Air Pollution
91% of the world’s population breathes polluted air! Yet over one-third of countries have no laws protecting outdoor air quality! The World Health Organization (WHO) released updated air quality guidelines and targets for common air pollutants. WHO’s new guidelines aim to push governments to reduce pollution levels, protect the health of children and adults, and prevent climate change.
Pesticides
Pesticides are chemicals designed to kill, repel or control unwanted pests, such as insects (insecticides), weeds (herbicides), fungus (fungicides), harmful to cultivated plants, humans and animals.
Only a small amount of the pesticides actually reach their target; most of it leaches in the environment, contaminating the air, water, soil, and our food. Persistent pesticides, like DDT, can still be detected in humans 50 years after they were banned. Scientists have found pesticides in:
• Blood, urine and hair
• Breast milk
• Cord blood of newborns
• Placenta
No Safe Level
No safe blood lead level in children has been identified. Even low levels of lead in blood have been shown to negatively affect a child’s intelligence, ability to pay attention, and academic achievement. While the effects of lead poisoning may be permanent, if caught early, there are things parents can do to prevent further exposure and reduce damage to their child’s health.
PFAS: Forever Chemicals
Hundreds of everyday products are made with highly toxic fluorinated chemicals called PFAS. They build up in our bodies and never break down in the environment. PFAS are universally detected in pregnant women and cross the placenta. Very small doses of PFAS have been linked to cancer, reproductive and immune system harm, and other diseases.
Microplastics and Babies
Microplastics are tiny fragments of plastic, often too small for the eye to see. And they’re everywhere.
A new study finds that they are released in huge quantities from plastic baby bottles when they’re used to prepare formula. The study suggests that bottle-fed infants around the world may be consuming more than 1.5 million particles of microplastics per day.
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What We Do
Little Things Matter raises awareness of the growing environmental risks we face as a global community by translating science into free, easy-to-understand and actionable materials. Our goal is to spread awareness about the effects of toxic chemicals on the health of our population and planet.
We believe that every child has the right to a healthy environment.
”
Follow Our Footsteps
"Did you know that in 2022 7 billion electronic toys featuring components like batteries and lights, were discarded? These toys, which often include remote-controlled toys, interactive gadgets, and battery-operated playsets, contribute to our growing e-waste problem.
Because of poor recycling rules and not enough awareness, these toys often end up causing fires and harming the environment when dumped in regular trash. Plus, they can impact children’s health by releasing harmful substances into the air and water.
This holiday season, let`s make a difference:
Choose Wisely:
- Pick toys that last and can be recycled. Avoid cheap, throwaway electronic toys.🪁
- Spread the Word: Tell your friends and family about the impact of e-toys on the environment and our health. 💪🏽
- Demand Action: Ask for better rules and responsibility from companies making electronic toys. 🏭
- Teach Others: Share ideas like using secondhand or homemade toys instead.🍪
Together, we can make this holiday season better for our planet and our well-being. #EWasteAwareness #SustainableToys #LittleThingsMatter" VIDEO: E-waste reduction Christmas
Children of the Amazon may be ingesting toxic amounts of mercury in breastmilk and contaminated fish 🎣.
Researchers found that women in the Brazilian Amazon had high levels of mercury in their blood. Women who breastfed longer had lower mercury levels, indicating that mercury was transferred to their nursing infants (Bello et al., 2023).
Fish consumption is the main source of exposure to mercury in the Amazon. Fish are contaminated with mercury used in gold mining, and when deforestation 🍃 and construction of hydroelectric dams remobilize mercury sequestered in the soil. About 30% of fish sold in six Amazonian states were unsafe based on WHO recommended limits (≥ 0,5 μg/g). At these levels, women and young children may be ingesting doses over 10-times higher than safe limits (Fiocruz, 2023).
You can reduce your families’ exposure to mercury:
- Pregnant women and breastfeeding women should avoid eating larger predatory fish;
- Protest against unsustainable practices, like burning coal for power 🔌 and heat, mercury use in gold mining, and the exploitation of natural resources;
- Support efforts and policies to protect the environment 🌎 and fight against forest destruction.
See more at:
Bello et al. Mercury Exposure in Women of Reproductive Age in Rondônia State, Amazon Region, Brazil. (2023). Link: https://bit.ly/3OE7KpV
Fiocruz. Regional analyses of mercury levels in fish consumed by the population of the Brazilian Amazon [in Portuguese]. (2023). Link: https://bit.ly/3OYzhDB
WHO – World Health Organization. Mercury and health. (2023). Link: https://bit.ly/3OYz8Qz
CDC – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Mercury. Breastfeeding mothers should minimize exposure to mercury in their diets, at home, and at work. (2023). Link: https://bit.ly/3s7X0Z4
🌟 In the News 🌟
Young women who use conventional foundation, blush, and mascara have higher levels of phthalates in their blood. Phthalates are hormone-disruptors, and can mimic or block hormones from properly signaling in the body, disrupting important reproductive and neurological systems. This is especially important in young women who may be nearing childbearing years 🤰🏻. Six phthalate metabolites—mono-n-butyl phthalate, mono-[(2-carboxymethyl) hexyl] phthalate, mono (2-ethyl-5-carboxyphentyl) phthalate, mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, mono (2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate, and mono (2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate were shown to double the risk of endometriosis, a condition where uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus, in young women. In other studies, phthalates have been associated with reduced sperm quality and a lower chance of conception in couples actively trying to conceive.
In addition to makeup, phthalates can be found in personal care products like body wash, shampoo, and soap.
To reduce the amount of phthalates in your blood, swap personal care products for those without phthalates, parabens, or PFAS (or just stop using them). Products without these chemicals can be found by searching @environmentalworkinggroup SkinDeep database 💄.
