Early History Right to Know/
Chemical Warnings
Doctor Rachel Carson, often hailed as one
of the most important founders of the Green Movement in the United States,
went into detail about the structures, relationships, and problems caused by
several of the commonly accepted poisons manufactured during the 1940’s. In her book Silent Spring, she makes a
clear case that leading decision-makers have subjected the planet to horrific
assaults without informing and gaining the consent of the masses, whom remain
mostly ignorant that they are in even in harms way (Carson, R. 1962).
In the same tradition of alerting the
public of incredible dangers resulting from toxic threats, Dr. Helen Caldicot
raised many valid concerns in her book, Nuclear Madness, that chemicals
originally developed from WWI and WWII funded research projects are now being
placed in a variety of food, dental, and consumer goods (Caldicot, 1994).
In many countries, including the US, chemicals are
used with little and sometimes no advance valid and or reliable investigations
of their effect on soil, water, wildlife, and humans. Concerns over the lack of integrity exercised
by people developing, manufacturing, testing, rating, and or disseminating or
otherwise managing toxins is often voiced by victims who are left to suffer the
consequences. For example, Cesar Chavez from the United Farm Workers Union,
along with many other workers and activists, revealed and demonstrated over the
unhealthy working conditions that eventually linked pesticide exposure with
higher cancer rates, higher rates of birth deformities, observable damages in
immune systems, and deaths due to exposures to toxic pesticides being applied
to crops in California during the 70’s and 1980’s (Tejada-Flores & Telles,
1997). Today you can see people in space-looking
suits working on farms. While measures
to prevent immediate toxic exposure may be in place, incidence such as rape are
reportedly a huge problems on farms and latent toxic exposures continue to
compound and create significant workplace safety issues and concerns for
consumers exposed to chemicals. Furthermore the genetic alterations of seeds and chemical applications
on crops is alarming because the cumulative effects of toxins are known to
cause a variety of health conditions and also can impact the development of
life, especially the early stages of life. A recently defeated measure calling for packaging or labels that would
at least inform consumers here in California if the food is anything, but
natural, was a huge lose nationally since California is often a trend setter. This
loss paves the way for increased exposure to toxins without a duty to
inform. Furthermore, ironically, many
foods actually labeled natural do contain man-made chemicals known to be
harmful to health. The assault on the
genetic code is therefore pervasive and choice in avoiding chemicals continues
to narrow. Back in the 1960’s, Dr. Carson wrote,
"We have put poisonous and biologically potent chemicals indiscriminately
into the hands of persons largely or wholly ignorant of their potentials for
harm (Carson,
1962 )." She argued that producers and consumers of
toxins have subjected enormous numbers of people to contact with these poisons
without their consent and often without their knowledge.” In the words of Jean
Rostland, "The obligation to endure gives us the right to know." There is disagreement in the scientific
community about the rate of destruction and ramifications of some alarming
types of damages including extinctions and temperature fluctuations (global
warming) associated with to the depletion of ozone in the atmosphere and
humanities encroaching growth into wild habitats. In fact, some scientists suggest the
possibility we have already exceeded the point of maintaining key, yet
disputable natural equilibrium’s. With
little prior record before the 1900’s of extinctions and mutations and a reliable
crystal ball, it’s difficult to say how much harm and what the end result of
man’s footprint will actually be. However,
the premise that the abuse and mismanagement of natural and non-renewable
resources presents significant and avoidable suffering is readily agreed by the
majority of concerned scientists in diversely impacted fields. In fact, earth scientist forecast scenarios
may occur requiring the use of chemicals to patch the growing loss of ozone to
slow the earths warming. Large scale weather
interventions, and questions regarding the role of technology in reducing
suffering and solving problems largely created by the use of technology
presents an ironic paradox (NPR Feb 2014.)
