosphere, humans - and children in particular are increasingly susceptible to the harmful effects of the sun, including sunburns and eye damage. The sun is most harmful in the summer between 10 am and 2 pm, and not just on sunny days. Children are at special risk because they spend so much time outdoors and because they have a lifetime ahead of them to develop serious problems. Studies show that even one serious sunburn can increase susceptibility to skin cancer. Dangerous play areas Children are naturally curious and often play in places which may be dangerous to them, such as construction sites or abandoned factories that may contain toxic chemicals. Parents at Love Canal first learned of their toxins problem when their children came home covered with hazardous waste after playing in a nearby field. Personal steps you can take today • Whenever possible, take public transportation, carpool, ride a bike or walk to reduce air pollution from cars. • Whatever a child's skin tone, sunscreen should be worn when playing outdoors for long periods of time to prevent sunburn. • Scout out your neighborhood for potentially hazardous play areas and educate your children about the safe and unsafe places to play. Abandoned buildings and factories that are accessible to children and/or appear to contain toxic materials should be reported to your state health department (found in the telephone book under "State Government"). • Write to car manufacturers requesting that they make cars that get better mileage and contribute less air pollution. Steps you can take with others • Work with your school district and day-care programs to develop policies that restrict outdoor activities when health advisories or smog alerts have been issued or on summer afternoons, especially near busy streets. • Organize a letter writing campaign to the President and members of Congress in support of stronger clean air laws and strict enforcement of current standards. • Urge your local government to come up with a plan to promote public transportation, carpooling, biking and walking. • Organize with others to identify local sources of air pollution (such as a factory) and work to control them. To learn more • Information about how to conserve energy is available from the National Appropriate Technology Assistance Service (NATAS) funded by the U.S. Department of Energy. Their toll free number is 1-800-428-2525. (In Montana, call 1800-428-1718.) • For more ideas about how to prevent ozone depletion, contact the Environmental Defense Fund at (212) 505-2100. Board of Directors Angela Glover Blackwell F. Warren Hellman Allan K. Jonas Hon. Cruz Reynoso Jaunes Steyer Urban Strategies Council Hellman & Friedman Jonas & Associates Beatrice/Hunt-Wesson Inc. Riordan & McKinzie Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. What is Children Now? Children Now is a California-based children's advocacy organization. Children Now acts as a strong and consistent voice for all children, but places particular emphasis on children and families who are poor or at risk. The organization's goal is to educate the public about the needs of children and to generate increased resources for effective programs that serve them. Through a combination of policy development, media/communications strategies and community outreach efforts, Children Now has pioneered a variety of programs designed to make children's issues a top state and national priority. All of Children's Now's efforts promote an integrated and preventive approach to investing in children, and are designed to build partnerships among policymakers, the private sector, service providers, parents and concerned volunteers. Children Now produces innovative print and video materials that help focus attention on children and on ways to help them. In addition, Children Now issues an annual California state legislative agenda for children, serves as a media resource clearinghouse on children and family issues, and spearheads outreach efforts to alert low-income families to services and programs that exist to help them and their children. Children Now was founded in 1988. The organization's accomplishments include The 1989 Report Card on How California Treats its Children, an increase in California state funds allocated towards preventive health screenings for lowincome children, and the first ever statewide public opinion poll of California voters' attitudes towards children. Children Now has also sparked a variety of media reports about children and family issues, and works closely with service providers and advocates to increase resources for children and families. Children Now has offices in Los Angeles, Oakland and Sacramento, California. Supporters include Apple Inc, Arco, AT & T, Gerbode, Hewlett, Irvine, Rockefeller, Rosenberg, San Francisco and Stuart Foundations. |