#FridaysForFuture ✨ ...

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 ...

#FridaysForFuture ✨ ...

Nalleli, 21, grew up in South Los Angeles and began her activism as a 9-year-old after noticing foul smells emanating from the oil well across the street from her home. Over the years, she endured headaches, nosebleeds, and heart palpitations caused by pollution from the well. She began attending meetings and rallies with her mother and, at the age of 9, gave her first public speech on the issue. Even as a child, her skills as an orator caught others’ attention and paved the way for her to eventually become the leading spokesperson for banning oil extraction in Los Angeles. She co-founded People not Pozos, which aims to secure safe and healthy neighborhoods, and the South Central Youth Leadership Coalition, which focuses on environmental racism in the community. She is also a member of STAND-LA, a coalition of community groups seeking to end urban oil extraction and protect the health and safety of Los Angeles residents.

She mobilized her neighbors to report the foul chemical smells to officials and share their own stories at town halls and city council meetings. As the community’s voice against oil pollution, she began speaking publicly at community events and rallies, testified at government meetings, and garnered press coverage and support from elected officials.

Soon, Nalleli filed complaints with the South Coast Air Quality Management District. Physicians for Social Responsibility-LA, a partner organization, hired a toxicologist, who quickly confirmed that the air near the oil site was polluted. In response to the flood of negative attention, in 2013 AllenCo voluntarily suspended operations at the site, a move that was made permanent in 2020.

Read more:
https://bit.ly/49aPJse

Courtesy of The Goldman Environmental Prize... ...

New Research

PFAS, a group of man-made chemicals used to make consumer products water and stain resistant, may be linked to obesity. These toxic chemicals, known as “forever chemicals”, can remain in our bodies and the environment for decades.

Children exposed to high concentrations of obesogens – toxic chemicals that cause obesity – are typically born small and then catch up and exceed the BMI of children exposed to lower concentrations.

Dr. Joseph Braun and his team discovered that children exposed to higher amounts of PFAS in early life may be linked to obesity at 12 years of age.

Over 98% of Americans have detectable PFAS concentrations in their blood.

To reduce exposure to PFAS and other toxic chemicals, Dr. Braun recommends using a certified water filter, a vacuum with a HEPA filter, and avoiding heavily processed foods. In a separate study, Dr. Braun found that the obesogenic effects of PFAS chemicals were diminished in physically active children.

For more information on the effects of gestational PFAS exposure and obesogens, read the research publication: https://bit.ly/43bQ1Lx or recent news article: https://bit.ly/3r6JAfo
#PFAS #childobesity #nontoxicliving ...