November 2007 | From the Editor
The Truth Is Out There
As my long-suffering boyfriend well knows, living with the editor of a sustainable lifestyle magazine can be bit of a drag. While other couples go about their merry way watching cable, cooking with nonstick pans, eating from supermarkets — I’m busy begging our landlord to consider green bin composting for our building, conducting forensic investigations into the contents of every toothpaste, deodorant and shampoo, and making him use the scratchy toilet paper. He humors me most of the time, even adopting some of my idiosyncrasies for his own; I’m proud to say he’s now a dedicated reusable bag fan, and lately, I’ve been the one having to rally for taking the car instead of the bus.
But each monthly round of stories I work on for Common Ground adds new points to consider when evaluating daily choices. And this month’s issue — with pieces that take a closer look at the toxic ingredients hiding in products we all use every day — is even more jam packed with gory details than usual.
If you’re a Common Ground reader, it’s probably safe to assume you’re not exactly the “ignorance is bliss” type. Still, here’s my disclaimer (so you can’t say you haven’t been warned) reading this magazine may change the way you negotiate shopping, menus… even your own closets. Before you turn the page, ask yourself: Do you want to know the truth?
Forgive the melodrama. It’s just that it’s been a long month at my house. Lots of debates in the aisles at Trader Joe’s. Even if we don’t know for sure that plastic leaches endocrine-disrupting chemicals into food, I’ve lost my appetite for shrink wrapped sausage and microwavable noodle packs. Even if we haven’t proved beyond a shadow of a doubt that phthalates cause infertility, I don’t want my baby teething on them. I mean, I don’t even have a baby. But you get the point. Like me, you’re part of the choir. There’s no need to preach to you; you’ve heard all of this stuff before.
The good news is we’re no longer in the minority. At the time of this writing, California has just banned phthalates for use in children’s toys. The first state in the nation to do so, California follows in the footsteps of the city of San Francisco, as well as 14 nations and the EU, which banned the toxic softeners from baby products in 2006. A nationwide ban is likely to follow; according to environmental and breast cancer groups that sponsored the California measure, lawmakers in nine other states are expected to introduce similar legislation in the coming months. And as investigative reporter Mark Schapiro explains in this issue, look to Europe as the next global force leading the way to a world where couples won’t have to bicker over the risk/reward ratio of conventional snack foods.
In the meantime, rest assured that your informed decisions are making a difference out there. The demand for cleaner, smarter, better choices has already irrevocably shifted the market, with more good changes to come. Who knows? Maybe softer recycled toilet paper is next.
Eliza Thomas
Editor in Chief
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