Harbor seals become lab rats

Great. Just fantastic.

Sigh.

What's amazing to me is that we're still producing these chemicals like there's no tomorrow. Yeah, we now know Teflon is linked to cancer and flame retardants are showing up in breast milk. Meanwhile people are snapping up non-stick pans and stain proof fabrics like they're going out of style and laws are getting more stringent, requiring more flame retardants in bedding and sleepwear.

What many don't realize is that good old cast iron pans can be just as easy to cook with when properly taken care of.

I no longer buy Gore-tex products, because it also has PFOA's in it, but at one time I actually flossed with it after my dentist gave me a roll of Glide.

Since I am someone that loves the outdoors, snowboarding, kayaking, camping, etc., it's especially hard to avoid products that contain Gore-tex. Also, what if my alternative water proof product ends up being worse for my health and the environement in the long run? I guess I'll take the evil I don't know over the evil I know.

Flame retardants are really hard to avoid. Did you know that in California you need a doctors presciption to get a bed that is not treated with flame retardant? Or you can purchase an organic bed that has a certain percentage of wool in the outer cover which is naturally flame retardant and therefore complies with the law. Once you get an organic bed you'll never go back! I have one made out of natural latex with an organic cotton and wool cover that I love and no PBDEs!

Basically until we as consumers refuse to purchase and therefore support these chemicals they will continue to be produced and introduced into our bodies, seal pups, and the environment. We will have to pass laws to outlaw these toxic products, as they are so profitable that it is unlikely that industries will do it on their own.