Children

Children are not simply small versions of adults-they can be affected more easily, and more seriously, by pesticides and other contaminants.

In recent years there has been increasing concern about the health effects of exposure to pesticides, especially in children. This is partly due to the mounting toxicological evidence that children's exposures can be more hazardous than adult exposures, and because of the number of health effects in children that can be attributed to pesticide exposure.

The issue, already ensconced in American law, has not even begun to register on the Canadian policy agenda.

by Peter D. Carter, MD

Although the last throne speech promised action for Canada's children and action for Canada's environment, our government just can't seem to put the two together.

Recently, studies have linked pesticide exposure to leukemia and immune disorders in children as well as liver and kidney damage, reproductive problems and some types of cancer.

Compiled by Delores Broten

When her neighbours sprayed their lawn for dandelions, my sister had to move out of her own home for two days because the spray made her sick. No medical evidence can be cited to back up the experience of thousands of people like her, but now cities and towns in Canada are getting down to the grassroots and dealing with the problem. They are motivated by citizens' concerns about the health of children, pets and the environment.

by Francesca Lyman
Published in The Green Guide (NewYork, March 2005) www.thegreenguide.com

You are what you eat, so they say. According to a number of new studies, however, you are also what you breathe — and even what your mother breathed. Recent research shows that air pollution of various

Students and parents don’t have the right-to-know, right-to-participate,  and right-to-refuse exposure to harmful substances, so the Labour Environmental Alliance (LEAS) is promoting a Students’ Environmental Bill of Rights which will allow them to do so.

When it comes to our children, it is better to be safe than sorry. We can all take action to protect children from being exposed to harmful pollutants. We can do this by “childproofing” our homes, schools and communities for environmental health. Action is needed before children are conceived, as they grow and during all life stages until they become adults. 

Human activities have created dramatic changes in our environment. Our children grow up in a world

Building nuclear plants is a waste of time, money, and fossil fuels. It is not sustainable. Here’s why.

by Jim Harding 

I have been closely watching the controversy over the Energy Alberta-AECL (Atomic Energy of Canada Limited) proposal to build nuclear plants in the Peace River area to power the tar sands extraction. While some local politicians may think this presents great economic opportunities, I think the “golden egg” will again prove to be a myth. Without huge subsidies, nuclear power might not even survive in today’s energy market. It’s no coincidence that private investors avoid nuclear, and that the government must