When the young women in the study stopped using products with phthalates, the level of some chemicals in their blood lowered up to 45% after three days 📉.
Join the fight to ban phthalates in your state 💪🏽!
Read The Ugly Side of Beauty by Professor Leslie Hart, Phd in the Conversation: https://bit.ly/3OEPqhD
#littlestepsbigimpact 💪
#littlethingsmatter 🐣
#peopleoverproducts 💄
In 2008, spurred by mounting international concerns about lead paint, Calonzo created a national, evidence-based campaign in the Philippines to eliminate lead paint. Paint sold in the Philippines had not been part of international studies, so Calonzo organized scientific research on lead content in paints. In 2009, EcoWaste found that the majority of paint sold in the Philippines contained levels of lead above 90 ppm, and more than 40% of the paint contained lead levels over 10,000 ppm.
Under Calonzo’s leadership, EcoWaste conducted studies over the next four years, examining the lead content of paint and dust found in the environment surrounding Philippine homes, schools, and daycare centers. Attracting significant media attention, these studies were critical in establishing that high lead levels were ubiquitous and dangerous for Filipino children. Over the course of the campaign, Calonzo organized more than 100 public and media events to raise awareness about the prevalence of lead paint, and called for a mandatory standard for lead in paint.
Traditionally, lead is added to paint to help it dry smoother, faster, and be more opaque. High quality, cost-effective alternatives to lead ingredients exist and are used in developed countries. Unlike many environmental health issues, the science on lead poisoning is indisputable. Studies have shown that the presence of lead paint on home interiors and exteriors is strongly linked to lead levels in children’s blood. Over time, paint on surfaces will chip and deteriorate, which releases lead into the dust and soil around homes, schools, and other locations. Children playing in these environments get the soil or dust on their hands and ingest it through normal hand-to-mouth contact.
Lead is a potent neurotoxin; even low levels of lead exposure can impair children’s cognitive function. Childhood lead poisoning can have lifelong health impacts, including learning disabilities, reduced IQ, anemia, and disorders in physical, visual, spatial, and language skills.
Courtesy of Goldman Environmental Prize
Manny Calonzo https://bit.ly/3ODz1JY
Young women who use conventional foundation, blush, and mascara have higher levels of phthalates in their blood. Phthalates are hormone-disruptors, and can mimic or block hormones from properly signaling in the body, disrupting important reproductive and neurological systems. This is especially important in young women who may be nearing childbearing years. Six phthalate metabolites—mono-n-butyl phthalate, mono-[(2-carboxymethyl) hexyl] phthalate, mono (2-ethyl-5-carboxyphentyl) phthalate, mono (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, mono (2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate, and mono (2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate were shown to double the risk of endometriosis, a condition where uterine tissue grows outside of the uterus, in young women. In other studies, phthalates have been associated with reduced sperm quality and a lower chance of conception in couples actively trying to conceive.
In addition to makeup, phthalates can be found in personal care products like body wash, shampoo, and soap.
To reduce the amount of phthalates in your blood, swap personal care products for those without phthalates, parabens, or PFAS (or just stop using them). Products without these chemicals can be found by searching EWG’s SkinDeep database.
When the young women in the study stopped using products with phthalates, the level of some chemicals in their blood lowered up to 45% after three days.
Join the fight to ban phthalates in your state!
Read the study https://bit.ly/3DUvgKm
Read the complete article by Professor Leslie Hart, Phd in the Conversation https://bit.ly/3OEPqhD
#littlechangesbigimpact 💪
#littlethingsmatter 🐣
#peopleoverproducts 💄
Meet Teresa Vincente
Teresa Vicente led a historic, grassroots campaign to save the Mar Menor ecosystem—Europe’s largest saltwater lagoon—from collapse, resulting in the passage of a new law in September 2022 granting the lagoon unique legal rights. Considered to be the most important saltwater coastal lagoon in the western Mediterranean, the once pristine waters of the Mar Menor had become polluted due to mining, rampant development of urban and tourist infrastructure, and, in recent years, intensive agriculture and livestock farming.
Worried by the slow death of the Mar Menor, Teresa was moved to action after a mass fish die-off in 2019. She became convinced that the only way to give the lagoon a chance of survival was to grant it legal personhood and recognize its rights. “Rights of nature” has been proposed and debated for years, but the theory did not gain much traction until recently: Ecosystems in Latin America and New Zealand had been granted such legal rights but none in Europe. Despite being told by experts that it was impossible, Teresa pushed ahead. Courtesy of the Goldman Environmental Prize
The Toxic Chemicals Line Up
Phthalates
Phthalates
EDCs
EDCs
Pesticides
Pesticides
Lead
Lead
Air Pollution
Air Pollution
PFAS
PFAS
Fluoride
Fluoride
Microplastics
Microplastics
PFAS
PFAS
little Steps big impact
Sometimes the events that alter history and have enduring impact happen behind the scenes or without much fanfare. Little Steps, Big Impact takes a moment to highlight those significant events and celebrate their contributions.
Shifting to phthalate-free products
can quickly lower toxin levels
A new study shows that young women who use conventional foundation, blush, and mascara have higher levels of phthalates in their blood. Phthalates are hormone-disruptors, and can mimic or block hormones from properly signaling in the body, disrupting important reproductive and neurological systems.
When the young women in the study stopped using
products with phthalates, the level of some chemicals
in their blood lowered up to 45% after three days.
To reduce the amount of phthalates in your blood, swap personal care products for those without phthalates, parabens, or PFAS (or just stop using them). Products without these chemicals can be found by searching EWG’s SkinDeep database.
little videos that capture the big picture
Expand your mind and understanding of how environmental toxic chemicals affect all of us with these short educational videos.
The Deadly Impact of Airborne Particles: air pollution is all around us, what can we do?