Wednesday, December 9, 2015

If it ain't broke, let's keep it from breaking

Execuse sir, ma’am, CEO, or whoever you are, I didn’t sign up for your experiment.  I’m not a damn guinea pig. So stop treating me like one. I mean I literally feel like I'm living in a glass cage sometimes.  I feel like the subject of an experiment facilitated by some evil scientist.  And I’m sure I’m not the only one.  Everyday we are exposed to HUNDREDS of chemicals and most of the time it's without our consent and without our knowledge.  Many of these chemicals have never even been tested for safety.  The food we eat, the beverages we consume, the materials used to build our homes, the clothes we wear, and the air we breathe all contain chemicals.  It's like some head honcho is sitting back in his padded leather chair saying *new york accent* "well there's a 75% chance this won't kill you, so it's ok."  Are you kidding me?!!? 75% chance?!?! So if someone offered you a drink and said there's a 75% chance it won't kill you, would you drink it?? I wouldn't.  I need to know that it's 100% safe as proven by thorough, un-biased experiments.  

Sometimes I get dirty looks or labeled as a outlandish hippie when I refuse to eat or drink something. But oh well.  I’m not gonna run around trying to shove my opinion down people’s throat; but on the same token, just as I respect other people’s opinions, I expect the same courtesy.  For the record, however, I do NOT avoid plastics, pesticides, etc. because I’m some paranoid maniac that runs around with a gas mask on because I think one quick whiff of nail polish fumes is gonna turn me into some freakish mutated species.  I make the choices I make because I am absolutely, 100% pissed off that corporations are just nilly willy handing us products without giving a rats ass about the safety of the product.  I am not saying that all corporations are evil, but there are some that are just plain wreckless.  For example, scientists have been aware of the hazardous effects of chemicals like BPA since the 1930’s.  Why is it that it’s taken 80 years to get this crap of the shelves?!  And some corporations are still using it to package their products!  

It seems like we talk about how chronic diseases (e.g. diabetes, cancer, and autism) are on the rise so matter of factly and then BOOM a friend or a loved one is diagnosed with one of these very diseases.  It’s then that our world shatters.  It’s then that we begin to think critically about the everyday habits and practices that permeate our society.  We are complacently reactive.  And that is what my issue is.  We know good and well that it’s better to be proactive than reactive.  Yet time and time again we fail to take action until we have a problem.  The well-known “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” mantra shouldn’t apply to our health and well-being.  We need to do everything to stay healthy instead of waiting until we’re ill.  Maybe the chemicals we are exposed to aren’t to blame, maybe they are.  The point is we aren’t sure.  Not enough unbiased, thorough, and succinct research has been completed to ensure the safety of the chemicals around us.  As consumers, we need to unite and leverage our buying power to pressure corporations into provide us with this guarantee.  It’s time we get corporations to stop shelling out millions for lobbying on Capitol Hill and start investing it in our safety.  

#SwitchToSafer #SlowDeathByRubberDuck

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