Impacts of Contamination- Large
Scale
The contamination of air, earth, rivers,
and the sea with man made toxins initiates chain events observed by scientists and
researchers as being hazardous to the natural balance due to damages to earth’s
diverse ecosystems. For example, it is
becoming common to see posted signs warning people not to drink untreated water
or eat wild caught fish, which was not an issue less than six centuries ago,
except maybe period of natural epidemics. When a habitat becomes contaminated, it impacts migrations and or relationships
between the different species that would otherwise exist in harmony. For example, when Oak trees are healthy many
dependent species thrive near it. When Oak trees are diseased, the entire web
of species once reliant on them is thrown into disarray and dominant insects or
species could take over when one is eradicated. The mutually advantageous relationships (symbiosis) that exists between
the trees and other species dissolves and the shifting balance can presumably disturb
hundreds, if not thousands of other relationships within an ecosystem.
When ecologists talk about imbalances
caused by a rapid growth and decline in a single species, what often is not
fully grasped by non-specialists is the type of chain reactions that will
result as a consequence or extinctions or imbalances in species. In fairness, in many circumstances even the
top scientist in the field do not fully know the answer to that question, but
they can and do report on the perceived damages and damages reasonably
predictable. Unfortunately, the disaster
sites from common Oil spills and other toxic sites like nuclear accident sites have
provided some ground upon which observations and research has been made to
illustrate valid concerns- not just projections offered by spectators, critics,
or scientists. Time after time lawsuits
tell the somber tail of the price paid by victims of toxins, which is generally
far greater than the damages they collect.
The inability or sometimes unwillingness to
provide sustainable habitats for species encroached upon by growing human
populations or other species is a factor to consider when considering the
problem of increasing rates of extinction and biodiversity.
It is horrific that toxins interrupt
symbiosis (mutually beneficial relationships) cause genetic mutations and
impact biomes. The fascinating history
of disease (pathology) is tied closely to what is happening within environments. Premises of biomass ratios against carbon
dioxide emissions that estimate the cleaning power to render polluted air clean
is breath taking, literally. New satellite
technology will allow us to observe if the biomass content on earth is in
decline, which by many scientists accounts it is. Correlations such as rising pollution levels
and growing populations turning to less clean industrial processes to sustain
themselves would be justifiably alarming if sufficiently substantiated. Can biomass reduction and increases in illness
be correlated? If so, how can such
information help make the case to respond with reasonable controls and limits
on the use of technology?
The cause of many diseases and abnormal
behavior illnesses are directly correlated to human behavior. For example, the removal or degradation of
naturally correlating minerals and nutrients in food, reliance on certain types
of polluting fuels, consumer waste production patterns and war are all
behaviors massively contributing to the spread of disease including abnormal
behavior illnesses. The Sue
brothers (Sue et al., 2000 pg. 14) cite
a study of over 20,000 people between three cities, that 29- 38% self-reported
that they believed they have experienced some form of mental disorder in their
life already. Teratogens (Rice, 2001)
are “harmful substances that cross the placenta barrier (in development) and
harms the embryo or fetus and causes birth defects. Alcohol, drugs, and other chemicals foreign
to human bodies are teratogens with wide ranging impacts to physical and mental
health depending on the stage of develop and extent (rate+duration) of
exposure. Post birth, toxins are
described as harmful substances that harm life and degrades, impairs or
outright kills life. However, the
control of substances and efforts to extinguish addictions, reliance, and
poisonous fetishes is a highly controversial topic. The subject of control
versus allowances of toxins competes with dominant business interests, jobs
even, which rely on toxin processes and or produce products containing
toxins. Thus, it is easy to anticipate
people will retreat in denial because of how difficult the subject matter is to
manage and how horrific the facts regarding the allowed deaths and damages were
permitted for the sake of profit under the rationalizations given, such as
convenience.
Observations cited in intelligence reports
(FBI, 2011) described the U.S.as suffering increases in drug imports and observed rises in corruption (CIA ,
2012). Those are clear indications that the west and its allies and opponents
face new and perhaps less predictable challenges. It is no secrete that human being are very
inconsistent, irrational, biased and impulsive- making people highly
unreliable. Self destruction is at times
more popular than preservation and the reliance on instinct versus reasoned
logic makes even those that possess knowledge vulnerable to the status of the
mass majority. Hence a truly prosperous
society does not concentrate wealth, rather it shares it.
