November 2024: Help Us Get Past the Yeti

In this edition:

• Green Science Policy Impact
• 2025 Projects

Regardless of the challenges ahead from our nation's leadership, here at the Green Science Policy Institute, we are continuing to work where we can move the levers of change and have the greatest impact. Our current focus is on science and policy projects working with business and state government to reduce harm from toxic chemicals towards healthier products, people, and planet.

Green Science Policy Impact

Stopping the use of toxics in our products is like climbing a high Himalayan mountain. First you have a vision of your objective and find others who share your vision. You raise the money and plan your route and strategy. Then you and your team pick up heavy loads, and persevere day after day through deep snow, storms, avalanches and an occasional Yeti towards the summit of a healthier world.

 

Will you support our annual campaign with a gift as we continue our ascent towards a more sustainable world?

 

Examples of our impact:

• After years of our research and advocacy, standards were updated to stop the use of toxic flame retardants in our furniture and children’s products.
• A decade after we began promoting the class concept to limit the use of whole classes of harmful chemicals, the entire class of PFAS is being phased out of food packaging, textiles, cosmetics and other products in the US and worldwide.
• We prevented international standards that would lead to the unnecessary use of hundreds of millions of pounds of unneeded toxic flame retardants in electronic enclosures worldwide.
• Our unique communications strategy to share our research has resulted in our coauthoring six out of the twenty most-read Environmental Science & Technology Letters papers in 2024.

We thank our dedicated team of scientists for carrying out and sharing our innovative scientific research with decision-makers, leading to long-lasting changes in the environmental health landscape.

2025 Projects

Here are some of our 2025 projects:

• Stopping the harmful and unnecessary use of antimicrobials such as quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs) in personal care and home cleaning products.
• Preventing the unnecessary use of flame retardants in the plastic enclosures around lithium-ion batteries in products from earbuds to e-bikes to electric vehicles.
• After contributing to a paper finding flame retardants in some infant mattresses, we will be studying additional children's mattresses and other products. If we find harmful flame retardants, we will educate product manufacturers to prevent their use and protect children's health.

Please consider a contribution to support our continuing impact. Your investment will help safeguard us all from needless chemical harm.

With gratitude,
Arlene Blum and the Green Science Policy team

P.S. Please make your gift today.