Endocrine disrupting chemicals...

Just saw an interview with New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof on Colbert Report about endocrine disrupting chemicals that are known to have effects on male and female reproduction, breast development and cancer, prostate cancer, neuroendocrinology, thyroid, metabolism and obesity, and cardiovascular endocrinology. These substances can be in our environment, food, and various consumer products. Kristof became interested in this issue after seeing Frontline's special "Poisoned Waters" in April 2009. It covers what is occurring in amphibians- there is a growing number of hermaphroditism in them, such as males having eggs. Kristof quotes, "Since human urine is a major source of estrogens in some areas, we may have to treat tap water to destroy hormones (this can be done but gets expensive). And we should be very careful of phthalates and other endocrine disrupting chemicals in the consumer products we use."

Pretty scary...I haven't delved in it very much at all yet, but if I find any helpful info/products to avoid I'll definitely pass it on. My boyfriend actually took classes (he has an environmental science degree from UCSB) that discussed this topic and he told me that these chemicals can appear in pesticides/herbicides, agricultural runoffs, a lot of plastics such as water bottles, and as Kristof noted, these chemicals appear also in our water systems.


Kristof on Colbert

Kristof's column on the issue

Endocrine Society Scientific Statement


Yeah, Ive already nixed plastic water bottles as much as I can. Klean Kanteen makes a really great reusable water canteen that I LOVE. They come in a bunch of different colors and sizes, they are made of food-grade stainless steel, one of the healthiest and most durable materials available :)