The spread of viruses from one region to
another during human migrations, the introduction of a non-native species into
an environment, the manufacture of lab grown hybrids in a variety of bacteria,
fungus, plants have all been noted as disrupting ecosystems and impacting
immune systems- for better or for worse. The argument that nature should not drastically be altered is no longer
relevant because it already has been. The
manipulation that has occurred is a consequence of human nature. The need to minimize and reduce harm where
possible is part of the solution. Indeed
if the science of non-violence was mandatory, the behavior of disciplined minds
may be a resource to combat violence or defuse it. Understanding environmentally related illnesses along with the ability to observe and
track them have grown exponentially over the last centuries with noted
advancements in technology and meta analysis. According to many leading Scientists, humanity is marching towards
intensifying problems ranging from population growth, global warming, nuclear
proliferation, resource scarcity, and a huge acceleration in environmentally
related diseases and challenges. It
seems naïve to imagine the earth has no limits or serious consequences and can simply
withstand tremendous pressures from growing human populations that appear to be
living increasingly wasteful and destructive lifestyles. To assume humanity has no responsibility to
manage our impacts on the earth is self destructive and irresponsible. The
notion of human superiority over nature is anti-democratic and a threat to
justice because without opportunities for symbiotic relationships the basis
upon which peace or equilibrium stands is corrupted and disintegration of
mutual reliance is immanent. T The
domination against the earth stems in part from traditions of Europe, and now
the U.S. Those mimicking capitalistic or Christian
values and lifestyles are attributed directly to Christianity and are traceable
to a concept demonstrated in a passage in the holy bible Genesis 1:28 which
reads, “God blessed them; and God said to them, "Be
fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the
fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that
moves on the earth" (http://biblehub.com/genesis/1-28.htm , 2013.) In contrast Native
people from many continents and people such as scientists and people of
multiple faiths, including Christians, have also offered reasonable warnings
that exploitation and destructive behavior should be limited. For life to be sustained and diversity
respected, it is acknowledged that a more cooperative attitude and a stronger
sense of stewardship is needed. Placing a cap on specific human behaviors
requires adjusting tolerances and really backing out enforcement agencies. Many environmentally
related diseases are related to human consumption and lifestyles including;
water issues, war activities, human sexuality, transportation, food production,
pest control issues, chemical dependencies and waste bi-products from
manufacturing all of which are driven by consumer demands and private
interests. If those interests and
demands are not in harmony with the laws of nature, what we do unto the earth,
we do unto ourselves (http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/331799.Chief_Seattle
). Dr. Van Potter refers to this as the
symbiotic interdependencies found in nature (Potter, V.R., 1971 ). James Lovelock shares a similar notion in his
ideas contained in the Gaia Hypothesis, which basically expresses what many traditional
people attribute in their oral histories about the living relationships between
all things as having a delicate and natural order to be revered and the role of
humanity as being stewards (Lovelock, 1979 ). John McConnell, founder of the internationally recognized annual holiday
Earth Day, said he was motivated to create a holiday to help focus needed
attention on the status and maintenance needs of the earth. Earth Day is a great tool to increase
awareness and reinforce an appreciation for life. With the help of United Nations educational
awareness decade long programs, the awareness of the Environment has rapidly
increased. Such campaigns evidence that
education does help to motivate people to get involved in developing
solutions.
Further Questions
The public is subjected to the tolerances of
toxins established in studies to determine safe and less safe levels of toxins. Do people assume they are being protected by
the government and industry professionals that work with toxins? The problem with tolerances is that each person’s immune system
is different and our individual tolerances are unique. This is why some people get sicker faster than
others or have more acute symptoms or more severe reactions to the same
exposures.
