I am gradually meeting more and more people in person who tell me they suffer reactions from certain synthetic products. I know of someone who only reacts to candles, even unlit candles, and it's enough to give her a migraine and agitation. A stranger told me she can't smell perfume without getting queasy, and she told me this without knowing I have sensitives too. Another man chose me to complain to about cigarette smoke making him feel awful. Someone else even showed me their rash and told me it started after using a cheap heavily scented laundry detergent. I'm happy to be meeting these people, because what it is telling me is that people who don't have MCS are experiencing reactions to many common synthetic products on the market - and they're complaining about it! They're fully aware of which products hurt them.
We are in need of a major cultural change. More and more consumers are choosing non-toxic products for several reasons: their own health, the health of the workers who made the products, fair trade/ ethics, avoiding worsening global warming, or even out of distrust for questionable ingredients in products. Non-toxic products are boasting that they're safer, more sustainable, create less waste, do not pollute our air, and they're more sturdy (better value)... all for only a slightly higher price tag. I see the tide turning, and there are more and more brands producing non-toxic options. The majority of consumers, however, are not conscientious shoppers. Most people are still going to buy cheap plastic disposables made in a sweat shop with child labor, not because they don't care, but because it's normal and most affordable.
Here is where I struggle. As a sales person who is very passionate about and deeply believes in everyone switching to non-toxic products, I have no problem educating customers to convince them to spend the extra money on something safer and more sustainable. I get very irritated when customers are educated and STILL choose to buy the toxic option - what will it take to convince them that they're not just hurting themselves with that choice, but they're hurting the people around them? When I'm not at work, I can quickly and easily become the annoying idealist who comes across as being very judgmental about other people's choices. I struggle with this, because I see it as a moral dilemma. I feel morally obligated to warn people against using toxic products, because I know from personal experience and from reading the scientific studies that and from meeting MANY other people who have been hurt those products hurt people. I fear for the health of my fellow human beings - am I wrong to try and protect others? Well, I can't control other people's choices, and I don't want to. I believe in free choice. I don't blame the consumers. I blame the terrible health regulations in this country and many other countries around the world.
The problem is that companies are allowed to use untested unregulated synthetic (not found in nature) chemicals in their products and then sell them to people who trust that these companies aren't allowed to produce products that hurt people. How do you convince consumers that these products aren't actually safe? They have to want to be convinced - they have to be open to making a change in their own life. Most people don't have the time or energy to research and learn about consumer product safety, if they even know it's an issue. Many consumers who have heard warnings against certain products might fall prey to marketing schemes that make them think they're making a safer, healthier purchase (when in reality that product is not safe.) This is a major issue with BPA-free plastic water bottles. The "BPA-free" sticker makes it sound like it's safe, but the problem is that the BPA alternative in plastic hasn't been proven safe. In fact, there's been studies to show that the alternative is just as endocrine disruptive as the BPA! No, consumers are not to blame.
One comment I see very often on Facebook is, "Vote with your dollars!" This means that consumers demonstrate what kind of culture, environment, and standards we want in our country based on what we choose to buy. There's plenty of truth in this statement. This sentiment is why there are more and more companies choosing to produce organic food products. For instance, Hormel saw the success of Applegate (natural and organic packaged meat brand) and choose to buy them. Hormel is seeing that a very large portion of consumers prefer organic and natural products, so they wanted in on the market.
I don't believe that the "Vote with your dollars!" plan is enough. It's tackling the issue from only one side, and the other side of the issue is a bigger problem. The other side of the issue is the total lack of safety regulations and standards for consumer products. Until that changes, too many consumers will keep buying the cheap, toxic products (knowing or unknowingly) - and these people are voting with their dollars too. As it is, more people are voting with their dollars that toxic products are acceptable. We need to fight for better safety regulations, demand third party testing on synthetic chemicals, and demand that companies stop using overseas child labor. We do this by voting, writing our senators and congressmen, and funding more research projects.
The Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a great example of something that needs to be voted on. It's being discussed and voted on in many countries, but have you noticed that the media here in the USA is refusing to talk about it? The idea is that is allows faster, more direct trade between countries in order to boost the economy and create better trade relations with these other countries. The problems? It means LESS product safety regulation and fewer products being made in the USA (meaning less jobs too). In a time when China has been caught bleaching garlic that goes for sale in the USA, making fake rice from plastic and mixing it with real rice that gets sold in the USA, processing meat with carbon dioxide so it looks fresh when it's already rotten, and more... why in the world would anyone trust China to ship us more products through the TPP that are SAFE? If anything, it will allow them to get away with even more safety risks since there would be LESS oversight! To my knowledge, Mike Huckabee was the only presidential candidate that actively protested the TPP. He is no longer in the race. Hillary Clinton, on the other hand, is a major supporter of the TPP. This is NOT a democrat/ republican issue - this is a moral human issue.
I believe in Capitalism. I believe in the right to make any business you want that's legal. I believe in the right of consumers to have free choice on what products and services they buy. I used to believe that less government involvement allowed for a better Capitalistic system. Then I started to learn that people cannot be trusted to make decisions that do not hurt people. I learned that businesses would choose to use toxic products just to make a dollar. I learned that businesses would move overseas, avoiding hiring USA citizens, just to improve income. I learned that businesses don't mind being ethically and morally ambiguous by using child labor in sweat camps and paying them next to nothing. If business leaders could be trusted to have the health, safety, and welfare of humanity at heart, I would still prefer a smaller government with less regulations. But I lost my trust. The only way I can see to hold businesses accountable is through government regulations. ...But what happens when our government can't be trusted to regulate? That's our current problem. The last amendment to the chemical safety law in this country actually made the law worse - we now have FEWER protections. The government is no different from the business. Our leaders are supporting immoral, unethical, poor trade agreements with businesses so they make maximum profits. Let me be clear: I am NOT against corporations. They're not evil, in fact, I think they're a fantastic way to build a business economy. I support many corporations with my dollars, because I like their mission, values, and how they conduct business. This is a matter of trust.
(This is not an endorsement of Bernie Sanders either - yes, he's the only candidate talking about these issues, which I really truly appreciate and respect, but I don't believe in his solutions. I fully understand if you vote for him based on his environmental values.)
If I had the energy, I would love to get into much more detail and give specifics. My energy is running low very quickly.
My dream is for the USA to be thriving on a safe, sustainable, non-toxic, democratic, capitalistic economy. I would love to see the elimination of child labor, sweat camps, meat factories, poor subsidized farming techniques that rely on GMOs and synthetic toxic chemicals, etc. I'm dreaming WAY too big, I know. My idealism is too grand. But as someone with "21st Century Syndrome" who is "allergic" to our modern lifestyle... I think I have very legit reasons to be this idealistic and to dream. I can't participate in this culture without getting sick.
I'd like to acknowledge a business who is actually concerned with product safety and sustainability: Lego! Yes, the plastic toy company! I'm a huge fan of Legos, and it broke my heart when I realized they're made from toxic non-biodegradable petroleum plastic. Apparently, it's bothering them too. They've vowed to switch to a new kind of non-toxic sustainable plastic! Thanks Lego! Continue to be a great example for other businesses and for consumers!
If you would like to do further research on the issue of the toxic consumer products, I encourage you to check out:
- Stink! Documentary
- The Human Experiment
- Toxic Hot Seat
- The Sensitives
- Tox-Sick by Suzanne Somers
- 12,000 Canaries Can't be Wrong by Dr. John Molot
Next time you go shopping, keep in mind that plastic is endocrine-disruptive (estrogen mimicking, insulin producing, and other hormone suppressing), is linked to obesity and diabetes, is not biodegradable, and has much safer alternatives. Consider buying the glass water bottle instead, and pass on the meat wrapped in plastic in favor of paper-wrapped meat from you butcher. Your water and meat will also taste so much better if you do this!
http://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2702426/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3279464/
http://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/health/chemicals-plastic-linked-health-problems-study-article-1.2285790
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