Chicago Bans BPA in Kids Products

Photo courtesy of EnviroBlog

Chicago has made a stand for children (and green parents). Today, March 13th, Chicago became the first American city to ban BPA from products geared toward children 3 and under. The City of Chicago’s action follows similar leadership by the state of Minnesota, and the county of Suffolk in New York.

Canada banned BPA from use in baby bottles and “will take action to limit the amount of bisphenol A that is being released into the environment” in 2008. Japan started a program of voluntary compliance in 1998 that drastically curbed BPA exposure for all ages by changing the lining in canned foods and using alternatives other than polycarbonate tableware in schools, but they have not passed a full-out ban. The EU has considered bans on BPA, but currently has not passed a ban and has taken a similar stance on the issue to that of the FDA.

In the US, the FDA maintains that BPA is safe, including for young children: “Based on our ongoing review, we believe there is a large body of evidence that indicates that FDA-regulated products containing BPA currently on the market are safe and that exposure levels to BPA from food contact materials, including for infants and children, are below those that may cause health effects.   However, we will continue to consider new research and information as they become available.” 

Another US government agency, the National Toxicology Institute, however sparked much of the BPA concern after they published a report stating: “In the case of BPA, the NTP and our expert panel expressed ‘some concern’ for potential exposures to the fetus, infants and children. There are insufficient data from studies in humans to reach a conclusion on reproductive or developmental hazards presented by current exposures to bisphenol A, but there is limited evidence of developmental changes occurring in some animal studies at doses that are experienced by humans. It is uncertain if similar changes would occur in humans, but the possibility of adverse health effects cannot be dismissed. 

Chicago’s ban is a voluntary one.  Retailers will have to police themselves. Violators could lose their business license and be fined up to $500.

“The Chicago City Council is not going to wait and it is sending a strong message, not only to the FDA, but to other jurisdictions, other communities, saying it is time to move forward, it is time to protect our children,” says Alderman Manny Flores who sponsored the bill (from Chi-Town Daily News article).

Special Thanks to Green Mama for writing this great article.

Daley named 5th Greenest Mayor in US

photo from www.drugabuse.gov

Richard Daley, Chicago

Since announcing his intention to make Chicago the country’s greenest metropolis, Daley has made great strides. Green roofs cover or are planned for 3 million square feet, topping everything from City Hall to a McDonald’s. Redevelopment and landscaping have revitalized gathering places across the city, from prominent landmarks like Grant Park to neighborhood playgrounds. And the Windy City is committed to increasing its use of renewable energy (though a recent revelation showed things lagging in that area). Chicago is even bidding to host the 2016 Olympics—a bid that hinges on the event being the greenest Olympics in history.

See what other mayor made the list here.

Chicago Green Festival 2009

Looking for something new to do that’s fun, educational and won’t burn a hole in your pocket? Look no further. Chicago Green Festival is your ticket to good, green fun for the entire family…all weekend long. And youths 18 and younger get in FREE at the Chicago Green Festival.

Your all-inclusive 2-day pass includes access to the following:

• Inspiring presentations featuring renowned authors, educators and leaders
• Great tips for home improvements and greening on a budget at the Green Home Pavilion
• More than 300 exhibits offering the best green products and services available today
• This year, the Community Action Area includes 3 great networking opportunities: green career presentations for individuals interested in=2 0the diversity of this growing field, local action presentations offering tips for participation, andlocal nonprofits providing information about what they are doing to make the world a better place.
• Great activities for children and young adults: check out the Organic Valley Kids’ Zone and theYouth Unity Pavilion.
• Tasty, sustainable delights at the Fair Trade Café, the Organic Beer & Wine Garden (21 & older) and the Natural Food Dining Area
• Some of the best local talent around on theMusic Stage
• So much more — rain or shine, a one-stop opportunity for a fun-filled weekend!

Visionary Speakers include . . .
Mayor Richard M. Daley (invited), Ron Reagan, Amy Goodman, John Perkins, Alice Waters, Jim Hightower, Damali Ayo, William Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn, Mike Farrell, Medea Benjamin, Stuart Pimm, Naomi Davis, Greg Palast, Paul Stamets, Zoe Weil, Jeffrey Smith, Alisa Gravitz, Kevin Danaher and many more

All at a nearly zero-waste event!

Your all-inclusive 2-day pass: $15

Only $10 (at the door) for seniors, public transit and bike riders, students

FREE – Children 18 and younger, volunteers, Green America and Global Exchange members

Donate 3 books to Better World Books and get in for FREE!

See you on May 16th and 17th at Navy Pier for Chicago Green Festival and be sure to stop by the GreenWerks booth!

GreenMaker is now Green Depot Chicago

This is an email we received from Joe and Ori at GreenMaker.

Dearest Greenmaker Customers:

As many of you already know, in November of 2008 we finalized an exciting merger with Green Depot a company based in Brooklyn, NY whose owners share our values and our mission. Greenmaker is now part of the nation’s largest chain of stores providing green living and building supplies through a network of 8 stores… and growing!

This merger represents amazing opportunities for you our customers. By harnessing the buying power of green consumers in multiple markets we can purchase more effectively, negotiate better terms and pass on savings to our growing customer base. Through a consolidation of our administrative functions we have centralized our administrative functions and again gained in efficiencies that will translate to better prices and better service for you our customers. For those of you that have shopped with us in recent months you may have already noticed improvements in our selection and pricing!

This week we officially switch our name to Green Depot. You will notice that attempting to log on to www.greenmakersupply.com forwards you immediately to Green Depot. This finishing touch on our merger will allow us to create a recognizable name that spans the nation. We wear our new name with pride as it represents our growing family of colleagues and friends and the only company of its kind in the world!

In the coming months, we hope that you will get to know our new look and our new friends… We are convinced that you will quickly understand why we are so excited to have our new partners.

From the bottom of our hearts wanted to thank you for your continued support and we hope to see all of you return as happy customers of Green Depot.

Warmest Regards,

Ori Sivan and Joe Silver, Founders Greenmaker Supply Co.