A few years ago when I was in environmental health, Bisphenol A became the new black, or rather, the new lead. Young mothers demanded that the endocrine disruptor be removed from baby bottles and water bottles. People stopped microwaving their tupperware. Metal bottle companies like Sigg made millions as cautious consumers believed their new purchases were BPA free. In a surprising company newsletter Sigg CEO Steve Wasik now admits that his bottles once contained BPA in the inner epoxy liner. Crunchy consumers are freaking livid. The problem with chemical health is that none of the chemicals are easy to remember. Honestly, I can’t even remember the Prop 65 list of regulated chemicals, and compared to the Europeans, we’re extremely behind. We can attempt to remember cancer-causing chemicals like 1,4-Dioxane, but the fact of the matter is, it’s pretty difficult to avoid everything. Sodium Fluoride is an endocrine disruptor, linked to birth defects and cancer. And while it is restricted in Canadian cosmetics, we probably come into contact with it twice a day through our toothpaste. We need better representatives with the power to change manufacturing processes. We can’t buy our way out of the situation, but maybe we can vote our way out.