Moms Clean Air Force ha creado un libro electrónico gratis llamado Factores desencadenantes del asma: una guía para padres, maestros, médicos y enfermeros. El asma es una epidemia nacional. Cerca de 26 millones de estadounidenses viven con asma, ¡incluyendo 7 millones de niños! Aunque podemos controlar algunos de los detonantes del asma en nuestros hogares, sólo podemos protegernos de los factores desencadenantes en la contaminación del aire al apoyar normas fuertes que limpien nuestro aire.

La Agencia de Protección del Medioambiente (Environmental Protection Agency) recientemente propuso una regulación muy importante con el apoyo de la industria automotriz: los estándares de nivel 3 o Tier 3 Standards. La norma limpiará nuestras emisiones de gasolina y tubos de escape.

El aire cerca de los caminos principales es una notoria y nociva mezcla de emisiones de diesel, óxido de nitrógeno, dióxido de sulfuro, partículas gruesas, partículas pequeñas (u hollín) y también el ozono (o esmog) que resulta de esas emisiones.

Estos contaminantes, solos y combinados, dañan los pulmones de nuestros niños: desencadenan ataques de asma. Impiden el desarrollo normal de los pulmones en los niños e incluso pueden ser la causa de que se desarrolle la enfermedad del asma en niños que no tienen asma.

Los estándares de nivel 3 o Tier 3 Standards reducirán los niveles de la peligrosa contaminación del tránsito por la nación.

Recuerda, compartimos el aire. Por eso Moms Clean Air Force se ha unido en la protección de fuertes estándares de protección del aire limpio, la promesa del acta de aire limpio o Clean Air Act que se convirtió en ley hace más de cuarenta años con las firmas de demócratas Y republicanos.

Esperamos que encuentres útil este libro electrónico o e-book y que lo uses con buena salud.

CLICK HERE for English version.

SUPPORT NEW FUEL & EMISSIONS STANDARDS

Moms Clean Air Force has created a free e-book called, ASTHMA TRIGGERS: A Guide for Parents, Teachers, Doctors and Nurses. Asthma is a national epidemic. Nearly 26 million Americans live with asthma — including 7 million children! While we can control some of the asthma triggers in our homes, we can only protect ourselves from air pollution triggers by supporting strong regulations to clean our air.

The Environmental Protection Agency has recently proposed a very important regulation, with the support of the automobile industry: the Tier 3 Standards. The rule will clean up our gasoline and tailpipe emissions.

The air near major roadways is a notoriously noxious mix of diesel exhaust, oxides of nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, coarse particles, smaller particles (or soot), as well as the ground level ozone (or smog) that results from these emissions. These pollutants, alone and in combination, damage our children’s lungs: they trigger asthma attacks, they impede normal lung development in children, and they may actually cause the underlying disease of asthma to develop in children without asthma.

The  Tier 3 Standards will reduce levels of dangerous traffic pollution across the nation.

Remember, we share the air. That’s why Moms Clean Air Force is uniting to protect strong clean air standards–the promise of the Clean Air Act signed into law more than forty years ago by Democrats AND Republicans.

We hope you will find this e-book helpful–and that you will use it in good health.

Learn more about asthma:

Q&A: What You Need to Know About Asthma
10 Tweetable Facts About Asthma
What Triggers Asthma

To our fellow clean air organizations: If you would like to send a printable version of AsthmaTriggers: A Guide For Parents, Teachers, Doctors And Nurses to your membership with your logo joining ours, please contact us at info@momscleanairforce.org

SHARE on Twitter:
Free E-Book! #Asthma Triggers: A Guide For Parents, Teachers, Doctors And Nurses 
>> Tweet This! <<
(http://clicktotweet.com/e9gE6)

CLICK HERE for Spanish version.

SUPPORT NEW FUEL & EMISSIONS STANDARDS

This was written for Moms Clean Air Force by Diane MacEachern, Founder & CEO of the Big Green Purse:

Summer brings many great experiences and memories for families—barbecues, swimming, hot nights and summer movies. It also brings a familiar and unpleasant sight for many communities—a smoggy skyline and poor air quality that can make it tough for kids to breathe.

