"More on the Organic Mom Mafia," by Julie Gunlock. As Charlotte mentioned in her post yesterday, Naomi Schaefer Riley’s excellent piece in the New York Post exposes a new type of helicopter parent—the type that has to hover not only over their own child’s plate of food but over your child’s plate as well. Some of these women are indeed insufferable and judgmental and nervous wrecks and they about as much fun as a trip to the dentist, but there’s another group of women who, while also woefully … [Read more...]
Organic Mom Mafia
April 25, 2014
"Meet the Organic Mom Mafia," Charlotte Hays. Naomi Schaeffer Riley had an excellent column yesterday on “the tyranny of the organic mom mafia.” “Am I going to be an outcast?” a friend who feeds her kids—gasp—non-organic food asks Schaeffer Riley. Riley quoted IWF’s own Julie Gunlock as a proponent of food sanity: Read more. … [Read more...]
Dirty Truth About Organic Produce
April 17, 2014
"Let Facts, Not Fear, Guide Healthy Food Choices," By SaferFruitsandVeggies.com. There are decades of nutritional studies that clearly show that consumption of fruits and vegetables improves health and leads to a longer life – these studies were largely conducted using conventionally grown produce. And, there is an impressive body of work by the government plus peer reviewed science that shows that residues, if they are present at all, do not pose a food safety concern. Yet certain activist … [Read more...]
Earth Day Chemistry Lessons
April 17, 2014
"This Earth Day, Thank A Chemist," By Hank Campbell. Earth Day is fast approaching and, let's face it, if you celebrate Earth Day you probably hate science. And you really hate chemists. But there has never been a reason for it, it is simply modern chemophobia. If you ask an environmentalist if they should use a chemical solvent or baking soda to clean, they will say baking soda - but baking soda is a toxic synthetic chemical (NaHCO3) unless it is used properly, where it is harmless and … [Read more...]
Findings of Honeybee Health Study Encouraging
April 14, 2014
"Encouraging News about Honeybee Health," By Angela Logomasini. A recently released study in Europe reports some good news about honeybee health, which should prompt public officials to reexamine a recent ban on some agricultural products. “It’s the first major study of pests and diseases that affect honeybees. A lot of it seems very encouraging,” honeybee researcher Tom Breeze, says in a Reuters news story. The study examines honeybee populations in Europe after recent disappearances of entire … [Read more...]
Junk Science on Glyphosate and (Roundup) Health Risks
April 14, 2014
"Debunking Pseudo Science “Lab Testing” Health Risk Claims about Glyphosate (Roundup)," by Academics Review. On April 7, 2014 a television “documentary” in Australia reported that a study of 10 nursing mother’s milk revealed the presence of glyphosate. This report referenced claims announced made by a “study” commissioned by anti-GMO activist group Moms Across America with “Sustainable Pulse,” an online “news service” published by anti-GMO campaigner and organic food entrepreneur Henry … [Read more...]
More Chemical Scares
April 10, 2014
"It’s Whacko Wednesday: Two More Asinine Chemical Scares," by American Council on Science and Health. Screen Shot 2014-04-09 at 1.05.06 PMAt ACSH we shout a lot. Sometimes even at each other. But most of the time it takes the form of shoutouts to like-minded writers and websites (and there aren’t that many) that believe that real science, not agenda-driven nonsense, should actually be used to guide public health policy. Today’s shoutout #1 goes to the prolific (and brilliant) Trevor … [Read more...]
BPA Alarmism and Mother Jones’ “Expose”
April 9, 2014
"BPA: The Scientists, The Scare, The 100-Million Dollar Surge," by Trevor Butterworth. Conspiracy, incompetence, a federal agency out of control. A recent Mother Jones story by Mariah Blake indicts the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a threat to science and public health over the way it’s conducting research into bisphenol A (BPA), the never-ending chemical scare story of the 21st century. Raise the alarm (again), stir the pot (again), marshal outrage (again). And, if you have no other … [Read more...]
Consumers Misinformed About Organic Food
April 9, 2014
"Why Consumers Pay More for Organic Foods? Fear Sells and Marketers Know it," by Academics Review. An extensive review of more than 200 published academic, industry and government research reports into why consumers adopt organic product purchasing behaviors was conducted by Academics Review – a non-profit led by independent academic experts in agriculture and food sciences. This review was then supplemented with an assessment of more than 1,000 news reports, 500 website and social media … [Read more...]