This difference in tolerance is best
illustrated by the vast array of side effects people experience when taking
medications. While medications often
present a beneficial trade off which is sometimes unavoidable, many toxins are
avoidable and the benefit far less important than the dangers presented by the use
of the toxin. In simple terms, not
everyone needs a car, a computer or TV, and plastic toys. Waste control is related directly to living
within reasonable means. Granted
reversing negative trends over the last several hundred years of human history
to mitigate behaviors largely motivated by instant gratification needs and
returning society to a state of more harmonious living seems almost too naïve
to contemplate. Yet not managing to lean
more towards natural living and respecting the homeostasis needed to survive
leaves a bitter reality that a few bad apples rapidly accelerating tremendous
destruction may be permitted to contaminate the barrel. The masses on this earth must effectively
adopt healthier lifestyles and drive out destructive unsustainable cycles.
The deeper toxic based industries are
examined, the more it is apparent there is a lack of agreement about the
validity of the standards to begin with regarding toxin safety. Many of the
tests performed on animals are disputed, often before and even long after damages are reasonable
predictable or evident us in scientific methods and probability analysis.
Legal Issues and Micro Aspects of
Toxic Problems
It is important to note that a primary
defense toxic producers use in legal disputes is that it is nearly impossible in
most cases to say a single source of contamination caused, without doubt or
other influences, any specific injury. The reason that is the case may be explained by the term accumulation.
Toxic Accumulation
Accumulation means
that toxins build up in the body and once certain thresholds are crossed a
single last blow of a harmful trace element could send the body into a chain
reaction where defenses tire and disease multiplies, or takes hold. Since chemicals combine to make new unknown
cocktails, detection by existing testing standards in our food and water supply
is obviously inadequate. All of this
makes for a rational argument that one exposure surely should not take all the
blame. However, the circumstances should
not permit the abolition of care or the denial of the acceptance of
responsibilities. For such reasons
prevention, control, and personal choice remain the best ways to respond to growing
threats toxins present. However, in
order to make choices the public must first be informed and locate or develop
options.
This type of mandatory education on the
avoidance of toxic accumulation and hazards in general is suited best for the
Department of Education in the U.S. Perhaps mandated health education tied
to globalized health care initiatives and agreement between all nations that
target preventative efforts to reduce illness and death tolls where possible is
practical because toxins travel in the jet stream and in above ground and
underground water currents. Furthermore,
food and consumer products travel which means waste hazards are literally on
the move.
Dr. Rachel Carson (1964) points out that
while most people are exposed to low amounts of dangerous materials that our
body’s natural protection is weakened usually due to repeated and prolonged exposure. She explains that some poisons concentrate
and that built up contamination can lead to serious health defects, disease, or
death.
Furthermore, some types of toxic
substances accumulate in the tissues of plants and animals and even penetrate
the germ cells to shatter or alter the very material of heredity upon which the
shape of the future depends. For example, in the Soviet Republic many children are being born
with deformities and ill conditions as a direct result of the Chernobyl disaster. Despite this and other
warning signs, nuclear technology is expanding for energy production and in
many new space and weapons projects among the 5+1 Nuclear Club. Countries like Iranand North Koreaare not in the club, nor would they waste time applying for membership when
they stand opposed to capitalism and the policies demonstrated by the majority
of the western world. Increases in
weapons manufactured increases the risks those weapons will be used and for
accidents that will inevitably happen along the way in the development and
storage of such weapons and waste products made.
Observations and Conclusions
To get a perspective on just how huge a
problem involuntary toxic exposure is in the U.S., survey the number of legal
claims and taxpayer dollars spent defending the Department of Energy, the Food
and Drug Administration and generally survey the number of cases filed citing violations
of existing environmental regulations. In fairness, unless you have a research team the size of Texas (the
largest U.S. state), it might be easier to accept my very conservative estimate
that in the U.S. multi-millions a year are spent fighting legal cases involving
toxins and environmental laws. There are
hundreds of cases with thousands of people impacted annually. Actually in cases where genetics are being
altered, it might be more accurate to say billions are potentially impacted. The Federal Government reported the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency alone assessed $168 million in penalties in
2012 alone (EPA 2012). Consider how many
cases went without any detection, without official reporting or legal
challenges and expand the radius to international territories to get a better
sense of how vast the problem has become. In contrast, the profits reported by primary toxic producers in the U.S.