Fortunately, you don’t need to be an expert on smog to be able to explain that one way to clear the air is by shifting to cleaner sources of energy like solar and wind. It’s even easier to explain that using energy more efficiently – using less energy to do the same job – is something that everyone can do at home. Plus, using energy more efficiently helps reduce the gases that cause climate change.

Did you know that:

• The average house is responsible for more than 20,000 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions per year, about twice as much as the average car.
• Electricity demand for U.S. homes is expected to climb by as much as 22 percent by 2035.
• The typical household spends more than $2,000 per year on energy bills.

Where to begin?

If your kids are anything like mine, once you explain the cause of something, they’ll want to know the solution. You’ve probably already talked to them about walking or biking rather than driving, turning off the lights, TV and the computer when not in use, and maybe washing full loads of dishes or clothes. But reminding kids to do those things can be a hassle – for you and for them.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) wants to make it more fun, by offering games, contests and educational resources through their kids engagement program, Team ENERGY STAR.

The program is particularly unique because it empowers kids to help protect the climate and our air through easy-to-implement, money-saving actions. It also provides them an outlet for sharing their passion for preserving our environment.

Kids who sign up for Team ENERGY STAR and share their story will be entered into a contest for best story; winners will receive ENERGY STAR certified LG electronics, including cell phones, TVs and MP3 docking stations. And, they’ll get their name and photo up in lights, being showcased on LG’s Times Square billboard in New York City.

What’s in it for you?

As fun as Team ENERGY STAR makes saving energy for kids, you’ll benefit, too.

• Using ENERGY STAR appliances can save you over one-third, or more than $760, on your household energy bills.
• If every American household took the actions found in the ENERGY STAR Pledge, we would save more than130 billion KWh/year of electricity and save $23 billion in annual energy costs. We would prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions from 21 million cars.

Download educational materials for your kids here. If they’re inspired to save energy, capture their story on camera or have them write it down and submit it through the website. If they win, it could have a lasting impact on their commitment to protecting the health of this planet into the future.

JOIN MOMS CLEAN AIR FORCE

There’s been a lot of buzz about a team of researchers from Duke University and UC Berkeley who found that 85% of couch cushions contain toxic or untested flame retardants.

The study was based upon 102 couch samples (including one from Moms Clean Air Force’s Public Health Policy and Outreach Manager, Molly Rauch), which were gathered from around the country and tested for the presence of flame retardant chemicals. An alarming 41% of the samples were found to contain chlorinated Tris, a carcinogenic flame retardant which was banned for use in baby pajamas in the 1970s.

When hearing about this study, I realized that my beloved couch in the center of my family room could be, and probably was, among the toxic many. My couch has spent countless hours with our family of five cuddled up watching movies, reading or just hanging out. And to think that all this time we were probably breathing in toxic chemicals released from our couch.

How could this happen?

Unfortunately, the current laws that are meant to protect us from harmful chemicals are weak, outdated and not doing their job. Our couches aren’t tested before hitting the market, and chemical manufacturers are able to keep secret most of the ingredients in their chemical formulations. These dangerous chemicals found on, and in our couches migrate into the air inside and outside our homes, exposing us to harmful carcinogens every day.

A little bit of good news:

This year California will take a big step to protect public health by updating its furniture flammability standard. According to Environmental Health News:

The proposed standard will improve fire safety by addressing the place where fires start (the outer fabric of furniture instead of the inner foam) and designing safety tests targeted for smoldering cigarettes, the leading cause of fire-related deaths in homes, rather than open flames.”

Also, the U.S. EPA recently announced that it would assess twenty chemicals under the Toxic Substances Control Act — the vast majority of the chemicals are flame retardants.

Become a couch detective!

As with any purchase, it’s important to be an informed consumer. Use your powerful voice and become a couch detective! Ask questions. Contact the retailer directly to verify that you’re receiving a product free from flame retardant chemicals. Not only will this ensure that your product is safe for you and your family, but it will also notify retailers that we, as consumers, care about our products and we won’t purchase products that are toxic. We have the power to make a difference.