Consumers’ Guide to Chemical Risk
April 7, 2014
"Science Facts and Chemical Scares," By Angela Logomasini. Will these chemicals make me fat? That sounds like a weird question, but some consumers may actually have such worries, thanks to a constant barrage of news headlines suggesting that synthetic chemicals—an even some naturally occurring ones—are responsible for nearly every public health problem imaginable. This website and CEI‘s A Consumers Guide to Chemical Risk: Deciphering the “Science” Behind Chemical Scares booklet are designed … [Read more...]
Pesticides Vital to Food Production in India
April 7, 2014
"Debunking the Myths on Pesticides is Vital to Raise Food Production in India," By Rajju D Shroff. It is an unsupported claim commonly accepted that all pesticides are unsafe, both for crops and human health. In recent years, studies have highlighted the toxic effects of pesticides, especially in the long run. Most attacks have come from selfacclaimed environmentalists and some environmental NGOs, without enough research to even corroborate their findings. A major concern put forth by such … [Read more...]
Ignore Greens’ Dirty Politics
April 7, 2014
"Don't Let Annual List Release Put a Damper On Spring," by SafeFruitsandVeggies.com. It’s April now, spring is here which means an even bigger variety of healthy and safe fruit and veggies will be available to consumers at restaurants, grocery stores and farmers’ markets. But before consumers can get too excited, they’ll be greeted this month with the annual release of the “dirty dozen” list which inaccurately calls into question the safety of fruits and vegetables most popular among American … [Read more...]
Organic Food & Cancer Risk
April 7, 2014
"Organic Food Does Not Reduce Cancer Risk," By Hank Campbell. Organic food has built a lot of mythology around its process - more ethical, more nutritional, fewer pesticides, a larger penis for the sons of organic shoppers - but one claim was a puzzler only subscribed to by the kind of people who buy homeopathy and healing crystals; that eating organic might reduce the risk of cancer. The premise is logical, at least for organic shoppers, if only adjacently valid scientifically. Poor diet has … [Read more...]
Fishy “Link”: Glyphosate and Celiac
March 31, 2014
"A Fishy Attempt To Link Glyphosate And Celiac Disease," By Steve Savage. Stephanie Seneff (a computer scientist at MIT), and Anthony Samsel (a retired consultant), have recently been attempting to link the use of the herbicide glyphosate to a long list of modern maladies. Their latest such attempt to is Celiac disease. The overall argument for the glyphosate/Celiac link has already been quite thoroughly debunked by a Celiac expert, but there is one other good reason to dismiss the "link" which … [Read more...]
Triclosan’s Dental Benefits
March 31, 2014
"Triclosan: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly," By Maria Perno Goldie, RDH, MS. There has been much chatter lately on social media regarding triclosan, and products containing triclosan. Allegations are being made that products contacting triclosan are being banned in certain countries and that it is an unsafe addition to oral care and other products. The “ugly” is that many of these accusations are unfounded and not based in science, and can blur the lines between personal preference and … [Read more...]
More NYT Alarmism About Plastics
March 31, 2014
"It Never Stops. Monday: Phthalates, Tuesday: BPA, Wednesday: Phthalates, Thursday: BPA, Friday: Phthalates …." by American Council on Science and Health. It’s a good thing there aren’t more days in the week, cause this could get awfully tiresome. But on March 21st (a Friday) those of us who were unfortunate enough to stumble upon Deborah Blum’s piece “A Plastic Threat to Male Fertility” were treated to a world-classless tutorial on (of course) phthalates—which come across as one of the most … [Read more...]
Eating Organic Has No Effect on Cancer Risk
March 31, 2014
"A New Study Has Found that Eating an Organic Diet Does Not Reduce the Risk of Cancer," by CBS Atlanta. Researchers monitored the health of 600,000 women aged 50 or older for nine years asking whether they ate pesticide-free organic food. Roughly 50,000 of the women developed one of the 16 most common cancers during the study period in total. No difference in overall cancer risk was found between a comparison of 45,000 women who “always” or “usually” chose organic food and 180 women who never … [Read more...]
