HAVE YOUR HEARD OF ENDOCRINE DISRUPTING CHEMICALS (EDCs)?
One of the main causes of worldwide fertility decline, and of a range of other health problems, is a group of chemicals called Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, commonly known as EDCs. As their name suggests, these chemicals interfere with our hormones. Hormones are chemical messengers that regulate all sorts of things in our bodies: growth, reproduction, energy use, water and other important chemicals.
“These days, the world as we known it feels as though it’s changing at warp speed. The same could be said for the status of the human race. It is not only that sperm counts have plummeted by 50 percent in the past forty years; it’s also that this alarming rate of decline could mean the human race will be unable to reproduce itself if this trend continues.”
(World renowned epidemiologist Prof Shanna Swan, researcher and author of Count Down)
These chemicals are everywhere in our environments: such as in the packaging that surrounds the food we eat, and in the cleaning products that we use, in the cosmetics that we use, in the toys our children play with – they are everywhere! This is an important issue requiring our urgent attention and action! We need to protect ourselves and those around us by understanding the problem and taking appropriate actions. We need to mobilise governments to do what only they can do.
Read widely, and see what other individuals, communities and organisations are doing
Because EDCs have a huge impact on people’s health AND on their fertility AND on the health of animals.
What does CAA want to do?
We want to curtail and eventually eliminate the manufacture and use of EDCs in all aspects of life on Earth, and, while this is happening, we want to help people do everything that they can to manage and eliminate the harmful effects of EDCs in their homes and on the health and fertility of their families and the environment in general.
Why are we doing it?
Because EDCs have huge negative impacts on people’s health AND on their fertility, on the health of animals and on the environment in general.
How are we doing it?
Finding out about the sources of EDCs, their uses and impacts and both informing and helping individuals/families/communities about what they can do as well as holding governments accountable for doing what only governments can do.
Where are we doing it?
First in South Africa and then going northwards into the rest of Africa.
Who are we doing it with?
All concerned citizens, community groups, activists, researchers, and government departments.
What makes us special?
Working in Africa and a concern for all in Africa.
If it can't be reduced, reused, repaired, rebuilt, refurbished, refinished, resold, recycled or composted, then it should be restricted, redesigned or removed from production. - Pete Seeger