Wondering where to buy a chemical free couch? I detected a few brands that have made a good faith effort to eliminate chlorinated Tris, but their efforts fall short by replacing a known toxin with alternatives that could be just as harmful.

Arhaus

I contacted Arhaus, a moderate to high-priced furniture retailer, and they confirmed that their upholstery does NOT contain chlorinated Tris—it was removed years ago. When asked what was being used in place of chlorinated Tris, the Arhaus design team responded with “The specific chemicals used to meet flammability standards are not published…at this point the information is more defined by specific exclusions, such as chlorinated tris. We refer customers to the Certipur website. We all hope that in the near future flammability requirements are eliminated altogether.”

This response made me angry and confirmed just what I was afraid of: Companies are under no obligation to share the chemicals they’re using in the products we’re buying…and they don’t.

IKEA

IKEA took the pledge to phase out chlorinated Tris by August 2010. It has been replaced by: “an organo-phosphorous compound which gets incorporated into the polymer matrix of the foam filling.” After doing a little leg work to find out what exactly an “organo-phosphorous compound” could be, I found the list of possiblilities to be long and full of options that I don’t want in my couch.

Brands that make the non-toxic cut:

Unfortunately there aren’t many options to recommend in the low to moderate price points. Many companies in this price range have taken an active stance on removing chlorinated Tris, but have replaced it with something which is potentially just as toxic.

The only low price option is to buy a futon frame with a folded futon. Because they are not made with flammable foam, they don’t have the flame retardants inside — but of course, you have to check with the manufacturer.” ~ MCAF’s, Molly Rauch

There are a few companies that truly stand out when it comes to non-toxic and sustainable couches — all of them are pretty pricey:

Ekla Home

According to their website, Ekla Home prides itself on striving to make the “least toxic furniture on the planet.” Each piece of furniture is made from FSC Certified Wood, non-toxic adhesives, recycled steel springs and zero-VOC finishes. They use NO chemical fire retardants.

Cisco Brothers

Cisco has been longtime supporters of chemical-free furniture manufacturing. Their furniture is crafted without harmful chemicals including toxic fire-retardants…and comes to you with a big price tag.

Viesso

This furniture line has created a “Green Collection.” Consumers can opt for a chemical-free couch which includes: no fire retardants (with “Extreme Green” option), natural jute webbing and wool deck, fabrics that are natural, recycled or both, select the “Extreme Green” option and you get a sofa with 100% natural latex on the arms, back frames and cushion filling and locally sourced hardwood frames. The site is very simple to use and allows you to customize most couches. I spent some time customizing a few couches with eco-friendly options — the price range rang in somewhere between $3,000 and $5,000.

EcoSelect

EcoSelect Furniture is custom-made and offers the option to purchase couch cushions that contain foam that has not been treated with flame retardant chemicals.

Take action NOW.

It’s time to take the burden away from the consumer and place it where it belongs – with the couch industry. Passage of the Safe Chemicals Act of 2013, would strengthen the way our government regulates toxic chemicals by requiring more thorough health testing of products BEFORE these chemicals end up in the bodies of our children.

Photo credit: rustman via photopin cc

TELL YOUR SENATOR TO PROTECT FAMILIES FROM TOXIC CHEMICALS

May is Asthma Awareness Month! Moms Clean Air Force has teamed up with our partner, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA), to host a Twitter chat. We’re dedicated to sharing everything you need to know about asthma and what you can do to help your children cope and prevent this disease that affects 7.1 million children!

Moms Clean Air Force will kick off the chat by interviewing AAFA experts, followed by a Q&A session with YOU.

WHAT: Moms Clean Air Force and Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America Twitter chat in honor of Asthma Awareness Month

WHEN: Wednesday, May 22nd 2-3:00pmET/11am-12:00pmPT

WHERE: On Twitter! Follow hashtag: #AsthmaChat and @MomsCAF, @AAFANational

WHO: You, your friends, your friends’ friends. Please share this invitation and spread the word to your networks by tweeting:

Join me for a @MomsCAF @AAFANational Asthma Twitter chat! 5/22 2pmET follow #AsthmaChat http://ow.ly/l1QJa Fab prizes! Please re-tweet 

>> Tweet this <<

PRIZES: We will randomly select two winners who will receive fab MCAF and AAFA prize packs. Please RSVP to be eligible to win.

