Eco Women: Protectors of the Planet!

The Washington Post reported last week that Coca-Cola, Campbell’s, Del Monte, and other manufacturers of canned foods and beverages, met to come up with a public relations and lobbying strategy to stop the government from banning the use of Bisphenol-A, or BPA, from being used in the linings of metal lids and cans.

BPA is an endocrine disruptor which mimics estrogen. It has been shown to cause impaired brain and neurological functions, testicular and breast cancer, chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, early puberty, adult-onset diabetes, and obesity and resistance to chemotherapy. It can be found in some plastics with recycling code “7″, the lining of canned drinks and foods except for Eden Organic’s canned beans, canned baby formula, the lining of baby food jars, some plastic reusable water bottles, and some baby bottles (for a list of BPA-free baby bottles and other plastic baby items, click here). Canada and Suffolk County in New York have banned BPA in baby bottles and other states plan to follow suit.

The Washington Post obtained internal notes from the meeting which reported executives’ strategies on how to halt public concerns over BPA. Here are some of their ideas:

• Use fear tactics: “Do you want to have access to baby food anymore?”
• Highlighting costs of food with and without BPA: choosing the more expensive product that is frozen or fresh or foods packaged in cans
• Using a public relations campaign: “Their ‘holy grail’ spokesperson would be a ‘pregnant young mother who would be willing to speak around the country about the benefits of BPA.’”

The Environmental Working Group, a group that advocates on Capitol Hill for health-protective policies, is asking us to speak up to Coca-Cola and Del Monte about this issue. Here’s what we can do:

• Call these toll free numbers to protest: Coca-Cola 1-800-GET-COKE, ext. 2 and Del Monte 1-800-543-3090
• Use this sample script if you’d like: “Hello, My name is ______________. I’m shocked and disappointed in your unethical approach to business when it comes to BPA – placing profits ahead of my family’s health and using fear tactics to placate consumers about a clearly dangerous chemical. BPA needs to go – NOW. Thank you.”
• Send EWG an email describing the conversation to:     ewg@ewg.org
• Get your friends to call.

There’s power in numbers. Let these big companies know that their customers have a voice that they should actually hear.

Photo from Flickr by Lepti