Toxins in American Environment

I live on Puget Sound in Northwestern Washington State, Bellingham. Every body of inland water, in my part of the state, has warnings posted for methyl mercury, a by-product of coal burning. Fish are unsafe to eat. Our prevailing source of weather and air, is off of thousands of miles of Pacific Ocean. Methyl mercury is an airborne chemical.

I perceive this as a global problem.

One important aspect of chemical toxins, is that when combined with other unrelated toxins, in our bodies for example, the effective toxicity level INCREASES dramatically. Small amounts of methyl mercury alone MAY be "safe". But when combined with literally hundreds of other toxins in our bodies, the safety level is highly suspect! This cumulative effect is more often that not, overlooked and ignored.

PEACE
Tom

Thomas, there has long been an advisory about consuming more than a limited amount of great lakes fish (here in Michigan) because of mercury. Here is a website you may find interesting:

http://www.lcv.org/

In addition to the lead article on mercury emissions and how the Bushies want to weaken clean air standards, there is information (if you go deeper into the site) on the voting records of congressmen on environmental issues going back several years. Compared to democrats, the right has a pretty abysmal record when it comes to protecting the environment in general, although I personally think not enough is being done by any stretch by either party.

Greed and ignorance are the main culprits here. Needless to say, the junk and pseudo-science embraced by the Bushies and their supporters don't help matters either. As is so often the case, education and activism is the answer. Waiting for politicians to do the right thing is a pipe-dream.