Michael promotes the Center for Environmental Health (CEH) to raise public awareness of the corporate use of toxic chemicals and of the many viable, pragmatic solutions to this pervasive threat to public health. He founded CEH in 1996 and since then has helped lead national efforts to stop toxic exposures and protect public health. He has also pioneered the groundbreaking legal work that has won landmark victories to protect the public from hazardous consumer products and toxic emissions. Michael has worked in Washington D.C. for the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management, and the US EPA’s Working Group on Environmental Equity. Michael designed a solid waste management plan for the Tibetan refugee community in Dharamsala, India, and cared for the sick at Mother Teresa’s mission in Calcutta, India. He was awarded the California Wellness Foundation’s annual Leadership Award, as well as the prestigious Compassion in Action Award which is presented jointly from the Dalai Lama Foundation and the Committee of 100 for Tibet each year. He has testified in front of Congress, serves on numerous boards of directors, and is frequently quoted in national and international media. Michael has an MS in Natural Resources and an MPP in Public Policy, both from the University of Michigan.
Crossposted from Huffington Post Tony Stefani is an American hero. Not just because of his 28 years of service as a captain with the San Francisco Fire Department. Not just because he’s a cancer survivor who started a non-profit to prevent cancer among firefighters. All of that would make him hero enough, but not enough [...]
March 13, 2013 – 10:44 am
Crossposted from Huffington Post In Ruth Ozeki’s heartbreakingly funny novel My Year of Meats, narrator Jane Takagi-Little reflects on her journey through fertility challenges and miscarriage while producing a documentary series for Japanese television on behalf of the American corporate meat exporter Beef-Ex. About midway through the novel, Jane realizes that a synthetic hormone once used in [...]
Crossposted from Huffington Post When is a flame retardant not a flame retardant? When it is no more effective in retarding flames than, well, nothing. Since fire safety experts and government studies say that chemical flame retardants as they are used in many products are not effective, maybe we should stop calling them flame retardants. Recently nonprofits from seven [...]
Posted in Chemical Policy, Environmental Justice, Green Living, Pollution, Toxics in Everyday Products, Toxins in Children's Products, Toxins in Household Products
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Tagged children's health, fire safety, flame retardant chemicals, flame retardants, Precautionary Principle, Safe Chemicals Act, toxics
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February 5, 2013 – 3:08 pm
Most Americans are taught in grade school about the Declaration of Independence and the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. But even those elitist Americans with a college education don’t learn anything about the concept of a human right to a healthy environment. So it is not surprising when news headlines completely overlook an [...]
Posted in Chemical Policy, Environmental Justice, Green Living, Lead, Pollution, Toxics in Everyday Products, Toxins in Children's Products
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Tagged chemical health threats, DuPont, environmental health rights, Human Rights Watch, mercury poisoning, mercury pollution, Minimata Bay, Minimata convention, Minimata treaty, PCBs, right to a healthy environment, toxic chemicals
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January 24, 2013 – 9:47 am
Crossposted from Huffington Post When scientists suspect a chemical may cause cancer or other illnesses, one way they do testing is to expose lab animals to high doses of the substance and then see what happens. When anything tested this way shows harmful effects, industry goes on the offensive, arguing that only massively unlikely doses [...]
December 13, 2012 – 1:29 pm
The holidays can be stressful, especially for those of us who are aware of all the harmful chemicals in too many products on the store shelves today. Sometimes I just want to look for gifts for my loved ones without having to wonder what dangerous toxins might be lurking in every product. I also know [...]
Posted in Chemical Policy, Green Living, Lead, Pesticides, Pollution, Safe Foods, Toxics in Everyday Products, Toxins in Children's Products, Toxins in Household Products, Toxins in Jewelry
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Tagged arts & crafts, families, gift guide 2012, holiday gift guide, parents, purses, toxic-free gift guide, toxic-free gifts, wrapping paper
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November 3, 2012 – 6:39 am
People should have the information they need to choose whether or not they buy genetically modified (GMO) food, so it’s been disturbing to see the lies perpetrated by Monsanto and their anti-choice allies working against Prop 37, the California GMO Right-to-Know Ballot Initiative. Prop 37 would inform consumers with labels on genetically modified (GMO) food. [...]
Posted in Green Living, Pesticides, Safe Foods, Toxics in Everyday Products
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Tagged California, GMO, GMO labeling, lawsuits, lead poisoning, organic, Prop 37, Prop 65, Right to Know
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February 23, 2012 – 5:00 am
By Michael Green, CEH Executive Director- Crossposted from Huffington Post My three-year-old daughter Juliette and I have a standing argument. When she wants a sippy cup, I hand her my all-stainless steel, unlined hard-topped mug. But she wants her pink plastic sippy cup, the one with the squishy plastic shell and flexible plastic straw. She [...]
Posted in Chemical Policy, Environmental Justice, Green Living, Safe Foods, Toxics in Everyday Products, Toxins in Children's Products, Toxins in Household Products
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Tagged BPA, chemical industry, chemical replacements, flame retardants, sippy cups, toxic shell game
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December 18, 2011 – 8:00 am
The Center for Environmental Health (CEH) held a gala celebration this past October 24 to mark our 15th anniversary of protecting children and families from harmful chemicals in our food, air, water and consumer products. I was honored and humbled at the support of more than 250 guests who attended the event, which was introduced [...]
April 13, 2010 – 12:05 pm
While waiting for my new tires at a local shop recently, the clerk handed me a beautiful card with an image of a lovely spruce tree, offering me the chance to “Get a quote, plant a tree.” Just for a little more urgency, the card also said “Limited Time Offer.” At the bottom, it had [...]