 RSVP HERE

OUR CHILDREN NEED STRONG CLEAN AIR REGULATIONS — SUPPORT GINA MCCARTHY’S NOMINATION AS EPA ADMINISTRATOR!

 ASK MICHELLE OBAMA TO SPEAK UP ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

Mothers called lawmakers on May 9th in Lansing, Michigan to put partisanship aside and be MOMpartisian to make Michigan a better place to raise a family. Members of the Mothering Justice, Moms Clean Air Force, along with several other mother’s organizations gathered in the Capitol Rotunda for a rally before heading out to meet with lawmakers. The mission was to draw attention to their issue that they say would contribute to a better life for all Michiganders. The issues raised by the mom-based groups focus on workplace issues, clean air, safe toys, and gun safety.

“Mothering Justice members are here today because mothers from around the state don’t have access to guaranteed paid sick days and access to affordable childcare- and those are issues that affect their financial security,” says Danielle Atkinson, Director of Mothering Justice, an organization that works on issues of financial  stability for mothers. “Having and caring for children should not cause women to suffer a lifetime of economic disadvantages.”

The mothers delivered  baby bottles stuffed with messages to legislative offices. “I’m here today because it seems like Lansing has the wrong priorities. They pander to businesses while it gets harder every day for me to provide for my family”, said Stacey Stevens a  mother of two from Berkley.” I would like lawmakers to focus on helping cities keep libraries open and prevent cuts to police and fire.”

Parents from Moms Clean Air Force believe that they know what’s best for their families and it’s time that Lansing lawmakers listen to us, said Vee Heymach, Moms Clean Air Force’s State Organizer for Michigan.

We are here to tell lawmakers that right now in Michigan we still have 12 coal fired power plants that have been deemed hazardous and below EPA standards. They pollute Michigan’s air every day and those pollutants are especially harmful for our children. It is time for our lawmakers to seek sources of energy that do not pose such a threat to our communities health and especially our children’s health.”

Trina Oliver, a mother from Detroit, speaks on the issue of gun-safety: “I don’t understand why our elected officials can’t work together to address the violence in our communities. They talk about children being our future but it’s time to do the hard work to keep our babies safe.”

The groups which includes moms from Mothering Justice, Moms Clean Air Force, Moms Demand Action, Ecology
Center, Protecting our Children for Life, Friends of Michigan Midwives, Breastfeeding Mothers Unite, Lansing Moms and Expectant Moms and Mothers Demanding Justice said they want more attention paid to their individual organizational policy priorities and they also would like lawmakers to host “mama conversation town halls” in their districts to hear from parents about what they think Lansing lawmakers should prioritize.

ASK FIRST MOM MICHELLE OBAMA TO SPEAK UP ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

It hasn’t been a great week for moving the American environmental agenda forward. On Thursday, the Republican members of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works decided to boycott the vote on Gina McCarthy’s nomination.

However, on a positive note, the Safe Climate Caucus, chaired by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), has been actively engaged in raising the consciousness of the American electorate about the threat of global warming.

I reached out to several of the female members of the caucus, on the occasion of Mother’s Day, to get their feedback on the importance of amplifying the dangers of climate change, and the role of mothers, grandmothers, and aunts in being vigilant about protecting the planet.

Below are their responses via e-mail:

Climate change is real and has been ignored for far too long. Our rapidly changing climate is having visibly profound impacts and will continue to do so unless we act now. As a member of Congress, a mother and a grandmother, I am extremely concerned about the negative health and environmental consequences our inaction will have on current and future generations.” 