Anti-BPA Bill to Harm Taxpayers
March 31, 2014
"BPA Threats Unsubstantiated; Bill Could Hurt Taxpayers," by Mattie Duppler. Over a century ago, Gov. Robert “Fighting Bob” La Follette Sr. advocated what would become to be known as the Wisconsin Idea, a principle that an effective government is a responsive government. Today, lawmakers in Madison are beginning to neglect this compact, pursuing a political agenda that ignores informed debate and the well-being of their constituents. Rep. Chris Taylor, D-Madison, has introduced Assembly Bill … [Read more...]
Beekeeper: Alliance with Greens is Counter-Productive
March 24, 2014
"Beekeeper Speaks Out Against Anti-Pesticide Campaigns," By Angela Logomasini. Anyone worried about honey bee survival should read the piece by Canadian beekeeper Lee Townsend in the Guelph Mercury newspaper. In recent years, beekeepers have seen some of their hives disappear without much explanation, a phenomenon referred to as”colony collapse disorder.” Green activists have used this situation to randomly initiate bans on various pesticide products in the name of saving the bees, and their … [Read more...]
Misinformation about Triclosan
March 24, 2014
"Editorial Counterpoint: Misinformation Fuels Fears about Triclosan," By Paul Deleo. The Star Tribune’s March 11 editorial supporting state legislation to ban the ingredient triclosan — found in a number of antibacterial soaps and body washes — contributes to a parade of misinformation and distortion that we have sadly seen in Minnesota as of late. Triclosan is the most reviewed and researched active ingredient used in antibacterial soaps and body washes. Antibacterial wash products with … [Read more...]
Pesticide Regulation Means Less Wheat to Feed World Population
March 24, 2014
"Curbing Pesticides Will Slash Wheat Yields," By AFP. France’s winter wheat harvest could shrink by over a tenth if farmers meet targets to halve pesticide use, said a study Thursday highlighting the challenge of feeding Earth’s growing population. The estimates come from field trials where scientists compared yields to cuts in pesticide use. Extrapolated for the country as a whole, halving pesticide use could mean a decline in winter wheat production of two to three million tonnes per year, … [Read more...]
New Yorker’s Attack on Science
March 19, 2014
"Turning Science into a Circus: The New Yorker, Rachel Aviv and Tyrone Hayes," By Bruce Chassy, Ph.D. Titled “A Valuable Reputation,” it purports to tell the story of Berkeley researcher Dr. Tyrone Hayes and how, after he supposedly revealed the harmful effects of a popular herbicide on frog development, the chemical’s maker attempted to discredit him. In subsequent statements by the author and other articles, this has morphed into allegations of a full-fledged corporate conspiracy one … [Read more...]
Beekeeper Says: Alliance with Greens is a Mistake
March 19, 2014
"Canada’s Bees are Thriving: Public Needs Facts, not Fear," By Lee Townsend. News outlets throughout Canada are filled with stories about the imminent decline of honeybees and the calls by some beekeepers to ban the pesticides — called neonicotinoids — which they blame for their problems. As a commercial beekeeper, I have a couple of points to make that may surprise some readers. First, the Canadian honeybee industry is far from collapsing — in fact, it's thriving. The numbers don't lie. Both … [Read more...]
Questionable Claims About Pesticides and Health
March 19, 2014
"No, Pesticides Did Not Give Your Child A Tiny Penis - Or Autism," By Hank Campbell. In mainstream media, everywhere from Fox News to Time (and here on Science 2.0, though with a little more skepticism) a bizarre study is all the rage - pesticides and other environmental toxins will give your kid a malformed penis and cause autism. And state regulations...prevent it. This overturns all of epidemiology, right? Now something has to be done. Autism causes might be okay to debate in a reasoned … [Read more...]
Chemicals & Obesity
March 17, 2014
"Does BPA Make You Fat?" By Steve Hentges. As with most questions related to the common chemical bisphenol A (BPA), the answer to that question may depend on who you ask. The question is a particularly relevant one in recent years with the advent of the “environmental obesogen” hypothesis, which refers to “…chemicals that inappropriately alter lipidhomeostasis and fat storage, metabolic setpoints, energy balance, or the regulation of appetite and satiety to promote fat accumulation and … [Read more...]