and abroad including pharmaceuticals, food suppliers, defense industry
contractors, manufacturers, during the same period is estimated to be in the
multi billions with the bulk of the decisions being made by a relatively small
group of people charged with regulating these industries and managing
businesses. If profits outweigh
penalties the incentive in a capitalist market could lean towards accepting
risks and continuing productions, especially in operations that lack
transparency, or have centralized models of operations that involve few
decisions makers. Where errors or moral
values sharply differ remedies may not be quickly implemented once significant
problems are discovered. One researcher
assigned by the Japanese Parliament following the Fukishima nuclear meltdown
accident in Japan observed how the cultural influences of obedience within the Japanese
culture compounded and contributed to problems delaying actions to prevent and
even respond to the crises.
The man made “toxic” problem dramatically
increased when chemicals originally designed as agents of death for use on
Jewish people in World War 2, were tested on insects to perfect
effectiveness. Scientists found
combinations that killed insects and this helped to create a market for insect
killing chemicals. Soon bugs, weeds, and
other natural entities were deemed as unfit for life because of the alleged
threat to food supplies, and the spread of disease that was attributed to
insect hosts or carriers. Large commercial campaigns were launched to promote
the use of chemicals. Dr. Carson asked,
“How can intelligent beings seek to control a few unwanted species by a method
that contaminates the entire environment and has brought the threat of disease
and death even to their own kind?” ()
The research which led to pesticides,
herbicides, insecticides, deadly gasses, and the nuclear bomb, were all driven
to actualize Hitler’s pledge to annihilate what he characterized were inferior
races. However, later the genius of
humanity tried to transform the inventions into safer applications, but the
consequences have in almost every instance proven to be grossly naïve. The use of Nuclear technology and the many
deadly chemical agents have supported Hitler’s original aim to bring about
massive death and destruction to humanity at the micro-macro atomic level. Thus, the question worthy of debate and
significant actions revolves around the question of whether WWII was really
properly ended and if not what we can do about it now.
Dr. Rachel Carson (1964) points out that many
toxic problems of her age arose with the intensification of agriculture and by
the devotion of immense acreage to a single crop. Nature has great variety in the landscape,
but humanity has displayed an effort to control it. The single crop farming movement invited a
condition ripe for insects, rodents, and imbalances in the ecosystem.
As far as competitors (i.e. insects) of
our food supply goes, our own ignorance is to blame since farmers insist on
single crop farming despite nature’s clear warning that we face serious
consequences if we provide a large habitat for unwanted insects. Disease carrying insects pose a serious
threat to people who are crowded. Areas
with poor sanitation, disaster areas, war zones, and the impoverished suffer
the most. However, as Dr. Carson
illustrates in her research, the poisons claimed to help control insect
populations actually have been proven to make conditions worse.
Dr. Rachel Carson showed (1964) that there
are more cost-effective ways to manage crops. Biological controls have proven
to be more effective in stabilizing insect populations that threaten food
supplies.
Scientists confirm that insects often
return in greater numbers after a brief killing off achieved by the use of
poisons, but chemical industries ignore the results and often respond by advocating
new chemicals despite the risks to the safety and welfare of life ( Carson, R.
1964). Regarding the safer management of
insects, Dr. Rachel Carson points out, “much of the necessary knowledge is now
available but we do not use it” – like natural biological controls. One method that works with nature in
maintaining a natural check on species is to limit the amount of suitable
habitat for each species by diversifying crops. Balance in predatory conditions helps combats
overpopulation of species. Yet once
imbalanced it is difficult to restore.