Mothers have a unique perspective and strength that can be channeled to be a voice for these generations, as they witness first-hand the effects these consequences have on their children, and their friends’ children. I am working with my colleagues in Congress to raise awareness and implement responsible policies to address climate change, and I believe that working together it’s not too late to ensure a sustainable future for generations to come.” ~ Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA)

 

“I  joined the Safe Climate Caucus because climate change is a threat and we must engage Republicans on the science of this issue. As a mother, I am even more concerned with the environment we leave our children. We know children are particularly vulnerable to diseases such as asthma, water born bacteria, and other respiratory illnesses. We are doing them a disservice now and in the future by not addressing climate change. I will continue working with my colleagues in the Caucus to find solutions that reduce our consumption of fossil fuels and [that] invest in green technologies.” ~ Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD)

“Mother’s Day is a perfect reminder about the power of mothers and women in the fight for climate change. Fighting to keep our environment clean and cared for is everyone’s job, but it’s so often mothers who care for their children with asthma and feel the effects so closely. In my district, Oakland has some of the highest rates of asthma in the country. Those mothers know that for communities of color and for the next generation, we’ve got to solve the climate crisis now. There’s no time to waste.” ~ Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA)

 

“All parents care about the world left to our children. Over and over again we see the terrible impact climate change has on our world. We are at the brink—and some say past the brink—of being unable to take action to reverse the effects of climate change, which is why action now is crucial.

Around the world women have a disproportionate role in providing food, water, and energy to their families. These needs are inextricably tied to our climate and environment. That means the recurrence and rapidity of natural disasters can severely disadvantage women and have a terrible impact on women’s day-to-day lives.

I joined the Safe Climate Caucus and signed on to my colleague’s [Rep. Barbara Lee] resolution about Women and Climate Change because this is a critical issue for our country to tackle.

Mother’s Day is a wonderful time to mobilize and raise awareness on the issue.” ~ Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY)

Photo: Courtesy of the Safe Climate Caucus.

TELL FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA TO SPEAK UP ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

This is a press release from the office of Senator Rob Portman:

Just a few short weeks after its introduction, the energy efficiency and job creation strategy proposed by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) today passed the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources, of which Portman is a member, with strong bipartisan support.  The Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness Act passed by a vote of 19-3, with support from both parties, including Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).

“At a time when bipartisan agreement is unfortunately hard to come by, it is clear that energy efficiency is one area where we can all find common ground,” said Portman and Shaheen.  “With energy efficiency, we have the cleanest, fastest, and most cost-efficient way to strengthen our economy and create American jobs, while also addressing our nation’s energy challenges.  This bill has bipartisan appeal and brings business, labor, and environmental advocates together, a testament to the clear benefits we can bring to our economy and environment.  The tremendous support we have received thus far is certainly encouraging, and we are confident this momentum will continue to build and will quickly bring this bill to the Senate floor for consideration.”

The Shaheen-Portman legislation offers a deficit-neutral framework designed to promote the transition to a more energy efficient economy while driving economic growth and encouraging private sector job creation.

The bipartisan bill, which builds upon the earlier Congressional support for energy efficiency legislation, uses a variety of low-cost tools to reduce barriers for private sector energy users and will drive adoption of off-the-shelf efficiency technologies among the largest energy consumers.  A study by experts at the American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy found that last year’s version would have saved consumers $4 billion by 2020 and helped businesses add 80,000 jobs to the economy.

TELL FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA TO SPEAK UP ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

Republicans on the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, scheduled to vote today on the nomination of Gina McCarthy as the new head of EPA, boycotted the procedure. That denied the committee the quorum it needed for the EPA nominee vote. This is sheer obstructionism and game-playing. It is inappropriate behavior.

Tell your Senators to support the nomination of Gina McCarthy as EPA Administrator.

McCarthy is a strong nominee; her record and qualifications are well-known and appreciated. She has answered over a thousand questions posed by Senator David Vitter of Louisiana alone, but he led the boycott.

Senator Jim Inhofe of Oklahoma should show leadership. He has publicly stated that Gina McCarthy is a friend, and someone whose work and character he admires.

Moms, here is a list of the Senators who boycotted the hearing of EPA nominee Gina McCarthy:

• David Vitter, Louisiana, Ranking Member
• Jim Inhofe, Oklahoma
• John Barrasso, Wyoming
• Jeff Sessions, Alabama
• Mike Crapo, Idaho
• John Boozman, Arkansas
• Deb Fischer, Nebraska

Urge your Senators to get back to their seats and do their work. McCarthy deserves a vote. Moms urge her confirmation.

Thanks for your speedy response.