The gas chambers used throughout Europe in death camps driven by Hitler’s plight to
exterminate Jews are painful reminders of how lethal chemicals were cruelly used. Today many cases of poisonings are on record
in connection with industrial handling, accidents at nuclear facilities, tests,
suicides, research, and illicit chemical drug dependencies. These cases of poisonings point to the
dangers of mismanaged chemicals. For
example, Strontium 90, released through thousands of test nuclear explosions
into the air, comes to the earth in rain or drifts as fallout, lodges in soil,
enters into the grass, corn, or wheat grown there and in time takes up its
abode in the bones of a human being, there to remain until it is freed from the
deteriorating corpse (Caldicott, H, 1994). The concentration of toxins in the food chain is particularly bad for
carnivores (meat eaters). Since the life span of toxins is sometimes
thousands of years the damages of the harmful agents is difficult to
estimate. However, I would easily
calculate that the number of lives saved by introducing smoking restrictions
such as those introduced in the 1960’s in the U.S. and duty to inform smokers
of risks is far smaller than the number of lives that potentially can be saved
by taking on a broader anti-cancer initiative which includes entire classes of
known harmful chemical agents. Even that
one anti-smoking initiative is attributed with saving millions of lives
(National Pubic Radio Jan. 08, 2014).
With tons of harmful pollution annually involving
many thousands of chemicals spewed into air, water, and land, (Kaufman and
Franz, 1996) it is becoming a widespread emergency. Environmentally related diseases are increasing
and leaving us to face terrible problems stemming from a lack of clean water
and toxin-free food. Even organic food
contains toxins if groundwater is contaminated and there are no water purifying
technologies that eliminate all harmful chemicals or bacteria which is
presently the case due to weaknesses in detection and what is known about
mutation. Furthermore, acid rain and
chemicals used in farming and livestock processes are contaminating inputs that
make food and water actually a public health risk.
Food Engineering
Genetically modifying seeds to enhance
single crop growth is common. There is
concern this type of genetic manipulation is impacting natural processes and
may be harmful to consumers and the environment. Food additives- things alleged to stretch
food- enriched foods, and so forth are also at the center of debate and in many
cases not enough research has been done and it is not possible to know the
longer-term effects of such tampering. However, correlations to abnormalities and illnesses stemming from
genetic manipulation, such as those caused by teratogens are evident.
Incriminating Facts And Helpful Observations
About Poisons
Extracts
from Rachel Carson’s book Silent Spring
•Doctor Rachel
Carson (1964) suggested periodic examinations of blood to make sure the
cholinesterase level is not low. Toxic
exposure and this level is correlated.
•The sperm
count in men around the world has decreased about 50%, and is believed to be
the result of the exposure to toxins.
Al Gore
page xxiii. 1994
•In 1988,
the EPA reported that ground water in thirty-two states was contaminated with
seventy-four detected agricultural chemicals, including one, the herbicide
atrazine, that is classified as a potential human carcinogen. Testicular cancer
has risen approximately 50 percent. Al
Gore page xxii . 1994
According
to 1994 reports issued by Dr. Helen Caldicott MD in her book Nuclear
Madness:
• Pro-toxin
industries have strong allies in all spheres that promote misleading
information and jeopardize public health.
• Exposure
to a variety of poisons resulting from pollution, industrial byproducts, the
manufacture of military weapons, and inefficient nuclear energy production all
increasingly threaten life because toxins are known to destroy genetic
material, cause illnesses, and destroy natural systems that sustain life.
· Dr.
Caldicott stated, “minimum tolerated
toxin levels are above the level at which damage to the liver and other organs
or tissues may begin.”
- Dr. Balch refers to
detoxification approaches including food choices, fasting and herbal
treatments in his book Prescriptions
for Nutritional Healing.
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Balch, J.
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Caldicott, H. (1994 p.22).
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Houghton Mifflin.
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Malgorzata
I. Wiweger1, Zhe Zhao1, Richard J. P. van Merkesteyn2, Henry H. Roehl3, Pancras
C. W., HSPG-Deficient Zebrafish Uncovers Dental Aspect of Multiple
Osteochondromas , Hogendoorn1* 1 Department of Pathology, Leiden University
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Surgery, Leiden University Medical Centre, Leiden, The Netherlands, 3 Department of Biomedical Sciences, The
University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom. |
